Miscellaneous Authors

Thirteen plays about human connection, from some of BBC Radio's best writers exploring love, family, romances and life's ups and downs This diverse collection of stories centres around family dynamics, relationships both romantic and platonic, and the diverse ways ordinary people navigate the vicissitudes of everyday life. Ranging from modern fairy tales to coming-of-age dramas, they feature a wide variety of styles, and are scripted by an array of writers from award-winning dramatists to first-time authors. Here are stories of meeting and parting; hope and heartbreak; grief and forgiveness; and the endless possibility of change.

We meet the couple racing to secure their IVF treatment; the wide-eyed young Conservative whose awakening is more than just political; the teenager who discovers a secret that threatens his entire extended family; the ex-offender transformed through his friendship with a photographer, and many more captivating characters. These engrossing dramas let us venture into their worlds; giving us an intimate insight into their lives and loves. Among the casts are Jaime Winstone, Sean Gallagher, Rhea Bailey, Mina Anwar, Ciaran Griffiths and Harry McEntire.

Oozing with satire and sass, these fun-size yet deliciously satisfying musical comedies do for your ears what chocolate does for your taste buds.

Based on the lives and careers of well-known public figures, each one takes a politician or VIP who has hit the headlines, and gives them a West End make-over. Their fabricated stories are told in an original, never-heard-before, musical that will have your toes tapping to the rhythm and shoulders shaking to the laughs. All the conventions of a musical are followed (huge production numbers, tender ballads and emotional reprises) - but artistic licence is well and truly taken as celebrities such as David Cameron, Simon Cowell and Morrissey are hilariously lampooned in song

Stand-up fans rejoice - this cracking collection contains a whole seven series of top-drawer comedy, recorded live at London and Manchester's legendary Comedy Store and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Enjoy over eleven hours of laughs from some of the biggest and best stand-ups on the circuit, hosted by three fantastically funny comperes: Simon Bligh, Ross Noble and Adam Hills.

Included here is an A-Z of top-drawer comic talent, from Dan Antopolski to Andy Zaltzman, by way of Richard Ayoade, John Bishop, Alan Carr, Omid Djalili, Noel Fielding, Rhod Gilbert, Reginald D Hunter, Shaparak Khorsandi, Sean Lock, Lee Mack, Dara O Briain, Lucy Porter, Gina Yashere and a host of other peerless performers.

It's all the fun of a comedy club, without the need to leave your armchair - just sit back and laugh along as these classic comic talents work their inimitable magic on stage.

This bold and inspiring new book argues that everyone who made leaps of creative genius - whether to cure Ebola or circumnavigate the world in a hot air balloon - had one thing in common; they all thought like ALIENs. Distilling over a decade of research into a fascinating journey through history and science, Bouquet, Barsoux and Wade reveal that there are five patterns of thinking that distinguish true innovators from the rest of us; Attention, Levitation, Imagination, Experimentation and Navigation. But, crucially, they show how utilising this model will help you come up with ground-breaking ideas of your own.

The half millennium between the creation of the English nation in around 550 and the Norman Conquest in 1066 was a formative one. This groundbreaking series rediscovers the Anglo-Saxons through vivid portraits of thirty incredible men and women, as told by their contemporary admirers. 

Nobel prize-winner Seamus Heaney discusses the Beowulf bard; former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams focuses on St Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury; Michael Wood celebrates Penda, the much-maligned last pagan king of England; Barbara Yorke tells the story of Hild of Whitby, the powerful abbess and largely forgotten pre-feminism model; and writer David Almond investigates the oldest surviving English poet, Caedmon.

From royalty to peasants, the women behind the Bayeux Tapestry to rebellious nuns, Anglo-Saxon Portraits unravels the mysteries of a too often forgotten period in British history.

Ten page-turning short stories from a variety of writers including Matt Haig, Andy McNab and Philippa Gregory. With stories about everything from an agoraphobic man who helps a woman who has been mugged, to a child that has survived her house being bombed in the war, there is a story for everyone to enjoy. Quick Reads.

Selection of poetry including poems by Edward Lear, Keats, Kipling, Eleanor Farjeon, Walter de la Mare & John Smith.

