
175 episodes

LeVar Burton Reads Stitcher Studios
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- Arts
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4.9 • 15.9K Ratings
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The best short fiction, handpicked by the best voice in podcasting and presented in 3D immersive audio. In every episode, host LeVar Burton (Roots, Reading Rainbow, Star Trek) invites you to take a break from your daily life, and dive into a great story. LeVar’s narration blends with gorgeous soundscapes to bring stories by Stephen King, Toni Morrison, Nnedi Okorafor, Kurt Vonnegut, Ken Liu and more to life. So, if you’re ready, let’s take a deep breath...
Our immersive audio is best with headphones! If you'd prefer to listen without immersive audio, visit levarburtonpodcast.com/mono.
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Immersive Remix: "An Equal Share of the Bone" by Karen Osborne
Hoping to make their fortune (or at least climb out of debt), a trio of space traders travel on a dangerous hunt for a space whale.
"An Equal Share of the Bone" was originally published at Escape Pod. Find more of Karen Osborne's work at www.karenosborne.com. Content Advisory: Animal death.
Our immersive audio is best with headphones! If you'd prefer to listen without immersive audio, visit levarburtonpodcast.com/mono. -
"D.P." by Kurt Vonnegut
In a small German village, an orphaned boy lives at a home for "displaced persons," and puzzles over where he belongs.
"D.P.” from the book WELCOME TO THE MONKEY HOUSE by Kurt Vonnegut. Copyright © 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968 by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Used by permission of HarperCollins Publishers. -
"The Destination Star" by Gregory Marlow
As a generation ship hurtles toward a distant star, one of its crew members receives a rare and precious opportunity. For more from Gregory Marlow, visit www.greganimates.com/writing.html.
Content advisory: illness, death -
"Mister Dawn, How Can You Be So Cruel?" by Violet Allen
An artist works as a dream concierge, creating augmented dream packages for clients. For more from Violet Allen, visit her on Twitter @blipstress.
Content advisory: mind / body control -
"The Golden Hour" by Jeffrey Ford
A time traveler is stranded in a small town. This story appears in SOMEONE IN TIME: TALES OF TIME-CROSSED ROMANCE, published by Solaris. Find more from Jeffrey Ford at well-builtcity.com.
Content advisory: suicide -
"The Lady of the Yellow-Painted Library" by Tobi Ogundiran
A hapless salesman flees the librarian hell-bent on retrieving her lost library book. This story appears in Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction, published by Tordotcom in hardcover and e-book, and by Recorded Books in audiobook format. For more from the author, visit tobiogundiran.com.
Content advisory: Explicit language, gore
Customer Reviews
Incredible, but don’t take my word for it …
I didn’t know I was a fan of science fiction or short stories before this podcast, much in the way that I didn’t realize I was a reader before Reading Rainbow. The stories are beautiful, and LeVar’s treatment of the works is masterful.
While I always have enjoyed audio productions and audiobooks, my experience with this podcast has been surreal. I began listening with my family during the pandemic; the stories took our minds off of the uncertain world beyond our doorstep and transported us to fascinating places.
I am especially grateful for the deep, calming breath at the beginning of each story. On many occasions, those are the only deep breaths I take in a day. 🥰 LeVar Burton Reads earns infinite stars in my book!
Please never stop finding new stories!
Stumbled across this one day I love this so much I can’t even begin to describe! LeVar your voice and everything is amazing and every story takes me back to watching Reading Rainbow on TV. You’re introducing me to stories that I never would have picked up by myself so thank you for that! Please tell more stories forever! I’d love to hear you read anything by Maya Angelou. Mom and I saw her in person reading stories once when I was in fourth grade, but I didn’t realize then how amazing the experience turned out to be, so I sadly wasn’t yet hooked on her stories. Thank you so much for this! Can’t wait to hear more stories in all the future episodes!
Wow Intense But Inspiring
Wonderful narratives along with great stories!