CostasNarrativeXP 2026 Valentine's feature
"Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Published in June, 1908
Project Gutenberg Ebook edition

An imaginative orphan is unexpectedly adopted into a quiet rural community, where her vivid inner life and stubborn spirit gradually transform the people around her.

Chapter 22-25
00:30 22 Anne nervously visits Mrs. Allan for tea, impresses with etiquette, bonds over shared struggles, while Mrs. Lynde announces the new teacher, Miss Muriel Stacy.
09:11 23 Anne gets dared to walk a roof, falls and breaks her ankle, stays home many weeks, receives many visitors, and anticipates the new teacher.
22:57 24 Anne returns to school, loves the new teacher Miss Stacy, and eagerly prepares for the Christmas fundraising concert, encouraged by Matthew despite Marilla’s skepticism.
32:01 25 Matthew notices Anne’s plain clothes compared with her classmates, enlists Mrs. Lynde to make her a beautiful Christmas dress, she also receives fancy slippers from Diana’s aunt, and the concert is a success.

Characters
Anne Shirley - A thin, red-haired orphan with an incredibly vivid imagination and a "tongue fastened at one end." Overjoyed to finally have a home
Matthew Cuthbert - A shy, awkward sixty-year-old bachelor who lives at Green Gables. Though he is terrified of women and girls, he finds himself strangely charmed by Anne
Marilla Cuthbert - Matthew’s sister. She is tall, thin, with a strict sense of duty. While Matthew is the heart of the duo, Marilla is the logic. She is the one who ultimately has to decide what to do about adopting Anne by mistake
Rachel Lynde - The town gossip and "notable" busybody, she represents the judgmental social standards of Avonlea
Alexander Spencer - She is the "middleman" whose misunderstanding of the Cuthberts' request led to Anne being brought to Prince Edward Island instead of a boy
Diana Barry - Anne’s kind, pretty, and conventional neighbour who becomes her first and dearest “bosom friend"
Gilbert Blythe - Handsome, confident, teasing, his thoughtless joke sparks Anne’s lifelong grudge and rivalry
Josephine Barry - Wealthy, sharp-tongued city-dweller, evolves to become Anne’s most generous and sophisticated "kindred spirit" benefactors
Mrs. Allan - Young, stylish, and deeply empathetic, a minister’s wife who becomes the ultimate role model and a nurturing mentor for Anne's emotions

Costa's Wordbook
Beatify v be supremely happy; (in the Roman Catholic Church) announce the beatification of (be Aht tify)
Organdie n a fine translucent cotton muslin that is usually stiffened and is used for women's clothing

Ridgepole n the horizontal pole of a long tent or roof
Recitation n the action of repeating something aloud from memory (Reh cit taytion)

Contortion n a twisted or bent condition, state, or form; the skill of twisting and bending one's body into strange and unnatural positions, as a form of entertainment

Bevy n a large group of people or things of a particular kind
Presbyterian n relating to or denoting a Christian Church or denomination governed by elders according to the principles of Presbyterianism (press bit Tee rian)
Swathing (swathe) v wrap in several layers of fabric (Sway thing)
Shirring n a decorative gathering (as of cloth) made by drawing up the material along two or more parallel lines of stitching (Sher ring)
Spell n a short period

Complete Features
Little Prince, Brave New World, Monte Cristo, Songs of Dead Dreamer, Last Unicorn, Brothers Karamazov, Fellowship of the Ring, Winnie the Pooh, Jane Eyre, Angels & Demons, Perfume, Great Gatsby, Jekyll & Hyde, Maigret, 1984, Metamorphosis, Dracula, Don Quixote, Dorian Gray, Anne Frank, Lord of the Flies, Liar's Poker, Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, Great Expectations

Milestone
2021: 0 Full soundtrack, no editing, wife commentary, summary outline, irregular release
2022: 2.0 DaVinci editing, wordbook, book intro, AI host + illustration, chapter summary, scheduled release
2023: 2.1 Descript, CapCut, Suno score, character intro, weekly release
2024: 2.2 Standard condenser mic, Audacity, ChatGPT annotation + illustration, timestamp, 1-hour content

