The Classic Tales Podcast

2,203
Fiction #97

Every week, join award-winning narrator B.J. Harrison as he narrates the greatest stories the world has ever known. From the jungles of South America to the Mississippi Delta, from Victorian England to the sands of the Arabian desert, join us on a fantastic journey through the words of the world's greatest authors. Critically-acclaimed and highly recommended for anyone who loves a good story with plenty of substance.

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Recent Reviews
  • TJ 54321
    Ok
    The show is ok. Just read the stories and no personal moments please. They ruin the whole podcast.
  • šŸ˜…šŸ™‚123
    A story teller worthy of world recognition
    I have been listening to BJ for more than eight years. He has kept me company on my two hour daily commute. The ability for him to modulate his voice, taking on each character in an different voice brings the stories to life. If you have not listened to him, give it a try you will become hooked as I have.
  • PG Junkie
    Deserves Every Award
    Amazing narration!
  • Canuck_in_DC
    Terrific narration
    The best reading of Jeeves Iā€™ve ever heard. Wonderful!
  • marketpop
    Again: The GOAT
    BJ the best!
  • bratlif2
    The GOAT
    BJ is the Greatest of all Time when it comes to curating, narrating and producing audiobooks and stories. A must listen. And nowā€¦The Maltese Falcon?!!? Fur real??!?? Whoooah.
  • rosemarybaker
    Jeeves and the Hard Boiled Egg
    amazing!! the way he reads makes the book interesting and funny. each of the voices he uses are different and sound real, as well as being perfectly consistent! very impressed
  • Amos The Dog
    Excellent
    Love the stories and narrator is the best! Keep up the great work!!
  • GCB3897
    Great Listen
    Great stories and great vocal interpretation. One of the best storytelling podcasts out there.
  • Resalovestimetravalfiction
    Suggestion
    Please put Ann Radcliffe or Eliza Parsons on your list of possible reads.
  • Being Sunny
    Great Narrator
    I recently completed The Count of Monte Cristo. Wonderful! It was the first ā€œbig bookā€ I read as a child. Listening to it as an adult gave me quite a different perspective. Thank you PS I really enjoy the introduction about your family.
  • f!shladĀ„62
    Absolutely fantastic narrator! Gotta give a listen!
    This is one of the best IMO- he does really well at reading and being all the different characters. I love the variety- from chapter books to short stand alone stories. Good classic literature for sure. Heā€™s one of the podcasts I listen to as I go about it my tasks around the house - such a joy šŸ¤©
  • BassoonMuscle
    Great selections
    I love the variety and quality of the works that are selected for this podcast. Itā€™s too bad that BJ caved to the whiny naysayers about sharing his personal moments. Itā€™s like they donā€™t understand that there is a fast forward buttonā€¦.
  • PNW Jules
    Fantastic narration
    He does a great job with all the character voices. Excellent work on the Jeeves stories especially!
  • Laura the reader
    Wonderful Natrator
    I really enjoy listening to these. The variety of books is wonderful.
  • BustersDadDC
    Wonderful stories, wonderfully narrated
    This podcast is a wonderful find. The selection of tales is wonderful and the narration is impressive.
  • Lulu1298
    Thank you!
    This podcast has introduced me to so many short stories and novellas that I had never heard of and should have! Today I listened to The Machine Stops by E.M. Forester. Iā€™m blown away. Foresterā€™s astute knowledge of human nature has predicted humanityā€™s march towards machination and AI take over. It was a great listen, as this podcast always is, but this one really hit home. Thank for bringing this to my attention!
  • dpgp3
    Great
    Narrator is a joy to listen to Love Jeeves!!
  • SoCal Frank
    Fantastic!!!
    A masterful story narrated by a masterful story teller! Podcast audio at its best!!!
  • TreeMac4
    Such a great way to listen to the Classics
    I was introduced to P. G. Woodhouse and the beloved Jeeves character by this amazing podcaster. I love the way he reads ALL the stories! And I love the personal moments. Check out this podcast and become a monthly contributor. You wonā€™t regret it!
  • hrhtCat
    Great selection and fantastic narration!
    Love these so much I subscribed! As a retired person I am selective about subscribing but this, at a measly 5 per month, is money well spent. Wonā€™t you join me and subscribe too?
  • TN Devotee
    PERFECTION!!!
    Ione of the most outstanding podcasts available!!! B. J.ā€™s selections and delivery are remarkable!!! Canā€™t get enough of this podcast and proudly support it!! Thanx, B. J. Stephanie Harmon - 02/24 - Tennessee
  • GDJ_81
    Love it!
