<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:podcast="https://podcastindex.org/namespace/1.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" version="2.0"><channel><title>The Power of Sympathy A Tragic Tale of Love and Truth</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-power-of-sympathy-a-tragic-tale-of-love-and-truth--6841177</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><atom:link href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/6841177/episodes/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><language>en</language><category>Fiction</category><copyright>Copyright Plays and Dramas</copyright><image><url>https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg</url><title>The Power of Sympathy A Tragic Tale of Love and Truth</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-power-of-sympathy-a-tragic-tale-of-love-and-truth--6841177</link></image><lastBuildDate>Sun, 27 Sep 2026 09:15:45 +0000</lastBuildDate><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:owner><itunes:name>Public Domain</itunes:name><itunes:email>spreaker18@adfreesounds.com</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:category text="Fiction"/><itunes:category text="History"/><itunes:category text="Society &amp; Culture"/><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><podcast:guid>28fd1689-fbf1-57a2-b471-c58952a0ab95</podcast:guid><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><item><title>Cradock Nowell Vol. 1-Richard Doddridge Blackmore</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/cradock-nowell-vol-1-richard-doddridge-blackmore--74987078</link><description><![CDATA["Cradock Nowell Vol. 1" by Richard Doddridge Blackmore invites listeners into a richly woven narrative that captures the essence of human experience through its exploration of love, loyalty, and the complexities of life. This enduring tale resonates with universal themes that continue to hold relevance today, such as the struggle between personal desires and societal expectations. Blackmore's vivid storytelling and profound insights into the human condition make this audiobook a compelling listen for anyone seeking to understand the intricacies of relationships and the moral dilemmas faced by individuals. Experience the timeless journey of Cradock Nowell and discover the beauty of a narrative that transcends generations.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74987078</guid><pubDate>Sun, 27 Sep 2026 09:01:36 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74987078/cradock_nowell_vol_1_richard_doddridge_blackmore.mp3" length="245393650" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Cradock Nowell Vol. 1" by Richard Doddridge Blackmore invites listeners into a richly woven narrative that captures the essence of human experience through its exploration of love, loyalty, and the complexities of life. This enduring tale resonates...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Cradock Nowell Vol. 1" by Richard Doddridge Blackmore invites listeners into a richly woven narrative that captures the essence of human experience through its exploration of love, loyalty, and the complexities of life. This enduring tale resonates with universal themes that continue to hold relevance today, such as the struggle between personal desires and societal expectations. Blackmore's vivid storytelling and profound insights into the human condition make this audiobook a compelling listen for anyone seeking to understand the intricacies of relationships and the moral dilemmas faced by individuals. Experience the timeless journey of Cradock Nowell and discover the beauty of a narrative that transcends generations.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>30644</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Anne of Avonlea (Dramatic Reading)-Lucy Maud Montgomery</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/anne-of-avonlea-dramatic-reading-lucy-maud-montgomery--74979788</link><description><![CDATA["Anne of Avonlea" is a charming continuation of Anne Shirley's journey as she navigates the challenges of adulthood in the quaint village of Avonlea. This dramatic reading brings to life the warmth and whimsy of Lucy Maud Montgomery's beloved characters, showcasing themes of friendship, community, and the pursuit of dreams. As Anne faces the trials of teaching and growing up, her indomitable spirit and imagination remind us of the importance of staying true to oneself. The story's enduring appeal lies in its exploration of personal growth and the power of empathy, making it a timeless tale that resonates with listeners of all ages today.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74979788</guid><pubDate>Sat, 26 Sep 2026 09:01:54 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74979788/anne_of_avonlea_dramatic_reading_lucy_maud_montgomery.mp3" length="244514976" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Anne of Avonlea" is a charming continuation of Anne Shirley's journey as she navigates the challenges of adulthood in the quaint village of Avonlea. This dramatic reading brings to life the warmth and whimsy of Lucy Maud Montgomery's beloved...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Anne of Avonlea" is a charming continuation of Anne Shirley's journey as she navigates the challenges of adulthood in the quaint village of Avonlea. This dramatic reading brings to life the warmth and whimsy of Lucy Maud Montgomery's beloved characters, showcasing themes of friendship, community, and the pursuit of dreams. As Anne faces the trials of teaching and growing up, her indomitable spirit and imagination remind us of the importance of staying true to oneself. The story's enduring appeal lies in its exploration of personal growth and the power of empathy, making it a timeless tale that resonates with listeners of all ages today.