Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, a collection of narratives written between 1387 and 1400, tells of a group of thirty people from all layers of society who pass the time along their pilgrimage to Canterbury by telling stories to one another, their interaction mediated (at times) by the affable host – Chaucer himself. Naxos AudioBooks’ third volume presents the tales of six people, here in an unabridged modern verse translation (by Frank Ernest Hill, (1935)). This is an ideal way to appreciate the genuinely funny and droll talent of England’s early master storyteller. Seven leading British actors bring the medieval world into the twenty-first century, and at least in terms of character, not much seems to have changed!

The Canterbury Tales III

Dostoyevsky’s famous and well-regarded 1880 novel The Brothers Karamazov is a tale of bitter family rivalries. Three brothers live in a small, typical Russian town. Their father, a selfish, cunning, lascivious figure with little love for them, tries to maintain his control over them and anyone who comes within his orbit. The roots of dissent, unhappiness, hope, ambition and desire run deep in this community as everywhere, and Dostoyevsky brings them to the fore with an unexpected death. The atmospheric spell of this great work of Russian literature is maintained throughout by a masterly reading by Tim Pigott-Smith.

The Brothers Karamazov : Abridged

"Anthony Stevens argues that Jung’s visionary powers and profound spirituality have helped many to find an alternative set of values to the arid materialism prevailing in Western society. This concise introduction explains clearly the basic concepts of Jungian psychology; the collective unconscious, complex, archetype, shadow, persona, anima, animus and the individuation of the Self. Anthony Stevens examines Jung’s views on such disparate subjects as myth, religion, alchemy, ‘synchronicity’, and the psychology of gender differences. He devotes separate chapters to the stages of life, Jung’s theory of psychological types, the interpretation of dreams and the practice of Jungian analysis. Jung’s individual theories remain among the most fascinating of twentieth-century psychologists. This introduction will prove popular among a wide range of listeners – outside of the psychological fraternity."

Very Short Introductions – Jung

The second installment in the Grail Quest series, from one of our bestselling authors. In Harlequin, Thomas of Hookton travelled to France as an archer and there discovered a shadowy destiny, which linked him to a family of heretical French lords who sought Christendom's greatest relic: the Holy Grail. Vagabond continues the story of a search that Thomas is reluctant to pursue. He doubts the grail's existence, and he has other promises to keep, promises that take him back to Brittany where a vicious civil war is about to reach its climax. But other folk, far more powerful than Thomas and his friends, fear the rumour of the grail's existence and force Thomas to pursue the relic, while his enemies, faceless and ruthless, fear Thomas's destiny and determine to destroy him. Thomas's allies are few and weak: a hedge priest, a renegade French knight, a Jewish adventurer and a crippled English soldier – but now they must unite and find greater strengths to pierce the mysteries of Christendom.

The Grail Quest

Vagabond

An exploration of the British monarchy from the retreat of the Romans up until the modern day. The monarchy is one of Britain’s longest surviving institutions – as well as one of its most tumultuous and revered. In this masterful book, David Starkey looks at the monarchy as a whole, charting its history from Roman times, to the Wars of the Roses, the chaos of the Civil War, the fall of Charles I and Cromwell's emergence as Lord Protector – all the way up until the Victorian era when Britain’s monarchs came face-to-face with modernity. This brilliant collection of biographies of Britain’s kings and queens provides an in-depth examination of what the British monarchy has meant, what it means now and what it will continue to mean.

Crown and Country

How far would you go to find yourself? The lyrical, life-affirming novel from the bestselling author of Private Peaceful. There were dozens of us on the ship, all ages, boys and girls, and we were all up on deck for the leaving of Liverpool, gulls wheeling and crying over our heads, calling good-bye, I thought they were waving good-bye. None of us spoke. It was a grey day with drizzle in the air, the great sad cranes bowing to the ship from the docks as we steamed past. That is all I remember of England… When orphaned Arthur Hobhouse is shipped to Australia after WWII he loses his sister, his country and everything he knows. The coming years will test him to his limits, as he endures mistreatment, neglect and forced labour in the Australian outback. But Arthur is also saved, again and again, by his love of the sea. And when he meets a nurse whose father owns a boat-building business, all the pieces of his broken life come together. Now, at the end of his life, Arthur has built a special boat for his daughter Allie, whose love of the sea is as strong and as vital as her father's. Now Allie has a boat that will take her to England solo, across the world's roughest seas, in search of her father's long-lost sister… Will the threads of Arthur's life finally come together?

Alone on a Wide Wide Sea

The first in an epic new series, introducing a splendid hero, against the background of Europe in the Hundred Years’ War. In the fourteenth century the English were just beginning to discover their national identity, and one of the strongest elements of this was the overwhelming success in battle of the English bowmen. England’s archers crossed the Channel to lay a country to waste. Thomas of Hookton was one of those archers. When his village is sacked by French raiders, he escapes from his father’s ambition to become a wild youth who delights in the opportunities which war offers – for fighting, for revenge and for friendship. But Thomas is hounded by his conscience. He has made a promise to God to retrieve a relic stolen in the raid from Hookton’s church. The search for the relic leads him into a world where lovers become enemies, enemies become friends and always, somewhere beyond the horizon that is smeared with the smoke of fires set by the rampaging English army, a terrible enemy awaits him. That enemy would harness the power of Christendom’s greatest relic – the grail itself. In this, the first book of a new series, Thomas begins the quest that will lead him through the fields of France, until at last the two armies face each other on a hillside near the village of Crecy.

Harlequin

The continuing story of Arthur, the second in a trilogy which began with THE WINTER KING. The novels bring Arthur and his world to vivid life. A man battling for his vision of the future in a brutal age, dragged down by suspicions and magics of the past, surrounded by intrigue, dependent on his skill at war and genius for leadership. The continuing story of Arthur, the second in a trilogy which began with THE WINTER KING. The novels bring Arthur and his world to vivid life. A man battling for his vision of the future in a brutal age, dragged down by suspicions and magics of the past, surrounded by intrigue, dependent on his skill at war and genius for leadership.

Enemy of God

The birth of an alliance that changed the course of history. From the bestselling author of Fortress Malta this is the second book in the Mediterranean war trilogy. This audiobook looks afresh at the conflict in Northern Africa, focusing for the first time on the involvement of the US and the way this early collaboration to defeat Rommel shaped the whole Anglo-American axis for the rest of the war in Europe. By June 1942, Britain had reached her lowest ebb. Her military command was in tatters, her armies beaten, and in the Middle East it seemed all might be lost. Her new ally, America, had only fledgling armed forces and was severely under-trained, yet it was this alliance of the weary combatant and naïve newcomer, coming together for the first time in North Africa, that would eventually bring about the defeat of Nazi Germany. This crucial period – from defeat at Gazala through to the victories of Alamein and ultimately in Tunisia – was a time of learning for the Allies, yet by the end Britain and America had finally gained material and certain tactical advantages over Germany, particularly in the air warfare. As this book shows, the development of a tactical air force – principles that are still used to this day – were founded over the skies of North Africa. When the Axis forces were finally driven from North Africa in May 1943, over 250,000 Axis troops were taken prisoner, more than had surrendered to the Russians at Stalingrad. It was a major victory and a crucial steppingstone to the future invasion of Italy and France. In this new reappraisal, James Holland also interweaves the personal stories of the men – and women – who made up these polyglot Allied forces: British and American, Nepalese and Punjabi, South African and Australian, Maori and Zulu, from all ranks and all services. From the heat and dust of the Western Desert to the mud and mountains of Northern Tunisia, this book charts the extraordinary first days of an Alliance that has worked together ever since.