    Great, high quality readings and productions of well chosen classic stories.
  • looking to reflect
    I LOVE this podcast!
    As an avid reader and multitasker, this podcast has become my go to. Narration is stellar. The stories are great and are ones that I donā€™t often come across. The PG Woodhouse series are my absolute favorite. I have listened to them multiple times when I need a few good laughs. They are the original screwball comedies! So much fun!
  • RMB9791
    5+ Stars
    This podcast deserves more than 5 stars!!! Absolutely love hearing these stories. And most of all I LOVE the different voices. Honestly brought me to tears but such happy, happy ones, it reminded me of listening to my Grandfather read to me as a child. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
  • Spudmaestro
    Encore!
    Thank you so much for this gem, which is now one of my favorite podcasts of all time! Iā€™ve been introduced to so many classics that I now love, but may have never discovered on my own (ā€œSomething Newā€, ā€œScaramoucheā€, and ā€œRiders of the Purple Sageā€ were some of my favorites). Not only is the selection of literature fantastic, but B.J. Harrison is a masterful narrator and really makes these stories come alive!
  • Mpkfeedbacks
    Review for classic tales overall
    Wonderful voice theater. This is art. Jeeves and Bertie are addictive - so is smith in the city. Love the interpretation of characters through voice. No other podcast reader can do it better.
  • alsirug
    Love the vintage episodes
    The show always has great narration and a fun selection of stories. Iā€™m especially loving the new vintage episode releases, as I havenā€™t heard so many of these before. Please keep it up- Itā€™s greatly appreciated!
  • MusicMomma62
    Outstanding Professionalism and Talent
    Iā€™ve been a faithful ClassicTales Podcast listener for many years. The selections are often surprising and rare, but always welcome. Iā€™ve discovered a love of classic literature through the podcast. But now there are even more reasons to listen and to support the podcast! Vintage episodes! Iā€™m loving them so much! And ā€œThe Closed Cabinetā€ with a guest narrator is absolutely gripping! Bravo, Mr. Harrison!
  • RomyMN
    Love the Vintage Episodes!
    I love the podcast and especially love the vintage episodes. Nice to revisit old favorites!
  • omaha nana
    A gift
    I just came across your podcast and it surprised me as much as a rainbow. This evening, i listened to the Wagner Matinee short story by Willa Cather (note: it rhymes with "rather", not a hard "a"). I was moved to tears. Last night, I listened to Freeman's short story about the rose bush . Thank you!
  • leebyrd99
    Vintage
    Loving the vintage podcasts! Keep it up!!!!
  • Samaraza
    Great Selection
    Love the vintage episodes.
  • Hollyoke
    Better and better, especially with the vintage episodes!
    This podcast has gotten only better with years. Amazing narration and amazing literature choices. Thank you for your work, Mr. Harrison. And thank you for bringing back the vintage episodes. Itā€™s a wonderful reminder of when I just discovered the podcast and was bingeing through them to catch-up.
  • ABreid
    Done
    The talent is definitely there ā€” except for a penchant toward effeminate narration. The politically-correct commentary on the stories got tiresome - especially when itā€™s completely off base. The self-aggrandizement and personal sharing got tiresome. Itā€™s too bad, because the selection of stories was very good. To be a good reader/narrator one needs to melt into the background, and let the great literature speak for itself, and JUST READ THE STORY. Unsubscribed.
  • Wrongbagmon
    Love everything P.g. Wodehouse!
    Thanks for all the hidden gems. Im searching through all the p.g. Wodehouse and you do a great job with all the characters. Itā€™s my favorite.
  • SherrBher
    Anything Ukridge!!!
    You bring PG Wodehouseā€™s excellent work to life. I think he would be pleased
  • The Shadow Nose
    Nearly Excellent storybook reader
    BJ reads with a rich fatherly or TV talking-head voice. He changes pitch and sometimes accent slightly with character speech but doesnā€™t attempt voice-acting. He uses a definite cadence: whether or not appropriate to the prose, sentences are broken into 3-8 word phrases or clusters with acceleration for a few syllables, elongated last syllable and a pause. I wish heā€™d make more exceptions to this pattern but thatā€™s my only complaint. No midstream commercials! Some justified begging ahead of story is all. BJā€™s podcast is worthy of listen and support.