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>30534</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Dramatic Reading)-Mark Twain</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/adventures-of-tom-sawyer-dramatic-reading-mark-twain--74972252</link><description><![CDATA["Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain is a timeless tale that captures the mischievous spirit of youth through the adventures of its iconic protagonist, Tom Sawyer. This dramatic reading brings to life Tom's escapades along the Mississippi River, highlighting themes of friendship, freedom, and the quest for identity. As listeners immerse themselves in Tom's world, they will find echoes of their own childhood adventures and the universal struggles of growing up. The story's enduring appeal lies in its exploration of innocence and the moral dilemmas faced during adolescence, making it a compelling listen for audiences both young and old. Experience the charm and wit of Twain's narrative, which continues to resonate with readers today.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74972252</guid><pubDate>Sun, 20 Sep 2026 09:01:21 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74972252/7545_adventures_of_tom_sawyer_dramatic_reading_mark_twain.mp3" length="230629367" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain is a timeless tale that captures the mischievous spirit of youth through the adventures of its iconic protagonist, Tom Sawyer. This dramatic reading brings to life Tom's escapades along the Mississippi River,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain is a timeless tale that captures the mischievous spirit of youth through the adventures of its iconic protagonist, Tom Sawyer. This dramatic reading brings to life Tom's escapades along the Mississippi River, highlighting themes of friendship, freedom, and the quest for identity. As listeners immerse themselves in Tom's world, they will find echoes of their own childhood adventures and the universal struggles of growing up. The story's enduring appeal lies in its exploration of innocence and the moral dilemmas faced during adolescence, making it a compelling listen for audiences both young and old. Experience the charm and wit of Twain's narrative, which continues to resonate with readers today.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>28800</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Spinner in the Sun (version 2 dramatic reading)-Myrtle Reed</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/spinner-in-the-sun-version-2-dramatic-reading-myrtle-reed--74963040</link><description><![CDATA["Spinner in the Sun" by Myrtle Reed is a captivating tale that weaves themes of love, truth, and the complexities of human emotion into a rich narrative. This dramatic reading invites listeners to immerse themselves in Reed's lyrical prose, which resonates with timeless questions about the nature of relationships and the pursuit of happiness. The story's exploration of personal struggles and the quest for understanding remains relevant today, reminding us of the enduring power of empathy and connection. As you listen, you'll find yourself reflecting on the universal truths that bind us all, making this audiobook a poignant experience for anyone seeking depth and insight in their literary journey.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74963040</guid><pubDate>Sat, 19 Sep 2026 09:01:33 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74963040/spinner_in_the_sun_version_2_dramatic_reading_myrtle_reed.mp3" length="216270588" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Spinner in the Sun" by Myrtle Reed is a captivating tale that weaves themes of love, truth, and the complexities of human emotion into a rich narrative. This dramatic reading invites listeners to immerse themselves in Reed's lyrical prose, which...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Spinner in the Sun" by Myrtle Reed is a captivating tale that weaves themes of love, truth, and the complexities of human emotion into a rich narrative. This dramatic reading invites listeners to immerse themselves in Reed's lyrical prose, which resonates with timeless questions about the nature of relationships and the pursuit of happiness. The story's exploration of personal struggles and the quest for understanding remains relevant today, reminding us of the enduring power of empathy and connection. As you listen, you'll find yourself reflecting on the universal truths that bind us all, making this audiobook a poignant experience for anyone seeking depth and insight in their literary journey.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>27007</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Lesley Castle (Dramatic Reading)-Jane Austen</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/lesley-castle-dramatic-reading-jane-austen--74954256</link><description><![CDATA["Lesley Castle" by Jane Austen is a captivating exploration of the complexities of love and friendship, presented through a dramatic reading that brings the narrative to life. This early work showcases Austen's keen observations of human behavior and societal norms, making it a timeless reflection on the intricacies of relationships. The themes of loyalty, emotional truth, and the pursuit of genuine connection resonate just as strongly today as they did in Austen's era. With its sharp wit and engaging dialogue, "Lesley Castle" invites listeners to appreciate the enduring nature of Austen's insights into the human heart. Experience the charm and depth of this classic tale, where every moment reveals the power of sympathy.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74954256</guid><pubDate>Sun, 13 Sep 2026 09:01:25 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74954256/lesley_castle_dramatic_reading_jane_austen.mp3" length="35548036" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Lesley Castle" by Jane Austen is a captivating exploration of the complexities of love and friendship, presented through a dramatic reading that brings the narrative to life. This early work showcases Austen's keen observations of human behavior and...