Shows
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureA Boy in the Peninsular WarNapoleon didn’t invade Spain. Not at first. He came in through the back, through Portugal; quickly, quietly, and with hardly a shot fired.By the fall of 1807, France and Spain had signed the Treaty of Fontainebleau, supposedly agreeing to carve up Portugal between them. The French would march in from the north and center. The Spanish would help from the sides. On paper, it was about punishing Portugal for its alliance with Britain. But in truth, it was about control, Napoleon’s control, and Portugal was the test run.The French Army of the Giro...2025-07-1133 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature"A Coward Dies a Thousand Deaths"What Shakespeare Taught us about Life and DeathIn the spring of 1616, William Shakespeare returned to his hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon for good. He was fifty-two years old and, by outward appearance, in decent health. He had already written his final play. The London stages had gone quiet. His daughters were grown, one of them newly married. He had signed his will a few weeks earlier, and two days after his birthday, he was dead. The official records say little, but a local vicar later wrote that Shakespeare, along with fellow writers Ben Jonson and...2025-07-0908 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureCristoforo Columbo (Admiral of the Sea) Part 5 FinaleColumbus died on May 20, 1506, in Valladolid, Spain. He was 54 years old, broken by illness, debt, and the weight of unfulfilled promises. The years of ocean voyages, brutal weather, and battle with both nature and men had left his body twisted with arthritis and his spirit worn thin. Once the toast of Europe, he spent his last months largely ignored, left to draft long, pleading letters to a royal court that no longer had use for him. The riches he believed he had opened to Spain never arrived as he’d hoped. The lands he had claimed in the name of...2025-07-0815 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureCristoforo Columbo (Admiral of the Sea) Part 4After returning from his second voyage, Columbus finds his reputation damaged, his colony in chaos, and growing resistance from both colonists and native people. He tries to hold things together, but the settlers are frustrated with the lack of gold, and the natives are sick of mistreatment and broken promises. As rebellion brews, Columbus uses harsh measures to control the island and ship Indigenous people back to Spain, claiming it’s for their “conversion” but also to profit the Crown.On his third voyage, Columbus discovers Trinidad and parts of mainland South America, but he’s in poor hea...2025-07-0616 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureCristoforo Columbo (Admiral of the Sea) Part 3In part 3 the narrative follows Christopher Columbus as he steps ashore on the islands he believed were the outer reaches of Asia. Planting the royal banners of Castile, he took possession in the name of Ferdinand and Isabella, declaring to all present, “I took possession before all others, as in fact I did take possession of the said island for the king and the queen, my lord and lady.”The indigenous people, “gentle and friendly,” approached the newcomers with offerings of cotton, parrots, and simple bread of cassava, astonished by the glittering steel and scarlet garments of their vi...2025-07-0322 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureCristoforo Columbo (Admiral of the Sea) Part 2Christopher Columbus is in Lisbon in 1473, a young Genoese sailor growing used to Portugal’s capital. He tries to reconcile his past mistakes, praying for a sign. Again and again, he hears the same words:“God called you and you are justified.”Columbus first meets Filipa, the daughter of a Portuguese navigator. Their marriage is simple but rooted in respect, and soon Columbus finds a sense of belonging he’d never had before. Filipa’s family opens the door to maps and knowledge gathered from voyages around Africa, knowledge Columbus studies “for hours, then days, t...2025-07-0213 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureCristoforo Columbo (Admiral of the Sea) Part 1In this first episode of Cristoforo Columbo: Admiral of the Sea, we find Columbus in 1504, alone and retired in Valladolid. He walks with a limp through the stone streets, worn down by years at sea and a lifetime of battles, carrying the guilt of what he calls “sins of my hands.” Despite his prayers at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Sea, the silence there only sharpens his sense of failure. “God called you and you are justified,” he keeps hearing, but those words bring no peace, only a sort of dread.He can’t quite let go of...2025-07-0210 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureThe SonThe following story is adapted from a chapter called The Son in Hermann Hesse’s 1922 novel Siddhartha. Born in Germany in 1877, Hesse was the son of Protestant missionaries and shaped by questions of identity, rebellion, and the tension between spiritual ideals and real-world suffering. Like many of his works, Siddhartha draws from Eastern philosophy and Hesse’s own struggles with alienation and fatherhood. After the collapse of his first marriage and a period of personal crisis, Hesse began writing Siddhartha, a novel about a man’s journey toward spiritual enlightenment.This short story, part of the...2025-05-3009 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureBy the Waters of Babylon (Modernized)“By the Waters of Babylon” is a short story written by Stephen Vincent Benét and first published in 1937. It’s