The Pickwick Papers was Dickens’s first novel, completed in 1837. From the start he established his eye for vivid characters – with the lovable London character of Sam Weller, the boistrous Mr Pickwick, and the rest of the colour crew. The adventures, including the cricket match in Dingley Dell, and the grim description of Fleet Prison, set the pattern for the most remarkable series of stories that epitomize England in the nineteenth century.

The Pickwick Papers : Abridged

Here are the greatest and best-loved stories from the Old Testament of the Bible, stories which can be read as much for their human, literary and historical appeal as for their religious meaning. The selection ranges from childhood favourites like David and Goliath, to key moments in Jewish history such as the Exodus, and also includes some of the finest poetry in the Old Testament – the Song of Solomon, for example. Until the invention of the printing press and the coming of the Reformation, the Bible was effectively the preserve of the clergy. Now you can enjoy on CD some of the most important and compelling writings known to man.

The Old Testament

In Paradise Regained, Satan again is on the prowl, having successfully tempted Adam and Eve and forced their departure from the Garden of Eden, here he sets out to tempt again – this time Jesus himself as he comes to the end of his forty days in the desert. The magisterial poetry of Milton enriches the encounter and, while not matching the greatness achieved in Paradise Lost, provides drama and depth.

Christian Classics

Paradise Regained

Nine BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramas by Mike Walker, chronicling Rome’s greatest rulers Drawing on historical sources including Suetonius’s ‘Lives of the Caesars’, Mike Walker’s compelling drama cycle follows the story of the leaders of Rome, from Julius Caesar’s ascension to power to the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West in AD 475. Meeting at Formiae – Julius Caesar secretly seeks senate leaders Cicero and Cato’s support to shake up the rule of Rome. Stars David Troughton as Caesar, Anton Lesser as Cicero and Stephen Critchlow as Cato. The Arena – As Julius’s appointed heir, young Octavian uses his legendary political skills to outwit enemies and rule Rome. Starring Adam Levy as Octavian. Peeling Figs for Julius – His name is now a byword for depravity, but growing up in Tiberius’s court, how evil was Emperor Caligula? Stars David Tennant as Caligula and Neil Dudgeon as Cassius Chaerea. The Best of Mothers – The murderous tale of Emperor Nero and his interfering mother Agrippina. Jonathan Forbes stars as Nero, with Frances Barber as Agrippina the Younger. The Glass Ball Game – The story of Emperor Hadrian and his relationship with Antinous, who died in mysterious circumstances. Starring Jonathan Hyde as Hadrian and Andrew Garfield as Antinous. Citizens in a Great City– Young Commodus buckles under the expectations put upon him by his father, the philosopher/emperor Marcus Aurelius. And Septimus Severus is called on to save the Empire from anarchy. Jim Sturgess stars as Commodus, with Ronald Pickup as Marcus Aurelius and Ray Fearon as Septimus Severus. Empress in the West– As the Roman Empire begins to fall apart, Victoria Poppea sees an opportunity to wield the power that her gender has always denied her. Stars Barbara Flynn as Victoria and Sam Troughton as Victorinus. The Maker of All Things– Constantine and Crispus are father and son – but can this indivisible bond survive politics? Sam Dale stars as Constantine the Great, with Joseph Kloska as Crispus. Empire Without End– With the Empire in the West under attack from Attila the Hun’s forces, an unlikely coalition of kingmakers selects the last Roman emperor. Starring Tom Hiddleston as Romulus Augustus.

Caesar!