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Lesley Castle" by Jane Austen is a captivating exploration of the complexities of love and friendship, presented through a dramatic reading that brings the narrative to life. This early work showcases Austen's keen observations of human behavior and societal norms, making it a timeless reflection on the intricacies of relationships. The themes of loyalty, emotional truth, and the pursuit of genuine connection resonate just as strongly today as they did in Austen's era. With its sharp wit and engaging dialogue, "Lesley Castle" invites listeners to appreciate the enduring nature of Austen's insights into the human heart. Experience the charm and depth of this classic tale, where every moment reveals the power of sympathy.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>4439</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway and Denmark-Mary Wollstonecraft</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-written-during-a-short-residence-in-sweden-norway-and-denmark-mary-wollstonecraft--74948533</link><description><![CDATA["Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway and Denmark" by Mary Wollstonecraft offers a vivid exploration of the landscapes, cultures, and social conditions of Scandinavia as experienced by the author during her travels. Through her insightful observations and reflections, Wollstonecraft captures the beauty of the natural world alongside the complexities of human relationships and societal norms. This work remains relevant today as it delves into themes of personal freedom, the quest for truth, and the power of emotional connection, resonating with contemporary audiences who seek to understand the interplay between place and identity.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74948533</guid><pubDate>Sat, 12 Sep 2026 09:01:45 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74948533/letters_written_during_a_short_residence_in_sweden_norway_and_denmark_mary_wollstonecraft.mp3" length="167092522" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway and Denmark" by Mary Wollstonecraft offers a vivid exploration of the landscapes, cultures, and social conditions of Scandinavia as experienced by the author during her travels. Through her...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway and Denmark" by Mary Wollstonecraft offers a vivid exploration of the landscapes, cultures, and social conditions of Scandinavia as experienced by the author during her travels. Through her insightful observations and reflections, Wollstonecraft captures the beauty of the natural world alongside the complexities of human relationships and societal norms. This work remains relevant today as it delves into themes of personal freedom, the quest for truth, and the power of emotional connection, resonating with contemporary audiences who seek to understand the interplay between place and identity.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>20865</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Letters of a Portuguese Nun-Mariana Alcoforado, Gabriel-Joseph de Lavergne</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-of-a-portuguese-nun-mariana-alcoforado-gabriel-joseph-de-lavergne--74942865</link><description><![CDATA["Letters of a Portuguese Nun" by Mariana Alcoforado and Gabriel-Joseph de Lavergne presents a poignant exploration of love and longing through the heartfelt correspondence of a cloistered nun. These letters reveal her deep emotional turmoil and unfulfilled desires, inviting listeners to reflect on the universal themes of passion and isolation that transcend time and culture. The raw honesty and vulnerability expressed in her words resonate powerfully today, reminding us of the enduring human experience of love and the sacrifices it often entails. This timeless narrative not only captivates with its lyrical beauty but also challenges us to consider the complexities of devotion and the quest for connection in our own lives.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74942865</guid><pubDate>Sun, 06 Sep 2026 21:19:26 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74942865/letters_of_a_portuguese_nun_mariana_alcoforado_gabriel_joseph_de_lavergne.mp3" length="67786477" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Letters of a Portuguese Nun" by Mariana Alcoforado and Gabriel-Joseph de Lavergne presents a poignant exploration of love and longing through the heartfelt correspondence of a cloistered nun. These letters reveal her deep emotional turmoil and...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Letters of a Portuguese Nun" by Mariana Alcoforado and Gabriel-Joseph de Lavergne presents a poignant exploration of love and longing through the heartfelt correspondence of a cloistered nun. These letters reveal her deep emotional turmoil and unfulfilled desires, inviting listeners to reflect on the universal themes of passion and isolation that transcend time and culture. The raw honesty and vulnerability expressed in her words resonate powerfully today, reminding us of the enduring human experience of love and the sacrifices it often entails. This timeless narrative not only captivates with its lyrical beauty but also challenges us to consider the complexities of devotion and the quest for connection in our own lives.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>8465</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Henrietta Volume 1 (Dramatic Reading)-Charlotte Lennox</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/henrietta-volume-1-dramatic-reading-charlotte-lennox--74535909</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74535909</guid><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:09:40 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74535909/henrietta_volume_1_dramatic_reading_charlotte_lennox.mp3" length="148314318" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>18521</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Lucky Piece A Story of the North Woods-Albert Bigelow Paine</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/lucky-piece-a-story-of-the-north-woods-albert-bigelow-paine--74473251</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74473251</guid><pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 09:07:48 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74473251/10233_lucky_piece_a_story_of_the_north_woods_albert_bigelow_paine.mp3" length="174722480" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>21819</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Home-Maker-Dorothy