The Essential Reads

Isaac Birchall
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The Essential Reads podcast is a collection of classic audiobooks from your favourite authors such as Orson wells, Robert Lewis Stevenson, Mary Shelley, and many more, narrated by Isaac Birchall. Join Isaac on his journey to help get these books to the masses in an easy accessible way. Support the show and Join the Book Club https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads

  1. 1 day ago

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 26 | Audiobook

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 26 "Mother and Son", narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Mr. Thornton leaves the house dizzy, almost as if Margaret had punched him. He has a headache and bodily pain. In spite of what Margaret said to him, he resolves himself to go on and continue loving her. A bus passes by and stops, believing that he hailed it, and he decides to get on it and is taken away into countryside and to a small town. He wanders around into the fields and thinks through every detail of the proposal. He believes that he was bewitched by her when she put her arms around him. He doesn’t understand Margaret. It was late in the afternoon when he got back to Milton, and he had so much work to do following the riots, and encounter his mother…Mrs. Thornton has been in the dining room all day, constantly expecting her son to run in and declare that Margaret accepted his proposal, but each time the door opened, it was always a maid, or a worker. She tries to distract herself by going through the linins so that she can give them to the betrothed for their new house and picks out some delicate pieces. She is jealous of Margaret and doesn’t know how to feel, and she feels a pang of pain at the loss of her son. Mrs. Thornton thinks that if Margaret came from Milton, without her southern prejudice, then she would probably like her. She tries to distract herself further with a book and soon hears her son foot on the step. He comes in and stands near his mother while she finished her paragraph. He tries to steel himself against her “Well, John?” but when he leans in to kiss her and say that “no one loves me” his emotions take control of him. She tells him that a mother’s love is forever, but a girls love changes with every wind. Mr. Thornton tells her that he is not fit for Margaret, and that he knew it. His mother curses the girl, but feels lighter, knowing that her son is hers again. He replies that he doesn’t want to hear a word against Margaret and he really loves her. Mrs. Thornton say that she hates the girl. Mr. Thornton rallies himself a little and distracts himself and his mother by talking of the work to come following the riot of the previous day. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Elizabeth Gaskell's classic, "North and South" sees Margaret Hale's live uprooted as her family moves to the north of England. Initially disgusted by the ugliness of the industrial town of Milton, Margaret develops a strong sense of social justice after seeing the poverty and suffering of local mill workers.

    17 min

  2. 5 days ago

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 25 | Audiobook

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 25 "Frederick", narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Margaret reflects on her relationship with Mr. Henry Lennox and is at least relieved that he seemed only to have a lapse of judgement. With Mr. Thornton, they never had a stage of friendship. She truly cannot understand his feelings and feels even stranger about his statement of continuing his love for her in spite of her refusal. She tries to hide from the idea, but she cannot get it out of her mind. She stays in the room where he left her for a while. All is quiet in the house. Margaret refuses to be alone and decides that she should go to see Bessy Higgins. Bessy is lying by the fireplace, and Margaret sits the girl up so she can be more at ease. She is much worse, and Margaret excuses herself for not coming the previous day, almost letting slip that she was at the Thornton residence. Margaret goes to read her a chapter of the bible, but Bessy is restless and the bursts out with some talk about the riots. It seems that her father wasn’t at the riots, and that the union told everyone that no matter what happens, they should not resort to violence, it would make everyone’s problems much worse and works against the strikers. Mr. Higgins went to Boucher’s the night before, as he was an instigator of the violence, and told him that he would be turned over to the police and the mill owners for his actions. Margaret corrects Bessy and tells her that Boucher was not the first person to react, letting slip that she was at the Mill. Boucher apparently punched her father and ran away, causing Bessy to throw herself at her father’s feet and beg him not to go. After Bessy gets this information off of her chest, she is a lot calmer and receptive to hearing a chapter of the bible. At home, Margaret finds her mother awake and full of praise for the waterbed. She says that it is the best bed she has slept on since she was staying at the Beresford residence. She wonders how it is that people have forgotten how to make comfortable beds. She asks Margaret if she remembers them, to which her daughter replies that she never was at the Beresford residence. He mother remembers that it must have been Frederick and she goes on to talk about her exiled son, causing Mr. Hale to leave the room. Margaret then asks her mother more about her brother, and Mrs. Hale starts to cry and begs Margaret to write to him, feeling deep down, that if she were to see her son, then she would be healed of her malady. Margaret writes to him that day, and takes the letter to the post office herself. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Elizabeth Gaskell's classic, "North and South" sees Margaret Hale's live uprooted as her family moves to the north of England. Initially disgusted by the ugliness of the industrial town of Milton, Margaret develops a strong sense of social justice after seeing the poverty and suffering of local mill workers.

