Audiobooks narrated by Liam Dale

Mention the names Arthur Stanley Jefferson and Norvell Hardy to a cinema-adoring crowd and you’ll get countless reactions in return. A few may scratch their heads. Others may fumble with their ties and grin nervously. If you’re very unlucky, someone will start to cry. But mention the names Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy and those reactions will become associated with the characters they know and love. These were the names that made them famous and still conjure up images today. Laurel & Hardy. Popular but not populist. They appealed to the masses; and the masses have kept them in the public eye long after they hung their derby hats on life’s wooden hatstand for the very last time. Clowns, which is essentially what Laurel & Hardy are, have their roots in every form of culture, reaching back further than you can throw a custard pie. Even if you had a custard-pie-throwing machine you’d never hit the very first clown. There are references in the Bible to clowns, and we do know that Greeks and Romans used them as popular forms of entertainment, right through to Court Jesters of yesteryear and Stand-Up comedians of today. Probably the greatest of all ‘English’ clowns, aside from Charlie Chaplin, was a thin, wiry fellow called Dan Leno, who was plying his comedy towards the end of the nineteenth century. This was at a time when Queen Victoria was head of the Royal Family. Stan Laurel cited Leno as one of his major influences and it’s easy to see why. He was a past-master at being a female impersonator and originating the ‘comedy cry’, which was so beloved of Stan Laurel himself. He was also, towards the end of his life and career, partnered with a rather overweight gentleman called Herbert Campbell. They were a roaring success and it’s easy to see echoes of them in the teaming of Laurel & Hardy. Humour is an endless recycling of original ideas, which surely makes it the most environmentally friendly of all art-forms! So, let us look at two of the most successful clowns in more detail. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Their public and private life ran along parallel lines and frequently crossed over. We shall examine the public persona that came alive on the silver screen with the private person that lived in the real world. We begin at the very beginning.

Liam Dale (Author), Liam Dale (Narrator)

Audiobook

Mary Shelley

It was on a dreary night of November, that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils. It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its body. His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful! --Great God! His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips.” And thus, Frankenstein’s monster was born. Everyone seems to know the name Frankenstein, whether it is from reading a book, watching a movie, or seeing a theatrical adaptation. Doctor Victor Frankenstein is the central character in the novel of the same name, sharing billing with the eponymous Frankenstein’s Monster, a creature created from different parts of the recently deceased, patched together and brought back to life by the good, yet experimental, Doctor. Frankenstein has become a true icon of horror that will last forever, very much in the same vein, if you will pardon the pun, as that other great, classic blood-sucking horror, Dracula, from the inspired pen of Bram Stoker. But how many people know that author’s name, or for that matter the name of Mary Shelley, Frankenstein’s creator? And, if by some remote chance they do, how many would be able to tell you the amazing story of her life, filled with death, tragedy, love, heartache and much, much more besides. Mary Shelley’s life was as exciting and dramatic as the monster she bestowed upon the world of literature, proving that even in this case, fact truly can be, stranger than fiction.

Liam Dale (Author), Liam Dale (Narrator)

Audiobook

William Wordsworth

There are few amongst us who have not heard of the great romantic poet William Wordsworth, an artist who has for centuries, enchanted his readers with his eloquent verse and magnificent imagery. As a man who revelled in the beauty of nature, his love of the natural world shines through his stirring words, while all the while he attempted to unveil the hidden magic of the countryside. From the beautiful sites of the Lake District where he spent most of his life to the Scottish Lowlands and beyond, Wordsworth created unforgettable images, which would change people’s vision of rural Britain forever. Best known for his poem, “I wandered lonely as a Cloud”, Wordsworth and his host of golden daffodils are part of literature’s heritage but take the time to delve into his autobiographical work The Prelude and the Lyrical Ballads and you will find that there is so much more to this extraordinary individual. Wordsworth was among those who wrote at a time when Europe was in the midst of great turmoil, and as cries of liberty and reform rang out from revolutionary France, the waves of social change would have a profound effect on his life and his work. From the cobbled streets of Paris to the craggy rocks and shining lakes of Cumbria the tale of William Wordsworth is as full of surprises as it is eloquent verse. "Twere long to tell What spring and autumn, what the winter snows, And what the summer shade, what day and night The evening and the morning, what my dreams And what my naked thoughts supplied, to nurse That spirit of religious love in which I walked with nature.