Canfield Fisher</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/home-maker-dorothy-canfield-fisher--74411126</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74411126</guid><pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:07:15 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74411126/home_maker_dorothy_canfield_fisher.mp3" length="216585745" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>27046</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Town is Drowning-C. M. Kornbluth, Frederik Pohl</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/town-is-drowning-c-m-kornbluth-frederik-pohl--74215870</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74215870</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:06:03 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74215870/town_is_drowning_c_m_kornbluth_frederik_pohl.mp3" length="132353313" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>16527</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Poems of William Blake-William Blake</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/poems-of-william-blake-william-blake--74153330</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74153330</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:06:23 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74153330/poems_of_william_blake_william_blake.mp3" length="26451499" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>3303</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Imperialism and World Politics, Part 3 of 4-Parker Thomas Moon</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/imperialism-and-world-politics-part-3-of-4-parker-thomas-moon--74101196</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74101196</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:05:57 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74101196/20957_imperialism_and_world_politics_part_3_of_4_parker_thomas_moon.mp3" length="191104690" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>23862</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Further Adventures of Zorro (Dramatic Reading)-Johnston McCulley</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/further-adventures-of-zorro-dramatic-reading-johnston-mcculley--74059421</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74059421</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:07:08 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74059421/further_adventures_of_zorro_dramatic_reading_johnston_mcculley.mp3" length="221986197" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>27720</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Kitchen Cat and Other Stories-Amy Walton</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/kitchen-cat-and-other-stories-amy-walton--74009390</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74009390</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 09:07:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74009390/kitchen_cat_and_other_stories_amy_walton.mp3" length="38159997" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>4765</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Anne of the Island (Dramatic Reading)-Lucy Maud Montgomery</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/anne-of-the-island-dramatic-reading-lucy-maud-montgomery--73941508</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73941508</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:05:52 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73941508/anne_of_the_island_dramatic_reading_lucy_maud_montgomery.mp3" length="224332694" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>28014</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Whose Body (Version 3 - dramatic reading)-Dorothy L. Sayers</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/whose-body-version-3-dramatic-reading-dorothy-l-sayers--73890605</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73890605</guid><pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:07:46 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73890605/whose_body_version_3_dramatic_reading_dorothy_l_sayers.mp3" length="194520247" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>24291</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Christmas Carol (version 08 dramatic reading)-Charles Dickens</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/christmas-carol-version-08-dramatic-reading-charles-dickens--73812793</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73812793</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 09:58:59 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73812793/christmas_carol_version_08_dramatic_reading_charles_dickens.mp3" length="87231599" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>10893</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Third Violet-Stephen Crane</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/third-violet-stephen-crane--73775309</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73775309</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2026 19:52:30 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73775309/third_violet_stephen_crane.mp3" length="133127639" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>16624</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway and Denmark-Mary Wollstonecraft</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-written-during-a-short-residence-in-sweden-norway-and-denmark-mary-wollstonecraft--73742173</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73742173</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2026 06:08:26 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73742173/letters_written_during_a_short_residence_in_sweden_norway_and_denmark_mary_wollstonecraft.mp3" length="167092522" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>20865</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Hero and Leander-George Chapman, Christopher Marlowe</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/hero-and-leander-george-chapman-christopher-marlowe--73679791</link><description><![CDATA["Hero and Leander" by George Chapman and Christopher Marlowe is a poignant tale of love that transcends the boundaries of fate and desire. This timeless narrative explores the passionate and tragic romance between Hero, a priestess, and Leander, a young man who swims across treacherous waters to be with her. The themes of love, sacrifice, and the pursuit of truth resonate deeply, reminding us of the enduring power of connection and the heart's longing for companionship. As listeners immerse themselves in this lyrical exploration of devotion, they will find reflections of their own experiences with love and the complexities that often accompany it, making it a relevant and compelling listen today.