<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:podcast="https://podcastindex.org/namespace/1.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" version="2.0"><channel><title>Last Ditch</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/last-ditch--7088660</link><description><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></description><atom:link href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/7088660/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/88967098f00b57fa81b2c2b72f595320.jpg</url><title>Last Ditch</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/last-ditch--7088660</link></image><lastBuildDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:07:51 +0000</lastBuildDate><itunes:author>Violet Hunt</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/88967098f00b57fa81b2c2b72f595320.jpg"/><itunes:subtitle>An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></itunes:summary><itunes:category text="Arts"><itunes:category text="Books"/></itunes:category><itunes:category text="History"/><itunes:category text="Society &amp; Culture"/><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><podcast:guid>598019bd-73bd-5e2c-920b-80be3093b640</podcast:guid><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><item><title>Farewell-Honoré de Balzac</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/farewell-honore-de-balzac--74063638</link><description><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74063638</guid><pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:00:47 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74063638/farewell_honore_de_balzac.mp3" length="71403244" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Violet Hunt</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>8917</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/88967098f00b57fa81b2c2b72f595320.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Brand-Henrik Ibsen</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/brand-henrik-ibsen--74038966</link><description><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74038966</guid><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:02:11 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74038966/10592_brand_henrik_ibsen.mp3" length="143155556" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Violet Hunt</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>17877</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/88967098f00b57fa81b2c2b72f595320.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Tysons-May Sinclair</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/tysons-may-sinclair--74016828</link><description><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74016828</guid><pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 09:01:59 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74016828/tysons_may_sinclair.mp3" length="142347448" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Violet Hunt</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>17776</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/88967098f00b57fa81b2c2b72f595320.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Short Nonfiction Collection, Vol. 073-Various</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/short-nonfiction-collection-vol-073-various--73992402</link><description><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73992402</guid><pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:01:36 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73992402/short_nonfiction_collection_vol_073_various.mp3" length="196155599" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Violet Hunt</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>24495</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/88967098f00b57fa81b2c2b72f595320.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Present at a Hanging and Other Ghost Stories-Ambrose Bierce</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/present-at-a-hanging-and-other-ghost-stories-ambrose-bierce--73969148</link><description><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73969148</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:01:34 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73969148/present_at_a_hanging_and_other_ghost_stories_ambrose_bierce.mp3" length="58392684" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Violet Hunt</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>7292</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/88967098f00b57fa81b2c2b72f595320.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Lost Illusions Ève and David-Honoré de Balzac</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/lost-illusions-eve-and-david-honore-de-balzac--73946547</link><description><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73946547</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:01:42 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73946547/11011_lost_illusions_e_ve_and_david_honore_de_balzac.mp3" length="240369285" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Violet Hunt</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>30016</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/88967098f00b57fa81b2c2b72f595320.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Speckled Band An Adventure of Sherlock Holmes-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/speckled-band-an-adventure-of-sherlock-holmes-sir-arthur-conan-doyle--73921754</link><description><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73921754</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:01:21 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73921754/speckled_band_an_adventure_of_sherlock_holmes_sir_arthur_conan_doyle.mp3" length="72034511" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Violet Hunt</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>8995</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/88967098f00b57fa81b2c2b72f595320.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Somme Battle Stories-Alec John Dawson</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/somme-battle-stories-alec-john-dawson--73896898</link><description><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73896898</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:01:45 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73896898/somme_battle_stories_alec_john_dawson.mp3" length="88228689" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Violet Hunt</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>11017</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/88967098f00b57fa81b2c2b72f595320.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Wise Woman-George MacDonald</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/wise-woman-george-macdonald--73872549</link><description><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73872549</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 09:01:45 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73872549/wise_woman_george_macdonald.mp3" length="85298999" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Violet Hunt</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>10652</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/88967098f00b57fa81b2c2b72f595320.