Together We Stand

From New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, the first book in the Grail Series—the spellbinding tale of a young man, a fearless archer, who sets out wanting to avenge his family's honor and winds up on a quest for the Holy Grail. A brutal raid on the quiet coastal English village of Hookton in 1342 leaves but one survivor: a young archer named Thomas. On this terrible dawn, his purpose becomes clear—to recover a stolen sacred relic and pursue to the ends of the earth the murderous black-clad knight bearing a blue-and-yellow standard, a journey that leads him to the courageous rescue of a beautiful French woman, and sets him on his ultimate quest: the search for the Holy Grail.

Grail Quest

The Archer's Tale

From New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, the sequel to The Archer’s Tale and Vagabond—the spellbinding tale of a young man, a fearless archer, who sets out wanting to avenge his family’s honor and winds up on a quest for the Holy Grail. Already a seasoned veteran of King Edward's army, young Thomas of Hookton possesses the fearlessness of a born leader and an uncanny prowess with the longbow. Now, at the head of a small but able band of soldiers, he has been dispatched to capture the castle of Astarac. But more than duty to his liege has brought him to Gascony, home of his forebears and the hated black knight who brutally slew Thomas's father. It is also the last place where the Holy Grail was reported seen. Here, also, a beautiful and innocent, if not pious, woman is to be burned as a heretic. Saving the lady, Genevieve, from her dread fate will brand Thomas an infidel, forcing them to flee together across a landscape of blood and fire. And what looms ahead is a battle to the death that could ultimately shape the future of Christendom.

Heretic

A story of love, war, loyalty and betrayal, EXCALIBUR begins with the failure of Lancelot's rebellion and the ruin of Arthur's marriage to Guinevere. The Saxons, sensing the disunity of the Britons, seize the chance to destroy Arthur. The climax of the war comes with the legendary triumph at Mount Badon, and Arthur`s great victory. A story of love, war, loyalty and betrayal, EXCALIBUR begins with the failure of Lancelot's rebellion and the ruin of Arthur's marriage to Guinevere. The Saxons, sensing the disunity of the Britons, seize the chance to destroy Arthur. The climax of the war comes with the legendary triumph at Mount Badon, and Arthur`s great victory. But the promises he made then come back to haunt him after the years of peace and glory.

Excalibur

'Miracles of Life' opens and closes in Shanghai, the city where J.G.Ballard was born, and where he spent the most of the Second World War interned with his family in a Japanese concentration camp. J.G. Ballard was, for over fifty years, one of this country’s most significant writers. Beginning with the events that inspired his classic novel, “Empire of the Sun”, in this revelatory autobiography he charts the course of his astonishing life. “Miracles of Life” takes us from the vibrant surroundings of pre-war Shanghai, to the deprivations and unexpected freedoms of Lunghua Camp, to Ballard’s arrival in a devastated Britain. Ballard recounts his first attempts at fiction and his part in the social and artistic revolutions of the 60s. He describes his friendships with figures as diverse as Kingsley Amis, Michael Moorcock and Eduardo Paolozzi alongside recollections of his domestic life in Shepperton – raising three children as a single father following the unexpected and premature death of his wife. “Miracles of Life” is both a captivating narrative of the experiences that have shaped this extraordinary writer’s works, his distinctive outlook and his original visions of the future, and is also an account of a remarkable life.

Miracles of Life

Uther, the High King of Britain, has died, leaving the infant Mordred as his only heir. His uncle, the loyal and gifted warlord Arthur, now rules as caretaker for a country which has fallen into chaos – threats emerge from within the British kingdoms while vicious Saxon armies stand ready to invade. Uther, the High King of Britain, has died, leaving the infant Mordred as his only heir. His uncle, the loyal and gifted warlord Arthur, now rules as caretaker for a country which has fallen into chaos – threats emerge from within the British kingdoms while vicious Saxon armies stand ready to invade. As he struggles to unite Britain and hold back the Saxon enemy, Arthur is embroiled in a doomed romance with beautiful Guinevere.

The Winter King

When a Japanese-American is charged with the murder of a local fisherman, more than one man’s guilt is at stake. Soon to be a major film starring Ethan Hawke, directed by Scott Hicks (Shine). San Piedro Island in Puget Sound is a place so isolated that no one who lives there can afford to make enemies. But in 1954 a local fisherman is found suspiciously drowned, and a Japanese-American named Kabuo Miyamoto is charged with his murder. In the course of the ensuing trial, it becomes clear that what is at stake is more than one man’s guilt. For on San Piedro, memory grows as thickly as cedar trees and the fields of ripe strawberries – memories of a charmed love affair between a white boy and a Japanese girl who grew up to become Kabuo’s wife; memories of land desired, paid for, and lost. Above all, San Piedro is haunted by the memory of what happened to its Japanese residents during World War II, when an entire community was sent into exile while its neighbours watched.

Snow Falling on Cedars

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly abridged and remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. A gentleman with a taste for gambling accepts a bet that he cannot make it around the globe in eighty days. Part travelogue, part high stakes thriller, Phileas Fogg and his French manservant race to win this fantastical wager. Tim Piggott-Smith narrates the journey which has come to inspire generations of adventurers.

Argo Classics

Around the World in 80 Days

From New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, the sequel to The Archer's Tale—the spellbinding tale of a young man, a fearless archer, who sets out wanting to avenge his family's honor and winds up on a quest for the Holy Grail. In 1347, a year of conflict and unrest, Thomas of Hookton returns to England to pursue the Holy Grail. Among the flames of the Hundred Years War, a sinister enemy awaits the fabled archer and mercenary soldier: a bloodthirsty Dominican Inquisitor who also seeks Christendom's most holy relic. But neither the horrors of the battlefield nor sadistic torture at the Inquisitor's hands can turn Thomas from his sworn mission. And his thirst for vengeance will never be quenched while the villainous black rider who destroyed everything he loved still lives. ""Cornwell writes the best battle scenes of any writer I've read past or present.""—George R.R. Martin

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly abridged and remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. Set in the time of Richard the Lion Heart, Ivanhoe bursts with unforgettable characters and nail-biting adventures, as the heroic Ivanhoe battles to defend his king. Crossing from England to the Holy Lands and back again, Ivanhoe goes on a wild and dangerous journey, one full of sieges, jousting and chivalry, as he fights to defeat the king’s evil brother John and win the forbidden hand of lady Rowena. Tim Piggott-Smith, best known for his leading role in The Jewel and the Crown, brings the world to thrilling and vivid life.

Ivanhoe

Conan Doyle (1859–1930) will always be remembered for the character of Sherlock Holmes, but he was a prolific writer – of short stories, of science fiction and historical fiction – including The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard. In his comprehensive biography, Pearson considers how his life is reflected in his books – including his background as a doctor and his enduring (and public) belief in spiritualism.

Arthur Conan Doyle, A Life

Here are more than sixty eyewitness accounts from history. Many are notable events: the Battle of Thermopylae, the Black Death in 1341, the Great Fire of London, the execution of Louis XVI, the Death of Nelson and the American Civil War and the bombing of Hiroshima. But there are also snapshots of more ordinary life – no less memorable for that – including working conditions during the Industrial Revolution, views of slave owners and slaves, Paul Gaugin choosing a bride on Tahiti and the arrest of Dr Crippen. It is a fascinating and absorbing collection, bringing the past alive as only direct memories like these can do. A unique collection of accounts brought to life on audiobook with music of the period.

