A. J. Liebling, born in Manhattan in 1904, joined the staff of the New Yorker in 1935 and contributed innumerable articles to the magazine throughout his lifetime, on subjects ranging from food to boxing and France to horse racing. As a war correspondent during the Second World War, he reported from France, England and Algeria, and participated in the Normandy landings. In later life he married the writer Jean Stafford, his third wife. He died in 1963.

A. J. Liebling

A. J. Rosen is an author of YA fantasy and is known as @agatharoza on Wattpad.

A. J. Rosen

A. K. Davidson

A. O. Scott has been a film critic at the New York Times since 2000. His writing has appeared in many other publications, including the New York Review of Books, Slate, the New Yorker and the Nation. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism in 2010, Scott is currently Distinguished Professor of Film Criticism at Wesleyan University. He lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York. 
 
@aoscott

A. O. Scott

A.S. Byatt (1936-2023) was a novelist, short-story writer and critic of international renown. Her novels include Possession (winner of the Booker Prize 1990), the Frederica Quartet and The Children’s Book, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction. She was appointed CBE in 1990 and DBE in 1999, and was awarded the Erasmus Prize 2016 for her ‘inspiring contribution to life writing’ and the Pak Kyongni Prize 2017. In 2018 she received the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award.

A. S. Byatt

A. T. Williams won the George Orwell Prize for Political Writing in 2013 for his book A Very British Killing: The Death of Baha Mousa. He lives in Warwickshire.

A. T. Williams

A. W. Chase

Dubbed ‘The new queen of spy fiction’ by the Guardian newspaper, and ‘the real thing’ by the Washington Post, A.C. 'Ava' Glass is the CWA Dagger-shortlisted author of Alias Emma (The Chase), The Traitor and The Trap. The Traitor was a 2023 Richard and Judy Bookclub pick. Alias Emma was a Barnes and Noble book of the month. A former crime reporter and communications consultant, for five years Ava worked closely with spies. Her time in that world fascinated her, and the people she met back then inspire every book she writes.

A.C. Glass

A.E. Housman

Arthur Edward Waite was the designer and co-creator of the now famous Rider Waite Tarot deck. 
 
An American-born British poet and scholarly mystic, his strong interest in all esoteric matters - divination, magic, Kabbalism, alchemy and Freemasony - led to him penning a number of books. These include the Key to the Tarot, The Book of Ceremonial Magic and A New Encyclopedia of Freemasony.

A.E. Waite

A.E. Warren is the author of the Tomorrow's Ancestors series, which consists of Subject Twenty-One, The Hidden Base, The Fourth Species and The Final Rising. 
 
After spending eight years working as a lawyer, she began to write in the evenings and early mornings as a form of escapism from life in a very small cubicle with lots of files. She self-published her first novels in her spare time, which were picked up by Del Rey UK which is the science fiction/fantasy imprint of Penguin Random House. 
 
 She is an avid reader, occasional gamer and fair-weather runner. She lives in the UK with her husband, daughter and hopefully, one day, a wise border terrier named Austen.

A.E. Warren

A.G.D. Maran

A.J. Ayer

A.J. Cronin

A K Benedict writes crime and speculative fiction in a room filled with clowns, mannequins and Doctor Who figures. Her first novel, The Beauty of Murder, was nominated for an eDunnit award and is in development for a major 8-part TV series by Company Pictures. Her second, Jonathan Dark or The Evidence of Ghosts, came out in February 2016. She's written Torchwood audio dramas for Big Finish and her short stories have featured in anthologies including Great British Horror and Best British Short Stories. She lives in St Leonards-on-Sea with her dog, Dame Margaret Rutherford.

A.K.Benedict

A. L. Kennedy has twice been selected as one of Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists and has won a host of other awards – including the Costa Book of the Year for her novel Day. She lives in Essex.

A.L. Kennedy

A.M. Ellis is a speculative fiction author and lover of everything steeped in myth and mystery. Her stories often lean into diverse voices, not only in her identity as a Black woman, but in exploring neurodivergence and mental health. A proud introvert and nostalgic gamer, she lives in Maryland, USA, with her husband and three children.

A.M. Ellis

A.N. Wilson was born in 1950 and educated at Rugby and New College, Oxford. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, he holds a prominent position in the world of literature and journalism. He is an award-winning biographer and a celebrated novelist, winning prizes for much of his work. He lives in North London.

A.N. Wilson

A. T. Emerald lives with her husband and baby daughter in Nottinghamshire. She discovered her love of writing in 2020 and has not shut up about enemies to lovers ever since. She loves iced matcha, torrid love confessions with knives pressed to throats (fictional, of course) and does not accept bills for any therapy her books might incur.

A.T. Emerald

A.W. Priest

A.B.C. Merriman-Labor was a barrister, writer and munitions worker born in Freetown, Sierra Leone in 1877. His published works include A Series of Lectures on the Negro Race and The Story of the African Slave in a Nutshell. He also edited two editions of the Handbook of Sierra Leone. He arrived in the UK in 1904 to study law. In 1907, he organised a centenary commemoration of the abolition of the slave trade in Westminster Abbey. He later embarked on an 'entertainment-lecture' tour called Life and Scenes in Britain, travelling across thousands of miles of West, South West and Central Africa, which he expanded on to create Britons Through Negro Spectacles.

ABC Merriman-Labor

AJ Cronin

AJ Molloy

Aabria Iyengar is an American actress and author.

