#levar burton reads

[macmanx]

An exploration of the depth of a father's love, and his attempts to keep his son happy, healthy and safe in a world rife with racism and violence.

This is one of the best and most impactful episodes of the podcast so far.

[haveyouheardthispodcast]

Propaganda below the cut:

Mr. Reading Rainbow reads you a short story! The stories are diverse and thoughtful, across a wide range of genres.

[luckthebard]

Alternatively; you have any audiobook recommendations? Or hell, just recommendationsin general - just anything that you think more people should see, read, play whatever?

I will answer both of these so here we go:

I am a big fan of the LeVar Burton Reads podcast. It has introduced me to a lot of new authors and a lot of great short stories.

I also recently listened to the audiobook of “The City We Became” by N.K. Jeminsin and really enjoyed it. The story was dynamic and the narrator did a great job making the characters feel distinct. Recommend if you like urban fantasy.

Also this isn’t audio but I’m a big comic book person so I will recommend: “The Wicked and the Divine” by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie. Not sure how to describe it tbh other than a psychedelic wild ride of identity exploration and musings on the meaning of art and artists. Imo a masterpiece.

[thebanishedreader]

LeVar Burton as Honorary Chair for Banned Books Week 2023

October 1-7 is being celebrated as Banned Books Week 2023!

Today (October 4) at 8:00pm EST, actor, Star Trek star, and long-time activist for the freedom of access to literature and knowledge LeVar Burton will be headlining a Live event with Banned Books Week Youth Honorary Chair Da'Taeyevon Daniels about book censorship and literary activism.

The event will be streamed on Instagram, @banned_books_week!!!

"Books bring us together. They teach us about the world and each other. The ability to read and access books is a fundamental right and a necessity for life-long success." - LeVar Burton

LeVar Burton Reads Podcast | The Right to Read Documentary by Jackie Mackenzie, executive produced by LeVar Burton

More information about LeVar Burton & Banned Books Week

Support the American Library Association!

[o-the-mts]

“Sin Eater” by Ian R. MacLeod

[tickldpnk8]

Ten books to know me

Tagged by @notallsandmen — so excited to do my first one of these kinds of posts: thanks for the tag!

Rules: 10 (non-ancient) books for people to get to know you better, or that you just really like.

So the big question is how the hell do I narrow this list down to 10?? I consider this my list as of this moment and not the definitive list of all time...as I'll likely think of at least 5 books I should have put on this list as soon as I hit publish. The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett with illustrations by Tasha Tudor The illustrations on this book are important: they really captivated me when I first read this in elementary school, and this quickly became my first favorite novel. I'd check it out and read it again and again. I also loved her other books, but this one will always be my favorite. Tasha Tudor's work was really influential on me wanting to go into design/illustration. Probably also why I love reading classic literature.

Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien The first fantasy series I really got into and it's still the bar I measure everything else up against. His world-building is amazing, and I love how it's really an exercise in recreating an Epic Saga like the stories of Norse mythology. (which I was also really into: that and Greek myth) I've read it over 6 times and am long over due to watch the EE movies again sometime soon.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling Look, at the time we didn't know she'd become what's she's become. Anyways, I was really bored during a holiday at my grandparents' house, and picked up my little sister's copy. It then became a special bonding book series as I made it my mission to get my kid brother to learn how to read and to also like it. Probably my first real fandom after LotR, and definitely my gateway into fanfiction. Also, surprisingly, my gateway into Agatha Christie and other mystery novels.

Persuasion by Jane Austen I discovered Jane Austen at the end of middle school, and while some of her books were a bit hard at that age to keep track of (I had to make a chart of characters for Emma), she quickly became a favorite author. This is my all-time favorite: as much as I love Pride and Prejudice, the storyline really spoke to my notions of romance at the time. And unlike Jane Eyre, it still holds up for me on a reread. Also, Austen's characterizations can just be really funny.

My Ántonia by Willa Cather Czech pioneers in Nebraska, companionate love vs passionate love...This book had a profound impact on how I approached finding love in my life, as well as giving me some empathy for the immigrants in my own family's past.