A trilogy of contemporary plays inspired by tales from The Arabian Nights The Casper Logue Affair by Sebastian Baczkiewicz*:* An absurd black comedy thriller, set in Baghdad. Junior diplomat Bob Goldacre is in trouble: the American businessman he was looking after has vanished from a Baghdad street. As the suspects pile up, Goldacre is going to have his work cut out if he wants to save his career and make sure that justice is done. The Porter and the Three Ladies by Rachel Joyce: It is time for Shahrazad to tell another tale to save her life.

In this story within a story, we find out that if Joe doesn't find the exclusive to satisfy his ruthless editor, he will lose his job. He finds three beautiful women in Damascus but what is the truth behind their secret life? A Dish of Pomegranates by Peter Jukes*:* Shared roots and scattered families in the melting pot of modern Jerusalem. Tired after a stressful trip, Ajib is stopped by security officers as he tries to fly out of Ben Gurion airport on his way home to the U.S. They don't think his story adds up. Can he make them believe him? And does he actually know the whole story himself?

The world's longest-running drama, The Archers has delighted audiences ever since its launch on 1 January 1951. Today, over five million fans across generations and across the world tune in, hooked on the epic saga of everyday life in the rural village of Ambridge.

This collection takes a look back at the early years of the iconic show, from the 1950s to the 1970s, and follows the fortunes of some of its pivotal characters, including Jack and Peggy Archer, Walter Gabriel, Sid Perks, and Brian and Jennifer Aldridge. Here are some of the most memorable moments from Ambridge's history: Grace Archer's tragic death in a stable fire; Tom Forrest's arrest for manslaughter; the wedding of Tony and Pat; the birth of Phil and Jill's daughter, Elizabeth - and their subsequent worries about her heart; and the shock of Jennifer's illegitimate baby.

Also featured is a compilation of farming catastrophes that shaped the lives of the residents, including Dan Archer's devastating discovery of fowl pest in his poultry, plus a selection of Christmas celebrations throughout the years, where we hear tidings of the births of Debbie Aldridge and John Archer and drop in on shows in the village hall.

Covering all the major Archers milestones over the first three decades, this compendium of classic highlights offers lifelong listeners an ideal opportunity to relive their favourite storylines, while giving newer fans the perfect chance to catch up with key events from Ambridge's past.

Due to the vintage nature of these recordings, the sound quality may vary.

All three series of the surreal sitcom set in the madcap world of four happy-go-lucky young folk Jeremy Hardy and friends are an irrepressible gang of jolly japesters who are always up for laughter and merriment. Luckily, they all live near to each other: which means craziness is never far away. So good they named it twice, this zany sitcom was initially known as Unnatural Acts, before returning for its third series as At Home With the Hardys. But though the title may be different, the high jinks are as wacky as ever... Series 1 of Unnatural Acts sees Jeremy investigating his lineage, and Kit deciding it's time to get in touch with a medium's answerphone. When the pals decide to commune with Mother Nature it's out with the picnic snacks and off to Sizefield nuclear power station - and when Caroline makes a special announcement at Kit and Jeremy's wedding anniversary, it's another success story for computer dating. There's just one tiny problem...

In Series 2, a slew of April Fool pranks escalates into a terrorist threat; a safari park throws up some unexpected attractions, including an exploding ostrich and a gorilla with a walkie-talkie; and Paul starts spring-cleaning Ashdown Forest - where he makes a very interesting discovery... There's a new moniker, a new story, a new job and a new arrival for the crazy crew in Series 3, At Home with the Hardys. Someone, somewhere is having an affair - and Paul's doing the catering. Adverts make the heart grow fonder as our four funsters bring you a cleaner, brighter programme with built-in lemon freshness. Meanwhile, a famous line from a famous film may not amount to a hill of beans, but it could be the end of a beautiful friendship - and as Jeremy and Paul get starry-eyed, Kit and Caroline come down to earth...

An irresistible anthology of folklore, fables and perennial favourites, including four novels and 17 short stories. This superlative collection of children's stories brings together a feast of fantastic fiction, read in full by a host of top narrators and with a comprehensive track listing for ease of listening. Comprising everything from fairytales for little ones to thrilling adventures for pre-teens, these unabridged readings are ideal for families to keep, treasure and dip into as their children grow. Listed by suggested age range and with track numbers provided, the stories are as follows:

Ages 4+: 1-12 Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (read by Carolyn Pickles). 13 Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter (read by Jonny Holden). 14 The Elves and the Shoemaker by the Brothers Grimm (read by Sam Dale). 15 Too Clever By Half by E Nesbit (read by Helen Capp). 16 Tom Thumb by the Brothers Grimm (read by Shaun Mason). Ages 7+: 17-25 The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (read by Michael Bertenshaw). 26 How the Camel Got His Hump by Rudyard Kipling (read by Kenny Blyth). 27 The Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen (read by Shaun Mason). 28 The Raspberry Worm by Zacharias Topelius (read by Debbie Korley). 29 The Tongue Cut Sparrow by Yei Theodora Ozaki (read by Sean Baker). 30 The Elephant's Child by Rudyard Kipling (read by Tony Turner). 31 The Magic Bed by Hartwell James (read by Chris Pavlo). 32 How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin by Rudyard Kipling (read by Tony Turner). 33 The Tortoise and the Rain by MI Ogumefu (read by Kenny Blyth). 34 The Baba Yaga by Katharine Pyle (read by Susan Jameson). Ages 9+: 35-41 The Call of the Wild by Jack London (read by Joseph Ayre). 42 Finn and the Scottish Giant by Harold F Hughes (read by Paul Hickey). 43 The Children's Joke by Louisa May Alcott (read by Catherine Cusack), 44 The Ants and the Treasure by MI Ogumefu (read by Kenny Blyth). 45 The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde (read by Tony Turner). 46-59 The Railway Children by E Nesbit (read by Sarah Ovens).

This thrilling anthology contains five action-packed tales of incredible journeys, a murderous treasure hunt, invaders from outer space and international espionage - all read in full by some of the very best voice actors. With over 33 hours of exciting listening, tracked by chapter, let yourself get carried away with these classic adventures. Gulliver's Travels: Jonathan Swift's dark satire following Lemuel Gulliver's fantastical travels through strange and exotic lands. Read by Tony Turner. Kidnapped: Robert Louis Stevenson's classic story of David Balfour's youthful adventures on the high seas and across the Scottish Highlands. Read by Kenny Blyth.

The Sign of the Four: Arthur Conan Doyle's intriguing locked-room mystery follows Holmes and Watson as they uncover a murky tale of theft, betrayal and greed. Read by Kenny Blyth. The War of the Worlds: HG Wells' iconic sci-fi story about the battle to save Earth from a Martian invasion. Read by Michael Bertenshaw. The Thirty-Nine Steps: John Buchan's stirring tale of derring-do, secrets and spies set in the shadows of war. Read by Kenny Blyth.

This timeless collection brings together three of the finest works in the literary canon, read in full by some of the very best audiobook narrators. With over 38 hours of unmissable storytelling, tracked by chapter so you can easily find your place, this is the ideal way to enjoy these classic masterpieces. Pride and Prejudice: Jane Austen's universally acknowledged romance charts the love story between pretty, witty Elizabeth Bennett and handsome, arrogant Fitzwilliam Darcy. Read by Clare Corbett.

Jane Eyre: Orphan Jane falls head over heels in love with the brooding, mysterious Mr Rochester in Charlotte Brontë's coming-of-age classic about secrets and lies. Read by Katherine Press. Cranford: Elizabeth Gaskell's much-loved portrait of life in a Cheshire town and its female inhabitants, as they cope with the impact of change on their small world. Read by Carolyn Pickles.

This suspenseful anthology collects together four gripping tales of gruesome scientific experiments and chilling supernatural events - all read in full by some of the very best voice actors. With over 18 hours of electrifying listening, tracked by chapter, these classic tales will have you on the edge of your seat. Frankenstein: Mary Shelley's Gothic masterpiece about young scientist Victor Frankenstein, whose quest to create new life has horrific consequences... Read by Shaun Mason.

A Christmas Carol: Charles Dickens' timeless classic about a bitter old miser who has a Christmas epiphany when he is visited by four spirits. Read by Sean Baker. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde: Robert Louis Stevenson's famous novella about a doctor who experiments with the duality of human nature - and in doing so creates a monster. Read by Sam Dale. The Turn of the Screw: Henry James' terrifying tale of a governess sent to look after two children in a haunted country house. Read by Sam Dale and Clare Corbett.

