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. 2H AGO

    Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 26 | Audiobook

    Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 26, 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 Dashwoods and Mrs. Jennings leave for London. Marianne is very quiet, presumably thinking of Willoughby, forcing Elanor to talk with their host for the 3 days’ journey. Once they arrive in London, the Miss Dashwoods write letters, Elanor to her mother, and Marianne to whom Elanor suspects to be Willoughby. Marianne is anxious all day and thinks that every carriage passing by is a sign of Willoughby. Finally, when someone knocks on the door and Marianne’s excitement was at its peak, and it turns out to be Colonel Brandon, Marianne flees from the room. Elanor talks with the Colonel briefly before the entrance of Mrs. Jennings, who presses him to reveal the secrets behind his departure. Marianne is melancholic for the rest of the day. In the morning Marianne is happy again, expecting to see Willoughby. Mrs. Palmer comes over, and is so happy at seeing the Miss Dashwoods, and all of the women of the house go into town. While the rest are occupied by shopping, Marianne is looking all over for Willoughby’s figure or face, failing to see him anywhere. When they go home, she is informed by the footman that no letters had arrived for her either. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

    15 min

  2. 4D AGO

    Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 25 | Audiobook

    Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 25, 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 Jennings is finally going to return to her home in the city. She asks the elder miss Dashwoods to join her in London. Elanor immediately refuses, saying that they need to be with their mother, but Mrs. Jennings doesn’t want to hear no for an answer. Sir John also understands that Marianne would actually like to go to London, and the girls are thus forced to ask their mother for permission, and Elanor soon consents. Mrs Dashwood is very happy to let the girls go to London as she feels that they would be likely to run into Willoughby in town, and potentially Edward too. Mrs Dashwood is also excited about the possibility of redecorating the rooms of the girls and knows that it would be easier to do if the girls were away for a while. Elanor and Marianne are to travel with Mrs. Jennings in her chaise, and Sir John is very excited to have more people join them in London.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

    12 min

  3. 12/28/2025

    Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 24 | Audiobook

    Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 24, 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:Elanor finally gets the opportunity to speak to Lucy again about Edward. Lucy is more than happy to talk about it and says that she felt like she had upset Elanor with her information. Lucy claims that as she is used to a small income, she could do without any money that Edward’s mother could give him, but she knows that Edward could not. They need to wait until his mother passes away, and Lucy says that she could only wait for Edward, no other man. Lucy says that she has come up with a plan to have Elanor help her get married to Edward. She says that if Elanor were to ask her brother to let Edward go to the church in Norland, then everything would be sorted. Lucy laments that it would perhaps be better to call the whole thing off and asks Elanor’s opinion of it. Elanor refuses to answer. Their conversation ends with an invitation to go to London which Elanor refuses as well.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

    13 min

  4. 12/24/2025

    Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 23 | Audiobook

    Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 23, 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:Elanor thinks over every interaction that she had with Edward during his visit. She questions whether he had duped her, but no, she feels certain that Edward’s affection towards her is real, and that his engagement to Lucy is not one of the heart. She feels too that Edward could never truly be happy with a marriage to Lucy, and that his engagement to her will have lessened his feelings for her. She weeps for him but feels as though she can hide her new knowledge from her mother and her sister. Elanor feels that she could get no encouragement from her family if she was to share this information and feels as though she would just make them all feel worse. Elanor determines that she must again speak with Lucy. She needs to know all of her feelings towards Edward and must learn more about her engagement. She feels that Lucy must be a jealous person and must also try to show interest in her relationship to Edward as a friend.These opportunities seem few and in between as the weather has been too bad for a walk, and as they met in a group, it would be unproper for the two of them to meet only by themselves. One day, Sir John came to beg the Dashwood girls to lunch with his wife, as he needed to go to the club. Elanor and Margaret readily accepted, and Marianne was forced by her mother to go. After lunch, they set up some card tables, and soon, Lucy is soon asked by Lady Middleton to continue working on a basket that she had been making for her daughter and Elanor under the guise of lending a hand to Lucy finally finds a chance to be alone and converse with her rival.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