    31 min

  3. 21 Jun

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 24 | Audiobook

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 24 "Mistakes Cleared Up", narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:The following morning Margaret wakes up. She is by no means rested, but at least her mother only woke up once in the night. A light breeze is starting to blow, and Margaret is calmed and brightened by the thought of what a forest would look like in these conditions. She goes to sit with her mother while she is still sleeping and plans to go and see Bessy Higgins after dinner. Dixon comes in and tells her quietly that Mr. Thornton has come to visit and has asked for her. Reluctantly, Margaret goes downstairs.Mr. Thornton is anxiously waiting downstairs for Margaret. He thinks of her arms around his neck and is impatient for her to see him. He has no self-control left and needs to see her and hopes that she would fall into his arms. He does not know how she will receive his declaration. He fears a rejection and refuses to think of it. Margaret arrives and he takes in her complexion. She looks very tired, but that is normal after the blow she has received. Thornton steps forward and shuts the door behind her. Eventually he starts to talk, he excuses his ungratefulness the previous day, and Margaret shuts him down, saying that he has nothing to excuse himself for and says that she should excuse herself for forcing him to go down to the crowd. Margaret says that she will accept his thanks if he really believes it necessary. Thornton replies that he feels no obligation to but that he wants to thank her and finally declares his love for her.She responds icily to his declaration, saying that she is shocked by his words and does not understand it. She is offended by him and clarifies that her actions yesterday were not a declaration of love, and that a gentleman would understand that. He retorts that he is not a gentleman but a man and claims a right to express himself. With tears in her eyes she goes to say that of the whole crowd, Thornton was the person that she cared for the least and only went to him because he was alone, while they were many. He goes to say that she is unfair and just because he is a Master he doesn’t have a right to suffer. While he could have defended himself further, he know that he could have thrown himself at her feet to ask for forgiveness. He collects his things and says one last thing before he goes, that he has never loved anyone before, and that he will continue to love her. Margaret thanks him for his kindness to her father and leaves him to go.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Elizabeth Gaskell's classic, "North and South" sees Margaret Hale's live uprooted as her family moves to the north of England. Initially disgusted by the ugliness of the industrial town of Milton, Margaret develops a strong sense of social justice after seeing the poverty and suffering of local mill workers.