Aabria Iyengar

Aaliya Jaleel is a freelance illustrator, designer, and visual development artist, currently majoring in Animation at the University of Texas at Dallas. She is also the illustrator of Under My Hijab and Muslim Girls Rise. You can visit her online at www.aaliyamj.com.

Aaliya Jaleel

Aaron Allston

After more than fifteen years of experience as a clinical psychotherapist, Dr Aaron Balick has taken the amazing insights from psychology and psychotherapy out of the consultation room and made them accessible to the wider world. 
 
He has been an ‘agony uncle’ for many years for both CBBC and BBC Radio 1, as well as on television, including BBC Worldwide, BBC 3 and BBC Learning.

Aaron Balick

Aaron Carroll

Aaron Dignan is the founder of The Ready--a global organizational transformation and coaching practice--that helps companies large and small adopt new forms of self-organization and dynamic teaming. Clients include Johnson &amp; Johnson, Microsoft, Lloyds Bank, Citibank, Boeing, Mailchimp, Airbnb, Dropbox, and charity: water. 
 
He is also the founder of Murmur--a SaaS startup that helps teams scale culture through the magic of working agreements. The Murmur platform will allow every team on the planet to define and share their ways of working. 
 
Dignan is the author of Brave New Work (2019) and Game Frame (2011), co-host of the Brave New Work podcast, and a friend to misfit toys.

Aaron Dignan

Aaron Edwards is a senior lecturer in defence and international affairs at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, specialising in terrorism and counter-insurgency. He is the author and editor of several books, including Defending the Realm: The Politics of Britain’s Small Wars Since 1945, and has lectured all over the world on aspects of national and international security. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Aaron Edwards

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Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman’s delightfully quirky story, in which Mrs Whitaker discovers the Holy Grail in a charity shop. 
 
Mrs Whitaker just wants to have a chat with her dear friend Mrs Greenberg over home-made macaroons. But her charity shop find soon makes her the focal point of a most important quest when a handsome young man - who says he’s called Galaad - comes asking for the Grail. 
 
This sound designed, multi-voiced reading is an extended cut, including material not heard in the radio broadcast, and is introduced by an exclusive interview with Neil Gaiman. 
 
Starring Glenda Jackson as the Narrator and Mrs Whitaker, and Kit Harington as Sir Galaad. 
 
Written by Neil Gaiman 
Produced and Directed by Allegra McIlroy 
 
Cast: 
Narrator/ Mrs Whitaker ….. Glenda Jackson 
Sir Galaad ….. Kit Harington 
Mrs Greenberg and the new lady on the till….. Jessica Turner 
Marie ….. Lucy Reynolds 
 
Sound design ….. David Chilton 
Neil Gaiman’s Chivalry is a BBC Northern Ireland Production

Chivalry

A BBC Radio full-cast reading

Phil Whelans

The complete series 1 and 2 of My First Planet - a sitcom set on a shiny new planet, starring Nicholas Lyndhurst, Vicki Pepperdine (Jo Brand's Getting On) &amp; Tom Goodman-Hill (Another Case of Milton Jones) 
 
The story so far: Unfortunately, Burrows the leader of the colony has died on the voyage, so his Number 2, Brian (Nicholas Lyndhurst), is now in charge. He's a nice enough chap, but no alpha male, and his desire to sort things out with a nice friendly meeting infuriates the colony's Chief Physician, Lillian (Vicki Pepperdine), who'd really rather everyone was walking round in tight colour-coded tunics and saluting each other. She's also in charge of Project Adam, the plan to conceive and give birth to the first colony-born baby. 
 
Unfortunately, the two people hand-picked for this purpose - Carol and Richard - were rather fibbing about being a couple, just to get on the trip. Add in an entirely unscrupulous Chief Scientist, Mason, and also Archer, an idiot maintenance man who believes he's an "empath" rather than a plumber, and you’re all set to answer the question: If humankind were to colonize space, is it destined to succumb to self-interest, prejudice, and infighting? (By the way, the answer’s "yes". Sorry.)

My First Planet

The Complete Series 1 and 2

J. M. Barrie

Four of JM Barrie’s finest plays, plus two documentaries exploring the history of Peter Pan

J. M Barrie

Peter Pan and other BBC Radio plays

Matthew Broughton

‘Planet B’ is a virtual world with the slogan: "Where you can be whatever you want to be." Users can download themselves into it and play as a life-size avatars in a 3D world. 
 
When Lioba Fielding dies in the real world, her boyfriend John Armstrong downloads himself into Planet B in an attempt to find her avatar. As he travels between various worlds he becomes entangled in an array of strange scenarios, teleporting from each adventure to the next with his companion Medley, a "rogue avatar" who has no human controller. All the while, John and Medley are being watched by a dog-like antivirus programme called Cerberus who, along with the Planet B Corporation, considers the rogues to be a computer virus that need to be wiped out. 
 
But John soon begins to believe that Lioba may still be alive somewhere in Planet B, and that the games he is playing may be more real and deadly than he first thought. 
 
‘Matthew Broughton's tale of a malfunctioning virtual world is engrossing’ – The Stage 
 
Cast: 
Planet B…Adjoah Andoh 
John Armstong…Gunnar Cauthery 
Lioba Fielding…Donnla Hughes/Tessa Nicholson 
Medley…Lizzy Watts/Claire Harry 
Cerberus…Chris Pavlo 
Kip Berenger…Joseph Cohen-Cole/Lloyd Thomas 
 
Lead writer: Matthew Broughton 
Producer: Jessica Dromgoole 
Script Editor: James Robinson

Planet B: The Complete Series 1-3

The BBC Radio sci-fi drama

A full-cast dramatisation of Neil Gaiman's magical retellings of the Norse myths, inviting us into a world of gods and monsters, tricks and trust, fiery endings and new beginnings 
 
Winner of The London Book Fair CAMEO Award 2020 for Book to Audio adaptation. 
 