a post-apocalyptic tale that explores themes of knowledge, truth, and the rise and fall of civilizations.The story is told from the point of view of John, a young man from a tribal society that lives in a future, post-apocalyptic world. His people have strict religious rules, including prohibitions against entering the ruins of old cities, which they refer to as the “Place of the Gods.” Despite the taboos, John, who is training to be a priest, feels...2025-05-2816 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureTo Build a Fire by Jack LondonPrologue: *Jack London first wrote this short story in 1902 for a younger crowd, giving it a safer, more hopeful ending where the man survives. But six years later, he rewrote it, sharper, colder, and truer to what he had seen during his time in the Yukon. Jack London spent time in the Yukon during the gold rush, and he knew cold like most people never will. Locals gave him advice, passed down from men who’d seen what happens when someone takes the wilderness lightly. This story is built from that kind of advice.The man in thi...2025-05-1649 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureWhen Aaron Burr’s Biographer Heard the Mormon Prophet SpeakIn the winter of 1840, Matthew L. Davis (journalist and longtime confidant of Aaron Burr) attends a private discourse in Washington, D.C., where he hears Mormon founder Joseph Smith speak. Initially skeptical, Davis is struck by Smith’s sincerity and calm demeanor. Drawing on his past defense of misunderstood figures like Burr, Davis writes to his wife expressing a surprising change of heart. 2025-05-1612 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureEditha – A Short Story about the reality of war by William Howells (Modernized Language)*Pre-Script to Editha, a Short StoryA recent report estimates that 1 in every 31 young Russian men is a casualty of war. In under three years, Russia has lost nearly one million soldiers. One million lives—sons, brothers, friends—sacrificed for what? Who will stop this madness? Who will end the senseless slaughter of an entire generation?These weren’t just victims of Putin’s war. They were victims of a nation’s quiet surrender to propaganda, to blind obedience, to the myth that war is noble. A million young men could have resisted. Could have said “no.” Yes, the...2025-04-2932 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureThe Beardless Jesus – Part 6 (The Ending)In this final episode of The Beardless Jesus series, Professor Buck faces his excommunication hearing and learns the results of a decision that was already set in motion long before he entered that room. After two and a half hours of questioning, debate, and measured responses, he makes one last plea—not for himself, but for the integrity of faith itself. He lays out the history, the art, and the theology, asking the men before him a simple but weighty question: Does it matter which Jesus we worship?Scarlett doesn’t hesitate in her support. Peter struggles with...2025-02-1706 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureThe Beardless Jesus – Part 5 (Socrates and Jesus)As Professor Buck faces his looming excommunication, he reflects on his spiritual isolation, feeling abandoned by the community he once called home. He wrestles with anger, questioning whether his lifelong loyalty to the church was worth it, while finding solace in literature and academia. Meanwhile, his students, particularly Scarlett, grapple with their own conflicts—caught between loyalty to their faith and the unsettling realization of its contradictions. As Buck traces the evolution of Jesus’ image from a humble carpenter to a Greco-Roman philosopher, he challenges his students to consider how belief is shaped by history, culture, and power. Ultimately, the...2025-02-0316 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureThe Beardless Jesus – Part 4 (The Christus by Thorvaldsen)Professor Buck is about to face a disciplinary hearing for his perceived apostasy from the Church. He’s calm, though, and even attending Sunday meetings with President Brown—the Church leader overseeing the hearing—in hopes of resolving things. The issue has stirred up public opinion, with some defending Buck and others wanting him excommunicated.
When Buck meets President Brown, the conversation starts pleasantly enough, but there’s an obvious power dynamic. Brown brings up Buck’s controversial book, The Beardless Jesus, which critiques how modern art and Church practices portray Christ. Brown accuses Buck of opposing Church doc...2025-01-2122 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureThe Beardless Jesus – Part 3 (The Excommunication Summons)A continuation of The Beardless Jesus Series:
In a Yale Religious Philosophy Class, Professor Steven Buck lectures on repentance and the evolution of Jesus's image in early Christianity. During class, an older student named Jim Hunt delivers a compelling critique of Facebook/Meta and modern control of perception. Buck connects this to the Greek concept of metanoia (repentance) - changing one's mind.
Scarlett, a student with Mormon roots, learns that Professor Buck knew her grandfather Nolan Stancik as a mission president. She and her friend Peter invite Buck to...2025-01-0222 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureThe Beardless Jesus – Part 2 (The Earliest Depiction of Christ)Welcome to Part 2 of the Beardless Jesus. In this episode we continue the exploration of the controversial world of Professor Buck, the Yale academic challenging traditional Mormon perspectives with his groundbreaking lecture series and bestselling book "The Beardless Jesus".