Liam Dale (Author), Liam Dale (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Kings & Queens of Great Britain

Anybody who visits London at the height of the summer will soon realise that the United Kingdom’s capital city attracts sightseers from every far-flung corner of the globe. And what’s on their list of attractions to see? Nine times out of ten it will be Buckingham Palace, often followed by the Tower of London, and since the tragic death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997, her former residence, Kensington Palace. In an age when the monarchy, British or otherwise, is accused of being an outdated institution, the tourists still flock in their millions to follow in the footsteps of Royalty, both ancient and modern, to see for themselves the places where history was made. When it comes to listing the great Kings and Queens of the past, there are undoubtedly some that are better remembered than others. Richard the Lionheart, Henry the Eighth and King George the third are renowned for very different reasons and when it comes to the ladies, Mary the first, both of them, one of England and one of Scotland, Elizabeth the first and Queen Victoria are as fascinating today as when they were alive. But there are many more characters worthy of investigation that are far less well known. So whether you want a basic who’s, who of the British Monarchy to help you in the next pub quiz, or you’d like to find out how we got from feuding tribes of Ancient Britons to the present day, prepare for a right Royal romp through the history books so that you never need to get your Henrys, Georges, Edwards, Richards, Marys and Williams mixed up again!

Liam Dale (Author), Liam Dale (Narrator)

Audiobook

Royal Scandals and Conspiracies

There are some who would argue that in the 21st Century a monarchy, of any description, is an outdated institution, but paradoxically, it only takes the merest hint of a Royal scandal or conspiracy for the world press to be in hot pursuit of the story. What’s more, any newspaper or magazine fortunate enough to get a Royal exclusive, even in our modern age, is guaranteed to increase circulation dramatically, suggesting that there is as much interest in the monarchy as there has ever been. So how did it all begin? Well, for the British, the answer to that question is quite simply when the first Kings and Queens emerged from the warring tribes of ancient times to wear a crown and sit upon a throne. However they had to do a great deal more than that!

Liam Dale (Author), Liam Dale (Narrator)

Audiobook

J.K. Rowling: The True Story of the Life of the Great Author and the Birth of Harry Potter

Once upon a time, as all good stories with happy endings begin, a penniless young mother walked the streets of Edinburgh with her beloved baby daughter, hoping to make her fortune. In truth, “fortune” is probably over-exaggerating; enough money to feed and clothe the two of them and put a decent roof over their heads was all this young mother asked, but it was proving to be incredibly difficult. Yet this is no fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Anderson, it’s the true story of one of the most successful women the world has ever known, who in 1990 came up with the idea for a book about an orphaned boy wizard. The boy’s name was Harry Potter, the young woman, JK Rowling, and the rest is history!

Liam Dale (Author), Liam Dale (Narrator)

Audiobook

Bram Stoker: The True Story of the Life & Time of the Great Author

"A dog began to howl somewhere in a farmhouse far down the road, a long, agonized wailing, as if from fear. The sound was taken up by another dog, and then another and another, till, borne on the wind which now sighed softly through the pass, a wild howling began, which seemed to come from all over the country, as far as the imagination could grasp it through the gloom of the night." With howling dogs, a shimmering moon and a chill wind through a darkened landscape, these words could only come from one novel; the great horror classic, Dracula, penned by the Irish born writer Bram Stoker. The name Dracula strikes fear whenever it is mentioned, such is the power of this novel, about a monstrous vampire that feeds on human blood. The character of Count Dracula himself has become as legendary as the hideous Frankenstein's monster in the history of horror, while the story of Dracula has been used time and again in films, dating back to the early 20th Century and the silent movies, right up to the present day and the post millennium Hollywood blockbuster. But, what of the author of this gruesome novel of blood lust? Who created this tale of the living dead sucking every last drop of blood from their unsuspecting victims? In precisely the same way that Mary Shelley is little recognized for Frankenstein, the novel she created when she was a mere 18-years old, the author of Dracula, Bram Stoker is a similarly overlooked figure in the world of literature.

