Underwood Stories is an ambitious project. The idea is that twice a year two writers will produce a short story that will be read aloud, pressed to vinyl and released in limited capacity. Toby Litt, author of The Hare, one of the initial authors in this undertaking has this to say of the project:

“Buying an LP of a short story is like making a promise to yourself that you will take a brief holiday from all the gabble. Once the record’s playing, you’ll give your attention to it. I think a lot of us are looking for that kind of self-discipline.”

I can\'t disagree with that. Vinyl gets a bad rap for being so entrenched with coolness / hipster culture but it does require a level of engagement that I think is becoming more and more foreign. Having a book read aloud requires even more of a commitment.

Read more about the project here, see (and buy) the fantastic records here and thank Obsolete for the heads up.