They Saw It Happen

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly abridged and remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. Three of the finest novels of the 19th Century are brought together in this wide-ranging collection. From the rumblings of provincial England in Silas Marner and Cranford to a wild and dangerous journey across the Holy Lands in Ivanhoe, these classic novels of the Georgian and Victorian period are as relevant and important today as they ever have been. These classic stories are read by Fawlty Towers’ Prunella Scales; The Jewel in the Crown’s Tim Pigott-Smith; and Dame Judi Dench. This collection includes: • Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell, read by Prunella Scales • Ivanhoe by Walter Scott, read by Tim Pigott-Smith • Silas Marner by George Eliot, read by Dame Judi Dench

Quick Classics Collection: 19th-Century Writers

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly abridged and remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. This collection brings together the best British writing of the 20th century, narrated by a trio of beloved voices from the stage and screen. From the ghost stories of M.R. James to the intensity of D.H. Lawrence’s Sons and Lovers, as well as the intrigue of Joseph Conrad’s spy thriller, The Secret Agent, these enthralling modern classics will delight every listener. These classic stories are read by The Jewel in the Crown’s Tim Pigott-Smith; legendary Shakespearean actor, Sir Michael Hordern; and Sir Ian McKellen. This collection includes: • The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad, read by Tim Pigott-Smith • Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence, read by Sir Ian McKellen • Ghost Stories by M. R. James, read by Sir Michael Hordern

Quick Classics Collection: 20th-Century Writers

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly abridged and remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. Intrigue, espionage, and anarchy abound in what is still considered Conrad’s finest novel. Adolf Verloc, a Russian spy working for the police, is embroiled in a plot to blow up the Greenwich Observatory. When the attack goes awry, Verloc must face the consequences. Beloved star of the screen and stage, Tim Pigott Smith provides a thrilling narration of this strikingly relevant tale.

The Secret Agent

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly abridged and remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. A collection of the funny, curious verse written during the 19th and 20th centuries, read by some of Britain's most renowned actors. Humorous and whimsical verse are collated together in these timeless readings of poetry from our funniest writers. Performed by Sir John Gielgud; Imogen Stubbs; Tim Pigott-Smith; Peter Orr; Wendy Hillier. This collection includes poems from: • A.E. Housman • Benjamin Franklin King • J.K. Stephen • A.C. Swinburne • Lewis Carroll • Thomas Hardy • W.S. Gilbert • Edward Lear • William McGonagall • A.H. Clough • Robert Barnabas Brough • Thomas Grey • Lord Byron • Walter Raleigh • Oliver Goldsmith • George Canning • John Dryden • Samuel C. Boston • H.C. Beeching • C.S. Calverley • William Walsh • W.M. Thackeray • George Coleman • Hartley Coleridge • Charles Cros • George Du Maurier • W.R. Mardale • Matthew Prior • Earl Of Rochester • Thomas Love Peacock • Thomas Hood • Harry Graham

Comic and Curious Verse

Bernard Cornwell’s new novel, following the enormous success of his Arthurian trilogy (The Winter King, Enemy of God, and Excalibur) is the tale of three brothers and of their rivalry that creates the great temple. One summer’s day, a stranger carrying great wealth in gold comes to the settlement of Ratharryn. He dies in the old temple. The people assume that the gold is a gift from the gods. But the mysterious treasure causes great dissension, both without from tribal rivalry, and within. The three sons of Ratharryn’s chief each perceive the great gift in a different way. The eldest, Lengar, the warrior, harnesses his murderous ambition to be a ruler and take great power for his tribe. Camaban, the second and an outcast from the tribe, becomes a great visionary and feared wise man, and it is his vision that will force the youngest brother, Saban, to create the great temple on the green hill where the gods will appear on earth. It is Saban who is the builder, the leader and the man of peace. It is his love for a sorceress whose powers rival those of Camaban and for Aurenna, the sun bride whose destiny is to die for the gods, that finally brings the rivalries of the brothers to a head. But it is also his skills that will build the vast temple, a place for the gods certainly but also a place that will confirm for ever the supreme power of the tribe that built it. And in the end, when the temple is complete, Saban must choose between the gods and his family. Stonehenge is Britain’s greatest prehistoric monument, a symbol of history; a building, created 4 millenia ago, which still provokes awe and mystery. Stonehenge A novel of 2000 BC is first and foremost a great historical novel. Bernard Cornwell is well known and admired for the realism and imagination with which he brings an earlier world to life. And here he uses all these skills to create the world of primitive Britain and to solve the mysteries of who built Stonehenge and why. ‘A circle of chalk, a ring of stone, and a house of arches to call the far gods home’

Stonehenge

The eagerly anticipated follow-up to the number one bestseller Vagabond, this is the third instalment in Bernard Cornwell's Grail Quest series. In 1347 the English capture Calais and the war with France is suspended by a truce. But for Thomas of Hookton, the hero of Harlequin and Vagabond, there is no end to the fighting. He is pursuing the grail, the most sacred of Christendom's relics, and is sent to his ancestral homeland, Gascony, to engineer a confrontation with his deadliest enemy, Guy Vexille. Once in the south country Thomas becomes a raider, leading his archers in savage forays that will draw his enemy to his arrows. But then his fortunes change. Thomas becomes the hunted as his campaign is destroyed by the church. With only one companion, a girl condemned to burn as a heretic, Thomas goes to the valley of Astarac where he believes the grail was once hidden and might still be concealed, and there he plays a deadly game of hide and seek with an overwhelming enemy. Then, just as Thomas succeeds in meeting his enemy face to face, fate intervenes as the deadliest plague in the history of mankind erupts into Europe. What had been a landscape of castles, monasteries, vineyards and villages, becomes death's kingdom and the need for the grail, as a sign of God's favour, is more urgent than ever.

The thrilling launch of David Starkey's new mammoth venture – MONARCHY: three books linked to 18 hours of television on the Kings and Queens of England. Volume 1 The Early Kings covers the retreat of the Romans from Britain in 410 to the fall of the House of Lancaster in the middle of the 15th century. MONARCHY is more than the biographies of the kings and queens of England. It is an in-depth examination of what the English monarchy has meant, in terms of the expression of the individual, the Mother of Parliaments, Magna Carta, the laws of England and the land of England. This is the history of ideas and ideals, as well as colourful characters, brought to life by David Starkey's unique gifts as a communicator. David Starkey's scholarship combines with his engaging and popular style to produce another winner. The importance of the rich heritage of the Anglo-Saxon kings is underlined and among the kings most heavily featured are: Alfred the Great, Canute, Edward the Confessor, William the Conqueror, Henry II, Richard the Lionheart, and Henry III. The last king featured in this volume is Henry VI.

The Monarchy of England

Brought to you by Penguin. In a small continental country civil war is raging. Once a lecturer in medieval French, now a government agent, D is a scarred stranger in England, sent on a mission to buy coal at any price. Initially, this seems to be a matter of straightforward negotiation, but soon, implicated in murder, accused of possessing false documents and theft, held responsible for the death of a young woman, D becomes a hunted man, tormented by allegiances, doubts and love. ‘In a class by himself...the ultimate chronicler of twentieth-century man’s consciousness and anxiety’ William Golding © Graham Greene 1978 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

The Confidential Agent

Brought to you by Penguin. 'The only book I have ever written just for the fun of it' Graham Greene Greene proves a wonderful storyteller in this hilarious tale of the eccentricity of families and the pomposity of the middle class. Henry Pulling, a retired bank manager, meets his septuagenarian Aunt Augusta for the first time in over fifty years at what he supposes to be his mother's funeral. Soon after, she persuades Henry to abandon Southwood, his dahlias and the Major next door to travel her way, Brighton, Paris, Istanbul, Paraguay. Through Aunt Augusta, a veteran of Europe's hotel bedrooms, Henry joins a shiftless, twilight society: mixing with hippies, war criminals, CIA men; smoking pot, breaking all the currency regulations and eventually coming alive after a dull suburban life. In Travels With My Aunt Graham Greene not only gives us intoxicating entertainment but also confronts us with some of the most perplexing of human dilemmas. © Graham Greene 1969 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Travels With My Aunt

