Our second installment of Borrowed Words has us talking about past presidents, prohibition, and admitting that sometimes, we just don't know. Sources: Sentence Stack, Bored Panda, Library of Congress, Symbolism and Metaphor, Word Origins, Phrase Finder, The Cooking Facts, Flavor Inside, History.com. Support the show E-Mail the show at BorrowedBones…

Something Borrowed on Tour! The first of two episodes recorded at the fantastic Bath Komedia featuring fellow Poetry Team GB Alumni Vanessa Kisuule! Vanessa is one of my favourite poets and people and I could happily talk to her for hours, so it was a joy to have an excuse to do so in front of a live audience! Vanessa is constantly pushing her writ…

Within the gilded walls of the Palmer House Hotel, a fragile respite offers temporary comfort. Under the watchful eye of her enigmatic protector, Elise finds a moment to breathe. But the air is thick with unspoken secrets as whispers of clandestine societies and manipulated lives begin to surface. The search for sanctuary leads her to a shadowy mor…

The nightmarish saga of the Sexton family reaches its heartbreaking conclusion as they flee from Indiana to Florida. Packed into a cramped camper and paranoia mounting as authorities close in, tragedy strikes before their arrest. Sources: The Winnebago Man Sommer Sanchez "House of Secrets" by Lowell Cauffiel The Akron Beacon Journal The Tampa Bay T…

The Sexton family saga continues as Eddie Lee and May are on the run from officials, clinging to their children and claims of innocence. Evidence amasses against them at home as the children who refused to run away, tell their stories. Support the show E-Mail the show at [email protected] BorrowedBones Instagram BorrowedBones BlueSky D…

Eddie Lee and May Sexton resided in a house on Caroline St. in Canton, OH with their 12 children. Eddie Lee ruled his home with an iron fist. Often turning sibling against sibling. Eventually taking his family on the run from the authorities; when they were caught, each sibling slowly revealed the true horrors of their upbringing. Sommer Sanchez Yo…

It's the one and only Rob Auton! A long-time member of my super secret future guest wish list, we finally managed to get him back to Margate and oh boy was it worth the wait. One of the most unique and brilliant minds in comedy/poetry/the world, it was fascinating to get a glimpse into part of robs process, as well as hear his brilliant work and la…

One moment, Elise DeJong lives; the next, she’s trapped in another person's life, a stranger in a strange body. Pursued by a shadowy figure demanding answers she doesn't possess, Elise must unravel the mystery of her stolen existence before her borrowed lives run out. In this chilling first chapter, experience the terrifying awakenings that begin E…

Once again cornered and hunted, Elise's desperate flight from the Shears abruptly ends, forcing another disorienting leap into a new borrowed life. A chilling unease settles with this unfamiliar identity, yet amidst the dread, a possible guardian emerges. As the relentless Shears draw nearer, Elise must navigate increasingly treacherous paths throu…

Elise lies trapped in a new body confined within the grim walls of Cook County Asylum. Doctors dismiss her desperate pleas, convinced her tales of stolen lives are mere ravings. But Elise knows the horrifying truth: she is being hunted. To break free and unravel the mystery of her fragmented existence, she must play their game, feigning madness to …

Alexander "Sawney" Bean and his 48-member family lived in a cave in Scotland. Never conforming to societal norms, this family met an unfortunate end...or did they? Sources: The Story of Sawney Bean and His Clan of Cannibal Killers The Jacobite Rebellion Famines of the Middle Ages The Legend of the Scottish Cannibal Clan The Legend of Sawney Bean: U…

When Latoya moves into a home in Gary, IN with her three children and her mother, the family quickly experiences strange happenings. The family would not last one year in the house before they move out claiming demons are possessing all of them. Sources: Dcgary.com , National Catholic Register , Allthatsinteresting.com, Skeptical Inquirer Demon Hou…

Hello friends! This episode brings us the phenomenal Jasmine Gardosi, and you can audibly hear the room fall in love with her from the second she starts performing. We discuss beatboxing, lockdown, rollercoasters, pushing the boundaries of performance, crying, dinosaur outfits and more. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did x You can find more of Ja…

