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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>Lesley Castle (Dramatic Reading)</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/lesley-castle-dramatic-reading--7143359</link><description><![CDATA[Immerse yourself in the witty and insightful world of high society with "Lesley Castle (Dramatic Reading)," where the themes of social dynamics, female relationships, and the complexities of human emotion take center stage. This podcast invites listeners to explore the intricacies of life through the lens of epistolary storytelling, showcasing a rotating collection of audiobooks that highlight the humor and critique embedded in letters exchanged among women of privilege. Each episode features a new complete audiobook, offering unique perspectives on self-absorption, jealousy, and the societal pressures faced by women. This is not a single story but a series of captivating narratives that illuminate the subtleties of character and circumstance. Discover a new book with every episode, and engage with the timeless themes that resonate across generations, all while enjoying the charm of classic literature brought to life through dramatic readings.]]></description><atom:link href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/7143359/episodes/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><language>en</language><category>Books</category><copyright>Copyright Satire Genre</copyright><image><url>https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/edcd5b64da5996474cd9850d7971e3bb.jpg</url><title>Lesley Castle (Dramatic Reading)</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/lesley-castle-dramatic-reading--7143359</link></image><lastBuildDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2026 09:23:37 +0000</lastBuildDate><itunes:author>Jane Austen</itunes:author><itunes:owner><itunes:name>Satire Genre</itunes:name><itunes:email>spreaker80@podcastlibrary.org</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/edcd5b64da5996474cd9850d7971e3bb.jpg"/><itunes:subtitle>Immerse yourself in the witty and insightful world of high society with "Lesley Castle (Dramatic Reading)," where the themes of social dynamics, female relationships, and the complexities of human emotion take center stage. This podcast invites...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Immerse yourself in the witty and insightful world of high society with "Lesley Castle (Dramatic Reading)," where the themes of social dynamics, female relationships, and the complexities of human emotion take center stage. This podcast invites listeners to explore the intricacies of life through the lens of epistolary storytelling, showcasing a rotating collection of audiobooks that highlight the humor and critique embedded in letters exchanged among women of privilege. Each episode features a new complete audiobook, offering unique perspectives on self-absorption, jealousy, and the societal pressures faced by women. This is not a single story but a series of captivating narratives that illuminate the subtleties of character and circumstance. Discover a new book with every episode, and engage with the timeless themes that resonate across generations, all while enjoying the charm of classic literature brought to life through dramatic readings.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:category text="Arts"><itunes:category text="Books"/></itunes:category><itunes:category text="Fiction"/><itunes:category text="Fiction"><itunes:category text="Comedy Fiction"/></itunes:category><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><podcast:guid>cb37b2f5-3282-5ca1-83ac-b04c5cbdb8a3</podcast:guid><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><item><title>Short Nonfiction Collection, Vol. 069-Various</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/short-nonfiction-collection-vol-069-various--74635682</link><description><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74635682</guid><pubDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2026 09:03:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74635682/short_nonfiction_collection_vol_069_various.mp3" length="200086088" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Jane Austen</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>24986</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/edcd5b64da5996474cd9850d7971e3bb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Not That it Matters (Version 2)-A. A. Milne</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/not-that-it-matters-version-2-a-a-milne--74602638</link><description><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74602638</guid><pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 09:03:30 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74602638/not_that_it_matters_version_2_a_a_milne.mp3" length="176880005" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Jane Austen</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>22088</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/edcd5b64da5996474cd9850d7971e3bb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Imperialism and World Politics, Part 3 of 4-Parker Thomas Moon</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/imperialism-and-world-politics-part-3-of-4-parker-thomas-moon--74569882</link><description><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74569882</guid><pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:02:56 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74569882/20957_imperialism_and_world_politics_part_3_of_4_parker_thomas_moon.mp3" length="191104690" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Jane Austen</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>23862</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/edcd5b64da5996474cd9850d7971e3bb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>France At War On the Frontier of Civilization-Rudyard Kipling</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/france-at-war-on-the-frontier-of-civilization-rudyard-kipling--74538491</link><description><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74538491</guid><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:09:37 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74538491/france_at_war_on_the_frontier_of_civilization_rudyard_kipling.mp3" length="49187898" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Jane Austen</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>6142</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/edcd5b64da5996474cd9850d7971e3bb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>H.M.S. Pinafore; Or, The Lass That Loved A Sailor-W. S. Gilbert</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/h-m-s-pinafore-or-the-lass-that-loved-a-sailor-w-s-gilbert--74506953</link><description><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74506953</guid><pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 09:09:03 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74506953/h_m_s_pinafore_or_the_lass_that_loved_a_sailor_w_s_gilbert.mp3" length="30216817" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Jane Austen</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>3773</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/edcd5b64da5996474cd9850d7971e3bb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>On Everything-Hilaire Belloc</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/on-everything-hilaire-belloc--74468900</link><description><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74468900</guid><pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:08:16 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74468900/on_everything_hilaire_belloc.mp3" length="240171215" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Jane Austen</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>29992</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/edcd5b64da5996474cd9850d7971e3bb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Tales of the Five Towns-Arnold Bennett</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/tales-of-the-five-towns-arnold-bennett--74435769</link><description><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74435769</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:08:57 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74435769/3157_tales_of_the_five_towns_arnold_bennett.mp3" length="163219208" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Jane Austen</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>20382</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/edcd5b64da5996474cd9850d7971e3bb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Color