Audiobooks narrated by Various

Why Did We Do That?: A BBC Radio History Series

Journalist Chris Bowlby presents a series of programmes exploring the roots of controversial blunders in 20th-century British history Described by 'The Times' as a series that 'ought to be compulsory listening for politicians, scientists, doctors and sundry other professionals who think they know best', Why Did We Do That? uses a distinctive mix of archive and new interviews to uncover the roots of present day problems. All is driven by a narrative which takes unexpected turns, and revels in the black humour with which our greatest blunders are laced.

Chris Bowlby (Author), Chris Bowlby, Various (Narrator)

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Just a Classic Minute: A Heritage Collection

24 archive editions of the much-loved BBC Radio 4 panel game chaired by Nicholas Parsons Like a treasured piece of furniture, Just a Minute has graced the living rooms and kitchens of radio listeners for more than 50 years. Comfortable, relaxing and easy to sink into, it has long been the seat of sparkling comedy, infectious laughter and intelligent humour. We invite you once again to enjoy the fine patina of another top-drawer collection of classic episodes. ©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

TBD (Author), Derek Nimmo, Kenneth Williams, Nicholas Parsons, Paul Merton, Peter Jones, TBD, Various (Narrator)

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One Person Found This Helpful: Series 2 plus a Christmas Special: A BBC Radio 4 Comedy Panel Game

A second series of the celebrity panel show that delves into the bizarre world of online shopping, hosted by Frank Skinner Everyone has an online life, and when the great British public put pen to keyboard to leave a review, they almost always write something hilarious. One Person Found This Helpful is the panel game that invites an all-star line-up to celebrate the good, the bad and the baffling. Over the course of six episodes and one special with a festive twist, the celebrity guests are presented with a selection of hilarious reviews and tasked with working out what exactly is being described. Maybe they'll even have a go at writing their own reviews along the way... So if you’re the person who went on Trip Advisor to review Ben Nevis as ‘Very steep and too high’, this show salutes you! A Pozzitive production for BBC Radio 4 (C)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

David Tyler, Jason Hazeley, Simon Evans (Author), Frank Skinner, Various (Narrator)

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The Constitution of the United States of America - With Ocean Sounds

Imagine immersing yourself in the wisdom of one of the most significant documents in history while experiencing the serene sound of ocean waves in the background. Introducing 'The Constitution of the United States of America With Ocean Sounds' – a unique auditory experience that brings together the foundational principles of American democracy and the tranquil ambiance of the sea. Here's why you'll love it: Educational Enrichment: Gain a deeper understanding of the Constitution's timeless values in a calming and engaging way. Stress Relief: Let the soothing ocean sounds wash away your stress as you listen to the profound words of the Constitution. Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether you're studying, relaxing, or falling asleep, this audio version offers the perfect blend of information and relaxation. Great Gift Idea: Share the gift of knowledge and tranquility with friends and family who appreciate history and relaxation.

Various (Author), Various (Narrator)

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The Constitution of the United States of America - with Thunderstorms

Immerse yourself in the profound words that shaped a nation, now accompanied by the powerful and soothing sounds of nature. 'The Constitution of the United States of America - with Thunderstorms' is a unique digital audio version of the Constitution of the United States of America, set against the backdrop of a thunderstorm. This fusion of history and nature will evoke a sense of awe and reflection as you listen. Key Features: Captivating Experience: The deep rumble of thunder and the gentle patter of rain provide an atmospheric and emotional setting for the reading of the Constitution. Authentic Narration: Delivered with clarity and authority, the narration captures the significance and timelessness of the Constitution. Convenient Access: Available for download on major digital platforms, making it easy to listen at home, during your commute, or while relaxing in nature.

Various (Author), Various (Narrator)

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Just a Minute 2024: The Complete Series 92 & 93 Plus Edinburgh Specials: The BBC Radio 4 Comedy Pane

A complete collection of episodes of the iconic comedy panel show from 2024. Radio 4's longest-running panel show, in which contestants are challenged to speak on a on a given topic for 60 seconds without hesitation, deviation or repetition, returns with Sue Perkins at the helm for this complete collection of episodes from 2024. Featuring quickfire improvisation, inspired ad-libbing and spontaneous hilarity - as well as a live studio audience - join Sue Perkins and her guests as they battle for points, glory and the perfect, uninterrupted minute.

Just A Minute (Author), Sue Perkins, Various (Narrator)

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The News Quiz 2024: The Complete Series 113, 114 and 115: The Topical BBC Radio 4 Panel Show

A complete collection of every 2024 series of the topical BBC panel show The News Quiz. With its brilliant blend of the silly, the serious and the satirical, The News Quiz has been a must-listen for comedy fans since it started 46 years ago. Recorded in front of an audience, these three series see Andy Zaltzman presiding over a motley crew of comedians and journalists as they trawl through the biggest (and smallest) news stories of 2024 to provide comedy, commentary, irony and irreverence.

