Kenneth Reads You A Story

The Model Millionaire by Oscar Wilde, is one of those short stories that earned the title of "Classic" and ends up is most collections and anthologies. This tale focuses on Hughie Erskine, a gentleman of great beauty and personality, who isnt able to earn his living. However in order to marry the girl of his dreams he needs to somehow collect Ten thousand pounds. A chance encounter with his painter friend might be the lucky break Hughie needs, listen on and find out.

The Hitchhiker is a short story by the British Author Roald Dahl. The story focuses on a Hitchhiker that a writer picks up when on his way to London. This hitchhiker seems to hide a secret, which slowly gets revealed as the story progresses --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kendsilva/message

Television is a poem by Roald Dahl, talking about the problem with letting children watch too much television. How staring constantly at a screen for entertainment leads the brain to rot and fizzle. This poem uses a ton of poetic devices with Hyperboles, Similes, Metaphors and alliteration galore, (If you look harder, There's probably more) I like the message of the poem of replacing the passive entertainment of the Television with books of different kinds, and all the references to classic stories and characters within the poem. Watch on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/62AG7qXZkf0?si=sTutEtL24zDgjCw2 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kendsilva/message

Dont Quit is a Poem by Edgar Albert Guest. It's a poem of perseverance. When we face challenges in life that make us feel like giving up, those are moments where we might benefit by moving ahead. As we reach the end of the year, there may be moments where we start to question the path we're on, I can't tell you what to do in those cases, but maybe this poem would help clear stuff a bit. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kendsilva/message

The poem "I Am", is a poem of hope and strengthening. It aims to help the reader cast away doubts and worries that may stop them from enjoying life, and instead asks them to focus on the simple purpose of making the world a slightly better place for us all. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kendsilva/message

The Elm tree and the willow is a (really) short story of two trees that grow side by side. It shows the importance of a strong foundation and not being overly proud of your external characteristics. I liked the message it embodies , so here's the story for you :D --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kendsilva/message

This is a short story of a group of sparrows, who feel they need a bit of colour in their lives, after watching all the other birds change into more vibrant colours in the spring time. Listen on to hear their adventures in this short 4 minute story by Enid Blyton. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kendsilva/message

The tail of Bup the bunny is a story of a vain bunny rabbit, who decides that he wants a better looking tail. Listen on to know what happens once he gets his wish. I particularly like this story because of the pun in the title (tale/tail), and the way the animals interact with one another is a classic Enid Blyton story. Glad to be back with uploading stories this year. Hope you've been doing well! I've got a lot of stories waiting to be heard :D --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kendsilva/message

A Letter to God is a short story written by Gregorio Lopez Fuentes, who was a Mexican novelist, poet, and journalist. He was one of the leading chroniclers of the Mexican Revolution. The story tells us of a man named Lencho, who finds himself in trouble when his crops fail; but his faith is so strong, that he decides to ask God for help. He quite literally writes a Letter to God, which leads to some interesting events. I'm a huge fan of the ending, and knew upon reading this for the first time, that it was a story I wanted to share with you all. So, Enjoy: Also the timing of this upload is very apt, as the video will be available on the day before Easter 2022. I wish you a very Happy Easter as well!! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

First published in 1992, this story tells us of a unique present that is passed down to the women of a family. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

The gift of the Magi is a Christmas story, so it seemed appropriate to share it in the Christmas week. It tells us of a couple that each try to get their significant other, a worthy Christmas present, but in order to do so, they have a difficult choice to make. The Magi were three wise men that delivered gifts to the newborn baby Jesus. This story is not about them, but the wisdom and actions of these characters are compared to those three wise men. Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/j8KYdsEAa80 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

The Nightingale is a short story by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. It tells the tale of a Chinese emperor, in whose garden resides a Nightingale with a beautiful voice. Through the story we see how the emperor wishes to control the nightingale and refers to her as his 'possession'. The story contains multiple moral lessons and is quite educational and appropriate for all readers/listeners of all ages. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

Wasps's Nest is a short story by Agatha Christie, with the detective Hercule Poirot as the Protagonist. The story deals with a Wasps Nest, and a detective bent on solving a murder before it takes place. Watch on youtube through the link https://youtu.be/wujkpLnwsc0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

The alligator war is a short story, that tells us of a river in south america, inhabited by alligators. One day a boat arrives, and its presence means the extinction of every alligator there. What follows is a comedic, and enterprising battle between the alligators and the ships that travel the river. There's lots of explosions, trash talking, and some unlikely alliances along the way. I hope you enjoy this tale. Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXGwb-bnUq4 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

