Back of the Bookshelf
**A monthly podcast of classic short stories narrated by author, C.J. Carter-Stephenson, with music by Kevin MacLeod and immersive sound effects.** Journey back to a time of horse-drawn carriages and fantastical inventions... the fiction of yesterday brought vividly to life by the technology of today.
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Season 2, Episode 9 - The Adventure of Prince Florizel and a Detective
04/01/2024
Season 2, Episode 9 - The Adventure of Prince Florizel and a Detective
The city of Paris has captured the imagination of many writers over the years, so it was perhaps inevitable that we would end up journeying back there for another of our adaptations. This one is The Adventure of Prince Florizel and a Detective by Robert Louis Stevenson, originally published in London Magazine in October 1878. The story is part of The Rajah's Diamond cycle and is about a mysterious diamond which was stolen from an Indian ruler and is thought to bring misfortune to people who come in contact with it. The eponymous Prince Florizel of Bohemia was given the diamond in another story in the cycle, but its previous owner wants it back and sends a detective to challenge him about it. Join us for the episode to found out how he reacts. The incarnation of London Magazine which the story appeared in had a small circulation, but it reached a wider audience in 1882 when it was republished in Stevenson's New Arabian Nights collection, along with the other three stories in The Rajah's Diamond cycle, a second cycle called The Suicide Club (which also features Prince Florizel), and four standalone stories. Stevenson named his book after the folktale collection The Arabian Nights (aka The One Thousand and One Nights), which he was greatly enamoured of, as there are common themes and it has a similar nested structure. The Adventure of Prince Florizel and a Detective was written relatively early in Stevenson's career, but it was an important milestone. He is mostly remembered now for his novel Treasure Island and his novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, but works like this one show that it's well worth seeking out the rest of his canon. Our version of the story is narrated by C.J. Carter-Stephenson as usual with music by Kevin MacLeod (music licenced under Creative Commons: by attribution 3.0 licence). Stay tuned for more classic literature.
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Season 2, Episode 8 - Circumstantial Evidence
12/03/2023
Season 2, Episode 8 - Circumstantial Evidence
It's time to fire up the Back of the Bookshelf time machine for another trip back into the literary past. Our story this time is an Edgar Wallace mystery called Circumstantial Evidence, which was originally published in 1929 along with seven of his other works in a collection called Circumstantial Evidence and Other Stories. The story is set in England in the 1920s and is about a young woman who is accused of murder when her wealthy uncle dies in mysterious circumstances. The evidence against her is all circumstantial, but as the lawyer characters are quick to point out, that kind of evidence is often the hardest to refute. Is she guilty or innocent and what will happen when her case goes to trial? Listen to the episode to find out. Edgar Wallace's writing has very much fallen out of fashion now, but stories like this one are a reminder of why he was so popular in his day. It's a gripping tale which showcases his narrative skill and knowledge of the law. Wallace was born in 1875, the product of a liaison between two actors at an after-show party. He left school at the age of twelve, but went on to became a prolific writer, whose output included 170 novels, 18 plays and 957 short stories. He died suddenly in 1932 while working on the screenplay for the original King Kong movie. More than 160 films have been made of his work, so this Back of the Bookshelf offering is part of a long tradition. It's narrated by C.J. Carter-Stephenson with music by Kevin MacLeod as usual (music licenced under Creative Commons: by attribution 3.0 licence). We hope you enjoy it.
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Season 2, Episode 7 - Beyond Lies the Wub
12/01/2022
Season 2, Episode 7 - Beyond Lies the Wub
Over the years, we at Back of the Bookshelf have carried our listeners to countries far and wide, to dizzying heights in the sky and deep underground, but we have never taken them beyond the bounds of the planet… until now. That’s right, in this seventh episode of our second season, we’ll be journeying to the stars courtesy of illustrious science fiction writer Philip K. Dick and his story, Beyond Lies the Wub. It’s an engaging tale about a spaceship crew who purchase a strange creature on a trading trip to Mars. The creature looks like a pig, but looks can be deceiving. On the surface, the story seems simple, but there are hidden depths to it and the twist at the end is second to none. It was Dick’s first published story, but foreshadows his work to come with its biting satirical wit and exploration of important ethical issues. Not surprisingly, it has been reprinted many times since it made its first appearance in Volume 5, Issue 7 of Planet Stories in July 1952. Dick might arguably be more famous for the many movie adaptations of his work (e.g. Blade Runner and Total Recall) than the work itself, but as this story shows, he was a master of his craft. As always, this Back of the Bookshelf performance features an immersive soundscape to help bring the story to life. It is narrated by C.J. Carter-Stephenson with music by Kevin MacLeod. With that all said, strap yourselves in and hold on to your stomachs as we fire up our engines and blast off into the great beyond for another thrilling adventure.