Four modern masterpieces that dared to push boundaries and disrupt the status quo Deviant. Depraved. Dangerous. Denounced for their transgressive themes and inflammatory ideas, these 20th-century classics have all been considered so seditious that they had to be suppressed. Find out what made these iconic works so threatening to governments worldwide in these superlative dramatisations, featuring stellar casts and specially composed music. Ulysses – Prosecuted for obscenity in the UK and US, James Joyce’s seminal novel tells the combined stories of Stephen Dedalus and Leopold Bloom, as they wander through Dublin on one ordinary day: 16th June 1904. The Well of Loneliness – Radclyffe Hall’s groundbreaking tale of lesbian love was judged as obscene soon after its publication in 1928, and banned in the UK for over 20 years. It centres around Stephen, a baby girl born to well-to-do parents who grows up feeling ‘different’ and knows she will never be attracted to a man. But will she always be an outcast? Brave New World – Aldous Huxley's visionary dystopian fable, banned in Ireland and Australia when it first appeared in 1932, portrays a corrupt future society where promiscuity is the norm, eugenics a respectable science and the drug soma is the opiate of the people. Token dissidents Bernard Marx and Helmholtz Watson long to be free – but it is an outsider, John ‘the Savage’, who shows them the true meaning of rebellion. Nineteen Eighty-Four – London, chief city of Airstrip One. Big Brother stares out from every poster, the Thought Police uncover every act of betrayal. When Ministry of Truth employee Winston Smith finds love with Julia, the duo begin to question the Party – but for enemies of the state, Room 101 awaits… George Orwell’s classic tale, banned in the Soviet Union until 1988 and still one of the most-challenged books in the USA today. The star-studded casts of these dramatisations include Andrew Scott, Henry Goodman, Niamh Cusack, Stephen Rea, Valerie Edmond, Amanda Root, Justin Salinger, John Coy, Milton Lopes, Christopher Eccleston, Pippa Nixon and Tim Pigott-Smith. First published 1918 (Ulysses), 1928 (The Well of Loneliness), 1932 (Brave New World), 1949 (Nineteen Eighty-Four) Cast and credits Ulysses Cast: Stephen Rea, Andrew Scott, Kevin Trainor, Harry Livingstone, Janet Moran, Ronan Raftery, Jim Norton, Joshua Ellershaw, Aidan Dunlop, Henry Goodman, Niamh Cusack, Grainne Keenan, Stephen Hogan, Des McAleer, Christine Absalom, Jonathan Forbes, Bronagh Taggart, Sean Campion, John Rogan, Peter Hamilton Dyer, Joshua Ellershaw, Lorcan Cranitch, Gerard McDermott, Denise Gough, Pip Donaghy, Frances Barber, Susie Riddell Written by James Joyce Dramatised by Robin Brooks Directed by Jeremy Mortimer and Jonquil Panting Produced by Jeremy Mortimer Executive producer: Claire Grove Singer: Daire Halpin Pianist: Colin Guthrie The Well of Loneliness Cast: Valerie Edmond, Alexandra Bateman, Roberta Kerr, Rob Pickvance, Amanda Root, Sarah Parks, Paul Warriner, Russell Dixon, Katy Cavanagh, Sara Kaplan, Thomas Hudson, Martin Reeve, Paul Warriner, Katy Cavanagh, Malcolm Hebden Written by Radclyffe Hall Dramatised by Sarah Woods Directed by Melanie Harris Music composed and performed by Odaline de la Martinez Celloist: Andy Wardale Violinist: Janet Fuste Brave New World Cast: Justin Salinger, Jonathan Coy, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Anton Lesser, Milton Lopes, Karina Fernandez, Nicola Ferguson, Sam Rix, James Lailey, Sean Baker, Scarlett Brookes, Brian Protheroe, Nick Underwood Written by Aldous Huxley Dramatised by Jonathan Holloway Directed by David Hunter Nineteen Eighty-Four Cast: Christopher Eccleston, Pippa Nixon, Tim Pigott-Smith, Kim Wall, Robert Blythe, Sam Alexander, Susie Riddell, Christine Absalom, Don Gilet, Joe Sims and Joshua Swinney Written by George Orwell Dramatised by Jonathan Holloway Directed by Jeremy Mortimer (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Banned Books: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Anton Lesser stars as a Berlin detective who stumbles upon the 20th century's most terrifying secret in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Robert Harris's bestselling novel.  The year is 1964, and it's a week before Hitler's 75th birthday. Nazi Germany won the Second World War, Churchill is living in exile in Canada, Joseph Kennedy is President of the United States, and King Edward and Queen Wallis are puppet monarchs of the United Kingdom. In this dimension, history took a very different turn in 1942 to the one we are familiar with...  Produced by the award-winning John Dryden, this dramatisation of Robert Harris's thriller, with an atmospheric soundtrack recorded on location, is a rollercoaster ride of intrigue, suspense and passion.

Fatherland

Michael Henchard, drunk at a country fair, sells his wife and baby daughter for five guineas. The following day, in despair and remorse, he forswears alcohol and sets out to redeem himself. In time, he becomes a respected merchant and eventually the mayor of the town. But Fate is not to be so easily appeased, and Henchard finds his past actions resonate through and destroy his plans for the future. One of the greatest novels in the English language, The Mayor of Casterbridge sees Thomas Hardy at his best, bringing landscape and richly imagined characters to life, and setting the hope of love against the forces of Providence.

The Mayor of Casterbridge

Like her previous books, this book is the product of the author's passionate interest in the realities of everyday life - and the conditions in which most people lived - so often left out of history books. This period of mid Victorian London covers a huge span: Victoria's wedding and the place of the royals in popular esteem; how the very poor lived, the underworld, prostitution, crime, prisons and transportation; the public utilities - Bazalgette on sewers and road design, Chadwick on pollution and sanitation; private charities - Peabody, Burdett Coutts - and workhouses; new terraced housing and transport, trains, omnibuses and the Underground; furniture and decor; families and the position of women; the prosperous middle classes and their new shops, e.g. Peter Jones, Harrods; entertaining and servants, food and drink; unlimited liability and bankruptcy; the rich, the marriage market, taxes and anti-semitism; the Empire, recruitment and press-gangs. The period begins with the closing of the Fleet and Marshalsea prisons and ends with the first (steam-operated) Underground trains and the first Gilbert & Sullivan. Read by Anton Lesser (p) 2005 Orion Publishing Group

Life of London

Victorian London

Rumi’s Spiritual Verses, is the greatest mystical poem in Islamic culture and of all time. Rumi tells of our human separation from reality, from love and from truth. He shows how love – neither erotic nor sentimental but divine, by which the universe is held together – enlightens ignorance and dissolves suffering. The first book of the Masnavi is the key to the whole work: it takes off from simple, amusing tales into realms unimaginable, but wholly familiar to the human heart.

