Podcast Directory

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Nat Love was born a slave, emancipated into abject poverty, grew up riding the range as a cowboy and spent his maturity riding the rails as a Pullman Porter. For me, the most amazing thing about him is that despite the circumstances of his life, which included being owned like a farm animal solely because of the color of his skin and spending later decades living and working as an equal with white coworkers, he was an unrepentant racist! Convinced that the only good Indian was a dead one, and that all Mexicans were “greasers” and/or “bums,” he rarely passed up a chance to shoot a member of either group, whether in self-defense or cold blood, and shows no sign of having appreciated the difference. At one point, he fell in love with a Mexican girl but, apparently unable to tolerate this reality, considered her “Spanish.” Nat Love was a fascinating character who lived in equally interesting times, and one only wishes his autobiography was much longer and more detailed.

A thrilling spy story, a children's adventure, a charming portrait of early twentieth century life in London and the countryside and a heart warming family tale are all combined in this classic of children's literature The Railway Children by E Nesbit. The book has remained on the list of the best-loved children's books ever since it was first published as a serial story in The London Magazine in 1905. Later, it was published in book form and won acclaim from critics and readers across the world for its wonderful elements of character and plot. Edith Nesbit the author published more than sixty books during her long and illustrious career as a children's writer. She was considered to be the first modern children's writer and departed from the hitherto focus on fantasy and fairytale type of themes that were considered suitable for children. Apart from writing for children, she wrote several novels for adults. She also dabbled in poetry, horror fiction and collaborations with other writers. Her works include another famous book, The Secret Garden which also explores the childhood landscape and influenced generations of children's writers. She was also a political activist and laid the foundations for the present Labor Party in England. Her dominant themes were children in real life settings, contemporary events, children's encounters with the mysterious and often nefarious activities of grown-ups, a deep psychological insight into the mind of a child and the enduring love of nature, family relationships and the simple pleasures of countryside life. The story opens with the description of three little Londoners who enjoy an ordinary, peaceful life in the city with visits to the Zoo and Madame Tussauds. They have a charming, well-appointed home and loving parents. Things take a sudden turn for the worst when Father suddenly leaves after receiving mysterious “bad news.” Mother decides equally suddenly to move with the children to the country-side and here begins their adventure with the railways. They befriend a strange Old Gentleman who invariably travels on the 9.15 train from near their home and get drawn into bizarre and dangerous events. Said to be based on contemporary events such as the Dreyfus Affair, Russian dissidents who were fighting the Tsarist regime and the circumstances leading up to World War I, The Railway Children though ostensibly written for children certainly appeals to readers of all ages. It has been adapted extensively for radio, stage, television and screen and has retained its freshness and thrill over the hundred plus years since it first made its debut.

A fourteen year old homeless boy, Dick, tries to make an honest living in the streets of 1860s New York as a bootblack. He is determined to stay honorable, though he is tempted many times to easy pickings and a life of crime. When a regular customer is impressed by Dick's integrity and invites him to his mansion, this marks a turning point in the life of the young street-smart teenager. Ragged Dick by Horatio Alger Jr was first published in 1868. It represents a typical coming of age story in which a child attains the maturity of adulthood through circumstances in which important choices are made. It was the first in a six-series set written by the prolific American writer, best known for his stories of young boys who overcome poverty and social disadvantages to become assimilated in the great American middle class. Many of Alger's stories follow a well-known theme and formula but were extremely well-received and popular among readers of a previous generation. Ragged Dick was an instant best-seller and achieved huge attention from old and young readers and critics alike. Alger went on to write more than a hundred novels, though his later works were more sensational and characterized by violence and murder, and not found very suitable for young readers. Horatio Alger was dismissed from service as a Unitarian minister under suspicious circumstances, though nothing was proven against him. He began working as a volunteer in New York's slum areas, helping to provide assistance to young homeless people. Around this time, he started writing articles in journals and finally moved into novel writing. Ragged Dick first appeared in the journal Student and Schoolmate, a magazine for young boys and girls, as a 12-part serial and copies of the magazine sold out almost instantly. It caught the American imagination and skilfully portrayed the hard, coarse, brutal and unforgiving life of the New York slum as no other book had before. Genteel, educated readers had perhaps never encountered the situations depicted in Ragged Dick. This novelty was probably what accounted for the book's success. It was later adapted to stage and as a musical opera called Shine! Besides novels, Alger wrote poetry, essays and articles for various magazines. His work in rehabilitation and assistance to the underprivileged kids of New York is well-known. He left several unfinished books which were completed according to his last will and testament by Edward Stratemeyer, the creator of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series. An interesting read for young and old alike!