Patreon: costasaudiobook
YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Reddit, Amazon Music, Firstory, Pocket Casts, KKBOX, Castbox, Noice, Podcast Addict, SoundOn, Castro, Player FM

CostasNarrativeXP 2026 Valentine's feature
"Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Published in June, 1908
Project Gutenberg Ebook edition

An imaginative orphan is unexpectedly adopted into a quiet rural community, where her vivid inner life and stubborn spirit gradually transform the people around her.

Chapter 19-21
00:30 19 Anne accidentally jumps on Diana’s sleeping Aunt Josephine. Her brave, imaginative apology saves Diana’s music lessons and turns the elderly woman’s fury into a lasting, kindred-spirit friendship.
24:12 20 Marilla forces Anne to walk through the "Haunted Wood" at night to discipline her overactive imagination. Anne survives the terrifying ordeal and vows to curb her fanciful ghost stories.
37:20 21 Anne accidentally flavors a cake with liniment for the new minister’s wife. Mortified, she is comforted by Mrs. Allan’s kindness and vows never to make the same mistake twice.

Characters
Anne Shirley - A thin, red-haired orphan with an incredibly vivid imagination and a "tongue fastened at one end." Overjoyed to finally have a home
Matthew Cuthbert - A shy, awkward sixty-year-old bachelor who lives at Green Gables. Though he is terrified of women and girls, he finds himself strangely charmed by Anne
Marilla Cuthbert - Matthew’s sister. She is tall, thin, with a strict sense of duty. While Matthew is the heart of the duo, Marilla is the logic. She is the one who ultimately has to decide what to do about adopting Anne by mistake
Rachel Lynde - The town gossip and "notable" busybody, she represents the judgmental social standards of Avonlea
Alexander Spencer - She is the "middleman" whose misunderstanding of the Cuthberts' request led to Anne being brought to Prince Edward Island instead of a boy
Diana Barry - Anne’s kind, pretty, and conventional neighbour who becomes her first and dearest “bosom friend"
Gilbert Blythe - Handsome, confident, teasing, his thoughtless joke sparks Anne’s lifelong grudge and rivalry
Josephine Barry - Wealthy, sharp-tongued city-dweller, evolves to become Anne’s most generous and sophisticated "kindred spirit" benefactors
Mrs. Allan - Young, stylish, and deeply empathetic, a minister’s wife who becomes the ultimate role model and a nurturing mentor for Anne's emotions

Costa's Wordbook
Pung sleigh n a sturdy, box-shaped, horse-drawn sleigh popular in 18th-19th-century New England and Eastern Canada for winter transport of goods, cargo, or people
Gad v go from place to place in the pursuit of pleasure (like glad)
Threadbare adj (of an argument, excuse, idea, etc.) used so often that it is no longer effective; (of a person, building, or room) poor or shabby in appearance; (of cloth, clothing, or soft furnishings) becoming thin and tattered with age
Beard v boldly confront or challenge (someone formidable)

Bestarred v to decorate with stars

Dyspeptic adj having indigestion or a consequent air of irritable bad temper (dis Pep tic)
Adulterate v render (something) poorer in quality by adding another substance (a Dul ter rate)
Flummery adj meaningless or insincere flattery or conventions (Flum like plum mery)
Inveigle v persuade (someone) to do something by means of deception or flattery (in Vey gle)
Anodyne Liniment - a medicated liquid preparation applied topically to the skin to relieve pain, muscle stiffness, and soreness

Complete Features
Little Prince, Brave New World, Monte Cristo, Songs of Dead Dreamer, Last Unicorn, Brothers Karamazov, Fellowship of the Ring, Winnie the Pooh, Jane Eyre, Angels & Demons, Perfume, Great Gatsby, Jekyll & Hyde, Maigret, 1984, Metamorphosis, Dracula, Don Quixote, Dorian Gray, Anne Frank, Lord of the Flies, Liar's Poker, Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, Great Expectations

