Saki is the pen name of Hector Hugh Munro or H.H. Munro, a British writer known mostly for his short stories. Saki was born in Burma, where he lived until his mother died after a miscarriage during a visit to England when Saki was around two years old. The loss of her child was attributed to the significant shock she suffered after being charged by a bull, even though she wasn't struck by the animal. As a result, Saki was sent to live with his grandmother and two of his aunts in a very strict, religious household, which is believed to have influenced his writing and some of his characters. The centre of Munro’s oeuvre is his short stories. They are not particularly popular in America, but the English continue to read them, although Munro is frequently upstaged by authors of his time, such as Wilde, Kipling, and Wodehouse. For the most part, his stories stand the test of time. As Christopher Hitchens wrote, Munro “is among those few writers, inspirational when reading at an early age, who definitely retain their magic when revisited decades later.” In Gala Programme, a fictitious Roman emperor finds out that the best way to hold chariot races at his coronation ceremony without interference from female protesters is to feed them to the wild beasts that were supposed to be the second part of the festivities. Just push the play button and enjoy the free online English audiobook “Gala Programme” on our website!