    17 min

  4. 17 Jun

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 23 | Audiobook

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 23 "Mistakes", narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Mr Thornton comes home after talking with his Irish workers. He instantly asks where Margaret has gone and is very shocked when his mother tells him that she is better, and has gone home. He asks more questions about Margaret, but his mother wishes to change the topic. He defends his Margaret from his mother and says that he doesn’t know where he would be if she didn’t come out to help him. Mrs. Thornton retorts that girls in love will do anything and is very shocked when she sees how her son reacts to her remark. She tries to go on with her business, but when she does start to talk again, her voice is a little feeble. He says that he will go out again, and tells his mother not to wait up for him. She says that she has to wait for him considering the events of the day. They go back and forth a little while he tries to explain that he wishes to go and check on Margaret and doesn’t know what time he will be back. Mrs. Thornton begs him however no to go, and as she never begs her son for anything, he relinquishes and agrees to come back home as long as they send someone to go and ask about Margaret. They have tea, and just before he goes to leave, she talks quietly with him. She says that she knows what he has to do at the Hale residence, and that causes her son to finally snap and confess, in his own way, his feelings for Margaret, saying that he has little hope.At the Hale residence, Margaret comes home and sees her mother and father. They received a letter from Bessy Higgins, but they all agree that Margaret looks too tired for her to go. Mr. and Mrs. Hale go to bed, and Margaret finally allows herself to think about the events of the day. She asks herself why she went down to help him; the army was only a few minutes away. She did some good but cannot understand why she did it. Dixon comes in and tells her that a man has arrived with the waterbed and says too that he was instructed to ask how she was, but believes that the man must have been confused with her mother. Her father then comes in and tells her to go to bed.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Elizabeth Gaskell's classic, "North and South" sees Margaret Hale's live uprooted as her family moves to the north of England. Initially disgusted by the ugliness of the industrial town of Milton, Margaret develops a strong sense of social justice after seeing the poverty and suffering of local mill workers.

    20 min

  5. 14 Jun

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 22 | Audiobook

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 22 "A Blow and Its Consequences", narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Margaret waits for a long time before anyone of the Thornton family comes to see her. Fanny eventually walks in apologising for the wait and tells her that her brother is with his new Irish workmen and women in the factory, trying to reassure them before the strikes get worse. Mrs. Thornton then comes in and looks incredibly stern. Mrs. Thornton doesn’t seem to fully listen to Margaret when she asks for the waterbed, when she does respond, it is in response to the crashing sound of many bodies against the gates. John soon comes in and the crowd reacts with bloodlust as they hear Mr. Thornton’s voice in his house. Margaret fears that she is a coward but forgets herself and only feels a deep sympathy. He tells his mother and the maid to get upstairs to safety. Margaret is watching at the window and then turns to Mr. Thornton to ask where his imported workers are. He responds that they are in the factory, but that it is not the workers that the crowd wants, but himself. His mother asks how long until the soldiers should arrive, he responds that it should still be 20 minutes. They shut the windows and then a sudden stillness arises. They stop and listen, the crowd is pushing with all of their might against the gate, and it eventually gives in, followed by the crowd. Mrs. Thornton and Fanny get upstairs and Margaret refuses to go with them.The faces of angry men are everywhere in the yard, and Margaret recognises the face of Mr. Boucher. As the crowd sees Mr. Thornton, they erupt into a beastly roar, startling even Mr. Thornton’s cool reserve. He tells Margaret that they need only to wait 5 minutes more and the soldiers will be there. Margaret calls him out for his attitude, tells him to go and face these men like a man with kindness. A dark cloud comes across his face and he goes, only asking Margaret to bar the door behind him. The men in the yard look like savage beasts; they have children at home, like Boucher, and can’t stand the thought of foreigners taking away their bread. Margaret feels like the crowd will reach its breaking point in a moment and she rushes outside, after she sees men reaching for projectiles. The men still their arms as they see this girl run out and place herself between them and their enemy. She tries to tell the men to calm themselves, but her voice dies away. Thornton moves from behind her. A man calls out asking if the Irish will be sent home and when Thornton replies that he will not send them back, the crowd explodes. Margaret tries to shield Thornton from the men’s incoming projectiles, but he shakes her off. The first misses, the second flings a stone towards their mark hitting instead, Margaret causing Thornton to react. The men are silent while he speaks, watching the blood trickle down Margaret’s head. It seems to knock sense into the men, and they start to back away. Mr. Thornton walks into the crowd, calling on the men to attack him if they are not cowards, but they leave, defeated. Thornton rushes to Margaret and carries her into the house. He calls for his mother to take care of her and he goes to check on his Irish workers. Mrs. Thornton goes to get a doctor...SEO stuff I don't want to do. Elizabeth Gaskell's classic, "North and South" sees Margaret Hale's live uprooted as her family moves to the north of England. Initially disgusted by the ugliness of the industrial town of Milton, Margaret develops a strong sense of social justice after seeing the poverty and suffering of local mill workers.