Milestone
2021: 0 Full soundtrack, no editing, wife commentary, summary outline, irregular release
2022: 2.0 DaVinci editing, wordbook, book intro, AI host + illustration, chapter summary, scheduled release
2023: 2.1 Descript, CapCut, Suno score, character intro, weekly release
2024: 2.2 Standard condenser mic, Audacity, ChatGPT annotation + illustration, timestamp, 1-hour content

Patreon: costasaudiobook
YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Reddit, Amazon Music, Firstory, Pocket Casts, KKBOX, Castbox, Noice, Podcast Addict, SoundOn, Castro, Player FM

CostasNarrativeXP 2026 Valentine's feature
"Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Published in June, 1908
Project Gutenberg Ebook edition

An imaginative orphan is unexpectedly adopted into a quiet rural community, where her vivid inner life and stubborn spirit gradually transform the people around her.

Chapter 16-18
00:30 16 Anne accidentally gets Diana drunk on currant wine instead of raspberry cordial. Outraged, Mrs. Barry forbids their friendship, leaving Anne heartbroken despite Marilla’s explanation.
23:36 17 After a tearful parting, Diana’s mother forbids school contact. Anne channels her heartache into academic rivalry with Gilbert, excelling in all subjects except the challenging geometry.
35:51 18 Anne saves Minnie May from life-threatening croup using her childcare experience. A grateful Mrs. Barry admits her error, forgives Anne, and joyfully restores the girls' forbidden friendship.

Characters
Anne Shirley - A thin, red-haired orphan with an incredibly vivid imagination and a "tongue fastened at one end." Overjoyed to finally have a home
Matthew Cuthbert - A shy, awkward sixty-year-old bachelor who lives at Green Gables. Though he is terrified of women and girls, he finds himself strangely charmed by Anne
Marilla Cuthbert - Matthew’s sister. She is tall, thin, with a strict sense of duty. While Matthew is the heart of the duo, Marilla is the logic. She is the one who ultimately has to decide what to do about adopting Anne by mistake
Rachel Lynde - The town gossip and "notable" busybody, she represents the judgmental social standards of Avonlea
Alexander Spencer - She is the "middleman" whose misunderstanding of the Cuthberts' request led to Anne being brought to Prince Edward Island instead of a boy
Diana Barry - Anne’s kind, pretty, and conventional neighbour who becomes her first and dearest “bosom friend"
Gilbert Blythe - Handsome, confident, teasing, his thoughtless joke sparks Anne’s lifelong grudge and rivalry

Costa's Wordbook
Addlepated adj confused; eccentric (Addle payted)
Sere adj dry or withered (Sear)
Suppliant n a person making a humble or earnest plea to a power or authority (Sup pleant)
Prepense adj deliberate, intentional (pre Pense)
Perquisite n a benefit which one enjoys or is entitled to on account of one's job or position (Per quisit)
Bedizen v dress up or decorate gaudily (be Dy sen)
Dunce n derog. a person who is slow at learning; a stupid person (dun s)

Stoop v arch. condescend to do something

Grit - Liberal party of Canada
Beau n a person's boyfriend or male admirer; a rich, fashionable young man, a dandy
Russet n a dessert apple of a variety with a slightly rough brownish skin (Rus sit)
Croup n inflammation of the larynx and trachea in children, associated with infection and causing breathing difficulties (like group)
Ipecac n a drug prepared from the dried rhizome of the South American shrub ipecacuanha, used as an emetic and expectorant (Ip pic kack)
Crochet n a handicraft in which yarn is made up into a textured fabric by means of a hooked needle (fr, crow shey)

