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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>Castle Rackrent</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/castle-rackrent--7070930</link><description><![CDATA["One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><atom:link href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/7070930/episodes/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><language>en</language><category>Books</category><copyright>Copyright History Genre</copyright><image><url>https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg</url><title>Castle Rackrent</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/castle-rackrent--7070930</link></image><lastBuildDate>Sat, 10 Oct 2026 09:56:35 +0000</lastBuildDate><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:owner><itunes:name>History Genre</itunes:name><itunes:email>spreaker58@podcastlibrary.org</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:subtitle>"One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></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>10184ac7-34e2-5c5b-a72e-38f4c948ed58</podcast:guid><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><item><title>Elizabeth and her German Garden-Elizabeth von Arnim</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/elizabeth-and-her-german-garden-elizabeth-von-arnim--75681747</link><description><![CDATA["Elizabeth and her German Garden" by Elizabeth von Arnim invites listeners into the enchanting world of a woman who finds solace and joy in cultivating her garden in Germany. This timeless tale explores themes of nature, self-discovery, and the pursuit of personal happiness, resonating with anyone who seeks to escape the pressures of modern life. The protagonist's journey reflects a deep connection to the land and the transformative power of nurturing both plants and oneself. As listeners immerse themselves in Elizabeth's charming escapades, they are reminded of the enduring beauty of nature and the importance of carving out one’s own space in a bustling world.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75681747</guid><pubDate>Sat, 10 Oct 2026 09:03:09 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/75681747/elizabeth_and_her_german_garden_elizabeth_von_arnim.mp3" length="140830919" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Elizabeth and her German Garden" by Elizabeth von Arnim invites listeners into the enchanting world of a woman who finds solace and joy in cultivating her garden in Germany. This timeless tale explores themes of nature, self-discovery, and the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Elizabeth and her German Garden" by Elizabeth von Arnim invites listeners into the enchanting world of a woman who finds solace and joy in cultivating her garden in Germany. This timeless tale explores themes of nature, self-discovery, and the pursuit of personal happiness, resonating with anyone who seeks to escape the pressures of modern life. The protagonist's journey reflects a deep connection to the land and the transformative power of nurturing both plants and oneself. As listeners immerse themselves in Elizabeth's charming escapades, they are reminded of the enduring beauty of nature and the importance of carving out one’s own space in a bustling world.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>17586</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Castle Rackrent-Maria Edgeworth</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/castle-rackrent-maria-edgeworth--75038974</link><description><![CDATA["Castle Rackrent" by Maria Edgeworth is a captivating tale that delves into the lives of the Rackrent family, exploring themes of social change and the complexities of landlord-tenant relationships in Ireland. Through its rich narrative, the story highlights the impact of personal and societal shifts, making it a poignant reflection on the human condition. Edgeworth's keen observations on class dynamics and moral responsibility remain relevant today, inviting listeners to consider the enduring nature of these themes in contemporary society. This classic work not only offers an engaging story but also serves as a mirror to our own evolving social landscapes, making it a timeless addition to any audiobook collection.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75038974</guid><pubDate>Sat, 12 Sep 2026 09:03:11 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/75038974/castle_rackrent_maria_edgeworth.mp3" length="147522287" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Castle Rackrent" by Maria Edgeworth is a captivating tale that delves into the lives of the Rackrent family, exploring themes of social change and the complexities of landlord-tenant relationships in Ireland. Through its rich narrative, the story...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Castle Rackrent" by Maria Edgeworth is a captivating tale that delves into the lives of the Rackrent family, exploring themes of social change and the complexities of landlord-tenant relationships in Ireland. Through its rich narrative, the story highlights the impact of personal and societal shifts, making it a poignant reflection on the human condition. Edgeworth's keen observations on class dynamics and moral responsibility remain relevant today, inviting listeners to consider the enduring nature of these themes in contemporary society. This classic work not only offers an engaging story but also serves as a mirror to our own evolving social landscapes, making it a timeless addition to any audiobook collection.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>18422</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Leave it to PSmith-P. G. Wodehouse</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/leave-it-to-psmith-p-g-wodehouse--74417463</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74417463</guid><pubDate>Sun, 06 Sep 2026 09:01:11 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74417463/leave_it_to_psmith_p_g_wodehouse.mp3" length="256704222" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>32056</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Constant Couple-George Farquhar</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/constant-couple-george-farquhar--74384893</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74384893</guid><pubDate>Sat, 05 Sep 2026 09:01:01 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74384893/constant_couple_george_farquhar.mp3" length="68566550" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>8562</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>American Diary of a Japanese Girl-Yone Noguchi</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/american-diary-of-a-japanese-girl-yone-noguchi--74355939</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74355939</guid><pubDate>Fri, 04 Sep 2026 09:01:01 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74355939/american_diary_of_a_japanese_girl_yone_noguchi.mp3" length="129236864" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>16139</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Liliecrona's Home-Selma Lagerlöf</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/liliecrona-s-home-selma-lagerlof--74331056</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74331056</guid><pubDate>Thu, 03 Sep 2026 09:01:03 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74331056/liliecrona_s_home_selma_lagerlo_f.mp3" length="224951905" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>28091</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Mary Cary, Frequently Martha-Kate Langley