LeVar Burton Reads

LeVar Burton and Stitcher

The best short fiction, handpicked by the best voice in podcasting and presented in 3D immersive audio. In every episode, host LeVar Burton (Roots, Reading Rainbow, Star Trek) invites you to take a break from your daily life, and dive into a great story. LeVar’s narration blends with gorgeous soundscapes to bring stories by Stephen King, Toni Morrison, Nnedi Okorafor, Kurt Vonnegut, Ken Liu and more to life. So, if you’re ready, let’s take a deep breath...

Our immersive audio is best with headphones! If you'd prefer to listen without immersive audio, visit levarburtonpodcast.com/mono.

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191 episodes
Updated May 7, 2024
Explicit

Episodes191

Newest first

Jul 20, 2021 · 52 min
"The Angel of Khan El-Khalili" by P. Djèlí Clark
A girl visits a bazaar in Cairo, seeking a favor from a mysterious angelic being. This story first appeared in the anthology Clockwork Cairo: Steampunk Tales of Egypt. For more from the author, visit pdjeliclark.com. Content advisory: Fire, hospitalization
Jul 13, 2021 · 46 min
"Milagroso" by Isabel Yap
Marty brings his family to his hometown of Lucban for the annual festival to witness a miracle: lab-grown, synthetic food made real. This story appears in Isabel Yap's collection NEVER HAVE I EVER, published by Small Beer Press.
Jul 6, 2021 · 48 min
"Dark Spaces on the Map" by Anjali Sachdeva
A woman has her memories catalogued for the historical record, and must decide whether or not to divulge a painful and complicated moment from her past. Anjali Sachdeva's short fiction collection is ALL THE NAMES THEY USED FOR GOD. Epigraph used by permission from How to Lie With Maps by Mark Monmonier, published by The University of Chicago Press. © 1991, 1996, 2018 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved. Content Advisory: Blood, intimation of assault/violence
Jun 29, 2021 · 35 min
"Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot" by Robert Olen Butler
A man dies and finds himself reincarnated as a parrot. This story appears in Robert Olen Butler's collection TABLOID DREAMS. His forthcoming novel, LATE CITY, will be published in September. Content advisory: use of a slur
Jun 22, 2021 · 41 min
"The Bank of Burkina Faso" by Ekaterina Sedia
What if those spammy emails from princes about overseas banks were... real? An exiled prince teams up with the widow of a military general to recover their fortunes from the Bank of Burkina Faso. This story appears in Ekaterina Sedia's collection MOSCOW BUT DREAMING.
Jun 15, 2021 · 4 min
Season 9 is Almost Here!
LeVar Burton Reads is back June 22nd, featuring stories from P Djeli Clark, Anjali Sachdeva, Ekaterina Sedia, Isabel Yap and more. But if you just can't wait to hear a new story -- here's a sneak peek...
Apr 20, 2021 · 53 min
"St. Valentine, St. Abigail, St. Brigid" by C.L. Polk
Theresa Anne has spent years watching her mother tell fortunes and work magical spells. But when she asks to protect the girl she loves, she learns the true cost and sacrifice involved in magical requests. Find more from the author at www.clpolk.com. Content advisory: Violence
Apr 13, 2021 · 54 min
"Vaccine Season" by Hannu Rajaniemi
In a post-pandemic future where scientists have made great strides in eliminating disease, a young boy faces his fears and ventures out to his grandfather's island to give him an important vaccine. This story appears in the anthology Make Shift: Dispatches from the Post-Pandemic Future, edited by Gideon Lichfield and available for pre-order from The MIT Press. Content advisory: Discussion of pandemics, near-drowning
Apr 6, 2021 · 49 min
"Getaway" by Nicole Kornher-Stace
A getaway driver and her crew are hired to steal a mysterious artifact, and inadvertently get locked into a time loop. Find more from Nicole Kornher-Stace at www.nicolekornherstace.com or on Twitter @wirewalking. Content advisory: Gun violence, gore, death
