Tonight we'll read the next chapter of Good Wives, written by Louisa May Alcott, titled "Surprises". This is also known as the second half of the Little Women novel, and is considered the 43rd chapter as part of that work as a whole. In our last chapter, Jo found herself adrift in a quieter home, struggling to lift her spirits or rekindle her sense of purpose. Though she tries to be useful, her days feel empty until simple comforts. Conversations with her parents. Small household tasks, and time...
Jun 27, 2025•33 min•Ep. 1038
Tonight, for our monthly Snoozecast+ Deluxe episode, we’ll read the tale “Old Pipes and the Dryad” by Frank R. Stockton and published in 1894. Stockton was a popular American writer best known for his whimsical and gently satirical fairy tales. His most famous story, “The Lady, or the Tiger?”, posed a famously unsolvable riddle and brought him wide acclaim. But many of his lesser-known tales, like tonight’s, are just as imaginative and charming. Stockton often gave mythological or magical elemen...
Jun 26, 2025•7 min•Ep. 1037
Tonight, we’ll read the first chapter to “The Portrait of a Lady” written by Henry James and published in 1880. It is one of James's most popular novels and is regarded by critics as one of his finest. The novel follows Isabel Archer, a spirited and idealistic young American who travels to Europe in search of experience and independence. When she unexpectedly inherits a fortune, her circumstances shift dramatically—but so too do the stakes of her freedom. Henry James uses Isabel’s story to explo...
Jun 25, 2025•37 min•Ep. 1036
Tonight, we’ll read a version of the French literary fairy tale called “The White Doe” originally written by Madame d'Aulnoy. This version was found in “My Book of Favourite Fairy Tales” edited by Captain Edric Vredenburg and published in 1921. Madame d’Aulnoy, writing at the end of the 17th century, is credited with helping to popularize the term “fairy tale” itself—conte de fées—as she brought together aristocratic salon wit and magical storytelling. Her tales were never strictly for children;...
Jun 23, 2025•19 min•Ep. 1035
Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Persuasion”, the last novel fully completed by Jane Austen, and published in 1817. The story concerns Anne Elliot, an Englishwoman whose family moves in order to lower their expenses, by renting their home to an Admiral and his wife. In the last episode, Anne is stunned to learn of Louisa Musgrove’s sudden engagement to Captain Benwick. The pairing seems unlikely—Louisa being lively and high-spirited, Benwick reserved and mournful—but Anne quickly attribu...
Jun 20, 2025•31 min•Ep. 1034
Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from French writer Marcel Proust’s monumental “In Search of Lost Time” which is seven volumes long, and first published in 1913. “In Search of Lost Time” follows the narrator's recollections and experiences in the late 19th-century and early 20th-century high-society France, while reflecting on the loss of time and lack of meaning in the world. This series does not necessarily need to be followed in order. Rather than being plot driven, it is more of a meditat...
Jun 18, 2025•34 min•Ep. 1033
Tonight, we’ll read “M. Swann” the next part in our series from French writer Marcel Proust’s monumental “In Search of Lost Time” which is seven volumes long, and first published in 1913. “In Search of Lost Time” follows the narrator's recollections and experiences in the late 19th-century and early 20th-century high-society France. This series does not necessarily need to be followed in order—as it drifts more like memory itself, circling themes and impressions rather than following a linear st...
Jun 16, 2025•34 min•Ep. 1032
Tonight, we’ll continue the 1928 children's book by A. A. Milne “The house at Pooh Corner”. In the last episode Pooh discovers that fir-cones (and later sticks) dropped into the slow-moving river reappear downstream, invenitng the game of Poohsticks, which leads to playful mishaps such as Eeyore ending up inthe water. When Tigger’s bounce and the ensuing confusion prompt Rabbit to seek Christopher Robin’s judgment, Christopher Robin suggest they simply play Poohsticks together, turning the momen...
Jun 13, 2025•24 min•Ep. 1031
Tonight, we’ll read “The Magic Lantern,” the next part in our series from French writer Marcel Proust’s monumental “In Search of Lost Time” which is seven volumes long, and first published in 1913. “In Search of Lost Time” follows the narrator's recollections and experiences in the late 19th-century and early 20th-century high-society France, while reflecting on the loss of time and lack of meaning in the world. This series does not necessarily need to be followed in sequential order as it is mo...
Jun 11, 2025•34 min•Ep. 1030
Tonight, we’ll read “Overture,” the opening to French writer Marcel Proust’s monumental “In Search of Lost Time” which is seven volumes long, and first published in 1913. “In Search of Lost Time” follows the narrator's recollections and experiences in the late 19th-century and early 20th-century high-society France, while reflecting on the loss of time and lack of meaning in the world. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn ...