  • Lover of France
    Long books
    I love everything about this podcast. You have a great voice that is pleasant to listen too. The voice is everything in reading. Iā€™d suggest not trying to do a French accent for Poirot because it is difficult for most people to ā€œholdā€ a good accent throughout the story. Your German sounding Poirot is sometimes difficult to listen to. My personal vote would be to just use your normal voice for Poirot. The only reason I gave the show 4, rather than 5 stars is that some of your book choices have 12 parts. If a listener isnā€™t interested in the book or author, it takes 3 entire months to get a different story. I canā€™t wait until the current 12 part Zane Grey story is finished!!
  • Anon in Utah
    Fantastic Voice Acting!!!
    Iā€™ve listened since Podcast Episode 12 many years ago. Throughout this audio journey, Iā€™ve always found BJā€™s voice acting/narration absolutely remarkable! Classic Tales from Episode 12 to now and all audiobooks BJ has done from the many Alan Quartermain adventures to Tarzan to Huck Finn to AC Doyle/Sherlock Holmes to Hunchback of Notre Dame as well as many others are all on my several iPod Classics 160GB and played daily. A Classic w/ a mono earplug, overnight, BJ stories cover, disguises the outrageous constant noise/ringing of tinnitis and helps me sleep.
  • BeckyJ_124
    Great stories, and free!
    BJ is the best, and his selections are so broad and varied. I read some of the one- and two- star reviews, and listeners seem to forget that he does this for FREE. If you donā€™t like his commentary or occasional stories about himself, go find another podcast with such a talented narrator doing such diverse stories, without a hundred ads per episode. Good luck. Iā€™ll stay right here, thank you!
  • Kgdee
    I was curiousā€¦
    Who could possibly give you a 1 ā­ļø rating?! So I scrolled down, and sure enough, itā€™s the ā€œanti-woke snowflakesā€ and others too stupid to FF to the beginning of the story. Your generosity is unparalleled, your talent unmatched. You are a delight! A treasure! Haters gonna hate babeā€¦ keep up the excellent work. One tiny request, could we have more westerns please? We love youā£ļøā£ļøā£ļø
  • SC70124
    Agatha Christie
    Why does Poirot have a German accent!?
  • Sadjah Djarew
    Excellent performances
    Material selection is good in this series of mostly Victorian short readings, but the voice is wonderful. How about adding some older fantasy such as Marie de France or Chaucer or Malory?
  • P.TwoBears
    Thank you from the bottom of my heart Mr. Harris
    This show is the best of the best of the best. It is such a gift to your listeners and I hope you know how truly, truly grateful we are. I have lupus, and sometimes I am just stuck in the bed. Your podcast has helped me get through some really tough times.
  • LiveLife111
    Excellent stories and storytelling
    I discovered this podcast late in the pandemic, and am so glad I did. It has allowed me to listen to stories I may never have come across otherwise, and the telling is superb. I listen to these on walks, while at home, or when I need a relaxing (or spooky!) tale. Great variety, including humor, murder mysteries, and more. Have greatly appreciated them - thank you!
  • jhillrd
    Just read it
    I used to listen to this podcast all the time, til BJ Harrison started apologizing for words written hundreds of years or even decades ago. We all understand the world was different and views have changed. No need to ā€œprepareā€ and warn us that we might hear something ā€˜offensive.ā€™
  • Annoula222
    Brilliant
    Brilliant storytelling!
  • No Review Name
    This is a MUST listen and subscribe podcast!
    I have been listening to this podcast since it started and it never gets old. BJ Harrison has gotten better since he started! His voice, impersonations, accents and characterizations and amazing ability to keep them all together is remarkable. It makes listening an engaging experience not a passive one. I would never have read these books if it werenā€™t for this podcast and Iā€™ve come to appreciate so many new authors and stories I never heard of; I listen because I know he will do a great job. He did some of the Edgar Rice Burroughs Mars Series and they too were amazing. If you check out the reviews of the book done based on audio books on the Nerdist you hear them complain about the narration of the one they listened to and how it impacted their experience. Had they listened to BJā€™s version they would have felt differently. I listened to all 4 back to back over 3 weeks, they were that good. I donā€™t write reviews often but have too for this show, Itā€™s THAT good! Please do yourself a favor, listen and subscribe. His financial supporter program is great and an inexpensive way to support his work and get more than you give back.
  • glbmlb
    Refreshing
    Just started listening to this podcast after having saved it months ago. Treasure Island was great! I always enjoyed the book and the old movie. BJ did a phenomenal job making the characters come to life in my mindā€™s eye. Thank you!
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