Snoozecast

Tonight, we’ll read a fairy tale by listener request called “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” that we first read back in 2020. This tale is best known as part of the German “Brothers Grimm collection”, but there are variants of it from around the world including the folk tales of Russia, Iceland, India, Armenia, France, Turkey and Portugal. It is also known as "The Worn-Out Dancing Shoes" or "The Shoes that were Danced to Pieces".

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Tonight, we’ll read a short story by John Burroughs called “The Exhilaration of the Road” that we first read in 2020. It is taken from a compilation titled “The Footpath Way”, an anthology for walkers, published in 1911.

John Burroughs was an American nature essayist, active in the U.S. conservation movement. In the words of his biographer Edward Renehan, Burroughs' special identity was less that of a scientific naturalist than that of "a literary naturalist with a duty to record his own unique perceptions of the natural world." The result was a body of work whose resonance with the tone of its cultural moment explains both its popularity at that time, and its relative obscurity since.

Burroughs accompanied many personalities of the time in his later years, including Theodore Roosevelt, Henry Ford (who gave him an automobile), and Thomas Edison. According to Ford, "John Burroughs, Edison, and I made several vagabond trips together. We went in motor caravans and slept under canvas.”

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Tonight, we’ll read the 19th chapter of “Anne of Green Gables”, the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “A Concert a Catastrophe and a Confession”.

In the previous chapter – Anne’s quick thinking and experience helped save the life of her friend Diana’s younger sister, Minnie May. This episode not only strengthened Anne’s bond with Diana but also mended her strained relationship with Diana’s mother, Mrs. Barry, leading the two to a joyful reconciliation.

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Tonight, we’ll read the story of the mischievous animals of Algonquin Legends, particularly the badger, the weasel fairies, the moose and the marten. This story is based on one found in the book “Algonquin Legends of New England”, published in 1884 and compiled by Charles Godfrey Leland.

The Algonquian are one of the most populous and widespread North American native language groups. Today, thousands of individuals identify with various Algonquian peoples. 

Their legends involve characters who are simultaneously human and at the same time represented by an animal or a magical being, or sometimes both, as is the case of the weasel fairy sisters. 

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Tonight, we’ll read from the third chapter of British naturalist Charles Darwin’s “The Voyage of the Beagle”. This chapter explores the area around coastal Uruguay and Argentina, starting in the town of Madonado. Darwin describes the unique behaviors of the local wildlife, like ostriches and capybaras, and the customs of the local landowners and gauchos, or cowboys. He encounters curious locals who are fascinated by his pocket compass and matchsticks.

“The Voyage of the Beagle” is the title most commonly given to the book published in 1839 as Darwin’s “Journal and Remarks”, bringing him considerable fame and respect. If you’d like to start from the beginning, the first of this series aired on June 10th, 2024, and the second aired a month later.

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Tonight, we’ll read the next chapter of “Good Wives” written by Louisa May Alcott. This is also known as the second half of the “Little Women” novel and is considered the 32st chapter as part of that work as a whole. Our last episode was the chapter titled “Our Foreign Correspondent” and Amy writes from her travels abroad, sharing her excitement and experiences in London and Paris. She describes sightseeing, social gatherings with friends, and romantic adventures, including a potential suitor, Fred. Amy reflects on the practicality of a marriage with Fred, valuing his wealth and status, while assuring her family that she will make prudent decisions.This next chapter is titled “Tender Troubles”.

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Introducing Unearth Yosemite's Secrets with Lillian Cunningham from Via Podcast.

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On this episode of the Via Podcast, hosts Michelle Donati and Mitti Hicks learn behind-the-scenes stories and insider scoop on Yosemite National Park, from the history of the creation of the park to where to uncover the entirety of the park's archives.

Guest Lillian Miller, host of the Washington Post podcast Field Trip, takes you behind the curtain and explores how the park was created and what continues to sustain it hundreds of years later.

Via Podcast is a production of AAA Mountain West Group.

DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

Tonight, we’ll read an Armenian folktale titled “The Betrothed of Destiny”. It comes from A.G. Seklemian’s 1898 “The Golden Maiden and Other Armenian Folktales”. This particular story features a fearless, strong heroine. When Snoozecast first published this story back in 2020, we realize now that we had misspelled the author’s last name as “Sekelmann”.

Abraham Seklemian was an Armenian-American editor and author. He and his wife migrated to the United States seeking refuge from Turkish oppression. They settled in California, and he was the first editor of an Armenian-American bilingual daily newspaper that still publishes to this day. It is the only bilingual daily newspaper in the country, publishing five times a week.

The author grew up hearing classic tales that were recounted by memory, as the custom was for the villagers in his homeland to gather during long winters to recite tales

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Introducing Grandmother is a Question (Asha & Isis) from Mother is a Question.

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DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

Tonight, for our 888th episode, we’ll read the 1865 Mark Twain short story “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”. It was Twain’s first great success as a writer and brought him national attention. We first aired this story back in the year 2020.

In the following tale, the narrator retells a story he heard from a bartender, Simon Wheeler in California, about the gambler named Jim Smiley. 

Jim Smiley is described as betting on just about anything, for example, on the travels of a “straddle bug”. If you’re wondering what a straddle bug is, just picture a large, commonplace beetle.

The story is set against the backdrop of the California Gold Rush, a period of American history marked by fervent optimism and the pursuit of fortune. Twain's depiction of this time captures the essence of a society where people from all walks of life mingled and gambled on everything imaginable. The quirky characters and their antics provide a humorous lens through which readers can view the era’s adventurous spirit and sometimes absurd undertakings. 

Twain’s writing style in this story is notable for its use of vernacular speech and regional dialects. This stylistic choice adds authenticity to the characters and their environment, bringing the story to life with vivid, colloquial language. Twain's ability to capture the unique voices of his characters helped establish his reputation as a master storyteller and chronicler of American life.

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