A treasure chest of timeless short stories by some of the world's greatest authors. Suspense and horror: 1 The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire - Arthur Conan Doyle. 2 The Signalman - Charles Dickens. 3 Lost Hearts - MR James. 4 The Sealed Room - Arthur Conan Doyle. 5 Mrs Badgery - Wilkie Collins. 6 Wailing Well - MR James. 7 The Open Window - Saki. 8 How it happened - Arthur Conan Doyle. 9 The Tell-Tale Heart - Edgar Allan Poe. 10 The Cone - HG Wells. 11 A Haunted House - Virginia Woolf. 12 Rats - MR James. 13 The Oval Portrait - Edgar Allan Poe. 14 Tarquin of Cheapside - F. Scott Fitzgerald. 15 One Crowded Hour - Arthur Conan Doyle. 16 The Mezzotint - MR James. 17 The Masque of the Red Death - Edgar Allan Poe. Love: 18 The Kiss - Kate Chopin. 19 Eleonora - Edgar Allan Poe. 20 About Love - Anton Chekhov. 21 The Lovers - Hans Christian Anderson. 22 Love - Guy De Maupassant. 23 The Sphinx Without a Secret - Oscar Wilde. 24 A Wedding Gift - Guy De Maupassant. 25 Kew Gardens - Virginia Woolf. 26 The District Doctor - Ivan Turgenev. 27 Happiness - Guy De Maupassant. 28 A Blunder - Anton Chekhov. 29 The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky - Stephen Crane. 30 In a Far-Off World - Olive Schreiner. 31 The Cook's Wedding - Anton Chekhov. 32 The Recruit - Honore de Balzac. 33 The Nightingale and the Rose - Oscar Wilde. 34 Pyramus and Thisbe - Ovid. 35 Aunt Hetty on Matrimony - Fanny Fern. 36 A Country Cottage - Anton Chekhov. 37 Marriage a la Mode - Katherine Mansfield. 38 The Statue of Limitations - Ernest Dowson. 39 The Dilettante - Edith Wharton. Humorous: 40 Tobermory - Saki. 41The Mesmeric Mountain - Stephen Crane. 42 The Children's Joke - Louisa May Alcott. 43 At The Siren - Anton Chekhov. 44 The Garden Party - Katherine Mansfield. 45 The Cask of Amontillado - Edgar Allan Poe. 46 The New Dress - Virginia Woolf. 47 How I Built Myself A House - Thomas Hardy. 48 The Model Millionaire - Oscar Wilde. 49 A Pair of Silk Stockings - Kate Chopin. 50 At The Barbers - Anton Chekhov. 51 A Respectable Woman - Kate Chopin. 

Folk & Fable: 52 The Happy Prince - Oscar Wilde. 53 The Elves and the Shoemaker - The Brothers Grimm. 54 The Emperor's New Clothes -Hans Christian Andersen. 55 The Tongue Cut Sparrow - Yei Theodora Ozaki. 56 Finn and the Scottish Giant - Harold F. Read. 57 The Postmaster - Rabindranath Tagore. 58 The Toys of Peace - Saki. 59 The Selfish Giant - Oscar Wilde. 60 The Flower Gatherer - Edward Thomas. 61 Araby - James Joyce. 62 The Interlopers - Saki. 63 Tom Thumb - The Brothers Grimm. 64 The Kabuliwalah - Rabindranath Tagore. 65 The Monkey's Paws - WW Jacobs. Christmas: 66 The Little Match Girl - Hans Christian Andersen. 67 Papa Panov's Special Christmas - Leo Tolstoy. 68 Christmas Storms and Sunshine - Elizabeth Gaskell. 69 The Gift of the Magi - O'Henry. 70 At Christmas Time - Anton Chekhov. 71 A Dill Pickle - Katherine Mansfield. Classic Tales: 72 The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins Gilman. 73 The Fall of Lord Barrymore - Arthur Conan Doyle. 74 The Necklace - Guy De Maupassant. 75 Holiday Group - EM Delafield. 76 Three Questions - Leo Tolstoy. 77 The Cop and the Anthem - O'Henry. 78 The Fly - Katherine Mansfield. 79 The Christening - DH Lawrence. 80 After the Race - James Joyce. 81 The String Quartet - Virginia Woolf. 82 Two Friends - Guy De Maupassant. 83 An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge - Ambrose Bierce. 84 A Gentleman Friend - Anthon Chekhov. 85 Ma'ame Pelagie - Kate Chopin. 86 Second Best - DH Lawrence. 87 El Verdugo - Honore de Balzac. 88 The Story of an Hour - Kate Chopin. 89 The Man of No Account - Bret Hart. 90 The Piece of String - Guy De Maupassant.