The News Quiz (Author), Andy Zaltzman, Various (Narrator)

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Sounds Natural: A BBC Radio 4 nature series

Derek Jones meets celebrities with a love of wildlife in these 38 episodes from the classic nature-themed interview show Between 1970 and 1980, broadcaster Derek Jones invited a host of famous names to chat about their enthusiasm for nature and their encounters with animals. Delving into the BBC Sound Archive to select some of their favourite natural history recordings, they reveal their hitherto unknown passions – from birds and butterflies to the countryside and conservation. In these specially selected shows, Brian Blessed talks about his fascination with dinosaurs, keeping big cats and overcoming his fear of mountaineering, Bing Crosby tells us about wildfowling, ‘Mister Meadowlark’, naming racehorses and landing salmon; distinguished actress Dame Flora Robson speaks of her years in Hollywood, and her worries that the Los Angeles smog is killing the local flora and fauna; and Goon Show stars Harry Secombe and Spike Milligan let us in on their love for travel and wildlife photography (Harry) and ridiculous animal noises and names (Spike). Many of Jones’ guests share an interest in twitching, including Eric Morecambe, who relates how his curiosity about birds began when he went fishing with his father in Morecambe Bay, and Bobby Charlton, who developed his bird-spotting hobby while becoming a Manchester United legend. Humphrey Lyteltton reminisces about observing birds on holidays in North Wales, on tour with the band and in his back garden, and Peter Cushing recalls rescuing red shanks and watching oystercatchers and whimbrels on the Kent estuary with his late wife Helen. And, thirty years before Springwatch was a twinkle in Auntie’s eye, Bill Oddie confesses that when he wasn’t busy being a Goodie, he was busy birdwatching. Whether they’re mad about ornithology or hooked on angling, every one of the celebrities featured has a wealth of compelling personal stories to share, and fascinating insights to impart. Part natural history show, part nostalgic memoir, this wonderfully entertaining series is sure to inspire and delight. Cast and credits Presented by Derek Jones Produced by John Burton and Michael Bowen Guests in episode order: Robert Dougall, Cyril Fletcher, Nigel Stock, Kenneth Allsop, Humphrey Lyttelton, Percy Edwards, Peter Cushing, Barbara Mullen, Virginia McKenna & Bill Travers, Spike Milligan, Bernard Cribbins, Marghanita Laski, Adam Faith, Roger Whittaker, Flora Robson, Derek Nimmo, James Robertson Justice, Bobby Charlton, Bill Oddie, Susan Hampshire, Brian Blessed, Derek Waring, Sir Martin Furnival-Jones, Eddie Braben, Eric Morecambe, Henry Longhurst, Harry Secombe, Lord Home of The Hirsel, Bing Crosby, Eva Rueber-Staier, Esmond Knight, Andrew Sachs, Frank Thornton, Dulcie Gray, Norman Thelwell, HRH Prince Bernhard of The Netherlands, The Marquess of Bath, Windsor Davies First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from 3 May 1971 to 10 December 1980. © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Derek Jones (Author), Andrew Sachs, Bill Oddie, Bing Crosby, Bobby Charlton, Brian Blessed, Derek Jones, Spike Milligan, Various (Narrator)

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Charles Dickens

G.K. Chesterton (Author), Various (Narrator)

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The Million Pound Radio Show: The Complete Series 1-5: A BBC Radio 4 Sketch Comedy

Vintage sharp-edged comedy from Andy Hamilton and Nick Revell – including the famous pirate sketch Expensive, expansive, fun-filled and frantic, cult classic The Million Pound Radio Show ran for 11 years between 1985 and 1992, and won the 1991 British Comedy Award for Best Radio Comedy. Included here are all five series and six Specials, featuring a feast of quick-fire gags, stinging satire, comic chat and snappy sketches. Get ready to chuckle as Captain Blackskull faces up to his mutinous crew; Snow White runs into a few problems with the Seven Dwarves; 007 makes a few lifestyle changes and a chatty stegosaurus wonders where all the other dinosaurs have disappeared off to. Plus, a determined GP attempts to break the world speed record for examining patients, a mafia Don tries to teach his son-in-law about family business, and a double agent gets confused about whose side he’s really on. You’ll hear the hilarious history of Ancient Rome, science and the animal kingdom; find out how to become a successful politician and discover some diabolical ways to make money – as well as taking a twisted look at Gardeners’ Question Time, Desert Island Discs and Doctor Who… And there’s much more than just sketches to enjoy – Nick and Andy also poke fun at a host of well-known ‘80s and ‘90s personalities, conduct a host of side-splitting spoof interviews and bowl us over with their lively banter. Written by and starring Nick Revell and Andy Hamilton, with co-stars including Harry Enfield, Felicity Montagu and Morwenna Banks, this sparkling comedy show won’t make you a millionaire – but it will make you laugh out loud. NB: Some of the language and humour on this recording reflects the era in which it was first broadcast. Cast and credits Written by and starring Andy Hamilton and Nick Revell With Amanda Swift, Jasper Jacob, Penelope Nice, Felicity Montagu, Harry Enfield, Morwenna Banks, Lesley Sharp and Nigel Pegram Produced by Paul Mayhew-Archer First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 20 July-17 August 1985 (Series 1), 29 August-11 October 1986 (Series 2), 3 October-7 November 1987 (Series 3), 18 March-22 April 1989 (Series 4), 28 December 1989 (Christmas Special), 23 June 1990 (World Cup Special), 27 July-31 August 1991 (Series 5), 9 April 1992 (Election Special), 13 October 1992 (Columbus Special), 1 January 1994 (State of the Nation Special), 11 April 1996 (Millennium Special) © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. ? 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Andy Hamilton, Nick Revell (Author), Andy Hamilton, Felicity Montagu, Harry Enfield, Jasper Jacob, Lesley Sharp, Morwenna Banks, Nick Revell, Penelope Nice, Various (Narrator)

