Episodes

  • 5 of the Shortest Stories from Life Magazine
    Dec 23 2025

    This episode includes a few stories from “Short Stories From Life" a collection of short stories of under 1,500 words were compiled from “Life” magazine’s Shortest Story Contest published in 1916. The contest received over 30,000 entries from all around the world from which 81 of the best stories were published in a collection.

    • Arletta by Margaret Ade
    • The Cat Came Back by Virginia West
    • Hope by Edward Thomas Noonan
    • North of Fifty-three by Mary Woodbury Caswell
    • Thicker Than Water by Ralph Henry Barbour and George Randolph Osborne





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    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)

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    31 mins
  • A Christmas Story: Young Lucretia
    Dec 16 2025

    This episode of Narrated Archives takes us back to the late 19th century and quiet yet complex world of Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman with a little Christmas story called "Young Lucretia".

    It’s a seemingly simple tale about a very young girl and her exploration of duty, the weight of family expectations, and the struggle for personal autonomy.



    Send us a text

    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)

    ...

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    31 mins
  • Edith Wharton’s The Verdict
    Dec 9 2025

    In this episode "The Verdict" by Edith Wharton is a short story first published in 1908.

    The narrative centers around an artist who abandons his painting career at the height of his success. The story is told from the perspective of Mr. Rickham, an acquaintance of Gisburn, who becomes intrigued by the reasons behind Gisburn's sudden withdrawal from the art world. It is considered a typical example of her writing particularly for its style, themes and social critique.



    Send us a text

    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)

    ...

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    31 mins
  • 2 Allegorical Tales from H. G. Wells
    Dec 2 2025

    This week we have 2 stories from H.G. Wells that tell allegorical tales that do not (slight spoiler) with unhappy or ambiguous endings. What relevant lessons can we glean from them for today's world?

    • The Pearl of Love – The story is a parable exploring themes of love, obsession, grief, and art.
    • A Moonlight Fable – (also known as "The Beautiful Suit") first published in Collier's Weekly in April 1909, is written in the style of a fairy tale, with a simple plot and a moral lesson. The story is a poignant allegory about the fleeting nature of youth and the bittersweet nature of freedom and loss.

    Send us a text

    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)

    ...

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    29 mins
  • Insightful Satirical Dorothy Parker
    Nov 25 2025

    In Episode 7 we dig into the vast library of the public domain to bring you stories and today a little poetry of a bygone era with the concise, biting humor or Dorothy Parker.

    • Men I'm Not Married To - a collection which includes a poem and then prose in a series of witty, satirical sketches describing the various foibles of the men she never married. These character portraits showcase Parker's signature blend of cynicism, observational skills and sharp wit.
    • Selected Poems – a few additional poems that exhibit her concise insightful wit.

    Send us a text

    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)

    ...

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    31 mins
  • The Girl Who Went Right by Edna Ferber
    Nov 18 2025

    Edna Ferber's 1913 short story "The Girl Who Went Right" follows a new salesgirl named Ray Willets, who navigates the challenges of selling high-end lingerie at a ritzy department store. In a world of wealth she can't relate to, Ray uses her intelligence and adaptability to succeed by learning the psychology of her customers.

    • Strong independent female protagonist who succeeds in business without the help of a man.
    • Tale of Adaptability
    • An early example of Ferber's exploration of business and the lives of women in the early 20th century.


    Send us a text

    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)

    ...

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    43 mins
  • The “O. Henry Ending”
    Nov 11 2025

    Narrated Archives samples the vast quantity of short stories by the prolific author O. Henry. Many of his stories explore themes of coincidence, fate, sacrifice, and the ironies of everyday life. His trademark "twist ending" became so renowned that it is sometimes referred to as an "O. Henry ending".

    1. After Twenty Years - set in New York City with an ironic ending.
    2. By Courier - As with many of O.Henry’s stories this story plays on the misinterpretation of messages and the importance of clear communication in relationships.
    3. 3 “Mini” Stories - less than 200 words each


    Send us a text

    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)

    ...

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    24 mins
  • Down Under with 3 Banjo Paterson Stories
    Nov 4 2025

    In this episode we've found some humor from Down Under with Banjo Paterson, and Austrailian author know for writing the ballades "The Man from Snowy River" and "Waltzing Matilda".

    1. The Cat – a contrast of the cat's public image of domestic comfort with its true, instinct-driven nature and independent spirit.
    2. The Amateur Gardener – a humorous and practical essay offering advice on how to enjoy gardening without the constant frustration of nature's interference.
    3. His Masterpiece – The biggest liar in the outback tells a tale of a wild adventure in the Northern Territory, impressing his fellow station-hands.

    Send us a text

    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)

    ...

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    32 mins