The Essential Reads - podcast cover

The Essential Reads

Isaac Birchallwww.isaacbirchallvo.com

The Essential Reads podcast is a collection of classic audiobooks from your favourite authors such as Orson wells, Robert Lewis Stevenson, Mary Shelley, and many more, narrated by Isaac Birchall. Join Isaac on his journey to help get these books to the masses in an easy accessible way. Support the show and Join the Book Club https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads

Last refreshed:
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

The War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 10 "In the Storm"

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 10 "In the Storm", narrated by Isaac BirchallThe firing suddenly stopped when making their way to Leatherhead which made the evening strange. Our Protagonist, after dining with his cousins makes the journey back to Maybury, around 11. The Sky was black, and the clouds were moving very quickly. Coming up by Pryford Church, Maybury hill shows in a red glare, presenting the storm to him...

Mar 28, 202317 min

The War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 9 "The Fighting Begins"

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 9 "The Fighting Begins", narrated by Isaac BirchallSaturday was very hot, and the weather was heavy. The Milkman tells our main character that the military has become involved at the Common, and that the military would like to capture them and run tests on them.Our main character decides to walk down to the common. En Route, he run into some soldiers, and when they learn that he has ...

Mar 27, 202315 min

The War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 8 "Friday Night"

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 8 "Friday Night" narrated by Isaac BirchallThe telegram sent by Henderson was seen originally as a hoax, and the majority of people in the county of Surrey had no clue about what had happened. People were laughing, dancing, walking, and playing all around. A crowd hung around the Common and Horsell Bridges. Apparently, someone had crawled near the pit, but never came back. There...

Mar 24, 20239 min

The War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 7 "How I reached Home"

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 7 "How I reached Home" narrated by Isaac BirchallOur main character flees from the common, finally near the bridge of the gasworks, he collapses, laying for some time. When he comes to, he cannot remember how he got there. Nothing made sense, and he suddenly found himself coping by subconsciously pretending it was all a dream. He continues on his way, passing several people on his wa...

Mar 22, 202311 min

The War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 6 "The Heat Ray in the Chobham Road"

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 6 "The Heat Ray in the Chobham Road" narrated by Isaac BirchallPeople flee from the Common, the only thing saving them being the elevation of the common compared to the pit. People run, and police start to come, “They’re coming” a woman screamed. People run and struggle, creating a blockade at the gate, crushing some people. The panic continues and none of that blockade seemed to mak...

Mar 20, 20238 min

The War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 5 "The Heat Ray"

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 5 "The Heat Ray" narrated by Isaac BirchallLooking towards the pit, a small metal rod holding a small metal disk emerges from the pit. A man approaches our protagonist calling the aliens ugly brutes. Everyone watches the pit in silence. Our main character makes his way to a little rise in the ground. Dusk begins to fall, and a little movement comes from the pit, and people star...

Mar 17, 202312 min

The War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 4 "The Cylinder Opens"

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 4 "The Cylinder Opens" narrated by Isaac Birchall The crowd gets more and more excited as the cylinder gets closer and closer to opening. People are falling into the pit as people are trying to get closer and closer. Our main character trips, and in his moment of distraction, the lid comes off. The crowd is dead silent as they try to look into the black hole at the top of the wr...

Mar 15, 202310 min

The War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 3 "On Horsell Common"

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 3 "On Horsell Common"A considerable crowd has gathered about the cylinder on Horsell Common, and a group of men with Ogilvie and Henderson are at work trying to excavate the strange wreckage. Get SurfShark and protect yourself online today⁠VPN: https://get.surfshark.net/aff_c?offer_id=926&aff_id=20389⁠⁠Antivirus: https://get.surfshark.net/aff_c?offer_id=934&aff_id=20389...

Mar 13, 20239 min

The War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 2 "The Falling Star"

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 2 "The Falling Star" narrated by Isaac BirchallIn this chapter, the first cylinder land on Earth is the Horsell common. Ogilvy goes to investigate this crash, being the only one awake to see it, he notices strange dust falling from the end of the cylinder, and slowly comes to realize that the cylinder is hollow and has a top that unwinds.The following day, all sorts of characters mak...