Brought to you by Penguin. A gripping tragicomedy of a bungled kidnapping in a provincial Argentinean town, considered to be one of Greene's finest novels. In a provincial Argentinian community, Charley Fortnum - a British consul with dubious authority and a notorious fondness for drink - is kidnapped by rebels in a case of mistaken identity. The young but world-weary Doctor Eduardo Plarr, is left to pick up the pieces and secure Fortnum's release, wading through a sea of incompetence and unearthing corruption among authorities and revolutionaries in the process. First published in 1973, The Honorary Consul was one of Greene's own favourites of his works and is regarded amongst his finest novels, with Plarr perhaps the most moving and convincing figure in his fiction. 'Perhaps the most enduring novel that even he has given us' Daily Mail © Graham Greene 1973 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

The Honorary Consul

Brought to you by Penguin. A leak is traced to a small sub-section of the secret service, sparking off the inevitable security checks, tensions and suspicions. The sort of atmosphere, perhaps, where mistakes could be made? For Maurice Castle, it is the end of the line anyway, and time for him to retire to live peacefully with his wife and child. But no-one escapes so easily from the lonely, isolated, neurotic world of the SIS. ‘Graham Greene's beautiful and disturbing novel is filled with tenderness, humour, excitement and doubt’ The Times © Graham Greene 1978 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

The Human Factor

Nine classic works by the Russian literary giant, adapted for BBC Radio Ivan Turgenev stands alongside Tolstoy and Dostoevsky as one of the three great Russian novelists of the 19th century. He was also a consummate short story writer, poet and playwright, and the first Russian author to become popular in the West. This specially curated collection showcases his key works, from the most celebrated to the undeservedly underrated. Described as ‘one of the most perfect things ever written’, the lyrical novella First Love tells the story of 16-year-old Vladimir, whose longing for the capricious Zinaida informs his whole life. Dramatised for Radio 4, it stars Simon Cadell, Rosalind Ayres and Bill Nighy. Succeeding it is Turgenev’s masterpiece, Fathers and Sons, an exploration of the eternal conflict between the reactionary older generation and the revolutionary younger one. John Castle stars as youthful nihilist Bazarov, with Maurice Denham as his father Nikolai. First published in 1855 as Two Women, Turgenev’s best-known play A Month in the Country centres around a landowner’s wife who finds herself attracted to her son’s tutor. Translated by Isaiah Berlin, our Radio 3 version stars Maureen O’Brien and Gerard Murphy. Written a few years before A Month in the Country, the little-known play The Poor Gentleman is an emotional comedy about an elderly man’s devotion to a daughter he can never recognise publicly. It stars Frank Finlay, Morag Hood and Colin Baker. Next up is Smoke, Turgenev’s only novel not to be set in Russia. Baden Baden is the setting for a tale that blends poignant love story and searing political satire, starring Garard Green, Rachel Gurney and Patricia Leventon. Meanwhile, in the short story ‘The Dog’, a mild Hussar (Timothy West) is the subject of a bizarre haunting… Turgenev’s debut novel, Rudin, features that archetypal character in Russian literature, the ‘superfluous man’. Ian Holm stars as the eponymous hero, an idealistic intellectual who is incapable of taking action: and suffers for it. Set just before the Crimean War, the romantic novella On the Eve has passion and patriotism as its themes. Amanda Root stars as the upper-class Elena, who embarks on a doomed affair with Bulgarian revolutionary Insarov (Philip Franks). We conclude as we began, with a tale of first love – Spring Torrents, one of Turgenev’s greatest and most autobiographical novellas. Adapted for Radio 4’s ‘Book at Bedtime’, it is read by David Horovitch. First published 1848 (The Poor Gentleman), 1855/1872 (A Month in the Country), 1857 (Rudin), 1860 (First Love, On the Eve), 1862 (Fathers and Sons), 1866 (‘The Dog’), 1867 (Smoke), 1872 (Spring Torrents) Production credits Written by Ivan Turgenev With thanks to Keith Wickham Contents List First Love Fathers and Sons A Month in the Country The Poor Gentleman Smoke The Dog Rudin On the Eve Spring Torrents © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Ivan Turgenev: A BBC Radio Full-Cast Drama Collection

Anthony Trollope was one of Victorian England’s most popular and prolific authors. He worked for the Post Office while establishing himself as a writer, and is credited with introducing the pillar box to Britain. Best known for his ‘Barsetshire’ and ‘Palliser’ novels, he wrote over 50 works in total, including short stories, travel books, biographies and a posthumously published autobiography. Collected here are a selection of superb adaptations of his much-loved novels, as well as an original radio play by Patricia Cumper. Orley Farm – Starring Tim Pigott-Smith, Samantha Bond and Ronald Pickup, this adaptation of Trollope’s 1861 novel is a compelling, emotional tale of disreputable lawyers, young lovers, the beautiful Lady Mason and the honourable Sir Peregrine Orme. Miss Mackenzie – Hattie Morahan stars as Margaret Mackenzie, a single woman past the bloom of youth, who inherits a fortune and is then beset by suitors who may, or may not, simply be after her money. Can she pick her way through this romantic minefield and find true happiness? The American Senator – Ruthless Arabella Trefoil wants to keep her engagement to John Morton a secret while she pursues the wealthy Lord Rufford. But fortune-hunting is a dangerous game, as she is soon to discover. Starring Robert Glenister, Anna Maxwell Martin and Barbara Flynn. John Caldigate – Disinherited by his father, a young man leaves home to seek his fortune in Australia’s gold mines. But an unwise shipboard romance leads to trouble down the line… Jeremy Clyde stars as John Caldigate, with Margaret Wolfit as Euphemia Smith. The Pallisers – A pacy, radical reboot of Anthony Trollope’s celebrated novels about high life and low politics in Victorian England. Jessica Raines stars as our omniscient narrator, Lady Glencora, who takes us through two decades of scandal, scheming, ambition and powerbroking. The Way We Live Right Now – When shady financier Ghassan Mehmoud recruits gullible investors for his get-rich-quick scheme, the stage is set for scandal… Henry Goodman stars in this present-day reworking of Trollope’s satirical masterpiece about money, greed and dishonesty. Mr Trollope and the Labours of Hercules – Paterson Joseph stars in this engrossing drama based on Anthony Trollope’s experiences in Jamaica in 1858. Credits Written by Anthony Trollope Orley Farm (1861) Dramatised by Martyn Wade Directed by Tracey Neale First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 December 2008-11 January 2009 Miss Mackenzie (1865) Dramatised by Martyn Wade Directed by Tracey Neale First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9-16 January 2011 The American Senator (1876) Dramatised by Martyn Wade Directed by Tracey Neale First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 21 August-4 September 2011 John Caldigate (1879) Dramatised by D. G. Bridson Directed by David H. Godfrey First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22 August-10 October 1976 The Pallisers (1861-1879) Dramatised by Mike Harris and Sharon Oakes Directed by Gary Brown and Emma Harding Produced by Gary Brown First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 10 November 2019-8 March 2020 The Way We Live Right Now (1875) Adapted by Jonathan Myerson Directed by Jonquil Panting First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 16 June-4 July 2008 Mr Trollope and the Labours of Hercules Written by Patricia Cumper Produced and directed by Marion Nancarrow First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 August 2016 © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Anthony Trollope: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Selected Dramatisations and readings of the genre-spanning work of HE Bates 'A great treasure trove to dive into' Entertainment Focus HE Bates is probably best known for his comic novel The Darling Buds of May, which introduced the lovable Larkins to the world and sparked three hugely popular TV adaptations. In his 68 years, Bates wrote over 20 further novels, more than 300 short stories, children’s books, poems, plays and non-fiction. This collection brings together three full-cast BBC Radio dramatisations and fourteen excellent readings, rounding off with extracts from HE Bates autobiographies. His wartime bestseller Fair Stood the Wind for France is a classic tale of danger, suspense and romance, centred around a British aircrew who ditch in Occupied France, and their attempts to survive and escape. This BBC radio dramatisation stars Rory Kinnear, Tom Goodman-Hill and Louise Brealey. Adapted from HE Bates’ semi-autobiographical 1952 novel, Love for Lydia charts the romance between a young reporter and a shy heiress. Tim Pigott-Smith and Juliet Aubrey star in this moving story of first love. Death of a Huntsman, based on Bates’ 1957 novella, is a vintage radio drama about a middle-aged businessman who finds himself strangely drawn to his ex-lover’s daughter. It stars Roger Delgado and Pauline Letts. Described by Graham Greene as ‘the English Chekhov’, HE Bates was much acclaimed for his short fiction. Included here are 14 of his best tales, beginning with five stories taken from his 1957 collection Sugar for the Horse. Featuring his much-loved character Uncle Silas, they include ‘The Widder’, ‘The Blue Feather’, ‘Queenie White’, ‘The Singing Pig’ and ‘Aunt Tibby’. They are read by David Neal, who also reads six more bucolic tales: ‘Time’, ‘Chaff in the Wind’, ‘The Maker of Coffins’, ‘The Cowslip Field’, ‘Loss of Pride’ and ‘Great Uncle Crow’. A further three stories, ‘The Primrose Place’, ‘The Small Portion’ and ‘The Sun of December’, are read by Kim Hicks, John Rowe and Anthony Hyde. Contents, cast and credits Written by HE Bates Fair Stood the Wind for France Cast: Rory Kinnear, Louise Brealey, Ellie Haddington, Bruce Alexander, Kenneth Collard, Tom Goodman-Hill, Kate Layden, Kenneth Collard, John Biggins, Rhys Jennings and Piers Wehner Love for Lydia Cast: Tim Pigott-Smith, Jordan Frieda, Juliet Aubrey, Margaret Tyzack, Angela Thorne, Philip Fox, Jamie Bamber, Robert Purdy, Don McCorkindale, Clare Corbett, Crispin Bonham-Carter, Helena Breck, Joanna David, Tom Mannion, Isabelle Joss, Tracy Wiles, Ray Lonnen, Helen Longworth, Ndidi Del Fatti, Tom Calder Death of a Huntsman Cast: Eric Anderson, John Ruddock, Hugh Manning, James Thomason, Kathleen Helme, Sheila Grant, Joan Sanderson Sugar for the Horse: ‘The Widder’, ‘The Blue Feather’, ‘Queenie White’, ‘The Singing Pig’ and ‘Aunt Tibby’ read by David Neal Country Stories: ‘Time’, ‘Chaff in the Wind’ and ‘The Maker of Coffins’, ‘The Cowslip Field’, ‘Great Uncle Crow’ and ‘Loss of Pride’ read by David Neal ‘The Primrose Place’ read by Kim Hicks ‘The Small Portion’ read by John Rowe ‘The Sun of December’ read by Anthony Hyde

