A Mortal Antipathy: first opening of the new portfolio

A Mortal Antipathy by Oliver Wendell Holmes invites listeners into a curious, medically inflected tale that probes instinctive dread and the strange power of the senses. Holmes, a 19th-century physician-author, frames the story as a risky experiment in plausibility—rooted not in fable but in documented physiological oddities—and uses clinical observation to illuminate a fictional episode of lasting aversion. The narrative explores how an early shock can leave an indelible imprint on the nervous system, how sight, hearing and especially the olfactory sense forge stubborn associations, and how personal atmospheres and memories can shape behavior in ways both comic and uncanny. While firmly a work of fiction and literature, the piece carries the curiosity of Victorian medical thought and the light irony of a practiced essayist, balancing empathetic portraiture with speculative pathology. Free of sensationalism, Holmes’ prose teases the line between scientific anecdote and human drama. Ideal for fans of classic fiction, psychological short stories, and Victorian-era literature, this audiobook rewards listeners who enjoy thoughtful, elegantly written explorations of memory, sensation, and the oddities of ordinary life.