The Spiritual Verses

"‘Of Man’s First Disobedience, and the Fruit of the Forbidden Tree, whose mortal taste Brought Death into the World, and all our woe…’ Paradise Lost is the greatest epic poem in the English language. In words remarkable for their richness of rhythm and imagery, Milton tells the story of Man’s creation, fall and redemption – to ‘justify the ways of God to men’. Milton produced characters which have become embedded in the consciousness of English literature – the frail, human pair, Adam and Eve; the terrible cohort of fallen angels; and Satan, tragic and heroic in his unremitting quest for revenge. The tale unfolds from the aftermath of the great battle between good and evil to the moving departure of Adam and Eve from Eden, with human and eternal anguish intertwined in magnificent resonance."

Paradise Lost : Abridged

From the private papers of Mark Twain and Mozart to those of Robert Browning and Nelson, Love Letters of Great Men collects together some of the most romantic letters in history. For some of these great men, love is a ‘delicious poison’ (William Congreve); for others, ‘a nice soft wife on a sofa with good fire, & books & music’ (Charles Darwin). Love can scorch like the heat of the sun (Henry VIII), or penetrate the depths of one’s heart like a cooling rain (Flaubert). Every shade of love is here, from the exquisite eloquence of Oscar Wilde and the simple devotion of Robert Browning, to the wonderfully modern misery of the Roman Pliny the Younger, losing himself in work to forget how much he misses his beloved wife, Calpurnia. Taken together, these Love Letters of Great Men show that perhaps men haven’t changed so very much over the last 2,000 years; passion, jealousy, hope and longing are all represented here – as is the simple pleasure of sending a letter to, and receiving one from, the person you love most.

Macmillan Collector's Library

Love Letters of Great Men

Narrated in the first person, Great Expectations tells the story of Philip Pirrip (known as Pip) from his disadvantaged start as an orphan in the Kent marshes to the improvement in his position following an anonymous allowance. Pip moves to London where, only after many trials, does he learn humility and the value of loyalty. Key Dickens characters abound – the convict Magwitch, the eccentric Miss Havisham and the pompous Pumblechook. Great Expectations was first published as a complete novel in October 1861 shortly after its serialisation in All The Year Round. Like David Copperfield, it drew on his early life, especially the trials of a boy who, about to enter his teen years, find himself challenged by tough life experiences. Among the many remarkable scenes is the famous meeting with Miss Havisham, surrounded by the mementos of her wedding day many years before. It remains one of Dickens’ most popular novels.

Great Expectations

Hard Times is Dickens’s most political novel. Set in the industrial north of England, in Coketown, he examines the lives of working people, who are taught by the capitalists Gradgrind and Bounderby to think only of the facts of life and not to indulge in imagination. Gradgrind’s own children have been so educated and as a result are dysfunctional and disconnected from their feelings. Only the travelling circus company of Sleary seems to offer any hope of humanity in Coketown. Hard Times is a deeply moving story written in anger to strike a blow for the victims of the dehumanising processes of industry.

Hard Times

The Trojan War is over and Odysseus, the cunning King of Ithaca, sets out for home, his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus. It proves a long, 10-year journey, fraught with dangers, from Polyphemus, the one-eyed Cyclops, and the seductive Sirens, to the love of Calypso on her all-too-comfortable isle. When he arrives in Ithaca, he has to contend with a group of suitors who have been pressing his wife to forget about her husband, admit she is a widow, and marry one of them. Anton Lesser, one of Britain’s finest audiobook stars, brings this great classic to life in the new and imaginative translation by Ian Johnston.

Epic Story

The Odyssey

"Perhaps the greatest poem of the Western world, The Iliad tells the story of fifty critical days towards the end of the Trojan war. Achilles has quarrelled with Agamemnon and sulks in his tent, while Hector brings his Trojans to the brink of victory; but fate will have the last word. Anton Lesser, one of Britain’s finest audiobook stars, brings this great classic to life in the new and imaginative translation by Ian Johnston."

The Iliad

Of Man’s First Disobedience, and the Fruit of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal taste Brought Death into the World, and all our woe.’ So begins the greatest epic poem in the English language. In words remarkable for their richness of rhythm and imagery, Milton tells the story of man’s creation, fall and redemption – ‘to justify the ways of God to men.’ Here, unabridged, and told with exceptional sensitivity and power by Anton Lesser, is the plight of Adam and Eve, the ambition and vengefulness of Satan and his cohorts.

Paradise Lost

A Christmas Carol is the best-known and best-loved of Dickens’ ‘Christmas Books’, and the story of the miser Scrooge’s redemption has become as much part of the Christmas tradition as plum pudding and carols themselves. Will Tiny Tim live to see another Christmas? Can Scrooge recover his humanity and learn to love the fellow men he seems to despise? Dickens will make you laugh and make you cry as you follow Scrooge’s supernatural adventures on Christmas Eve…

Dicken's Christmas Books

A Christmas Carol

"Oscar Wilde’s fairy stories are among the greatest and most poignant classics for children and adults alike. Humour, pathos and delightful little characters abound in the stories of ‘The Happy Prince’ and the Swallow who agrees to keep him company despite approaching winter; ‘The Selfish Giant’, who doesn’t want children playing in his garden, and ‘The Remarkable Rocket’. In addition, there are those not so familiar – ‘The Star Child’, ‘The Young King’ and ‘The Devoted Friend’."

