Audiobooks narrated by Jonathan Keeble

Lady Glenconner's Picnic Papers: and other Feasts with Friends

From the peaks of the Himalayas to the historic grounds of Hampton Court, there's always a perfect spot for a picnic! Anne Glenconner invites both old friends and new acquaintances to join her in The Picnic Papers. Featuring contributions from Bryan Adams, Graham Norton, Lorraine, Rupert Everett, Tina Brown, Freya Stark and many more, they explore the curious British obsession with dining alfresco, despite our famously unpredictable weather. Picnics, it turns out, spark strong opinions. HRH Princess Margaret insisted on having hers at a proper table, while the indefatigable John Julius Norwich enjoyed 147 picnics over seven weeks in the Sahara. In stark contrast, writer James Lees-Milne simply loathed them. Brimming with extraordinary tales and a few nostalgic recipes (though this is not a recipe book!) Lady Glenconner's The Picnic Papers is an invitation to a delightful feast of memories and culinary delights.

Anne Glenconner (Author), Anne Glenconner, Jilly Bond, Jonathan Keeble (Narrator)

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Duty Before Glory: The Remarkable Story of SAS Original Reg Seekings

The biography of remarkable SAS Original Reg Seekings, from his humble beginnings in the Cambridgeshire Fens to his instrumental role in the success of the SAS during the Second World War. Starting at the very bottom of the ranks, Seekings was a farm labourer's son who climbed from private to squadron sergeant-major and became one of the British Army's most highly decorated non-commissioned officers of the Second World War. In short, Seekings was an ordinary man who did extraordinary things. His is a remarkable story – one of fierce ambition, camaraderie, inner strength and heroism as he transcended humble beginnings in the Fen fields of Cambridgeshire. And he was there from the very first day of the SAS, which was born in the late summer of 1941.

Anthony Rushmer (Author), Jonathan Keeble (Narrator)

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Land Between the Rivers: A 5000-Year History of Iraq

Land Between the Rivers is the result of ten years of research, writing, and thinking about the subject. It is an enormous topic: five thousand years, beginning with Gilgamesh at the edge of historical time. It is a big topic in another way. More than anywhere else, the famous Land Between the Rivers, where civilization was born, where East and West have mixed and clashed since long before Alexander, has led an existence that could be called, from a certain perspective, a history of the world. We begin the story with ancient Sumer, and Gilgamesh building the walls of Uruk ('Iraq') to make a great name for himself around the turn of the third millennium BC. We end it in 1958, as the last royal family of Iraq is slaughtered on the steps of a small royal palace in Baghdad, the most effervescent, free, and promising capital in the Middle East. Above all, the story of Iraq, the world's hinge country, is that of the great clash pitting humanism against the outlooks of power and fate.

Bartle Bull (Author), Jonathan Keeble (Narrator)

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The Holocaust Codes: The Untold Story of Decrypting the Final Solution

'Massive, groundbreaking new research that sheds more truth on the Holocaust.' - Helen Fry Never told in detail before, this is the account of how, for four years, British and Allied codebreakers decrypted secret SS and Gestapo messages detailing the mass killings of the Holocaust, and how the Germans in turn deployed cryptanalysis to try to conceal their persecution of Europe's Jews. The compelling and fast-paced narrative is told from the perspectives of two central and opposing characters, who never meet. At Bletchley Park, there is the legendary but unsung British codebreaker Nigel de Grey, shy, determined, nicknamed 'the Dormouse' by his colleagues. In Nazi-occupied Poland, SS Major Hermann Höfle, a former taxi driver from Salzburg, and one of the Third Reich's ruthless bureaucrats of mass death, oversees the operations of five concentration camps, including Treblinka. De Grey fought hard to make sure the vital intelligence from decrypted signals reached Allied leaders and was acted on. Höfle, meanwhile, used complex coded messages to try to conceal the mass killings. De Grey worked with his American counterparts, as well as codebreakers and intelligence agents from the Soviet Union, France, the Vatican, Switzerland and Poland. Yet he had dangerous enemies closer to home: a cabal of senior British government and intelligence officials disbelieved or ignored repeated intelligence reports about the ongoing Holocaust. Flawlessly researched, this is the story of a battle between good and evil, between life and mass death, a cat-and-mouse war of electronic wits. More than eighty years on, as Russian leaders face war crimes charges in international courts, the words 'Never again' seem more pertinent than ever.

