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ID: 649507

Title: Lifescapes: A Biographers Search for the Soul

Author: Ann Wroe

Narrator: Ann Wroe

Format: Unabridged

Length: 05:57:13

Language: English

Release date: 08-31-23

Publisher: PGRH UK

Genres: Biography & Memoir, Non-Fiction, Literary, Philosophy

Summary:

Brought to you by Penguin.

The acclaimed biographer and obituarist for The Economist reflects on a career spent pursuing life and capturing it on the page.

It is soul that I go looking for. Or, to put it another way, real life.

'What is life?' asked the poet Shelley, and could not come up with an answer. Scientists, too, for all their understanding of how life manifests, thrives and evolves, have still not plumbed that fundamental question. Yet biographers and obituarists continue to corral lives in a few columns, or a few hundred pages, aware all the time how fleeting and elusive their subject is.

In this dazzlingly original blend of memoir, biography, observation and poetry, Ann Wroe reflects on the art and impossibility of capturing life on the page. Through her experiences and those of others, through people she has known, studied or merely glimpsed in windows, she movingly explores what makes a life and how that life lingers after.

Animated by Wroe's rare imagination, eye for the telling detail, and the wit, beauty and clarity of her writing, Lifescapes is a luminous, deeply personal answer to Shelley's question.

'She's a genius, I believe' HILARY MANTEL

'A masterful celebration' JOHN BANVILLE

'A rare and beautiful book' KAPKA KASSABOVA

© Ann Wroe 2023 (P) Penguin Audio 2023

Contact: [email protected]

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ID: 691745

Title: Oliver Burkeman: Living with the News: A BBC Radio 4 Series

Author: Oliver Burkeman

Narrator: Oliver Burkeman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 01:09:30

Language: English

Release date: 08-31-23

Publisher: PGRH UK

Genres: Non-Fiction, Social Science

Summary:

Oliver Burkeman explains why we need to pay less, not more, attention to the news

Award-winning journalist and author Oliver Burkeman has written three bestselling books on happiness, productivity and time management. Now, in this thought-provoking radio series, he looks at the way we consume and obsess over the news, and why it's so bad for us.

Tracing the origins of the modern news cycle, from the first mass production of newspapers in the 19th century to 24-hour rolling news and the alluring interactivity of social media, he shows how we have gone from a scarcity to a superabundance of information. Hooked by attention-grabbing headlines, we've dived into the dramas of presidential politics, pandemics and wars, feeling actively involved in - and infuriated by - things we can't control. And this illusory sense of participation in events inevitably causes stress, anxiety and a loss of perspective. So how do we rethink our dysfunctional relationship with the news?

Talking to authors, academics and media experts including Emily Bell, Robert Talisse, Pandora Sykes, Rolf Dobelli and 'Doomscrolling Reminder Lady' Karen K Ho, Oliver considers how we can free ourselves from the relentless grip of the news. Do we have to be up to speed with the latest stories to be responsible citizens, or is our increasing engagement with current affairs actually bad for democracy? Is going cold turkey the solution, or could simply stepping back, pausing and reflecting be the key to greater understanding? And is it possible, by focussing only on issues over which we can personally exert an influence, to let the rest of the world take its course?

Over five fascinating episodes, Oliver shows how we can switch our default state, put real life centre stage - and make the news somewhere we visit, rather than where we live.

Production credits

Presented by Oliver Burkeman

Produced by Peter McManus

With Charlie Beckett, Tanya Goodin, Emily Bell, Karen K Ho, Bryan McLaughlin, Rossalyn Warren, Robert Talisse, Ben Toff, Pandora Sykes, Rolf Dobelli, Graeme Forbes

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19-23 December 2022

© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Contact: [email protected]

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ID: 656725

Title: Raging Storm

Author: Ann Cleeves

Narrator: Jack Holden

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10:07:20

Language: English

Release date: 08-31-23

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Genres: Fiction & Literature, Mystery, Thriller & Horror, Police Stories, General

Summary:

Detective Matthew Venn returns in The Raging Storm, the next captivating novel in the Two Rivers series from Ann Cleeves, the number one bestselling author and creator of Vera and Shetland.

