Hi everyone, this is Ri’s husband Trey. Unfortunately, she’s come down with what we’re hoping is bronchitis, but she’s recently developed a fever so she’s waiting for her COVID results just in case. Thanks for your understanding.

We all know of Count Dracula, the infamous title character of Bram Stoker's novel, but have you heard of his namesake? Vlad the Impaler had a vicious reign as a ruler of Wallachia in the 15th century. Due to a volatile political landscape and a penchant for violence, the original Dracula is a renowned Romanian folk hero to this day. Was he an authoritarian tyrant or a sadistic psychopath? Are the two mutually exclusive?

To apologize for our unexpected mid-season break, today Ri is narrating the original story of The Little Mermaid as published by Hans Christian Anderson in 1836. Unlike the Disney-fied version, this tale is sordid and disturbing, featuring an unrequited obsession that escalated to stalking. By today's standards, this fairytale is not fit at all for your child's bedtime. There are countless ways to interpret the story, but Ri's personal favorite is as a warning to the young ladies of the 19th century to guard their hearts from the whims of men, when one rash decision could lead to the "ruin" of both them and their family. She also enjoys occasionally reading it as a psychological thriller, but, again, there are many different ways to analyze it. Our regularly scheduled content will resume March 29, 2021 at 10 AM CST, featuring the original Dracula, Picasso, and, of course, more literary greats. If you have any feedback or thoughts on the show, feel free to contact us at [email protected]!

After Oscar Wilde was released from prison in 1897, he wrote of his profound experience in The Ballad of Reading Gaol. Published under a pseudonym, it was a stunning success in its time and a huge scandal when he revealed he was behind it.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! In honor of the holiday, today we’re focusing on Irish poet, playwright, and novelist, Oscar Wilde, whose life was as fantastical as his fiction. He was nurtured by intellectuals, educated by the Greats, and trapped in an era without remorse.

The British royal family may have asked Harry and Meghan to hide their bouts of mental illness, but it’s far from the first time they’ve tried to keep mental illness in the closet. This episode of Half Glass focuses on the hidden cousins of Queen Elizabeth II, herself.

In this companion episode to our Zelda Fitzgerald segment, Ri reads a rare short story from Zelda’s time in high school.

Scholars have split opinions on Zelda Fitzgerald, but no one can deny she led an interesting life. Almost a century later, her story still shines. The original flapper, a writer in her own right, and the muse for her husband, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda’s life was a charmed one—just not the one she wanted.

Murder is one of the most heinous crimes someone can commit, and in a world obsessed with true crime stories it’s easy to be overwhelmed. The murder of Kitty Genovese shook the world, not only for the shocking details of the attack, but also the response of those around. From 911 to the bystander effect, Kitty’s legacy lives on in ways we now take for granted.

In this companion segment to our Edgar Allen Poe episode, Ri reads Poe’s semi-autobiographical work, William Wilson. While normally it’s important to separate the author from the narrator, in this case Poe included so many details from his own life that it provides interesting insights into his mind. He even gave the character his own birthday!