H.E. Bates: A BBC Radio Collection

A definitive collection of Tennyson’s finest works Alfred Lord Tennyson is one of Britain’s greatest and most popular poets. Even during his lifetime, he was considered a national institution: Queen Victoria appointed him Poet Laureate in 1850, a position he held for 42 years, and in 1884 he became the first writer to be granted a baronetcy. In a long and fruitful career, he penned numerous classic works, and this BBC Radio collection showcases some of the very best. We begin with two of his masterpieces, dramatised by award-winning poet Michael Symmons Roberts. The Idylls of the King is an extraordinary epic poem that infuses the legend of King Arthur with a passionate intensity. Told here in five acts, it stars Tim Pigott-Smith. Considered one of the finest elegies, In Memoriam was written in response to the sudden death of his friend Arthur Hallam. This drama weaves the peerless poem into the story behind it, and stars Holliday Grainger, James Cooney and Ashley Margolis. Crossing the Bar plunges us into Tennyson’s stirring sea-narratives, with sea-songs performed by a cappella trio Coope, Boyes and Simpson. It includes the poems ‘The Kraken’, ‘The Sea Fairies’, ‘Enoch Arden’, ‘The Voyage of Maeldune’ and ‘Crossing the Bar’ - read by John Dougall, Rachel Bavidge, Sam Dale, Jasmine Callan, Stuart McLoughlin and Joseph Kloska. In Maud, Tennyson’s dark, lyrical verses tell of a disturbed young man roaming the windswept hills, madly in love and haunted by loss. Dramatised for radio in 1969, Harold brings to life the story of England’s last Anglo-Saxon King, starring Gabriel Woolf. Next up are readings of Tennyson’s best-loved poems, including seven written in the language of his native Lincolnshire and introduced by his great-grandson Hallam Tennyson. ‘Aylmer’s Field’, his Victorian version of the Romeo and Juliet story, is read by Andrew Sachs; while Peggy Ashcroft reads his celebrated lyrical ballad ‘The Lady of Shalott’. ‘The Lotos-Eaters’, inspired by the tale of Odysseus and his mariners, is read by Sir John Gielgud. ‘The Northern Farmer’, ‘The Parson’s Daughter’, ‘The Church Warden and the Curate’, ‘Owd Roa,’ ‘The Village Wife’, ‘The Northern Cobbler’ and ‘The Spinster’s Sweet-Arts’ are read by Edward Campion and Mary Wimbush. Lastly, ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ is read by Alfred Badel, and ‘The Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington’, read by the poet's grandson Sir Charles Tennyson. We conclude with a pair of fascinating documentaries exploring the poet’s life and work. Searching for Alfred in the Shadow of Tennyson sees Ruth Padel investigating the man behind the image, while In Our Time: Tennyson’s In Memoriam finds Melvyn Bragg discussing the poet’s moving meditation on love and death. First published 1830 (‘The Kraken’, ‘The Sea-Fairies), 1832 (‘The Lady of Shalott’, ‘The Lotos-Eaters’), 1833 (‘Fatima’), 1850 (‘In Memoriam’), 1852 (‘Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington’), 1854 (‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’), 1855 (‘Maud’), 1859-1885 (Idylls of the King), 1864 (‘Enoch Arden’, ‘The Northern Farmer’), 1876 (Harold), 1880 (‘The Voyage of Maeldune’, ‘The Village Wife’, ‘The Northern Cobbler’), 1885 (‘The Spinster’s Sweet-Arts’), 1889 (‘Crossing the Bar’, ‘Owd Roa’), 1891 (Alymer’s Field), 1892 (‘The Church-Warden and the Curate’) © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Alfred Lord Tennyson: In Memoriam, Idylls of the King, Maud & more