'And the game begins anew…' 
 
Meet the trickster god Loki and his astonishing children – the giant wolf Fenrir, Jormungundr the snake that encircles the world, and Hel, the little girl who grows up to be Queen of the dead. Here, too, is Odin the all-father, who sacrificed his eye to see the future; Thor the thunderer, who defends Asgard with his fearsome strength and mighty hammer; and Freya the understandably angry, most beautiful of the gods and always being gambled for by unwanted suitors. 
 
From the beginning of the universe in fire and ice, to the very end of the world, Ragnarok, these enthralling tales of gods, goddesses, dwarves and giants bring the ancient myths to vigorous life. 
 
Diana Rigg, Derek Jacobi, Colin Morgan, Natalie Dormer and Neil Gaiman himself are among the stellar cast in these spellbinding stories of old betrayals – and new hope.

Norse Mythology

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

Sebastian Baczkiewicz

Every year, on the winter solstice, the small town of Melcombe observes an annual custom, the roots and meaning of which are lost in the mists of time. A torch-lit procession to the ancient tomb of Cairndale Knapp, overlooking the town, puts the old sun to bed, and greets the new sun in the morning, restoring balance to the year. 
 
This year, however, Mr Sam Notice has bought the Knapp, and has set about landscaping it. And, with the felling of an ancient yew tree, the roots and meaning of the old custom spring malevolently to life, as the Winter Queen is finally released from her prison, and bent on revenge. 
 
Told over the two days of the winter solstice - Pilgrim walks again between the worlds of magick and of men.

Pilgrim: The Winter Queen

The BBC Radio 4 fantasy drama series

Terry Pratchett

A collection of the full-cast BBC Radio dramatisations of novels by Terry Pratchett 
 
Somewhere on the frontier between thought and reality exists the Discworld, a parallel time and place which might sound and smell very much like our own, but which looks completely different... 
 
Published for the very first time are seven full-cast BBC Radio dramatisations of Terry Pratchett's novels, with star-studded casts including Martin Jarvis, Sheila Hancock, Anton Lesser, Philip Jackson, Alex Jennings and Mark Heap. 
 
Mort 
Hopeless young peasant Mort is hired as an apprentice to Death. He'll have free board, use of the company horse, and being dead isn't even compulsory. In fact, it's a dream job - until he discovers that it can be killer for his love life... 
 
Wyrd Sisters 
Three witches meet on a blasted heath. A king is cruelly murdered. A child heir and the kingdom's crown are both missing. But Granny Weatherwax finds that meddling in royal politics is a lot more complicated than certain playwrights would have you believe... 
 
Guards! Guards! 
In Ankh-Morpork, the Haves and the Have-Nots are about fall out. Again. The Night Watch's Captain Vimes is used to this but when the Have-Nots find the key to a lethal, dormant weapon that even they don't understand, he knows it's time so sober up. 
 
Eric 
When precocious young Eric Thursley summons a demon from the loathsome pit to fulfil his every wish, he wants what everyone wants - immortality, to rule the world, and have the most beautiful woman love him. Instead he gets Rincewind, the Disc's most incompetent wizard. 
 
Small Gods 
On the Discworld, Gods are as numerous as herring roe, all elbowing for space at the top. In such a competitive environment, you need an acolyte, and fast. For the Great God Om, Brutha is the Chosen One, or at least the only One available... 
 
Night Watch 
Living in the past is hard. Dying in the past is incredibly easy, especially when there is a serial killer on the loose who targets coppers. Commander Sam Vimes of the City Watch is back in his own rough, tough past, and he has a job to do. 
 
***Bonus Story*** In addition to these Discworld novels, this collection also includes a full-cast dramatisation of Only You Can Save Mankind, from the Johnny Maxwell series. As an alien fleet crosses his computer screen, Johnny prepares to blow the ScreeWee into a million pieces... 
 
'The voice cast is fantastic' - Starburst 
 
 
 ©2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Terry Pratchett: The BBC Radio Drama Collection

Seven full-cast dramatisations

Lindsey Davis

Full-cast BBC Radio 4 dramatisations of the first five Falco novels by Lindsey Davis, starring Anton Lesser as Marcus Didius Falco. 
 
The Silver Pigs: 
One fine day, A.D. 70, Sosia Camillina quite literally runs into Marcus Didius Falco on the steps of the Forum. It seems Sosia is on the run from a couple of street toughs, and after a quick and dirty rescue, P.I. Falco wants to know why. Hoping for future favors from Sosia's powerful uncle, Falco embarks on an intricate case of smuggling, murder, and treason that reaches into the palace itself. 
 
Shadows in Bronze: 
Rome, AD 71. Against his better judgement, Marcus Didius Falco secretly disposes of a decayed corpse for the Emperor Vespasian, then heads for the beautiful Bay of Naples with his friend Petronius. But this will be no holiday: they have been sent to investigate the murderous members of a failed coup, now sunning themselves in luxurious villas and on fancy yachts in Neapolis, Capreae, and Pompeii. 
 
Venus in Copper: 
A small accounting error has left Marcus Didius Falco sharing a cell with a large rat. But the Roman Empire's most hard-done-by investigator is finally bailed out, and promptly accepts a commission to help a family of freed slaves fend off a professional bribe.... 
 
