Tonight, we’ll read about selecting wood from “Violin Making” written by Walter H. Mayson and published in 1909.
The modern violin first appeared in 16th-century Italy, evolving from earlier bowed string instruments like the medieval rebec and Renaissance viol. Over time, it became both a tool of virtuosity and an object of cultural symbolism, equally at home in a grand concert hall or a lively village square. While the word “fiddle” is often used interchangeably with “violin,” its music spans a surprisingly wide range—from Western classical to folk, country, jazz, and even many non-Western traditions.
For centuries, violinists and collectors have prized instruments made by legendary families such as Amati, Guarneri, and Stradivari. These instruments inspire almost mythic reverence for their tone and craftsmanship, with qualities that have resisted precise scientific explanation. While modern luthiers continue to challenge the old masters, a Stradivari remains a benchmark of beauty and rarity—one selling for £9.8 million (about $15.9 million US) in 2011 still holds the record.
Walter H. Mayson, the author of tonight’s text, was an English violin maker who entered the craft relatively late in life, beginning at the age of 39. His book, published after his death, distills a lifetime’s devotion to the art, offering practical instruction and insights into the materials and methods behind the making of fine violins. In this excerpt, he turns his attention to one of the most crucial stages of the process—choosing the wood itself.
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35:28
The House at Pooh Corner pt. 9
Tonight, we’ll continue the 1928 children's book by A. A. Milne “The House at Pooh Corner” with the second-to-last chapter, titled “In Which Eeyore Finds the Wolery and Owl Moves Into It.”
In the last episode, Pooh and Piglet set out on a blustery autumn day to visit friends, deciding they would wish everyone a “Very Happy Thursday.” After stopping at several homes, they fought through the strong wind to Owl’s house. While they were visiting, the wind toppled Owl’s tree, sending the house tilting sideways and blocking the door.
Pooh, Piglet, and Owl found themselves trapped inside. Owl dismissed Pooh’s first ideas for escape, but eventually Pooh suggested a plan: tie a string to Piglet, hoist him up to Owl’s ceiling letter-box, and have him squeeze through to get outside for help. Though nervous, Piglet bravely agreed. With Pooh and Owl pulling, Piglet was lifted up, squeezed out through the letter-box, and escaped.
Once outside, Piglet called back that Owl’s tree had fallen and he would fetch Christopher Robin to help clear the doorway and bring a rope for Pooh. Piglet ran off on his errand, leaving Pooh and Owl to wait—while Owl resumed telling a long story about his Uncle Robert. Piglet’s quick action and courage had saved the day, making him the hero of the moment.
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At the Bay
Tonight, we’ll read the opening to the short story “At the Bay” written by Katherine Mansfield, published in 1922.
Mansfield was a New Zealand writer, widely considered one of the most influential and important authors of the modernist movement. Her works are celebrated across the world, and have been published in 25 languages.
Her prose is often described as impressionistic, capturing fleeting moments and shifts in mood with a painter’s sensitivity. “At the Bay” is part of her final collection, The Garden Party and Other Stories, and is set in a sunlit coastal settlement reminiscent of the bays near her hometown of Wellington. In it, the dawn opens over a household stirring awake, and the reader is invited into a world of sensory immediacy—shifting light, sea breezes, and the subtle interplay between family members.
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Sleep and Poetry | Keats
Tonight, we’ll read poems by John Keats starting with one titled “Sleep and Poetry.”
John Keats’ work is a cornerstone of English Romantic poetry, rich with symbolism, sensual detail, and allusions to Greek and Roman myth as well as romanticised tales of chivalry. His verse overflows with vivid imagery—nightingales, Grecian urns, moonlit fields—while also contemplating beauty, truth, and life’s transience.
Born in London in 1795, Keats trained as a surgeon before devoting himself entirely to poetry. In just four years, he produced the works that would secure his place in literary history, though in his lifetime his books sold barely two hundred copies. Today, his name is among the most revered in English literature.
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Anne of Green Gables pt. 31
Tonight, we’ll read the 31st chapter of “Anne of Green Gables”, the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “Where the Brook and River Meet”
In the last episode, The Queen’s Class Is Organized, Anne’s dream of becoming a teacher begins to take shape when Miss Stacy invites her to join a special class preparing for entrance exams to Queen’s Academy. Marilla, though secretly very fond of Anne, initially seems stern but ultimately supports her ambition. Anne is deeply grateful and vows to study hard, though she dreads being separated from Diana, who is not joining the class.
The Queen’s class includes Anne, Gilbert, and several other Avonlea students, and a friendly but fierce academic rivalry develops between Anne and Gilbert. Though Anne insists she no longer cares about him, she privately regrets having rebuffed his earlier attempt at friendship. As winter turns to spring, studies lose their appeal, and the students welcome vacation, especially after Miss Stacy confirms she’ll return next year.
The chapter ends with a glimpse of Anne’s growing maturity—she sets aside her schoolbooks for summer, determined to enjoy her last season of girlhood. Meanwhile, even Mrs. Lynde admits Anne has turned out remarkably well, and Marilla quietly reflects on how deeply proud and attached she has become to the once unpredictable orphan girl.
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