Are you sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin. (That phrase might ring a few bells with some of our more ‘mature’ readers; it was the intro to ‘Listen With Mother’, when we were kids.)

Anyway, we’d like to introduce you to a new series of podcasts from Aesop, the famed botanical beauty brand, of whom we’ve been fans for decades (and even visited them in Australia, in the early days, a couple of times – when we happened to be in the area).

Future Fables are short bedside stories for adults, written by eminent authors and produced as part of their Radiomatique Mixtapes, in partnership with Worldwide FM. It is the next step in the brand’s move into ‘exploring the power of sound and sonic offerings.’ The list of podcasts in this first series is below, if you scroll down.

As they explain it: ‘Over two and a half millennia ago, the sage of ancient storytelling, Aesop, spun yarns with moral teachings that still weave into the modern day—but one wonders what sort of tales he might have written in 2022…’

Aesop continue: ‘Over two and a half millennia ago, the sage of ancient storytelling, Aesop, spun yarns with moral teachings that still weave into the modern day—but one wonders what sort of tales he might have written in 2022. It is this thought which inspired Future Fables, which sees revered writers adopt the fable form to elucidate morals for the modern day. Best pared with an aromatique candle and cup of freshly brewed tea (or else something a little stronger), these stories are catalysts for conversation, contemplation and moments of quietude.’

Something a little different for this time of fresh starts and (yes) contemplation, we think. And – even better – completely free.

F7ind them on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and LitHub.com. Or use the link below to find out more…

Read more here (or check out the full run-down of podcast content, below)

LIST OF PODCASTS (from Aesop’s own website)

The River Cat’s Brother by Akwaeke Emezi As one of the most vibrant voices in contemporary literature (and beyond), multidisciplinary artist and writer Akwaeke Emezi has won a plethora of prestigious awards, and featured on the cover of TIME Magazine as a 2021 Next Generation Leader. The moral of their story, told through the claws and roars of river cats, relates to the importance of accepting help from others.

Sleep is All Hers by Mieko Kawakami Described as ‘ceaselessly growing and evolving’ by Haruki Murakami, Mieko Kawakami was recently shortlisted for the International Booker Prize for her novel Heaven (2009), translated by David Boyd, who also translated this fable. Exploring the preciousness of friendship and our relationship with mortality, Kawakami’s story invites us to reconsider common fears with a gently irreverent wit.

The Rat and the Hamster by Amelia Abraham Abraham is a journalist and the author of two books — Queer Intentions (2020) and We Can Do Better Than This (2021), an anthology which brings together 35 voices on the future of LGBTQIA+ rights. In a playful tale of friendship, envy and empathy, Amelia Abraham invites listeners to consider comparison and ponder its worth — or lack thereof.

Butterfly Man by Lydia Millet Millet is a prolific author of over 13 books, whose collection of short stories Love in Infant Monkeys (2010) was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Her most recent novel, A Children’s Bible, was published in 2020. Exploring the nature of change and the sometimes unwelcome passing of time, Lydia Millet’s tale of a slightly stubborn insect is charmingly bittersweet.

The Pack by Rivers Solomon Solomon is an award-winning author, self-proclaimed gender malcontent and keen bird watcher, whose novel An Unkindness of Ghosts featured in the Aesop Queer Library last year. In the final episode of Future Fables, Solomon invites us to join a pack of wolves and discover the importance of community.

Prize Draws