The Iron Hand of Mars: 
Falco is dispatched to one of the most hostile parts of the Empire to deliver a new standard, an iron hand, to one of the legions. Germania is cold, wet, dismal, and full of dark forests inhabited by bloodthirsty barbarians, but Falco has an even bigger problem to worry about: he has forgotten Helena Justina's birthday, and she is being pursued by the Emperor's son Titus Caesar. 
 
Poseidon’s Gold: 
Returning to Rome after his mission to Germania, Falco finds that his mother is being harassed by a centurion named Censorinus, who says he is chasing a debt owed to him by Falco's late brother Festus. When Falco refuses to cough up the money, he and Censorinus end up fighting... and later, the centurion turns up dead. Under suspicion of murder, Falco must confront his past and uncover his brother's secrets before he can clear his name and solve the mystery. 
 
These funny and fast-moving adaptations are a treat for all Falco fans. 
 
Cast: 
Falco… Anton Lesser 
Helena… Fritha Goodey/Anna Madeley 
Petronius…Ben Crowe 
Ma…Frances Jeater 
Pa…Trevor Peacock 
Vespasian …Michael Tudor Barnes 
Titus …Jonathan Keeble 
 
Dramatised by Mary Cutler 
Directed by Peter Leslie Wild 
 
Sound quality varies due to the age of these recordings.

Falco: The Complete BBC Radio collection

Five full-cast dramatisations

Ben Moor

Sci-fi comedy about the bizarre city of Undone – a weird parallel version of London. 
 
Edna Turner has moved to London to start a new job at entertainment magazine Get Out!. When she arrives, she meets the strange Tankerton Slopes, who claims to come from a parallel version of London known as 'Undone'. Undone is "where the weirdness comes from": where you can find pet tricks shows, medication designed to make you paranoid, and the Undone delicacy ‘troubled eggs’. Weird things flow into London and mundane things flow into Undone, making them the peculiar places they are. 
 
Tankerton offers Edna the task of patrolling the gaps between the cities: finding anyone from Undone who is in London and bringing them back. Because if an ‘Undoner’ stays in London for too long, things become very weird indeed… 
 
With a cast including Alex Tregear, Ben Moor, Kevin Eldon, Tim Key, Emma Kennedy and Al Murray, this sci fi comedy will take you to a dimension just beyond normal logic. 
 
Cast: 
Edna Turner…Sarah Solemani/Alex Tregear 
Tankerton Slopes…Ben Moor 
Carlo Jones/Billy O’Malley…Duncan Wisbey 
The Prince…Kevin Eldon 
Ida…Sophie Duval 
Grant…Tim Key 
Kate…Montserrat Lombard/Daisy Haggard 
Rosie Turner…Emma Kennedy 
Golfer Mackenzie…Al Murray 
 
Produced by Colin Anderson and Lyndsay Fenner

Undone: The Complete Series 1-3

The BBC Radio 4 sci-fi comedy

Alastair Jessiman

The complete series of off-beat thrillers about psychic detective Thomas Soutar, who uses his skills in police investigations. Set in Glasgow and featuring fantastic full casts, these unique police dramas star Robin Laing as Thomas Soutar. 
 
The Sensitive 
Police call in Thomas Soutar to help find a missing woman. Thomas is adept at solving crimes - but is his extraordinary gift a blessing or a curse? 
 
The Hanged Man 
Thomas Soutar discovers some unsettling connections between his own uncle's past and the murder of a young boy. 
 
A Possession 
When Thomas agrees to help in the search for a missing music student, he becomes obsessed by the missing girl in ways that he had not expected. 
 
A Nobody 
Thomas suffers a crisis of confidence when he is asked to investigate a potential serial killer. An old girlfriend, Kat, persuades him to take a break for a few days, but Thomas soon becomes convinced that they are being followed. 
 
A Casualty of War 
Thomas' mother has been forced to close her guest house due to emergency building work. An old friend offers her the use of his guest house, now lying empty. But Thomas senses a malignant presence in the isolated house, and one night Thomas' mother is sure she sees a face in her bedroom mirror – the face of a woman not seen since 1945... 
 
The Protector 
Thomas is asked to investigate the disappearance of a family friend. It's believed the missing man may have committed suicide, but the voices in Thomas's head suggest a different explanation… 
 
Queen of the Dead 
A grieving daughter finds hundreds of cassette recordings made by a woman obsessed with her late father, a Professor of English. Thomas Soutar is hired to trace the identity of the woman behind the tapes, who styles herself the ‘Queen of the Dead’. 
 
Terma 
Thomas is brought helps investigate when a journalist goes missing after building up a dossier on a powerful crime family. 
 
Black Island 
Thomas and Kat go on holiday to the Western Isles. But Thomas is soon drawn into a dangerous game with a celebrated actor. 
 
Underground Man (2 parts) 
Glasgow's disused underground tunnels are the hunting ground for an injured ex-soldier who threatens to kill three men he holds responsible for cheating him out of an inheritance. When one of the men under threat goes missing, Thomas helps the police in their search - but he soon discovers that there is danger much closer to home. 
 
Heart of Darkness (2 parts) 
A religious retreat in the Scottish Highlands is the venue for the final investigation by the psychic Thomas Soutar. Thomas and Kat discover that the extreme views of their host have alienated many people in the community, and a quiet few days away become unexpectedly life-changing when Thomas has a fateful reckoning with his psychic abilities. 
 