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73679791</guid><pubDate>Sat, 08 Aug 2026 20:15:45 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73679791/hero_and_leander_george_chapman_christopher_marlowe.mp3" length="104387358" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Hero and Leander" by George Chapman and Christopher Marlowe is a poignant tale of love that transcends the boundaries of fate and desire. This timeless narrative explores the passionate and tragic romance between Hero, a priestess, and Leander, a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Hero and Leander" by George Chapman and Christopher Marlowe is a poignant tale of love that transcends the boundaries of fate and desire. This timeless narrative explores the passionate and tragic romance between Hero, a priestess, and Leander, a young man who swims across treacherous waters to be with her. The themes of love, sacrifice, and the pursuit of truth resonate deeply, reminding us of the enduring power of connection and the heart's longing for companionship. As listeners immerse themselves in this lyrical exploration of devotion, they will find reflections of their own experiences with love and the complexities that often accompany it, making it a relevant and compelling listen today.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>13035</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, Volume 002-Various</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/dramatic-reading-scene-and-story-collection-volume-002-various--73643792</link><description><![CDATA["Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, Volume 002-Various" invites listeners into a rich tapestry of narratives that explore the depths of human emotion and the complexities of relationships. This collection features a variety of dramatic readings that highlight the timeless themes of love, truth, and tragedy, resonating with the challenges and triumphs of the human experience. Each story provides a unique perspective on the intricacies of life, making it a compelling listen for anyone interested in the power of storytelling. The enduring nature of these themes ensures that the collection remains relevant, offering insights that can be appreciated across generations.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73643792</guid><pubDate>Sat, 08 Aug 2026 00:29:54 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73643792/dramatic_reading_scene_and_story_collection_volume_002_various.mp3" length="182162483" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, Volume 002-Various" invites listeners into a rich tapestry of narratives that explore the depths of human emotion and the complexities of relationships. This collection features a variety of dramatic...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, Volume 002-Various" invites listeners into a rich tapestry of narratives that explore the depths of human emotion and the complexities of relationships. This collection features a variety of dramatic readings that highlight the timeless themes of love, truth, and tragedy, resonating with the challenges and triumphs of the human experience. Each story provides a unique perspective on the intricacies of life, making it a compelling listen for anyone interested in the power of storytelling. The enduring nature of these themes ensures that the collection remains relevant, offering insights that can be appreciated across generations.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>22747</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, Volume 001-Various</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/dramatic-reading-scene-and-story-collection-volume-001-various--73600918</link><description><![CDATA["Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, Volume 001-Various" invites listeners into a rich tapestry of storytelling, showcasing a diverse array of dramatic readings that capture the essence of human emotion and experience. This collection not only highlights the power of narrative but also emphasizes the timeless themes of love, truth, and the complexities of human relationships. As listeners immerse themselves in these poignant tales, they will find reflections of their own lives and struggles, making the stories resonate deeply in today's world.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73600918</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 Aug 2026 06:56:45 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73600918/dramatic_reading_scene_and_story_collection_volume_001_various.mp3" length="149004154" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, Volume 001-Various" invites listeners into a rich tapestry of storytelling, showcasing a diverse array of dramatic readings that capture the essence of human emotion and experience. This collection not...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, Volume 001-Various" invites listeners into a rich tapestry of storytelling, showcasing a diverse array of dramatic readings that capture the essence of human emotion and experience. This collection not only highlights the power of narrative but also emphasizes the timeless themes of love, truth, and the complexities of human relationships. As listeners immerse themselves in these poignant tales, they will find reflections of their own lives and struggles, making the stories resonate deeply in today's world.