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Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
Total monthly reach
Estimated from 1 chart position in 1 market.
By chart position
- 🇨🇦CA · Books#1865K to 30K
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
2.5K to 15K🎙 ~2x weekly·48 episodes·Last published 4w ago - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
5K to 30K🇨🇦100% - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
2K to 12K
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On the show
Recent episodes
"The Star" by Arthur C. Clarke
Apr 28, 2026
21m 24s
6 (Very) Short Stories By Franz Kafka
Mar 24, 2026
24m 13s
"One Of These Days" by Gabriel García Márquez and "Razor" by Vladimir Nabokov
Feb 25, 2026
19m 28s
"Strabismus" by Stefan Grabiński
Jan 27, 2026
31m 12s
"TIBETAN FOLK TALES" BY A.L. SHELTON, VOL. 4
Dec 23, 2025
25m 54s
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/28/26 | ![]() "The Star" by Arthur C. Clarke | In this episode an interstellar trip to a distant nebula brings on a crisis of faith for the spaceship's astrophysicist in Arthur C. Clarke's Hugo Award winning story "The Star." All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar Narrated by Jim Billbrough We'd like to dedicate this episode to our good friend, band-mate, landlord, and poker buddy Tristram Lozaw. Tris was an excellent bass player, film composer, magazine publisher, and writer. He was a major force in the Boston Music scene for decades, but, more importantly, our friend. A simple Google search for 'Tristram Lozaw' will give you some idea of all that was left behind in the mighty wake of his life. We will miss him. | 21m 24s | ||||||
| 3/24/26 | ![]() 6 (Very) Short Stories By Franz Kafka | In this episode we present a 6-pack of strange and unusual stories by "Mr. Kafkaesque" himself - Franz Kafka. "At Night," "Poseidon," and "The Vulture" translated by Tania and James Stern "The New Advocate," "A Fratricide," and "A Dream" translated by Willa and Edwin Muir All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar Narrated by Bob Familiar and Jim Billbrough Story Order: "A Fratricide," "Poseidon," "A Dream," "The New Advocate," "At Night," and "The Vulture." | 24m 13s | ||||||
| 2/25/26 | ![]() "One Of These Days" by Gabriel García Márquez and "Razor" by Vladimir Nabokov | What would you do if you suddenly found your worst enemy completely at your mercy? Would you take revenge? Would you forgive?" Here are two stories that explore what happens when, out of the blue, the opportunity for vengeance arrives. "One Of These Days" by Gabriel García Márquez "Razor" by Vladimir Nabokov All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar Narration by Jim Billbrough | 19m 28s | ||||||
| 1/27/26 | ![]() "Strabismus" by Stefan Grabiński | A man finds himself struggling against an invasive intelligence taking over his mind and trying to eradicate everything the man had previously revered and admired in Stefan Grabiński’s “Strabismus.” Translated by Miroslaw Lipinski All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar Narrated by Jim Billbrough | 31m 12s | ||||||
| 12/23/25 | ![]() "TIBETAN FOLK TALES" BY A.L. SHELTON, VOL. 4 | Once again we spend the Yuletide season high up in the Himalayas with three stories from Albert Leroy Shelton's 1925 book Tibetan Folk Tales: "The Wiley Poor Man," "The Story Of The Two Devils," and "The Story Of The Violinist." All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar Narration by Bob Familiar and Jim Billbrough | 25m 54s | ||||||
| 11/28/25 | ![]() "In the Compartment" by Stefan Grabiński | In this episode we explore what happens when a mild-mannered man is not only addicted to train travel but is actually transformed into a bold and charismatic person each time he rides the rails...and the consequences he must face when the ride comes to an end. "In the Compartment' by Stefan Grabiński Translated by Miroslaw Lipinski All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar Narrated by Jim Billbrough Train sound effects by Pond5 Please note: this story deals with some adult themes so parents might want to give it a listen first before letting young kids hear it. No obscene language or explicit descriptions are used and the adult themed passages are portrayed in a rather outdated, quaint, and metaphorical way. At least we hope Grabiński is using metaphors... | 27m 36s | ||||||
| 10/28/25 | ![]() "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe | This Halloween, in the grand tradition of horror duo team-ups such as “Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman,” “Billy The Kid vs Dracula,” and “Sharktopus X Whalewolf,” we bring you David Mulholland and Robert Billbrough performing Edgar Allan Poe’s OG dungeon crawl - “The Cask Of Amontillado.”Robert Billbrough as MontresorDavid Mulholland as FortunatoMusic by Man Tray: Kelvin Weston, John Gunther, and Paul BillbroughMusic Production by Paul BillbroughPost Production by Bob FamiliarSound Effects by Pond5 | 17m 40s | ||||||