    39 min

  6. 10 Jun

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 21 | Audiobook

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 21 "The Dark Night", narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Margaret and her father walk home from the Thornton residence, feeling very happy. They talk together a little about the strike and Mr. Hale suggests that Thornton is anxious about the situation. When they get home, all joy they were feeling is ripped away from them by a look of horror on Dixon’s face. They enter and find Dr. Donaldson taking care of Mrs. Hale. She has had a fit and is very, very unwell, and has been administered a sedative. Mr. Hale is finally informed of the state of his wife’s health and is distraught by the terrifying news. He initially upset with Margaret for keeping it from him, but the Doctor tells him that it is he that is to blame, and not Margaret. The doctor tells Mr Hale to go to bed and leave the family alone. Everyone refuses to go to bed, so Dixon, Margaret, and her father watch over Mrs. Hale. Dixon eventually nods off, but Margaret watches carefully over her mother and responds to her father’s questions. After her father goes to sleep too, Margaret reflects on Harley Street and Helstone, two places that she wishes she could go back to, to get away from the tragedies of the North. In the morning, it seems like the previous night was all but a dream. Mrs. Hale doesn’t know how ill she was and is shocked to see Dr. Donaldson so early. After a few days, she gets permission to return to the drawing room, but that night, she becomes feverish again. Dr. Donaldson says that it is a reaction to the medicine that he has used and recommends that they try to find a waterbed for Mrs. Hale, stating that Mrs. Thornton has one she could maybe lend and asks Margaret if she could make the trip to Marlborough street to ask for it. In the afternoon, Margaret starts walking to the Thornton’s, her head full of thoughts about her mother’s health. She doesn’t notice anything different about the streets, but around her, many people are heaving, and talking, and listening, while she moves through the streets. When she gets to Marlborough street however, she starts to feel the oppressive atmosphere, and as she gets to the Thornton’s, the crowd starts to make its way towards the Factory. She is cautiously let in by the porter and is rushed into the house.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Elizabeth Gaskell's classic, "North and South" sees Margaret Hale's live uprooted as her family moves to the north of England. Initially disgusted by the ugliness of the industrial town of Milton, Margaret develops a strong sense of social justice after seeing the poverty and suffering of local mill workers.

    23 min

  7. 7 Jun

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 20 | Audiobook

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 20 "Men and Gentlemen", narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Margaret goes home heavy hearted and wondering how she can keep a positive mindset to help her mother’s morale. Her mother asks her about how Bessy is doing and reflects on how bad it must be to be sick while living in one of those back streets. Margaret breaks down and tells her mother about what she heard at the Higgins’. They then work together preparing a basket to send to them and the Bouchers. When Mr. Hale comes home, they talk about the Bouchers a little more and he promises to go and see the man and his family. The following day, Margaret prepares to go to the Thornton dinner, and reflects on her time in London, preparing for dinners with her cousin. Margaret doesn’t really wish to go to the dinner but goes nonetheless to appease her mother. Margaret and her father are the first guests to arrive at the Thornton residence, where they are greeted by Mrs. Thornton and Fanny. Mr. Thornton is a little late with business, and his mother supplies conversation while they wait for their host and the other guests. Mrs. Thornton talks about how proud she is to be able to live next to her son’s factory, where she can reflect on his greatness. When Thornton arrives, he asks them how Mrs. Hale is and tries to keep his cool while struck by Margaret’s beauty. When the guests arrive, Fanny and Mrs. Thornton get distracted welcoming the guests, and Mr. Thornton notices that Margaret is being left alone, and though he doesn’t go to talk to her himself, he watches he discretely the whole time before dinner. At dinner, the men talk amongst themselves, and the women remain mostly quiet. This gives Margaret an opportunity to listen to the conversation, and she finally sees Mr. Thornton in his element, where is his respected and where he has none of the awkwardness that she had seen before when they had interacted at her home. Margaret enjoys the dinner and listens to the conversations, eagerly learning many new things about Milton. After dinner, Margaret is bored until the men come back into the room. Mr. Thornton comes to talk with her, and they discuss the conversation at dinner and then what it means to be a gentleman. Thornton says that he doesn’t really understand the term and prefers the term “a true man” or “a man.” Thornton sees the term “Gentleman” as something that only applies to a man in his relationship to others, whereas “man” applies to the man as a whole. Before Margaret has time to respond, he is called away to talk with the other men. They are far enough away where Margaret can only get the gist of the conversation, but it seems to be about the strikes. The guest of honour, Mr. Horsfall, asks him about Margaret, the quiet, stately, beauty. Mrs. Slickson asks Fanny the same question.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Elizabeth Gaskell's classic, "North and South" sees Margaret Hale's live uprooted as her family moves to the north of England. Initially disgusted by the ugliness of the industrial town of Milton, Margaret develops a strong sense of social justice after seeing the poverty and suffering of local mill workers.

