Kitty Reads Lit for Peace: Mark Twain – A Letter from Santa Claus plus The Next Peacelands

This episode presents a warm, humorous seasonal reading of Mark Twain’s 1875 piece A Letter from Santa Claus—written originally for his young daughter and now beloved for its gentle wit and clear-eyed affection. Kitty reads the letter in full, highlighting Twain’s ability to offer comfort, humor, and truth in the same breath.

Kitty O’Compost continues warming up for The Peace Experiments (Season Zero), the forthcoming Peace Is Here series exploring peace, AI, and the cultural commons.

For this special holiday edition of The Next Peacelands, Avis Kalfsbeek changes her focus from the factual grounding of warzones and arms suppliers to highlight the spiritual organizations and networks actively building peace around the world.

• Get the Winter Holiday reading list with links to full stories: www.aviskalfsbeek.com/holiday
• Get the Avis’s books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
• Music: “The Red Kite” by Javier “Peke” Rodriguez
  • Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com
  • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW
• Intro Music: PulseBox on Pixabay
• Upcoming series: The Peace Experiments
• Mark Twain – A Letter from Santa Claus https://americanliterature.com/author/mark-twain/short-story/a-letter-from-santa-claus

Kitty Reads Holiday Lit for Peace: Alphonse Daudet – The Pope’s Mule (Part 2) plus The Next Peacelands

This episode concludes the story begun in Episode 175! We return to Alphonse Daudet’s classic short story The Pope’s Mule—a charming, historic satire about pride, patience, and delayed revenge set during the Christmas season in Avignon, France. Kitty reads the final portion, where the long-awaited moment of truth arrives.

• Catch up: If you haven't heard the start of this tale, please go back one episode to Episode 175

Kitty O’Compost continues warming up for The Peace Experimentsthe forthcoming Peace Is Here series exploring peace, AI, and the commons.

For this special holiday edition of The Next Peacelands, Avis Kalfsbeek changes her focus from the factual grounding of warzones and arms suppliers to highlight the spiritual organizations and networks actively building peace around the world.

• Get the Winter Holiday Reading list with links to the full stories: www.aviskalfsbeek.com/holiday
• Get the Avis’s books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
• Music: “The Red Kite” by Javier “Peke” Rodriguez
  • Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com
  • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW
• Intro Music: PulseBox on Pixabay
• Upcoming series: The Peace Experiments

• Alphonse Daudet – The Pope’s Mule onProject Gutenberg https://gutenberg.org/cache/epub/73621/pg73621-images.html

Kitty Reads Holiday Lit for Peace: Alphonse Daudet – “The Pope’s Mule” (Part 1) plus The Next Peacelands

This episode features a holiday reading from Alphonse Daudet’s classic short story The Pope’s Mule—a charming, historic satire about pride, patience, and delayed revenge set during the Christmas season in Avignon, France. Kitty reads an excerpt that highlights Daudet’s light touch and his talent for character-driven humor.

Kitty O’Compost continues warming up for The Peace Experiments the forthcoming Peace Is Here series exploring peace, AI, and the cultural commons.

For this special holiday edition of The Next Peacelands, Avis Kalfsbeek changes her focus from the factual grounding of warzones and arms suppliers to highlight the spiritual organizations and networks actively building peace around the world.

Get the Winter Holiday Stories Reading list with links to the full stories: www.aviskalfsbeek.com/holiday

• Get Avis's books:AvisKalfsbeek.com
• Music:“The Red Kite” by Javier “Peke” Rodriguez
  • Bandcamp:https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com
  • Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW
• Intro Music:PulseBox on Pixabay
• Upcoming series:The Peace Experiments (
• Alphonse Daudet – “The Pope’s Mule” on Project Gutenberg https://gutenberg.org/cache/epub/73621/pg73621-images.html

Kitty Reads Holiday Lit for Peace: Charles Dickens – The Story of the Goblins Who Stole a Sexton plus The Next Peacelands

This episode offers a lively seasonal reading from Charles Dickens’ 1836 tale The Story of the Goblins Who Stole a Sexton—a Christmas Eve story and an unmistakable early predecessor to A Christmas Carol. Kitty reads a short excerpt that highlights Dickens’ blend of humor, social conscience, and supernatural moral instruction.

Kitty O’Compost continues warming up for The Peace Experiments (Season Zero), the forthcoming Peace Is Here series exploring peace, AI, and the cultural commons.

For this special holiday edition of The Next Peacelands, Avis Kalfsbeek changes her focus from the factual grounding of warzones and arms suppliers to highlight the spiritual organizations and networks actively building peace around the world.

