Uncle Basil had heard all the words they called him because he wasn't as deaf as he made out. He knew he was a mangy, stingy, penny-pinching screw, scrimp, scraper, pinchfist, hoarder, and curmudgeon (just to start with). There were other words, less gentle, he'd also heard himself called. He didn't mind. What galled him was the oft repeated warning, "You can't take it with you." After all, it was all his.

Eva-Lis Wuorio' s work was principally for children and young adults. “You Can’t Take It With You” is a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed and the idea that material wealth is ultimately transient. It is from a collection of short stories called Escape If You Can.

Isaac Asimov was a prolific writer, contributing significantly to science fiction and popular science literature. He wrote or edited about 500 books, including the renowned Foundation and robot series. His story "Nightfall" (1941) is considered one of the greatest science fiction short stories. Asimov's work on the Three Laws of Robotics greatly influenced the portrayal of robots in literature.

Despite its brevity, "The Fun They Had" packs a punch. This science fiction story is about the school experience of two children, Margie and Tommy, living in 2155. Tommy has "found a real book!" The children are fascinated with the find.

He was wild and lost to the world as he painted, his only thought was to complete a perfect likeness of his beautiful young wife to be captured for eternity. 

"The Oval Portrait" was one of Poe's briefest stories in the genres of mystery and the macabre.

Link to podcast episode 4:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4WaBJLJ4oLCkq2mFot8jEv

https://aliterarycornucopia.wordpress.com/2025/03/10/episode-124-edgar-allan-poe-and-the-oval-portrait/

Ernest Hemingway was an influential American novelist and short-story writer, born on July 21, 1899, in Cicero, Illinois, and died on July 2, 1961, in Ketchum, Idaho. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954, recognized for his impactful prose style and adventurous life. Hemingway's writing is noted for its intense masculinity and concise, lucid prose, which significantly influenced 20th-century American and British fiction. "The Old Man at the Bridge" is a prime example of his narrative style.

Toni Morrison was a celebrated American writer known for her exploration of the Black experience, particularly the Black female experience. She became the first Black female writer to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature (1993).

The short story “Sweetness” was originally published inThe New Yorkerin February 2015. It became the opening chapter of her novelGod Help the Child. The story is narrated in the first person by a woman named Sweetness, reflecting on her relationship with her daughter, Lula Ann.

Oscar Wilde's' plays were mostly directed at adult audiences. They displayed his wit.

However, this controversial Irish writer also wrote charming stories for children.

"The Selfish Giant" was part of his short story collection

ALC Blog: https://aliterarycornucopia.wordpress.com/home/about-a-literary-cornucopia-podcast/

William Faulkner’s works, many set in a fictional county, reflect the complexities and contradictions of the South. His influence extends to countless writers, and his themes remain relevant in contemporary discussions of history and culture. Faulkner is celebrated as a pioneer of modernist fiction and a chronicler of the American South.

"A Rose for Emily" is a Southern Gothic short story that tells the story of Emily Grierson, an eccentric and reclusive woman.

For more information on Faulkner, click the link: https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Faulkner/Later-life-and-works

"Of all who give gifts, these two were the most wise. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are the most wise. Everywhere they are the wise ones.

They are the magi." The Gift of the Magi (O. Henry)

What are our true feelings when we exchange gifts with the ones we love?

“The name Thomas Hardy has meant surefire gloom and doom for a century. No one has ever gone to Thomas Hardy for light reading. What a surprise then, to discover this almost frivolous adventure of a juvenile detective among so much adversity and pessimism. ‘The Thieves Who Couldn’t Help Sneezing’ is startling proof that man cannot live on misery alone. Not even Thomas Hardy. “ (Murder for Christmas)

Blog post: https://aliterarycornucopia.wordpress.com/

Leo Tolstoy was a Russian author, a master of realistic fiction and one of the world’s greatest novelists. Most readers will agree with the assessment of the 19th-century British poet and critic Matthew Arnold that a novel by Tolstoy is not a work of art but a piece of life; the Russian author Isaak Babel commented that, if the world could write by itself, it would write like Tolstoy. This episode includes a reading of Part One of “How Much Land Does a Man Need?”