Showing results by narrator "Jim Spring" in All Categories

Imagine an alternative Earth, where elves, imps, demons, and extraterrestrials coexist within the bounds of an unimaginably diverse, complex, and intricately structured society. The socialites are content with their relatively carefree existence filled with amusement, scheming, and gossip, until a mysterious circus performer arrives on the scene and challenges both the laws of physics and the core traditions of her world.

Doc receives another task, only to discover that it is not so much a riddle to unravel but a family crisis to be averted.

The Alternative Villains series opens with another look into the seemingly straightforward tale of Snow White and the bewitched apple. The piece of fruit in question turns out to have unexpected properties, and leads into an investigation of the less obvious aspects of this story.

Hammershoi is, in a certain sense, the Danish Vermeer, an artist whom he occasionally paraphrased. That is to say, a quietist painter obsessed by subtle effects of light, forgotten very soon after his death, but rediscovered and turned into a demi-god by a later generation.

Alexei Tolstoy is better known for his grownup novels and stories. Here, however, is a large collection of tales he had recorded and reimagined for the younger audiences. Peasants and kings, domestic and wild animals, magical creatures and objects are mixed together in this delightful cauldron of imagination.

Our story begins, when a jealous husband decapitates his wife and then, when her severed head speaks to him one last time, he decides to turn himself in to the police out of sheer terror. Witnesses are called. A protocol is written up. Deeply unsettled by what they had seen and heard, unprepared to be alone with their thoughts, the witnesses decide to dine together. What follows is an evening of storytelling — legends, rumors, and reminiscences - by these very different individuals, as they all ponder the possibility of life after death.

Fed up with Jack's beanstalk shenanigans, the ogre and his wife decide to turn the tables on him.

Gogol's classic tale of mayhem, mischief, and marriage, inspired by Ukrainian lore, everyday life, and traditional comedy.

A group of scientists arrives to a planet claimed to be uninhabited. They discover it's nothing of the sort.

The tragic and captivating persona of Vsevolod Garshin wouldn't be out of place at the heart of a grand drama, complete with breathtaking plot swings and poignant dialog. As it was, over the course of his short life, Garshin created a sizable and formidable body of work. The tales in this collection were initially intended for children. However, following the tradition of Hans Christian Andersen and Oscar Wilde, Garshin's stories transcend one age group and one audience, offering something to people of all ages.

Light, Laugh, and Human Folly is a collection of novellas centered around anti-heroes living in a society that makes a straight road to success impossible. Alexander Belyaev’s reality-set stories with a touch of science fiction are chillingly close to home. They present the listener with scenarios that are very plausible and easy to imagine witnessing in today’s world. Instead of introducing a traditional hero, who comes and saves the world, Belyaev centers his narrative around individuals who are not only far from heroic but are decidedly unlikable at times.

Serafima Nichols decided a cross-country road trip from North Carolina to Oregon would be an adventure. Little did she know that somewhere in the middle of nowhere, this adventure would take a very unsettling turn.

One of the last true classics of Russian literature and 1933 Nobel Laureate for literature, Ivan Bunin brings you a series of relationship tales as diverse as the seasons and far more engrossing.

The tale of The Princess and the Frog takes a decidedly darker turn as Doc sets out to investigate what truly happened between the king's daughter and the talking amphibian.

Alternative Endings series dips into the realm of alternative beginnings by pondering what might have really happened before the opening scene of the beloved classic Beauty and the Beast.

Much like his stories for children, Vsevolod Garshin's grown-up prose may not always be easy to listen to due to difficult subject matter he tends to pick for his narratives. It is, however, always beautifully written and fascinating.

The tale of Little Red Riding Hood takes an unexpected turn when the wolf's intended prey turns the tables on him and changes the course of his life.

So many dream of limitless power and fulfillment of all wishes. Wise men, alchemists and philosophers spend decades looking for this great secret. What would they say, if they discovered that the ultimate prize they so desperately pursued ended up falling into the hands of the least likely individual?

"Why do we do what we do?" This may seem like a simple question at first; in practice however, the closer we examine where our decisions come from, the less intention and independent reasoning we find. Instead, we find primitive instincts and ideas that are often based on nothing more than the imagination of someone who has been dead for centuries.

The Gale Dictionary of Psychoanalysis defines ‘self-representation’ as “the image the subject has of him or herself based on his or her own interpretation.” The hugely influential 20th century psychoanalytic researcher and philosopher Jacques Lacan enlarges on this by speaking of “the finally donned armor of an alienating identity that will mark [the subject’s] mental development with its rigid structure.” Not surprisingly, psychoanalysts see this construct as a manifestation of the ego, and also as something intimately linked to narcissism.