James Bryan's Podcast

S1E85 Gratitude

S1E84 No Leaf Clover

S1E83 Nothing Else Matters

S1E82 Keeping the New Year Happy

Got the images. Let's see if I can come up with music soundtrack to go with. Coming soon....

Gift of the Magi

Youtube will cut the transcript, as usual. So instead, you can find this freely available story at Project Gutenberg. Note that the gift is not the material object exchanged, but the heart of the…

S1E80 First Thanksgiving

The First Thanksgiving ALL through the first summer and the early part of autumn the Pilgrims were busy and happy. They had planted and cared for their first fields of corn. They had found wild…

S1E78 The Furnished Room

The Furnished Room O. Henry Restless, shifting, fugacious as time itself is a certain vast bulk of the population of the red brick district of the lower West Side. Homeless, they have a hundred…

S1E78 The Open Window

The Open Window HH Munro (Saki) "My aunt will be down presently, Mr. Nuttel," said a very self-possessed young lady of fifteen; "in the meantime you must try and put up with me." Framton Nuttel…

S1E77 A Rose for Emily

This is a long one (for a short story), and Faulkner is known for his use of words that are difficult to grasp and pronounce. So don't get stressed. Relax. And you will enjoy this to the end. WHEN…

Bartleby

Bartleby Herman Melville I am an old lawyer, and I have three men working for me. My business continued to grow and so I decided to get one more man to help write legal papers. I have met a great…

S1E75 An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

Narrator: A man stood on a railroad bridge in Alabama looking down into the swift waters of the Owl Creek River below. The mans hands were tied behind his back. There was a rope around his neck. The…

S1E74 The Tell Tale Heart (Good for learning English. Follow along with the text)

True! Nervous -- very, very nervous I had been and am! But why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses -- not destroyed them. Above all was the sense of hearing. I heard all…

S1E73 Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Perfect for studying English)

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Narrator: The valley known as Sleepy Hollow hides from the world in the high hills of New York state. There are many stories told about the quiet valley. But the story…

S1E72 Fired for Speech?

Strummin' Through the Ashes of Free Speech The college town of Crestview, Oregon, was a tinderbox in October 2025, its streets a circus of protest signs and kombucha-stained hoodies, the air thick…

S1E71 Jacked up Socialism

"4 Da Boys – Strummin' Through the North Korean Nightmare" Papa's playin A raw, off-key guitar riff, like a campfire tune twisted by a cold wind off the DMZ, backed by a gritty, defiant hum …

S1E70 It's Elemental

"Strummin' Through the Scales of Justice" Papa's noodling A raw, off-key guitar riff, like a campfire tune twisted by a jailhouse wind, backed by a gritty, defiant hum Alright, sons, huddle up by…

S1E69 Why do Anything?

"4 Da Boys – Strummin' Through the Quest for Good" Papa's hummin' a gritty, soulful tune by a campfire twisted by wind Alright, sons, huddle up by the fire. This is 4 Da Boys, where Papa strums…

S1E68 Time to get in Shape

Strummin' Through the Woke Façade The college town of Newhaven, Oregon, was a fevered clown show in 2025, its streets a riot of protest signs and artisanal kale, the air thick with sanctimony and…

S1E67 Kirk

What would you Kill for? 4 Da Boys – Strummin' Through the Minefield of "What Would You Kill For?" Alright, sons, huddle up by the fire. This is 4 Da Boys, where your old man, Papa, strums this…

S1E64 Suicide

When you feel like it's time to give up the fight, give up the fight! Get back to where you were created to be in the first place Papa's Redemption: Strummin' Through the Dark The Nebraska night…