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Season 2, Episode 6 - The Torture by Hope
10/31/2022
Season 2, Episode 6 - The Torture by Hope
It’s becoming a Back of the Bookshelf tradition that we release a horror themed episode on Halloween and 2022 is no exception. This time we’ve gone with a little known French story called La Torture Par L’Espérance (The Torture by Hope) by Villiers de L’Isle Adam. The story was originally published in issue 3191 of the newspaper Gil Blas on 13th August 1888 and was printed again later in the year in the author’s short fiction collection, Nouveaux Contes Cruels (New Cruel Tales). An English language version followed in June 1891 in Issue 6 of The Strand. From its first appearance, it was compared to the work of Edgar Allan Poe and it’s easy to see why. It has an ambiguous ending and shares many of the same themes, such as cruelty, torture, religion and death. Set in a prison belonging to the Spanish Inquisition, it is particularly reminiscent of The Pit and the Pendulum, and the two stories were actually combined into a single narrative in Jan Švankmajer’s short animated film The Pendulum, the Pit and Hope. The portrayal of the main character, a Jewish Rabbi named Aser Abarbanel, is stereotypical, but the writing is of such a high standard in other ways, that it’s worth overlooking this flaw. As for the author, he was born to a distinguished aristocratic family in 1838. He wrote in a romantic style, usually in the horror and mystery genres, and became fairly well-known in his day, but struggled financially in his later years. He died of stomach cancer in 1889. The Torture by Hope is an excellent example of his writing prowess, and our adaptation features music by Kevin MacLeod and our usual immersive soundscape. Now, screw your courage to the sticking place and journey back with us to a time of torture, terror and religious intolerance.
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Season 2, Episode 5 - A Drama in the Air
08/01/2022
Season 2, Episode 5 - A Drama in the Air
It's taken a lot longer than we intended - for which we humbly apologise - but episode 5 of our second season is finally ready. It's another aeronautical adventure, this time from the pen of the great Jules Verne. It was first published in August 1851 under the title La Science En Famille. Un Voyage En Balloon, but is better known as A Drama in the Air. The author needs no introduction, of course. A prolific novelist, poet and playwright, he is one the true pioneers of the science fiction genre. He is the second most translated author in the world, beaten only by Agatha Christie, and his work has been adapted countless times for film, television and pretty much anything else you can think of. In this particular story, he interweaves a gripping narrative with fascinating snippets of ballooning history, vividly conveying how completely the exploration of the previously out of reach sky had captured the public imagination. It was the first piece of his writing to be translated into English, and although it's not as famous as some of his other works, it still clearly exhibits his skill as a storyteller. Our version uses the original English translation with our usual immersive soundscape and music by Kevin MacLeod. Join us now as we leave the present behind and soar up into the clouds in the month of September 1850.
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Season 2, Episode 4 -The Fir Tree
12/25/2021
Season 2, Episode 4 -The Fir Tree
Festive Greetings, You are cordially invited to join us for a sleigh ride back into the past courtesy of the Christmas episode of our second season. It’s our version of Hans Christian Andersen’s THE FIR TREE, originally published in 1844 in NEW FAIRY TALES, VOL. 1, COLLECTION 2. It isn’t as well-known as some of Andersen's tales, but has a bittersweet quality which makes it hard to forget, telling of a tree who yearns to leave his forest home, only to find life outside doesn't meet his expectations.
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Season 2, Episode 3 - In the Court of the Dragon
10/31/2021
Season 2, Episode 3 - In the Court of the Dragon
Halloween is here, when trick-or-treaters roam the streets… along with other less wholesome things. To honour the occasion, this episode is a horror story by Robert W. Chambers called IN THE COURT OF THE DRAGON, first published in his THE KING IN YELLOW collection.
