Best Louisa May Alcott Podcasts (2024)

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Ep. 29 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott vs. Little Women (2019) 39:11

22d ago39:11

39:11

Send us a text Have you ever felt an unexpected spark of joy while revisiting a story from your past? Join me, Lluvia, as I recount my journey with Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women." Initially hesitant to dive back into the classic, a reading challenge rekindled my appreciation for the book, and I found myself enjoying it far more than I anticipat…

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Book Review: A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr. 5:13

2h ago5:13

5:13

I usually steer clear of apocalyptic novels because they tend to be depressing, strange, and godless. So when my Tuesday Night Classics Club chose the science fiction novel, A Canticle for Leibowitz, I was hesitant. However, since it is highlighted in Joseph Pearce’s Literature: What Every Catholic Should Know, I decided to give it a chance. To my …

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Book Review: Dead-Eye Dan and the Cimarron Kid by Glenn McCarty 3:08

3h ago3:08

3:08

Set in the exciting backdrop of the Old West, Dead-Eye Dan and the Cimarron Kid by Glenn McCarty opens with a man in pain who can’t remember who or where he is. At first, he wonders if he’s a lawman—but quickly concludes he must be a poor one, given his state. Then, fearing he might be an outlaw, he feels shame and wonders if outlaws feel shame, an…

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Our Librarian Life: September 2024 - Special Focus on Picture Book Preschool 41:44

7h ago41:44

41:44

Join us as we talk about the newly revised and expanded Picture Book Preschool from Sherry Early! Show Notes: https://plumfieldandpaideia.com/show-notes-our-library-life-september-2024/By Plumfield Moms

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Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions - Fallout of the South Sea Bubble 40:23

1h ago40:23

40:23

Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions - Fallout of the South Sea Bubble This week we return to the bizarre economic bubble that rose up around the opening of the South Sea trade, based on fraudulent claims of treaties and access it was ultimately a method for some people to get very rich, then very poor. And while it reflects modern society in…

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Reflection: Strip Off the Old Self 5:58

2h ago5:58

5:58

It’s clear from this language, and my own experience, that my old self isn’t going to come off as easily as that itchy dress I was supposed to wear. I have to formally disown it and divest it of all authority. The t.v. show was called “Branded” because the soldier had been convicted of cowardice. That is what I have to do to the things that are ear…

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Author Interview: SD Smith 2021 Conversation in Potato Peel Pie Society Group 1:10:38

2d ago1:10:38

1:10:38

This is another one from the archives. Have you ever heard our conversation with SD Smith in the Potato Peel Pie Book group? Check out our SD Smith page on our website: https://plumfieldandpaideia.com/s-d-smith/By Plumfield Moms

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Book Review: Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransom 9:07

9d ago9:07

9:07

Swallows and Amazons, written by Arthur Ransome in 1930, is one of the most perfect children’s adventure novels I have ever read. My only regret is in taking so darn long to get to it. Despite being a reader and lover of English children’s literature, somehow I never knew about Swallows and Amazons until I started homeschooling. When I sampled it, …

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Book Review: Shipwrecked: The True Adventures of a Japanese Boy 4:35

4d ago4:35

4:35

Shipwrecked cover What a coincidence that Shipwrecked was donated to my library just as Sara and I were putting the finishing touches on our Kensuke’s Kingdom book club packet, for which we are using this same cover! In the Author’s Note for Shipwrecked, Blumberg says she became fascinated with Manjiro while doing research for her book about Commod…

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Book Review: The Mysterious Voyage of Captain Kidd 3:50

8d ago3:50

3:50

Captain Kidd was commissioned to capture pirates and, as Britain was perpetually at war with France, he was also authorized to capture French ships. This type of venture could be extremely profitable for everyone involved in the voyage, from the financial backers to individual sailors, as each of them would receive some percentage of the take. But …

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The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett – Colin learns the Truth 42:02

4d ago42:02

42:02

For this week’s bedtime story we pick up after Colin’s tantrum and Mary gets him to settle down and fall asleep. The staff in the Manor are mystified at Colin’s relatively good health and humour and Mary and Dickon decide that they can tell Colin about the garden and prepare to take him there. Story (02:47) Find The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson…

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Reflection: Pitch a Tent in Hope 5:35

13d ago5:35

5:35

"My meditation on Acts 22:26 is something like, My flesh shall pitch a tent in confident expectation. This is not a confident expectation that God will arrange things in my life for my comfort and convenience. This is an expectation that God, who cannot lie, will do what he has promised."By Plumfield Moms

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Our Librarian Life: August 2024 55:25