The emperors new clothes is a Danish literary folktale, this particular story was written by Hans Christian Andersen. It tells us of a King, who is obsessed with how he dresses, he has clothes for every hour of the day, and is very vain. His obsession with his image and vanity is what sets the basis for the story. One day two swindlers, or cheats, come to the kingdom. They claim they can make clothes out of a magical material, that can only be seen by clever people, or people who are worthy of the job that they are in. This magical material cloth then causes great chaos throughout the kingdom. To know more, check out the audiobook :D --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

The Adventures of Toto, is a short story by eminent author Ruskin Bond, taken from his own life. It tells us of his Grandfathers deep love for all animals, and how he had his own "Private Zoo". One of the inhabitants of this zoo is a small red monkey named Toto. He is highly mischievous and curious, and causes all sorts of chaos. The story is simple and keeps the reader/listener engaged with the flow of the story and the behaviour of the characters. This story is part of the NCERT CBSE 9th grade curriculum. I remember having a different Ruskin Bond story, in maybe the 7th grade, where he adopts a tiger cub, and that tiger cub was harassed by a monkey named toto --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

Puss in Boots is one of those stories that has existed for a few hundred years, shared among people. This means, over time the story has shifted and been retold in different versions. One story tells us the cat is a fairy in disguise, while others tell us the cat actually attempts to harm its master. Before narrating this story, I compiled the various versions of the story I found online into one simple, easy to follow, and coherent storyline. Hence this story has been modified, but it still contains the essence of the original storyline. Fun fact, Puss in boots shows up to fight the Ogre Shrek in the movie Shrek 2, which makes sense once you hear the original story through this audiobook. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

The military leaders of the nation of Panduria have stumbled on some shocking news, the idea that books might not paint war and invasion as positive things, and that they might carry the idea that the military leaders were human, and capable of making mistakes. To verify these facts, General Fedina is sent to the largest library in the country with a small army. Their objective is to verify that the books there contain no objectional content. The story here is an analysis on the transformative power of books and reading, and how they can be very dangerous weapons against the propaganda spewed by the ruling class. In addition it also shows how the ruling powers often use censorship as a means of controlling its people. The main idea explored here is that accumulating more knowledge and having access to books, allows one to think in more than just black and white, and allows the reader to have complex opinions on several topics. Its a fun story with a hint of comedy and irony throughout. I hope you enjoy it. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

'A Story of Magic Strawberries' is a short story by Enid Blyton from her Summer stories collection. It tells us the story of a greedy king, and his reign of terror on his people. This all changes when a curious visitor with a flute visits the kingdom and is appalled by what he sees. The visitor decides to do something about this, with the help of some magic strawberries. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

This is a poem that encourages the listener to take charge of their lives and face whatever challenge lies in their path. There's also a very physical aspect to this poem, 'plant your feet', 'lift your chin', etc. These work on your mind subconsciously and modify your posture to a more confident state. The refrain 'see it through' is repeated at the end of every stanza, reinforcing the message of the poem. I really like this poem and I wanted to share it with you! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

The Summer of The Beautiful White horse is a tale of two cousins, Aram and Mourad, who belong to the Garoghlanian family, a poor tribe, but known for their honesty. Which is why Aram is surprised when his cousin Mourad comes riding on a beautiful white horse early in the morning. The story has a childlike innocence with a touch of nostalgia. - I first encountered this story in two places, once in 6th grade, and then in 11th grade NCERT. Both cases analysed the story in different ways. Even today as I narrate this tale, I find new elements of the story I had previously not noticed. That's the great thing about stories, its different for every reader, and it changes every time you read it. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

This Poem is one I imagine would be most effective to listen to right before sleeping, and right after waking. This was one of the first poems I recorded for myself a few years ago. A reminder that every second of our life has meaning as long as we choose to give it.  Edgar Guest (1881 - 1959)  was born in England,  but moved with his family to Detroit, Michigan, when he was ten years old. He worked for more than sixty years at the Detroit Free Press, publishing his first poem at the age of seventeen, then going on to become a reporter and columnist whose work was featured in hundreds of newspapers around the country. Edgar is said to have written some 11,000 poems during his lifetime, most of it sentimental, short, upbeat verse. Critics often derided his work, but America adored him. He was known as the "People's Poet," served as Michigan's poet laureate, hosted a long-running radio show and TV show, and published more than twenty books. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