Bay City, Michigan native, Shirlee Fields, made her way out west upon graduating high school and eventually found herself in the wilds of Guyana. Hoping and trying for a better future, Shirlee and her family followed Jim Jones into Jonestown and never returned. We follow Shirlee's story, allowing her to step out of the Jonestown shadow and see Shir…

Join us as we relax, sit back, and talk about the etymology of words and phrases. Sources: https://www.ef.edu/blog/language/english-words-with-strange-origins/, https://go2tutors.com/15-everyday-phrases-with-surprising-historical-origins/, https://list25.com/25-historical-origins-of-popular-english-phrases/, https://www.etymonline.com/word/nice, ht…

The second and final part to the Galvin Family saga. The Galvin family struggled with mental illness when 6 out of the 12 children were diagnosed with schizophrenia. Sources: https://galvinfamilytrust.org/, https://robertkolker.com/, https://lindsaymarygalvinrauch.com/, https://thecinemaholic.com/margaret-galvin/, https://www.mjgalleries.art/, http…

Borrowed Lives: Coming May 6, 2025. Written by playwright and host, David Bareford, Borrowed Lives will thrust you back in time to the shadowy streets of 1871 Chicago. When Elise DeJong dies, her ordeal is only just beginning. Thrust into a bewildering cycle of body-swapping upon death, Elise finds herself trapped in the bodies of other people and …

A family of 12 children struggles with mental illness when 6 of the boys are diagnosed with schizophrenia. Support the show E-Mail the show at [email protected] BorrowedBones Instagram BorrowedBones BlueSky DaughterofMarauders BlueSkyDoor Sarah

Ma Barker, the ultimate "boy mom" and her sons were among the last of the wild west outlaws. Sources: https://vault.fbi.gov/barker-karpis-gang/bremer-investigation-summary/Bremer%20Investigation%20Summary%20Part%2001%20%28Final%29 https://www.uspis.gov/history-spotlight-2023/kate-ma-barker https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=BA03…

The most infamous family feud in American history. Sources: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hatfields-and-McCoys https://today.uconn.edu/2019/09/hatfield-mccoy-feud-carries-lessons-today/ https://www.allergy-associates.com/?p=942 https://hatfieldmccoy.substack.com/p/anatomy-of-a-hog-trial https://explorekyhistory.ky.gov/items/show/783 https://www.…

Happy Christmas! We are joined by Joshua Idehen, AKA the man of the moment AKA the multiverse African Taylor Swift for a festive special that I am absolutely fine with coming out in February. This was recorded on a very good day for Josh and I am sure whenever you choose to listen to it will be a very good day for you as it is an excellent time. Me…

This month we have the very excellent Theresa Lola! Another guest whose been on my wishlist for a while, Theresa shares some poems from her wonderful new book, Ceremony For The Nameless, and we discuss the power of names personally and professionally, as well as performing at the Royal Albert Hall, writing for the page vs the stage, and much much m…

As 2024 comes to a close, we wanted to share with you an episode that we produced all the way back in 2020. That year, we went to Coney Island to record the Coney Island Polar Bear Club, the group of swimmers that congregate on Coney Island every Sunday in winter to swim in the frigid ocean as a way to renew themselves. It’s a fun one, and we hope …

We kick off the new season with the wonderful Helen Heckety! We talk about her new book Alter Ego, my new baby, name changes, therapy, ableism, hobbies, Coolio, foxes, and the joy of friendship love among other things. I can't think of a better guest to kick off with, I hope you enjoy this as much as I did Helen's excellent book ALTER EGO is out no…

Graphic novels, Haitian-American book bingo, and The Power Broker. These are just a few of the book clubs happening at Brooklyn Public Library! This episode, we take a tour around the borough to listen in on our patrons' reading habits and ask why we still read together. Read a transcript of this episode here. Further resources: Check out our book …