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Editor's Tales-Anthony Trollope</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/editor-s-tales-anthony-trollope--73852141</link><description><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73852141</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:01:41 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73852141/editor_s_tales_anthony_trollope.mp3" length="257680606" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Violet Hunt</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>32178</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/88967098f00b57fa81b2c2b72f595320.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Tourmalin’s Time Cheques-F. Anstey</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/tourmalin-s-time-cheques-f-anstey--73835462</link><description><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73835462</guid><pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:02:28 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73835462/3465_tourmalin_s_time_cheques_f_anstey.mp3" length="101896735" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Violet Hunt</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>12724</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/88967098f00b57fa81b2c2b72f595320.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Present at a Hanging and Other Ghost Stories-Ambrose Bierce</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/present-at-a-hanging-and-other-ghost-stories-ambrose-bierce--73799145</link><description><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73799145</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 05:03:27 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73799145/present_at_a_hanging_and_other_ghost_stories_ambrose_bierce.mp3" length="58392684" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Violet Hunt</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>7292</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/88967098f00b57fa81b2c2b72f595320.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, Volume 005-Various</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/dramatic-reading-scene-and-story-collection-volume-005-various--73343290</link><description><![CDATA["Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, Volume 005-Various" invites listeners into a rich tapestry of storytelling, showcasing a diverse array of scenes and narratives that capture the essence of human experience. This collection is a testament to the power of dramatic reading, bringing to life the emotions and themes that resonate across time. Each piece offers a unique perspective, allowing audiences to connect deeply with the characters and situations presented. The timeless nature of storytelling ensures that these tales remain relevant, reminding us of our shared struggles and triumphs. Engaging with this collection is a chance to experience the art of storytelling in its most evocative form.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73343290</guid><pubDate>Sun, 02 Aug 2026 17:19:18 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73343290/20304_dramatic_reading_scene_and_story_collection_volume_005_various.mp3" length="174099545" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Violet Hunt</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, Volume 005-Various" invites listeners into a rich tapestry of storytelling, showcasing a diverse array of scenes and narratives that capture the essence of human experience. This collection is a testament...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Dramatic Reading Scene and Story Collection, Volume 005-Various" invites listeners into a rich tapestry of storytelling, showcasing a diverse array of scenes and narratives that capture the essence of human experience. This collection is a testament to the power of dramatic reading, bringing to life the emotions and themes that resonate across time. Each piece offers a unique perspective, allowing audiences to connect deeply with the characters and situations presented. The timeless nature of storytelling ensures that these tales remain relevant, reminding us of our shared struggles and triumphs. Engaging with this collection is a chance to experience the art of storytelling in its most evocative form.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>21739</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/88967098f00b57fa81b2c2b72f595320.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Last Ditch - Violet Hunt - Part 2</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/last-ditch-violet-hunt-part-2--72390198</link><description><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72390198</guid><pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 09:00:23 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72390198/last_ditch_violet_hunt_part_2.mp3" length="49294357" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Violet Hunt</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>6162</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>aristocratic,arles,ditch,endless,hunt,last,literary,passing,scandal,ways</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/88967098f00b57fa81b2c2b72f595320.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Last Ditch - Violet Hunt - Part 1</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/last-ditch-violet-hunt-part-1--72390197</link><description><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72390197</guid><pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2026 16:48:02 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72390197/last_ditch_violet_hunt_part_1.mp3" length="283218368" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Violet Hunt</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[An amusing but deeply poignant story, “The Last Ditch” describes the wartime experiences of a British aristocratic family who gradually realize that their old feudal perquisites are passing away in the trenches of the Great War and that unprecedented new forces are pushing out the comfortable old ways. Lady Arles is the matriarch determined to resist to her last breath. Her bohemian young daughter Venice is set on a career as a poet and even dallies with a Socialist lover, but in some ways is the family member who seems the most helpless without her old aristocratic privileges. Another daughter Ilsa brings scandal after scandal to the family because of her endless sexual flings, incorrigible almost to the last page. Audley Bar, beloved by at least two of the Ladies Arles, is the ennui-laden aristocratic adventurer, determined despite his middle age to go forth to war and do his bit, especially after one young friend after another dies on the Western Front. Author Violet Hunt pokes ironical, affectionate fun at her old-fashioned cast of characters, but as an ardent feminist and free-thinker finds ways to show her profound sympathies for the rising poor of England, the previously unprivileged who were finding some new freedoms in the passing of the Old Order. Her novel published while the seemingly endless War was still in full force, Hunt deftly sketches a portrait of a very human family, harrowed by loss and adrift in a new world. - Summary by Expatriate]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>35403</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>aristocratic,arles,ditch,endless,hunt,last,literary,passing,scandal,ways</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/88967098f00b57fa81b2c2b72f595320.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>