15d ago55:25

55:25

Join us for a rambunctious conversation about book clubs, summer projects, and fall programs in the libraries. Show Notes: https://plumfieldandpaideia.com/show-notes-our-librarian-life-aug-2024/By Plumfield Moms

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Alcott as Ecofeminist 1:21:47

10d ago1:21:47

1:21:47

Travel with us to a Cuban coffee plantation, where Alcott's short story Pauline's Passion and Punishment begins. Written in 1862, this short story predates Alcott's later, more successful fiction, but it contains all the traces of her plot devices and characterization that we love. This is a new episode format where we discuss a single short story …

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Book Review: Doomsday by Connie Willis 7:56

11d ago7:56

7:56

Connie Willis is a master storyteller who loves old movies (and new movies) almost as much as she loves great literature. Consequently, her storytelling is richly visual, and when reading, it often feels like I am watching a movie in my mind. In 1992, she crafted a novel that was set in 2054 as well as during the Medieval Bubonic Plague. I read the…

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The Elements of Geology by William Harmon Norton Pt 07 36:15

18d ago36:15

36:15

The Elements of Geology by William Harmon Norton 07 This geological work is popular with the listeners as the life of rivers and rocks is the idea background for a sleepy night. Listen in as the role of rivers in erosion and geology gets expanded on, we learn more than we ever need to know about glaciers, and find ourselves drifting to the sea, fas…

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Reflection: They Set Up Their Own Signs for Signs 5:35

17d ago5:35

5:35

"When God was leading his people through the wilderness and laying down his laws, he gave instructions for things that were to be set up for worshiping him and remembering his deeds. He gave detailed directions for setting up the tabernacle. Often, he commanded an altar or monument to be set up as a sign or memorial. God knows we need tangible remi…

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Book Review: Kensuke's Kingdom 2:50

14d ago2:50

2:50

"In this story, there is an accident while Michael is sailing, but he is with his parents at the time. They are a small, happy family on a trip around the world in their yacht. It’s not an every-day situation, to be sure, but I found it refreshing that the parents aren’t the bad guys. It isn’t long before Michael discovers that he is not the only h…

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Author Interview: S. D. Smith Talks About New Book The Found Boys 1:17:04

14d ago1:17:04

1:17:04

In this lively interview with S. D. Smith, we chat about his new book: The Found Boys. We also talk a little bit about his most recent release, the sequel to Jack Zulu, Jack Zulu And The Girl With The Golden Wings. As things so often do when we chat with Sam, we dug into some of the big cultural questions that we are all facing today. You can pre-o…

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Ep. 30 Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman vs. Noughts + Crosses (2020) 41:19

15d ago41:19

41:19

Send us a text What if you could step into a world where the balance of power is reversed? Discover the fascinating contrasts between Mallory Blackman's novel "Noughts and Crosses" and its TV miniseries adaptation, as we dissect the intricate changes and the impact they have on the story. Join me, Lluvia, in exploring the alternate universe where B…

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Alcott in the Archives 1:11:08

24d ago1:11:08

1:11:08

Max Chapnick read a line in Louisa May Alcott's journal that pointed to one of her stories, but it turned out to be a dead end. Then, he had an idea. He went back to the archives and searched for the title of the story. He turned up an unexpected result: a story written by E.A. Gould, with characteristics that linked it easily to Louisa May Alcott.…

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Book Review: Jane of Lantern Hill 4:14

18d ago4:14

4:14

"Despite some over-the-top incidents, such as Jane being instrumental in capturing an escaped circus lion, she is a loveable character. Montgomery gives her some unbelievable wisdom and talents for a girl her age, which isn’t unusual for Montgomery’s heroines. Bringing Jane’s parents together because of a life-threatening illness is an awfully tire…

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Book Review: The Found Boys by S. D. Smith 9:11

18d ago9:11

9:11

The Found Boys by S. D. Smith is an exciting and interesting story about ordinary boys growing up in two churches on either side of the river in 1980s West Virginia. Scott and Tommy are white boys from Valley Baptist Church who like to jump off of swings, shoot hoops, run along the shoreline, and chase after adventure. Dooley is a black kid from Mt…

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The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-World by Duchess Margaret Cavendish 37:50

25d ago37:50

37:50

The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-World by Duchess Margaret Cavendish I got a fright when reading this section this week. If Jewish people get mentioned in works this age it’s usually a bad thing, but I stuck with it and I felt it was quite respectful as the Empress of the Blazing World summons the spirits and asks them to teach he…

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Reflection: You Feed Them 5:05

20d ago5:05

5:05

John’s gospel says that Jesus asked Philip where they were going to get enough food for all the people and that, “He said this to test him for he himself knew what he would do” (John 6:6). In any case, the disciples went to find out exactly how much food was available - five loaves of bread and two fish. What in the world could anyone do with that?…