We follow Scarlett as her faith journey unfolds, grappling with intriguing questions: Did Jesus have a beard? And more importantly, does it matter?
Through field trips to the Yale Art Gallery, discussions of Renaissance art, and connections to biblical history, this episode explores the intellectual curiosity surrounding the historical Jesus, its impact on religious inquiry, and...2024-12-3026 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureThe Beardless Jesus : Part 1 (Scarlett meets Professor Buck)When Scarlett attends a lecture by the unconventional Professor Buck, she’s challenged to reconsider long-held views on biblical teachings, cultural practices, and her own religious upbringing. Along the way, she discovers that her professor was actually a Mormon missionary, long ago, who served with her grandpa. As she considers new ideas she faces the internal conflict of a loss of certainty. Sandra learns about the beardless Jesus—who was a Nazarene but not a Nazarite—and how this revelation shifts her understanding of Mormon thought and theology and her place in its world. "Sca...2024-12-2024 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureComparing T.S. Eliot’s Journey of the Magi to the Biblical Story of the Wise MenRather than celebrating the wonders of the journey, The Journey of the Magi presents it as an arduous and painful experience. The poem opens with five lines adapted from a passage in the Nativity Sermon delivered by Lancelot Andrewes, the Bishop of Winchester, to King James I on Christmas Day, 1622. Andrewes’ original text reads:
“A cold coming they had of it at this time of the year, just the worst time of the year to take a journey, and specially a long journey. The ways deep, the weather sharp, the days short, the sun farthest off, in sols...2024-12-1409 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureEmpress Elisabeth (of Netflix fame) – Pierced in our hearts“When I undertook to write a memoir of the late Empress of Austria, I was fully aware of the great difficulties I should encounter, especially as the material I had collected from various quarters was enormous, and I felt it to be my duty to sift it thoroughly and to select only such parts as I could myself believe to be authentic.
I have personally had the happiness of meeting the illustrious lady who is the subject of my sketch. I have seen her on many occasions and followed with interest the vicissitudes of her life for th...2024-12-0120 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureThe challenging First ThanksgivingThe first Thanksgiving happened a bit differently than most of us might imagine. The Pilgrims’ first governor, William Bradford, endured a profoundly challenging beginning to his time in Plymouth. Before even stepping foot on shore, he suffered a devastating personal loss. His wife, Dorothy, tragically drowned after falling from the Mayflower while it was anchored in Provincetown Harbor. Not long after, Bradford himself narrowly escaped death when he stumbled into a deer trap—a reminder of the dangers they faced in their new and unfamiliar environment.
Bradford’s initial impressions of the Indigenous peoples were far from warm...2024-11-2805 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureBest of this Week's Internet - Putin & Nukes, Daniel Jones QB, Jay Leno injury, Denzel Washington sees God, etcThis week from the best of the internet by 1yak.com.
Putin & Nukes, Daniel Jones QB, Jay Leno injury, Denzel Washington sees God, etc2024-11-2207 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureThe Lake Isle of Innisfree (Poem) compared with Walden PondIt was said in 1896 about this poem that it "reaches the ear and holds it, and through it touches the heart. About the author Yeats it was said: "There is no younger poet of our time in whose future fame one may feel a stronger faith."
The poet found inspiration in Thoreau’s life, particularly his solitary experience at Walden Pond. Just imagining that isolation helped the poet escape his homesickness and transported him to a more comforting and pleasant state of mind.2024-11-2105 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureAn Essential Reading of Walden Pond by Henry David ThoreauI went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life...2024-10-101h 21
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureThe Eyes Have It - A Short Story by Philip DickA Short Story about how we sometimes miss meanings by being too literal. 2024-10-0912 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature“Discussing the ‘We’ in John 21:24: Who Affirms the Testimony?”Hello Congregation. This short reading and podcast discussion is brought to you by Frontier Road Podcast, a non-denominational, non-affiliate, non-interesting podcast. This sunday school presentation of John 21 is a discussion between a pastor and a parishioner about the curious ending of the Gospel of John, including the statement of “We” and the mystery of its authorship. Though historically and in religious practice, this chapter highlights two significant events: the miraculous catch of fish and the restoration of Peter with Jesus asking “Do you love me?” Rather than focus on these events, we will spend more time talking about who actually...2024-10-0311 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureMy Father, Charles Darwin, Wasn't Anti-Religion—Just Ask the Catholic ChurchThis true story is brought to you by Frontier Road Podcast. Francis Darwin, the third son of Charles Darwin, followed in his father's footsteps as a botanist. He worked closely with Charles on experiments related to plant movements. In 1887, Francis edited The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin, a biography that provided an intimate look into his father’s life and included previously unpublished personal letters.