When Jem Rosco – sailor, adventurer and local legend – blows into town in the middle of an autumn gale, the residents of Greystone, Devon, are delighted to have a celebrity in their midst. The residents think nothing of it when Rosco disappears again; that’s the sort of man he is.

Until the lifeboat is launched to a hoax call-out during a raging storm and his body is found in a dinghy, anchored off Scully Cove, a place with legends of its own.

This is an uncomfortable case for DI Matthew Venn. He came to the remote village as a child, its community populated by the Barum Brethren that he parted ways with, so when superstition and rumour mix and another body is found in the cove, Matthew soon finds his judgement clouded.

As the stormy winds howl and the village is cut off, Venn and his team start their investigation, little realizing their own lives might be in danger. . .

Praise for the Matthew Venn series:

'Matthew Venn is a keeper' - David Baldacci

'Had me hooked . . . a promising beginning to another fine chapter in the Ann Cleeves story' - The Times

'A triumph that cements Cleeves’ status as one of Britain’s best crime writers' - Daily Express

'Clever, compassionate and atmospheric' - Elly Griffiths

'Cleeves combines a flair for evoking sense of place with a thoughtful, complex plot' - Mail on Sunday

'A traditional mystery of the best sort' - Guardian

What readers are saying about The Raging Storm:

‘Absolutely brilliant, Ann Cleeves at her best’

‘The twists and turns, challenging relationships within the community, mixed with a huge dose of superstitions surrounding routines around the sea, makes for a brilliant novel’

‘In my opinion, Ann Cleeves ranks among the top crime writers. She consistently delivers classic murder mysteries by balancing diverse characters and rich settings to create unique stories every time’

‘The setting in this is so integral to the plot that it could almost be a character in its own right’

‘Cleeves creates a strong sense of tension which pushes you on. The plot is a true mystery, littered with clues and red herrings, and the end is a brilliant revelation’

Contact: [email protected]

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ID: 654715

Title: Body Below

Author: Daniel Hecht

Narrator: Bronson Pinchot, Elisabeth Rodgers

Format: Unabridged

Length: 16:02:04

Language: English

Release date: 08-29-23

Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks

Genres: Mystery, Thriller & Horror, Suspense

Summary:

From USA Today bestselling author Daniel Hecht, The Body Below takes the reader on an uneasy quest for the nature of truth and who gets to tell it. Perfect for fans of In the Woods by Tana French and The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley.

Conn Whitmans long-distance swims keep him centered and saneuntil a terrifying underwater encounter in a woodland lake plunges him into the middle of a murder investigation.

Once a superstar investigative reporter, disgraced by misconduct, Conn returned to his Vermont hometown to put his life back together. Now, after ten years on the job, he knows his community like nobody else. When he kicks a submerged object while swimmingsomething with the density and resilience of human fleshhe immediately wonders if its connected to an unsolved murder in a nearby town.

Detective Marlene Selanski is the lead on the State Police investigation and soon locks horns with Conn. Its clear she considers him a suspect and believes his vigilante research is interfering with her investigation. Defying Selanski, Conn and his fiancée Celine Gabrielli combine their talentsher PhD in psychology, his skills at journalistic research and wealth of knowledge about Vermonts old villagesto seek answers on their own.

As layers of deception peel away, Conn and Celine realize too late the dangers of amateur sleuthing: Murder disrupts lives in unexpected ways, sending out ripples and bringing long-hidden secrets to the surface.

Contact: [email protected]

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ID: 682724

Title: Blade of the Poisoner: A BBC Radio Full-Cast Fantasy Adventure plus bonus story Penelopes Pendant

Author: Douglas Hill

Narrator: Adjoa Andoh, Ben Onwukwe, Elizabeth Bell, Eric Allen, Full Cast , Hugh Dixon, James Holland, Keeley Forsyth, Paul Copley, Susan Sheridan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 02:21:32

Language: English

Release date: 08-24-23

Publisher: PGRH UK

Genres: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fiction & Literature, Action & Adventure

Summary:

Embark on a perilous quest into a magical realm where a young boy must do battle with monsters and demons in order to survive.