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Author Interview: M. I. McAllister of The Mistmantle Chronicles 1:04:25

24d ago1:04:25

1:04:25

This is a re-release of an old favorite: our interview with M. I. (Margi) McAllister of the Mistmantle Chronicles. It has been about two years since this interview aired. The original interview was broken into two episodes. Our new audio engineer (Sara's son Michael) took some time this summer to clean up the sound and trim the interview so that it…

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Louisa and Laurie 1:02:39

24d ago1:02:39

1:02:39

When readers find out that Louisa May Alcott really lived in a family with four sisters, the next question is almost immediately: "Who was Laurie?" Lis Adams, Director of Education at Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House, spent years researching in the Alcotts' extensive papers at the Houghton Library at Harvard University, and she has edited a collec…

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Book Review: The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin 5:06

25d ago5:06

5:06

I was wrong. The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin is not cheesy. It is, in fact, quite lovely. I must have been in a mid-winter funk when I read it the first time. This time, I was quite taken with it. Now, that said, it is not as strong as The Librarian Spyor The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, or my real favorites, Blacko…

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On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection by Charles Darwin 39:27

30d ago39:27

39:27

On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection by Charles Darwin A very boring reading for your sleep tonight as we continue with “On the Origin of Species” Learn in fine detail how evolution works to fill niches in a habitat while I describe diagrams to you. This one really should help you get a night’s rest. Story (02:55) Find On the Orig…

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Reflection: It's Black and White 4:30

27d ago4:30

4:30

"Contrary to the shrill voices we hear from the world more loudly every day, John says, “I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth” (2:21). The definition of truth hasn’t changed. The Greek word for truth is aletheia. It is “the unveiled reality lying at the basis of and agree…

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Ep. 28 A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley vs. Lion (2016) 40:45

1M ago40:45

40:45

Send us a Text Message. Ever wondered how a simple digital tool like Google Earth can reunite a lost child with his family across continents? Join me, Lluvia, as we embark on the heart-rending journey of Saroo Brierley through his memoir "A Long Way Home" and its film adaptation, "Lion." In this episode of Books vs Movies, I recount my deeply perso…

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Alcott and Identity 1:07:40

1M ago1:07:40

1:07:40

Author Peyton Thomas joins Let Genius Burn to speak about queerness and transness in Little Women and other Alcott writings. Peyton Thomas made a significant impact on the Alcott community when he wrote a Twitter thread, and a New York Times op-ed, about understanding Louisa May Alcott as a trans man. His comments sparked a discussion that has open…

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Book Review: The Big Jump and Other Stories 5:30

1M ago5:30

5:30

“In the old days, no one but a King could have a dog for a pet.” One day one of the King’s dogs runs to a boy named Ben and doesn’t want to go back to the King. Ben wants to keep the dog, but he knows only a King can have a dog, so he asks what he would have to do to become a King. I won’t tell you how he does it, but “that is how Ben came to have …

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Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - Episode 11 42:36

1M ago42:36

42:36

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott For bedtime this week we pick up the story of Little Women. Last episode the March family received a telegram informing them that their father was sick, so it starts out as they prepare for Mother to go see him. Lots of bustling and preparation will help you get to sleep. But be warned that a baby does sadly succum…

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Ep. 27 Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O'Malley vs. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) 45:32

1M ago45:32

45:32

Send us a text Can a film adaptation ever truly capture the essence of its source material? Join me, Lluvia, as I candidly share my thoughts on the beloved Scott Pilgrim graphic novels by Bryan Lee O'Malley and their 2010 film adaptation, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Despite the film's cult status among my friends, I offer a different perspective, …

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Book Review: Mooses with Bazookas by S. D. Smith 3:36

1M ago3:36

3:36

I have had ten copies of Mooses with Bazookas in my library since it was released last fall, and all of them are constantly checked out. As one copy gets returned, someone grabs it out of the return pile and asks to have it checked back in immediately so they can check it out themselves. If you search my TinyCat account right now (while I am writin…

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Alcott and Sex Education 1:23:29

2M ago1:23:29

1:23:29

Louisa May Alcott and her family were social activists who advocated for all types of reforms in their lifetimes: they were concerned with fair labor, women's suffrage, abolitionism, and diet reform. Yet another social concern for Louisa May Alcott was the access to health and wellness education for young women. In this episode, we explore the ways…

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REPOST: Woman's Work in Music by Arthur Elson 37:28

1M ago37:28

37:28

*Hey friends, hopefully this is the last of my reposts as life settles down from an unexpected move, enjoy this one from the achives* Welcome to our latest podcast for those who struggle with insomnia or simply need a calming and relaxing activity before drifting off to dreamland. In today's episode of "Soothing Bedtime Stories," we feature some of…