The book was later described by The Times as "one of the best biographies ever written," noting that “In the selection and arrangement of the material, Francis Darwin was chiefly guided by a...2024-09-2715 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureA Mother's Struggle: Author Fanny Stenhouse’s Battle with PolygamyFanny Stenhouse spent most of her adult life as a Mormon. At eighteen, she broke her engagement to marry the Scottish Mormon missionary responsible for her conversion. Together, they had six children. The Stenhouses performed missionary work in Switzerland before emigrating to New York in 1855, and eventually settling in Utah in 1859. In Salt Lake City, Fanny founded and edited the Daily Telegraph, the city's first daily newspaper.
While visiting non-Mormon friends in New York, Fanny was encouraged to write about her life in the church and her views on polygamy. Her first book, Exposé of Polygamy in U...2024-09-2521 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureLosing My Spouse to Pickleball – A Short StoryIn "Losing My Spouse to Pickleball," Charlotte and Doug Dent, a couple married for 26 years, find themselves drifting apart as Doug becomes increasingly absorbed in his new hobby, pickleball. On the night of their anniversary celebration, Doug arrives home late after another round of pickleball, leaving Charlotte feeling neglected and hurt. Despite her attempts to voice her frustrations over the past few months, Charlotte struggles to express her feelings, and the distance between them grows.
Doug, while deeply in love with Charlotte, is unaware of how his new obsession with the sport is affecting her. He reflects...2024-09-1914 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureCan Heaven be found in the Hulu Series: The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives?A short screen play conversation between husband and wife sitting down to watch the show.
Wife: Hey Hun - Can't wait to watch another episode of the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives with you tonight?
Husband: Huh? The Packers are playing tonight. Sorry. I don't know what show you're talking about.
Wife: Yes, you do. Mom Tok. I know you love it.
Husband: Fine. I do love it. These Women are unhinged. and their husbands. Where are they? They...2024-09-1408 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature"My Old Man" by Ernest HemingwayPrologue, Written by Me. When I was young, I thought my dad was the best man in the world. And maybe he is, but I don't think so anymore. I don't like him anymore. I can't even stand to be in the same room with him.
Sure, I'll miss him when he's gone, and I'll remember the good memories. He never hurt me physically, and he provided well for me. I don't want to complain.
But something changed. Maybe it was me, maybe it was him, or maybe it was just the world evolving and...2024-09-1338 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature"My Ántonia" (Full Audiobook) by Willa Cather"My Ántonia" by Willa Cather is a novel about memory, the immigrant experience, and the American frontier. The story is narrated by Jim Burden, a successful New York lawyer who reflects on his childhood in the Nebraska prairie and his deep friendship with Ántonia Shimerda, an immigrant girl from Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic).
The novel begins with Jim Burden as a young orphan, moving from Virginia to live with his grandparents in Nebraska. On the journey, he meets the Shimerda family, who are also newcomers to the prairie, struggling to adapt to their new life. Ántonia Shimerda, a v...2024-09-107h 44
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature♬ ”His Eye Is on the Sparrow” - Finding God in the Natural Flow of Life and DeathThe hymn "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" written by Civilla D. Martin has recently been added to the LDS hymnals. This podcast uses the hymn as a reflection on life’s natural cycle, drawing inspiration from the experiences of the author of the text and the origins of the hymn.
By examining the life cycle of a sparrow—from birth to death—as a metaphor for our own lives, it explores the hymn with a new interpretation, in the context of a naturalistic view of God. The podcast highlights how faith, viewed through the le...2024-08-2007 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteraturePoem: I Remember, I Remember by Thomas Hood"I Remember, I Remember" by Thomas Hood is a nostalgic poem reflecting on the poet's childhood memories and the contrast between the innocence and joy of youth and the disillusionment of adulthood.
2024-08-1803 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureI Just Started a Pickleball Paddle CompanyA satirical exchange between a self-absorbed podcast host, Buddy Soles, and Fred Bob, the founder of a pickleball paddle company (Een Veer). Buddy is portrayed as an egotistical, out-of-touch interviewer who frequently interrupts and condescends to Fred, who is much more down-to-earth and focused on the technical aspects of his product. The conversation highlights the clash between Buddy's aggressive, sales-driven approach and Fred's more modest, product-focused mindset.
