Chapter 29 FIRESIDE READING of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens read by Gildart Jackson

Actor and award-winning audiobook narrator, Gildart Jackson is offering free and unabridged Fireside Readings of the classics to all.

As millions of us are stuck at home, Gildart Jackson, the British-born actor and award-winning audiobook narrator (and husband to Emmy-nominated actress Melora Hardin) set himself up in a cozy spot next to a roaring Fireplace to read a chapter a day of classic literature that every adult and student should have read, but probably didn’t.

What started during the coronavirus lockdown has continued to blossom. Because of the amazing response to his fireside stories on video he has continued reading every day.

Live recording daily at 5:00 pm (PST) on Instagram live @firesidereading. Each reading goes onto Fireside Reading channel on YouTube for all to revisit, catch up, or take a look at previous chapters and stories.

The reviews are in:

“The best free audiobooks ever.”
“I love listening and watching these Books on Tape. You should call them Books on Film! Or Netbooks!”
“Fireside Reading is like audiobooks on steroids.”
“I love to listen as I go to bed at night.”
“Fireside Reading helps me go to sleep.”
“You help my insomnia."
“I use your reading to help me learn english as a foreign language”.
“You are reading all of my favorite books!”
“Great for learning english to see you do a visual reading of real novels and not educational books which have been edited for students abroad.”
“As a teacher I have recommended your readings for all my students.”
“Extremely useful for High School and University students alike ”.
“I love the ASMR quality of Gildart’s voice!”

So far, you can watch Fireside Readings of the great classics of English Literature: “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley, “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë, "The Awakening” by Kate Chopin, "Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens, “Dracula” by Bram Stoker, Sherlock Holmes in “The Hound of the Baskervilles” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, “The 39 Steps” by John Buchan, Jeeves and Wooster in “The Inimitable Jeeves” by P.G. Wodehouse , and "Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen, among others.

For those interested in self help or self improvement Gildart has also recorded ‘The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin."

For Young and Old readers, Gildart has read “The Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Graham and “The Tale of Peter Rabbit”, “The Tale of Benjamin Bunny” and many other of the fabulous children’s stories of Beatrix Potter.

Also check out classic Short Stories by Rudyard Kipling and others.

The beauty and appeal of Fireside Reading uses the magical principles of ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response): Gildart has a warmth and magnetism that radiates comfort and friendship. His Fireside Readings are found by many as ASMR reading videos. His soothing voice is becoming a phenomenon in the world of ‘ASMR reading aloud’ or ‘ASRM reading out loud’.

Gildart Jackson has narrated more than 300 Audiobooks, won an Audie and multiple Earphones Awards and been nominated for multiple Audie Awards and Audiobook Listener Awards.

The British actor has played Giles the Butler/Host of the acclaimed NBC hit series "W​hodunnit!​" and is known by many as Gideon from ​"Charmed​" and Simon Prentiss on "G​eneral Hospital​." He currently stars as Ian Carlyle in Freeform’s "T​he Bold Type”, as Flyseyes on Netflix’s "C​astlevania,” and as The Major in “Hellsing Ultimate” currently in the Top Ten on Netflix. He was recently announced as the voice of Alfred Pennyworth in the new Batman video game, Gotham Knights.

He is married to Melora Hardin — known as Jan Levinson in the award-winning sitcom, "The Office." Hardin and Jackson have two daughters named Rory and Piper and a cat and dog named Barnaby and Lollie.

When asked why this project, right now, Gildart said, “I'm hoping that offering this while we are all stuck at home might be a solace to some who feel lonely and provide a little gentle entertainment in uncertain times."

In a period where we are all slowing down through social distancing, this throwback of an idea seems like a balm for our times, indeed.