Complete Features
Little Prince, Brave New World, Monte Cristo, Songs of Dead Dreamer, Last Unicorn, Brothers Karamazov, Fellowship of the Ring, Winnie the Pooh, Jane Eyre, Angels & Demons, Perfume, Great Gatsby, Jekyll & Hyde, Maigret, 1984, Metamorphosis, Dracula, Don Quixote, Dorian Gray, Anne Frank, Lord of the Flies, Liar's Poker, Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, Great Expectations

Milestone
2021: 0 Full soundtrack, no editing, wife commentary, summary outline, irregular release
2022: 2.0 DaVinci editing, wordbook, book intro, AI host + illustration, chapter summary, scheduled release
2023: 2.1 Descript, CapCut, Suno score, character intro, weekly release
2024: 2.2 Standard condenser mic, Audacity, ChatGPT annotation + illustration, timestamp, 1-hour content

Patreon: costasaudiobook
YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Reddit, Amazon Music, Firstory, Pocket Casts, KKBOX, Castbox, Noice, Podcast Addict, SoundOn, Castro, Player FM

CostasNarrativeXP 2026 Valentine's feature
"Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Published in June, 1908
Project Gutenberg Ebook edition

An imaginative orphan is unexpectedly adopted into a quiet rural community, where her vivid inner life and stubborn spirit gradually transform the people around her.

Chapter 13-15
00:30 13 Anne eagerly anticipates a Sunday school picnic, charms Marilla, and becomes enchanted with Marilla’s amethyst brooch, asking to hold it.
11:17 14 Marilla wrongly accuses Anne of losing the brooch. Anne invents a confession, is punished, then forgiven when Marilla finds it, and Anne is allowed to attend the picnic.
29:03 15 Anne befriends classmates, clashes with Gilbert Blythe, is humiliated by Mr. Phillips, quits school in fury, refuses to forgive Gilbert, and melodramatically adores Diana, amusing Marilla.

Characters
Anne Shirley - A thin, red-haired orphan with an incredibly vivid imagination and a "tongue fastened at one end." Overjoyed to finally have a home
Matthew Cuthbert - A shy, awkward sixty-year-old bachelor who lives at Green Gables. Though he is terrified of women and girls, he finds himself strangely charmed by Anne
Marilla Cuthbert - Matthew’s sister. She is tall, thin, with a strict sense of duty. While Matthew is the heart of the duo, Marilla is the logic. She is the one who ultimately has to decide what to do about adopting Anne by mistake
Rachel Lynde - The town gossip and "notable" busybody, she represents the judgmental social standards of Avonlea
Alexander Spencer - She is the "middleman" whose misunderstanding of the Cuthberts' request led to Anne being brought to Prince Edward Island instead of a boy
Diana Barry - Anne’s kind, pretty, and conventional neighbour who becomes her first and dearest “bosom friend"
Gilbert Blythe - Handsome, confident, teasing, his thoughtless joke sparks Anne’s lifelong grudge and rivalry

Costa's Wordbook
Forlornly adv showing one is alone and unhappy (for Lawn ly)

Beatification n a state of radiant happiness and bliss, almost saint-like joy; (in the Roman Catholic Church) declaration by the Pope that a dead person is in a state of bliss, constituting a first step towards canonization and permitting public veneration (be Aat tification)
Scrumptious adj (of food) extremely tasty, delicious (Scrum xious)

Lissom adj (of a person or their body) slim, supple, and graceful (Lis sum)
Spruce n a widespread coniferous tree which has a distinctive conical shape and hanging cones, widely grown for timber, pulp, and Christmas trees (like bruce)
Primer n an elementary textbook that serves as an introduction to a subject of study or is used for teaching children to read (Prime mer)
Harrow v cause distress to n a heavy frame set with teeth or tines which is dragged over ploughed land

Complete Features
Little Prince, Brave New World, Monte Cristo, Songs of Dead Dreamer, Last Unicorn, Brothers Karamazov, Fellowship of the Ring, Winnie the Pooh, Jane Eyre, Angels & Demons, Perfume, Great Gatsby, Jekyll & Hyde, Maigret, 1984, Metamorphosis, Dracula, Don Quixote, Dorian Gray, Anne Frank, Lord of the Flies, Liar's Poker, Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, Great Expectations