I really recommend you find this on Youtube, where it is accompanied with the video version of me pointing out several visual elements of the story, However this is still a wonderful tale to listen to through audio alone. Alice in Wonderland needs no introduction, but this story allows you to hear the original tale, the way it was meant, a story to inspire future generations to think creatively, and to never be stopped by the seemingly impossible things in the world Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/uYt8O-uqrC4 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

I really recommend you find this on Youtube, where it is accompanied with the video version of me pointing out several visual elements of the story, However this is still a wonderful tale to listen to through audio alone. Alice in Wonderland needs no introduction, but this story allows you to hear the original tale, the way it was meant, a story to inspire future generations to think creatively, and to never be stopped by the seemingly impossible things in the world Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/uYt8O-uqrC4 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

I really recommend you find this on Youtube, where it is accompanied with the video version of me pointing out several visual elements of the story, However this is still a wonderful tale to listen to through audio alone. Alice in Wonderland needs no introduction, but this story allows you to hear the original tale, the way it was meant, a story to inspire future generations to think creatively, and to never be stopped by the seemingly impossible things in the world Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/uYt8O-uqrC4 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

This particular poem was something that just sounded right to me the very first time I read it. I used to find empty stages and auditoriums and shout it at the top of my voice. I'm pretty sure I was mostly alone; in the few cases that I wasn't, well I hope I didn't scare too many people. The poem ends on a very powerful statement. To me it seems like a poem that reminds us of the strength within us, one that we often overlook or take for granted. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

"If—" is a poem by English Nobel laureate Rudyard Kipling; It is a literary example of Victorian-era stoicism. The poem is from the point of view of a father advising his son on how to live his life. Over the course of the poem we hear several life lessons that the father deems necessary for his son, and by extension, us, the readers and listeners. I know that this is a poem and not necessarily a story. However I feel that most poetry is a form of story telling, and must be enjoyed as such. Have a great day --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

This short story takes place at a party hosted for a famous food and wine connoisseur (they're good with food, got good taste). The critic has a bet with the host that he can guess the vineyard from where a wine originates from the taste alone. The critic wins two bets in a row. The third time, he asks the host's daughter's hand in marriage as his reward. This story is sure to have you at the edge of your seat as you observe the "Genius" at work. This is one of those stories that reminds us to be a bit more careful in our dealings in life. __ Roald Dahl must really love wine, and bets. Most of his stories end up displaying these two themes. Reading a few of his stories is similar to a course on how one is supposed to taste wine the right way, or make bets the wrong way. Either way it's a highly educational experience :D YouTube link: https://youtu.be/_mR64qDuHwg --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

"A Retrieved Reformation" is a short story by American author O. Henry first published in The Cosmopolitan Magazine, April 1903. It describes the events which lead up to the reformation of an ex-convict; -Wikipedia. This story has love, criminal skills being used for a noble cause, and self reflection. Elements that speak to us on a deeper level; It's stories like these that cause O. Henry to be a well acclaimed author in the short story genre. Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/RAMjZNzMfUE --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

The main character, Marshall King, has many aristocratic and wealthy relatives. He himself is next in line to be 'Lord Southerton', but at the present moment, he has no job, or any way to earn any money. One of his wealthy cousins, who is famed for his generosity invites him over for a week. This wonderful vacation slowly transforms into a horror for Marshall King, and the cause is a certain Brazilian Cat. I recommend looking for the youtube version of the video, found at: https://youtu.be/lMDMJUxqfYI which contains an art show with audience submissions --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

Factory Town is a Japanese short story by Betsuyaku Minoru. This story was translated by Royall Tyler. The story tells the tale of a simple town, that one day gets its very own factory. The inhabitants of this town are curious about the mysterious product this wonderful factory must create, and this changes the way they live. I highly recommend you use earphones in both ears :) Happy Listening! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

“We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.”- Kurt Vonnegut. The world develops due to the ideas of great men and women. However every new invention carries within itself an equal potential for creation or destruction. This short story by Ray Bradbury shows how people in power using the excuse of protection and "The Greater Good" to justify the stifling of ideas and inventions. Flying is one of humanities most base desires, ever since we've watched the birds take to the skies, we have dreamt of soaring alongside them, floating in the cool breeze. In this story set in ancient china, a man invents a flying machine. The rest of the story is something you should hear instead of read in this little description box. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

Imagine a world where your every desire came true. Sounds nice. What if everyone had the same ability though? would you be happy knowing everyone in the world could have anything they desired? I am not questioning whether you believe in socialism, but I do want you to think how incredibly powerful and dangerous, and yet amazing this sort of world would be. Stephen Goldin in this short story describes a perfect world, free of disease, suffering and sadness. However, nothing is ever perfect, not for long. This story has been uploaded with the permission of the author, Stephen Goldin. To learn more about Stephen Goldin's writings, please visit http://parsina.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