You've finished all her novels, so where do you go after Pride and Prejudice? Perfect for Janeites everywhere, this enticing collection brings together for the first time six special recordings that offer a glimpse behind the scenes at the life of the celebrated author. Taking us on a journey from her earliest teenage writings, to her love affair aged 20, to the scandalous arrest of her aunt which shook her family, these fascinating programmes offer a closer look at Jane Austen and those around her, as seen through her letters, writings and final home. Juvenile Jane - Jane Austen's delightfully precocious and revealing early works are celebrated by Austen expert Janet Todd and writer and illustrator Posy Simmonds. Anna Maxwell Martin reads extracts from three stories: 'Frederick and Elfrida', 'Henry and Eliza' and 'Love and Freindship'[sic]. Minuet - The story of Jane Austen's real-life romance with an impassioned but impoverished young Irishman, which fueled her desire to become a writer. Helen McCrory stars as Jane Austen and John Light as Tom Lefroy in this original drama by Harriet O'Carroll. A City Full of Swindlers - 1799, Bath. Accused of shoplifting a piece of lace, Jane Austen's aunt is arrested and imprisoned... Narrated by Cassandra Austen (Lucy Black), this shocking tale reveals Georgian Bath to be a much less decorous place than it appears in her sister Jane's novels. Based on a true story, Jenny Howarth's entertaining drama also stars Tim Pigott-Smith and Pamela Miles. Portrait of Elizabeth - Inspired by the Portrait of Elizabeth Bridges Austen at the Jane Austen's House Museum, Chawton, Sophia Hillan's short story is told from the point of view of Jane's elder brother Edward's wife. It is 1808, and Elizabeth has just given birth to her 11th child. Suffering from fever and unaware that she is dying, she rails at the thought of having Jane attend her. But why is she so angry with her sister-in-law? Read by Laura Carmichael. No Ice in Weymouth - This 5-part series is a portrait of the family, social and professional world of Jane Austen, as seen through her letters and novels. Beginning in 1813, when Pride and Prejudice is about to be published, it concludes in 1815 in the months leading up to the publication of Emma. Starring Susannah Harker as Jane and Oona Beeson as Cassandra. A Quire of Paper: A Poem for Jane Austen and Her House - In 2016, Maura Dooley was poet-in-residence at the Jane Austen's House Museum, where Austen lived for the last eight years of her life. This atmospheric programme interweaves the sounds of the house, garden and village with specially composed poetry set against the rich history of this iconic place. © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Jane Austen: A Portrait

Arthur Miller's unproduced screenplay about a 1950s Brooklyn dock worker who takes a stand against corruption, directed by Adrian Noble The annals of movie history are full of lost treasures - spectacular scripts from world-renowned writers that could have been classics, had they only been made. Now, for the first time, some of these forgotten gems have been brought to life, fully realised as vivid, cinematic radio productions. Scripted by major 20th Century writers, including Harold Pinter, Arthur Miller, Alfred Hitchcock and Dennis Potter, they star a host of A-list actors and feature richly evocative, atmospheric soundtracks. The Hook, one of seven 'unmade movies' available on audio, is set in New York's docks in 1951, where hundreds of longshoremen queue up at dawn hoping to be given a counter and a place in the day's gang. It's hard, dangerous work, but in a world ruled by corrupt union bosses on the take, they have no choice but to accept it. Then a tragedy occurs, and one man, Marty Ferrara, decides to fight back... Arthur Miller was America's leading post-war playwright, but his credits also include several successful movie scripts, among them the 1961 classic The Misfits. Developed with Elia Kazan, The Hook was shelved when Miller refused to comply with Columbia Pictures' demands that he make the corrupt union bosses Communists. However, it went on to inspire both Kazan's On the Waterfront and Miller's A View from the Bridge. This dazzling production marks director Adrian Noble's radio debut, and stars Elliot Cowan (Lost in Austen) as Marty, with Tim Pigott-Smith (The Jewel in the Crown) as Farragut. It is narrated by David Suchet, who flawlessly reads Miller's directions, describing the action we can't see. Gritty, powerful and resonant, this rediscovered masterpiece will have you hooked from beginning to end. Production credits Written by Arthur Miller Adapted for radio by Laurence Bowen Directed by Adrian Noble Produced by Laurence Bowen Sound Design: Wilfredo Acosta A Feelgood Fiction production for BBC Radio 4 Cast Narrator - David Suchet Marty - Elliot Cowan Louis - Nigel Lindsay Rocky - Michael Feast Farragut - Tim Pigott-Smith Piggy - Nathan Wiley Enzo - Jonathan Guy Lewis Sleeper - Kerry Shale Therese - Joanne Pearce Old Dominic - Vincent Riotta Mama - Lorelei King Irene - Hollie Burgess Pete - Leo Heller First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17 October 2015 © 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Unmade Movies

Unmade Movies: Arthur Miller's The Hook

Six lavish BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations of Anthony Trollope's much-loved novels, plus a bonus documentary about Trollope himself. Anthony Trollope's series of witty, gently satirical stories of provincial life are set in the fictional town of Barchester and the surrounding county of Barsetshire. With a focus on the lives, loves and tribulations of the local clergy and rural gentry, the canvas is broad and colourful, with a set of iconic characters in whose lives we become intimately involved as they grow up, grow old, and fall in or out of love and friendship across the years. The Warden: The gentle Mr Harding finds his peaceful life disrupted when his would-be son-in-law calls into question the large income he receives as warden of Barchester alms house. Starring Tim Pigott-Smith and Maggie Steed. Barchester Towers: The cathedral town is changing again, with the arrival of a new Bishop, his wife and his Chaplain from London throwing all Barchester into disarray. Starring Tim Pigott-Smith and Una Stubbs. Dr Thorne: When young heir Frank Gresham expresses his desire to marry Mary, her uncle Dr Thorne realises that a secret he has concealed for so long can no longer stay secret. Starring Iain Glenn, Pippa Haywood and Douglas Booth. Framley Parsonage: Mark Robarts, the young vicar of Framley, cannot resist the lure of celebrity beyond his own village. But his ambitious pursuits will lead him to risk his devoted wife and children, as well as his sister's happiness. Starring Pip Carter, Hattie Morahan and Kate Buffrey. The Small House at Allington: The arrival of the handsome Adolphus Crosbie causes quite a stir at Allington. There is concern for Lily Dale in her fight against scarlet fever, and Dr Crofts is a frequent visitor to the Small House. Starring Scarlett Alice Johnson and Blake Ritson. The Last Chronicle of Barset: Henry Grantley has fallen in love again, Lily's past returns to haunt her, and Mr Crawley must reckon with an angry butcher. Johnny traverses Europe trying to save Mr Crawley and meets an unexpected new friend. Starring Adam Kotz and Samuel Barnett. Also included is the documentary Trollope, in which poet Michael Symmons Roberts, who dramatised several of the books in this release, sets out to visit the places that inspired Trollope's writing - interrupted at times by Trollope (voiced by Hamilton Berstock) himself. Cast and credits Written by Anthony Trollope. The Warden Dramatised by Michael Symmons Roberts. Directed by Susan Roberts. Produced by Charlotte Riches. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26th January 2014. Barchester Towers Dramatised by Nick Warburton. Directed by Marion Nancarrow. Music composed by David Tobin, Jeff Meegan and Julian Gallant. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 2nd-16th February 2014. Dr Thorne Dramatised by Michael Symmons Roberts. Directed by Susan Roberts. Produced by Charlotte Riches. Music composed by David Tobin, Jeff Meegan and Julian Gallant. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4th-18th May 2014. Framley Parsonage Dramatised by Nick Warburton. Directed & produced by Marion Nancarrow. Music composed by David Robin, Jeff Meegan and Julian Gallant. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 31st August - 14th September 2014. The Small House at Allington Dramatised by Michael Symmons Roberts. Directed by Gary Brown. Produced by Charlotte Riches. Music composed by David Tobin, Jeff Meegan and Julian Gallant. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 21st December 2014 - 4th January 2015. The Last Chronicle of Barset Dramatised by Nick Warburton. Directed & produced by Marion Nancarrow. Music composed by David Tobin, Jeff Meegan and Julian Gallant. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 31st May - 21st June 2015. Trollope Presented by Michael Symmons Roberts. Produced by Faith Lawrence. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 3rd January 2014. ©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Barchester Chronicles