This is largely a true story. You can find the Pickleball Paddles for sale at www.EenVeer.com and the pickleball paddle blog at www.paddlefarm.com2024-08-1214 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureThis Morning – Pickleball at the ParkGot a text from Martin yesterday afternoon, said he’d be at the park at 7:30am to play pickleball. I was with my wife, watching Love is Blind, a brilliantly sadistic show by the way. These poor shmucks agree to getting married before they even see who they are marrying. Then the reveal happens and oh my. Oh my.
But, I showed my wife the text. She was excited for me. You see, I rarely get invited. I’m usually the one inviting and organizing.......
They can have their 5.0 rati...2024-08-0906 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureA Whale of a Tale: A Conversation between Joseph Smith and Herman Melville (Short Story - Fiction)The following is a fictional conversation between Herman Melville, the author of Moby-Dick, and Joseph Smith, the founder of the LDS Church.
In this imagined dialogue, Melville shares insights from his classic novel, Moby-Dick.
One particular chapter, Chapter 86, titled "The Tail," offers an unexpectedly profound reflection on experiences within a Mormon temple. While ostensibly about a whale’s tail, this chapter subtly, maybe ironically, but certainly unknowingly and unintentionally extends its meaning to touch upon the
LDS temple ceremony.
While some may find LDS temple ceremonies profoundly spiritual, others may feel uneasy or is...2024-08-0115 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureWho the Hell am I going to vote for? (A Short Story)Captain Ahab, Moby Dick or the Old Man in the Sea?
Fred, a seasoned blue-collar worker, and his wife Suzanne, a political science professor, grapple with the upcoming election in the wake of an assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Over sandwiches on their patio, they discuss their thoughts on Trump and Biden. Suzanne draws a parallel between Trump and Captain Ahab from Moby Dick, illustrating Trump's relentless pursuit of validation and power. She concludes with a warning about the dangers of blind ambition and the wisdom of staying detached from the process. The story...2024-07-1808 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureReading of Pride and Prejudice (abridged) Chapters 1-7This is a reading of Jane Austen's most prized work, Pride and Prejudice. It has been condensed and modernized by Frontier Road Podcast. We have tried to maintain its original charm, while keeping a pace and style that is more appealing to some modern audiences. As an interesting aside, Jane Austen sold all rights to her book for 110 pounds, which is the equivalent today of about 11 thousand dollars. It was obviously not a great gamble, as it soon became a bestseller and is still considered one of the top 10 books ever written.
Onto the...2024-07-0132 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureOzempic Envy (A short story - fiction)Ozempic Envy – A short story by Franz Bradford.
Walks into Church.
Sits down at their favorite pew. Which being said as
favorite, makes it sound like it is envied by them or others. It’s not. It’s just a comfortable pew. The pew they’ve sat at for the past 20 years of marriage. The pews they’ve seen their kids grown into and out of. The pew that feels empty now that their kids are leaving home.
Husband looks over to wife. He notices a face that seems
like s...2024-06-2907 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureA Reading from MOBY DICK in 101 Pages, Chapters 1 and 2The first two chapters of Moby Dick in 101 Pages, which is an abridged edition of Moby Dick. The book, and this reading, contains footnoted insights into the novel and the mind of the author Herman Melville.
This reading includes Chapters 1 and 2. 2024-06-1219 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureThe True Story of a great Board Game, Bludgeoned by Amazon VineIt all began four years ago, in the summer of 2020. A family living in the Pacific Northwest, faced with the ennui of long summer days, was brainstorming new hobbies to alleviate their boredom. They asked themselves: What can we do
to be productive and have fun? What family activity can teach the children new skills and help us pass the time enjoyably?
"Let's create a family board game," suggested the mother.
Instantly, the father and sons were brimming with ideas and creative energy.
With a realistic view of the business potential but still carrying a degree of...2024-06-1110 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature"Do not go Gentle into that good Night" - The Rage of Dylan ThomasAnd you, my father, there on the sad height,Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.Do not go gentle into that good night.Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Thomas's poem can be read not as a plea to persevere, but as a bitter backlash against the cruelty of life. It was written during a period when Thomas watched his alcoholic father succumb to apathy, illness, blindness, and ultimately death. His father, a schoolteacher, was profoundly disappointed with his station in life. Dylan Thomas inherited his father's alcoholism...2024-06-0706 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureMid Life Crisis - One Evening after Work (Short Story)Excerpt from the short story about a husband/father in a mid life crisis trying to find some purpose:
"Oh Jesus, my life is good, but it sucks so much."