Liam Dale (Author), Liam Dale (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Brothers Grimm: The True Story of the Life & Time of the Great Authors

There is no one, the whole world over, who doesn't enjoy a good story, and many of our best-loved traditional tales have been passed down through countless generations to the present day. This is especially true of the Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm, including such classics as "The Elves and the Shoemaker", "Cinderella", "Hansel and Gretel" and "Snow White". But who were these famous brothers, and how did two studious young men who were destined to be Lawyers become perhaps the Greatest Storytellers the world has ever known? All these questions and many more will be answered in this fascinating journal, looking at the lives and works of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, and the magical quality of their unique literary talent.

Liam Dale (Author), Liam Dale (Narrator)

Audiobook

Charles Dickens: The True Story of the Life & Time of the Great Author

"It is a far, far better thing that I do now, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known." Dicken's ending to "A Tale of Two Cities" resonates for all listeners of this master author and in this journal, you can follow in the footsteps of his life and works. Visit the locations that inspired his great classics and appreciate the contribution that Dickens not only made to literary history, but social matter as well.

Liam Dale (Author), Liam Dale (Narrator)

Audiobook

Edgar A Poe: The True Story of the Life & Time of the Great Author

"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. "'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door - Only this, and nothing more." Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow; vainly I had tried to borrow From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore - For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore, Nameless here for evermore." These are the first two verses of 'The Raven', a poem full of dark and disturbing images, rife with tension, fear, paranoia, terror and a yearning for a lost love that has returned to this earth as a ghost. As a poem 'The Raven' is without doubt more famous and widely known than the troubled author who penned it. His name was Edgar Allan Poe, and his work was directly responsible for shaping the modern horror industry as we know it. He was the Godfather of Gore, the Father of Fear, the Master of the Macabre, and the Guardian of the Gruesome. Poe was also one of the best mystery writers of all time, however the most fascinating puzzle he left us was that of his own life, and in this journal, we will follow in the great man's footsteps to turn detective. Edgar Allan Poe was born early in the 19th Century, yet still his legacy lives on. Throughout this celebration of his life and work, you'll also get the opportunity to read extracts from his poetry and prose, some of which will be very familiar but just as terrifying all the same!

Liam Dale (Author), Liam Dale (Narrator)

Audiobook

Dwight D. Eisenhower: The True Story of his Life & Time during World War II

Ask a random sample of people to name the History Makers of World War II and you can pretty much predict their answers. First on the list will be Adolf Hitler, who made history for all the wrong reasons, then next it could well be Sir Winston Churchill with his characteristic V for victory sign and large cigar. Such luminaries as Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, fondly known to his men as "Monty", General de Gaulle and President Franklin D Roosevelt are all likely to be in the top ten, along with Hitler's henchmen Herman Goering and the Desert Fox, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, as well as Italy's fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. Whether fighting for good or evil, each of these men had a larger-than-life persona, and although Hitler's ruthlessness as a dictator kept the Nazis in line, the Allies needed to work together by more democratic means. The task of diplomatically leading these undoubtedly great but not always easy characters when it mattered most, fell to affable American, Dwight D Eisenhower, who certainly deserves to be called a History Maker of World War II.

Liam Dale (Author), Liam Dale (Narrator)

Audiobook

JK Rowling: The True Story of the Life of the Great Author & the Birth of Harry Potter

Once upon a time, as all good stories with happy endings begin, a penniless young mother walked the streets of Edinburgh with her beloved baby daughter, hoping to make her fortune. In truth, "fortune" is probably over-exaggerating; enough money to feed and clothe the two of them and put a decent roof over their heads was all this young mother asked, but it was proving to be incredibly difficult. Yet this is no fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Anderson, it's the true story of one of the most successful women the world has ever known, who in 1990 came up with the idea for a book about an orphaned boy wizard. The boy's name was Harry Potter, the young woman, JK Rowling, and the rest is history!

Liam Dale (Author), Liam Dale (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Liam Dale