Christian Jennings (Author), Jonathan Keeble (Narrator)

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The Surreal and Supernatural Stories of Walter de la Mare: A BBC Radio Collection

Full-cast dramatisations and readings of classic tales by Walter de la Mare – plus bonus material. An award-wining poet, short story writer and novelist, Walter de la Mare is probably best known for his works for children and his perennially popular poem ‘The Listeners’. His ghost stories were much admired by H. P. Lovecraft and inspired subsequent authors of supernatural horror such as Robert Aickman and Ramsey Campbell. In 1921, his novel Memoirs of a Midget won the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction, and this haunting, surrealistic tale is the opening tale in our anthology. It tells the extraordinary life story of the diminutive Miss M, who struggles to find her place in Victorian society. Torn between her obsessive suitor Mr Anon and the cruel, beautiful Fanny Bowater, she seeks freedom in the dangerous world of the circus… Emma Fielding stars as Miss M, with Robert Glenister, Sylvestra Le Touzel and Anna Massey. Based on de la Mare’s 1923 short story and starring Samuel West and Margaret Robertson, ‘Seaton’s Aunt’ sees Rupert Withers recalling the sinister relative of a boyhood friend – a woman he met just three times, but who left an indelible impression. Ghost Stories of Walter de la Mare contains four more uncanny tales – ‘All Hallows’ (read by Richard E. Grant), ‘Crewe’ (read by Kenneth Cranham), ‘A Recluse’ (read by Anthony Head) and ‘The Almond Tree’ (read by Julian Wadham). It is followed by a dramatisation of ‘The Trumpet’, starring Garard Green, in which a rector’s son meets his best friend in church one moonlit night for a dare that ends in disaster. Also included are two bonus programmes celebrating the poetry of Walter de la Mare. In Adventures in Poetry: The Listeners, Peggy Reynolds introduces a reading of the much-loved poem, and explores its background, effect and lasting appeal with guests Russell Hoban, Sean Street and de la Mare’s grandson Giles. And in Three Score and Ten, Ian Macmillan presents an archive recording from Christmas Day 1953 of Walter de la Mare reading his poems ‘England’ and ‘The Little Salamander’. Credits Written by Walter de la Mare First published 1921 (Memoirs of a Midget), 1923 (‘Seaton’s Aunt’, ‘The Almond Tree’), 1926 (‘All Hallows’), 1930 (‘Crewe’, ‘A Recluse’), 1936 (‘The Trumpet’) Memoirs of a Midget First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 March-2 April 1993 Please note that the language used reflects the era in which the original novel was written. ‘Seaton’s Aunt’ First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 December 1995 Ghost Stories of Walter de la Mare First broadcast BBC Radio 7, 24-28 December 2010 The Trumpet First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 April 1986 Adventures in Poetry: The Listeners First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 November 2008 Three Score and Ten First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 12 October 2016 © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Walter De La Mare (Author), Andrew Wincott, Anthony Head, Emma Fielding, Full Cast, Garard Green, Jonathan Keeble, Julian Wadham, Kenneth Cranham, Margaret Robertson, Richard E. Grant, Samuel West, Walter De La Mare (Narrator)

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Dear Oliver: An Unexpected Friendship with Oliver Sacks

To the world, he was Dr. Sacks, the brilliant neurologist behind bestselling books like Musicophilia and The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. To professor Susan Barry, he became Dear Oliver-her mentor, friend, and confidant over the course of their ten-year correspondence. It begins with a letter that Sue almost doesn't send. Sue's unheard-of case history-as a 'stereoblind' patient who acquired 3D vision in adulthood-so fascinates Dr. Sacks that he immediately asks to visit her. As 'Stereo Sue,' she becomes the subject of one of his indelible New Yorker pieces-and, as a fellow neuroscientist, his sounding board for every kind of intellectual inquiry. Their shared passions spark a friendship that buoys both of them through life's crests and falls: as Sue becomes an author, as she supports her father in his decline, and as Oliver becomes a patient himself-battling cancer that robs him of his own vision. Dr. Sacks's letters to Sue offer listeners an unprecedented glimpse of the man himself-from his compassion and insight to his love of the periodic table. Throughout Dear Oliver, we are reminded that true friends help each other see the world a little differently.