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>18606</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Manfred-George Gordon, Lord Byron</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/manfred-george-gordon-lord-byron--73555098</link><description><![CDATA["Manfred-George Gordon, Lord Byron" delves into the complex interplay of love, truth, and the human experience, capturing the essence of passion and despair. This timeless work invites listeners to explore the depths of emotion and the consequences of unfulfilled desires, themes that resonate deeply in today's world. Byron's exploration of the darker sides of love and the quest for personal truth remains relevant, prompting reflection on our own relationships and the struggles we face. As listeners engage with Byron's poignant prose, they will find themselves drawn into a narrative that transcends time, offering insights into the eternal nature of the human condition.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73555098</guid><pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2026 12:02:02 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73555098/manfred_george_gordon_lord_byron.mp3" length="45516061" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Manfred-George Gordon, Lord Byron" delves into the complex interplay of love, truth, and the human experience, capturing the essence of passion and despair. This timeless work invites listeners to explore the depths of emotion and the consequences of...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Manfred-George Gordon, Lord Byron" delves into the complex interplay of love, truth, and the human experience, capturing the essence of passion and despair. This timeless work invites listeners to explore the depths of emotion and the consequences of unfulfilled desires, themes that resonate deeply in today's world. Byron's exploration of the darker sides of love and the quest for personal truth remains relevant, prompting reflection on our own relationships and the struggles we face. As listeners engage with Byron's poignant prose, they will find themselves drawn into a narrative that transcends time, offering insights into the eternal nature of the human condition.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>5684</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Shan Folk Lore Stories from the Hill and Water Country-William Charles Griggs</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/shan-folk-lore-stories-from-the-hill-and-water-country-william-charles-griggs--73502159</link><description><![CDATA["Shan Folk Lore Stories from the Hill and Water Country" by William Charles Griggs invites listeners into a rich tapestry of tales rooted in the cultural heritage of the Shan people. This collection captures the essence of life in the hill and water country, weaving together stories that reflect the values, beliefs, and traditions of a community deeply connected to their environment. The themes of love, truth, and the interplay between nature and humanity resonate powerfully today, reminding us of the timeless wisdom found in folklore. Griggs' work not only preserves these stories but also offers a glimpse into the enduring spirit of a culture that continues to inspire and teach valuable lessons about resilience and connection.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73502159</guid><pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 2026 15:42:46 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73502159/shan_folk_lore_stories_from_the_hill_and_water_country_william_charles_griggs.mp3" length="83404154" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Shan Folk Lore Stories from the Hill and Water Country" by William Charles Griggs invites listeners into a rich tapestry of tales rooted in the cultural heritage of the Shan people. This collection captures the essence of life in the hill and water...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Shan Folk Lore Stories from the Hill and Water Country" by William Charles Griggs invites listeners into a rich tapestry of tales rooted in the cultural heritage of the Shan people. This collection captures the essence of life in the hill and water country, weaving together stories that reflect the values, beliefs, and traditions of a community deeply connected to their environment. The themes of love, truth, and the interplay between nature and humanity resonate powerfully today, reminding us of the timeless wisdom found in folklore. Griggs' work not only preserves these stories but also offers a glimpse into the enduring spirit of a culture that continues to inspire and teach valuable lessons about resilience and connection.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>10415</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>020 - Letters 63-65</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/020-letters-63-65--69315011</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69315011</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:51:33 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69315011/020_letters_63_65.mp3" length="5472621" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/c8078029-a837-4ecf-b465-a713c7545607/c8078029-a837-4ecf-b465-a713c7545607.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/c8078029-a837-4ecf-b465-a713c7545607/c8078029-a837-4ecf-b465-a713c7545607.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/c8078029-a837-4ecf-b465-a713c7545607/c8078029-a837-4ecf-b465-a713c7545607.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>684</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>019 - Letters 58-62</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/019-letters-58-62--69315010</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69315010</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:51:28 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69315010/019_letters_58_62.mp3" length="5274938" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/c983e179-8d13-42c3-bd85-b132b7e2f305/c983e179-8d13-42c3-bd85-b132b7e2f305.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/c983e179-8d13-42c3-bd85-b132b7e2f305/c983e179-8d13-42c3-bd85-b132b7e2f305.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/c983e179-8d13-42c3-bd85-b132b7e2f305/c983e179-8d13-42c3-bd85-b132b7e2f305.