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<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>Hard Times</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/hard-times--7062477</link><description><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></description><atom:link href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/7062477/episodes/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><language>en</language><category>Books</category><copyright>Copyright General Fiction Genre</copyright><image><url>https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg</url><title>Hard Times</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/hard-times--7062477</link></image><lastBuildDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:29:19 +0000</lastBuildDate><itunes:author>Charles Dickens</itunes:author><itunes:owner><itunes:name>General Fiction Genre</itunes:name><itunes:email>spreaker55@podcastlibrary.org</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg"/><itunes:subtitle>Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></itunes:summary><itunes:category text="Arts"><itunes:category text="Books"/></itunes:category><itunes:category text="Kids &amp; Family"><itunes:category text="Pets &amp; Animals"/></itunes:category><itunes:category text="Science"><itunes:category text="Nature"/></itunes:category><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><podcast:guid>8f95094a-6c02-5a27-970c-173307328cee</podcast:guid><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><item><title>Lying Lover or, The Ladies' Friendship-Richard Steele</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/lying-lover-or-the-ladies-friendship-richard-steele--74391445</link><description><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74391445</guid><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:04:13 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74391445/lying_lover_or_the_ladies_friendship_richard_steele.mp3" length="78752230" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charles Dickens</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>9834</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>In the Days of the Comet-H. G. Wells</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/in-the-days-of-the-comet-h-g-wells--74343449</link><description><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74343449</guid><pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 09:03:53 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74343449/in_the_days_of_the_comet_h_g_wells.mp3" length="283793335" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charles Dickens</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>35439</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Arcadian Adventures with the Idle Rich-Stephen Leacock</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/arcadian-adventures-with-the-idle-rich-stephen-leacock--74193753</link><description><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. 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The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>24414</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Last Galley, Impressions and Tales-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/last-galley-impressions-and-tales-sir-arthur-conan-doyle--74140316</link><description><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. 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The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>28265</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Hermann and Dorothea-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/hermann-and-dorothea-johann-wolfgang-von-goethe--74099477</link><description><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74099477</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:03:57 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74099477/hermann_and_dorothea_johann_wolfgang_von_goethe.mp3" length="71920116" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charles Dickens</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>8981</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Angel of Terror-Edgar Wallace</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/angel-of-terror-edgar-wallace--74063557</link><description><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74063557</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:03:39 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74063557/angel_of_terror_edgar_wallace.mp3" length="194131039" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charles Dickens</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>24242</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Collection of Letters (Dramatic Reading)-Jane Austen</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/collection-of-letters-dramatic-reading-jane-austen--74021475</link><description><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. 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The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2967</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>As I Lay Dying-William Faulkner</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/as-i-lay-dying-william-faulkner--73960666</link><description><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73960666</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 09:04:29 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73960666/as_i_lay_dying_william_faulkner.mp3" length="184958715" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charles Dickens</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>23096</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Trojan Women (Coleridge Translation)-Euripides</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/trojan-women-coleridge-translation-euripides--73916467</link><description><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73916467</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:04:12 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73916467/10084_trojan_women_coleridge_translation_euripides.mp3" length="38713457" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charles Dickens</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>4834</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>They and I-Jerome K. Jerome</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/they-and-i-jerome-k-jerome--73876039</link><description><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73876039</guid><pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:06:20 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73876039/they_and_i_jerome_k_jerome.mp3" length="179219885" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charles Dickens</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>22380</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Neighbors-Florence Morse Kingsley</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/neighbors-florence-morse-kingsley--73791457</link><description><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73791457</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 02:13:52 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73791457/neighbors_florence_morse_kingsley.mp3" length="256045138" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charles Dickens</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>31974</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Growth of a Soul-August Strindberg</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/growth-of-a-soul-august-strindberg--73761415</link><description><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73761415</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2026 14:17:08 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73761415/growth_of_a_soul_august_strindberg.mp3" length="197942256" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charles Dickens</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>24718</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Bartlett Mystery-Louis Tracy</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/bartlett-mystery-louis-tracy--73734517</link><description><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73734517</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2026 02:32:18 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73734517/bartlett_mystery_louis_tracy.mp3" length="233966508" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charles Dickens</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>29217</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Court and Character of King James, with the Court of King Charles - Anthony Weldon</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/court-and-character-of-king-james-with-the-court-of-king-charles-anthony-weldon--73313406</link><description><![CDATA[Court and Character of King James, with the Court of King Charles by Anthony Weldon offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives and personalities of two significant monarchs in British history. Through Weldon's keen observations, readers are invited to explore the intricacies of court life and the complexities of leadership during a tumultuous period. The themes of power, character, and the interplay between personal and political realms resonate powerfully today, reminding us of the enduring nature of human behavior and governance. This work not only sheds light on historical figures but also prompts reflection on the qualities that define effective leadership, making it a timeless exploration of the human condition.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73313406</guid><pubDate>Sat, 01 Aug 2026 12:51:48 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73313406/court_and_character_of_king_james_with_the_court_of_king_charles_anthony_weldon.mp3" length="108207645" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charles Dickens</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Court and Character of King James, with the Court of King Charles by Anthony Weldon offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives and personalities of two significant monarchs in British history. Through Weldon's keen observations, readers are invited...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Court and Character of King James, with the Court of King Charles by Anthony Weldon offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives and personalities of two significant monarchs in British history. Through Weldon's keen observations, readers are invited to explore the intricacies of court life and the complexities of leadership during a tumultuous period. The themes of power, character, and the interplay between personal and political realms resonate powerfully today, reminding us of the enduring nature of human behavior and governance. This work not only sheds light on historical figures but also prompts reflection on the qualities that define effective leadership, making it a timeless exploration of the human condition.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>13512</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Hard Times - Charles Dickens - Part 2</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/hard-times-charles-dickens-part-2--72192775</link><description><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72192775</guid><pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 09:00:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72192775/hard_times_charles_dickens_part_2.mp3" length="34412085" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/191d86d6-0bd2-40d3-97f6-14482cb3c04e/191d86d6-0bd2-40d3-97f6-14482cb3c04e.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/191d86d6-0bd2-40d3-97f6-14482cb3c04e/191d86d6-0bd2-40d3-97f6-14482cb3c04e.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/191d86d6-0bd2-40d3-97f6-14482cb3c04e/191d86d6-0bd2-40d3-97f6-14482cb3c04e.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Charles Dickens</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>4302</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>bounderby,braggart,coketown,dickens,general,gradgrind,hard,plot,stamped,times</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Hard Times - Charles Dickens - Part 1</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/hard-times-charles-dickens-part-1--72192774</link><description><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72192774</guid><pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 20:55:42 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72192774/hard_times_charles_dickens_part_1.mp3" length="279943034" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Charles Dickens</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Hard Times, the shortest of Dickens's full-length novels, is set in the fictitious Victorian-England city of Coketown, where facts are the rule and all fancy is to be stamped out. The plot centers around the men and women of the town, some of whom are beaten down by the city's utilitarian ideals and some of whom manage to rise above it. The novel was written in 1854 and was a scathing attack on then-current ideas of utilitarianism, which Dickens viewed as a selfish and at times oppressive philosophy. Perhaps the novel's best features are its clever, ironic narration and the larger-than-life characters that push the plot forward, such as the upper-class banker and hypocritical braggart, Josiah Bounderby, and the fact-driven schoolmaster, Thomas Gradgrind. (Summary by Rosalind Wills).]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>34993</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>bounderby,braggart,coketown,dickens,general,gradgrind,hard,plot,stamped,times</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/a7d26c12539405d6a0adc71e08f3fb3a.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>