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Reflection: Kindness and Severity 5:48

2M ago5:48

5:48

"We see expressions of God’s kindness in the Psalms with words such as lovingkindness, mercy, goodness and faithfulness. Note, however, that David and other writers often plead with this same God to shame their enemies. They expect him to break the teeth of the wicked and melt them like wax."By Plumfield Moms

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Ep. 26 Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough vs. Behind Her Eyes (2021) 30:09

2M ago30:09

30:09

Send us a text What would you do if the ending of a story you've been following left you utterly perplexed and frustrated? In this episode, I, Lluvia, take you on a journey through personal milestones and literary intrigue. Transitioning from celebrating my new role as godmother to Dahlia Rose and watching my partner Orlando's play "Burritos Pa Mor…

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Alcott in the City 46:11

2M ago46:11

46:11

Although Louisa May Alcott is most often associated with Concord, Massachusetts, where her family lived in several different homes over the course of her lifetime, Alcott made much of her life in Boston. She was a city person who loved the hustle and movement of the city compared to sleepy, dull Concord. In this episode, we are joined by Michele St…

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Book Review: Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls Answer the Call 4:00

2M ago4:00

4:00

"When American men began to go to war by the hundreds of thousands, women took up the slack. They filled the jobs men left open, planted Victory Gardens, sold war bonds, worked with the Red Cross, and conserved food and fuel. But women had never been allowed in the army. They didn’t even have the right to vote. These women went to war anyway. They …

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REPOST: Birds and their nests by Mary Howitt 36:37

2M ago36:37

36:37

REPOST: Birds and their nests by Mary Howitt *Hey all, I’m super busy with a move so nothing fresh for you this week, for which I’m sorry, but I won’t leave you sleepless, so here’s this lovely introduction to Birds and Their Nests which has been popular with listeners Next week will probably also be a repost as I get settled in and wait for intern…

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Reflection: (Don’t) Change Me 5:30

2M ago5:30

5:30

"Am I like the people of the Gadarenes or like the Samaritans? Do I pray, 'Dear God, please make me happy, but don’t change me'? Have I ever said, 'Thank you, Jesus, for the miracle, now please go away so I can get back to normal'?By Plumfield Moms

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Ep. 25 Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe, Volume 1 by Hirohiko Araki vs. Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan (2019) 21:40

2M ago21:40

21:40

Send us a Text Message. Ever wondered how an anime adaptation can offer a fresh spin on its manga counterpart? Join me as I navigate the mystical universe of "Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan," comparing the unique touches of the 2019 miniseries with the original stories in "Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe, Volume 1" by Hirohiko Araki. From the consistent backdro…

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Book Review: Lepunia: Kingdom of the Gallopers by Kevin T. Ford 5:00

2M ago5:00

5:00

Fans of The Green Ember and Mistmantle will be delighted with Lepunia: Kingdom of the Gallopers by Kevin T. Ford! This new middle-grade fantasy series starter is beautifully written and tells the kind of story that we love being inside of while reading and want to return to once we are done. Not only does this exciting story have interesting world-…

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A History of Art for Beginners and Students: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture 35:39

2M ago35:39

35:39

A History of Art for Beginners and Students: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture As you get ready to sleep tonight, find yourself engrossed in the stories of some of the great Florentine master of renaissance art. We pick up the story of the great Leonardo Da Vinci and he moves from patron to patron. Then as you doze off in your bed we move on to the…

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Our Reading Life: July 2024 1:06:01

2M ago1:06:01

1:06:01

Welcome to our July 2024 episode of Our Reading Life where we chat with our dear friends, Tanya Arnold and Sarah Kim from Biblioguides about our reading lives. We are so glad that you are here! Tanya’s References Let’s Play Math by Denise Gaskins The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin Sarah Kim’s References Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Glowrushes b…

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Reflection: Straight Paths for the Lord 5:15

2M ago5:15

5:15

"Not everyone was willing to listen to John’s assessment of their sin. Many were disappointed that the news wasn’t more spectacular. This wasn’t what they had been hoping for. Where was the mighty king coming in a procession with his servants, his throngs of followers, and his army to set his people free from Rome? Those whose hearts were too crook…

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Ep. 24 Erasure by Percival Everett vs. American Fiction (2023) 35:59

2M ago35:59

35:59

Send us a text Can a film adaptation ever truly capture the essence of its literary source? Join us on this episode of "Books vs Movies" as we tackle this question head-on with the novel "Erasure" by Percival Everett and its 2023 film adaptation "American Fiction." I'm your host Lluvia, and I'm thrilled to have Chantel Nx, Reader Extraordinaire and…

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Louisa May Alcott Podcasts

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