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Homeless Bodies and Other Stories

By: Laura Purcell, Imogen Hermes Gowar, Andrew Michael Hurley, Haroun Khan, Oyinkan Braithwaite, Sarah Moss
Narrated by: Annie Aldington, Imogen Church, Patience Tomlinson, Weruche Opia, Sarah Moss, Nikesh Patel
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  • Summary

  • Homeless Bodies and Other Stories is an original fiction podcast featuring audio-exclusive short stories from award-winning authors and Sunday Times best-sellers, inspired by objects & artefacts from Wellcome Collection's permanent exhibition, 'Medicine Man', in London.

    Exploring themes of otherness, humanity, history, society and belief, Homeless Bodies and Other Stories brings together a gripping collection of tales that are unsettlingly eerie and provokingly current. Objects that inspired Audible's collection of stories include: a trepanned skull, drilled with holes to release trapped spirits; an iron scold's bridle, used to punish 'gossiping' women; a 19th Century fragment of tattooed skin; a phrenology skull and an 18th Century wax vanitas head.

    With six original, audio-exclusive stories, the collection includes brand new writing from: Imogen Hermes Gowar, Andrew Michael Hurley, Laura Purcell,Sarah Moss, Oyinkan Braithwaite and Haroun Khan.

    Homeless Bodies and Other Stories sees these six authors probe the dark and twisted corners of humanity in an attempt to better understand ourselves and our place in the world with stories crafted specifically for the spoken-word. Before their stories, listeners will hear each of the authors in conversation with Wellcome's curators as they find out more about their chosen object's history.

    With original musical composition and stirring sound design by Hana Walker-Brown.

    This is an Audible Original Podcast. Free for members. You can download all 6 episodes to your Library now.
    ©2019 Laura Purcell, Imogen Hermes Gowar, Andrew Michael Hurley, Haroun Khan, Oyinkan Braithwaite, Sarah Moss (P)2019 Audible, Ltd.
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Anthologies Historical Fiction
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Episodes
  • Ep. 1: Brothers and Sisters

    Ep. 1: Brothers and Sisters
    Oct 31 2019

    Time moves slowly for Janey, a young woman locked in by her gender and her time in history, so when her brother brings a fine gentleman home from university she falls in love quickly. Tom Pascoe interrogates their middle class pretentions and opens Janey’s eyes to the beauty of art and simplicity. But she slowly learns his approval comes at a cost, a very real and painful one.

    Hermes Gowar, author of the Sunday Times best seller, The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock, chose the chastity belt.
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    58 mins
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  • Ep. 2: Scold's Bridle

    Ep. 2: Scold's Bridle
    Oct 31 2019

    Victor’s wife moved through their community like a hurricane, while the other wives watched on resentful of her freedom and vitality. But when Victor decides enough is enough, and holds down her tongue and her spirit beneath a hideous mask, they start to miss her. As she disappears in body and mind, and her husband refuses to accept his grave mistake, the women of the village come together to celebrate all that she represented.

    Booker long-listed author of My Sister, the Serial Killer, Oyinkan Braithwaite, chose the scold’s bridle.
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    41 mins
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  • Ep. 3: The Master and the Student

    Ep. 3: The Master and the Student
    Oct 31 2019

    A young man moves through the streets of London, reflecting on the Empire and its subjects. He remembers the devotion he felt to the refined English man who trained him in the innate difference between people like him and people like them. But as he recalls the depths of his master’s needs, and the cost to his own life, he reconsiders what he was taught about morality, fate, and the gifts of birth.

    Khan, acclaimed author of The Study Circle, chose the phrenological skull.
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    54 mins
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What listeners say about Homeless Bodies and Other Stories

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Profile Image for LyndsayA

History is more terrifying than fiction.

Haunting objects expertly brought to life. These stories needed to be told. Fascinating and frightening.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Amazon Customer

Homeless bodies

Something different loved it. Liked the way it was based on actual objects, macabre, intreeging.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Nadia Leclercq

Somewhat boring

Started really well and just got monotone throughout. Couldn't finish the 6th story, it put me to sleep.

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2 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Lexi Wolfe, Writer & Actress

Awesome, varied and compelling

But the last lady, while providing us with a very nice informative essay, could have just written us a damn story. Everything else - completely loved!

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Profile Image for Tanya

Great listen!

I don't normally listen to non-fiction books but I really loved these! If I had to choose 'The vanitas' and 'the scolds bridle' would have to be my favourite. Would recommended to everyone.

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2 people found this helpful

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Profile Image for Rachel

an ok read

a well executed five episodes interesting stories worth a listen but wouldn't put at the top of my list episode 6 was painful as it wasn't a story at all all

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Profile Image for DIY enthusiast

Fantastic

Enjoyed every story! Wickedly sad and scary at the same time. A must read book

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Profile Image for Sami

Interested idea poorly executed

The basic premise of the show has potential: Show six authors around the Wellcome Collection's Medicine Man exhibit and challenge them to write a short story about a particular item they find exciting. I really wanted to like it.
Unfortunately the creativity of the authors is severely lacking resulting in confused plots where nothing really happens. No momentum builds up as the stories progress and I was left with the feeling that the stories never got out of first gear. Perhaps this is because the authors are more used to writing full length novels, but at the end of each episode, I had the same thought: 'oh, is that it?'.
Its clear a lot of effort has gone into the production, and the mostly excellent performances of the narrators and music occasionally make you forget about the weakness of the underlying story.
I hope audible continues the series, despite this false start, with a new set of authors more used to writing short stories.

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Profile Image for michelle

brilliant. informative.

interesting, informative and amazing! what a treat to ease my daily commute. very interesting would recommend.

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Profile Image for Cindy

interesting Choices

The artifacts chosen by the authors were very fascinating, and to hear something of the objects histories, before listening to the fictional stories of the writers brought the artifacts to life.
I enjoyed 4 of the 6 stories, so I believe it is worth a listen. Give it a go, you can then decide for yourselves.

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