A free classic short story and poetry podcast.

Litreading - Classic Short Stories, Well Told

LitReading Lives

Litreading Returns—With a Twist

Three years. That’s how long Litreading has been on pause. It wasn’t planned, and it wasn’t easy to let it go quiet—but life has a way of shifting priorities.

Part of the hiatus was health-related. Part of it was practical: I needed space to pursue other voice acting opportunities. And let’s be honest—voicing commercials, characters, and corporate narrations pays a lot better than reading century-old public domain literature.

But I missed it. I missed you. I missed the rhythm of a well-crafted tale, the gentle hush of atmosphere, the thrill of a twist ending whispered into a microphone.

So, I’m bringing Litreading back.

But this time, I’m doing things differently.

In the past, Litreading relied on ads for support—barely. A few dollars here and there, while driving some listeners away in frustration. So I’m testing something new. If you value the show, if hearing these classic short stories read aloud brings something special to your day, I hope you’ll consider subscribing.

It’s less than a dollar a week—about the price of a short story at a newsstand in the 1920s. Except this one talks to you.

This is a test. An experiment. A whispered question into the dark: Would you help me keep telling stories, without ads, if it cost you less than your coffee tip jar?

Litreading is back. I hope it finds its way back to your ears.




telling tales

Humans have shared stories for millennia. For most of that time, telling tales was a verbal process. A storyteller would regale an audience with accounts of adventure, bravery, compassion, despair, enlightenment, and fear. Stories were a shared experience, until the advent of inexpensive mass-printing processes in the 19th century which allowed most of us to read to ourselves. Yet, that desire to have a story read aloud is still ingrained in our collective soul.

While we still read books for pleasure, most of today’s stories are told via newer forms of visual media like movies and television. Consuming stories via any visual medium requires an active commitment to the process. You probably shouldn’t read a book or watch a TV program while driving, but your brain still craves a good story.

An audio book is suitable for a long road trip. But what about those times when you only have a few minutes? Enter the audio short story.

Litreading is my way of helping you both fill those moments and fulfill your need for a captivating tale with readings of some of the world’s greatest literary masters best brief works.

My love of the spoken word has been honed by a more than 30-year career in radio and voice acting with a modicum of performance passion from decades of stage performances.

Litreading is my serious hobby (I have a great full-time job), so much of the content is free of costs. I hope you enjoy them.

If you would like read or would like to share thoughts or comments, please drop me a line. If you enjoy these stories, please become a LitReading+ member, spread the word, subscribe, and leave a review on your favorite podcast service.

Fill those free moments with spoken fiction.

Thanks for stopping by,
Don McDonald


 

Real Reviews


Great Stories Presented by Great Reader

“The narrator provides a wonderfully expressive voice to old stories, renewing life in them. This podcast is a terrific way to be exposed to both familiar and unfamiliar classic stories.”


I could just kiss you!!!!!!!

“I have not enjoyed something as much — IN AGES!! God, please bless this dear man for giving such clean, kind, fun!!!!!”


Perfectly Relaxing!

“I’m SO glad I found this podcast! It was exactly what I’ve been looking for! I love listening to these “Educated, Grown-up Bedtime Stories” as the perfect way to relax before falling asleep. Don’s voice is so crisp and clear, and he employs it well in giving just the right inflections to entertain and to interpret each story.”


Crisp, Compelling Podcast

“No bells and whistles, no annoying musical themes blaring away, or nonsensical chit-chat. Very well selected short fiction, read superbly by a skillful narrator. A pleasure. I look forward to it.”