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>659</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>018 - Letters 51-57</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/018-letters-51-57--69315009</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69315009</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:51:22 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69315009/018_letters_51_57.mp3" length="6442628" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/bc040b3a-837d-4e06-a057-843d6074285a/bc040b3a-837d-4e06-a057-843d6074285a.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/bc040b3a-837d-4e06-a057-843d6074285a/bc040b3a-837d-4e06-a057-843d6074285a.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/bc040b3a-837d-4e06-a057-843d6074285a/bc040b3a-837d-4e06-a057-843d6074285a.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>805</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>017 - Letter 50</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/017-letter-50--69315008</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69315008</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:51:15 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69315008/017_letter_50.mp3" length="4788779" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/53ecc477-3f3d-4917-83a5-177508334591/53ecc477-3f3d-4917-83a5-177508334591.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/53ecc477-3f3d-4917-83a5-177508334591/53ecc477-3f3d-4917-83a5-177508334591.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/53ecc477-3f3d-4917-83a5-177508334591/53ecc477-3f3d-4917-83a5-177508334591.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>598</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>016 - Letter 49</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/016-letter-49--69315007</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69315007</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:51:10 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69315007/016_letter_49.mp3" length="4551560" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/4c082407-82b1-4d17-83cf-e03636ed43a6/4c082407-82b1-4d17-83cf-e03636ed43a6.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/4c082407-82b1-4d17-83cf-e03636ed43a6/4c082407-82b1-4d17-83cf-e03636ed43a6.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/4c082407-82b1-4d17-83cf-e03636ed43a6/4c082407-82b1-4d17-83cf-e03636ed43a6.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>569</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>015 - Letters 42-48</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/015-letters-42-48--69315006</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69315006</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:51:06 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69315006/015_letters_42_48.mp3" length="4639423" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/a6cd95d1-8286-4284-87a8-10247d3b0425/a6cd95d1-8286-4284-87a8-10247d3b0425.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/a6cd95d1-8286-4284-87a8-10247d3b0425/a6cd95d1-8286-4284-87a8-10247d3b0425.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/a6cd95d1-8286-4284-87a8-10247d3b0425/a6cd95d1-8286-4284-87a8-10247d3b0425.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>580</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>014 - Letters 40-41</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/014-letters-40-41--69315005</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69315005</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:51:01 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69315005/014_letters_40_41.mp3" length="5872799" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/a99704e0-82dd-4be8-8083-f29a0dfcd0b6/a99704e0-82dd-4be8-8083-f29a0dfcd0b6.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/a99704e0-82dd-4be8-8083-f29a0dfcd0b6/a99704e0-82dd-4be8-8083-f29a0dfcd0b6.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/a99704e0-82dd-4be8-8083-f29a0dfcd0b6/a99704e0-82dd-4be8-8083-f29a0dfcd0b6.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>734</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>013 - Letter 39</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/013-letter-39--69315002</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69315002</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:50:56 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69315002/013_letter_39.mp3" length="12545702" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/cf70a7d4-98c8-4d1b-b51d-c431688fb5ee/cf70a7d4-98c8-4d1b-b51d-c431688fb5ee.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/cf70a7d4-98c8-4d1b-b51d-c431688fb5ee/cf70a7d4-98c8-4d1b-b51d-c431688fb5ee.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/cf70a7d4-98c8-4d1b-b51d-c431688fb5ee/cf70a7d4-98c8-4d1b-b51d-c431688fb5ee.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1567</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>012 - Letters 32-38</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/012-letters-32-38--69314999</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69314999</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:50:45 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69314999/012_letters_32_38.mp3" length="5552113" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/9c4d0b01-8c47-4f9b-8eb0-813be50fa868/9c4d0b01-8c47-4f9b-8eb0-813be50fa868.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/9c4d0b01-8c47-4f9b-8eb0-813be50fa868/9c4d0b01-8c47-4f9b-8eb0-813be50fa868.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/9c4d0b01-8c47-4f9b-8eb0-813be50fa868/9c4d0b01-8c47-4f9b-8eb0-813be50fa868.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>694</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>011 - Letters 29-31</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/011-letters-29-31--69314998</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69314998</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:50:40 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69314998/011_letters_29_31.mp3" length="7552583" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/4133e7ea-35dc-42e3-ab0e-8f42a4558a21/4133e7ea-35dc-42e3-ab0e-8f42a4558a21.