Season 12, Here We Come!
LeVar Burton Reads is back September 19th! We've got stories from Peter S. Beagle, Sarah Pinsker, Tobi Ogundiran and more. It's good to be back, y'all.
Episodes
LeVar Burton Reads
The best short fiction, handpicked by the best voice in podcasting and presented in 3D immersive audio. In every episode, host LeVar Burton (Roots, Reading Rainbow, Star Trek) invites you to take a break from your daily life, and dive into a great story. LeVar’s narration blends with gorgeous soundscapes to bring stories by Stephen King, Toni Morrison, Nnedi Okorafor, Kurt Vonnegut, Ken Liu and more to life. So, if you’re ready, let’s take a deep breath...
Our immersive audio is best with headphones! If you'd prefer to listen without immersive audio, visit levarburtonpodcast.com/mono.
Episodes
Immersive Remix: "An Equal Share of the Bone" by Karen Osborne
Hoping to make their fortune (or at least climb out of debt), a trio of space traders travel on a dangerous hunt for a space whale. "An Equal Share of the Bone" was originally published at Escape Pod. Find more of Karen Osborne's work at www.karenosborne.com . Content Advisory: Animal death. Our immersive audio is best with headphones! If you'd prefer to listen without immersive audio, visit levarburtonpodcast.com/mono ....
"D.P." by Kurt Vonnegut
In a small German village, an orphaned boy lives at a home for "displaced persons," and puzzles over where he belongs. "D.P.” from the book WELCOME TO THE MONKEY HOUSE by Kurt Vonnegut. Copyright © 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968 by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Used by permission of HarperCollins Publishers.
"The Destination Star" by Gregory Marlow
As a generation ship hurtles toward a distant star, one of its crew members receives a rare and precious opportunity. For more from Gregory Marlow, visit www.greganimates.com/writing.html . Content advisory: illness, death
"Mister Dawn, How Can You Be So Cruel?" by Violet Allen
An artist works as a dream concierge, creating augmented dream packages for clients. For more from Violet Allen, visit her on Twitter @blipstress. Content advisory: mind / body control
"The Golden Hour" by Jeffrey Ford
A time traveler is stranded in a small town. This story appears in SOMEONE IN TIME: TALES OF TIME-CROSSED ROMANCE, published by Solaris. Find more from Jeffrey Ford at well-builtcity.com . Content advisory: suicide
"The Lady of the Yellow-Painted Library" by Tobi Ogundiran
A hapless salesman flees the librarian hell-bent on retrieving her lost library book. This story appears in Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction, published by Tordotcom in hardcover and e-book, and by Recorded Books in audiobook format. For more from the author, visit tobiogundiran.com . Content advisory: Explicit language, gore
"Wok Hei St" by Guan Un
A story of a stolen wok, magic, and manipulation. This story was originally published in Strange Horizons. You can find more of the author's work at guanun.com .
Immersive Remix: "The Foster Portfolio" by Kurt Vonnegut
A financial advisor meets his new client: a hardworking, unassuming man with a curious and potentially life-changing secret.
Immersive Remix: "Silver Door Diner" by Bishop Garrison
A waitress is jolted from her morning routine when she's visited by a mysterious child.
Immersive Remix: "The Simplest Equation" by Nicky Drayden
A struggling college student gains new perspective on her studies from her classmate, who's come to study from another planet. Find more of the author's work at www.nickydrayden.com .
Immersive Remix: "The Truth About Owls" by Amal El-Mohtar
A young girl explores her own power, and finds kinship with a bird of prey.
Immersive Remix: "The Last Cheng Beng Gift" by Jaymee Goh
A family matriarch takes up residence in the Underworld.
Immersive Remix: "The Usual Santas" by Mick Herron
A group of mall Santas celebrating Christmas Eve discover that there is a stranger in their midst. "The Usual Santas" appears in Mick Herron's collection DOLPHIN JUNCTION, published by Soho Press (US) and John Murray (UK), 2021.