Tales by Oscar Wilde

The Happy Prince

"Pygmalion remains one of the most popular stories – but mainly in the medium of the musical; the evergreen My Fair Lady. But much of the charm and wit comes from the words and timing in Shaw’s original play. Here are the characters of Professor Higgins, his friend Colonel Pickering, and their charge, Eliza Doolittle. Directed by John Tydeman, this delightful comedy is presented in its original play version, with the extended narrations setting the background and concluding the drama – a device perfectly suited to Audiobook."

Bernard Shaw Library

Pygmalion

The Dhammapada is the single most important extant Buddhist text. It is unquestionably ‘the voice of the Buddha’ where many of his key ideas are presented in a cogent verse form. It opens ’All that we are is the result of what we have thought’ and each of the twenty-six sections is clearly introduced. Also included on this recording are other key Buddhist concepts illustrated by original texts. A unique concept recording.

The Voice of the Buddha

"One the earliest and greatest epic poems of the Western world, The Iliad tells the story of fifty critical days towards the end of the Trojan war. Achilles has quarrelled with Agamemnon and sulks in his tent while Hector brings his Trojans to the brink of victory; but fate will have the last word. While the heroes fight before the walls of Troy the gods have also drawn up battle lines, and it is their disagreements as much as the heroes’ efforts which will decide the conflict. Despite the poem’s antiquity, the very real, human qualities of the protagonists and their dilemmas make The Iliad immediately accessible, especially in the hands of a master story-teller such as Anton Lesser. The Iliad was composed in the eighth century B. C. almost certainly as an oral composition incorporating a number of different stories from a rich poetic tradition of works now lost to us. The identity of Homer has been fiercely but inconclusively debated since ancient times. The Greeks believed he was a single person, and various cities competed for the honour of naming him a citizen. However, nothing reliable is known about him, although some traditions insist that he was blind. The poem was originally designed for recitation on important occasions by a professional bard, at least until the sixth century B. C. when, according to Greek traditions, the Athenian tyrant Peisistratus had the poem written down and codified in a form similar to the work we know today."

The Iliad : Abridged

This 14th-century Italian poet was a model for many who followed him. His passionate sonnets to Laura became the epitome for love poetry. Over some 40 years he wrote 366 sonnets to Laura, whom he probably never even spoke to, and they remain immediate and affecting even now. Called Rime Sparse (Scattered Rhymes), they influenced Chaucer and many others. This is an unusual addition to ‘The Great Poets’, but part of the intention of the series is to cover the major stepping stones of world poetry.

The Great Poets – Francesco Petrarch

Naxos AudioBooks presents the history of the Plantaganets as seen through the eyes of Shakespeare. These easy-to-understand introductions feature key speeches and scenes from the plays themselves, and are very accessible for children approaching Shakespeare for the first time, as well as being an invaluable aid to the history of the Plantaganets, from Richard II to Richard III. This set covers: Richard II, Henry IV parts 1 and 2, Henry V, Henry VI parts 1, 2, and 3 and Richard III. Read by an outstanding cast of English classical actors, and introduced by Anton Lesser.

Stories from Shakespeare – The Plantagenets

Here are sixty of the finest and most entertaining poems for younger listeners. There are nonsense poems (‘The Jumblies’) classic animal poems (‘The Snail’) stories of adventure (‘The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens’) and Robert Browning’s classic tale of adults getting their come-uppance – The Pied Piper of Hamelin. Modern poetry also makes its contribution with wordplay (‘Zoe’s Ear-rings’) and images of nature (‘Weathers’). Though principally aimed at eight to thirteen-year-olds, this is a collection to delight listeners young and old alike.

The Pied Piper, and other favourite poems

Dance with a lobster, telephone an elephant or knock on a moonlit door – this collection includes magical, macabre, dramatic, funny, bizarre, absurd, delightful, moving and charming poems by Lewis Carroll, A.A. Milne, Edward Lear, Hilaire Belloc, Kenneth Grahame and many others. Readers such as Anton Lesser, Simon Russell-Beale and Timothy West bring the lines beautifully to life and make this an ideal introduction to some of the best-loved children’s poetry.

Favourite Poems for Children

"Published just months before his death in 1768, A Sentimental Journey is Sterne’s lightly fictionalised account of his own European travels; and being Sterne, it is more about digressions, misunderstandings and risqué jokes than the places he visits. Narrated by the (apparently) innocent Parson Yorick, who appeared in Sterne’s other masterpiece, Tristram Shandy, it is full of anecdote and incident, and is far more about the people than the landscapes on the road from Calais. Despite the title, any sentimentality is offset by the elegance of the writing, the engaging companionship of Yorick himself and the constant, playful surprises."

A Sentimental Journey

In Little Dorrit, Charles Dickens created one of his most penetrating satires on the weaknesses of government in the Victorian era. He chose Marshalsea debtors’ prison as the setting, where his own father had been imprisoned. The story revolves around a complex mystery involving conspiracy, debt and a disputed will that results in unexpected consequences for the main characters.