For more than a century and a quarter, fans of detective fiction have enjoyed the doings of the iconic sleuth, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. In the company of his faithful companion, Dr Watson, Holmes has consistently delighted generations of readers. Created by a Scottish writer and physician, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, this immortal private eye has solved cases for kings and commoners, lovely damsels and little old ladies, engineers and country squires and a legion of others who come to him in distress and perplexity. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of 12 stories featuring the pipe-smoking, violin-playing eccentric central character. The collection first appeared in 1894 in serial form in The Strand Magazine and then was later compiled into a single volume. The stories featured here include such gems as The Silver Blaze which is about the disappearance of a famous race-horse. This story is memorable for its “curious incident of the dog in the night-time” remark by Holmes. Other riveting tales in the book include The Adventure of the Gloria Scott – a rare story narrated by Holmes himself. Also there is The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter where we finally get to meet a member of Holmes' family, his brother Mycroft, who is reputed to have an even sharper brain than Sherlock's. Additionally there is The Adventure of the Naval Treaty, with a spy-versus-spy plot. Then there is also The Adventure of the Yellow Face in which Holmes gets it all wrong, and a host of other compelling tales culminating in the story that shook the nation when it first came out – The Final Problem. In The Final Problem, Holmes meets his death at the hands of the evil criminal kingpin, Dr Moriarty. The two engage in a deathly duel at the edge of the Reichenbach Falls in Switzerland and a broken-hearted Dr Watson returns to England, having lost his dearest friend forever. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of unique stories that showcase Holmes' prodigious intellect, Victorian London, wonderful descriptions of rural landscapes and above all, gems of deductive wisdom. The stories are a fore-runner to many investigative methods that were adopted in police practice later. If you've never read a Holmes story before, this could be the start of a wonderful new literary adventure and if Holmes is an old favorite, these stories will only add to the appeal.

The typical action hero with a stiff upper lip whose actions speak louder than his words, a mysterious American who lives in dread of being killed, an anarchist plot to destabilize Greece, a deadly German spy network, a notebook entirely written in code, and all this set in the weeks preceding the outbreak of World War I. The Thirty-nine Steps, by John Buchan is a spy classic entirely worthy of its genre and will delight modern day readers with its complicated plot. It is also notable for being the literary progenitor of the spook novel that typically features the secret operative on the run, determined to unravel a world domination plot. John Buchan, the author, was a Scottish writer and historian who also had an illustrious career as the Governor General of Canada in 1935. Born in Perth, Scotland, he developed an early love of nature which features prominently in his writings. He won several prizes at Oxford for his essays and poetry and embarked on a diplomatic career. He served in South Africa and on his return to London, became the editor of a prominent newspaper. He wrote his first novel, an adventure tale, in 1910, worked on creating war propaganda for Britain during World War I. While recovering from a bout of illness connected with his chronic duodenal ulcer problem, Buchan wrote The Thirty-nine Steps, the first of a series featuring the intrepid Richard Hannay. The surprisingly slim novel (it has just 100 pages) is a quick but exciting read. One evening in London, Richard Hannay, recently returned from Rhodesia, is accosted by a desperate stranger who begs for shelter as he fears for his life. Hannay who's not the type to shirk adventure, obliges. However, the stranger is shortly found violently murdered in Hannay's flat. From here on, the plot takes readers on a thrilling rollercoaster ride as Hannay attempts to thwart a diabolical German conspiracy. Buchan, the author of more than 100 books, received several civil and literary awards. The Thirty-nine Steps has been extensively adapted for radio, stage, screen and television. A video game was released recently. However, Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 film starring Robert Donnat is perhaps the best take on this early precursor of cool, debonair secret agents like James Bond. In his preface, Buchan confesses to a passion for the “dime novel” or “shocker” where “incidents defy probability.” The book holds immense appeal for readers of all ages, especially those who enjoy tales involving plots and counter plots!