Willow Audiobooks
Willow Audiobooks
Stephen Alexander
Willow Audiobooks is an independent publisher of free audiobooks, released in the form of a podcast. The source texts are all in the public domain, and they are narrated, produced and with original music by Stephen Alexander. Original cover illustrations are by Benjamin Callery. ​Willow Audiobooks began in March 2020, prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the UK national lockdown. Stephen Alexander has been storytelling all his life, and recorded his first homemade audiobook on cassette at the age of six (Roald Dahl's Esio Trot)!
A Little Princess | Part 6 (Ch 16-19)
A chance meeting brings Mr Carrisford's search to an end, and promises a brighter future for Sara - but will Miss Minchin let her go so easily? (Please note that this text, as with most of the classics, contains some outdated stereotypes and views. I have made some very minor cuts to try to keep this to to a minimum, so as not to distract from the story, but the issues are still there, so please be aware.) A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett is in the public domain worldwide. This is a Willow Audiobook read by Stephen Alexander. Cover illustration by Benjamin Callery. Original music by Stephen Alexander. Sitar performances by Bobby Lightfoot (Kaiho on Freesound) and Ashok Ayengar (uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by Arunasank). To stay updated with Willow Audiobooks, you can follow us on social media. Just search for Willow Audiobooks on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, or you can visit our webpage at www.stephenalexanderwillis.com/willowaudiobooks. If you’re enjoying this audiobook, why not leave a rating or a review on iTunes, or wherever you happen to get your podcasts? Instagram/Facebook: @WillowAudiobooks Twitter: @WillowAudiobook https://www.stephenalexanderwillis.com/willowaudiobooks
Oct 23, 2021
1 hr 35 min
TRAILER: The Hound of the Baskervilles
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Starts 31 October. Sherlock Holmes returns, in a full-length novel and his most chilling adventure!
Oct 21, 2021
1 min
A Little Princess | Part 5 (Ch 14-15)
Continuing to be mistreated by Miss Minchin and the senior servants, poor Sara becomes hungrier than ever. She is amazed to discover, however, that even when things seem at their worst, hope can always be found - and sometimes, something almost like Magic... (Please note that this text, as with most of the classics, contains some outdated stereotypes and views. I have made some very minor cuts to try to keep this to to a minimum, so as not to distract from the story, but the issues are still there, so please be aware.) A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett is in the public domain worldwide. This is a Willow Audiobook read by Stephen Alexander. Cover illustration by Benjamin Callery. Original music by Stephen Alexander. Sitar performances by Bobby Lightfoot (Kaiho on Freesound) and Ashok Ayengar (uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by Arunasank). To stay updated with Willow Audiobooks, you can follow us on social media. Just search for Willow Audiobooks on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, or you can visit our webpage at www.stephenalexanderwillis.com/willowaudiobooks. If you’re enjoying this audiobook, why not leave a rating or a review on iTunes, or wherever you happen to get your podcasts? Instagram/Facebook: @WillowAudiobooks Twitter: @WillowAudiobook https://www.stephenalexanderwillis.com/willowaudiobooks
Oct 19, 2021
1 hr 10 min
A Little Princess | Part 4 (Ch 11-13)
The mysterious gentleman who has moved in next door proves a point of fascination for Sara, and even more so once she has met his Indian manservant and his pet monkey. Later, Sara's generosity is put to the test. (Please note that this text, as with most of the classics, contains some outdated stereotypes and views. I have made some very minor cuts to try to keep this to to a minimum, so as not to distract from the story, but the issues are still there, so please be aware.) A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett is in the public domain worldwide. This is a Willow Audiobook read by Stephen Alexander. Cover illustration by Benjamin Callery. Original music by Stephen Alexander. Sitar performances by Bobby Lightfoot (Kaiho on Freesound) and Ashok Ayengar (uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by Arunasank). To stay updated with Willow Audiobooks, you can follow us on social media. Just search for Willow Audiobooks on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, or you can visit our webpage at www.stephenalexanderwillis.com/willowaudiobooks. If you’re enjoying this audiobook, why not leave a rating or a review on iTunes, or wherever you happen to get your podcasts? Instagram/Facebook: @WillowAudiobooks Twitter: @WillowAudiobook https://www.stephenalexanderwillis.com/willowaudiobooks
Oct 16, 2021
1 hr 3 min
A Little Princess | Part 3 (Ch 8-10)
Sara must adjust to her new life of poverty and grief, and finds herself relying on her vivid imagination more than ever.  (Please note that this text, as with most of the classics, contains some outdated stereotypes and views. I have made some very minor cuts to try to keep this to to a minimum, so as not to distract from the story, but the issues are still there, so please be aware.) A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett is in the public domain worldwide. This is a Willow Audiobook read by Stephen Alexander. Cover illustration by Benjamin Callery. Original music by Stephen Alexander. Sitar performances by Bobby Lightfoot (Kaiho on Freesound) and Ashok Ayengar (uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by Arunasank). To stay updated with Willow Audiobooks, you can follow us on social media. Just search for Willow Audiobooks on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, or you can visit our webpage at www.stephenalexanderwillis.com/willowaudiobooks. If you’re enjoying this audiobook, why not leave a rating or a review on iTunes, or wherever you happen to get your podcasts? Instagram/Facebook: @WillowAudiobooks Twitter: @WillowAudiobook https://www.stephenalexanderwillis.com/willowaudiobooks