Little Dorrit : Abridged

In this, Dickens’ most openly political novel, we discover the terrible human consequences of a ruthlessly materialistic philosophy in the lives of Thomas Gradgrind’s family, brought up to believe that only ‘Facts! Facts! Facts!’ have any meaning. Set in Coketown, a typical Lancashire milltown, the novel graphically exposes the truth about Victorian ‘progress’.

Hard Times : Abridged

In this, perhaps Dickens’ most profound and personal novel, we are invited to share in the sentimental education of Pip, the poor boy from the village forge who risks losing himself in snobbery and selfishness when he mysteriously inherits a fortune. The story moves from the bleak Kentish marshes of Pip’s childhood to a thrilling climax which mingles tragedy and triumph.

Great Expectations : Abridged

The eighth novel in Naxos AudioBooks’ series of the great works of Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist is Dickens’ second novel. Coming shortly after The Pickwick Papers it is a thrilling study of childhood innocence thrust into the darkly comic world of Fagin, his apprentice the Artful Dodger and their gang of child thieves. Who will help the orphaned Oliver to escape from their clutches and discover his true history? The original story is even more powerful than the musical that popularised it. Anton Lesser reads with all his intensity and comic versatility.

Oliver Twist : Abridged

The Trojan War is over and Odysseus, the cunning King of Ithaca, sets out for home, his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus. It proves a long, ten-year journey, fraught with dangers, from Polyphemus, the one-eyed Cyclops, and the seductive Sirens, to the love of Calypso on her all-too-comfortable isle. When he arrives in Ithaca, he has to contend with a group of suitors who have been pressing his wife to forget about her husband, admit she is a widow, and marry one of them. Anton Lesser, one of Britain’s finest audiobook stars, brings this great classic to life in the new and imaginative translation by Ian Johnston.

The Odyssey : Abridged

"Death, innocence, sacrifice and corruption – The Old Curiosity Shop is vintage Dickens. Provoking an unprecedented outpouring of public grief when it was first published, it follows the story of Little Nell and her feckless grandfather. Forced to leave their magical shop of curiosities in London, they are pursued across the English countryside by the grotesquely evil dwarf Quilp. They escape – but at what cost? Part tragedy, part allegory, this is Dickens at his most intense; drawing on his own experiences, he weaves a story of extraordinary emotional power."

The Old Curiosity Shop

This thoughtful collection of John Milton’s finest poetry marks the quatercentenary of the poet’s birth in 1608. It is read by several of Britain’s foremost classical actors, including Anton Lesser, Samantha Bond and Derek Jacobi. Milton’s uncompromising views set him firmly on the side of Cromwell, putting his life in danger when the Stuart monarchy was restored. But he is now remembered for Paradise Lost and a strong collection of other poetry which influenced successive generations. This collection offers an ideal overview, including selections from Paradise Lost and the complete Paradise Regained, excerpts from other major works, including Comus and Samson Agonistes, as well as sonnets and famous shorter poems such as On his blindness, plus a biography of Milton.

The Essential John Milton

This much-loved novel was, by Dickens’s own admission, his ‘favourite child’. It is easy to see why, with its colourful characters ranging from the repulsive Uriah Heep to the endlessly improvident Micawbers, and dominated throughout by the moving story of David’s search for a family and a home…

David Copperfield : Abridged

One of Dickens’s earlier novels, dating from 1839, Nicholas Nickleby charts the fortunes of an honourable young man who has set out to make his way in the world. Dickens presents his remarkably vivid display of Victorian characters and the life they lead, from the generous to the fated to the crushed. Hope springs eternal, however, and righteous persistence brings rewards. Anton Lesser, the outstanding Dickens interpreter, brings all his narrative expression to bear on this exciting tale.

Nicholas Nickleby : Abridged

‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times’. A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens’s only historical novel, sets personal happiness against the terrors of the French Revolution where the search for social justice sacrifices individual rights. Dr Manette has emerged from eighteen years’ unjust imprisonment in the Bastille: by an ironic twist of fate, his daughter Lucie’s marriage draws the family into a terrifying web of circumstance which, it seems, can only end in death by the guillotine.

A Tale of Two Cities: Abridged

With more than 80 of the most popular and loved poems in the English language, this collection is one of the most comprehensive anthologies of its kind available. It covers a remarkable range, from the striking vision of Blake and Shelley and the insights of Keats to lighter but equally memorable verse by Tennyson, Kipling, G.K. Chesterton and Edward Lear.

Popular Poetry, Popular Verse – Volume I

William Dorrit has been a resident of the Marshalsea debtors prison for so many years that he has gained the nickname ‘The Father of the Marshalsea’. However, his suffering is eased by his close bond with youngest daughter Amy, or ‘Little Dorrit’. The dashing Arthur Clennam, returning to London after many years in China, enters their lives and the Dorrits’ fortunes begin to rise and fall. A biting satirical work on the shortcomings of nineteenth-century government and society.

Little Dorrit

"No poet is more closely identified with the First World War than Wilfred Owen. His striking body of work, grim to the point of brutality yet, at the same time, majestic and awe-inspiring, defines the war for us. It is in each of these famous poems that Owen reflects on the four terrible months that he lived through; he conveys the experience of war, the death, the destruction and the filth, through a unique poetic language and a bold artistic vision. This anthology collects 49 of Owen’s iconic poems and serves not only as a perfect introduction to his verse but also as a commemoration of the sacrifice that was made by an entire generation of young men."

