The Story of Writing

Jon Brown

On this short, daily podcast, host Jon Brown talks about the writers and written work that made history on this day. Each episode includes a reading of prose or poetry.

  1. 10H AGO

    Story of Writing March 10, 2026

    Events on this day led the French writer Voltaire to write "Treatise on Tolerance," the U.S. Senate ratifies the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, and the birthday club includes activists Halley Quinn Brown and Lilian Wald - with a reading from Voltaire's "Treatise on Tolerance."

    5 min

  2. 1D AGO

    Story of Writing March 9, 2026

    Adam Smith's capitalist bible "The Wealth of Nations" is published, the U.S. Supreme Court rules in the "Amistad" case, and the birthday club includes Vita Sackville-West and Mickey Spillane - with a reading from Sackville-West's "The Land."

    3 min

  3. 2D AGO

    Story of Writing March 8, 2026

    A Philadelphia newspaper publishes one of the first pieces in the American colonies that called for freeing all slaves and ending slavery. And the birthday club includes feminist Juana de Ibarbourou and the writer John McPhee - with a reading from McPhee's "Annals of the Former World."

    4 min

  4. 3D AGO

    Story of Writing March 7, 2026

    Bloody Sunday, and the birthday club includes Luther Burbank, Maurice Ravel, Erika Mitchell (aka E. L. James), and Bret Easton Ellis - with a reading from Luther Burbank's defense of the theory of evolution.

    5 min

  5. 4D AGO

    Story of Writing March 6, 2026

    The Dred Scott decision is handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court and the birthday club includes Cyrano de Bergerac, Ring Lardner, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez - with a reading from Lardner's "Three Kings and a Pair."

    5 min

  6. 5D AGO

    Story of Writing March 5, 2026

    John Cabot sets sail for the New World - with startling consequences, the Catholic Church bans the writing of Nicolaus Copernicus, and it's the birthday of Dora Marsden - with a reading from her weekly magazine "The New Freewoman."

    5 min

  7. 6D AGO

    Story of Writing March 4, 2026

    The first woman to serve as a cabinet member of a U.S. President is sworn and the birthday club includes Antonio Vivaldi, Barbara Newhall Follett, and Khaled Hosseini. This episode also includes a reading from "Kabuliwala," written by Rabindranath Tagore.

    5 min

  8. MAR 3

    Story of Writing March 3, 2026

    The U.S. passes the Missouri Compromise and the Comstock Act, the U.S. also creates the first National Forest, the Star-Spangled Banner is adopted as the U.S. National Anthem, and it's the birthday of historian Ron Chernow. This episode includes a reading from "Carnival Jangle," by Alice Dunbar Nelson.

    5 min
See All (1K)

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

On this short, daily podcast, host Jon Brown talks about the writers and written work that made history on this day. Each episode includes a reading of prose or poetry.

Information

  • Creator
    Jon Brown
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jon Brown
  • Show Website
    The Story of Writing