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Season 2, Episode 2 - Gods of the North
08/03/2021
Season 2, Episode 2 - Gods of the North
Fantasy fans should enjoy our latest episode, 'Gods of the North'. It’s a tale of savage warriors and mystical beings by Robert E. Howard, in whose imagination the iconic character of Conan was famously forged. Interestingly, Conan was the story's main protagonist at first, but Howard replaced him with the character of Amra after it was rejected for publication. Following a later reinsertion, the Amra version was largely forgotten, so it this we have chosen to present. Now it’s time we began, by Crom...
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Season 2, Episode 1 - When the World Screamed
07/01/2021
Season 2, Episode 1 - When the World Screamed
Greetings. After a long hiatus, 'Back of the Bookshelf' has returned for its second season. Kicking things off is another Professor Challenger story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle called 'When the World Screamed'. It was originally published in 'Liberty', a U.S. magazine, before making its appearance in the U.K. courtesy of 'The Strand'. Join us as we journey deep underground to find out if the Earth is truly a living organism as Challenger believes. C.J. Carter-Stephenson narrates, music is by Kevin MacLeod.
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Season 2 Announcement...
05/27/2021
Season 2 Announcement...
On 1st July 2021, Back of the Bookshelf will return for its second season. To mark the occasion, we'll be releasing a special feature length episode in both audio and video format. It's another Professor Challenger story from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle called When the World Screamed, so takes us full circle back to where we began. After that, our monthly exploration of lesser known gems of yesteryear will resume. If you thrill at the clatter of carriage wheels on the road, if you yearn for astounding adventures in space, then you won't be disappointed. As always, it's all free and all are welcome, so check us out. We have a new dedicated YouTube channel at and have also set up a Twitter account for updates and general discussion at . .
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Episode 12 - How An Old Man Lost His Wen
06/02/2019
Episode 12 - How An Old Man Lost His Wen
Welcome one and all to episode 12 of 'Back of the Bookshelf', the final episode of our opening season. This time we're proud to present Yei Theodora Ozaki's 'How An Old Man Lost His Wen'. It's a punchy tale of demons and dancing taken from her 1903 fairy tale collection, 'The Japanese Fairy Book', which was loosely translated from a work by Sadanami Sanjin. Now hold onto your seats as we wave our magic wand and teleport you back to ancient Japan. C.J. Carter-Stephenson narrates; music is by Kevin MacLeod
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Episode 11 - The Mortal Immortal: A Tale
05/11/2019
Episode 11 - The Mortal Immortal: A Tale
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be immortal? Well in our eleventh episode we offer an answer, courtesy of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's 'The Mortal Immortal: A Tale'. Commissioned in 1833 for literary annual, 'The Keepsake', the story tells of a man who ceases to age when he drinks a concoction created by his master. It's an enthralling piece, which deals with many of the same themes as Shelley's more famous, 'Frankenstein'. Now it's time to wind back the years once again... the past beck
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Episode 10 - The Liverpool Mystery
04/01/2019
Episode 10 - The Liverpool Mystery
After a hiatus, we're back with our tenth episode. It's a mystery this time, written by Baroness Orczy of Scarlet Pimpernel fame. It was originally published in 'The Royal Magazine' in June 1902, and was part of a series featuring a character known as the old man in the corner. Sherlock Holmes was a key influence, but as you'll see, Orczy's detective is very different. Now hold onto your hats as we fire up the 'Back of the Bookshelf' time machine and take you back to the age of steam trains and hansom cabs.
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Episode 9 - A Strange Christmas Game
12/25/2018
Episode 9 - A Strange Christmas Game
Some people say Christmas is over-commercialised, but for us, it never loses its sheen, so for our 9th episode, released at midnight on 25th December 2018, we have embraced the tradition of the Christmas ghost story with Charlotte Riddell's 'A Strange Christmas Game'. First published in 'The Broadway Annual' in 1867, it's set at Christmas, was published around Christmas and is steeped in Victorian atmosphere, so fits the bill perfectly. So turn down the lights and journey back to an iPhoneless age...
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Episode 8 - The Legend of Sir Dinar
12/01/2018
Episode 8 - The Legend of Sir Dinar
Don your armour and saddle your horse, because in our eighth episode we're journeying back to the age of chivalry courtesy of Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch's 'The Legend of Sir Dinar'. The story was originally published in 'The Speaker' in 1891. It is about the quest for the Holy Grail, but focuses on a lesser known knight called Sir Dinar. Sir Dinar is left at Camelot because of his inexperience, but sets out to join the search hoping to make a name for himself. Needless to say, things do not go smoothly.