Hello Friends, this episode has been a long time coming in a few ways. One, Toby Campion has been on my hit list for many many years so it was a delight to finally get him over to Margate. The last time we were on stage together was at the Royal Albert Hall (!) and this was just as magic. It has also been delayed in coming out because I've had an a…

We're pulling out all the stops for the first annual Freedom to Read Day of Action on Saturday, October 19th! Hear from libraries in Los Angeles, San Diego, Hoboken, NJ and Austin, TX about what they're doing to promote the freedom to read. And, if you're in Brooklyn, meet us on the steps of Central Library this Saturday for a book rally! You can r…

For Banned Books Week this year, we’re returning to our award-winning series, Borrowed and Banned. Because the fight isn’t over. In 2023, the American Library Association documented a 65% increase in the number of book titles challenged across the country. Listen to the first episode of the series about what happened in one Oklahoma town when their…

Bedford-Stuyvesant is perhaps one of Brooklyn’s most iconic neighborhoods. Its tree-lined streets and grand brownstones have been here for over 150 years. This episode, a re-broadcast from 2019, tells the story of Bed-Stuy through the lives of three women who set down roots here in different ways: activist Hattie Carthan, writer Paule Marshall, and…

Splitting her time between Athens, Georgia and Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, Nicole A. Taylor is a food writer and author of several cookbooks. She sat down with BPL’s Bed-Stuy Tea podcast to discuss finding and preserving her Southern voice, the pleasures of restaurant research, and her favorite local spots to eat and drink. Read a transcript of this episod…

Hello friends! Our penultimate episode of series three brings to Margate the ultimate legend that is Laurie Bolger! It's impossible to listen to Laurie and not have a smile on your face so get your cheeks ready and dive on in. I celebrate having a brand new book out and Laurie clebrates having two brand new books out. I also share some big news tha…

It's summer and school's out! No matter what age you are, you can spend your summer at the library with book lists and activities galore. We go over the facts and stats of BPL's popular Culture Pass program, which has helped thousands of New Yorkers visit museums and performance spaces in the city ... for free! Read a transcript of the episode here…

Brooklyn Public Library has been hosting Drag Story Hours since 2016. It's one of our most popular, colorful, and well-attended events for kids. In this episode, we explore why Drag Story Hour is important, and how it’s had to change in recent years in response to an increasingly tense political climate. More resources: June is Pride Month! Celebra…

Outside of Brooklyn, Arthur Miller's name has largely faded from memory. On this episode, we tell the story of the Black community leader who was killed by NYPD chokehold in 1978, the movement pushed forward as a result of his death, and the ways that Brooklyn Public Library’s Center for Brooklyn History helps to keep the story alive. Further resou…

Listen in on one of BPL's most popular art programs: a theater workshop where, once a week, budding thespians come together to read plays, talk about character motivations, and dig into some surprisingly emotional and political topics. Read a transcript of this episode on our website. Join fellow thespians at Central Library's theater workshop. Or,…

A lovely time with a local legend! Brigitte was on my wishlist for Something Borrowed for a while when out of nowhere I got a voice note from her asking if she could come on because she reckoned she'd be good at it - It was meant to be! Also she was 100% correct, as not only our best-dressed guest of all time, but a wonderful mix of storytelling, s…

We revisit an episode from January 2021 in honor of National Library Workers Day, and ask: what do librarians do all day? When they're not planning programs or working the reference desk, these librarians are also obscure trivia players, birders and ... sword fighters! Read a transcript here. Have a minute? Vote for Borrowed and Banned in the Webby…

We're back baby - February's edition saw the wonderful Georgie Jones come to Margate! It was our first time meeting in person but you wouldn't know because it was a vibey vibey time from start to finish. We talk slams, online vs in person performances, trying to write a poem a day for a whole month and much much more. Poems cover topics such as Gym…

Teens and older adults are perhaps the two age groups you might think have the least in common. But a new program at BPL seeks to bring the two generations together ... by having them debate. Read a transcript of this episode on our web page. Resources mentioned on this episode: Learn more about services for older adults at BPL and programs for tee…