The complete Series 1 and 2 of the BBC Radio sitcom about the ups and downs of a second-class writer Once upon a time, there was a struggling writer named Woodhouse Carton, who tried to make his name as an author while simultaneously running his own creative writing class... Over 12 episodes, we follow the frustrated scribe's fruitless search for fame and fortune as, supported by his long-suffering wife Gila and feckless sidekick Seamus, he tries to write the definitive biography of philosophical novelist Wolf Heinrich Graubart - or compose the hit song that will set him up for life. Travelling to Berlin in an attempt to get under the skin of his subject, Woodhouse is confused with contradictory accounts - and confounded by extra expenses. Desperate to make big money, he tries his hand at children's fiction, pens an oratorio, gets a new agent and searches for a patron. With a baby on the way, willl he manage to turn his fortunes around and find success at last? Scripted by award-winning biographer and dramatist Ronald Hayman, this superbly written literary sitcom stars Tim Pigott-Smith as Woodhouse, Zoë Wanamaker as Gila and Stephen Rea as Seamus, with a distinguished cast including Miriam Karlin, Sheila Hancock and Celia Imrie. Written by Ronald Hayman Directed by Piers Plowright and Paul Schlesinger Music by Elizabeth Parker of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop Guitar: Patrice Chevalier Cast Woodhouse - Tim Pigott-Smith Gila/Monie - Zoë Wanamaker Seamus - Stephen Rea Wilhelmina/Jutta/Heidi - Susie Brann Harietta Masterson/Samantha/Hildegarde/Hedwig/Muriel - Miriam Karlin Hamish McVomitory/Professor Trinklekopf/Blind man/Graubart/Dr Vongalis/Harris - Bill Wallis Gila's Dad/Colonel/Cedric - Benjamin Whitrow Gila's Mum - Joan Matheson/Maxine Audley Pachmann - John Moffatt Cissie Soskins - Eva Stuart Frau Graubart - Eva Stuart/Maxine Audley Girl in the street/Sasha/Charlotte aged 17 - Susan Sheridan Mark Grimshaw - Geoffrey Whitehead Mrs Mellon - Sheila Hancock Penelope Pomeroy - Celia Imrie Mary Jane/Fenella - Maxine Audley Ulrike - Tara Dominick Marli Lillene/Jayston - Nickolas Grace Griselda - Victoria Carling MacGillycuddy - James Green Bongo/Bunty/Tommy/Groom/Dollamore/Benjy - Ronald Herdman Alun - Timothy Bateson Craggs/Breuster/Hotchkiss - James Simmons Dorothy - Petra Markham Jasper - Timothy Carlton With Eva Stuart, Susan Sheridan and Shaun Prendergast as Creative Writing Class members First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 16-21 September 1989 (Series 1), 21-27 December 1991 (Series 2) Credits Published by Penguin Random House Ltd Licensed by BBC Studios Distribution Ltd ? 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd © 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. ? 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Such Rotten Luck: Series 1 & 2

Songs, sketches and stand-up, recorded in front of a live audience on location Songwriter, broadcaster and award-winning entertainer Sir Richard Stilgoe goes out, about and around Britain in this amusing musical revue, which finds him taking a wry look at the pastimes and professions of our wayward island. In the company of a troupe of star guests including Sandi Toksvig, Emma Thompson, Kathryn Tickell, Pam Ayres and John Hegley, he visits locations ranging from the Boat Show to the City of London to perform a unique themed comedy show full of fun and laughter. Join him for some musings on booze at the World Wine Fair; a low-calorie look at life at Champney's heath spa; a selection of music, poems and stories about farmyard life inspired by the Royal Agricultural Show. He also takes a Stilgoe-style look at education at Manchester Grammar School, dispels the myths around money-making in the City of London, samples the grandeur of the National Trust's Clandon Park, and the results of sound testing at Guy's Hospital, London. Please Note: These classic recordings were made between 1984 and 1989 and the content of the programme reflects the era in which it was broadcast. Cast and credits Written and presented by Richard Stilgoe Produced by Mike Craig and Neil Cargill Series 1 episodes: The Boat Show; Manchester Grammar School; The World Wine Fair, Bristol; Champney's Health Hydro and Guy's Hospital. Featuring: Sheila Steafel, Charles Collingwood, the Cambridge Buskers, Peter Wheeler, Sandi Toksvig, Emma Thompson Series 2 episodes: City of London; Clandon Park; Christie's Auction Rooms; Brighton Racecourse; The Royal Agricultural Show; Whitehall Theatre Featuring: Charles Collingwood, Belinda Lang, Tim Pigott-Smith, Kathryn Tickell, Peter Blake, Jill Meager, Ian Carr, Lynn Tocker, Francesca Brill First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 9 April-14 May1984 (Series 1), 8 July-12 August 1989 (Series 2) ©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Stilgoe's Around

A radio anthology of George Orwell's finest novels, memoirs and essays, plus four biographical dramas and a bonus documentary, The Road to Nineteen Eighty-Four Visionary author and journalist George Orwell was the man behind two of the best-loved and most influential novels of the 20th century, Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm. This collection celebrating his life and work features dramatisations of both these classic books, with stellar casts including Christopher Eccleston, Pippa Nixon, Tim Pigott-Smith, Tamsin Greig and Nicky Henson. Also included is a drama based on his autobiographical account of the Spanish Civil War, Homage to Catalonia, starring Joseph Millson and Lyndsey Marshal. Four biographical radio plays by Mike Walker and Jonathan Holloway - Burma, Dreaming, Loving and Jura - explore further episodes in Orwell's fascinating life, showing the disconnection between the man who was Eric Blair and the writer who was George Orwell. Timeless examples of his essays and journalism are showcased here, including 'A Hanging', 'Confessions of a Book Reviewer', 'My Country Right or Left', 'Pleasure Spots' and 'As I Please' (all read by Clive Merrison), while Joseph Millson narrates Down and Out in Paris and London, Orwell's vivid memoir of his time living among the poor in Europe's two great cities. Finally, in The Road to Nineteen Eighty-Four, David Aaronovitch examines what led avowed socialist George Orwell to write a book beloved of the Right, revealing how the novel grew from a forgotten political world shaped by the atom bomb. George Orwell worked for BBC Radio from August 1941 to November 1943, and even went on air himself. Sadly, none of the programmes in which he took part survive - in those days, radio was essentially a live medium, and broadcasts were not recorded for posterity. But Orwell's connection to the BBC remains a fascinating part of its wartime history. ©2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

George Orwell: A BBC Radio Collection

Five classic novelisations of TV adventures set in Earth’s history. In Doctor Who: The Aztecs the First Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan materialise in Mexico during the bloodthirsty Aztec civilisation. In Doctor Who and the Crusaders the First Doctor and his friends are embroiled in the 12th Century conflict between Richard the Lionheart and the Sultan Saladin. In Doctor Who: The Myth Makers the First Doctor, Steven and Vicki arrive on the plains of Ursa Minor, in the middle of the Greek and Trojan battlefields. In Doctor Who and the Masque of Mandragora, the Fourth Doctor and Sarah fight swords, sorcery and an alien influence in 15th Century Italy. In Doctor Who and the Visitation, the Fifth Doctor, Adric, Tegan and Nyssa materialise in 17th Century London and find themselves playing a key role in gruesome historical events… Read by William Russell, Stephen Thorne, Tim Pigott-Smith and Matthew Waterhouse. Duration: 23 hours approx. Each purchase is accompanied by a PDF booklet featuring full cast and credits, chapter-by-chapter navigation, and sleeve notes for each book by David J. Howe. “This range of classic Target audiobooks continues to go from strength to strength…” Doctor Who Magazine Sound design by Simon Power TARDIS sound effect by Brian Hodgson Executive producer: Michael Stevens Cover illustration by Andrew Skilleter (P) BBC Worldwide 2018 © BBC Worldwide 2018 BBC logo © BBC 1996 Doctor Who logo © BBC 2014 A stereo recording MCPS Digital Edition Chapter Listing Doctor Who: The Aztecs Files 1-15 Doctor Who and the Crusaders Files 16-25 Doctor Who: The Myth Makers Files 26-53 Doctor Who and the Masque of Mandragora Files 54-65 Doctor Who and the Visitation Files 66-76

Doctor Who: The History Collection

Eyewitness accounts from the BBC Archive are at the heart of this unique history of the first half of the 20th Century, narrated by Tim Pigott-Smith. The events of 1900-1949 are described by the people who saw them happen, from the death of Queen Victoria and accession of Edward VII through the First World War, the sinking of the Titanic, the General Strike and the Great Depression, to the Second World War and its aftermath. Events both joyful and sorrowful are illustrated with fascinating and rarely heard archive recordings, with a linking narration by the historia Joanne Bourke. Thought-provoking and moving, these are the voices of the past speaking to the present day.