Written by Alastair Jessiman 
Produced and directed by Bruce Young

The Sensitive

Eleven BBC Radio 4 Crime Dramas

A gripping BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Neil Gaiman's bestselling and much-loved novel 
 
When his father dies, Fat Charlie Nancy discovers that not only was the late Mr Nancy actually the god Anansi, but that he also has a long-lost brother, Spider, who is everything Fat Charlie is not. When Spider begins to take over Fat Charlie's life, flat and even his fiancée Rosie, Fat Charlie is forced to make a pact that lands him in trouble with the gods themselves... 
 
Anansi Boys is a story of love, laughter, music and murder, old gods and new tricks that takes Fat Charlie from his home in South London to Florida, the Caribbean, and the very Beginning of the World itself. Or the End of the World. Depending on which direction you’re coming from. 
 
Jacob Anderson stars as Charlie, and he has written and performed a specially commissioned song – ‘Charlie's Song’ – which forms part of the magical fabric of Anansi Boys. 
 
Dramatised for Radio 4 by the award-winning Dirk Maggs (Neverwhere, Good Omens, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy), the stellar cast of this series also includes Joseph Marcell, Lenny Henry, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Adjoa Andoh,Julie Hesmondhalgh and Julian Rhind-Tutt, as well as a cameo appearance from Neil Gaiman himself.

Anansi Boys

J. R. R. Tolkien

Brian Sibley

Four BBC radio dramatisations starring Michael Hordern as Tolkien – plus a special archive compilation exploring Tolkien’s life and work 
 
The tales in this collection all reflect an aspect of what Tolkien himself called ‘the perilous realm of Faerie’. Adapted for radio by Brian Sibley, co-writer of the acclaimed BBC radio production of The Lord of the Rings, they are rich in myth, magic and adventure. Among the supporting cast are Brian Blessed, Nigel Planer, Sorcha Cusack, Paul Copley and James Grout. 
 
In Farmer Giles of Ham, having accidentally shot a giant, Farmer Giles’ brave reputation is tested by Chrysophylax the dragon. In Smith of Wootton Major, a young boy eats a piece of cake containing 
a silver star, and is granted access to the magical land of Fäerie. Leaf by Niggle is a thought-provoking allegory of the creative process, and The Adventures of Tom Bombadil features Tom and the Hobbits in scenes from The Lord of the Rings which were not included in the BBC Radio 4 dramatisation. 
 
Also included is J R R Tolkien: An Audio Portrait, in which Brian Sibley draws together interviews from radio and television programmes featuring the author himself, his original publisher Rayner Unwin, his biographer Humphrey Carpenter and many others torelate the story of both Tolkien the man and the worlds he created. 
 
Duration: 5 hours 50 mins

Tales from the Perilous Realm

Four BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations

Salman Rushdie

'Radio drama of the year' - Gillian Reynolds, The Telegraph 
 
Nikesh Patel stars as Saleem in BBC Radio 4’s epic dramatisation of Salman Rushdie's Booker Prize-winning novel of love, history and magic 
 
Saleem Sinai is born on the stroke of midnight on 14th-15th August 1947, at the exact moment that India and Pakistan become separate, independent nations. From that moment on, his fate is mysteriously handcuffed to the history of his country. 
 
But Saleem’s story starts almost thirty years earlier, when his grandfather, Dr Aadam Aziz, falls in love with a woman concealed behind a perforated sheet. That pivotal moment in Kashmir in 1919 sparks a series of bizarre events that will lead to a cryptic prophecy and the birth of a boy with an extraordinary destiny. 
 
As a ‘Midnight’s Child’, Saleem has magical powers, and can telepathically tune in to all the other gifted children whose birth coincided with India’s division. However, his strange entanglement with the fate of India will have dramatic repercussions for both him and his country… 
 
Adapted by Ayeesha Menon, this dazzling dramatisation of Rushdie’s many-layered, magical realist masterpiece is both an enthralling family saga and a riveting history of post-colonialism. First broadcast to mark the 70th anniversary of the Partition of India, it features Nikesh Patel as Saleem, with a star cast including Abhin Galeya, Meera Syal, Anneika Rose and Narinder Samra. 
 
Also included is an interview with Salman Rushdie, in which the author talks to radio drama director Emma Harding about his multi-award winning novel. 
 
Midnight's Children won the Booker Prize in 1981, and was subsequently awarded the 'Booker of Bookers' prize in 1993 and 'The Best of the Booker' prize in 2008.

Midnight’s Children

BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

Matthew Beard and Sophie Rundle star in a brand new BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of the bestselling novel by Neil Gaiman, narrated by Eleanor Bron. 
 
Challenged to retrieve a fallen star, Tristran Thorn leaves the sleepy English village of Wall and crosses into the land of Faerie and the realm of Stormhold. Locating the star, he discovers it is no meteorite, but a young woman, Yvaine. 
 
When Yvaine evades him and escapes, Tristran discovers he is not the only one in pursuit of the star: there are dark forces in this magical land, and he must find Yvaine before she falls into their clutches. As he does so, Tristran will uncover the secret to his own identity and a fate beyond his wildest dreams. 
 
Directed by Dirk Maggs and Heather Larmour, and featuring over 35 minutes of unbroadcast material, this stunning new dramatisation boasts an extensive cast including Frances Barber, Maggie Steed, Nicholas Boulton, Blake Ritson, Bryan Dick, Charlotte Riley, Aisling Loftus, Sanjeev Bhaskar and Alex Macqueen. There are also cameo appearances by Tori Amos and Neil Gaiman. Duration: 2 hours 30 mins approx.

Stardust

Paterson Joseph stars as the Marquis de Carabas in this brand new BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Neil Gaiman's spin-off short story, set in the magical world of Neverwhere. 
 