    25 min

  8. 3 Jun

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 19 | Audiobook

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell chapter 19 "Angel Visits", narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Mrs. Hale is very excited about her husband and Margaret going to a dinner at Mr. Thornton’s residence. She wants to know about all of the little details of the event and wants to help Margaret get ready. Margaret finds her mother’s fretting funny and lets her mother help pick out her dress for her. Later, Margaret goes to see Bessy Higgins. Bessy is shocked by Margaret being invited to dine at the Thornton’s and can’t hide her feelings that Margaret is not wealthy enough to mingle with the upper society of Milton, which Margaret notices and responds to by saying that they are educated and know how to interact in society. Bessy is still shocked by it, saying that the Mayor dines there. Margaret talks a little about her dresses, saying that she never thought that she would have an opportunity to wear some of them, and Bessy begs to see her dressed up, and goes on a delirious recounting of having seen Margaret in a dream like an angel. Margaret tells her that it was only a dream, and she should not put too much meaning on it. Margaret then asks if her father has gone on strike yet, to which Bessy replies positively. He and many others have gone on strike. They are forgoing food to be on strike. Margaret asks if they really think that the strike is going to help, and Bessy explains what her father feels about the strike and as she finishes, her father walks through the door and confirms what he heard his daughter say. Mr. Hale is depressed by the tales of the working men and talks to Thornton about it. Mr. Thornton explains his case to Mr. Hale explaining that, in Margaret’s understanding, commerce is everything and even makes her feel ungrateful for the medicine that he brings to help her mother. Margaret very much dislikes him.Margaret goes to visit Bessy Higgins the day before the dinner party and find a man called Boucher, lamenting to Mr Higgins about the dire state his family is it. He cannot afford to be on strike any longer. He says that the union promised that only 2 weeks would be required for the master’s to give in to their 5%, but two weeks have nearly passed and not a single master has changed his mind. Boucher’s story is fully of emotion, and both Bessy and Margaret are incredibly moved by it. Margaret tells Bessy that she will give what money she can to help these people. Bessy says that she would like to see these men refuse Boucher if they were to speak to him. Bessy is getting sicker and sicker, and the girl claims that death is not far off. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Elizabeth Gaskell's classic, "North and South" sees Margaret Hale's live uprooted as her family moves to the north of England. Initially disgusted by the ugliness of the industrial town of Milton, Margaret develops a strong sense of social justice after seeing the poverty and suffering of local mill workers.

    30 min
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About

The Essential Reads podcast is a collection of classic audiobooks from your favourite authors such as Orson wells, Robert Lewis Stevenson, Mary Shelley, and many more, narrated by Isaac Birchall. Join Isaac on his journey to help get these books to the masses in an easy accessible way. Support the show and Join the Book Club https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads

Information

  • Creator
    Isaac Birchall
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    477
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Isaac Birchall
  • Show Website
    The Essential Reads