Immerse yourself in an epic fantasy adventure, based on the book by the hugely popular science fiction writer Douglas Hill, and brought to life in this full-cast performance.

When his village is destroyed by the evil Prince Mephtik, young Jarral Gullen must search for answers. With the help of his three friends Archer, Scythe and the Lady Mandragorina - a band of magically talented adventurers - Jarral must make a terrifying journey into the unknown. Only then will he be able to answer the questions that haunt him. Will he be able to discover what strange talents he possesses? And why does the spectre known as the Poisoner want to hunt him down? Marked with the tainted sword of Prince Mephtik, Jarral is doomed to die a terrible death unless both the blade and the prince are destroyed by the next full moon. The band of friends must complete their treacherous quest to Mephtik's demon-guarded fortress - but can Jarral connect with his power in time, and will he live long enough to use it?

This exclusive edition includes a bonus fantastical story of magic and mayhem - Penelope's Pendant. When eleven-year-old Penny finds a pendant on the beach she discovers that it gives her the power to move herself and other objects through space. But when the pendant's maker comes to claim it, Penny doesn't want to let it go.

Starring Bridgerton's Adjoa Andoh alongside James Holland, Eric Allen, Elizabeth Bell, Ben Onwukuwe, Susan Sheridan and Hugh Dixon, these adventures will delight fans of Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea novels and J.R.R. Tolkien's Tales from the Perilous Realm.

Blade of the Poisoner

Written by Douglas Hill

Dramatised by Wally K Daly

Produced by Peter Fozzard

Music by Peter Howells

Special Effects by Dick Mills

Jarral the Man - Eric Allen

Jarral the boy - James Holland

Archer - Elizabeth Bell

Carver - Ben Onwukwe

Dorrina - Adjoa Andoh

Mandra - Susan Sheridan

Prince Mephtik - Hugh Dixon

Yorrold - David Bannerman

Soldiers - Nigel Carrington, Charles Millom and Neil Roberts

Cryltor Tabatang - James Thomason

Flammarock - Bret Usher

Whiney - Richard Pierce

Innkeeper - Anne Windsor

Other parts played by Auriol Smith and Charles Millom

First Broadcast BBC Radio 5, July 1991

Penelope's Pendant

Written by Douglas Hill

Adapted by Paul Copley

Penelope - Keeley Forsyth

Trish - Vicky Fox

Alan - Jason Lowe

Ralph - Jonathan Tristram

Tony - Matthew Raybould

Errol - Richard Redpath

Gummy - James Buckley

Mother - Joanna Myers

Narrator - Paul Copley

Glumdole - Barry Kaylor

First Broadcast BBC Radio 5, 2 April 1991

©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Contact: [email protected]

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ID: 669373

Title: Sorry About Last Night: A BBC Radio Comedy

Author: Alexei Sayle

Narrator: Adjoa Andoh, Alexei Sayle, Chris Pavlo, Doon Mackichan, Full Cast , Harry Towb, Nadim Sawalha, Siobhan Redmond

Format: Unabridged

Length: 02:18:55

Language: English

Release date: 08-24-23

Publisher: PGRH UK

Genres: Romance, Fiction & Literature, General, Humor

Summary:

Alexei Sayle's quirky comedy about life, love and not living together

'One of the most innovative series of recent years' Radio Ha Ha

Just because you're in love, doesn't mean you're meant to spend your life together, right?

Having read Women are from Mars and Men are from Croydon and Set Sail on the SS Relationship, unemployed ex-soldier Andy thinks it's about time he and his left-wing lawyer girlfriend Julie headed into deeper waters. But there's plenty in their way, from comically grim airport trips and fancy dinner parties, to nearly causing the assassination of the Prime Minister and discovering Andy's dad has been living a double life.

While navigating holiday mishaps and dinner party disasters, should they move in together? Or even get married?

