In this episode of Narrated Archives, we explore the sophisticated yet surprisingly tender world of the Gilded Age through three of Richard Harding Davis's most evocative stories: "A Walk Up the Avenue," "Van Bibber and the Swan-Boats," and "Van Bibber as Best Man." These narratives offer more than just a glimpse into high-society New York; they capture the universal tension between public persona and private longing, proving that even the most polished "man-about-town" is humanized by moments of quiet empathy and romantic missed connections.

It is a must-listen for anyone who enjoys sharp social observation paired with the bittersweet nostalgia of a vanished era.

• A Walk Up the Avenue - follows a young man walking through New York City as he reflects on his break-up with his fiance.
• Van Bibber and the Swan-Boats - Van Bibber finds himself on a bench in Boston’s Public Garden when he encounters 3 little girls from a different side of the city. The tale highlights his capacity for kindness and the experience of bridging class divides.
• Van Bibber as Best Man - centers on Van Bibber assisting a distraught couple with a secret marriage. He utilizes his social influence and resources to ensure the success of the plan.

Send us Fan Mail

When you subscribe to Narrated Archives you get at least 2 bonus episodes each month.

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts Spotify or your favorite podcast provider.

Send requests for authors or short stories to: sbnarration@sallybarronvoiceovers.com

Here's my website: www.narratedarchives.com

Audiobooks narrated by Sally Barron can be found at:

• audible
• Spotify
• Google Play
• Nook
• Kobo
• Libro.fm
• storytel
• Hoopla (free from with your public library card)

...

In this episode we’re celebrating the pure, nonsensical joy of Carl Sanburg’s Rootabaga Stories and Rootabaga Pigeons. Know for his monumental 6 volume biography of Abraham Lincoln, Sandburg also wrote poetry and children's fairy tales. These stories are set in a world where the railroad tracks run off into the sky and the Village of Cream Puffs floats away in the wind! Join me to step into this whimsical past together letting our imaginations soar with the echoes of these delightful tales!

• How Gimme the Ax Found Out About the Zigzag Railroad and Who Made It Zigzag
• How to Tell Corn Fairies If You See ’Em
• Many, Many Weddings in One Corner House”
• How Six Pigeons Came Back to Hatrack the Horse After Many Accidents and Six Telegrams
• Never Kick a Slipper at the Moon

Send us Fan Mail

When you subscribe to Narrated Archives you get at least 2 bonus episodes each month.

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts Spotify or your favorite podcast provider.

Send requests for authors or short stories to: sbnarration@sallybarronvoiceovers.com

Here's my website: www.narratedarchives.com

Audiobooks narrated by Sally Barron can be found at:

• audible
• Spotify
• Google Play
• Nook
• Kobo
• Libro.fm
• storytel
• Hoopla (free from with your public library card)

...

In this episode we’re unearthing a chillingly prescient piece of Victorian science fiction by Robert Barr that feels all too modern.

In 1892, Robert Barr—a writer who influenced the likes of Agatha Christie—penned a pioneering harrowing account of urban catastrophe titled “The Doom of London”. Set in a then-future mid-20th century, our narrator looks back on the final days of the 19th century, when a freak meteorological coincidence turned London's iconic fog into a lethal atmospheric trap.

Step back in time together and listen to the voice of the past with “The Doom of London”.

Send us Fan Mail

When you subscribe to Narrated Archives you get at least 2 bonus episodes each month.

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts Spotify or your favorite podcast provider.

Send requests for authors or short stories to: sbnarration@sallybarronvoiceovers.com

Here's my website: www.narratedarchives.com

Audiobooks narrated by Sally Barron can be found at:

• audible
• Spotify
• Google Play
• Nook
• Kobo
• Libro.fm
• storytel
• Hoopla (free from with your public library card)

...