Future Fables

A new volume of succinct yet stirring stories arrives with the second season of Future Fables — Aesop’s storytelling podcast, created in partnership with Literary Hub. Exploring how the ancient fable form may bring us replenishment, comfort and perhaps guidance for the modern day, celebrated contemporary writers weave yarns that resonate and illuminate in equal measure Future Fables is created in partnership with Literary Hub. The theme music was composed by Dean Blunt; episodes were mixed, designed and mastered by Hannah Webster at Unit; and each tale is read by Gabriel Santos from Aesop.

Episodes

‘The Eagle’s Daughters’ by Ellen van Neerven

October 5, 2023 • 11 mins

An Australian writer of Aboriginal Mununjali Yugambeh and Dutch heritage, Ellen van Neerven has won various literary prizes for their works of fiction, poetry, drama and non-fiction. Their fable invites us to reflect on the relationship between humans and the lands we inhabit, giving us a bird’s eye view on how we can better understand our connections with the natural world.

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‘The Seasonal Scurry’ by George Walker

October 5, 2023 • 12 mins

As a senior scribe at Aesop, George Walker has a deep interest in the power of words and the transformative impact of sharing stories. When he isn’t writing for Aesop’s stores, website or amber bottles, he can be found working on the draft of a first novel, following tutelage at Faber’s ‘Writing a Novel’ course and years spent filling notebooks. In this playful, mischievous tale, an unexpected visitor ...

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‘The Three Golden Nails’ by Stephen Graham Jones

September 22, 2023 • 13 mins

Based in Boulder, Colorado, Stephen Graham Jones is the author of nearly 30 novels, collections, novellas and comic books. His writing typically spans horror, crime and science fiction, and references his heritage as a Blackfoot Native American. In this darkly comic tale, Jones urges us to accept life’s inevitabilities, even the frightening ones.

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‘A Day of Snaky’ by Regina Kanyu Wang

September 22, 2023 • 9 mins

A writer, researcher and editor, currently working toward her PhD at the University of Oslo, Regina Kanyu Wang artfully weaves together gender politics, environmental issues, and an otherworldly perspective. Following her deep interest in science fiction, this playful yet poignant tale invites us to reflect on the importance we place on the opinions of others.

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‘Forever We Shall’ by Caleb Azumah Nelson

September 22, 2023 • 8 mins

The work of avid photographer, South East London resident and award-winning novelist Caleb Azumah Nelson is influenced by his Ghanaian heritage, visits to local cinemas and galleries, and the playlists that soundtrack his writing. His second novel, Small Worlds, was released in May 2023. In his fable, two canine companions grow to understand the preciousness of moments spent together, despite the looming fear of being torn apart.

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'Sleep is All Hers' by Mieko Kawakami

October 25, 2022 • 7 mins

Mieko Kawakami’s Future Fable invites us to reconsider common fears, while underlining the preciousness of friendship. Mieko Kawakami was recently shortlisted for the International Booker Prize for her novel Heaven (2009), translated by David Boyd, who also translated this fable. Her latest novel is All the Lovers in the Night. The theme music for the series was composed by Dean Blunt; episodes were mixed, designed and master...

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'The Pack' by Rivers Solomon

October 18, 2022 • 8 mins

In Solomon’s Future Fable, we join a pack of wolves to discover the importance of community. Rivers 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. Their most recent novel Sorrowland was released in 2021.

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'The Butterfly Man' by Lydia Millet

October 11, 2022 • 6 mins

Lydia Millet’s Future Fable explores the nature of change through the tale of a slightly stubborn insect. Lydia 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, Dinosaurs, was published 11 Oct 2022. Artwork by Chioma Ebinama

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'The River Cat's Brother' by Akwaeke Emezi

October 6, 2022 • 6 mins

Emezi's Future Fable highlights the importance of accepting help from others. Akwaeke Emezi has won a plethora of prestigious awards, and have been featured on the cover of TIME Magazine as a 2021 Next Generation Leader. Their most recent novel, You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty, was released in 2022. Artwork by Chioma Ebinama

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'The Rat & The Hamster' by Amelia Abraham

October 4, 2022 • 7 mins

In a playful tale of friendship, envy and empathy, Abraham’s Future Fable features a pair of ambitious rodents. Amelia 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. Artwork by Chioma Ebinama

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