Returning us to London Below, this enchanting tale continues the story of one of the most colourful characters from Neverwhere – the cool, charming, resourceful Marquis de Carabas, who trades in favours and always has a plan... 
 
The Marquis' coat is a thing of wonder and beauty. Sleek, stylish and 'the colour of a wet street at midnight', it has numerous pockets, sumptuous sleeves and the power to transform a young sneak thief into a nobleman. 
 
And now it is missing, sold by the Sewer Folk. To reclaim it, the Marquis must venture into one of the most terrifying parts of the subterranean city, encounter an old enemy, face dreadful dangers and – worst of all – accept help from someone very close to home. 
 
Expanded and dramatised for Radio 4 by the award-winning Dirk Maggs (Neverwhere, Good Omens, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and co-directed by Dirk Maggs and Heather Larmour, this spine-tingling production features a star cast including James McAvoy, Adrian Lester, Don Warrington and Bernard Cribbins, with a cameo appearance by Neil Gaiman himself. 
 
Contains 15 minutes of additional unbroadcast material. Duration: 60 mins approx.

Neil Gaiman's How the Marquis Got His Coat Back

Alan Bennett

A unique collection of eight Alan Bennett stories, read by the author. Alan Bennett is one of Britain's best-loved authors and an acclaimed storyteller. This exclusive compilation includes eight of his best tales, collected together for the first time. 
 
Here is his celebrated, iconic memoir The Lady in the Van; as well as two fascinating autobiographical accounts of his family and childhood. Uncle Clarence sees Bennett visiting the grave of a relative who died in Flanders in 1917; while in Hymn he joins forces with composer George Fenton and the Medici String Quartet to explore his musical memories. 
 
Bennett's incisive, acute observations shine through in his fiction too, with wry, moving and darkly humorous meditations on death (Father! Father! Burning Bright and The Laying On of Hands), sex (The Shielding of Mrs Forbes) and middle-age ennui (The Clothes They Stood Up In). His gift for affectionate satire reaches its pinnacle in The Uncommon Reader, a delightful tale in which the Queen discovers the pleasures of literature. 
 
Poignant, compassionate, wise and witty, the stories included are The Lady in the Van, Uncle Clarence, The Clothes They Stood Up In, Father! Father! Burning Bright, Hymn, The Laying On of Hands, The Uncommon Reader and The Shielding of Mrs Forbes. Duration: 13 hours approx.

Alan Bennett: Stories

Read by Alan Bennett

Paul Hilton stars as Pilgrim in the final three series of the award-winning BBC Radio 4 supernatural drama by Sebastian Baczkiewicz. 
 
In 1185, William Palmer was making pilgrimage to Canterbury. Unbeknown to him, his fellow pilgrim was the King of the Greyfolk. When William claimed that the Church would eradicate belief in the Faerie world, he was cursed by the Faerie King and condemned to walk forever between the worlds of magic and of men. 
 
In these three series, Pilgrim continues on his mission to preserve the uneasy balance between the two worlds and protect mankind from an enemy they resist believing in. His quests include searching for the 'Radiant Boy', a sinister harbinger of impending death; acquiring copper, silver and gold to rescue a group of people trapped in a mine by a malevolent spirit; and tracking down and punishing a former friend who has betrayed him. After so many centuries, will his curse be lifted and his wanderings finally come to an end? 
 
Starring Paul Hilton as the immortal, reluctant and unthanked hero, this award-winning series weaves together ancient myths, magic and contemporary realism to create a dark, thrilling and enchanting fantasy epic that will stay with you long after Pilgrim's story ends. Duration: 9 hours approx.

Pilgrim Series 5-7

BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramas

Sebastien Baczkiewicz

The first four series of the original BBC Radio 4 fantastical drama series set in a world almost, but not quite, like our own. Paul Hilton stars as William Palmer, the immortal, reluctant and unthanked hero protecting mankind from an enemy they resist believing in: the Grey Folk. Thrilling, dark and contemporary, the dramas are set in a recognisable present day, but one haunted by the folktales of the British Isles: drowned villages, changeling children, werewolves and unruly nature spirits. Duration: 11 hours 40 mins.

Pilgrim: The Collected Series 1-4

The complete audio collection of Alan Bennett’s celebrated monologues, published together for the first time and performed by some of Britain’s best actors 
 
The Talking Heads monologues are widely regarded as one of Alan Bennett’s finest dramatic achievements. First broadcast on BBC TV and BBC Radio 4 in the 1980s and 1990s, they won a host of awards and huge popular acclaim, and remain among his most admired works today.This collection includes all twelve Talking Heads, plus the precursor of that series, A Woman of No Importance. Beautifully crafted and full of compassion and wry observation, each tale is ripe with the quirky, insightful detail that has become Bennett's trademark. The monologues are:A Woman of No Importance (Patricia Routledge); A Chip in the Sugar (Alan Bennett); A Lady of Letters (Patricia Routledge); Bed Among the Lentils (Anna Massey); Soldiering On (Stephanie Cole); Her Big Chance (Julie Walters); A Cream Cracker Under the Settee (ThoraHird); Miss Fozzard Finds Her Feet (Patricia Routledge); The Hand of God (Eileen Atkins); Playing Sandwiches (David Haig); The Outside Dog (Julie Walters); Nights in the Gardens of Spain (Penelope Wilton) and Waiting for the Telegram (Thora Hird). 
 
Intensely moving, deeply engrossing and highly entertaining, these spellbinding soliloquies are essential listening.