The Great Poets: The War Poetry of Wilfred Owen

A collection of these enduring tales for children and adults, with entertaining music and sound effects!

Aesop’s Fables

It was the best of times and the worst of times’ In one of the most famous openings of any novel, Dickens masterfully presents the turmoil of the French Revolution which is the backdrop for a novel of love, patience, hope and self-sacrifice. It is read by Anton Lesser whose award-winning Dickens recordings in their abridged form have now resulted in the opportunity to read the full unabridged text. His singular characterisations led to him being chosen by Peter Ackroyd to play Dickens himself in the major TV account of the writer. One of Dickens’s most popular novels. The only unabridged version on CD. Stunningly read by Anton Lesser.

Svenska Ljud Classica

A Tale of Two Cities

Laurence Sterne’s most famous novel is a biting satire of literary conventions and contemporary eighteenth-century values. Renowned for its parody of established narrative techniques, Tristram Shandy is commonly regarded as the forerunner of avant-garde fiction. Tristram’s characteristic digressions on a whole range of unlikely subjects (including battle strategy and noses!) are endlessly surprising and make this one of Britain’s greatest comic achievements. A cast of strange characters populate this strangest of novels: gentle Uncle Toby, sarcastic Walter and of course, the pompous, garrulous Tristram himself. This edition is read by Anton Lesser in a tour de force performance.

Tristram Shandy

Hamlet, which dates from 1600-1601, is the first in Shakespeare’s great series of four tragedies, the others being Othello (1603), King Lear (1605) and Macbeth (1606). In writing this extraordinary play Shakespeare effectively reinvented tragedy after an interval of roughly two thousand years – we have to go back to the Greek dramatists of fifth-century Athens to find anything of comparable depth and maturity.

Hamlet

The Old Curiosity Shop follows the story of Little Nell who lives with her grandfather in his magical shop of curiosities in London. Her grandfather’s attempts to secure an inheritance for Nell lead them into financial trouble with the evil dwarf Quilp. Nell manages to flee and lead her grandfather to safety, but with considerable cost to her health.

The Old Curiosity Shop : Abridged

An engrossing, expansive historical fantasy drama, inspired by the Mamluk slave dynasty of Egypt Tumanbay: the wealthiest city on earth. The beating heart of a vast empire. A city of dreams, where those who once arrived as slaves now hold power, and merchants, artists and warriors live side-by-side in peace. But this magnificent city is under threat. A rebellion in a far-off province, led by 'Queen' Maya, is gathering strength - and a mysterious force is devouring the empire from within. Gregor, a merciless spymaster and Master of the Palace Guard, is charged by Sultan Al-Ghuri to crush the insurgence, as his brother General Qulan is dispatched to quell the provincial insurrection. But as well as rooting out traitors, Gregor must contend with his arch-rival, the cunning Grand Vizier, Cadali. Meanwhile, Heaven, the 14-year-old daughter of slave merchant Ibn, is adrift at sea, captive to an escaped slave on whom she depends for her survival. Madu, the Sultan's spoilt nephew, also has to grow up quickly as he swaps palace life for the army... As the wheel of fate turns, Tumanbay's fortunes suffer a terrible reversal. Beset by plague, assassins, invasion, occupation and revolution, the once-great city is riven by political intrigue and power struggles. As rulers are toppled and tyrants fall, who will survive and thrive - and who will die? A Game of Thrones-style epic with the sweep of The Arabian Nights, this compelling story of love, revenge, betrayal and deception won the Best Audio Serial Gold Award at the New York Radio Festival. Among the impressive ensemble cast are Rufus Wright, Olivia Popica, Matthew Marsh, Alexander Siddig, John Sessions, Hiran Abeysekera, Aiysha Hart, Anton Lesser, Tara Fitzgerald, Enzo Cilenti and Rob Jarvis. Production credits Created by John Scott Dryden and Mike Walker and inspired by the Mamluk slave rulers of Egypt Written by John Scott Dryden, Mike Walker and Mac Rogers Directed by John Scott Dryden Produced by Emma Hearn, Nadir Khan and John Scott Dryden Original music by Sacha Puttnam Additional music by Jon Ouin Sound Design: Steve Bond, Jon Ouin and Eloise Whitmore Sound Recording by Joe Richardson and Laurence Farr Sound Edited by James Morgan and Andrea Gomez Editors: Ania Przygoda and James Morgan A Goldhawk Production for BBC Radio 4 © 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Tumanbay: The Complete Series 1-4