• Get the books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
• Contact Avis: Contact Me Here
• Music: “The Red Kite” by Javier “Peke” Rodriguez

Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Intro Music: PulseBox on Pixabay

• Upcoming series: The Peace Experiments
• Dickens – The Story of the Goblins Who Stole a Sexton on Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/580

Kitty Reads Holiday Lit for Peace: William Dean Howells – Christmas Every Day plus The Next Peacelands

This episode includes a warm, lightly satirical reading from William Dean Howells’ 1892 story Christmas Every Day—a playful tale about abundance, boredom, and the difference between holiday sentiment and daily kindness. Kitty reads a short portion that highlights Howells’ realist clarity and gentle humor.

Kitty O’Compost continues warming up for The Peace Experiments (Season Zero), the forthcoming Peace Is Here series exploring peace, AI, and the cultural commons.

For this special holiday edition of The Next Peacelands, Avis Kalfsbeek changes her focus from the factual grounding of warzones and arms suppliers to highlight the spiritual organizations and networks actively building peace around the world.

• Get the books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
• Contact Avis to say hello or share how to say “Peace is Here” in your language: Contact Me Here
• Music: “The Red Kite” by Javier “Peke” Rodriguez

Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Intro Music: PulseBox on Pixabay

• Peace Is Here upcoming series: The Peace Experiments (Season Zero)
• William Dean Howells – Christmas Every Day on Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/22519

Kitty Reads Holiday Lit for Peace: Nathaniel Hawthorne – The Christmas Banquet plus The Next Peacelands

This episode includes a grounded reading from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1844 story The Christmas Banquet—a reflective and morally serious tale that examines sorrow, companionship, and the possibility of renewal. Kitty reads just enough to bring out Hawthorne’s characteristic clarity about conscience and community.

Kitty O’Compost continues warming up for The Peace Experiments (Season Zero), the forthcoming Peace Is Here series exploring peace, AI, and the cultural commons.

For this special holiday edition of The Next Peacelands, Avis Kalfsbeek changes her focus from the factual grounding of warzones and arms suppliers to highlight the spiritual organizations and networks actively building peace around the world.

• Get the books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
• Contact Avis to say hello or share “Peace is Here” in your language: Contact Me Here
• Music: “The Red Kite” by Javier “Peke” Rodriguez

Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Intro Music: PulseBox on Pixabay

• Peace Is Here upcoming series: The Peace Experiments (Season Zero)
• Nathaniel Hawthorne – The Christmas Banquet on Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/9228

Kitty Reads Holiday Lit for Peace: Louisa May Alcott – A Christmas Dream, and How It Came True plus The Next Peacelands

This episode features a gentle excerpt from Louisa May Alcott’s short holiday story A Christmas Dream, and How It Came True, a reflective tale about a child who learns that the real richness of Christmas comes from generosity, attention, and shared joy. Kitty reads just enough to let Alcott’s calm moral clarity come through.

Kitty O’Compost continues warming up for The Peace Experiments (Season Zero), the forthcoming Peace Is Here series exploring peace, AI, and the cultural commons.

For this holiday edition of The Next Peacelands, Avis Kalfsbeek shifts focus away from warzones and arms suppliers to reflect on the quieter, relational work of peace—care, generosity, and the everyday choices that shape a humane world.

• Get Avis Kalfsbeek's books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
• Music: “The Red Kite” by Javier “Peke” Rodriguez

Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Intro Music: PulseBox on Pixabay

• Peace Is Here upcoming series: The Peace Experiments
• Louisa May Alcott – A Christmas Dream, and How It Came True on Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/40682/pg40682-images.html#a-christmas-dream

Kitty Reads Holiday Lit for Peace: O. Henry – A Chaparral Christmas Gift plus The Next Peacelands

This episode features a short reading from O. Henry’s 1907 western holiday story A Chaparral Christmas Gift—a tale of grudges, frontier character, and the unexpected small mercies that can surface at Christmastime. Kitty reads a brief excerpt that highlights O. Henry’s sharp attention to human behavior and his clear, unsentimental style.

Kitty O’Compost continues warming up for The Peace Experiments (Season Zero), the forthcoming Peace Is Here series exploring peace, AI, and the cultural commons.

For this special holiday edition of The Next Peacelands, Avis Kalfsbeek changes her focus from the factual grounding of warzones and arms suppliers to highlight the spiritual organizations and networks actively building peace around the world.

• Get the books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
• Contact Avis to say hello or share “Peace is Here” in your language: Contact Me Here
• Music: “The Red Kite” by Javier “Peke” Rodriguez

Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Intro Music: PulseBox on Pixabay

• Peace Is Here upcoming series: The Peace Experiments (Season Zero)
• O. Henry – A Chaparral Christmas Gift on Gutenberg: https://gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1595/pg1595-images.html#chap20