Milestone
2021: 0 Full soundtrack, no editing, wife commentary, summary outline, irregular release
2022: 2.0 DaVinci editing, wordbook, book intro, AI host + illustration, chapter summary, scheduled release
2023: 2.1 Descript, CapCut, Suno score, character intro, weekly release
2024: 2.2 Standard condenser mic, Audacity, ChatGPT annotation + illustration, timestamp, 1-hour content

Patreon: costasaudiobook
YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Reddit, Amazon Music, Firstory, Pocket Casts, KKBOX, Castbox, Noice, Podcast Addict, SoundOn, Castro, Player FM

CostasNarrativeXP 2026 Valentine's feature
"Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Published in June, 1908
Project Gutenberg Ebook edition

An imaginative orphan is unexpectedly adopted into a quiet rural community, where her vivid inner life and stubborn spirit gradually transform the people around her.

Chapter 9-12
00:30 9 After Mrs. Lynde insults Anne’s looks, Anne retaliates with a furious outburst. Marilla demands an apology, but privately empathizes with Anne’s hurt feelings while finding Rachel’s shock secretly hilarious.
15:40 10 Anne is punished but persuaded by Matthew to apologize. She delivers a dramatic apology, is forgiven, and finally feels Green Gables is truly her home.
31:21 11 Marilla gives Anne plain dresses. At Sunday school Anne feels out of place, unimpressed, and lonely. Her blunt criticism of church shocks Marilla, who secretly agrees.
42:36 12 Marilla scolds Anne for standing out, then introduces her to Diana Barry. The girls instantly bond, swear friendship, make plans, and Anne joyfully shares Matthew’s candy.

Characters
Anne Shirley - A thin, red-haired orphan with an incredibly vivid imagination and a "tongue fastened at one end." Overjoyed to finally have a home.
Matthew Cuthbert - A shy, awkward sixty-year-old bachelor who lives at Green Gables. Though he is terrified of women and girls, he finds himself strangely charmed by Anne
Marilla Cuthbert - Matthew’s sister. She is tall, thin, with a strict sense of duty. While Matthew is the heart of the duo, Marilla is the logic. She is the one who ultimately has to decide what to do about adopting Anne by mistake
Rachel Lynde - The town gossip and "notable" busybody, she represents the judgmental social standards of Avonlea
Alexander Spencer - She is the "middleman" whose misunderstanding of the Cuthberts' request led to Anne being brought to Prince Edward Island instead of a boy
Diana Barry - Anne’s kind, pretty, and conventional neighbour who becomes her first and dearest “bosom friend"

Costa's Wordbook
Grippe n arch. Influenza (grip)
Parthian shaft (shot) idiom a sharp, telling remark, act, gesture, made in departing; parthian is ancient iranian

Narcissi pl n of narcissus, the flower (Narc Ciss sigh)
Sateen n a cotton fabric woven like satin with a glossy surface (sat Teen)
Furbelow n a gathered strip or pleated border of a skirt or petticoat (Fur billow)
Dudgeon n a feeling of offence or deep resentment (Dud geon)

Fuchsia n a shrub with pendulous tubular flowers that are typically of two contrasting colours. They are native to America and New Zealand and are commonly grown as ornamentals (Few sia)

Caper n an illicit or ridiculous activity or escapade
Consumption n (dated) a wasting disease, especially pulmonary tuberculosis
Abet v encourage or assist (someone) to do something wrong, in particular to commit a crime
Fore and aft adv all the way; backwards and forwards
Deprecatory adj apologetic or appeasing; expressing disapproval (Dep pre catory)

Complete Features
Little Prince, Brave New World, Monte Cristo, Songs of Dead Dreamer, Last Unicorn, Brothers Karamazov, Fellowship of the Ring, Winnie the Pooh, Jane Eyre, Angels & Demons, Perfume, Great Gatsby, Jekyll & Hyde, Maigret, 1984, Metamorphosis, Dracula, Don Quixote, Dorian Gray, Anne Frank, Lord of the Flies, Liar's Poker, Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, Great Expectations