Susan R. Barry (Author), Jonathan Keeble, Rengin Altay (Narrator)

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Dark Brilliance

Between the end of the Renaissance and the start of the Enlightenment, Europe lived through an era known as the Age of Reason. This was a period which saw advances in areas such as art, science, philosophy, political theory and economics. However, all this was achieved against a background of extreme turbulence in the form of internal conflicts and international wars. While the 'land of liberty' was beginning to import slaves from Africa. Focusing on key characters from the seventeenth to the eighteenth centuries, including Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Newton, Descartes, Spinoza, Louis XIV and Charles I, Dark Brilliance is a fascinating and wide-ranging history that explores the human costs of imposing progress and modernity.

Paul Strathern (Author), Jonathan Keeble (Narrator)

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Dear Oliver: An unexpected friendship with Oliver Sacks

'Dear Dr. Sacks . . . You asked me if I could imagine what the world would look like when viewed with two eyes. I told you that I thought I could . . . But, I was wrong.' When Susan Barry first wrote to Oliver Sacks, she never expected a response, let alone the deep friendship that blossomed over ten years of letters. Sue, herself a neuroscientist, wrote to share an extraordinary development in her own medical history. Born with problems with her vision, Sue had been told she would never acquire the ability to see in 3D - and yet she did, a development at odds with decades of research. Within days, Oliver replied, 'Your letter fills me with amazement and admiration.' Sharing an interest in visual perception and a deep love of science, Sue and Oliver began writing back and forth, delving deeper into the mysteries of sight and marvelling at the adaptive capacity of the human body. But in a painful twist of fate, as Sue's vision improved, Oliver's declined, and his characteristic typed letters shifted to handwritten ones. Sue later recognised this to be an early sign of the cancer that ultimately ended his extraordinary life. A funny, fascinating, and intimate glimpse of the great Oliver Sacks, Dear Oliver is also a love letter to scientific inquiry, and a testimony to the power of friendship at any time in life.

Susan R. Barry (Author), Jonathan Keeble, Rengin Altay (Narrator)

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Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary

David Hume (1711-1776) remains a major figure in British philosophy, particularly for two or three works, including A Treatise on Human Nature and An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. But he was also a prolific essayist and historian. During his lifetime Essays Moral, Political and Literary went through a number of editions and collections, far outselling his philosophy. Now, the situation is reversed. But reading the essays today it is difficult to see why. Even after 250 years they continue to be intellectually stimulating, witty, engrossing, and, in many cases, retain a relevance to our times. The variety of topics alone is appealing. Presented here in the main collection are 47 essays, divided into two parts, though not organised in any specific thematic way. Among the political essays are: Of the First Principles of Government; Whether the British Government inclines more to Absolute Monarchy or to a Republic; Of the Liberty of the Press; Idea of a Perfect Commonwealth. Economic concerns are addressed: Of Money; Of Interest; Of Public Credit; Of Taxes. Hume opens the collection with Of the Delicacy of Taste and Passion, and also considered Of the Rise and Progress of the Arts and Sciences before turning his attention to The Epicurean; The Stoic; The Platonist and The Sceptic. Not all the essays here were published in Hume's lifetime. Among eight in this category, some were withdrawn, some suppressed, and some simply didn't make print. These include Of Love and Marriage; Of Avarice; Of the Middle Station of Life; and even one which turned the mirror on his own activity: Of Essay-Writing. Though the essay form is not as popular as it once was, it can still sparkle, as can be seen here in the hands of a master.