"River's Giving" by Heather Shaw, Tim Pratt, and River Shaw
A mystical phenomenon brightens the dreary days of winter — until one year, when it suddenly stops.
"The King of Bread" by Luis Alberto Urrea
A boy discovers his father's hidden kingdom. This story appears in the anthology Small Odysseys: Selected Shorts Presents 35 New Stories, published by Algonquin Books. Find more from Luis Alberto Urrea at luisurrea.com .
"Family Cooking" by Ana Maria Curtis
A tale of complicated family relationships and magical cooking. This story was first published in Uncanny Magazine.
"Down in the Dim Kingdoms" by Tobias Buckell
An adventurer carried back spoils from a journey to the center of the earth. Now, his family joins him on a return trip, hoping to ensure their access to his fortune. This story appears in the anthology LOST WORLDS AND MYTHOLOGICAL KINGDOMS, available now in hardback, e-book and audio. Tobias Buckell's collection SHOGGOTHS IN TRAFFIC AND OTHER STORIES is available in paperback, e-book and audio. Content advisory: Violence, death...
"#ClimbingNation" by Kim Fu
When an Instagram-famous rock climber comes to an untimely death, his friends and admirers gather to memorialize him. This story appears in Kim Fu's collection LESSER KNOWN MONSTERS OF THE 21ST CENTURY, published by Tin House. Content advisory: Description of death
"I Was a Teenage Space Jockey" by Stephen Graham Jones
While on a quest to beat the high score at his local arcade, a sixth grader has an unusual, life-altering experience. For more from Stephen Graham Jones, visit www.demontheory.net . Content advisory: Descriptions of violence, death
We're Back for Season 11!
LeVar Burton Reads is back November 1st with stories from Stephen Graham Jones, Kim Fu, Tobias Buckell and more, in our new immersive format!
Immersive Remix: "Multo" by Samuel Marzioli
A man remembers a supernatural force from his childhood.
Immersive Remix: "Fantaisie Impromptu No. 4 in C#min, Op. 66” by Carlos Hernandez
A reporter travels to Miami to investigate the fringes of science and faith. This story appears in THE ASSIMILATED CUBAN'S GUIDE TO QUANTUM SANTERIA.
Immersive Remix: "Your Rover is Here" by LP Kindred
A rideshare driver must spring into action when his passenger casts a dangerous and deadly spell. Content advisory: explicit language, violence, terrorism
An Update! Plus Immersive Remix: "The Story We Used to Tell" by Shirley Jackson
LeVar Burton Reads is coming back! Plus, an immersive remix of Shirley Jackson's story about a recently widowed woman who vanishes overnight. Content advisory: violence, death “The Story We Used to Tell” is from DARK TALES by Shirley Jackson, published by Penguin Classics, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.
Immersive Remix: "The Paper Menagerie" by Ken Liu
A new immersive remix of a season one classic. An immigrant mother tries to bond with her American-born son by creating a magical paper menagerie. This story appears in Ken Liu's collection THE PAPER MENAGERIE AND OTHER STORIES, available now from Saga Press. Content advisory: Hospitals, death of a parent
"Afterlife" by Stephen King
William Andrews, an investment banker with Goldman Sachs, dies on September 23, 2012, and finds himself confronted with his life after death. "Afterlife" appears in Stephen King's collection THE BAZAAR OF BAD DREAMS. Content advisory: Descriptions of death, illness, sexual assault
"The Last Truth" by AnaMaria Curtis
This week: the first place winner of the LeVar Burton Reads writing contest, as co-presented by FIYAH Literary Magazine and Tor.com! A runaway and indentured thief, Eri must provide a new secret to open each new lock, at the cost of her own memory.
"Troll Bridge" by Terry Pratchett
An aging barbarian sets out to battle a bridge troll, mano a mano, and thus prove his mettle. “Troll Bridge” by Terry Pratchett, was first published in 1992. © Dunmanifestin Limited.
"John Dillinger and the Blind Magician" by Allison M. Dickson
Public Enemy Number One, John Dillinger, looks to escape the feds with the help of a cunning wizard. Content advisory: Gunfire