Jun 10, 2025•34 min•Ep. 1029
Tonight, we’ll read the 29th chapter of “Anne of Green Gables”, the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “An Epoch of Anne’s Life”. In the last episode, Anne and her friends reenact the poem The Lady of Shalott by floating Anne down the river in a flatboat. She pretends to be the doomed lily maid, but the boat begins to leak and sinks. Anne is forced to climb onto the bridge supports and wait for help. Gilbert Blythe happens by in a rowboat and rescues her. Though s...
Jun 06, 2025•27 min•Ep. 1028
Tonight, we’ll read recipes from A Plain Cookery Book for the Working Classes, written by Charles Elme Francatelli and published in 1852. Born in London of Italian descent, Francatelli was a French-trained cook who worked for Queen Victoria. While best known for his lavish cookbook The Modern Cook, filled with elaborate dishes for aristocratic tables, Francatelli also had a keen interest in practical nourishment for everyday people. A Plain Cookery Book was his attempt to provide affordable, nut...
Jun 04, 2025•34 min•Ep. 1027
Tonight, we’ll read a short story titled “The Great Carbuncle” written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and published in 1835. Set in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, a band of eight adventurers gathers together. They are each on a personal quest for the Great Carbuncle, a brilliant gem legendary in its elusiveness. The story’s ensemble cast represents a spectrum of motivations—scientific curiosity, fame, greed, and reverence—each character convinced they deserve the Carbuncle more than the next. But...
Jun 02, 2025•42 min•Ep. 1026
Tonight, we’ll read the next chapter of “Good Wives” written by Louisa May Alcott titled “All Alone”. This is also known as the second half of the “Little Women” novel and is considered the 42nd chapter as part of that work as a whole. In our last chapter, Laurie tries to recover from Jo’s rejection by turning to music, but soon realizes his love for her has faded into affection. His bond with Amy deepens through letters, and she quietly rejects another suitor. With news of Beth’s passing, Lauri...
May 30, 2025•31 min•Ep. 1025
Tonight, we’ll read “O Pioneers!” a 1913 novel by American author Willa Cather. Set on the windswept prairies of Nebraska, “O Pioneers!” tells the story of Alexandra Bergson, a determined young woman of Swedish-American descent who takes over her family’s farm. Cather’s quiet, poetic prose captures both the hardships and beauty of prairie life at the turn of the twentieth century, and Alexandra’s journey reflects broader themes of endurance, transformation, and connection to the land. The novel ...
May 28, 2025•32 min•Ep. 1024
Tonight, we’ll read about igloos and other polar quarters, from the book Secrets of Polar Travel written by Robert E. Peary and published in 1917. Peary, a famed American Arctic explorer, led multiple expeditions to the far north and claimed to be the first person to reach the geographic North Pole. His writing blends technical insight with firsthand accounts of survival in extreme cold, offering a glimpse into the ingenuity required to build shelter in some of Earth’s harshest climates. Althoug...
May 26, 2025•37 min•Ep. 1023
Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Persuasion”, the last novel fully completed by Jane Austen, and published in 1817. The story concerns Anne Elliot, an Englishwoman whose family moves in order to lower their expenses, by renting their home to an Admiral and his wife. In the last episode, starting at chapter 17, Anne visits her old school friend, Mrs. Smith, who now lives in modest circumstances due to her husband's debts and death. Despite her hardships, Mrs. Smith is cheerful and spirite...
May 23, 2025•34 min•Ep. 1022
Tonight, for our monthly Snoozecast+ Deluxe bonus episode we’ll read the short story “All Gold Canyon” by Jack London. First published in 1905, this tale was later included in London’s collection The Strength of the Strong. It opens on a pristine valley untouched by human hands, where nature reigns supreme—until a lone prospector arrives in search of fortune. What follows is a tense and gripping account of man’s pursuit of gold, told in vivid detail with London’s trademark blend of realism and n...
May 22, 2025•7 min•Ep. 1021
Tonight, we’ll continue the 1928 children's book by A. A. Milne “The house at Pooh Corner”. In the last episode Rabbit spends the morning dashing around the Forest, organizing everyone and investigating a cryptic notice on Christopher Robin’s door, consulting Owl, Pooh, Piglet, and Eeyore to figure out what Christopher Robin has been doing each morning. In the end, they discover from the revised notice “GONE OUT / BACK SOON” that Christopher Robin simply goes out to learn and explore, returning ...
May 21, 2025•25 min•Ep. 1020
Tonight, we’ll read a fairy tale called “The Invisible Prince,” found in “The Yellow Fairy Book” edited by Andrew Lang and published in 1894. This story is about The Prince of Air and how he overcame adversity and found his way to The Golden Isle. Andrew Lang was a Scottish poet, novelist, and literary critic best known for his influential "Fairy Books"—a twelve-volume series that gathered tales from a wide range of cultures. Each volume was named for a different color and included a mix of well...
