A man who spent more than two decades encouraging children to read is now reading short stories to all people.

LeVar Burton of PBS' "Reading Rainbow" and "Star Trek: The Next Generation" has launched a weekly podcast as part of original audio programming for the Stitcher app. The podcast is called "LeVar Burton Reads."

“Literature is my passion, and I can’t wait to share my favorite new stories with our listeners,” Burton said. “Reading is as critical to adults as it is to children, and I think this show will help listeners remember to take time out of our busy schedules to slow down and take in a good story.”

Burton reads Bruce McAllister’s “Kin” in the fist episode. It's a classic sci-fi story about a young boy who contacts an alien assassin in the hopes of saving his sister’s life.

Later podcast episodes feature “The Lighthouse Keeper” by Daisy Johnson and “Empty Places” parts 1 and 2 by Richard Parks, according to Stitcher.

“LeVar Burton Reads” is available today in Stitcher and other podcast listening platforms.

Burton may be followed on Twitter @levarburton and his website is www.levarburton.com.