Written by and starring Alexei Sayle in his earliest radio production, this funny, surreal look at love and relationships also stars Siobhan Redmond (McLevy, Holby City) as Julie, with Nadim Sawalha (West is West, The Bill), Adjoa Andoh (Bridgerton, Doctor Who), Chris Pavlo (ElvenQuest, 15 Storeys High), Gary Bleasdale (Harry Enfield and Chums, Boys from the Blackstuff) and Doon MacKichan (Smack the Pony, Brass Eye).

Cast:

Andy - Alexei Sayle

Julie - Siobhan Redmond

Mr Hamad - Nadim Sawalha

Mrs Abasanjo - Adjoa Andoh

Mr Lucik - Chris Pavlo

Dad - Harry Towb

Michael - Gary Bleasdale

Gavin the Estate Agent / Philippe / McNab / Rory Bream / Mr Overthorpe - Simon Greenall

Amparo / Mrs Saunders / D.I. Troon - Doon MacKichan

Tony Blair - Brian Bowles

Sgt Pilcher - Tony Barclay

Captain Healey - Roger Blake

Mrs Overthrope - Kay Stonham

Bronson - Tony Burgess

Other parts played by:

Tony Barclay

Ruth Jones

Written by Alexei Sayle

Produced and directed by Jo Clegg with Alexei Sayle

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 14 October - 11 November 1999

©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Contact: [email protected]

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ID: 691066

Title: Doctor Who: Four from Doom's Day: Doom's Day Audio Original

Author: Darren Jones

Narrator: Jaye Griffiths, Silas Carson, Sooz Kempner

Format: Unabridged

Length: 02:07:04

Language: English

Release date: 08-24-23

Publisher: PGRH UK

Genres: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Summary:

Hired assassin Doom is on a mission to save her own life before Death catches up with her. If she can find the Doctor they might be able to help her - but where in Time and Space are they?

These four missions - The Steel Cascade, The Martian Dilemma, An Ood Halloween and Dark Space - take Doom to a Mediterranean cruise ship in 1966, the planet Mars in the distant past, San Francisco in 1999, and finally a desolate planet in a dying solar system.

Along the way she meets former TARDIS travellers Ian and Barbara, the mighty Ice Warriors, and Brian the Ood. But when a mysterious stranger with silver hair and sunglasses turns up, will he be Doom's salvation?

Written by Darren Jones and read by Sooz Kempner, Jaye Griffiths and Silas Carson, these four original stories form part of the multi-platform Doom's Day adventure to celebrate Doctor Who's 60th anniversary.

? 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Readings produced by Neil Gardner/Ladbroke Audio.

Sound design by David Roocroft. Project editor: John Ainsworth. Doom's Day Project Manager: James Page.

Executive producer for BBC Audio: Michael Stevens.

Contact: [email protected]

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ID: 647178

Title: He Who Drowned the World: the epic sequel to the Sunday Times bestselling historical fantasy She Who Became the Sun

Author: Shelley Parker-Chan

Narrator: Natalie Naudus

Format: Unabridged

Length: 18:56:21

Language: English

Release date: 08-24-23

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Genres: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Historical, Epic Fantasy

Summary:

The Song of Achilles meets Mulan in He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan - a dazzling queer historical fantasy of war and destiny set in an epic alternate China, and sequel to Sunday Times bestselling She Who Became the Sun.

'Transcendent, heart-wrenching' - Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat

What would you give to win the world?

Zhu Yuanzhang, the Radiant King, is riding high after her victory – one that tore southern China from its Mongol masters. Now she burns with a new desire: to seize the throne and crown herself emperor.

However, Zhu isn’t the only one with imperial aspirations. Courtesan Madam Zhang plots to steal the throne for her husband. But scorned scholar Wang Baoxiang is even closer to the throne. He’s maneuverered his way to the capital, where his courtly games threaten to bring the empire to its knees. For Baoxiang also desires revenge: to become the most degenerate Great Khan in history. In the process, he’d make a mockery of the warrior values his Mongol family loved more than him.

