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PODCAST

Books & Beyond

Books & Beyond is a new podcast that finds good reads for you from a world of fascinating stories, one at a time. The shows will take you to China and other amazing places that might open up new doors in your life. Here at Books & Beyond, we believe our lives are enriched with nourishing reads, no matter where and how old you are. Find your next favorite audio adventure with Books & Beyond, for free.

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All Episodes

11:46

The Mother EP36: Two people in a dream

Books & Beyond ·

2023/09/09

This day, the landlord's agent comes to the mother's hamlet. She dares not to look at him, or to return the trinkets in broad daylight, so she lowers her head and answers his questions as the man glances up and down on her body. Deep down, the mother feels this same hunger inside her. So when the man asks her to lead the way to her family's less noticeable field up around the hill, she hesitates, but still agrees. With blood thundering in her ears, she walks to the private little shrine with the

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6:15

The Mother EP35: The summertime labour

Books & Beyond ·

2023/09/07

It's summer again and the land is scorched with soft heat that's almost unbearable for any labour. But the mother fills her day with work in the field. The heat is in her veins too…and as she waters the dried soil and sees the dirt turn dark and moist, she feels as if she has fed some thirsty living thing and given it life.

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5:07

The Mother EP34: A restless night

Books & Beyond ·

2023/09/02

The woman has no other choice but to bring the silver jewelry home. It is a restless night for her with fitful dreams about glittering silver jewels, as well as a man’s hot hand upon hers.

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9:47

The Mother EP33: The silver trinkets

Books & Beyond ·

2023/08/31

The landlord’s agent followed the mother into a silver shop in town. He buys a pair of rings and earrings to surprise her as a gift before they part at the town's gate. Feeling his touch on her hand, the mother is shocked into stillness, and then runs to return the bag containing the silver trinkets back to the man but fails.

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3:04

The Mother EP32: New Year comes again

Books & Beyond ·

2023/08/26

A new year arrives and the mother continues to make up stories about her husband sending money back home. But the lies and praises from villagers can no longer comfort her. This time, she dumps all the emotions from her heart and burns the fake letters.

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5:14

The Mother EP31: The secret stares

Books & Beyond ·

2023/08/24

The agent can feel the loneliness buried deep in the mother's heart. Every now and then, he comes up with an excuse to come to her hamlet or watch her from the distance. The mother knows why he comes. There's something about the way he looks at her that makes her heart shiver in secret.

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11:29

The Mother EP30: Encounter with the landlord's agent

Books & Beyond ·

2023/08/19

It's that time of the year again for the landlord's agent to come and collect grain harvest from farmers, house by house. He is a tall man dressed in a costly gray robe made of silk, and one who would not miss any opportunity to look at good-looking women. This time, the lonesome mother seems like the perfect target, triggering him to make his move.

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6:24

The Mother EP29: Deceptive cheerfulness

Books & Beyond ·

2023/08/17

The mother feels torn inside with all her lies. She looks cheerful when telling lies about her husband whenever people ask of him. But deep down, her heart is filled with sadness and loneliness. There are times when her lies make her angry at the man who has put her through so much suffering, even though she knows that he's not even worth it.

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8:04

The Mother EP28: Longings unsatisfied

Books & Beyond ·

2023/08/12

Every day, the mother can see her children grow taller and move further from their babyhood. The faster they grow up, the lesser she feels that they are her own. She looks across the way and envies her cousin's family, with a good and earth-soiled husband, a happy wife with their newborn resting on her knees. They all look so content and happy. Feelings of longing and sorrow well up in the mother's heart.

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6:33

The Mother EP27: An awakening moment

Books & Beyond ·

2023/08/10

In this episode, the story brings us back to the mother's memory before she was married. Through taking care of her neighbor's child at that time, she discovered her deep affection for children.

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5:36

The Mother EP26: A deep bond with new life

Books & Beyond ·

2023/08/05

To the mother, to feel a child move and grow inside her always brings her a sense of wonder and a fulfilling happiness. She has grown more and more fond of children over the years. Everything tender and young can draw out compassion and love from the depth of her heart.

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8:16

The Mother EP25: Springtime loneliness

Books & Beyond ·

2023/08/03

The time has come for the cousin's wife to give birth, so she calls the mother over to help her with the delivery. Witnessing the arrival of a new baby however, brought a sad and lonely feeling to the mother's heart. She is aware that she, still a young woman, would never bear a child again unless her man come home one day.

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5:26

The Mother EP24: A new spring has come

Books & Beyond ·

2023/07/29

As spring arrives again, the mother asks her elder children to help her with work in the field. She works hard everyday and sleeps so tight at night that her missing husband scarcely crosses her mind these days.

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10:53

The Mother EP23: A tale that can't be untold

Books & Beyond ·

2023/07/27

The mother's plot works well enough and hereafter no one will mock her or hint that her husband has left her. But, people start to come to her to borrow money instead, and would think evil of the woman when their requests are denied.

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10:14

The Mother EP22: The letter arrives

Books & Beyond ·

2023/07/22

The letter arrives a week later, with the whole family and their neighbors gathered around, thrilled by the news of how the man is earning good wages in town. Only the mother knows that the news is fake, and that the money included in the letter is from her own purse instead. The letter and the money are but ashes from all her own pride.

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8:29

The Mother EP21: A fake letter

Books & Beyond ·

2023/07/20

The days pass and the mother continues to make up stories to cover for her missing husband. She tells the family and fellow villagers that her man is favored by his master and is busy with work in town. But during the lonely dark nights, she weeps silently. As she wipes away her tears, however, the mother decides to spare herself of the shame and writes a fake letter from her husband to make her story even more believable.

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11:43

The Mother EP20: New Year garments

Books & Beyond ·

2023/07/15

The weather soon turns cold, so the mother brings out the winter clothing and tends each piece for her family members. She even cut the man's old clothes to fit their eldest son, thinking she would make her husband some new clothes for the New Year. It seems to her as if the new garments would bring the man closer back home.

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11:56

The Mother EP19: The landlord's agent

Books & Beyond ·

2023/07/12

The mother is bone-thin now, as if every ounce of flesh is gone since she must do the field labor of two people. Then comes the day set for measuring the landlord's share of the harvest, and the mother meets with a new agent who comes to collect the grain.

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8:55

The Mother EP18: The mother's tale

Books & Beyond ·

2023/07/08

At last, after months of waiting with no news from her man, the mother made up a bold tale to silence the gossip. She told inquisitive neighbors that her husband has gone to the city and found a job there. She gathers the courage and tells the lie as if it's the truth.

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10:17

The Mother EP17: He'll be back when his money is gone

Books & Beyond ·

2023/07/06

Whenever her children or the old mother ask where the man is, the mother would comfort them and say he will come home soon. But late at night as she lays alone on bed, longing for his return, she also wonders what will become of her if her husband never returns.

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174 results

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