The Complete Talking Heads

The classic BBC Radio 4 monologues plus A Woman of No Importance

**Neil Gaiman was the WINNER of the BBC Audio Drama Award 2015 for Outstanding Contribution to Radio Drama** 
 
A full-cast BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of Terry Pratchett &amp; Neil Gaiman’s celebrated apocalyptic comic novel, with bonus length episodes and outtakes. 
 
According to the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday in fact. Just after Any Answers on Radio 4…. 
 
Events have been set in motion to bring about the End of Days. The armies of Good and Evil are gathering and making their way towards the sleepy English village of Lower Tadfield. The Four Horsepersons of the Apocalypse - War, Famine, Pollution and Death - are assembling. 
 
Witchfinder Shadwell and his assistant Newton Pulsifier are also en route to Tadfield to investigate unusual phenomena in the area, while Anathema Device, descendent of prophetess Agnes Nutter, tries to decipher her ancestor’s cryptic predictions. 
 
Atlantis is rising; fish are falling from the sky; everything seems to be going to the Divine Plan. 
Everything, that is, but for an unlikely angel and demon duo, who have been living on Earth for several millennia and have become rather fond of the place. If they are to prevent Armageddon they’ve got to find and kill the one who will bring it about: the Antichrist himself. There’s just one small problem: someone seems to have mislaid him… 
 
Adapted, sound designed and co-directed by Dirk Maggs (Neverwhere, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) this first ever dramatisation of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s novel features a large cast including Peter Serafinowicz, Mark Heap, Josie Lawrence and Paterson Joseph.

Good Omens

The BBC Radio 4 dramatisation

Anil Gupta

Richard Pinto

Stephen Mangan and Alistair McGowan star in the fantastical BBC Radio 4 comedy by Anil Gupta and Richard Pinto. 
 
When fantasy novelist Sam is whisked off to Lower Earth by a band of noble warriors, his dog Amis goes with them. Transformed into human form, Amis turns out to be The Chosen One, whom the warriors need to help find the Sword of Asnagar. Only with the sword can they save Lower Earth from the evil rule of Lord Darkness. 
 
As their perilous adventure unfolds Sam, Amis and their new friends encounter many perils, put in their way by Lord Darkness and his evil assistant Kreech. 
 
With a supporting cast featuring Darren Boyd, Kevin Eldon, Sophie Winkleman, Ingrid Oliver, Dave Lamb and Chris Pavlo, Elvenquest is a clever and funny pastiche of the fantasy fiction genre. All 28 episodes from the first four series are presented here together.

Elvenquest: The Journey So Far: Series 1,2,3 and 4

Virgil

A BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of Virgil's sweeping epic, starring Ralph Fiennes as Aeneas and Derek Jacobi as the Narrator. One of the classics of all time, The Aeneid was Virgil's last and greatest work. In it, he recounts in vivid imagery the legendary origin of the Roman Empire. The story begins after the Greeks have destroyed the city of Troy. The Trojan Prince Aeneas, defeated and depressed, leads his remaining citizens to a new land and a new destiny foretold by the Gods. The journey to the west coast of Italy is full of adventure, love, betrayal and suffering. On the island of Carthage, Aeneas meets Queen Dido who shelters his people. The two fall in love, but their happiness comes to a tragic end. Once in Italy, all seems hopeful, but soon rivalries develop between Aeneas and local powers and war breaks out... Translated by C. Day Lewis and with a star cast including Anna Massey, Gina McKee, Diana Quick and Eleanor Bron.

The Aeneid

Lee Hall

Jimmy Spud is Newcastle's only trainee angel, determined to solve cosmic mysteries and save his father from the grip of lung cancer. By the author of Billy Elliott.Written by Lee Hall. Lee Hall has asserted his moral rights (including the right to be identified as the author) in the Work. All rights reserved. Applications for performance or other use should be made to Judy Daish Associates Limited, 2 St Charles Place, London W10 6EG.

I Luv You Jimmy Spud

Martin Jameson

A contemporary BBC Radio 3 drama about the events that occur to a man after he snaps one day at work. 'The First Day of the Rest of My Life' stars Jonathan Keeble as the protagonist, and was originally broadcast as part of 'The Wire' collection of dramas on 10 October 2009, and repeated on 2 October 2010.  Toby has a bad day at work on the phones for Careless, the household cover people. When an angry customer pushes him too far, he snaps and tells him to have a heart attack and die. The next morning he wakes up as Dr Richard Jugg. And the next day as a homeless person called Deke. How are these events connected? And where will this nightmarish journey end?  'The Wire' is BBC Radio 3's showcase for works that push the boundaries of drama and narrative. 'The First Day of the Rest of My Life' features Jonathan Keeble as Toby, Richard, Deke and Clive; Andonis James Anthony as Craig and Scott; and Armand Beasley as Tariq and Naz. Also included in the cast are Sue Jenkins, Melissa Jane Sinden and Catherine Kinsella. Directed by Gary Brown.

The First Day Of The Rest Of My Life

Andrew Marshall

John Lloyd

For fans of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and ElvenQuest, this is the epic fantasy series first heard on BBC Radio 4 in 1980 that wonderfully parodies J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. The kingdom of Albion is under threat from The Evil One, and the wizard Radox The Green has found a hero to save the land: Agar, Son of Athar (who has a minotaur called Stephen). Written by Andrew Marshall (writer of 2point4 Children) and John Lloyd (creator of QI), here are all four episodes of the classic radio series - now available for the first time. Starring Patrick Magee as the Chronicler, Paul Eddington as King Yulfric, Simon Callow as Prince Veganin, Christian Rodska as Agar, Frank Middlemass as Radox the Green, Maggie Steed as Queen Elfreda and Jonathan Lynn (co-creator of Yes, Minister) as the dwarf Golin Longshanks.

