Thank you for your time Trev. .You have a lovely voice and pick interesting stories. Your discussions, opinions, insights are always so thoughtful. I’m a world away from you, but right there when you read. Please keep sharing. A heartfelt thank you to all of you who financially support Trev. I would if I could. Life has been tough and these stories are a balm for a very lonely girl. They remind me of times long ago when I cuddled in my mom’s lap and she read to me. It’s so peaceful and soothing and fills me up with wonderful memories. More stories more often! Please.

I greatly appreciate having this curated collection of mind blowing short stories, wonderfully read and discussed. It has helped me discover several new authors, including Ted Chiang, who I think is the most important voice in speculative literature today.

This podcast was recommended to me and I'm so grateful for it. The choice of stories and accompanying commentary are top shelf choices, and remain (intentionally) accessible for all. Give it a listen!

I really enjoy this podcast, from the stories selected, Trev’s delivery, to the after story discussion with Neil. Well done! I’ve found many new writers I want to read thanks to this show. Thanks! RC

Love the stories. Greedy for more.

we appreciate you!! thank you!

These are fabulous stories which make you think and reflect…. Thank you for the fantastic narration!

These stories are really well narrated, thank you for putting so much effort into sharing them.

Melodious reading and thoughtful take on these stories — thank you

I love hearing your narrations and opinions about each story. Thank you, Trevor!

On the surface it may seem easy to read short stories and critique them afterwards as a podcast. You realize how difficult it actually is by the amount of people that do it poorly. Trev Downey is one of the few who do it well. His craft at reading the written word pulls you into the tales. He does not overdo it like a lot of others. Also, the story choices are both top notch and varied: Raymond Carver; Stephen King; George Orwell; Edna O’Brien; H P Lovecraft and more. It has exposed me to a lot of authors I didn’t know of before as well. The analysis aspect is likewise nicely done and even illuminating. It is sometimes accompanied by his friend Neil Poole who adds humility and self deprecating humour into the analysis. It feels like hanging out with a couple friends who really took the time to pour over and think about the literature they are enthusiastically talking about it. Whether you are just starting out in the journey of reading or whether you have been reading literature your whole life, this podcast is enjoyable for everybody! Thank you Trev from Los Angeles! Looking forward to the stories to come.

Trev’s voice brings alive the setting and characters of these tales. Highly compelling, entertaining, and always leaves me wanting for more!

A perfect podcast! More, please :)

Although I initially was looking for a bedtime story to help me get to sleep, this podcast became so much more. I have come to play and replay the episodes many times over because of the extraordinary depth and quality of the stories, the reader, the excellent production, and unpretentious but insightful commentary of the host and discussions. Every element, the intro, it’s music, Trev Downey’s reading, his literary choices and the ideas are just exquisitely intelligent and well done. I don’t mind if I fall asleep to a story because I can play it again and get the rest next time. Each story offers a great deal to think about.

Love his voice, story choices, discussions, and guests

Very good reading, and some interesting conversations about the stories. There is a tremendous variety among the stories- some are classics for everyone, and some of them should have a warning for all the F-bombs and adult subject matter. I highly recommend previewing the stories before playing them for the family in the car. Like I say, the reading is top-notch, but I bumped down my rating due to no warning on which stories need “parental guidance”

These stories are such a mix of classic and hidden gems, running the full gamut of emotions. It’s a roller coaster ride, but I always end up with a warm glow of joy. My whole family loves them, and I find myself wanting to talk to everyone I know about these stories. Can’t recommend highly enough!

This is a podcast that both calms you and makes you think days after listening to it. Trevor‘s soothing voice and flawless reading of masterful works of fiction are a pleasure to listen to and his thoughtful analysis at the end is like talking to one of your smartest friends who helps you realize things about the stories you may not have picked up listening to them on your own. It’s always a treat when a new story comes out and I find myself going back and listening to old ones again and again, picking up new insights with every listen.