Bosher</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/mary-cary-frequently-martha-kate-langley-bosher--74303858</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74303858</guid><pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 09:01:15 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74303858/mary_cary_frequently_martha_kate_langley_bosher.mp3" length="111095036" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>13873</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Orlando, A Biography (version 2)-Virginia Woolf</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/orlando-a-biography-version-2-virginia-woolf--74283296</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74283296</guid><pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 09:01:12 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74283296/orlando_a_biography_version_2_virginia_woolf.mp3" length="279352197" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>34884</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Friendly Road, New Adventures in Contentment-Ray Stannard Baker</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/friendly-road-new-adventures-in-contentment-ray-stannard-baker--74261238</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74261238</guid><pubDate>Mon, 31 Aug 2026 09:01:06 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74261238/friendly_road_new_adventures_in_contentment_ray_stannard_baker.mp3" length="208054415" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>25980</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Maid of Maiden Lane (dramatic reading)-Amelia E. Barr</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/maid-of-maiden-lane-dramatic-reading-amelia-e-barr--74242030</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74242030</guid><pubDate>Sun, 30 Aug 2026 09:00:57 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74242030/6850_maid_of_maiden_lane_dramatic_reading_amelia_e_barr.mp3" length="238049339" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>29726</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Roaring Girl-Thomas Dekker, Thomas Middleton</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/roaring-girl-thomas-dekker-thomas-middleton--74224623</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74224623</guid><pubDate>Sat, 29 Aug 2026 09:01:12 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74224623/roaring_girl_thomas_dekker_thomas_middleton.mp3" length="83709071" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>10453</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Mudfog and Other Sketches-Charles Dickens</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/mudfog-and-other-sketches-charles-dickens--74197533</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74197533</guid><pubDate>Fri, 28 Aug 2026 09:01:06 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74197533/mudfog_and_other_sketches_charles_dickens.mp3" length="105377507" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>13159</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>In the Bishop's Carriage-Miriam Michelson</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/in-the-bishop-s-carriage-miriam-michelson--74166134</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74166134</guid><pubDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2026 09:01:05 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74166134/in_the_bishop_s_carriage_miriam_michelson.mp3" length="158003508" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>19731</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Susan-Ernest Oldmeadow</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/susan-ernest-oldmeadow--74133917</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74133917</guid><pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 09:01:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74133917/susan_ernest_oldmeadow.mp3" length="168934024" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>21096</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Rogue's Life-Wilkie Collins</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/rogue-s-life-wilkie-collins--74079491</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74079491</guid><pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:01:10 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74079491/rogue_s_life_wilkie_collins.mp3" length="150386809" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>18780</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man (version 2)-James Weldon Johnson</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/autobiography-of-an-ex-colored-man-version-2-james-weldon-johnson--74052317</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74052317</guid><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:02:38 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74052317/autobiography_of_an_ex_colored_man_version_2_james_weldon_johnson.mp3" length="137698597" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>17195</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Lore of Proserpine-Maurice Henry Hewlett</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/lore-of-proserpine-maurice-henry-hewlett--74025723</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74025723</guid><pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 09:02:25 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74025723/lore_of_proserpine_maurice_henry_hewlett.mp3" length="178100709" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>22240</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Running Water-A. E. W. Mason</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/running-water-a-e-w-mason--74000834</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74000834</guid><pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:01:59 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74000834/5569_running_water_a_e_w_mason.mp3" length="248837065" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>31073</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Journey of Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca-Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/journey-of-alvar-nunez-cabeza-de-vaca-alvar-nunez-cabeza-de-vaca--73974424</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73974424</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:01:58 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73974424/4770_journey_of_alvar_nu_n_ez_cabeza_de_vaca_alvar_nu_n_ez_cabeza_de_vaca.mp3" length="124525246" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>15550</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>ez</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Complete Works of Artemus Ward Part 4, To California and Return-Artemus Ward</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/complete-works-of-artemus-ward-part-4-to-california-and-return-artemus-ward--73948702</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73948702</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:01:51 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73948702/complete_works_of_artemus_ward_part_4_to_california_and_return_artemus_ward.mp3" length="61224045" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>7645</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Dinner Club-Sapper</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/dinner-club-sapper--73921752</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73921752</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:01:24 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73921752/17952_dinner_club_sapper.mp3" length="246169792" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>30741</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji, Version 