The complete collection of all 16 episodes from this gripping BBC Radio crime series Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard was made to look a fool in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Now he gets his own back, introducing sixteen tales of detectives whose abilities rival that of the great Sherlock Holmes. Starring James Fleet (Series 1, 3 and 4) and Tim Piggott-Smith (Series 2) as Lestrade, with casts featuring Andrew Scott, Paul Rhys, Anton Lesser, Honeysuckle Weeks, Rupert Vansittart, John Sessions, Marcia Warren and Tim McInnerny. Dramatised for radio by Chris Harrald, these stories are written by masters of the crime and thriller genre, all contemporaries of Arthur Conan Doyle. They include: The Murders on the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe The Problem of Cell 13 by Jacques Futrelle Murder By Proxy by Matthias McDonnel Bodkin The Mystery of Redstone Manor by Catherine Louisa Pirkis The Problem of the Superfluous Finger by Jacques Futrelle The Clue of the Silver Spoons by Robert Barr The Intangible Clue by Anna Katharine Green The Game Played in the Dark by Ernest Bramah The Kinght's Cross Signal Problem by Ernest Bramah A Snapshot by Matthias McDonnel Bodkin Seven, Seven, Seven - City by Julius Chambers The Moabite Cipher - by R Austin Freeman The Clairvoyants - by Arthur B Reeve The Stanway Cameo Mystery - Arthur Morrison The Secret of Dunstan's Tower - Ernest Bramah The Mystery of the Scarlet Thread - Jacques Futrelle Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko (Series 1) and Liz Webb (Series 2, 3, 4) (c) BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 2021 (p) BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 2021

The Rivals: Tales of Sherlock Holmes’ rival detectives

Babelsberg Film Studios, 1929. A major new movie is in production when its star Krista Wolff suddenly disappears. The head of the studio and the film's writer are desperate to find her. Each have their own reasons. Nick Perry's suspenseful drama is set amid the creative ferment of 1920s Berlin, centred around Babelsberg Film Studio, the world's oldest large-scale film studio. Out of the darkness of military defeat, political chaos, poverty and hyperinflation springs the phenomenon of Weimar culture, a defiant celebration of humanity and artistic expression in all its diverse forms. People flock to Berlin to be a part of the cultural explosion. Writer Jonas Beck, actress Krista Wolff and war veteran Peter X are among them. Jonas Beck . . . . . Paul Chahidi Otto Lenz . . . . . Anton Lesser Lottie . . . . . Clare Corbett Peter X . . . . . Carl Prekopp Fischer . . . . . Michael Jibson Krista . . . . . Cassie Layton The songs are written by Nick Perry, Nathan Perry and Maureen Glackin, and the music is arranged and performed by Peter Ringrose. Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko

Babelsberg Babylon

Spine-tingling stories by M. R. James, plus a chilling original drama and two bonus programmes about his life and work M. R. James was the master of the uncanny. His classic supernatural stories have haunted readers for over a century, and been adapted countless times for radio, TV and film. This collection features dramatisations of twelve of his most popular stories – The Mezzotint; Casting the Runes; The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral; A Warning to the Curious; Rats; Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come To You, My Lad; The Tractate Middoth; Lost Hearts; The Rose Garden; Number 13; Martin’s Close and Count Magnus. Among the star-studded casts are Mark Gatiss, Derek Jacobi, James D’Arcy, Anton Lesser, Julian Rhind-Tutt and Donald Wolfit. Also included are a trio of readings by Benjamin Whitrow: Canon Alberic’s Scrapbook; A School Story and The Haunted Dolls’ House. Neil Brand’s disturbing drama The Haunting of M. R. James, starring Mark Gatiss and Fenella Woolgar, sees horrific events from James’s own stories echoed in reality. The life of M. R. James is discussed by Muriel Gray and Christopher Frayling in an episode of biography series Great Lives, presented by Humphrey Carpenter. Finally, in a fascinating documentary – The Ghosts of M.R. James – Michell Raper examines the author’s life and work, with readings from several of his stories. Running Order: The Mezzotint Casting the Runes The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral A Warning to the Curious Rats Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come To You, My Lad The Tractate Middoth Lost Hearts The Rose Garden Number 13 Canon Alberic's Scrapbook A School Story The Haunted Doll's House Martin's Close Count Magnus The Haunting of M. R. James Great Lives: M. R. James The Ghosts of M. R. James

The M. R. James BBC Radio Collection

The definitive collection of dramatisations and readings of Patricia Highsmith's finest fiction - plus bonus material A master of the psychological crime genre, Patricia Highsmith is most famous for her quintet of bestselling 'Ripley' novels, and her groundbreaking thriller Strangers on a Train (notably adapted as a classic film by Alfred Hitchcock). This extensive collection encompasses her best-known works, as well as selected short stories and three programmes about the author herself and her greatest creation, charismatic anti-hero Tom Ripley. Included is a series of five plays charting Ripley's journey from smalltime conman to cool, calculated killer. Comprising The Talented Mr Ripley, Ripley Under Ground, Ripley's Game, The Boy Who Followed Ripley and Ripley Under Water, The Complete Ripley stars Ian Hart as Tom. Also featured are dramatisations of Strangers on a Train (starring Anton Lesser, Michael Sheen, Saskia Reeves and Bill Nighy); Patricia Highsmith's compelling tale of obsession, The Cry of the Owl (starring John Sharian, Adrian Lester and Joanne McQuinn); and the dark, intriguing domestic noir A Suspension of Mercy (starring Stuart Milligan and Janet Maw). Highsmith's tender, unsettling lesbian love story Carol is abridged and read in 10 parts by Zoë Wanamaker, and there are abridged readings of her short stories 'A Dangerous Hobby', 'Variations on a Game' (both read by Campbell Scott), and 'The Trouble with Mrs Blynn, the Trouble with the World' (read by Anna Massey). Five more unabridged stories, 'The Cries of Love', 'The Snail-Watcher', 'The Breeder', 'Notes from a Respectable Cockroach' and 'Goat Ride', are read by Helen Horton, John Webb, Garrick Hagon, William Hootkins and Crawford Logan. In Looking for Ripley, crime writer Mark Billingham unravels the mystery behind our lasting fascination with Tom Ripley, while in A Passionate Affair, Marcel Berlins asks if his creator Patricia Highsmith also fell under his spell. And in Desert Island Discs, the author shares the soundtrack of her life with presenter Roy Plomley. Contents The Talented Mr Ripley Ripley Under Ground Ripley's Game The Boy Who Followed Ripley Ripley Under Water Strangers on a Train The Cry of the Owl A Suspension of Mercy Carol A Dangerous Hobby Variations on a Game The Trouble with Mrs Blynn, The Trouble with the World The Cries of Love The Snail-Watcher The Breeder Notes from a Respectable Cockroach Goat Ride Looking for Ripley A Passionate Affair Desert Island Discs: Patricia Highsmith Original texts © 1993 by Diogenes Verlag AG Zurich, all rights reserved. © 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Patricia Highsmith BBC Radio Collection

