The Voice of Free Earth
The Voice of Free Earth began life as a novel by Michael Klein, a book of stories published in 1992 to critical acclaim, and remains in print to this day, including both Kindle and Google Play ebook editions. Thirty years later, these stories have been rewritten for the spoken word and given voice by the aging author himself in weekly, thirty-minute episodes—set in Free Earth, a farming community in California’s rural San Joaquin Valley. They are the stories of Christopher Beale—something of a chronicle of his life as the son of a larger-than-life country doctor, Doc Beale. Doc Beale is the main character, as seen through the lens of Christopher. It is a gripping and epic ten-hour tale filled with humor, joy, and the overriding feeling that danger and violence is always imminent—Christopher always in denial struggling to normalize the madness.
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Episodes
Tuesday Nov 22, 2022
Tuesday Nov 22, 2022
RUN! "Of Words And Wasps” continues as Christopher becomes a master at adding value with words, another sale of used clothes to Malika followed. No list from their father that day, so they fed the horses and headed for the tree house in their giant Black Oak. But there was trouble. Malika spotted a new wasp nest and the two headed down to the bottomland to get a better view. Christopher was annoyed, who did they think they were invading his tree house and his Oak tree? Christopher figured he’d throw a rock at it. Malika disagreed. Then a direct hit, maybe a lucky shot, but here came thousands of wasps and Christopher screamed “RUN!” Both headed toward the river. The swarm followed.
Monday Nov 28, 2022
Monday Nov 28, 2022
SHOOT TO KILL! "Of Words And Wasps” continues as Christopher’s body is disposing of the Wasp-toxins, and he is consumed by a reoccurring dream. Then "Bigger Than a Bolt” kicks off as Martin and Christopher head to the garage, the last place Christopher wanted to be. Thank goodness Doc Beale wasn’t going to be there. Christopher became the ultimate garage-cleaner, and pushed Martin to the limit with a never-ending game. Doc Beale’s beloved Cottontail were disappearing, his solution "Varmint Patrol.” Doc Beale figured the most threatening varmints now were cats. Absolute madness ensues. An apparent respite had Gee Bee showing off for visitors, and Doc Beale grinding his teeth.
Tuesday Dec 06, 2022
Tuesday Dec 06, 2022
WAR OVER FREE EARTH! "Varmint Patrol” continues as Christopher came home from school and no Gee Bee. He was inexplicably gone, and Christopher was very upset. Doc Beale’s “Varmint Patrol” takes over. Armed to the teeth, Doc Beale’s private campaign against cats turns deadly, but a certain wisdom is ultimately revealed in this atmosphere of absolute madness. In time it wouldn’t matter anymore. History would deliver Doc Beale a real war, “War Over Free Earth.” The Beale’s are building a Bomb Shelter!
Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH! "War Over Free Earth” continues and building the bomb shelter takes on increased urgency. Folks from all over Free Earth came in droves to work off a bill, and pay homage to Doc Beale. The ethical Doc Beale lived the Hippocratic Oath, and served all without “pay or promise.” Doc Beale lectures endlessly on medical ethics. Christopher is caught cutting class at Summer School, with predictably bad results. He is haunted by a reoccurring dream. Then it’s Christopher's turn for a driving lesson, as "Fear Of Almost Flying” begins.
Tuesday Dec 20, 2022
Tuesday Dec 20, 2022
FEAR OF ALMOST FLYING! Christopher was optimistic, he had this driving stuff down pat. But the lesson was not without incident. The lecture on the rules-of-the-road, and medical ethics, was classic Doc Beale. Christopher was ready when his dad yelled "Panic Stop.” Doc Beale was impressed but there was a bank robbery underway on Main Street. Doc Beale was needed. For Bellow Halsey it was more than just a bad day. Sad, distracted, Christopher drove home but something was very wrong. Doc Beale saved the day and sat atop that VW—smoking a Lucky. Then “The Killer Instinct” begins.
Tuesday Dec 27, 2022
Tuesday Dec 27, 2022
THE KILLER INSTINCT! Christopher’s first wrestling match was in Sonora. His opponent was Otho Choate, a Senior who intended to break Christopher’s neck—but it was Otho who was taken to the hospital strapped to a stretcher. Christopher was an exceptional wrestler, and Doc Beale was happy about that. He was not happy about learning from Trout Cobb that Christopher had a new red vest, and had worn it to the Friday night Free Earth football game. Christopher would never wear red again.
Tuesday Jan 03, 2023
Tuesday Jan 03, 2023
PHILADELPHIA LAWYER! “The Killer Instinct” continues as Christopher attempted to make-up with his dad after the red vest event. Christopher showed Doc Beale some bumps on his arm, just making conversation. The conversation turned into a surgery. Christopher's dream was back, and this time he remember the dream. "Philadelphia Lawyer” starts as Christopher challenges the Principal, Mr. Learner, about the crime of the century. But the day has just begun and Melvin Moody ends up locked in the band instrument room. Christopher proudly dismissed the class—he had a big night planned at a barn party.
Tuesday Jan 10, 2023
Tuesday Jan 10, 2023
TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF! "Philadelphia Lawyer” continues. Christopher was in motion, the barn party out of control. Finally the barn went down like a house of cards. Christopher went home, but was called to the office by his dad. Doc Beale didn’t even know about the barn—Mr. Learner had called him about the “Philadelphia lawyer” incident and locking Melvin Moody in the instrument room. A beating ensued. Perhaps having realized he was close to killing Christopher, Doc Beale proposes “turning over a new leaf.” A chance to start over was too good to be true. Then Mission Beale comes into the bedroom and tells Christopher that he would be going to see Dr. Bradford, a Psychiatrist, and he’d be driving the Impala! Only one thing was certain, Christopher wasn’t in Sissy Warrens pants.
Tuesday Jan 17, 2023
Tuesday Jan 17, 2023
OH LORD WON'T YOU BUY ME A MERCEDES-BENZ? "The Prince” begins as Christopher’s year seems off to a great start; undefeated in wrestling, elected Class President, and a new girlfriend. But the big test looms terrifying everyone, and that fact annoys Christopher. The day spins out of control at the expense of Volker Stoffel's brand new shiny black Mercedes-Benz. Christopher pleads guilty, is ready for death and another—probably final, trip to his dad’s office. But there is a strange conspiracy afoot. Doc Beale is carefully kept out-of-the-loop. Even at the payoff to Mr. Stoffel, Christopher managed to be Christopher. Then he finds Gee Bee, and is enraged. The results of the big test are in, and Christopher is told "Not Everyone Can Be Doctor Material.”
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
USELESS! “The Prince” continues. Christopher wasn’t “doctor material.” Christopher canceled his date with Lilly Ray, but chess with Doc Beale upstaged his planned reading of Machiavelli. Doc Beale quoted Shakespeare and offered up a lecture on life—even his dad bought into the test results. Christopher was “Useless as Tits on a Boar,” his dad had said so. Then "A Final Message From Free Earth” begins with a midnight call from the looney bin, but Christopher was on with his own life, and that ultimately took him to New York. There another call from Doc Beale with devastating news. A Smith & Wesson 38 Police Special went out in the mail. Later a call from Malika. Doc Beale was dead at fifty-four. There would be a funeral for Doc Beale in Free Earth. Christopher was conspicuous by his absence.