Mar 10, 202311 min

The War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 1 "The Eve of the War"

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells chapter 1 "The Eve of the War" narrated by Isaac BirchallThe First chapter of one of the most known science fiction books ever written. In this chapter, the narrator described the early 1800's, and goes on to explain that Earth has been closely watched by other planets, while humans are blissfully unaware. He goes on to state that humans are to these planets as monkeys are to humans, observe...

Mar 08, 202317 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 24

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 24, narrated by Isaac BirchallWith Victor’s whole family gone, Victor decides to leave Geneva, and using the angry and awful memories to power him through, he treks for months and months, guided by little clues that the Monster has left him. Further angered by these taunts, he rents a sled and some dogs, and continues north through ice and snow. This is where the start of the Novel begins, and where Vi...

Mar 06, 202354 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 23

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 23, narrated by Isaac BirchallAt 8 O’clock, Victor and Elizabeth arrive at their destination, and a heavy storm starts to fall upon them. The dark creep in, and Victor starts to become jumpy at every small sound. Elizabeth asks him what is going on, but he refuses to give her more information, and he tells her to go to bed while he stalks every corner of the house. He becomes joyful nearly, as he start...

Mar 03, 202318 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 22

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 22, narrated by Isaac BirchallAfter several weeks voyage, Victor and his father arrive in Paris, where they have to take a break so that Victor can recuperate. His Father tries constantly to make his son happy, but in his unhappy and sickly state, Victor states over and over again that it is his fault that these people have died. Victor receives a letter from Elizabeth, in which, she expresses her...

Mar 01, 202323 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 21

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 21, narrated by Isaac BirchallFrankenstein is taken to the local magistrate where the locals give testimony to Victor’s supposed crimes. Two fishermen, after coming back o shore, stumble upon a body, determine that he was strangled and had not just washed ashore. At the mention of fingers, Victor realises that he, though not the perpetrator of the Crime, was responsible. Many of the villagers cla...

Feb 27, 202323 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 20

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 20, narrated by Isaac BirchallOne night, nearing the end of his work, Victor starts to think about what will actually happen once he finishes. He wonders if the new creature will want to seclude itself, surly the creature wont want to accept a deal that was made before it was, or that the two creatures would have children, a “Race of devils on earth.” While mulling this over, Victor sees his first crea...

Feb 24, 202323 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 19

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 19, narrated by Isaac BirchallVictor and Henry travel through England and Scotland, but Victor begins to grow impatient to start his task, and to free himself from the Monster. Victor has a friend in Scotland, and he convinces henry to stay with him, while he tours the North of Scotland alone. Henry agrees, and Victor heads to a remote island in Orkney to undertake his mission. He sets up his lab ...

Feb 22, 202318 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 18

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 18, narrated by Isaac BirchallVictor, still hesitant about agreeing to the creature’s demand, decides to head to England where he will be able to gather more information about his task. Victor’s father notices that his son is troubled by something and ask him if he is worried about his upcoming marriage to Elizabeth. Victor reassures him that Elizabeth is one of the only things that brings him ha...

Feb 20, 202320 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, chapter 17

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 17, narrated by Isaac BirchallThe creature stops speaking and demands that Frankenstein agrees to hid command. Frankenstein refuses outright, and states that the creature may make him the most miserable being who is tortured and beaten, and he shall never comply. The being tries to reason with him, asking if he should reason with man if man does not deem him worthy of life. He should have a bride, and ...

Feb 17, 202315 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, chapter 16

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 16, narrated by Isaac BirchallThe creature curses his creator, and questions why he hadn’t ended everything there and then. As night came, he left his hovel, and yelled while shattering his way through the woods around him. After several hours, he became tired and lay down, reflecting on recent events, and declaring a personal war on mankind, and most importantly on he who had created him. The followin...

Feb 15, 202323 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, chapter 15

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 15, narrated by Isaac BirchallIn early August, which going to collect wood for the cottagers, the creature stumbled upon several books in the woods, and he actively read these tomes. He loved the books, but he sorrowed in their contents. He determined to understand the works fully, and he explains how they changed the way that he looks at the world, the cottagers, and himself, and he soon believed that...