Die Verwandlung by Franz Kafka One of the first books I was able to read in German, and still one of my favorites. (Although Tintenherz by Cornelia Funke or a translation of James and the Giant Peach rank up there for favorite) I hate bugs, but I also just really love the line "Er fühlt sich wohl." Because it feels like it encompasses so much more than the English translation of "he felt good/well."

Bleak House by Charles Dickens Dude, Dickens may be wordy, but his characters are hilarious! This and The Cricket on the Hearth are my fav books by him.

Visitation by Jennifer Erpenbeck What if the places we live in have feelings and memory? What have they experienced over the centuries? What have they seen? A fascinating look at one location's experience in Germany.

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn The way Quinn describes her heroine decrypting Nazi code made me feel like my own brain was solving it. Also a fairly accurate description of how my own brain feels when it solves a particularly nasty design problem. Plus a mystery!

How Long Til Black Future Month by NK Jemisin but also her Broken Earth trilogy Dude, I'll read anything Jeminson writes. I found her through both LeVar Burton Reads and also my brother recommending Broken Earth (geology! speculative fiction!), and this short story collection has a little bit of everything for everyone. Some of the stories in this collection just linger in the back of my brain. Also some of the first fan art I've ever drawn. (unless you count drawing Disney characters as a kid)

Honorable mention: just adding that reading The Sandman has basically made Neil Gaiman shoot to the top of the list of my favorite authors. I'm still working through his works, so don't have a favorite yet to share.

I think everyone I follow has already done this prompt, so it's hard to tag someone. If you're reading this and want to participate, consider this your tag! (but tag me back so I can see all your book recs!)

[thechanelmuse]

I was today years old. That is disgusting.

No Child Left Behind is one of the worst things to ever be incentivized in schools. It was signed into law when I was 14. Reading Rainbow was my show as a kid. LeVar Burton played a big part in why I became an avid reader to date. The joy of it. It's an adventure around the globe and through different time periods without stepping on a plane or time machine.

Children parrot behavior. In grade school, I always wanted to read the same amount of books as my teachers (50 books) and managed to double that each year. Before No Child Left Behind, book fairs and Scholastic catalogs were a serious matter like your grandma's Fingerhut catalogs. Libraries were (and still are) a wonderland.

Reading comprehension and proficiency in schools has been declining for decades. A crisis. The joy of books isn't pushed anymore and I'm always saddened by it. It's one of the reasons why I post my book reviews and recommendations on here, as well as posts from others to encourage reading and (novel) writing. Kids will parrot your behavior while the education system sadly fails to return as that example.

[riffingtheverse]

The best short fiction, handpicked by the best voice in podcasting and presented in 3D immersive audio. In every episode of LeVar Burton Reads, 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

--

There are so many fantastic episodes of this podcast but the one I return to over and over is The Simplest Equation by Nicky Drayden.

[anna-neko]

if you've enjoyed Reading Rainbow, guess what!!

he had a story-time book-reading podcast!!!

LeVar Burton Reads ran for multiple seasons, you can still find the eps in whatever podcast-catcher apps you use. Every episode is a different short story

unfortunately it looks like their dedicated website has expired, but the FB feed still has plenty of vid clips, while you make the most extended of podcast ep playlists https://www.facebook.com/levarburtonreads/

[macmanx]

The world's only time traveler finally reveals his secrets.

The final episode, and one of the best, of simply the best podcast.

[commanderspacewaldo]

I recently listened to the LeVar Burton Reads episode on "The Lady of the Yellow-Painted Library" by Tobi Ogundiran. And I have a question. Is that the library of Carcosa?

[nudityandnerdery]

Hell yeah!

[sleepynegress]

BUTTERFLY IN THE SKY trailer A documentary about LeVar Burton's Reading Rainbow

[burnitalldowndarling]

And he's still doing it! He has never stopped! You can hear LeVar Burton read @neil-gaiman and more, right now!

[ssavaart]

A little doodle of Levar Burton on a Monday Morning Live.

I had fun listening to some of his interviews to find the right one for the video. Such an inspirational person.

Sending Big Hugs from the Hobbit Hole. ♥♥♥

Scott