LitReading - Short Stories and Timeless Tales

We have every reason to love these people, yet we don't.

If you enjoyed this story, buy me an e-book!

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/donmcdonald

or click FOLLOW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every day we are bombarded by images of unattainable beauty, regaled with stories of fame, and envious of those who have attained great wealth. It’s easy to lose sight of our important contributions to the world and those around us. No matter how we have ended up , we all started as a figurative "handful of clay."

Henry van Dyke was a well-known clergyman, English professor, and author. He spent almost a quarter century teach English Literature at Princeton, while writing numerous short stories in his spare time. He also composed several verses of “My Country Tis of Thee,” America’s unofficial national anthem prior to the “Star Spangled Banner’s” gaining official anthem status in 1931.

If you enjoyed this story, buy me an e-book!

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/donmcdonald

or click FOLLOW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A young woman stumbles upon a drunk with whom she forms a bond until she learns more.

If you enjoyed this story, buy me an e-book!

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/donmcdonald

or click FOLLOW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A sick young woman is saved by a final kind gesture.

If you enjoyed this story, buy me an e-book!

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/donmcdonald

or click FOLLOW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Joyce’s “Araby” is ranked among the pantheon of greatest short stories ever written. In this timeless coming of age tale an adolescent boy, blinded by a hormonal fog, falls for a neighbor girl.

Now considered one of the classics of literature, the 1914 collection of short stories, Dubliners, of which “Araby” was an early part was an initial failure selling less than 400 copies. Of those almost a third were purchased Joyce himself.

If you enjoyed this story, buy me an e-book!

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/donmcdonald

or click FOLLOW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can an almost perfectly planned crime be solved? That question is answered in this classic mystery by one of the early 20th Century's most popular, fictional medical detectives, Dr. Thorndyke.

Sandwiched between the Sherlock Holmes mysteries of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the whodunnits of Agatha Christie are R. Austin Freeman's "whocatchums." Freeman pioneered the concept of the inverted detective story, in which the whole crime is explained before the investigation.

If you enjoyed this story, buy me an e-book!

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/donmcdonald

or click FOLLOW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For much of human existence we have questioned the concept of time. Is it always a constant or can it be manipulated, allowing us to move forward or backward chronologically. In this 19th century story, two cousins speculate about the age of their aunt whom they visited regularly, until they discovered the secrets of her old clock.

In 1881, several years before H.G. Wells even started writing his classic, “The Time Machine,” newspaper editor Edward Page Mitchell published his time travel story anonymously in his newspaper “The New York Sun.” Considered to be the true father of science fiction, Mitchell had penned stories about traveling father that light (1874), artificial intelligence and cryogenics (1879). Look for more stories from this lesser known sci-fi master in future episodes.

If you enjoyed this story, buy me an e-book!

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/donmcdonald

or click FOLLOW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is a power that comes from giving without expectation of reward.
A self-sacrificing spirit is the theme for Irish author Oscar Wilde’s short story.

The Model Millionaire first appeared in print in the newspaper The World in June 1887. The story’s author, Oscar Wilde, was one of the 19th century’s most famous authors and playrights penning works like The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest.
Late in his life, Wilde served almost two years at hard labor after being convicting of violating England’s draconian laws against homosexual behavior. He died just over three years after his release at age 46.

If you enjoyed this story, buy me an e-book!

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/donmcdonald

or click FOLLOW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Note from Don: Listening back to this story before posting it, I have to say that it moved me more than most – and I spent a few days reading, narrating, and editing it.

"The Rocking Horse Winner" entered the public domain at the beginning of 2022 and is considered one of the all-time best stories. It’s about a young boy’s dysfunctional relationship with his parents, under stress for living well beyond their means.

Like most great short stories, The Rocking Horse winner has it's roots in the author's own childhood. His well-educated mother expressed similar frustrations with Lawrence’s blue collar father.

If you enjoyed this story, buy me an e-book!

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/donmcdonald

or click FOLLOW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mankind has always loved to explore sometimes crossing great wildernesses, but more often just poking around in our own backyards. This light-hearted tale is about a group of men who decide to investigate a local cave and literally stumble across a huge surprise.

Stephen Crane was born years after the US Civil War ended, but is best known for his stirring 1895 Civil War novel, The Red Badge of Courage. Crane was also a prolific writer of short stories, many of which ranged from actual war stories to the more personal battles of people against the wilderness or themselves.

If you enjoyed this story, buy me an e-book!

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/donmcdonald

or click FOLLOW

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.