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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>Grim Smile Of The Five Towns</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/grim-smile-of-the-five-towns--7088260</link><description><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></description><atom:link href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/7088260/episodes/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><language>en</language><category>Books</category><copyright>Copyright Literary Fiction Genre</copyright><image><url>https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0368c21ed1dc64b1f75f9b64c53de3e.jpg</url><title>Grim Smile Of The Five Towns</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/grim-smile-of-the-five-towns--7088260</link></image><lastBuildDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:07:06 +0000</lastBuildDate><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:owner><itunes:name>Literary Fiction Genre</itunes:name><itunes:email>spreaker64@podcastlibrary.org</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0368c21ed1dc64b1f75f9b64c53de3e.jpg"/><itunes:subtitle>The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></itunes:summary><itunes:category text="Arts"><itunes:category text="Books"/></itunes:category><itunes:category text="Fiction"/><itunes:category text="Fiction"><itunes:category text="Drama"/></itunes:category><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><podcast:guid>6ba0ae6e-3717-5b18-b167-2e442a69b57e</podcast:guid><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><item><title>Essays on Paul Bourget-Mark Twain</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/essays-on-paul-bourget-mark-twain--74062943</link><description><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74062943</guid><pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:00:42 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74062943/essays_on_paul_bourget_mark_twain.mp3" length="36418856" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>4548</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0368c21ed1dc64b1f75f9b64c53de3e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Essays on Art-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/essays-on-art-johann-wolfgang-von-goethe--74038315</link><description><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74038315</guid><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:02:09 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74038315/essays_on_art_johann_wolfgang_von_goethe.mp3" length="209263460" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>26132</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0368c21ed1dc64b1f75f9b64c53de3e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Collected Prose-James Elroy Flecker</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/collected-prose-james-elroy-flecker--74016341</link><description><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74016341</guid><pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 09:01:55 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74016341/collected_prose_james_elroy_flecker.mp3" length="211312014" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. 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The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>26388</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0368c21ed1dc64b1f75f9b64c53de3e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Countess of Lowndes Square, and Other Stories-E. F. Benson</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/countess-of-lowndes-square-and-other-stories-e-f-benson--73991641</link><description><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73991641</guid><pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:01:30 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73991641/countess_of_lowndes_square_and_other_stories_e_f_benson.mp3" length="227927442" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." 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Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73968570</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:01:36 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73968570/collected_public_domain_works_of_stanley_g_weinbaum_stanley_g_weinbaum.mp3" length="131242166" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>16389</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0368c21ed1dc64b1f75f9b64c53de3e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Hugh Walpole Selected Short Stories-Hugh Walpole</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/hugh-walpole-selected-short-stories-hugh-walpole--73945933</link><description><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." 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(The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." 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Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73921195</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:01:18 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73921195/something_childish_and_other_stories_katherine_mansfield.mp3" length="181272507" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>22637</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0368c21ed1dc64b1f75f9b64c53de3e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Shadow-Line-Joseph Conrad</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/shadow-line-joseph-conrad--73896359</link><description><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73896359</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:01:39 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73896359/shadow_line_joseph_conrad.mp3" length="111923338" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. 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The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>13976</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0368c21ed1dc64b1f75f9b64c53de3e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Collected Public Domain Works of H. P. Lovecraft-H. P. Lovecraft</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/collected-public-domain-works-of-h-p-lovecraft-h-p-lovecraft--73872105</link><description><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73872105</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 09:01:42 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73872105/collected_public_domain_works_of_h_p_lovecraft_h_p_lovecraft.mp3" length="220911172" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>27586</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0368c21ed1dc64b1f75f9b64c53de3e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1904-Lucy Maud Montgomery</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/lucy-maud-montgomery-short-stories-1904-lucy-maud-montgomery--73851882</link><description><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73851882</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:01:26 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73851882/4985_lucy_maud_montgomery_short_stories_1904_lucy_maud_montgomery.mp3" length="150133171" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>18748</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0368c21ed1dc64b1f75f9b64c53de3e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Man Without A Country And Other Tales-Edward Everett Hale</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/man-without-a-country-and-other-tales-edward-everett-hale--73835165</link><description><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73835165</guid><pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:02:22 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73835165/man_without_a_country_and_other_tales_edward_everett_hale.mp3" length="246956906" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>30839</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0368c21ed1dc64b1f75f9b64c53de3e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Opals-Olive Custance</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/opals-olive-custance--73798697</link><description><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73798697</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 04:52:07 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73798697/opals_olive_custance.mp3" length="28297622" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>3534</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0368c21ed1dc64b1f75f9b64c53de3e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Loot Of Cities-Arnold Bennett</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/loot-of-cities-arnold-bennett--73342936</link><description><![CDATA["Loot of Cities" by Arnold Bennett explores the intricate dynamics of urban life and the human experience within it. This compelling narrative delves into the complexities of desire, ambition, and the pursuit of wealth, reflecting on how these themes shape the lives of individuals in a rapidly changing world. As relevant today as it was at the time of its writing, the book invites listeners to consider the impact of materialism and the quest for success on personal relationships and community. Bennett's sharp observations and vivid storytelling create a timeless exploration of the human condition, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in the interplay between society and individual aspirations.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73342936</guid><pubDate>Sun, 02 Aug 2026 17:06:24 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73342936/loot_of_cities_arnold_bennett.mp3" length="159299193" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Loot of Cities" by Arnold Bennett explores the intricate dynamics of urban life and the human experience within it. This compelling narrative delves into the complexities of desire, ambition, and the pursuit of wealth, reflecting on how these themes...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Loot of Cities" by Arnold Bennett explores the intricate dynamics of urban life and the human experience within it. This compelling narrative delves into the complexities of desire, ambition, and the pursuit of wealth, reflecting on how these themes shape the lives of individuals in a rapidly changing world. As relevant today as it was at the time of its writing, the book invites listeners to consider the impact of materialism and the quest for success on personal relationships and community. Bennett's sharp observations and vivid storytelling create a timeless exploration of the human condition, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in the interplay between society and individual aspirations.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>19893</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0368c21ed1dc64b1f75f9b64c53de3e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Grim Smile Of The Five Towns - Arnold Bennett</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/grim-smile-of-the-five-towns-arnold-bennett--72388134</link><description><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72388134</guid><pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2026 14:52:55 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72388134/grim_smile_of_the_five_towns_arnold_bennett.mp3" length="201385936" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[The Grim Smile of the Five Towns (1907) is the second major collection of stories written by Arnold Bennett. (The first is Tales Of The Five Towns, 1905, available at Librivox.).The five towns of the title are the conurbation of Stoke-on-Trent in which much of the writer's best work is set. Later [than initial] critics have been kinder to the collection's key story, with Margaret Drabble calling "Simon Fuge"... one of the greatest short stories in the English language", and John Wain remarking that... "it says as much as a novel, it says easily as much as a novel of a hundred thousand words could say on this theme" and naming it... "the best thing that Arnold Bennett ever did." The stories exhibit Bennett's usual dry wit and belie the word "grim" in the title. - Summary by David Wales]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>25174</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>arnold,bennett,five,fuge,grim,literary,says,smile,towns,wain</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b0368c21ed1dc64b1f75f9b64c53de3e.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>