10 dramas focusing on women's untold stories from history. This diverse, eclectic collection of plays explores an array of social, political and historical events from a female point of view. In these captivating dramas, we see the world through their eyes, giving us a fresh perspective on a female history that is too often unrecorded, misrepresented or misunderstood. Featuring a multiplicity of styles and genres, and written by a wide variety of authors, they range from comedy dramas themed around the Bayeux Tapestry and the 1962 Cheltenham Literary Festival, to award-winning, thought-provoking tales of Nigerian teenagers kidnapped by Boko Haram. A contemporary version of the heroines from Greek mythology, Persephone and Demeter; Profumo affair from a female perspective, Britain's last witch (Helen Duncan); a legendary ballerina (Margot Fonteyn); a little sister (Dious, sibling of St Anthony) and a youngest daughter (Judith Shakespeare). Embroidering the Truth Queen Edith - Katy Brand Bishop Odo - Charlie Anson Other cast, Katy Sobey, Lisa Zahra, Jonny Holden, Rosie Cavaliero, Tracy Wiles. Written by Abigail Youngman. Produced by Mary Ward-Lowery. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17 October 2019 Girls Tisana - Amaka Okafor Ruhab - Faith Alabi Haleema - Joan Iyiola Written by Theresa Ikoko. Directed by Abigail Gonda. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14 July 2017 The Bulbul Was Singing Laura - Rebecca Humphries Ariman - Shaniaz Hama Ali Other Cast: Paul Hickey, Jonny Holden, Saya Zahawi, Catherine Cusack, Shaun Mason, Debbie Korley, Chris Pavlo Written by Judy Upton. Directed by Emma Harding. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19 August 2019 Seven Pomegranate Seeds Performed by Niamh Cusack, Ruth Bradley and Leah McNamara Written by Colin Teevan. Produced and directed by Allegra McIlroy. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7 January 2020 Festival Elizabeth Jane Howard - Melody Grove John Moore - Tony Gardner Kingsley Amis - Jonathan Forbes Other cast: Will Howard, Emma Handy, John Lightbody. Written by Sarah Wooley. Directed by Gaynor Macfarlane. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 31 July 2018 Well, He Would, Wouldn't He? Mandy (younger) - Aimee-Ffion Edwards Christine Keeler - Lyndsey Marshal 'Pops' Murray - Stephen Marzella Stephen Ward/Peter Rachman - Ewan Bailey Other cast: Adrian Schiller, Alex Dower, Anthony Courier. Written by Charlotte Williams. Directed by Kate McAll. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 February 2013 Tony's Little Sister and the Paradox of Monasticism Anthony - Duncan Preston Dious - Samantha Spiro Satan - Tim McMullan Other cast Ben Crowe, Rachel Bavidge. Written by David and Caroline Stafford. Produced by Marc Beeby. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 6 August 2007 Judith Shakespeare Judith Shakespeare - Amanda Root William Shakespeare - Michael Pennington Henry, Earl of Southampton - Anton Lesser Other Cast, Andrew Wincott, Melinda Walker, Thomas Connor, Stephen Critchlow, Ann Beach, Colleen Prendergast, Jillie Meers Written by Nan Woodhouse. Directed byTracey Neale. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 April 1996 An Unchoreographed World Margot Fonteyn - Sophie Jerrold Constant Lambert - Richard McCabe Other cast Oliver Millingham, Kate Littlewood Chorus - Anne-Marie Piazza, Maria Askew, Ffion Jolly, Ben Ashton & Coen de Groot Written by Frances Byrne. Produced and directed by Mark Smalley. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22 May 2008 The Last Witch Trial Lucy - Indira Varma Margo - Lyndsey Marshal Other Cast: Joanna Monro, Vineeta Rishi Sam Dale, Michael Shelford, Keely Beresford Written by Melissa Murray. Directed by Marc Beeby. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4 June 2010 ©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

HER Story: Women’s Untold Histories

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