Eyewitness 1900-1949

Eyewitness accounts from the BBC Archive are at the heart of this unique history of the latter half of the 20th Century, narrated by Tim Pigott-Smith. The events of 1950-1999 are described by the people who saw them happen, from the Festival of Britain in 1951 through to dawn of a new millennium at the end of 1999. Inbetween are the eras of the Angry Young Men, the Teddy Boys and the Punk Rockers; the arrival of rock and roll and the permissive society; the advent of industrial strife in England and sectarian unrest in Northern Ireland; the rise to power of Margaret Thatcher; the miners’ strike, three day week and Winter of Discontent; the Queen’s Silver Jubilee; the IRA’s campaign of bombing and the eventual Good Friday agreement; the marriage of Prince Charles, the death of Princess Diana, the Poll Tax riots, and the British participation in wars in the Middle East and Bosnia. Events both joyful and sorrowful are illustrated with fascinating and rarely heard archive recordings, with a linking narration by the historia Joanne Bourke. Thought-provoking and moving, these are the voices of the past speaking to the present day.

Eyewitness: 1950-1999

Three classic radio productions from the BBC archives starring Hannah Gordon, Tim Pigott-Smith, Paul Scofield and a host of celebrated acting talent. These three legendary plays, performed by some of the best-known theatrical actors of the 20th Century, are the perfect way to commemorate England's greatest dramatist. The Winter's Tale One man's consuming jealousy threatens to destroy both himself and those around him, but his actions arouse a passionate sense of honour, love, justice and self-sacrifice in members of his Court and family. First broadcast in 1982, starring Ronald Pickup as Leontes, with Hannah Gordon as Hermione and John Gielgud as Time. Pericles Pericles is haunted by Fate, buffeted by storms, driven from country to country and cruelly separated from his wife and daughter. Having endured the waywardness of Fortune, will he be reunited with his family? First broadcast in 1981, starring Tim Pigott-Smith as Pericles and Angharad Rees as Marina. The Tempest Set on an enchanted island ruled by the sorcerer Prospero, this spellbinding tale of magic, illusion, forgiveness and repentance is one of Shakespeare's greatest plays. First broadcast in 1974, starring Paul Scofield as Prospero and Patrick Stewart as Caliban. Recorded at BBC Broadcasting House and featuring the BBC Drama Repertory company, with specially composed music, this is classic radio drama at its finest. Duration: 7 hours 35 mins approx.

Classic BBC Radio Shakespeare: Romances

A thrilling BBC Radio full-cast spin-off from the Danish TV series, starring Tim Pigott-Smith. Hans Gammelgaard, Private Secretary in the Danish Ministry of the Environment, is seeking approval for the controlled use of genetically modified crops by Danish farmers. However, unseen enemies seem prepared to go to any lengths in pursuit of their own agenda. When Hans is sacked, he and his grandson Nick join forces with cynical journalist Jan Gleerup to find out who has been pushing commercial interests in the GMO debate in Borgen. A series of threatening phone calls means time is running out. Hans begins to fear not only for the political situation, but also for his family. Adapted from the original Danish version, this radio drama is set against the backdrop of the first Borgen television series, which followed the unlikely emergence of Birgitte Nyborg as the country's new Prime Minister. At the centre of the drama is the Danish parliament, nicknamed Borgen - 'the castle'. While the TV drama focuses on the politicians, the radio drama is set in the world of the civil service.

Borgen: Outside the Castle

The RMS Titanic  sailed from Southampton en route for New York on her maiden voyage with 2228 passengers and crew on board. On the 14th April at twenty minutes before midnight, sailing at almost full speed, she struck an iceberg and sank in just two and a half hours. Over 1500 lives were lost. This is the story of a great tragedy described by the surviving passengers, officers and crew who were on board that night. Firsthand accounts help to explain why so few of the passengers took to the lifeboats and later describe the miraculous survival of those forced to jump into the icy waters of the North Atlantic. The story of the Titanic is ultimately one of simple human loss and these laconic Edwardian voices bring it vividly to life. The hold that these events have on our imagination is as strong now as it ever has been in the 100 years since the great ship went down.

Titanic, The Voices From The BBC Archive

The five shortlisted titles for the BBC National Short Story Award 2011 administered in partnership with Booktrust, containing:  ‘Rag Love’ by M. J. Hyland, read by Mike Sengelow;  ‘The Heart of Denis Noble’ by Alison MacLeod, read by Tim Pigott-Smith;  ‘Wires’ by Jon McGregor, read by Lydia Wilson;  ‘The Human Circadian Pacemaker’ by K. J. Orr, read by Indira Varma and  ‘The Dead Roads’ by D. W. Wilson, read by Trevor White.

BBC National Short Story Award 2011

First-hand accounts featuring the RAF pilots who took part in the Battle of Britain - one of the chief turning points of World War Two.   'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few' - Winston Churchill.   The 'Few' were the nearly 3,000 RAF pilots who fought against the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, which raged in the skies over southern England and the English Channel in the summer of 1940.   With a new Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, Britain fought alone in Europe - and under the threat of invasion from Hitler's Germany.   Douglas Bader, Flight Lt Richard Hillary, 'Ginger' Lacey and Flight Lt. Brian Kingcombe describe the strains they had to face as pilots: 'I didn't have butterflies in my stomach - I had vultures' and the 'long, boring hours interspersed with moments of tremendous exhilaration'. Their determination, bravery, and skill are evident as, outnumbered, they fought doggedly in their superior Hurricanes and Spitfires.   With news bulletins, reportage, personal accounts from the ground crews, and excerpts from Churchill's famous speeches, this recording undeniably shows why, for the victorious RAF pilots, 'This was their finest hour'.

The Battle Of Britain

This novel, described as a '... brilliantly choreographed legal thriller' (Mail on Sunday), centres on the pathos of the main character, Lady Mason. Youthful marriage choices, middle-aged marital crisis, love and loss revolve around the legal action and the complex portrayal of Lady Mason, who is both sympathetic and wily. The novel proposes a standard of morality higher than that embodied in the practice of an English court of law.  With its concern for social issues and its extensive coverage of middle-class and landed life, 'Orley Farm' is a novel that demands attention in the rich field of nineteenth century fiction.  Trollope wrote in his Autobiography that his friends considered this 'the best I have written'.  With Tim Pigott-Smith as Anthony Trollope and Samantha Bond as Lady Mason, this production also stars Ronald Pickup, Dan Stevens, Amanda Root, Jonathan Christie and Lydia Leonard. Directed by Tracey Neale.

Orley Farm (BBC Radio 4 Classic Serial)

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