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Episode 7 - The Higher Life
10/30/2018
Episode 7 - The Higher Life
In honour of Halloween, our 7th episode is a ghost story by Mary Elizabeth Braddon. Braddon is remembered chiefly for her novel, 'Lady Audley's Secret', but left behind a considerable body of other work which is equally worthy of attention, as this story demonstrates. It's called 'The Higher Life' and was originally published in 1907 in the 'Tales for the Homes' anthology. In it, we look back on the life of an old man as he approaches death and join his spirit as it crosses over to the other side. Enjoy
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Episode 6 - The Cone
10/01/2018
Episode 6 - The Cone
Few people have had a bigger impact on science fiction than the great H.G. Wells, our episode 6 author. His other work is less well known,and it is from this, that our story comes. It's called 'The Cone' and was first published in 1895 . Originally intended to be the opening of a novel, it falls under the category of sensation fiction and revolves around the manager of an iron works, who suspects his wife is having an affair. The locations are vividly described and the tension is almost unbearable. Enjoy.
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Episode 5 - A Masked Ball
09/01/2018
Episode 5 - A Masked Ball
In this episode we return to 19th century Paris for Alexandre Dumas' 'A Masked Ball', which was originally published in 1833 in 'Scènes du Beau Monde'. Intrigue, betrayal and heartache are skillfully woven together as the hero ventures into a high society den of sin and has a memorable encounter with a woman who clearly doesn't belong there. Locations include Père Lachaise and the Théâtre des Variétés, and unusually, Dumas himself appears as a character. If you like his other work, this is sure to app
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Episode 4 - The White Cat Of Drumgunniol
08/01/2018
Episode 4 - The White Cat Of Drumgunniol
We love a good ghost story, so for this episode we're giving you exactly that, courtesy of J. Sheridan Le Fanu. Le Fanu is most famous for his classic novella, 'Carmilla', but in line with our mission statement, our story is rather more obscure. It's called 'The White Cat of Drumgunniol', was originally published in 'All Year Round' in 1870, and is everything a ghost story should be - scary, atmospheric and a lot of fun. As always, music is by Kevin MacLeod and narration by C.J. Carter-Stephenson.
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Episode 3 - Into the Sun
07/01/2018
Episode 3 - Into the Sun
In episode three, we whisk you away to 19th century San Francisco in Robert Duncan Milne's apocalyptic science fiction story, 'Into the Sun'. Milne's work mainly appeared in local publications, so might have been forgotten if Sam Moskowitz hadn’t published some of the highlights in 1980. Fans of classic fiction will find much to endear them in this gripping tale, which features a dramatic balloon ride and a Poe type ending. As usual, narration is by C.J. Carter-Stephenson and music by Kevin MacLeod.
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Episode 2 - The Jewels
06/01/2018
Episode 2 - The Jewels
Episode two of the Back of the Bookshelf podcast, featuring a Guy de Maupassant story called 'The Jewels'. As you might expect from the title, it's thematically similar to Maupassant's more famous 'The Necklace', but is arguably superior with its multifaceted approach. The characters are easy to relate to and with our carefully selected sound effects you'll almost believe you've stepped back into 19th century Paris. The episode is narrated by C.J. Carter-Stephenson with music by Kevin MacLeod. Enjoy...
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Episode 1 - The Disintegration Machine
05/01/2018
Episode 1 - The Disintegration Machine
Inaugural episode of the Back of the Bookshelf podcast, featuring a story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Doyle is best known as the creator of Sherlock Holmes, but here he writes about another memorable character, Professor Challenger, in a thrilling science fiction adventure. The story is narrated by author and actor, C.J. Carter-Stephenson with music by Kevin MacLeod and an immersive soundscape. Join us now on a journey back to London of yesteryear, and if you like what you hear, please consider subscribing.
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Back of the Bookshelf
04/25/2018
Back of the Bookshelf
**A monthly podcast of classic short stories narrated by author, C.J. Carter-Stephenson, with music by Kevin MacLeod and immersive soundscapes.** Journey back to a time of horse-drawn carriages and fantastical inventions... the fiction of the past brought vividly to life by the technology of today.
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