At bedtime, in the car or just for fun! This enchanting collection brings to life eight traditional fairy tales as full-cast recordings. Created with music, sound effects and all the expertise of the BBC, these much-loved stories will thrill a new generation of children. The classic stories in this collection are:

Sleeping Beauty - A princess sleeps for a hundred years.

Jack and the Beanstalk - A magic beanstalk just keeps on growing.

Hansel and Gretel - Two children lost in the forest. Little Red Riding Hood - A cunning wolf gets up to some nasty tricks.

The Ugly Duckling - A young bird surprises everyone.

The Little Mermaid - A mermaid falls in love with a prince.

The Emperor's New Clothes - One small boy speaks his mind.

The Tinder Box - A soldier meets a dog with huge eyes.

In 1964 Mary Whitehouse became the unlikely figurehead of a mass movement: the National Viewers’ and Listeners’ Association. For almost forty years she waged war against the programme makers, pop stars and playwrights who she felt were dragging British culture into a sewer of blasphemy and obscenity. X rated, contains offensive language.

A remarkable insight into the life and work of the late Cardinal Hume, written by some of his closest friends.

These surprising, revealing dramas take a behind-the-scenes look at some of our best-loved authors, mingling fact and fantasy to explore their extraordinary hidden lives. From love affairs, friendships and family relationships to traumas, tragedies and journeys of self-discovery, we glimpse the unwritten worlds that shaped their unforgettable fiction. Among the star casts are Andrew Scott, Toby Jones, Richard Dormer, Glenda Jackson, Bella Ramsey, Julia Davis, Ian McDiarmid, Haydn Gwynne, David Threlfall, Alistair McGowan, Tom Goodman-Hill, Hattie Morahan, Rosie Cavaliero, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Paul Ritter and Lia Williams. Jane and Tom - Writing to her sister, Jane Austen describes her love for Tom Lefroy - a love that would lead to Pride and Prejudice. When Fanny Met Germaine - A delightful romp through the passionate, scandalous friendship between two 18th Century writers: Fanny Burney and Mme de Stael. Comrade Ackland - Dorset, 1936. Newly returned from an illicit trip to Civil War Spain, Sylvia Townsend Warner and her lover Valentine Ackland have an unexpected visitor.... Tongues of Fire - 1913. When a Nobel laureate visits Dublin's Abbey Theatre, fireworks erupt between WB Yeats and Sean O'Casey. A Year at the Races - Approaching the end of his career, Groucho Marx meets a wisecracking fan determined to teach him new comedy tricks. Spike and the Elfin Oak - A comic fantasy inspired by Spike Milligan's madcap attempts in the mid-1960s to preserve a curious sculpture in Kensington Gardens. Everybody's Got Conditions - Casting Bette Davis in his play The Night of the Iguana proves the biggest mistake in Tennessee Williams' career...

I Believe I Have Genius- Humble and obscure, young Charlotte Brontë travels to Brussels to study at a girls' school. Marian and George - Marian Evans (aka George Eliot) must choose between her adored brother and the love of her life... Lying Low - An intriguing drama imagining what happened to Samuel Beckett during his mysterious three weeks in Folkestone in 1961. A Terrible Beauty - WB Yeats travels to France to propose to beautiful Maud Gonne, soon after her husband's execution in the 1916 Easter Rising. The Watcher on the Wall - Dramatised from his letters, this is the story of Louis MacNeice's transatlantic love affair and the poetry it inspired. Edith Sitwell in Scarborough - Returning to her birthplace, Edith Sitwell sets out to wreak revenge. Mrs Tolstoy - A five-part drama charting the tempestuous marriage between Leo and Sofya Tolstoy. The 'B' Word - The opening night of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion causes a scandal and sparks a passionate love/hate triangle... The Rules of Palship - The young Noël Coward demanded fierce loyalty from his friends - but did he live up to his own high standards? The Lost Road - A playful tribute to the long friendship between CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien and how it influenced their respective masterpieces. Luxembourg Gardens - Re-imagined from Katherine Mansfield's stories, letters and journals, this Mansfieldesque play explores her last day in Paris, where she is dying of consumption aged 34.

An anthology of short stories from the best crime writers in Britain. X rated, contains offensive language.

