LeVar Burton Reads
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.
Latest episodes
Mar 23, 2021 • 39min
"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 • 45min
"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 9, 2021 • 56min
"Flyboys" by Tobias Wolff
Adolescent boys are faced with the reality of friendships, old and new, as they work on plans to build their own airplane.
"Flyboys" appears in Tobias Wolff's collection OUR STORY BEGINS, published by Vintage Books, and is available in audio from Blackstone Audio.
Content advisory: discussion of death
8 snips
Mar 2, 2021 • 41min
"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 • 50min
"Alluvial Deposits" by Percival Everett
A government contractor deals with frustration and prejudice while trying to access a creek. They encounter a skinny man at a gas station and a disturbing argument with a woman. The speaker reflects on anger, forgiveness, and accountability, emphasizing the importance of justice and equality.
Feb 16, 2021 • 37min
"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 • 42min
"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 • 49min
"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 • 2min
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 • 51min
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".