Milestone
2021: 0 Full soundtrack, no editing, wife commentary, summary outline, irregular release
2022: 2.0 DaVinci editing, wordbook, book intro, AI host + illustration, chapter summary, scheduled release
2023: 2.1 Descript, CapCut, Suno score, character intro, weekly release
2024: 2.2 Standard condenser mic, Audacity, ChatGPT annotation + illustration, timestamp, 1-hour content

Patreon: costasaudiobook
YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Reddit, Amazon Music, Firstory, Pocket Casts, KKBOX, Castbox, Noice, Podcast Addict, SoundOn, Castro, Player FM

CostasNarrativeXP 2026 Valentine's feature
"Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Published in June, 1908
Project Gutenberg Ebook edition

An imaginative orphan is unexpectedly adopted into a quiet rural community, where her vivid inner life and stubborn spirit gradually transform the people around her.

Chapter 4-8
00:30 4 Anne wakes up cheerful but resigned to leaving. Despite Matthew’s subtle hints, Marilla remains firm and drives Anne away to return her.
14:29 5 Anne recounts her difficult past while traveling. Impressed by her spirit and resilience, Marilla begins rethinking her decision to return the girl.
27:00 6 To rescue Anne from the cruel Mrs. Blewett, Marilla decides to keep her at Green Gables as an "experiment," provided Matthew lets her handle the child’s upbringing.
38:50 7 Shocked by Anne’s lack of prayer, Marilla allows a quirky first attempt. Labeling her a "heathen," Marilla remains committed to raising Anne at Green Gables.
46:26 8 Marilla officially tells Anne she can stay. Anne contemplates a religious painting, dreams of a "bosom friend" in Diana Barry, and chooses her new reality over her romantic imaginings.

Characters
Anne Shirley - A thin, red-haired orphan with an incredibly vivid imagination and a "tongue fastened at one end." Overjoyed to finally have a home, unaware that it has been a major mistake
Matthew Cuthbert - A shy, awkward sixty-year-old bachelor who lives at Green Gables. Though he is terrified of women and girls, he finds himself strangely charmed by Anne
Marilla Cuthbert - Matthew’s sister. She is tall, thin, with a strict sense of duty. While Matthew is the heart of the duo, Marilla is the logic. She is the one who ultimately has to decide what to do about adopting Anne by mistake
Rachel Lynde - The town gossip and "notable" busybody, she represents the judgmental social standards of Avonlea
Alexander Spencer - She is the "middleman" whose misunderstanding of the Cuthberts' request led to Anne being brought to Prince Edward Island instead of a boy

Costa's Wordbook
Handle n nickname

Vim n energy, enthusiasm

Irreverence n a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously
Manse n a house provided for a minister of certain Christian Churches; a person’s home (Mans)

Scald v arch. rinse (a container) with boiling water (scold)

Complete Features
Little Prince, Brave New World, Monte Cristo, Songs of Dead Dreamer, Last Unicorn, Brothers Karamazov, Fellowship of the Ring, Winnie the Pooh, Jane Eyre, Angels & Demons, Perfume, Great Gatsby, Jekyll & Hyde, Maigret, 1984, Metamorphosis, Dracula, Don Quixote, Dorian Gray, Anne Frank, Lord of the Flies, Liar's Poker, Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, Great Expectations

Milestone
2021: 0 Full soundtrack, no editing, wife commentary, summary outline, irregular release
2022: 2.0 DaVinci editing, wordbook, book intro, AI host + illustration, chapter summary, scheduled release
2023: 2.1 Descript, CapCut, Suno score, character intro, weekly release
2024: 2.2 Standard condenser mic, Audacity, ChatGPT annotation + illustration, timestamp, 1-hour content

Patreon: costasaudiobook
YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Reddit, Amazon Music, Firstory, Pocket Casts, KKBOX, Castbox, Noice, Podcast Addict, SoundOn, Castro, Player FM

CostasNarrativeXP 2026 Valentine's feature
"Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Published in June, 1908

An imaginative orphan is unexpectedly adopted into a quiet rural community, where her vivid inner life and stubborn spirit gradually transform the people around her.

