Season 2 Episode 12

"The Treasure of Franchard" is a novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson and published in 1883. Although lesser-known compared to Stevenson's other works, such as "Treasure Island" and "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," this charming novella offers an entertaining and humorous adventure set in the French countryside.

The story follows the escapades of young Jean-Marie Galbert, a shepherd who stumbles upon a hidden treasure while tending his flock near the village of Franchard. This discovery sets off a series of events as Jean-Marie becomes entangled with a group of eccentric characters, including an Englishman named Desprez and his wife, Madame Desprez. Together, they navigate a web of misunderstandings, disguises, and comedic encounters.

As Jean-Marie becomes increasingly embroiled in the quest for the treasure, he finds himself in unexpected situations, testing his wit, resourcefulness, and loyalty. The narrative not only provides entertainment but also explores themes of greed, social class, and the complexities of human nature.

Regarding the radio presentation of "The Treasure of Franchard" through the "NBC University Theater," I couldn't find specific information about such an adaptation. The "NBC University Theater" was a radio program that aired from 1948 to 1951, presenting dramatic adaptations of classic works of literature, including novels, plays, and short stories. While "The Treasure of Franchard" may have been featured in the program, it's possible that the adaptation is not widely documented or accessible in available sources.

Books in Sound is a free podcast series that presents a collection of hundreds of the world’s greatest books through the magic of the performing arts.

Different from audiobooks: Instead of having a single narrator read an audiobook, these performances have a full cast of actors, suitable background music, and special effects that help define the drama.

Most presentations are from old time radio theater broadcasts that have been remastered to remove most of the hissing, clicking and volume fluctuations. Many of the presentations are from the 1930's and 1940's, so a significant amount of work went into the remastering process.

Most presentations are about one hour, some are multiple hours, and some are abbreviated presentation that last about half an hour, making this series wonderful for bedtime stories, self-improvement by learning about literature, or simply as a very imaginative form of entertainment.

The episodes are not sequential, but we do recommend listening to the complete collection starting with the first episode so that you can grow and benefit from the wide assortment of styles and content.

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