    15 min

  5. 12/21/2025

    Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 22 | Audiobook

    Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 22, 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:In spite of the efforts of the Steele girls, the Dashwoods are reluctant to become their friends. Elanor does find her agreeable enough for half an hour, but no more, as the girl is uneducated and illiterate. One day while walking back to the cottage, Lucy asks Elanor if she knows Edward’s mother. Elanor finds the question strange, and after some little conversation, Lucy intimates that she knows Edward very well, but has never met his mother. Elanor is shocked by this revelation and Lucy goes on to reveal, because she apparently trusts Elanor, that she and Edward have been engaged for several years, and that she keeps a picture of him on her person, and that the ring embossed with a lock of hair contains the hair of Lucy. Elanor is shocked, and though she tries to remain polite, is very glad once Lucy leaves to go back to Barton Park.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

    17 min

  6. 12/17/2025

    Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 21 | Audiobook

    Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 21, 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 day, when the Palmers have finally left them, and Elanor feels that she can finally relax, Sir John and Mrs. Jennings have found 2 more guests to keep everyone occupied. The Miss Steele’s are apparently some relations of Mrs Jennings, and everyone is thus forced to be very welcoming. The girls however appear to be fantastic guests, doting dutifully on the Middleton children. When the Dashwood’s arrive at the Park, they note that the youngest of the Steele’s, Lucy, is very pretty, and that the eldest, seems very noble. One of the Middleton children gets hurt, and Lady Middleton takes her children away to calm them and leaves the Steeles and the Dashwoods alone. The Steeles go to compliment the Middleton family, and Marianne calls upon Elanor to play along, as Marianne is certain that she cannot lie. The eldest Steele girl seems to be very direct, and her sister, Lucy tries to cover up her sister’s mistakes in politeness. The eldest Steele girl talks about the lack of beautiful men in the area, and the Dashwoods are very put off by this talk. The Steele’s seem to want to get better acquainted with the Dashwoods, to the Dashwoods’ dislike…The Steele’s talk of Marianne’s engagement to Willoughby, and it comes out that Sir John had mentioned the relationship between Edward Ferrars and Elanor. While initially vexed, when she finds out that the Steele’s know Edward, Elanor tries to find out what they know about it. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

    17 min

  7. 12/14/2025

    Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 20 | Audiobook

    Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 20, 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 Palmer and the and the Dashwood girls talk again the next day at Barton. Mrs Palmer is very pushy towards the girls, wishing for them to come to the city and visit them. Mr Palmer is as gloomy and miserable as usual. Sir John pokes fun at Marianne for her love of Willoughby, and Mrs Palmer adds that Willoughby does not live too far from them, and invites them to visit them at they home as well as London. Mr Palmer calls out Mrs. Jennings, and Sir John for being what “ill-bred” for not wanting to abide by social rules. He, according to the girls, believe that he wishes to appear superior to everyone else. His wife also reveals that her husband is running for parliament, and as Willoughby is a member of the opposition, Mr Palmer probably wouldn’t visit him. Apparently everyone is London is talking about the engagement of Marianne and Willoughby. Mrs. Palmer got the information from Colonel Brandon. Elanor tries to skirt around the subject of Marianne’s relationship with Willoughby and tries to get more information about the Colonel. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

    14 min

  8. 12/10/2025

    Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 19 | Audiobook

    Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 19, 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:Edward stayed for a week with the Dashwood’s, and regardless of how much he seemed to be enjoying himself with the women, he said that he had to leave, though he knew not where to. He detested being in town, and didn’t want to go to Norland, but he was going to go to one of them. Elanor believes that it is all his mother’s fault. What Edward craves in independence, and in order to get it, Mrs. Dashwood asks why the man he never sought a profession. Edward explains that his wants always went against his parents wishes, and when he finally found something that he would maybe like, and that his family would agree to, he felt himself to be too old. After Edward’s departure, Elanor tries to behave normally, and not back away from conversation about him.One morning, soon after the departure of Edward, Sir John Middleton, arrives with a party at Barton cottage. It is the Palmer family, Mrs. Jenning’s and her son and daughter. Mrs. Palmer is a younger woman with a plump figure, and Mr. Palmer is a man of around twenty-five who contents himself in reading the paper, while the others talk. They stay for a while, and before leaving, Sir John presses the women of Barton Cottage to come for dinner.SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

    17 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
    436
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Isaac Birchall
  • Show Website
    The Essential Reads