Chapter 1-3
00:30 1 Rachel Lynde is shocked to discover that the elderly Cuthberts are adopting an orphan to help on their farm, despite her dire warnings about the risks involved.
18:50 2 Shocked to find a girl instead of a boy, shy Matthew brings the imaginative, talkative orphan home, dreading the moment of revelation.
48:14 3 Matthew brings Anne home. Marilla is cold but amused. Anne begs for diginity. Matthew softens. Marilla resists. Anne cries herself to sleep.

Characters
Anne Shirley - A thin, red-haired orphan with an incredibly vivid imagination and a "tongue fastened at one end." Overjoyed to finally have a home, unaware that it has been a major mistake
Matthew Cuthbert - A shy, awkward sixty-year-old bachelor who lives at Green Gables. Though he is terrified of women and girls, he finds himself strangely charmed by Anne
Marilla Cuthbert - Matthew’s sister. She is tall, thin, with a strict sense of duty. While Matthew is the heart of the duo, Marilla is the logic. She is the one who ultimately has to decide what to do about adopting Anne by mistake
Rachel Lynde - The town gossip and "notable" busybody, she represents the judgmental social standards of Avonlea
Alexander Spencer - She is the "middleman" whose misunderstanding of the Cuthberts' request led to Anne being brought to Prince Edward Island instead of a boy

Costa's Wordbook
Lady's Eardrops n any of several plants having pendent flowers thought to resemble earrings, as the jewelweed or the fuchsia
The whys and wherefores phr the reasons for something
by dint of phr by means of
Buggy n a light horse-drawn vehicle for one or two people, with two or (in North America) four wheels
Sorrel n a horse with a light reddish-brown coat (Sor rol)
Prim Lombardies - Lombardy Poplars, famous for their unique shape. Unlike most trees that spread out, Lombardies grow straight up like tall, thin pillars or spires (Lom ber dees)
The proverbial ‘perk of dirt’ - refer to old saying: "Every man must eat a peck of dirt before he dies." peck is old unit of measurement for dry volume (roughly 2 gallons) (pro Verb bee al)
Spry adj (especially of an old person) active, lively
Home boy - “British Home Children”. Almost exclusively white children from the United Kingdom were sent to the colonies to work. Between 1869- late 1940s, over 100,000 children were sent to Canada.

Balsamy adj like balsam, often associated with healing, fresh air, and a sense of peace
Sundry adj of various kinds, several (Sun dree)
Shingle n thin, flat pieces of wood or other material used in rows for roofs or walls
Sidle v walk in a furtive, unobtrusive, or timid manner, especially sideways or obliquely (Cy dle)
Preparatory n serving as or carrying out preparation for a task or undertaking (pre Pair ret tree)
Wincey n a strong, lightweight twilled fabric, typically a mixture of wool with cotton or linen (Win sea)
Lacy adj made of, resembling, or trimmed with lace
Tongue hung in the middle - idiom a very talkative or gossipy person
Crocus n a small spring-flowering Eurasian plant of the iris family, which grows from a corm and bears bright yellow, purple, or white flowers (Crow cus)

Deprecatingly adv one shows of little value or importance, or disapproval (Dep prec cating ly)

Complete Features
Little Prince, Brave New World, Monte Cristo, Songs of Dead Dreamer, Last Unicorn, Brothers Karamazov, Fellowship of the Ring, Winnie the Pooh, Jane Eyre, Angels & Demons, Perfume, Great Gatsby, Jekyll & Hyde, Maigret, 1984, Metamorphosis, Dracula, Don Quixote, Dorian Gray, Anne Frank, Lord of the Flies, Liar's Poker, Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, Great Expectations