"Honey, can you empty the dishwasher?"
Sure, why not. I've got nothing else to do, I mutter…to myself.. But out loud too.
Why the hell not. I’ve got nothing else to do. Wish I did, but I don’t.
But emptying the dishwasher?
Y...2024-05-3008 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureLangston Hughes: The Pioneering Black Poet of ‘Mother to Son’Mother to Son
Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
It’s had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time
I’se been a-climbin’ on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
And turnin’ corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark
Where there ain’t been no light.
So boy, don’t you turn back.
...2024-05-2408 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureIn the Eye of a Hurricane: The Story Behind Alexander Hamilton's Arrival in AmericaThere is a song, in the hit musical Hamilton, titled
Hurricane. The lyrics of the first four verses are:
In the eye of a hurricane
There is quiet
For just a moment
A yellow sky
When I was seventeen a hurricane
Destroyed my town
I didn't drown
I couldn't seem to die
I wrote my way out
Wrote everything down far as I could see
I wrote my way out
I looked up a...2024-05-2311 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureDear Father, Dear Son — a Mormon Mission Lament (Poem)Dear Son,
In hallowed halls of carpeted walls, our tale unfolds,Loyalty’s flame, a father holds,A clash of spirits, unyielding, fierce,As love and duty combine, pierce.
Behold! My son, with earnest eyes,Embracing gospel’s call, your soul takes life,In each obedient step, you sail my course,A blessing to me, an unwavering force.
Your heart, a vessel of faith’s bright flame,In the chains of creed, you receive your name,With steadfast spirit, your soul stays bound,To the te...2024-05-1814 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, LiteratureFather's Day Poems1). Only a Dad by Edgar Guest;
2). On Children By Kahlil Gibran;
3). If by Rudyard Kipling;
4). So God Made a Farmer by Paul Harvey2024-05-1706 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(21) "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" A Poem by Robert Frost"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost
The woods beckoned Frost as a refuge from the enormous personal tragedies he endured throughout his life. Of his six children with wife Elinor, four preceded him in death - son Elliott from cholera as a young boy, daughters Marjorie from puerperal fever after childbirth, and Elinor Bettina just one day after being born. His wife herself battled heart problems for years before succumbing to breast cancer and heart failure in 1938. Frost stoically shouldered these devastating blows, a retreat to the woods representing an...2024-05-0503 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(20) A Very Short Story, by Ernest Hemingway (based on a true story)“A Very Short Story” by Ernest Hemingway. To the Reader. This is a very short story, only 683 words long, which fits our podcast really well. We like short stories that keep a reader’s attention. We also like longer stories that are interesting. But this one is fine. It captures the heart of a soldier during World War One and may be loosely based on Hemingway’s own experience.
You see, during World War One, Hemingway was an ambulance driver and was injured, ending up in a hospital bed. He was taken care of by Agnes von Kurowsky...2024-05-0406 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(18) The Great Gatsby (Modernized and Shortened for a Quicker and More Enjoyable Read with Side Note Commentary)This revised (shortened and commented) edition of "The Great Gatsby" may appeal to contemporary readers seeking a more streamlined and modernized version of the classic novel, making it more approachable and engaging. By condensing the text and focusing on the four central characters—Nick Carraway, Daisy, Tom, and Jordan—the story's essence is sharpened, providing a deeper exploration of their complex dynamics.
Nick Carraway, the introspective narrator, guides readers through the extravagant world of Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy, who is trapped in a loveless marriage with the brutish Tom Buchanan. Jordan, a mysterious and independent woman, adds intr...2024-04-182h 26
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(19) Sunday Morning (A poem about a life of meaning even in the absence of religious faith)Sunday Morning by Wallace Stevens (1915)
The poem “Sunday Morning” explores the pursuit of finding meaning in life without relying on religious convictions. Instead of engaging in a debate over the existence of a divine entity, the poem suggests that traditional religious frameworks, especially within Christianity, no longer offer the profound significance they once did. So, even though a God may exist and even though religion may be true and correct, the practice of religion doesn’t satisfy like it used to. At least not in the life of the woman who is the subject of the...2024-04-1814 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(17) The Mystery of Bulkington from Moby Dick - Straight up to thy ApotheosisThe Mystery of Bulkington, a lesser known character in Moby Dick.
Why was he put in the book? Did Melville have a
larger role in mind for him but kind of forgot about him?