Hordes Of The Things

J.R.R. Tolkien

Dwarves, elves, goblins, trolls, dragons and wizards - these are the ingredients of J.R.R. Tolkien's wonderful fantasy, the prelude to The Lord of The Rings, now the subject of a major feature film series. The hero of the tale is Bilbo Baggins, a home-loving unambitious hobbit who is suddenly thrust into what turns out to be the biggest adventure of his life. Guided by Gandalf the wizard, Bilbo and a company of dwarves set out to destroy Smaug the Magnificent, a ferocious dragon who guards a treasure hoard. Their journey contains many dangers, and in facing them the reluctant Bilbo's great resourcefulness and courage surprises everyone - not least himself! Since it was first broadcast in 1968, this BBC Radio 4 dramatisation has become a classic in its own right, perfectly evoking Tolkien's magical other world and its enchanting, fantastic inhabitants.

The Hobbit

The Classic BBC Radio Production

The second instalment of Tolkien's epic tale, adapted from the original BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation. Having fled the Shire in their escape from Sauron's Dark Riders, Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring have journeyed to Rivendell and beyond. Their mission is to reach the Mountain of Fire in Mordor, where the Ruling Ring can be destroyed, but already their campaign is in jeopardy. Gandalf has fallen into an abyss, and Boromir has fatally succumbed to the power of the Ring. The others are besieged by an army of orcs - save for Frodo and Sam, whose journey down the River Anduin is being watched by a dark and shadowy figure... Widely regarded as a broadcasting classic, the BBC Radio dramatisation of 'The Lord of the Rings' stars Ian Holm, Michael Hordern, Robert Stephens, John Le Mesurier and Peter Woodthorpe. 
 
 
 ©2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisation

Richard O'Callaghan

With its first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on March 8, 1981, this dramatised tale of Middle Earth became an instant global classic. It boasts a truly outstanding cast including Ian Holm (as Frodo), Michael Hordern (as Gandalf), Robert Stephens (as Aragorn), Bill Nighy (as Sam Gamgee) and John Le Mesurier (as Bilbo). 
 
Brian Sibley's famous adaptation has been divided into three corresponding parts, with newly-recorded beginning and end narration by Ian Holm, who now stars as Bilbo in the feature films based on The Lord of the Rings. 
 
Part One, The Fellowship of the Ring, introduces us to Frodo Baggins. With his uncle Bilbo having mysteriously disappeared, Frodo finds himself in possession of a simple gold ring that has great and evil power. It is the Ruling Ring, taken long ago from the Dark Lord, Sauron, who now seeks to possess it again. Frodo must do everything he can to prevent this, and with the help of Gandalf the wizard and a band of loyal companions he begins a perilous journey across Middle-earth. Sauron's Black Riders are on their trail as they travel to Rivendell, attempt to cross the snow-swept Misty Mountains and, in desperation, enter the terrifying Mines of Moria. 
 
 
©2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The evil Saruman has been defeated by Gandalf, but in Mordor the battle for the Ruling Ring continues. Wounded by the giant spider, Shelob, Frodo has been captured by the dreaded orcs. Sam, alone and in possession of the Ring, must rescue his master if their mission - to find the Cracks of Doom, and there destroy the Ring - is to continue. Meanwhile, the other Fellowship members are preparing for war against the armies of the Dark Lord, Sauron... Widely regarded as a broadcasting classic, the BBC Radio dramatisation of 'The Lord of the Rings' stars Ian Holm, Michael Hordern, Robert Stephens, John Le Mesurier and Peter Woodthorpe. 
 
 
 ©2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

William Shakespeare

In this BBC full-cast production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius and Helena run to the woods and stumble into a life separate from time itself. 
 
Fairy magic wreaks havoc and midsummer madness takes over as lovers tread the delicate line between fantasy and reality. 
 
Sylvestra le Touzel stars as Titania in this delightful comic fantasy, with Samuel West as Lysander, David Threlfall as Theseus, Richard Griffiths as Bottom and Becky Simpson as Puck. 
 
BBC radio has a unique heritage when it comes to Shakespeare. Since 1923, when the newly-formed company broadcast its first full-length play, generations of actors and producers have honed and perfected the craft of making Shakespeare to be heard. 
 
 In this acclaimed BBC Radio Shakespeare series, each play is introduced by Richard Eyre, former Director of the Royal National Theatre. Revitalised, original and comprehensive, this is Shakespeare for the modern day.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

A BBC Radio Shakespeare production

A Private Thriller

A series of children's modern classic novels by renowned 20th century children's writers. All the titles in this series have the A Puffin Book logo, contemporary-style covers, and child-friendly endnotes.

A Puffin Book

A Ripley Novel

A Slice of the Moon

A Victorian Mystery

A Walk in...

A Women’s Murder Club Thriller

A chef Paul Delamare Mystery

Aberrations

Across the Universe

Actiphons

Adelia Aguilar

Adrian Mole

Adventures in Time

Aftermath

Against War

Age of X

Agent 21

Agent Z

Detective Aidan Waits is a troubled junior detective haunted by his past. Facing an uncertain future, and disconnected from his history, DC Waits and his partner, Detective Inspector Peter 'Sutty' Sutcliffe work on Manchester's streets to uncover the city's worst criminals among the grime of the underworld.

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