Tonight, for our next Spooky Sleep Story, we’ll read Phantasmagoria, a narrative poem by Lewis Carroll first published in 1869. A polite Ghost drops in after midnight and proceeds to instruct his puzzled host in the finer points of spectral etiquette.
Each October we bring back Snoozecast’s Spooky Stories Series—now in its seventh year—our annual run of classics with a candlelit vibe: ghostly, atmospheric, and cozy rather than truly scary. Think creaking floorboards and wry smiles, not jump scares.
Best known for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Carroll turns domestic life into mock-epic ritual here, mixing puns with parody of Victorian manners. In seven cantos, the Ghost explains everything from haunt-house “housekeeping” to courtly forms of address—an odd, amiable manual for the afterlife delivered with Carroll’s playful logic.
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The Haunted Orchard
Tonight, as part of Snoozecast's seventh annual spooky sleep story series, we’ll read “The Haunted Orchard” written by British author Richard Le Gallienne and published in 1912.
Each October, our Spooky Stories Series features classic tales that are more atmosphere than fright, all candlelight and creaking floorboards. In this one, a quiet country house and its untended orchard hold a lingering presence; whispers of a young woman seen among the trees and a tune that seems to rise with the wind give the story its soft, ghostly pulse.
Born Richard Thomas Gallienne, the author adopted “Le Gallienne” after college, and—captivated by a lecture from Oscar Wilde—left office work to write poetry and prose. He and Wilde later struck up a brief affair and lasting friendship. Le Gallienne married three times and fathered Eva Le Gallienne, the celebrated actor–director. After settling in the United States and later on the French Riviera, he refused to write wartime propaganda and nonetheless kept publishing well into his seventies.
— read by 'V' —
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Persuasion pt. 23
Tonight, we shall read the next part to Persuasion, the last novel fully completed by Jane Austen, and published in 1817. The story concerns Anne Elliot, an Englishwoman whose family moves in order to lower their expenses, by renting their home to an Admiral and his wife.In the last episode, Anne visits her old school friend Mrs. Smith in Westgate-buildings. Though Mrs. Smith lives in poverty and poor health, she is cheerful, resourceful, and glad for Anne’s company. As their conversation turns to acquaintances, Mrs. Smith seems unusually hesitant when Mr. Elliot’s name arises. At first, she holds back, saying little. But upon realizing how closely Anne is now connected to Mr. Elliot, she finally decides it is her duty as a friend to speak. We will pick up at this point in their conversation.
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The Diamond Lens pt. 1
Tonight, as we are beginning the month that ends with Halloween, we’ll read the first half of “The Diamond Lens”, a short story by Fitz James O’Brien first published in 1858.Every October, Snoozecast features our Spooky Stories Series—tales with a spectral or uncanny quality, meant to set a certain mood, without keeping you awake. This marks our seventh year of SSS, and we’re beginning with something more curious than chilling. O’Brien’s tale is steeped in the oddity of early scientific obsession, centering on microscopy—the study of the unseen through magnification. In the author’s hands, the microscope becomes not just a tool of science, but a gateway to another world, blurring the line between discovery and delirium.
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Anne of Green Gables pt. 33
Tonight, we’ll read the 33rd chapter of “Anne of Green Gables”, the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “The Hotel Concert”
In the last episode, Anne anxiously awaits the results of the Queen’s entrance examinations along with her friends. When the list is finally published, it reveals that Anne has come in first among all the candidates on the Island, with Gilbert Blythe placing second. Her friends Diana and the Barry family celebrate her success, and Matthew and Marilla express their quiet pride. For Anne, this achievement feels like the fulfillment of her long-held academic dreams and the beginning of new possibilities for her future.
— read by 'N' —
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Snoozecast is the podcast designed to help you fall asleep.
Episodes air every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
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