Bulkington's "godliness" stemmed not from any aspiration to being worshipped, but from his commitment to a life at sea. He was heroically indifferent to the temptations of security and comfort on land that entice most sailors after long voyages. While others sought the safe"port" with its "hearthstone, supper, warm blankets, friends", the ocean remained Bulkington's truest home...2024-03-2908 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(16) "Soldier's Home" by Ernest Hemingway*The following short story "Soldier's Home," written by Ernest Hemingway and initially published in 1925, falls within the public domain in the United States. Ignoring our own usual standards, we have refrained from abridging or altering this work. It stands independently as a reflective narrative on the experiences of young men navigating life's transitions. The protagonist, Harold Krebs is a young man from Oklahoma who is drafted during World War I to fight in Germany while in college. Upon his return home, he grapples with a sense of aimlessness, disconnection, and a wavering desire to reintegrate into society. He finds...2024-03-2916 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(15) The Invisible Man: Crusade against Hitler (Short Story - Fiction)**The Invisible Man: Crusade Against Hitler is a short work of historical fiction - a short story loosely, and very loosely, inspired by H.G. Wells' 1896 classic novel.
"The Invisible Man: Crusade against Hitler," unfolds during the 1940s, at the height of World War II. Both the original novel and our story follow a scientist named Griffin, who renders himself invisible through scientific experimentation, but that is basically where the parallels stop.
Although our short story includes some of the themes and science fiction aspects introduced by H.G...2024-03-2935 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(14) 1st Nephi: A More Modern Interpretation of the Book of MormonTo the Reader—
The Book of Mormon is a source of spiritual guidance and inspiration for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and likely many others. This book of scripture has long been revered as a testament of faith and an integral part of the LDS Church’s canon.
In recent years, however, many have sought to gain a greater understanding of the Book of Mormon through the modernization and abridgment of its content. The translation and abridgment of the Book of Mormon is a la...2024-03-291h 32
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(13) Our Peter Pan - A Modern Interpretation of the classic Peter PanIn this new retelling of the Classic Peter Pan, we seek to honor the essence of J.M. Barrie’s original work with a contemporary lens. Just as Peter himself refuses to grow up, the story of Peter Pan has refused to fade into literary history. Instead, it has evolved, adapting to the changing times and capturing the hearts of new audiences.
Through the years, the character of Peter Pan has taken on different shades, resonating with diverse generations. We, the creators of this adaptation, have sought to recapture the magic that made Peter Pan an enduring ta...2024-03-292h 51
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(12) A Modern Rendition of The Raven, by Edgar Allan PoeThis podcast episode features a modern reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe's haunting poem. This modernized re-telling attempts to breathe new life into these timeless verses, so they can be more easily understood. After the poem, the podcast dives briefly into an analysis of key symbols like the ominous raven and the idealized Lenore. It explains their representation of sorrow, mortality, and the frightening power of memory. The line "Is there no balm in Gilead?" highlights the narrator's futile search for relief from grief and Poe's unquenchable fascination with the dark side of the human psyche. 2024-03-2909 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(11) A modern reading of the parable of the prodigal sons, with short commentaryA reading of the parable of the prodigal sons with a short commentary at the end (audio produced by ai generated voice).
In his profound book The Prodigal God, pastor Timothy Keller analyzes the famous parable, revealing that there are not just one but two lost sons.
The younger son is the obvious prodigal, rebelling and leaving home for a distant land. But Keller insightfully sees that the elder brother is also alienated from the father's love, despite staying home and following all the rules.
2024-03-2908 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(10) The Left Side of the Bench (A Short Story)Part One - Left Side of the Bench
In the coastal town of Lincoln City, a horticulture engineer with a unique perspective on life finds unexpected connection with a mysterious, but familiar stranger.
Excerpt:
"Oh hey, how are you?" I responded.
It was the girl. She was beautiful. I adjusted my head
slightly to make eye contact with my good eye.
"I think I know you," she said.
The analytical mind of an engineer quickly deduced that this
girl, whom I...2024-03-2918 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(09) Lazarus, The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved (Short Story)Excerpt from the Short Story:
During a brief lull in the excitement, Lazarus managed to escape with his friend John, yes the disciple.
“I cannot suffer this celebration any longer.”
John was caught off guard by Lazarus. He’d never heard him speak so directly before, especially an expression of discomfort. Yet, considering what had transpired, John did his best to maintain composure.
“Why? What’s going on Lazarus?”