A collection of the best stories published in 2011 by British writers; it includes contributions from Hilary Mantel, Lee Rourke, Robert Edric, Michele Roberts and Salley Vickers, amongst others. X rated, contains offensive language and explicit sex.

An excellent collection, offering the reader a wide range of recent stories. Featuring: Elizabeth Baines, Ailsa Cox, Claire Dean, Jay Griffiths, David Grubb, Christopher Priest, Joanne Rush, Mick Scully, amongst others.

Some of the great classic shorts stories inspired by women. This empowering selection explores the many experiences and complexities of womanhood, sometimes joyful, sometimes sad. It includes Ladies in Lavender by William J Locke, the inspiration for the film of the same name starring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith.

Some of the great classic short stories inspired by women. This empowering selection explores the many experiences and complexities of womanhood.

This empowering selection of classic stories inspired by women explores the many experiences and complexities of womanhood. It includes Happy Women by Louisa May Alcott and The Singing Lesson by Catherine Mansfield.

When a heatwave plunges New York City into darkness, sparks fly for thirteen teenagers caught up in the blackout.

A first meeting.
Long-time friends.
Bitter exes.
And maybe the beginning of something new…

When the lights go out, people reveal hidden truths, love blossoms, friendship transforms and new possibilities take flight.

Six of today's biggest stars of the YA world, Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon, bring all the electricity of love to a collection of charming, hilarious and heartbreaking tales that shine the brightest light through the dark.

An anthology of rare stories of crime and suspense, bringing together a selection of lost tales by masters of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. It includes a newly discovered Agatha Christie story that has not been seen since 1922. This essential collection harks back to a time before forensic science - when murder was a complex business.

55,573 aircrew of Bomber Command lost their lives during the Second World War, yet their bravery and sacrifice went largely unrecognized. On 28 June 2012 this was corrected with the dedication and unveiling of the Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park, London. This tells the story of the campaign: locating a site, raising the funds, designing the memorial, and the opening ceremony.

Thousands of airmen failed to return from operations as part of the 1943 and 1944 Bomber Command Battle of Berlin. The authors, utilising family archives, personal testimony and wartime memoirs, piece together the remarkable, yet tragic events surrounding those who made the ultimate sacrifice. ‘We Will Remember Them'.

Part of BBC Radio 3's 'The Essay' strand, The Book That Changed Me features writers, academics and other eminent professionals discussing the literary works that have had the greatest impact on their lives. This fascinating selection contains some of the best episodes from the series, including legendary songwriter Steve Earle on Truman Capote's masterpiece In Cold Blood; academic Monica Siddiqui on Austen's Pride and Prejudice; and Tony Blair's onetime strategist Alastair Campbell on Flaubert's seminal Madame Bovary.

Renowned film director Richard Eyre reveals how Angus Calder's social history The People's War evokes memories of his childhood; neurobiologist Colin Blakemore explains why he loves Darwin's lesser-known work, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals; visual artist Tacita Dean describes how Marguerite Yourcenair's Fires helped her find her voice as a writer, feminist and filmmaker; and David Simon, creator of TV's The Wire, relates how James Agee's Let Us Now Praise Famous Men made him realise the importance of reportage. Absorbing and enlightening, this entertaining collection sheds new light on the intellectual lives of a host of famous names, and celebrates the transformative power of literature.

A bumper collection of accessible classics from the perennially popular BBC Radio 4 series This diverse wide-ranging anthology features readings of 10 of the greatest books in the English language taken from the BBC's Book at Bedtime and performed by a stellar cast of narrators. Here are nearly 27 hours of sensational stories from iconic romances and humorous travelogues to pioneering Modernist masterpieces and compelling explorations of the human heart. Comprising much-loved favourites as well as neglected classics this genre-spanning selection has something for everyone.