It is the year 2178, a group of researchers from earth are trying to collect data on an unknown planet when a tornado destroys their shelter and medical resources. Immediately afterwards the entire team falls sick. In order to deliver the cure to them, a small ship, an Emergency Dispatch Ship, or eds is sent carrying the serum, and a pilot. This tiny ship works on primitive rocket fuel and so the amount of fuel it carries is specially calculated. However as this ship sets off for its destination, the pilot makes a shocking discovery: there's another human onboard the ship, a human, whose mass wasn't taken into consideration when fuelling the ship. According to protocol, there is only one solution. The cold equations is a story of logic, morality, and humanity.-- This is the largest audiobook I've narrated so far. It feels nice to upload the 11th audiobook so close to 11th august. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

A tiny ship is carrying medical supplies to a research team, but this tiny ship might not have the fuel required to complete its journey. If you've finished hearing the trailer and are curious about the "Protocol" I mentioned, I invite you to think of the Movie "300", specifically the "THIS IS SPARTA" scene. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

This is a simple story of a man with an interesting name. The name itself isn't important to the story, but I liked saying it, you give it a try: Theodoric Voler. Irregular name isn't it? Well this poor chap was not used to the "rough" parts of life, and life wasn't keen on being soft on him. The two end up clashing wonderfully; and a mouse enters in at some point --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

The Cactus embodies the witty, twisting, shocking short stories that O. Henry is famous for. The story revolves around a particular cactus plant, and the impact it had on the main character, Trysdale. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

Clean Sweep Ignatius is the story of Ignatius Agarbi, the 17th Financial minister of Nigeria in seventeen years. The story follows a man with zero expectations from the public, who still manages to constantly confound them at every turn. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

Hearts and Hands is a short story with a wonderful twist, Listeners should pay close attention to the body language of the characters. O Henry shows his skill as a master of short stories in this particular piece. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

Have you ever met a person that made you think the phrase "If only murder was legal"? Well, it's not, so I advise you against causing physical harm to another person. The protagonist of this tale, Peter Pinter wasn't fortunate enough to hear that particular piece of advice, so he goes and does something he regrets.  Quite what he does I cannot tell you for fear of spoiling the story, but I can tell you it involves a department store, a pink newspaper and an annoying dog next door. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

The Blind Date is a short story by Jeffrey Archer. A blind man attempts to guess what he can of his dining companions, but a chance encounter proves more difficult to read than normal. Youtube link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlDnbRp2Pzw --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

Have you ever taken a stupid bet that you ended up regretting? Well, this short story by Anton Chekhov tells the tale of a bet made by a Banker 15 years before, and the 2 million he stakes on its outcome. In the coming years, I may forget the experience that the quarantine and global lockdown gave us all; so I hope this serves as a reminder for those experiences. In that way, I suppose we all had a slight taste of what one of the characters undergoes, as he attempts to isolate himself due to the above-mentioned bet for a period of 15 years. As I type and upload this, I have been in a state of lockdown for a little over four months, not as bad as what the character suffers, but its more than what any of us expected would happen this year. youtube link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-NJdORVm8g --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

There will be a warning, and there will be a description, in precisely that order. The warning goes as follows: The above audiobook contains an inordinate amount of suspense and may cause your heart to beat faster as the story progresses. The description: This short story is the tale of a bet made; an absurd bet. With dangerously high stakes and characters who seem a little too okay with this ridiculous bet. It involves chopping knives and lighters, and a pale green Cadillac. Youtube Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL347cFoRng --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

Sometimes life will require of you to make a choice. You may not know what to choose, or where that choice will lead you. Yet as time passes and you look back at those choices, it all seems so clear. This is a short story about a choice. Except this choice always has consequences. However the decision that's most important is not the one everyone focuses on. I am unsure of where I'm going with this description. How about you hit play and let me know how it went? Youtube Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuF1YswmB1E --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

To Serve Man is a short story by Damon Knight. It is told from the point of view of a translator working at the United Nations, as he narrates the story of the Kanamit, a race of aliens that seem to radiate goodwill, friendship, and plentiful gifts. Humans are naturally distrustful of unconditional gifts. We have been raised to always question, always be curious and never take anything at face value. Which is something I'd like you to do as you listen to this story. Youtube Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-n9BSJCuSA --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kendsilva/message

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