| 9/23/25 | ![]() "The Nightingale and the Rose" by Oscar Wilde | In this episode a selfless Nightingale sings her heart out to create a Red Rose for a lovelorn Student, but is he truly worthy of such a precious gift? It's Oscar Wilde's poignant tale of blood thirsty horticulture - "The Nightingale and the Rose." All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar Narration by Joey Pesce Nightingale recordings by Pro Sound Effects | 18m 00s | ||||||
| 8/26/25 | ![]() "The Twins" by Edogawa Rampo | In this episode we present a twisted tale of twin brothers. The younger brother -a murderous, narcissistic hedonist who will stop at nothing to get what he wants; the older brother -a man who enjoys wearing silk kimonos, taking early morning walks in the garden, and neatly folding his towels after every use. Physically identical except for a small mole on the younger brother's thigh - a mole with a suspiciously sinister looking goatee! "The Twins" by Edogawa Rampo. All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar Narration by Jim Billbrough | 32m 58s | ||||||
| 7/29/25 | ![]() "A Bottomless Grave" by Ambrose Bierce | It's Family Values Gone Wild in Ambrose Bierce's Dark Comedy "A Bottomless Grave." Narration by David Mulholland Music by Man Tray Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar. | 21m 44s | ||||||
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| 6/24/25 | ![]() "Instructions" by Bob Leman | Have you ever felt like a helpless pawn being manipulated by mysterious and hidden higher-dimensional beings? If so then this is the episode for you! It's Nebula Award Winning Author Bob Leman's trans-dimensional, mind and body altering trip through an almost endless game of bizarre, sanity shattering, yet seemingly mundane tasks: "Instructions." All Music, Audio Production, and Narration by Bob Familiar | 26m 16s | ||||||
| 5/8/25 | ![]() "Jeep Show" by Robert B. O'Connor | This is a special episode of Ambient Arcana marking the 80th Anniversary of V.E. Day - Victory in Europe Day - May 8th, 1945 when Germany officially surrendered to the Allied Forces ending World War II in Europe. A reading from “Jeep Show” by Robert B. O’Connor.Jeep Show is the story of entertainment specialist Jim Tanzer who finds himself trapped in the front lines during the Battle Of The Bulge. The unexpected German assault catches the American forces off guard, yet determined not to give way, even at the cost of their own lives. "Jeep Show" by Robert B. O’Connor is out now and available at most booksellers. https://jeepshowbook.com/ All music and audio production by Bob Familiar.Narration by Rick Weidner Bob Familiar as Henry “Allie” Allison and Sergeant KowalskiJim Billbrough as Jim TanzerMatt Gruenberg as the 2nd Lieutenant and Captain Rose Additional sound effects by Pro Sound Effects Ambient Arcana will be back to our usual schedule at the end of June. | 29m 36s | ||||||
| 4/22/25 | ![]() "Le Miroir" by Robert Aickman | We finish our current coverage of the works of British author Robert Aickman with a story that explores what happens when the face looking back at you in the mirror is not your own. "Le Miroir" by Robert Aickman All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar Narration by Jim Billbrough | 27m 48s | ||||||
| 3/25/25 | ![]() "The Coffin House" by Robert Aickman | In this episode two young British women, serving in the 'Woman's Land Army' during WWII, decide to skip a dour farmer's Christmas party only to discover there are worse ways to spend the Holiday in Robert Aickman's "The Coffin House." All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar Narration by Jim Billbrough | 12m 56s | ||||||
| 2/27/25 | ![]() "Laura" by Robert Aickman | Mod dress? Thigh-boots? Impossibly long worm-infested hallways? It's Robert Aickman's strange tale of a mysterious, ageless woman orbiting the life of a hapless man: "Laura." All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar Narrated by Alex Fitzsimmons | 22m 10s | ||||||
| 1/29/25 | ![]() "The Cookie Lady" By Philip K. Dick | In this episode we explore the heavy price of turning back the hands of time with Philip K. Dick's "The Cookie Lady." All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar. Narration by Jim Billbrough | 23m 02s | ||||||
| 12/31/24 | ![]() TIBETAN FOLK TALES BY A.L. SHELTON, VOL. 3 | Once again we spend our Holiday Season at the Top Of The World with yet more stories from Albert Leroy Shelton's 1925 book "Tibetan Folk Tales" All music and audio production by Bob Familiar Narrated by Bob Familiar and Jim Billbrough | 20m 40s | ||||||