May 19, 2025•37 min
Tonight, we’ll read from the ninth chapter of British naturalist Charles Darwin’s “The Voyage of the Beagle” titled “Santa Cruz, Patagonia and the Falkland Islands”. The five-year expedition laid the groundwork for Darwin’s later theory of evolution by natural selection.In this chapter, Darwin recounts an overland expedition up the Santa Cruz River in southern Patagonia. The landscape is stark and repetitive, with shingle plains, thorny bushes, and a scarcity of birds or waterfowl. Darwin docume...
May 16, 2025•23 min
Tonight, we’ll read a selection of recipes from the book English Housewifry by Elizabeth Moxon, published in 1764, starting with a recipe for whipt sillabubs.Moxon’s book was one of the earliest English cookery books written specifically for middle-class women managing their own households, rather than for professional cooks or the aristocracy. Her recipes are practical but far from plain, offering glimpses into both the culinary expectations and the social rituals of Georgian-era domestic life....
May 14, 2025•35 min
Tonight, we’ll read excerpts from “The Myrtle Reed Cook Book” written by Myrtle Reed and published in 1916. Reed was an American author, poet, journalist, and philanthropist. Reed’s cook book blends recipes with spirited commentary on everything from kitchen organization to the art of table service. At the time of its publication, domestic science was gaining popularity, with cookbooks increasingly serving as lifestyle guides for middle-class households. This is the second time we’ve featured ex...
May 12, 2025•32 min•Ep. 1016
Tonight, we’ll read the 28th chapter of “Anne of Green Gables”, the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “An Unfortunate Lily Maid” In the last episode, Marilla returns home one spring evening thrilled by the season’s promise, only to discover there’s no fire, no tea—and no Anne. After fuming in the kitchen and questioning Matthew, she fetches a candle in Anne’s room and finds her hiding tearfully among the pillows. Anne confesses she spent her chicken-money on a pe...
May 09, 2025•26 min•Ep. 1015
Tonight, we’ll read an Icelandic fairy tale called “Litill, Tritill, the Birds, and the Peasant Lad” translated and edited by Mrs. A. W. Hall and published in 1897. Like many folk and fairy tales, the exact origins are complicated and sometimes unclear. The more well-known Crimson Fairy Book edited by Andrew Lang cites this story as having Hungarian origin. However, there are at least two earlier publications that are specifically Icelandic compilations that include this story. Iceland has a ric...
May 07, 2025•29 min•Ep. 1014
Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Ghost Beyond the Gate” written by Mildred A. Wirt and published in 1943. In this story, Mr. Parker is taken to the hospital by another driver after getting into an accident. However, Mr. Parker never arrives at the hospital. Penny takes over running the newspaper in her father's absence and discovers a clue to her father's whereabouts at an old abandoned mansion. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to check out our other Penny Parker series episodes by searchin...
May 05, 2025•33 min•Ep. 1013
Tonight we'll read the next chapter of Good Wives, written by Louisa May Alcott, titled "Learning to Forget". This is also known as the second half of the Little Women novel, and is considered the 41st chapter. As part of that work as a whole. In our last chapter, the March family drew closer together as they cherished their time with Beth and prepared for the inevitable. And now we pick up with Lori as he strives to better himself after Amy's scathing advice. Realize he must move on from Jo's r...
May 02, 2025•45 min•Ep. 1012
Tonight, we’ll read “The Door in the Wall,” a short story written in 1911 by H.G. Wells. Considered to be one of his finest short stories, it explores the tension between the rational and the fanciful experiences in life. Wells is best known today for pioneering modern science fiction with works like “The Time Machine” and “The War of the Worlds”, but he also wrote thoughtful, bittersweet tales that delved into memory, regret, and the mysteries of childhood. “The Door in the Wall” belongs to thi...
Apr 30, 2025•44 min•Ep. 1011
Tonight, we’ll read from the opening to the 1923 travel memoir Peaks of Shala by Rose Wilder Lane. It is about a walking tour of mountainous Albania. The daughter of writer Laura Ingalls Wilder, Lane was an American journalist, travel writer, novelist, and political theorist. Though she is perhaps best known today for her work editing and shaping her mother’s Little House series, Lane led a bold and independent life that took her far from the American frontier. In the early 1920s, she spent time...
Apr 28, 2025•30 min•Ep. 1010
Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Persuasion”, the last novel fully completed by Jane Austen, and published in 1817. The story concerns Anne Elliot, an Englishwoman whose family moves in order to lower their expenses, by renting their home to an Admiral and his wife. In the last episode, concluding chapter 16, Mr. Elliot continues his frequent visits to Camden Place, charming Sir Walter and Elizabeth with his polished manners and apparent desire to reconnect with the family. Lady Russell,...
Apr 25, 2025•30 min•Ep. 1009