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/4133e7ea-35dc-42e3-ab0e-8f42a4558a21/4133e7ea-35dc-42e3-ab0e-8f42a4558a21.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/4133e7ea-35dc-42e3-ab0e-8f42a4558a21/4133e7ea-35dc-42e3-ab0e-8f42a4558a21.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>943</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>010 - Letters 27-28</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/010-letters-27-28--69314997</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69314997</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:50:33 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69314997/010_letters_27_28.mp3" length="6089100" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>761</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>009 - Letters 25-26</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/009-letters-25-26--69314996</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69314996</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:50:26 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69314996/009_letters_25_26.mp3" length="4169794" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>521</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>008 - Letters 21-24</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/008-letters-21-24--69314995</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69314995</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:50:22 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69314995/008_letters_21_24.mp3" length="8753744" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1093</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>007 - Letters 14-20</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/007-letters-14-20--69314994</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69314994</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:50:14 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69314994/007_letters_14_20.mp3" length="6209173" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>776</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>006 - Letters 12-13</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/006-letters-12-13--69314993</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69314993</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:50:08 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69314993/006_letters_12_13.mp3" length="5295856" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>662</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>005 - Letter 11</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/005-letter-11--69314992</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69314992</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:50:03 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69314992/005_letter_11.mp3" length="11865629" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>1482</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>004 - Letters 7-10</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/004-letters-7-10--69314990</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69314990</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:49:52 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69314990/004_letters_7_10.mp3" length="4472070" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>559</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>003 - Letters 4-6</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/003-letters-4-6--69314989</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69314989</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:49:47 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69314989/003_letters_4_6.mp3" length="3239320" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>405</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>002 - Letters 1-3</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/002-letters-1-3--69314988</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69314988</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:49:44 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69314988/002_letters_1_3.mp3" length="4137367" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>517</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>001 - Dedicatory Editors Introduction Preface Dramatis Personae</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/001-dedicatory-editors-introduction-preface-dramatis-personae--69314987</link><description><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69314987</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 02:49:39 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69314987/001_dedicatory_editors_introduction_preface_dramatis_personae.mp3" length="5696502" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>William Hill Brown</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Power of Sympathy, published in Boston in January 1789, holds the distinction of being the first American novel. This captivating epistolary tale unfolds the tragic romance between an orphaned girl and a man of good family, culminating in a dramatic twist and heart-wrenching conclusion. Inspired by a real scandal within the Apthorp family of Boston, the characters of Ophelia and Martin echo the tumultuous events of their lives. Initially published anonymously, the true authorship remained a mystery for over a century, with Boston antiquarians eventually suggesting the poet Sarah (Apthorp) Morton, who was intertwined in the real-life drama, as the likely author. However, in the autumn of 1894, following the release of this recordings edition, William Hill Brown’s niece finally revealed the truth, confirming him as the true author. (Summary by TriciaG using public domain sources)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>712</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>epistolary,family,history,identity,love,novel,orphan,romance,scandal,tragedy</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/f46a073ece5d5a0defc6e68189049119.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>