| 11/25/24 | ![]() “The Facts In The Case Of M. Valdemar” By Edgar Allan Poe | In this episode we take the ultimate trip as we follow Ernie Valdemar on his final journey. Edgar Allan Poe’s story of Mesmeric Malpractice - “The Facts In The Case Of M. Valdemar” All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar Narration by Jim Billbrough We’ve based our narration on Basil Rathbone’s abridged version of this story from his 1960 recording of Poe’s stories for Caedmon Records. That narration can be found on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/QlgUNHJDWtk?feature=shared That record was a childhood favorite and using the abridged narration we heard as kids let’s us scratch that nostalgia itch, but for anyone who prefers the unabridged version, here’s a link to an excellent full text narration read by Bill Wallis: https://youtu.be/0E_9GwyoSzs?feature=shared | 22m 28s | ||||||
| 10/28/24 | ![]() “The October Game” by Ray Bradbury | Just when we thought we were done with Bradbury he pulls us back in! “The October Game” a disturbing Halloween horror story where the terrors are real…or are they? All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar. Narration by Jim Billbrough. Additional Voices by Izzy Q. and The Artist Known As Φ. | 23m 22s | ||||||
| 9/30/24 | ![]() “The Lake” by Ray Bradbury | We say goodbye to Summer with a late season tale of first love, tragic loss, and grim reunion. It’s Ray Bradbury’s classic macabre tearjerker - “The Lake.” All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar Narration by Clark Goodpaster Lake wave audio recording provided by Pro Sound Effects | 14m 53s | ||||||
| 9/12/24 | ![]() “The One Who Waits” and “The Pedestrian” by Ray Bradbury | In this episode we explore two stories of Retrofuturism by science fiction/fantasy icon Ray Bradbury: “The One Who Waits” - A lonely old soul gets closer to the new neighbors in the worst possible way. “The Pedestrian” - A solitary man walks the empty streets of a TV dominated dystopia. All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar Narrated by Bob Familiar and Jim Billbrough | 29m 40s | ||||||
| 7/30/24 | ![]() “The Legend of U Raitong, The Khasi Orpheus” | In this episode we tell a tragic story of forbidden love and dire consequences- “The Legend of U Raitong” as described by Mrs. K.U. Rafy in her 1920 collection “Folk-Tales Of The Khasis.” All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar Narration by Jim Billbrough While researching this story we found two more recent translations of “U Manik Raitong” by contemporary Khasi authors, both of which are worth checking out: “Khasi Myths, Legends & Folk Tales” by Bijoya Sawian (No direct link to the story on Google Books, but open the Table of Contents and follow the link to “U Manik Raitong”) https://www.google.com/books/edition/Khasi_Myths_Legends_Folk_Tales/Unr2BEAEezoC?hl=en …and “U Manik Raitong” by Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih from his book “Around the Hearth: Khasi Legends” U Manik Raitong - Monash Indigenous Studies Centre Apologies to the Khasi people for any mispronunciation of Khasi names or places in this episode. To balance things out we mispronounced some English words as well. | 23m 42s | ||||||
| 6/26/24 | ![]() “The Story Of An Hour” and “A Pair Of Silk Stockings” by Kate Chopin | Two stories about the elusive dream of freedom- A secret dream suddenly dashed and a dream unlooked for fulfilled. Kate Chopin’s “The Story Of An Hour” and “A Pair Of Silk Stockings.” Narrated by Arline Billbrough Music by Paul Billbrough Produced by Bob Familiar | 20m 22s | ||||||
| 6/5/24 | ![]() “In A Grove” by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa | In 1950 Akira Kurosawa merged two of Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s short stories together to make his classic film “Rashomon.”Last episode we covered the story that gave the film it’s name and in this episode we explore the story of the murder at the heart of that film, told by seven characters with seven different, often conflicting accounts: “In A Grove” by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar Narrated by Mandy Familiar, Bob Familiar, Joey Pesce, Shannon Wilson, Jace Wilson, Danielle Barry, Matt Gruenberg, and Jim Billbrough | 26m 03s | ||||||
| 4/26/24 | ![]() “Rashōmon” by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa | In this episode we contemplate whether it is better to accept death with your morals intact or to survive by any means necessary. Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s “Rashōmon”. Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar Narrated by Jim Billbrough Some sound effects in this episode were licensed from Pro Sound Effects 240 Kent Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11249 licensing@prosoundeffects.com | 18m 41s | ||||||
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Chart Positions
1 placement across 1 market.
Chart Positions
1 placement across 1 market.