“Have you ever suffered such agony you yearned for it to end? Been so feeble life itself became unbeara...2024-03-2927 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(08) The Quiet Edmund Sears: Author of "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"Edmund Sears was a quiet hero, lost to most histories but
not to time. He lived an honest, modest life - kind to others, devoted to his family, avoiding unnecessary drama or attention. His life was simply one of goodness. In 1810, Edmund was born on a Massachusetts farm. He came of age in complex times, at least in his personal life. Edmund didn’t fit in, as he thought he should and as his brothers did in school. As he later recalled, “I went to school in an old loose gown, with the head piece and the body all in
o...2024-03-2908 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(07) The Santa Claus Story: Through the Ages with Father ChristmasUncover the historical journey of Santa Claus beyond the popular legend. This short story delves into the origins of the tale, starting with St. Nicholas, a 4th-century Greek bishop celebrated for secret gift-giving. Learn how influential figures like Martin Luther and Clement C. Moore contributed to shaping Santa's modern image, introducing elements like sleigh rides and reindeer.
Charles Dickens played a key role with the first-ever "Ho Ho Ho," giving life to Santa's signature catchphrase. Gain insights into Santa's perspective on parental pressures amid today's extravagant holiday celebrations. Reflect on the evolving portrayals of Santa Claus in...2024-03-2915 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(06) Bartleby, the Law Clerk (A Short Story)Bartleby, The Law Clerk
A Modern Adaptation
of the Short Story Bartleby, The Scrivener.
By Herman Melville.
This contemporary retelling of Melville’s short story centers around an unnamed narrator, a lawyer who takes interest in a new legal clerk he hires named Bartleby. Though at first highly productive, Bartleby soon grows lifeless and despondent, preferring not to complete basic work tasks when asked and instead staring vacantly out the office's lonely windows all day. Despite the narrator’s mounting frustration and confusion at Bartleby’s eccen...2024-03-2948 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(05) He Called Me Ishmael: A Short Story of Moby Dick and the Lone Survivor of the PequodHerman Melville created a legend, a life philosophy, an epic tale in Moby Dick. Unfortunately, the language of the original story is so digressive and complex, that it is difficult to finish, or even start.He Called Me Ishmael is the story of Moby Dick, using original ideas, themes and focus. It is a fully developed short story with complex characters and themes.
The story begins as a young man, Ishmael (the lone survivor of Moby Dick and the ship Pequod) chases his dream of being a whale-man on a whaling ship. He soon finds h...2024-03-291h 05
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(04) William Stoner – Religion of the HeartThe novel Stoner, by John Williams, follows William Stoner, who was raised on a Missouri farm in a religious Methodist household but loses his strong religious beliefs as he enters academia and becomes engrossed in his scholarly work. Stoner is portrayed as having an internal "religion of the heart," guided more by his personal values than formal doctrine. As a professor, he finds meaning through teaching literature and experiences a "faith in learning." There are suggestions of a vague spirituality in his reflections on nature and the cosmos. As Stoner nears death, there is a sense of letting go...2024-03-2906 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(03) Ezekiel’s Supernatural God vs. William Blake’s Ambiguous CreatorBlake’s contemporaries and modern critics may have regarded him as a heretic or satirist when it came to matters of religion. Some might even consider him irreverent and radical in his views on institutionalized religion, emphasizing the importance of freedom of expression and thought while critiquing the constraints imposed by religion. However, when it comes to unconventional depictions of the divine, Blake pales in comparison to the prophet Ezekiel.
While Blake’s portrayal of God can be enigmatic and unsettling to some at times, the God described by Ezekiel seems like a blend of the Greek deit...2024-03-2906 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(02) Of Herman Melville: “He can neither believe, nor be comfortable in his unbelief”The renowned American novelist Herman Melville is best known for literary classics like Moby Dick. Yet throughout his life, Melville privately wrestled with profound questions of faith, belief and doubt.
As his friend and contemporary Nathaniel Hawthorne observed, Melville relentlessly grappled with matters of “Providence and futurity” that extend beyond human understanding. Melville doubted divine providence, frankly acknowledging to Hawthorne that he “had ‘pretty much made up his mind to be annihilated’” upon death.2024-03-2907 min
Frontier Road - Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Poems, Literature(01) Visions of the Garden of Eden: William Blake and The Garden of LoveWilliam Blake's poem "The Garden of Love" may subtly allude to the biblical Genesis account of Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden of Eden. The combination of these works, "The Garden of Love" by William Blake and excerpts from the biblical book of Genesis. grapple with themes of lost innocence and the consequences of gained knowledge and disobedience. By relating these two works, we gain insight into a layered commentary on purity and corruption, freedom and control.
Blake's poem depicts a garden that once offered joy and freedom, but is now a closed-off churchyard with restricting...2024-03-2905 min