Seasons
Each season we explore a new book. Welcome to the Classics Out Loud library!
If you have a book you'd like us to read, drop us a line at email [at] classicsoutloud.com
07
A Room With A View
By EM Forster
Set in the beautiful landscapes of Italy, A Room With A View follows the story of Lucy Honeychurch, a young woman who is struggling to find her place in the world. She is torn between the expectations of her traditional upbringing and the freedom of the modern world around her.
After a chance encounter with the unconventional George Emerson and his father, Lucy is torn between the two worlds. With the help of the charming and romantic Cecil Vyse, she must decide which world she belongs in. In this audio podcast version of the classic novel, listeners will be taken on a journey through the beautiful settings and picturesque landscapes of Italy, and will follow Lucy’s story as she discovers what truly matters.
06
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
If you're a fan of mysteries and thrillers, you won't want to miss this podcast episode from Robert Louis Stephenson's The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
It's a gripping book that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end, and is completely unlike the movie adaptions.
Many stories and films have their genesis in this classic novel, from Fight Club to Mr Robot, but the original story is just as fresh and exciting as ever.
05
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
By Lewis Carroll
We're so familiar with the children's version of the story, there's plenty for adults in this story too. While Alice is really just trying to understand the dreamworld around her, the author is also commentating on Victorian society using satire and humour.
04
The Time Machine
Welcome to H.G. Wells' classic time-travelling adventure tale.
Written in 1895, and Wells' first full-length work, it is widely credited with introducing the idea of time travel, but is also fascinating due to its predictions of the future of humankind, and Wells' own political and social opinions of the time.
Join us for an incredible journey and find out what the future holds for our planet. Finally you can finally understand all those references in Terry and Andy's Treehouse books!
03
The Blue Castle
We are delighted to tackle L.M. Montgomery's classic tale, one of her few adult books. Published in 1926, we are pleased to present The Blue Castle.
Best known for Anne of Green Gables, Montgomery sets the scene in chapter one of our protagonist Valency. Considered an old maid at nearly 29 and unwed, her life is dull and uneventful, living with her mother and cousin who direct her every move. In order to cope with this existence, in her free moments she retreats in her mind to a fantasy castle, where she is loved and wanted.
The Blue Castle is a story about mortality, the impermanence of life, and ultimately, overcoming fear. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed recording it for you.
02
Peter Pan
Strikingly different to the Disney version in our memories, J.M. Barrie's novel, rich in allegories and metaphors, is as much for adults as it is for children.
The novel opens by introducing us to the Darling family. Exploring the what it means to be young and free to imagine your own world, we see already that the Darling children's view of the real world is translucent. It is Mrs Darling that first meets Peter Pan in our story, as she wakes from dreams of her own childhood.
01
Metamorphosis
In Franz Kafka's classic story of alienation, we open to Gregor Samsa, travelling salesman, who upon waking realises that he has been transformed into an insect.
Since that family has been complete dependant on Gregor to pay for their lifestyle, including paying off debts his father owes, it's clear they'll need to change to cope with their new situation. We follow the family as they respond and undergo their own transformation, while Gregor, in his own way, is still trying to please them.
First published in 1915, this absurd novella reads reads like a surprisingly modern commentary on dependence, change and "otherness".