Mar 30, 2021 · 34 min
"Salt" by Rosemary Melchior
A teenage girl is exiled to a penal colony on an icy, inhospitable island. But the island contains secrets, and so does the girl. Content Advisory: Death
Mar 23, 2021 · 38 min
"An Equal Share of the Bone" by Karen Osborne
Hoping to make their fortune (or at least climb out of debt), a trio of space traders travel on a dangerous hunt for a space whale. "An Equal Share of the Bone" was originally published at Escape Pod. Find more of Karen Osborne's work at www.karenosborne.com. Content Advisory: Animal death
Mar 16, 2021 · 45 min
"Killer of Kings" by Anjali Sachdeva
Guided by an angel, a writer pens his greatest -- and perhaps most dangerous -- work. "Killer of Kings" appears in Anjali Sachdeva's collection ALL THE NAMES THEY USED FOR GOD.
Mar 2, 2021 · 41 min
"The Regression Test" by Wole Talabi
A woman helps to test the artificial intelligence based on the mind of her mother, a brilliant thinker. "The Regression Test" appears in Wole Talabi's collection INCOMPLETE SOLUTIONS from Luna Press.
Feb 23, 2021 · 50 min
"Alluvial Deposits" by Percival Everett
A government contractor deals with everyday frustrations in a small town. "Alluvial Deposits" appears in Percival Everett's collection DAMNED IF I DO. Check out other titles from Graywolf Press, including WILD SWIMS and BRING ME THE HEAD OF QUENTIN TARANTINO, at graywolfpress.org. Content advisory: racial slur, hateful language
Feb 16, 2021 · 37 min
"Daddy" by Damion Wilson
A woman struggles to understand why her elderly father has begun to spontaneously teleport. Content advisory: drug addiction, illness, death
Feb 9, 2021 · 41 min
"The Takeback Tango" by Rebecca Roanhorse
A teenage thief embarks on a mission to reclaim her people's sacred treasures. First published in A UNIVERSE OF WISHES in 2020 in the United States by Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC, New York. Find more from Rebecca at www.rebeccaroanhorse.com.
Feb 2, 2021 · 49 min
"Silver Door Diner" by Bishop Garrison
A waitress is jolted from her morning routine when she's visited by a mysterious child.
Jan 26, 2021 · 2 min
Season 8... Coming Soon!
The wait is nearly over! Join us for Season 8 of LeVar Burton Reads, beginning next week and featuring stories from Rebecca Roanhorse, Tobias Wolff, Bishop Garrison, Damion Wilson and more.
Dec 1, 2020 · 51 min
Nnedi Okorafor, Author of "Mother of Invention", Part 3
LeVar talks to Africanfuturist Nnedi Okorafor about the visceral nature of her writing, writing a beautiful and green future for the Niger Delta, and how human-AI relationships can feel like parent-child relationships. Plus, she'll tell us what she thinks happens after those final tense moments in "Mother of Invention".
Nov 24, 2020 · 35 min
"Mother of Invention" by Nnedi Okorafor, Part 2
Join us for the conclusion of this smart house story set in a future Nigeria. Will Anwuli and her child survive the storm? Content advisory: blood

LeVar Burton Reads

"The Angel of Khan El-Khalili" by P. Djèlí Clark

"Milagroso" by Isabel Yap

"Dark Spaces on the Map" by Anjali Sachdeva

"Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot" by Robert Olen Butler

"The Bank of Burkina Faso" by Ekaterina Sedia

Season 9 is Almost Here!

"St. Valentine, St. Abigail, St. Brigid" by C.L. Polk

"Vaccine Season" by Hannu Rajaniemi

"Getaway" by Nicole Kornher-Stace

"Salt" by Rosemary Melchior

"An Equal Share of the Bone" by Karen Osborne

"Killer of Kings" by Anjali Sachdeva

"The Regression Test" by Wole Talabi

"Alluvial Deposits" by Percival Everett

"Daddy" by Damion Wilson

"The Takeback Tango" by Rebecca Roanhorse

"Silver Door Diner" by Bishop Garrison

Season 8... Coming Soon!

Nnedi Okorafor, Author of "Mother of Invention", Part 3

"Mother of Invention" by Nnedi Okorafor, Part 2