Oct 9, 2021
1 hr 15 min
A Little Princess | Part 2 (Ch 5-7)
In Part 2, Sara continues to make friends, including with the nervous little scullery maid, Becky. On her 11th birthday, however, Sara receives some shocking news which is about to bring her life as she knows it to an abrupt end. (Please note that this text, as with most of the classics, contains some outdated stereotypes and views. I have made some very minor cuts to try to keep this to to a minimum, so as not to distract from the story, but the issues are still there, so please be aware.) A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett is in the public domain worldwide. This is a Willow Audiobook read by Stephen Alexander. Cover illustration by Benjamin Callery. Original music by Stephen Alexander. Sitar performances by Bobby Lightfoot (Kaiho on Freesound) and Ashok Ayengar (uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by Arunasank). To stay updated with Willow Audiobooks, you can follow us on social media. Just search for Willow Audiobooks on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, or you can visit our webpage at www.stephenalexanderwillis.com/willowaudiobooks. If you’re enjoying this audiobook, why not leave a rating or a review on iTunes, or wherever you happen to get your podcasts? Instagram/Facebook: @WillowAudiobooks Twitter: @WillowAudiobook https://www.stephenalexanderwillis.com/willowaudiobooks
Oct 2, 2021
1 hr 29 min
A Little Princess | Part 1 (Ch 1-4)
We return to the mind of Frances Hodgson Burnett (of "The Secret Garden"), with the tale of Sara Crewe in "A Little Princess." In this first part, Sara is relocated from India by her doting father, and taken to London where she is to enrol at Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Ladies. Despite her wealth setting her apart from her peers, she soon begins to charm everyone with her grace and ability to tell stories - everyone, that is, except Miss Minchin. (Please note that this text, as with most of the classics, contains some outdated stereotypes and views. I have made some very minor cuts to try to keep this to to a minimum, so as not to distract from the story, but the issues are still there, so please be aware.) A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett is in the public domain worldwide. This is a Willow Audiobook read by Stephen Alexander. Cover illustration by Benjamin Callery. Original music by Stephen Alexander. Sitar performances by Bobby Lightfoot (Kaiho on Freesound) and Ashok Ayengar (uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by Arunasank). To stay updated with Willow Audiobooks, you can follow us on social media. Just search for Willow Audiobooks on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, or you can visit our webpage at www.stephenalexanderwillis.com/willowaudiobooks. If you’re enjoying this audiobook, why not leave a rating or a review on iTunes, or wherever you happen to get your podcasts? Instagram/Facebook: @WillowAudiobooks Twitter: @WillowAudiobook https://www.stephenalexanderwillis.com/willowaudiobooks
Sep 25, 2021
1 hr 13 min
TRAILER: A Little Princess
Coming soon... a tale of riches to rags! A Little Princess By Frances Hodgson Burnett Little Sara Crewe is treated like a princess by her rich father, but she is far from spoilt. In fact, when she starts at Miss Minchin's boarding school she soon captivates all the pupils with her charm and grace, as well as her wonderful imagination and ability to tell stories. However, after her father becomes bankrupt and suddenly dies, Sara's world is turned upside down as she is changed from princess to pauper, and must work for her living under the cruel eye of Miss Minchin.
Aug 22, 2021
1 min
A quick word!
Hello! Very excited to start releasing the next audiobook soon, "A Little Princess" by Frances Hodgson Burnett. In the meantime, this is just a very quick word about my approach to these classic texts when it comes to problematic views such as racism, sexism and so on. I try to deal with everthing sensitively, and use my best judgement as to whether to make changes/cuts or not, and I will continue to include content warnings for certain things when I judge it appropriate to do so. However, if you're listening to these books which were all written at least 70 years ago, I ask that you go into it with an awareness that of course views have changed over time, and not everything you hear will sit well with our more enlightened modern attitudes. There are arguments for sanitising the texts, and there are arguments for preserving them as they are, and my versions tend to go somewhere in between - I don't know what the answer is, but all I know is that I am enjoying creating these audiobooks and I continue to use my own judgement when working out how to present them for your listening pleasure. Thanks for your support!
Aug 22, 2021
1 min
BONUS: The Dancing Men | The Return of Sherlock Holmes
When Hilton Cubitt married Elsie Patrick, she made him promise never to ask about her past. But when strange drawings of dancing stick men begin to appear around their house, filling Elsie with horror, Hilton is determined to enlist Sherlock Holmes to get to the bottom of the mystery. The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is in the public domain worldwide. This is a Willow Audiobook read by Stephen Alexander. Music used is all by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/): "Mystery Bazaar" "Sneaky Snitch" "Reign Supreme" "Dark Times" "Thinking Music" "Sad Trio" "Relent" To stay updated with Willow Audiobooks, you can follow us on social media. Just search for Willow Audiobooks on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, or you can visit our webpage at www.stephenalexanderwillis.com/willowaudiobooks. If you’re enjoying this audiobook, why not leave a rating or a review on iTunes, or wherever you happen to get your podcasts? Instagram/Facebook: @WillowAudiobooks Twitter: @WillowAudiobook https://www.stephenalexanderwillis.com/willowaudiobooks 
Jul 24, 2021
1 hr 6 min
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