Feb 13, 202322 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, chapter 14

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 14 narrated by Isaac BirchallThe creature recounts the history of the Cottagers. They were an upper-class French family, and bot a few months before the creature met them, they lived a lavish life in Paris. But the father of Safie ruined their lives. Her father was condemned to death, but Felix was at the trial during his sentence. Felix tried to contact the man in jail, and eventually made contact, pr...

Feb 10, 202313 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, chapter 13

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley, chapter 13, narrated by Isaac BirchallAfter again some time, a mysterious woman comes to the door, she says only the same Felix, which causes him to run elated to greet this person. She was dark, with beautiful dark hair and eyes, easily the most beautiful person that the creature had seen, and for the first time, Felix seemed happy. This newcomer didn’t seem to share the same language as the cottagers, and t...

Feb 08, 202316 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, chapter 12

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 12, narrated by Isaac BirchallThe following Morning, the creature, though wanting to join them, decides to maintain his distance, remembering the events in the village. He watches them go about their daily tasks, and remarks their love for each other, but also notes that they are terrible unhappy. The creature could not understand this as they had, food, shelter, clothes, and company. After some ...

Feb 06, 202316 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, chapter 11

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein By Mary Shelley chapter 11, narrated by Isaac BirchallFrankenstein’s creation starts to tell his tale. He scarcely remembers his “birth”, but remembers being overwhelmed by his senses, sight, smell, touch. He looked for a place to rest from the heat and headed to the forest where he rested until he felt hunger. He foraged for berried and nuts but felt afraid of the world and darkness around him. Soon, the moon rose, and it fa...

Feb 03, 202320 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, chapter 10

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 10, narrated by Isaac BirchallVictor spends the next day exploring the area around him in the mountains. As he retires, he cannot stop thinking of the summit, and he determines to make for the top in the morning. As he gets higher, he gazes on the valley below. He comes to a glacier, just a league in front of him is the beautiful Mont Blanc. He calls out a prayer, when suddenly he sees a human move wit...

Jan 30, 202320 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, chapter 9

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 9, narrated by Isaac BirchallVictor struggles with the death of Justine, she was to his knowledge, innocent. She was stricken from life by his own creation. He was guilty not only for the death of Justine, but for William too. The Frankenstein family retreat to their home in Belrive, but even the countryside cannot distract Victor from his thoughts. After a few days he determines to go and find he daem...

Jan 27, 202316 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, chapter 8

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 8, narrated by Isaac BirchallIn this chapter, Victor and his family go to court as Justine is put on trial for the death of William. Victor is torn, as he is certain that Justine is innocent, but he also cannot prove that it was his creature that caused his brother's death. After a day in court, Justine is condemned to the gallows, and The Frankenstein family is distraught, but none of the more that Vi...

Jan 25, 202322 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, chapter 7

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 7, narrated by Isaac BirchallIn this chapter, Victor receives a letter from his father bearing terrible news. His Father announces that William has been killed. He tells hat on the 7th of May, on a warm evening, during a walk, that William had hidden himself while playing. He did not return, and all of the family looked for him. He was nowhere to be found. After searching all night, William was f...

Jan 23, 202326 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, chapter 6

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 6, narrated by Isaac BirchallIn her letter, Elizabeth urges Victor to write to his family, and tells him that she is extremely worried about his illness. She also says that Justine Moritz, a girl who used to live with Victor’s family has come back after her own mothers passing.After Victor has fully recovered, he introduces Clerval to his professors. He finds this task very difficult as he is still hor...

Jan 20, 202320 min

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, chapter 5

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podFrankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 5, narrated by Isaac BirchallOn a stormy night, after many months of intense work, Victor completes his work. When he brings it to life however, It terrifies him. He flees to the next room and tried to hide from the beast while asleep, but has awful nightmares of Elizabeth and his mother’s corpse. He awakes to find his creation smiling over his bed, and Victor again flees, but out of the house. H...

Jan 18, 202318 min
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android