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Writing the Universe: A BBC Radio 4 Science Series

Robin Ince explores how authors, artists and astronomers have told the story of the cosmos From Shakespeare and Milton to Alan Moore and Douglas Adams, writers have striven to convey the enormity and wonder of our universe. In this enlightening three-part series, Robin Ince, aided by special guests including his fellow Infinite Monkey Cage presenter Brian Cox, appraises the great communicators past and present, who have captured our imagination and advanced our knowledge. Beginning with the birth of the universe, he reveals that Fred Hoyle’s famous phrase ‘the big bang’ was actually a derogatory expression, coined to satirise a theory he didn’t believe in. Now, it is part of our everyday language – but how helpful is it in explaining how the cosmos came about? Physicist Carlo Rovelli uses metaphor to clarify this mind-bending concept, while for cosmologist Carlos Frenk, the time before time existed is best illustrated by Dalí’s melting clocks. Investigating the mysteries of black holes, Robin looks at how they have inspired science fiction authors and filmmakers. First conceived of by Einstein in 1915, these vast tears in the fabric of spacetime exist at the centre of every galaxy: and thanks to Nobel Prize-winning author Kip Thorne (who consulted on the movie Interstellar), we have an idea of what they might actually look like. But what of the ultimate destiny of the universe? Will it end in a ‘big crunch’, a ‘big rip’, heat death or vacuum decay? And as they speculate around the fate of the cosmos, how careful do scientists and writers have to be to avoid arousing anxiety and bringing on ‘cosmological vertigo’? Contemplating the final chapter of the universe’s story, Robin wonders whether their predictions will be accurate – or whether there will be a twist in the tale... Production credits Presented by Robin Ince Produced by Marijke Peters and Adrian Washbourne Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem Soundscape Designer: Jane Watkins With contributions from: Brian Cox, Sean Carroll, Katie Mack, Carlos Frenk, Carlo Rovelli, Janna Levin, Paul Murdin, Kip Thorne, Paul Franklyn, Fay Dowker, Paul Sutter, Louisa Buck, John Lloyd, Adam Riess and Mike Turner First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 10-24 June 2024 © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Robin Ince (Author), Brian Cox, Robin Ince, Various (Narrator)

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Life of Charlotte Bronte - Part 2

GASKELL, ELIZABETH CLEGHORN (1810–1865), novelist, born in Lindsey Row, now part of Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, 29 Sept. 1810, was the daughter, by his first marriage, of William Stevenson [q. v.] He was a native of Berwick-on-Tweed, who, after quitting the unitarian ministry, had taken to agricultural pursuits, had written upon commerce, and finally settled as keeper of the records to the treasury in London, where he continued to write. The death of his brother Joseph, a lieutenant in the royal navy, in a French prison must have suggested an incident in ‘Cousin Phillis.’ A strong love of the sea ran in the family. Mrs. Gaskell's mother was a daughter of Mr. Holland of Sandle Bridge in Cheshire (the ‘Heathbridge’ of ‘Cousin Phillis’), a descendant of an ancient Lancashire family. Within a month after her birth the child lost her mother, and after being entrusted for a week to the care of a shopkeeper's wife was by a family friend, a Mrs. Whittington, taken down to her own mother's sister, Mrs. Lumb, at Knutsford in Cheshire. This journey is represented by the travels of the ‘babby’ in ‘Mary Barton’ (chap. ix.) Her aunt, but recently married, was obliged, for painful reasons, to live alone with her daughter; and Elizabeth was to be a companion to this child, who had become a cripple. She found a second mother in her aunt, more especially after the death of her cousin. The aunt was poor, and lived in a modest house with an old-fashioned garden on the heath. She had, however, other relatives at Knutsford: her uncle, Peter Holland (the grandfather of the present Lord Knutsford), who resided there, furnished her with a type, the good country doctor, of which she was fond (see Wives and Daughters and Mr. Harrison's Confessions).

Elizabeth Gaskell (Author), Various (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Various