This collection includes abridged readings of: Persuasion by Jane Austen: Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth get a second chance at love following their broken engagement seven years earlier. Read by Juliet Stevenson. Jane Eyre by Charlotte BrontA: An orphaned young woman discovers romance when she meets the charming Mr Rochester. Read by Anne-Marie Duff. Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy: Independent Bathsheba Everdene must contend with three very different suitors all vying for her affections. Read by Douglas Hodge. Travels with a Donkey in the CAvennes by Robert Louis Stevenson: Stephenson's travelogue from his 12-day hike taken to distance himself from his love affair with a married woman. Read by Alan Cumming. The Aspern Papers by Henry James: A nameless narrator goes to Venice to persuade American poet Jeffrey Aspern's lover to let him read Aspern's letters. Read by Samuel West. Three Men on the Bummel by Jerome K. Jerome: The Three Men in a Boat return for a bicycle tour through the German Black Forest. Read by Hugh Laurie. Dubliners by James Joyce: Form-defining stories about life in Dublin at the start of the 20th century. Read by Stephen Rea. The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford: Two couples two marriages; both seemingly perfect. But beneath the surface lies deception and betrayal. Read by Toby Stephens. The Rector's Daughter by F.M. Mayor: Mary has spent thirty-five years taking care of others but with the arrival Robert Herbert her quiet ordered existence is changed forever. Read by Juliet Stevenson. Orlando by Virginia Woolf: A playful mock biography of a chameleonic historical figure immortal and ageless who changes sex and identity on a whim. Read by Amanda Hale.

In difficult times, what children really need is hope. And in that spirit, bestselling author Katherine Rundell emailed some of the children's writers whose work she loved most.

This collection, packed with short stories and poems from the very best children's authors, aims to provide just that. Within its pages you'll find animal friends from insects to elephants, high-flying grandmas, a homesick sprite, the tooth fairy, and even extra-terrestrial life. There are 133 contributions from authors, including Anthony Horowitz, Axel Scheffler, Catherine Johnson, Jacqueline Wilson, Katherine Rundell, Lauren Child, Michael Morpurgo and Onjali Q. Raúf.

Shortlisted for the BBC Audio Drama Award 2015 for Best Scripted Comedy (Studio Audience)

In the complete Series 1-4 of the multi-award-winning hit show from the people who brought you Cabin Pressure and Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive, stand-up comedian Marcus Brigstocke has been put in charge of a thing!

In each episode, Marcus finds he's volunteered to be in charge of a big old thing - a hospital, a prison, the banking system, the great British press - and each week he starts out by thinking "Well, it can't be that difficult, surely?" and ends up with "Oh - turns out it's utterly difficult and complicated. Who knew...?".

Helping him fail to find the answers are regular guest stars such as Rufus Jones (Hunderby, Holy Flying Circus), William Andrews (Sorry, I've Got No Head), Margaret Cabourn-Smith (Miranda) and Colin Hoult (from Ricky Gervaise's Derek). Together they tackle the ills of British society, from the House Of Lords and internet trolling all the way up to the big issues - like why a paisley hanky is good for hiding disreputable stains, and how to use toothpaste to fool your landlord.

Written by Marcus Brigstocke, Jeremy Salsby, Toby Davies, Nick Doody, Dan Tetsell, Steve Punt and Tom Neenan.
Produced by David Tyler
A Pozzitive Production for BBC Radio 4

CEO Excellence, by McKinsey senior partners Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller and Vikram Malhotra is a unique and timely business book which will draw on 25 years of research and interviews with top leaders of some of the world's most respected companies. The resulting audiobook will demonstrate that while the role of CEO is unique within every organisation, it is surprisingly similar across companies even in disparate industries. Furthermore, the best CEOs approach their role with distinct mindsets and practices. 

This audiobook is about truly world class leadership, showing how the best CEOs think, adapt and approach challenges (never more relevant than in this extraordinary time). It will show why a brilliant CEO can have such an immense impact, and demonstrate how to model yourself and your performance on the very best - so that your turn to lead comes sooner, and is more successful.

A collection of 17 classic crime shorts with a London setting, offering a good mix of the well-known and the obscure. These stories cover all the sub-genres of crime and mystery fiction.

The tag-team interview show where the celebrity guest becomes the interviewer

A complete collection of the talk show with a twist - the guest each week becomes the interviewer in the following episode. Focusing on the career and passions of a figure in the entertainment world whose work they admire, each interviewer gets to delve into the life of their hero as well as revealing hidden aspects of themselves.

Featuring great British comedians, award-winning actors, and iconic musicians and writers, Chain Reaction serves you double helpings of amazing individuals like Johnny Vegas, Barry Cryer, Lenny Henry, David Tennant, Eddie Izzard, Lee Mack, Ruby Wax, Stephen Merchant, Caitlin Moran, Frankie Boyle, Bob Mortimer, Vic Reeves, Olivia Colman, Katherine Ryan, Ian Hislop, Victoria Coren-Mitchell, Joe Lycett, Sara Pascoe, Tim Vine, and many, many more.