David Hume (Author), Jonathan Keeble, TBD (Narrator)

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Lawrence of Arabia: An in-depth glance at the life of a 20th Century legend

Brought to you by Penguin. The authoritative, illuminating biography of T. E. Lawrence - the man who inspired the iconic film Lawrence of Arabia - from 'The World's Greatest Living Explorer' Ranulph Fiennes. Thomas Edward Lawrence first set foot on the hot sands of Arabia in 1909. By 1918 there was a £20,000 price on his head. His journey to this point has long been legend. From his first postings as archaeologist, liaison and map officer, to fighting alongside guerrilla forces during the Arab Revolt, journeying more than 300 miles through blistering heat to capture Aqaba, to his involvement in peace conferences that decided the future of the Middle East, Lawrence gave over his life fully to this land and its people. An unhappy outsider in childhood, in Arabia, Lawrence found a home. But as he grew in notoriety and proved his worth to his Arab comrades, his Turkish enemies set their sights on his capture . . . A legend in his own lifetime, Lawrence's epic story has always been ripe for the retelling - but Ranulph Fiennes is no ordinary biographer. Leading Arab troops into battle on the Arabian peninsula in a war fought fifty years later, Fiennes too discovered the wonders of these far-flung lands and the people who live there, and is one of very few who can claim a true insight into the kind of life that Lawrence lived - bold and adventurous to the end. With detailed access to records and an in-depth knowledge of the exploration routes and mindset of those who venture into the unknown, in Lawrence of Arabia, Fiennes brings us at last to a true and full account of this mysterious adventurer who captivated the world. ©2023 Ranulph Fiennes (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Ranulph Fiennes (Author), Jonathan Keeble (Narrator)

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Ian Fleming: The Complete Man

Brought to you by Penguin. A fresh portrait of the man behind James Bond, and his enduring impact, by an award-winning biographer with unprecedented access to the Fleming Archive. Ian Fleming's greatest creation, James Bond, has had an enormous impact on our culture. What Bond represents about ideas of masculinity, the British national psyche, and global politics has shifted over time, as has the interpretation of the life of his author. But Fleming himself was more mysterious and subtle than anything he wrote. His childhood with his gifted brother Peter and his extraordinary mother set the pattern for Fleming's ambition to be 'the complete man' and he would search for the means to achieve this 'completeness' all his life. Only a writer for his last twelve years, his dramatic personal life and impressive career before this put him at the heart of critical moments in world history, while also providing rich material for his fiction. A pivotal figure in the Second World War, Fleming's work on covert naval operations was hugely significant. He also acted as a vital bridge between Britain and America, pursuing this relationship into the Cold War in his later work as a journalist. Widely travelled and incredibly well-connected, from Communist Russia to his beloved Jamaica, Fleming had access to the most powerful political figures at a time of extraordinary change. Nicholas Shakespeare is one of the most gifted biographers working today. His talent for uncovering material that casts new light on his subjects is fully evident in this masterful, definitive biography. His unprecedented access to the Fleming archives and his nose for a story make this a fresh and eye-opening picture of a man who lived his life in the shadow of his famous creation. ©2023 Nicholas Shakespeare (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Nicholas Shakespeare (Author), Jonathan Keeble (Narrator)

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The Hitler Bloodline: Uncovering the Fuhrer’s Secret Family

The astounding story of the quest to find the living descendants of the most monstrous tyrant in history - Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler was one of six children born to his mother, and one of eight born to his father from two of his three marriages. Alois Hitler, né Schicklgruber, was an official of the Austrian customs service, and the combination of an imperial uniform and a severe drinking habit seems to have ensured that Hitler's father was a drunken bully given to beating his children if they were not instantly obedient. Alois had two children, Alois junior and Angela, by his second wife, and six by his third, Hitler's mother Clara, of whom four, all boys, died at birth or in infancy. Young Adolf was therefore left with a half-brother, Alois, and half-sister, Angela, and a full sister, Paula, who died in 1960. When Hitler killed himself in April 1945, all his siblings were still living and some had children of their own. So, what happened to them? The answer is that no one was really certain until David Gardner published this book in 2001, having patiently and steadfastly tracked down Hitler's living relations to the USA, and made contact with some of them. Now revised and updated, this is a fascinating study of a little-known side of Hitler's history, as well as a riveting account of how the author traced and contacted the survivors of a bloodline that most of the world probably hoped had become extinct.

David Gardner (Author), Jonathan Keeble (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Jonathan Keeble