Audiobooks narrated by Benjamin Zephaniah

BBC Radio Shakespeare: A Collection of Four History Plays

Four full-cast BBC Radio productions of Shakespeare's finest history plays Introduced by Sir Richard Eyre, these four iconic productions, featuring star casts, bring Shakespeare's gripping histories to life in all their rich complexity. Henry IV, Part One Young Prince Hal struggles with his responsibilities as heir to the throne, preferring the company of the dissolute Falstaff. But when England is threatened with rebellion, will he do his duty? Father and son Julian Glover and Jamie Glover star as King Henry and Prince Hal, with Timothy West as Falstaff. Henry IV, Part Two The realm is still in danger, and the King is dying. It is time for Prince Hal to fulfil his royal destiny - but what will become of his old friend, Falstaff? Starring Julian Glover, Jamie Glover and Timothy West. Richard II This lyrically tragic history encompasses themes of nobility and kingship, as King Richard is brought to his own destruction - but was he justly punished for his excesses, or a misunderstood victim? Samuel West stars as Richard II, with Joss Ackland as John of Gaunt and Damian Lewis as Bolingbroke. Pericles Featuring world music and a multicultural cast, this timeless tale with a contemporary twist features tyrants, incest, murder, young love, and a great hero cruelly separated from his wife and daughter. Will he ever see them again? Benjamin Zephaniah stars as the narrator, Gower.

William Shakespeare (Author), Benjamin Zephaniah, Full Cast, Jamie Glover, Julian Glover, Samuel West, Timothy West (Narrator)

Audiobook

Funky Turkeys

Brought to you by Puffin. Enter the crazy world of rap poet Benjamin Zephaniah! Funky Turkeys is the first audio edition of Benjamin Zephaniah's poetry collection for children - playful, clever and provocative - this is performance poetry on the page at its very best. An unconventional collection of straight-talking poems about heroes, revolutions, racism, love and animal rights, among other subjects, that will entice many new readers to poetry. Poems in this audiobook were first published in Funky Chickens and Talking Turkeys.

Benjamin Zephaniah (Author), Benjamin Zephaniah (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Lost Words

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris, read by Edith Bowman, Guy Garvey, Cerys Matthews and Benjamin Zephaniah. All over the country, there are words disappearing from children's lives. Words like Dandelion, Otter, Bramble, Acorn and Lark represent the natural world of childhood, a rich landscape of discovery and imagination that is fading from children's minds. The Lost Words stands against the disappearance of wild childhood. It is a joyful celebration of the poetry of nature words and the living glory of our distinctive, British countryside. With acrostic spell-poems by peerless wordsmith Robert Macfarlane this enchanting audiobook captures the irreplaceable magic of language and nature for all ages. Across a rich and vivid natural soundscape, Edith Bowman, Guy Garvey, Cerys Matthews and Benjamin Zephaniah, iconic voices of modern Britain, bring the magic of nature and language to listeners. Through captivating readings, wonderful natural recordings and more, the audio edition of The Lost Words is a stunning celebration of the nature and the power of language. Includes listening notes by Chris Watson, wildlife and natural phenomena recordist, as a downloadable PDF.

Jackie Morris, Robert Macfarlane (Author), Benjamin Zephaniah, Cerys Matthews, Edith Bowman, Guy Garvey (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah: The Autobiography

*BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week* Benjamin Zephaniah, who has travelled the world for his art and his humanitarianism, now tells the one story that encompasses it all: the story of his life. In the early 1980s when punks and Rastas were on the streets protesting about unemployment, homelessness and the National Front, Benjamin's poetry could be heard at demonstrations, outside police stations and on the dance floor. His mission was to take poetry everywhere, and to popularise it by reaching people who didn't read books. His poetry was political, musical, radical and relevant. By the early 1990s, Benjamin had performed on every continent in the world (a feat which he achieved in only one year) and he hasn't stopped performing and touring since. Nelson Mandela, after hearing Benjamin's tribute to him while he was in prison, requested an introduction to the poet that grew into a lifelong relationship, inspiring Benjamin's work with children in South Africa. Benjamin would also go on to be the first artist to record with The Wailers after the death of Bob Marley in a musical tribute to Nelson Mandela. The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah is a truly extraordinary life story which celebrates the power of poetry and the importance of pushing boundaries with the arts.

Benjamin Zephaniah (Author), Benjamin Zephaniah (Narrator)

Audiobook

Funky Turkeys

Benjamin Zephaniah - Funky Turkeys. Rap along with Benjamin Zephaniah to the beat of his unique performance poetry. Hip, zany and streetwise this is an excellent collection from one of our leading modern poets. The poems are taken mainly from the books 'Talking Turkeys' and 'Funky Chickens'. The audio versions vary slightly from the written text in Benjamin's books.

Benjamin Zephaniah (Author), Benjamin Zephaniah (Narrator)

Audiobook

Pericles (BBC Radio 3 Drama On 3)

A BBC Radio 3 full-cast dramatisation of Shakespeare's classic 'Pericles', starring Tom Mannion. Originally broadcast in November 2005 and repeated as part of the 'Drama on 3' collection in November 2008. Shakespeare's romantic adventure full of tyrants, incest, murder, knights, teenagers, pirates, brothels, sublime poetry, young love, a great hero and the goddess Diana. A multicultural cast, world music and the poet Benjamin Zephaniah give this timeless tale a contemporary twist. With Tom Mannion as Pericles, Benjamin Zephaniah as Gower, Raad Rawi as Antiochus and Cerimon, and Helen Longworth as Marina and Antiochus' daughter. Also starring Sean Scanlan, Dermot Crowley, Paul Dinnen, Lorcan Cranitch, Katherine Igoe, Adjoa Andoh, Peter Gevisser, Siân Phillips, Ayesha Antoine, Nick Sayce, Ifan Meredith and Delroy Brown. Directed by Gaynor MacFarlane.

William Shakespeare (Author), Benjamin Zephaniah, Helen Longworth, Raad Rawi, Tom Mannion (Narrator)

Audiobook

Family Christmas

The tree, the fireside, the candles, the presents and the festive food may be the main features of the traditional Christmas, but so were the stories, the poems, and the traditional tales. Here, is a delightful confection of Christmas texts: the story of The Nutcracker told with Tchaikovsky's immortal music, Dylan Thomas' A Child's Christmas in Wales, as well as nineteenth and twentieth century poems and the always affecting tale of The Little Match Girl. An enchanting collection for those family Christmas evenings.

Various Authors (Author), Benjamin Zephaniah, Jenny Agutter, Philip Madoc (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Benjamin Zephaniah