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Stars of Game of Thrones, Fleabag and Homeland read 50 new audiobooks of the world famous Penguin Classics

Some of the covers from the new collection

On 26th September, Penguin Random House launched a new series of fifty audiobooks from the world-renowned Penguin Classics collection. For the first time, these titles are totally unabridged in audio and include the introductions from the print editions. 

The new series is narrated by some of the UK's best-known actors - from Fleabag's Sian Clifford (Tess of the D'Urbervilles) and Andrew Scott (Dubliners), to Game of Thrones' Natalie Dormer (A Room of One's Own) and Gemma Whelan (North and South), and star of Homeland, David Harewood (The War of the Worlds).

As well as bringing new audiences to works from iconic authors, such as Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë and Frank Kafka, the collection will introduce listeners to lesser-known titles published for the first time ever in audio, including The Wonderful Adventure of Nils Holgersson by Selma Lagerlöf, read by Horrible Histories actor Matthew Baynton, and The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, read by the trio of Shelia Atim, Jamael Westman and Jessica Brown Finlay.

Other narrators include Blake Harrison (Inbetweeners), reading Three Men in a Boat, Jessie Buckley (War and Peace), reading The Moonstone, and Ben Barnes (Westworld), reading The Picture of Dorian Gray

David Harewood (Homeland) said: 'It's been such a wonderful pleasure reading H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds. The imagination and detail of the piece is extraordinary and bringing it to life has been a career highlight.'

Gemma Whelan (Game of Thrones) : 'North and South is a tour de force - a novel with a political and social conscience, written by a woman who was completely ahead of her time. Narrating this story was a fantastic experience and I'm thrilled at the thought that it will reach a whole new audience.

Richard Lennon, Penguin Random House Audio Publisher, added: 'With this collection our aim is to bring these classic texts to life for an audience for whom listening, rather than reading, is the default way to consume stories and ideas. By pairing these classic works with a diverse range of modern acting talent, we want to encourage more people to enjoy these beautifully read, unabridged editions.'

Listen to clips from some of the audiobooks here:

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