Community Edition

For independent-living and life-plan communitiesEdited by William Kohn · Aventura, Florida

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Coffee and a Story

A 45-minute discussion of a great short story: host guide, reader set, the full story in large print, poster and screen announcements.

10 Coffee and a Story packets and growing. Newest first. Subscribers download everything; or buy one for $30.

One-time-use license for one program at one community. Download link valid 60 days from purchase.

How it works (4-minute video)

AI-narrated overview · free to watch, no sign-in

• Coming November 9
• $30 or included with a subscription

“The Last Lesson” by Alphonse Daudet

France, 1873: a schoolboy’s last French lesson before his village changes hands.

View the 5 PDFs

• October 19, 2026
• $30 or included with a subscription

“The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs

England, 1902: three wishes, a family and the price of getting what you ask for.

View the 6 PDFsBuy $30

• October 18, 2026
• $30 or included with a subscription

The Railway Accident

A 45-minute discussion of a great short story: host guide, reader set, the full story in large print, poster and screen announcements.

View the 5 PDFsBuy $30

• October 11, 2026
• $30 or included with a subscription

“The Cabuliwallah” by Rabindranath Tagore

India, 1892: a little girl, a fruit-seller from Kabul and how we judge strangers. Today’s Sunday Short Story as a full 45-minute session.

View the 13 PDFsBuy $30

• October 5, 2026
• $30 or included with a subscription

“The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant

France, 1884: a borrowed necklace, one glittering evening, and what keeping up appearances really costs. The full 45-minute packet: host guide, large-print reader set, the whole story in large print, poster, TV screens and announcement text.

View the 7 PDFsBuy $30

• September 28, 2026
• $30 or included with a subscription

“The Bet” by Anton Chekhov

Russia, 1889: a banker, a lawyer and a fifteen-year wager. The full 45-minute packet: host guide, large-print reader set, the whole story in large print, poster, TV screens and announcement text.

View the 7 PDFsBuy $30Free sample

• Passport Week Brazil
• $30 or included with a subscription

“Whoever Comes Next”

An original story of a grandmother, a kitchen plate and the samba of Bahia. With the full story in large print.

View the 6 PDFsBuy $30

AI illustration

• Passport Week Italy
• $30 or included with a subscription

“The Jar” by Luigi Pirandello

Sicily, 1909: a quarrelsome landowner, his magnificent new olive-oil jar, and the repairman who gets stuck inside. A new English translation by The World Desk, with the full story in large print.

View the 13 PDFsBuy $30

• Passport Week Cuba
• $30 or included with a subscription

“The Black Doll” by José Martí

New York, 1889: a little girl, her worn old doll and a beautiful new one. Fresh English by The World Desk, with the full story in large print.

View the 9 PDFsBuy $30

• Passport Week China
• $30 or included with a subscription

“My Old Home” by Lu Xun

China, 1921: a man goes home and finds his childhood friend changed. Fresh English by The World Desk, with the full story in large print.

View the 6 PDFsBuy $30

Art marked “AI illustration” was made with AI for The World Desk; it is not a photograph.

Edited by William Kohn, who lives in a life-plan community himself.

We use AI to help research and draft our stories and to create our illustrations. Every illustration made with AI is labeled. Every story passes an independent fact-check or our editor’s approval before it runs, and anything flagged red stays out unless it is fixed and re-checked, or the editor approves it. Our editor, William Kohn, sets the rules and is accountable for every edition. See something wrong? Email comments@theworlddesk.news.