I love hearing him read stories then listening to him talk about it after. His voice is soothing and he makes it seem effortless. ( We all know it isn’t.) I get lost in the stories and want him to keep going.

No, there isn’t anything better than being told a good story, an even better truly great story beats them all! Thank you, Trev Downey. I have been laid up for the day and thanks to you I have enjoyed the last few hours listening to podcasts, it has been a pleasure. When I started listening to, To Build a Fire I was expecting a somewhat different story. Fifty or more years ago I listened to a radio program in which a guy described his 4th grade class’s first visit to the school library. After explaining how the library works the librarian began reading a short story of a man who is alone at night during the winter in the Alaskan wilderness trying to light a fire. He is down to three matches and finding that the kindling is not dry enough to light. He can hear the nearby wolves howling as he goes through the matches. His hands are freezing as one by one his attempts at starting the fire fail and then …………. At that point, the librarian looks up at the clock, closes the book and tells the class that she hopes to see them all using the library in the coming year. I know the man on the radio, Jean Shepherd was a big Jack London fan, he might have used creative license to make the story work for his purposes. Just as the librarian undoubtedly created avid readers that day Jean Shepherd did the same. Just as are now. Thank you, again, Phil Englander

We’ve been listening weekly and love these stories. Spellbinding! We love to listen With our kids in the car. Trev is a splendid reader! YNWA.

Grab a glass of your favorite drink, turn off the tv, mute your notifications, and let the velvety voice of Trev narrate the great short stories of literature! Really enjoying this podcast. Love Trev’s narration and the discussions afterwards.

I am loving this podcast. I enjoy the stories and narration, as well the discussions.

I think this podcast is brilliant! I love that I get to hear a story & hear a genuine conversation about it afterwards. The vibes are amazing. I love it.

Keep this up please. Much needed and wonderful narration.

Great narration of some of the great short stories, followed by thoughtful discussion between Trev and Neil. Trev’s dulcet tones also make this a great sleep story pod as an alternative use if that’s something you’re into (not that it would put you to sleep otherwise).

I love this podcast. They choose excellent stories and authors and I hope this continues forever, or at least a long old time. They discuss what they’re reading intelligently without being snobbish. Can we add Flannery O’Connor? She is a master of southern gothic tales and they seem to be on an American writers kick lately.

For your company. For your voices. For your help engaging my family in meaningful considerations of, not just, The Great Stories in literature but also, our shared humanity. I miss Prince everyday. But I miss him less with voices like yours, Dave Chapelle, M. Knight and all of the writers you have featured. Good Bless You. 🙏

This podcast series has quickly become one of my favorites. The variety of stories, and accompanying discussions provide a great listening experience! I hope this continues long into the future, and how about some Ray Bradbury? Cheers!

It would be enough to hear great stories read by a great story-teller, but the discussions add so much depth and greater appreciation. Thank you. AND who doesn't love a thick Irish accent - you could read a grocery list and it would be marvelous.

One of my favorite podcasts for sure. Just like they say, who doesn’t like to hear a good yarn. Trev and Neal are fun and interesting- I like hearing them talk about the stories as much as the stories. I like their friendship and how they have a conversation that makes me feel a part of it. Also I smile and laugh out loud - who doesn’t need a good laugh, too! I personally would like to hear more classics that are not sci fi, though you narrators unpacking them helps.

Trev Downey has a voice like butter, knows the material inside out and reads with the perfect pace so that you can just sit back and let the story unfold. The discussions are interesting and on point. No obtuse analysis that is intended to make the reviewers seem smart, instead there’s an intelligent dissecting of the material in a very open manner. Highly recommended!

I urge you to go a bit more off the beaten path in choosing your stories. Most of the ones you’ve read so far have also been featured on other story podcasts.

If you are into reading fiction, you’ll love these classics. But even if you are not a big reader, audio short stories might be your thing. You get a lot out of it for the amount of time invested.

Highly recommend to all who love literature