of a Great City-Theodore Dreiser</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/color-of-a-great-city-theodore-dreiser--74395543</link><description><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74395543</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:52:45 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74395543/color_of_a_great_city_theodore_dreiser.mp3" length="247830630" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Jane Austen</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>30948</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/edcd5b64da5996474cd9850d7971e3bb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Barks and Purrs (Dramatic Reading)-Colette</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/barks-and-purrs-dramatic-reading-colette--74351873</link><description><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74351873</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 01:38:32 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74351873/barks_and_purrs_dramatic_reading_colette.mp3" length="59104700" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Jane Austen</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>7381</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/edcd5b64da5996474cd9850d7971e3bb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Character Building-Booker T. Washington</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/character-building-booker-t-washington--74212586</link><description><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74212586</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:09:23 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74212586/character_building_booker_t_washington.mp3" length="191393334" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Jane Austen</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>23900</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/edcd5b64da5996474cd9850d7971e3bb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Power of Sympathy; or, the Triumph of Nature Founded in Truth-William Hill Brown</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/power-of-sympathy-or-the-triumph-of-nature-founded-in-truth-william-hill-brown--74165966</link><description><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74165966</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 09:09:13 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74165966/power_of_sympathy_or_the_triumph_of_nature_founded_in_truth_william_hill_brown.mp3" length="122595332" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Jane Austen</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>15309</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/edcd5b64da5996474cd9850d7971e3bb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Astrophel and Stella-Sir Philip Sidney</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/astrophel-and-stella-sir-philip-sidney--74120772</link><description><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74120772</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 12:33:47 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74120772/astrophel_and_stella_sir_philip_sidney.mp3" length="48482480" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Jane Austen</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>6054</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/edcd5b64da5996474cd9850d7971e3bb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Lesley Castle (Dramatic Reading)-Jane Austen</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/lesley-castle-dramatic-reading-jane-austen--73400580</link><description><![CDATA["Lesley Castle" by Jane Austen offers a delightful glimpse into the world of early 19th-century society through a series of letters filled with wit and keen observation. This dramatic reading brings to life Austen's sharp commentary on friendship, love, and the intricacies of social dynamics, making it a timeless exploration of human relationships. The themes of connection and the pursuit of happiness resonate just as strongly today, inviting listeners to reflect on their own lives and interactions. Austen's masterful use of language and her ability to capture the essence of her characters ensure that this work remains relevant and engaging, providing both entertainment and insight for modern audiences.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73400580</guid><pubDate>Mon, 03 Aug 2026 19:04:27 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73400580/lesley_castle_dramatic_reading_jane_austen.mp3" length="35548036" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Jane Austen</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Lesley Castle" by Jane Austen offers a delightful glimpse into the world of early 19th-century society through a series of letters filled with wit and keen observation. This dramatic reading brings to life Austen's sharp commentary on friendship,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Lesley Castle" by Jane Austen offers a delightful glimpse into the world of early 19th-century society through a series of letters filled with wit and keen observation. This dramatic reading brings to life Austen's sharp commentary on friendship, love, and the intricacies of social dynamics, making it a timeless exploration of human relationships. The themes of connection and the pursuit of happiness resonate just as strongly today, inviting listeners to reflect on their own lives and interactions. Austen's masterful use of language and her ability to capture the essence of her characters ensure that this work remains relevant and engaging, providing both entertainment and insight for modern audiences.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>4439</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/edcd5b64da5996474cd9850d7971e3bb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Lesley Castle Dramatic Reading - Jane Austen</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/lesley-castle-dramatic-reading-jane-austen--72760110</link><description><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72760110</guid><pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:00:45 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72760110/lesley_castle_dramatic_reading_jane_austen.mp3" length="35508596" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/b2bb996c-0695-4f5e-9953-bc52ab032288/b2bb996c-0695-4f5e-9953-bc52ab032288.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/b2bb996c-0695-4f5e-9953-bc52ab032288/b2bb996c-0695-4f5e-9953-bc52ab032288.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/b2bb996c-0695-4f5e-9953-bc52ab032288/b2bb996c-0695-4f5e-9953-bc52ab032288.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><itunes:author>Jane Austen</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Lesley Castle is a melodramatic epistolary novelette written by Jane Austen when she was sixteen years old. Although the novels Austen became known for were not published until she was in her thirties, she was an active writer from the age of twelve, frequently composing epistolary works such as Lesley Castle. Austen eventually compiled 29 of her early writings in three notebooks that became known as the Juvenilia and that she called “Volume the First”, “Volume the Second”, and “Volume the Third”, including Lesley Castle in “Volume the Second”. Lesley Castle is set contemporaneously to Austen’s writing and consists of a series of ten letters by five characters, all of whom are women of high society living in Great Britain. In this short work, Austen employs a mock serious tone to humorously critique her peers on subjects such as self-absorption and jealousy. Austen acknowledged in a prefatory note that she left Lesley Castle unfinished; it includes several interconnected storylines, but no overarching plot or clear conclusion. - Summary by David Purdy Jane Austen: Michelle PurdyHenry Thomas Austen: Jake MaliziaMargaret Lesley: Michele EatonCharlotte Lutterell: Kelly S. TaylorSusan Lesley: Magda WildeEloisa Lutterell: Amatullah TalksMrs. Marlowe: Joanna Michal HoytWilliam Fitzgerald: David PurdyMr. Lesley: Tomas PeterNarrator: WillForbis]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>4439</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>austen,castle,dramatic,epistolary,lesley,lutterell,satire,taylorsusan,wildeeloisa,willforbis</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/edcd5b64da5996474cd9850d7971e3bb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>