Milestone
2021: 0 Full soundtrack, no editing, wife commentary, summary outline, irregular release
2022: 2.0 DaVinci editing, wordbook, book intro, AI host + illustration, chapter summary, scheduled release
2023: 2.1 Descript, CapCut, Suno score, character intro, weekly release
2024: 2.2 Standard condenser mic, Audacity, ChatGPT annotation + illustration, timestamp, 1-hour content

Patreon: costasaudiobook
YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Reddit, Amazon Music, Firstory, Pocket Casts, KKBOX, Castbox, Noice, Podcast Addict, SoundOn, Castro, Player FM

CostasNarrativeXP 2026 New Year feature
"The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Published in April 1943

A fable in which a lone traveler meets a mysterious child from another world, gently exploring loneliness, love, and what truly matters, through simple words that speak most clearly to adults.

Introduction Chapter 1-27
00:29 Author's biography
02:37 1 we are introduced to the narrator, a pilot, and his ideas about grown-ups
06:13 2 the narrator crashes in the desert and makes the acquaintance of the little prince
11:15 3 the narrator learns more about from where the little prince came
14:07 4 the narrator speculates as to which asteroid from which the little prince came
19:45 5 we are warned as to the dangers of the baobabs
25:01 6 the little prince and the narrator talk about sunsets
26:39 7 the narrator learns about the secret of the little prince's life
32:00 8 the rose arrives at the little prince's planet
37:02 9 the little prince leaves his planet
40:06 10 the little prince visits the king
48:26 11 the little prince visits the conceited man
50:33 12 the little prince visits the tippler
51:49 13 the little prince visits the businessman
57:35 14 the little prince visits the lamplighter
1:02:20 15 the little prince visits the geographer
1:07:51 16 the narrator discusses the Earth's lamplighters
1:09:47 17 the little prince makes the acquaintance of the snake
1:13:39 18 the little prince goes looking for men and meets a flower
1:14:39 19 the little prince climbs a mountain range
1:16:01 20 the little prince discovers a garden of roses
1:17:44 21 the little prince befriends the fox
1:26:07 22 the little prince encounters a railway switchman
1:27:55 23 the little prince encounters a merchant
1:28:53 24 the narrator and the little prince, thirsty, hunt for a well in the desert
1:33:34 25 finding a well, the narrator and the little prince discuss his return to his planet
1:38:33 26 the little prince converses with the snake; the little prince consoles the narrator; the little prince returns to his planet
1:48:24 27 the narrator's afterthoughts

Characters
The Pilot - an aviator stranded in the desert, telling the story in first person. Also the narrator
The Little Prince - a mysterious child who appears in the desert and asks the pilot to draw
The Rose- the Little Prince’s unique flower on his home asteroid

Costa's Wordbook
Weathervane n a revolving pointer to show the direction of the wind, typically mounted on top of a building (Weather vain)

Complete Features
Brave New World, Count of Monte Cristo, Songs of Dead Dreamer, Last Unicorn, Brothers Karamazov, Fellowship of the Ring, Winnie the Pooh, Jane Eyre, Angels & Demons, Perfume, Great Gatsby, Jekyll & Hyde, Maigret, 1984, Metamorphosis, Dracula, Don Quixote, Dorian Gray, Anne Frank, Lord of the Flies, Liar's Poker, Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, Great Expectations

Milestone
2021: 0 Full soundtrack, no editing, wife commentary, summary outline, irregular release
2022: 2.0 DaVinci editing, wordbook, book intro, AI host + illustration, chapter summary, scheduled release
2023: 2.1 Descript, CapCut, Suno score, character intro, weekly release
2024: 2.2 Standard condenser mic, Audacity, ChatGPT annotation + illustration, timestamp, 1-hour content

Patreon: costasaudiobook
YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Reddit, Amazon Music, Firstory, Pocket Casts, KKBOX, Castbox, Noice, Podcast Addict, SoundOn, Castro, Player FM