2)-Murasaki Shikibu</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/genji-monogatari-the-tale-of-genji-version-2-murasaki-shikibu--73894698</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73894698</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:01:28 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73894698/genji_monogatari_the_tale_of_genji_version_2_murasaki_shikibu.mp3" length="231538141" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>28913</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Bishop's Apron-W. Somerset Maugham</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/bishop-s-apron-w-somerset-maugham--73868942</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73868942</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 09:01:27 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73868942/bishop_s_apron_w_somerset_maugham.mp3" length="189795441" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>23701</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Satan's Diary-Leonid Nikolayevich Andreyev</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/satan-s-diary-leonid-nikolayevich-andreyev--73846080</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73846080</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:01:13 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73846080/satan_s_diary_leonid_nikolayevich_andreyev.mp3" length="254926852" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>31834</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Rezanov-Gertrude Atherton</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/rezanov-gertrude-atherton--73832224</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73832224</guid><pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:01:59 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73832224/rezanov_gertrude_atherton.mp3" length="207825734" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>25952</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Mysterious Aviator (aka So Disdained)-Nevil Shute</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/mysterious-aviator-aka-so-disdained-nevil-shute--73805310</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73805310</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 07:16:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73805310/21811_mysterious_aviator_aka_so_disdained_nevil_shute.mp3" length="222521829" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>27788</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Clementina-A. E. W. Mason</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/clementina-a-e-w-mason--73763361</link><description><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73763361</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2026 14:54:07 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73763361/clementina_a_e_w_mason.mp3" length="267007381" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>33343</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Watsons (Dramatic Reading) - Jane Austen, L. Oulton</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/watsons-dramatic-reading-jane-austen-l-oulton--73321650</link><description><![CDATA["Watsons (Dramatic Reading)" by Jane Austen, L. Oulton invites listeners into the world of one of Austen's lesser-known works, showcasing her signature wit and keen social commentary. This tale explores themes of family dynamics, societal expectations, and the quest for love, all of which resonate profoundly in today's world. The intricate relationships and moral dilemmas faced by the characters reflect timeless human experiences, making this dramatic reading a compelling experience for both new and seasoned Austen fans. With its rich character development and insightful observations, "Watsons" remains an enduring exploration of the complexities of life and relationships.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73321650</guid><pubDate>Sat, 01 Aug 2026 17:56:08 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73321650/watsons_dramatic_reading_jane_austen_l_oulton.mp3" length="112077080" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Watsons (Dramatic Reading)" by Jane Austen, L. Oulton invites listeners into the world of one of Austen's lesser-known works, showcasing her signature wit and keen social commentary. This tale explores themes of family dynamics, societal...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Watsons (Dramatic Reading)" by Jane Austen, L. Oulton invites listeners into the world of one of Austen's lesser-known works, showcasing her signature wit and keen social commentary. This tale explores themes of family dynamics, societal expectations, and the quest for love, all of which resonate profoundly in today's world. The intricate relationships and moral dilemmas faced by the characters reflect timeless human experiences, making this dramatic reading a compelling experience for both new and seasoned Austen fans. With its rich character development and insightful observations, "Watsons" remains an enduring exploration of the complexities of life and relationships.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>13995</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Castle Rackrent - Maria Edgeworth</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/castle-rackrent-maria-edgeworth--72253975</link><description><![CDATA["One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72253975</guid><pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 21:05:17 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72253975/castle_rackrent_maria_edgeworth.mp3" length="147370773" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Maria Edgeworth</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["One of the most inspired chronicles written in English" was the verdict of William Butler Yeats on the novel Castle Rackrent by Maria Edgeworth which was first published in 1800. It is recognised as the first true historical novel in English as well as the first Big-House novel. Written at the time when there was much debate about the Act of Union which proposed to unite Great Britain with Ireland, the book satirised the mismanagement of their Irish estates by Anglo-Irish landlords. Maria Edgeworth's writing is wonderful - informative, entertaining and amusing by turns. Just before publication, extensive footnotes, a glossary and a preface were added, to counteract any negative impact that the Edgeworth family feared it might have on The Act of Union. This 1895 Edition includes a wonderful Introduction by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. The novel is set in early 1780's Ireland and is narrated by Honest Thady, loyal steward to generations of the Rackrent family. These are: The generous Sir Patrick, the tight fisted Sir Murtagh (married into the Skinflint family), the cruel Sir Kit who locked his wealthy wife up in her room for seven years and the amiable spendthrift Sir Condy, who has no head for business and a fondness for whisky punch. Together, they have run the estate into debt and disaster. Jason Quirk, Thady's astute son sorts everything out in the end to his satisfaction but much to Thady's dismay. - Summary by Noel Badrian]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>18422</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>castle,edgeworth,historical,ireland,murtagh,novel,quirk,rackrent,thady,union</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aa6a9da2e2d55c72aea302eda8754c7e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>