To stay in the game, Zhu must gamble everything on one bold move. A risky alliance with an old enemy: Ouyang, the brilliant but unstable eunuch general. All contenders will do whatever it takes to win. But when desire has no end, and ambition no limits, could the price be too high for even the most ruthless heart to bear?

Praise for Shelley Parker-Chan:

‘As brilliant as Circe . . . a deft and dazzling triumph’ – Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne

'Magnificent in every way. War, desire, vengeance, politics – Shelley Parker-Chan has perfectly measured each ingredient' – Samantha Shannon, author of The Priory of the Orange Tree

'Shelley Parker-Chan is a genius' – Jen Williams, author of Talonsister

Contact: [email protected]

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ID: 682725

Title: Charles Paris: A BBC Radio Collection: A Series of Murders, Sicken and So Die, Murder Unprompted, The Dead Side of the Mic & Cast in Order of Disappearance

Author: Jeremy Front, Simon Brett

Narrator: Bill Nighy, Full Cast , Jon Glover, Suzanne Burden

Format: Unabridged

Length: 08:24:00

Language: English

Release date: 08-24-23

Publisher: PGRH UK

Genres: Mystery, Thriller & Horror, Detective Stories

Summary:

Five full-cast BBC radio dramatisations, starring Bill Nighy as Charles Paris

Thespian sleuth Charles Paris is his own worst enemy, a louche lush who can resist anything except temptation - especially in the form of women and alcohol. Estranged from his long-suffering wife, Frances, his personal life is shambolic, and as an actor, he's C-list at best. But he does have a talent for solving murders - which is just as well, because wherever he goes, someone seems to drop dead...

A Series of Murders - Charles has landed a juicy part playing Sergeant Collins in the TV detective series, 'The Stanislaus Braid Mysteries'. But will all the deadly doings be restricted to on-screen?

Sicken and So Die - A suspected poisoner is on the loose in a production of Twelfth Night - can Charles track down the culprit before this comedy turns into a tragedy?

Murder Unprompted - There's drama backstage when a murder is discovered in a West End theatre production. Has Charles time to find the killer before the curtain goes up?

The Dead Side of the Mic - A job with the BBC radio rep coincides with the mysterious death of a studio manager in Broadcasting House. Once again, Charles steps in to investigate...

Cast in Order of Disappearance - Playing a middle-management vampire in 'The Wreathing', Charles finds himself dealing with a blackmailer, a maiden in distress - and a murderer. Has he bitten off more than he can chew?

Written by Jeremy Front

Based on the novels by Simon Brett

Produced and directed by Sally Avens

Starring Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice

Text copyright © Simon Brett 1975 (Cast in Order of Disappearance), 1980 (The Dead Side of the Mic), 1982 (Murder Unprompted), 1989 (A Series of Murders), 1995 (Sicken and So Die)

© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Contact: [email protected]

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ID: 649506

Title: Imperial Island: A History of Empire in Modern Britain

Author: Charlotte Lydia Riley

Narrator: Charlotte Lydia Riley

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11:31:45

Language: English

Release date: 08-24-23

Publisher: PGRH UK

Genres: Politics, History

Summary:

This riveting new history tells the story of Britain's journey from imperial power to a nation divided.

After the Second World War, Britain's overseas empire disintegrated. But over the next seventy years, empire came to define Britain and its people as never before.

From immigration and race riots to the Suez Crisis and the Falklands War, from the simplistic moral equation of Band Aid to the invasion of Iraq, the imperial mindset has dominated Britain's relationship with itself and the world. In the tragedy of Stephen Lawrence, in Britain's response to radical Islam, even in the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics, we see how this contradictory relationship has undermined its self-image as a multicultural nation, helping explain the Windrush deportations and Brexit.

Drawing on a mass of new research, from personal letters to pop culture, Imperial Island tells a story of immigration and fractured identity, of social strife and communal solidarity, of people on the move and of a people wrestling with their past. It is the story that best explains Britain today.

Contact: [email protected]