Jan 21st, 2020 by secretlives
Show #232 on January 19, 2020…In which Mr. Bear reads selections by Dallas Lore Sharp on the “large, free, strong, fierce, wild soul of Winter.” Birds’ nests, tracks in the snow, tree skeletons, the microscopic world of snowflakes, life beneath the ice, blustery north winds, the hush of soft white falling, and more—here is a poetic mini-guide to exploring the season.
Jan 14th, 2020 by secretlives
Show #231 on January 12, 2020…In which Mr. Bear reads from Cathy Ulrich’s haunting book, “Ghosts of You,” published by Okay Donkey Press. These tiny stories evoke whole worlds and restore humanity to the murdered ladies who too often become clichés in the headlines and pop culture that permeate our daily lives.
Jan 6th, 2020 by secretlives
Show #230 on January 5, 2020…In which Mr. Bear kicks off the new year with work by L Mari Harris that tenderly digs into the heart and searches for redemption. Whether it’s a wife in her grief looking to rebuild her husband or a child growing up to learn that pinky swears don’t last forever, these characters show us the legacies of sorrow and love and hope carried over generations. What endures?
Dec 16th, 2019 by secretlives
Show #229 on December 15, 2019…In which Mr. Bear reads the quietly unsettling work of Joy Baglio. One woman dates multiple men with the same name and seeks to find meaning in it. One lives with the beast that swallowed her husband. Another tries to hold on to her humanity in a lonely, apocalyptic landscape. But what they all share is a human desire for connection and understanding.
Dec 9th, 2019 by secretlives
Show #228 on December 8, 2019…In which Mr. Bear reads K.C. Mead-Brewer’s gripping “Horse Girl” at Joyland Magazine, a perfect snow globe of a story glittering with the emotions of being thirteen and dealing with divorced parents, new homes, new school, new friends, new feelings, and a strange, new world of horses and knocks and loneliness and longing.
Nov 25th, 2019 by secretlives
Show #227 on November 24, 2019…In which Mr. Bear reads powerful work by Marisa Crane. Whether a letter to an unborn child or commentary on the life cycle of a birthday cake or what it means to be an ally, these pieces cross genres of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction to examine identity, queerness, vulnerability, safety, desire, self-acceptance, and more. Sometimes humorous, sometimes sad—always moving—these are beautiful words by a beautiful writer that will leave you hungry for more.
Nov 18th, 2019 by secretlives
Show #226 on November 17, 2019…In which Mr. Bear reads Kathryn Scanlan’s gorgeous “Aug 9—Fog,” the diary of a stranger distilled to its purest essence. Under Scanlan’s skillful arranging, the ordinary bits of daily living noted in these pages shine with the intensity of sun on snow and will resonate long after in your heart.
Nov 12th, 2019 by secretlives
Show #225 on November 10, 2019…In which Mr. Bear reads about elder (Sambucus nigra) in fairy tales and old herbals: history, medicine, folklore, and more!
Nov 5th, 2019 by secretlives
Show #224 on November 3, 2019…In which Mr. Bear reads two ghost stories: “The Empty House” by Algernon Blackwood and E. Nesbit’s “The Mystery of the Semi-Detached.” They’re just houses—nothing to fear…right?
Oct 21st, 2019 by secretlives
Show #223 on October 20, 2019…In which Mr. Bear presents a sampling of episodes over the years, including fragments from the very first broadcasts of The Secret Lives of Stuffed Animals (February 2011) and Mr. Bear’s Violet Hour Saloon (February 2014). Support Community Media Week and donate to Somerville Media Center/Boston Free Radio at somervillemedia.org!
