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The Orion Publishing Group is a book publishing company based in London, UK which includes imprints Orion Books, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, Phoenix, Gollancz, Cassell Military, SF Gateway, The Murder Room, and Orion Audio.

OrionBooks


    • Jan 10, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 4m AVG DURATION
    • 526 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Orion Books

    Death of the Author - Clip 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 3:35


    Death of the Author - Clip 3 by OrionBooks

    Death of the Author - Clip 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 4:06


    Death of the Author - Clip 1 by OrionBooks

    Death of the Author - Clip 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 1:35


    Death of the Author - Clip 2 by OrionBooks

    States of Play - Clip 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2024 1:01


    States of Play - Clip 2 by OrionBooks

    States of Play - Clip 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2024 1:51


    States of Play - Clip 1 by OrionBooks

    DAUGHTER OF REDWINTER by Ed McDonald, read by Samara MacLaren

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2022 1:53


    Stay tuned for an exclusive clip from DAUGHTER OF REDWINTER, the new novel from Ed McDonald https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Daughter-of-Redwinter-Audiobook/B09S6VT84C

    DAUGHTER OF REDWINTER by Ed McDonald, read by Samara MacLaren

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2022 1:56


    Stay tuned for an exclusive clip from DAUGHTER OF REDWINTER, the new novel from Ed McDonald www.audible.co.uk/pd/Daughter-of-Redwinter-Audiobook/B09S6VT84C

    DAUGHTER OF REDWINTER by Ed McDonald, read by Samara MacLaren

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2022 7:03


    Stay tuned for an exclusive clip from DAUGHTER OF REDWINTER, the new novel from Ed McDonald https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Daughter-of-Redwinter-Audiobook/B09S6VT84C

    'The Vendue Office...', White Debt by Thomas Harding, read by Ben Onwukwe and Mark Meadows

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2022 4:11


    When Thomas Harding discovered that his mother's family had made money from plantations worked by enslaved people, what began as an interrogation into the choices of his ancestors soon became a quest to learn more about Britain's role in slavery. It was a history that he knew surprisingly little about - the myth that we are often taught in schools is that Britain's role in slavery was as the abolisher, but the reality is much more sinister. In WHITE DEBT, Harding vividly brings to life the story of the uprising by enslaved people that took place in the British colony of Demerara (now Guyana) in the Caribbean in 1823. It started on a small sugar plantation called 'Success' and grew to become a key trigger in the abolition of slavery across the empire. We see the uprising through the eyes of four people: the enslaved man Jack Gladstone, the missionary John Smith, the colonist John Cheveley, and the politician and slaveholder John Gladstone, father of a future prime minister. Charting the lead-up to the uprising right through to the courtroom drama that came about as a consequence, through this one event we see the true impact of years of unimaginable cruelty and incredible courage writ large. Captivating, moving and meditative, WHITE DEBT combines a searing personal quest with a deep investigation of a shared history that is little discussed amongst White people. It offers a powerful rebuttal of the national amnesia that masks the role of the British in this devastating period, and asks vital questions about the legacy we have been left with - cultural, political and moral - and whether future generations of those who benefited from slavery need to acknowledge and take responsibility for the White Debt.

    'In June 2020...', White Debt by Thomas Harding, read by Ben Onwukwe and Mark Meadows

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2022 3:55


    When Thomas Harding discovered that his mother's family had made money from plantations worked by enslaved people, what began as an interrogation into the choices of his ancestors soon became a quest to learn more about Britain's role in slavery. It was a history that he knew surprisingly little about - the myth that we are often taught in schools is that Britain's role in slavery was as the abolisher, but the reality is much more sinister. In WHITE DEBT, Harding vividly brings to life the story of the uprising by enslaved people that took place in the British colony of Demerara (now Guyana) in the Caribbean in 1823. It started on a small sugar plantation called 'Success' and grew to become a key trigger in the abolition of slavery across the empire. We see the uprising through the eyes of four people: the enslaved man Jack Gladstone, the missionary John Smith, the colonist John Cheveley, and the politician and slaveholder John Gladstone, father of a future prime minister. Charting the lead-up to the uprising right through to the courtroom drama that came about as a consequence, through this one event we see the true impact of years of unimaginable cruelty and incredible courage writ large. Captivating, moving and meditative, WHITE DEBT combines a searing personal quest with a deep investigation of a shared history that is little discussed amongst White people. It offers a powerful rebuttal of the national amnesia that masks the role of the British in this devastating period, and asks vital questions about the legacy we have been left with - cultural, political and moral - and whether future generations of those who benefited from slavery need to acknowledge and take responsibility for the White Debt.

    Hell Of A Book by Jason Mott, read by JD Jackson and Ronald Peet

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2021 10:44


    THIS IS A TRUE STORY. An author goes on a book tour for his new bestseller Hell of a Book - which, as people keep telling him, is one hell of a book. THIS IS A COMING-OF-AGE STORY. One morning, he meets The Kid - a young Black boy who looks just like the one on the news who was shot by the police. And The Kid wants him to tell his story. THIS IS A SAD STORY. It's the story of a boy who spent most of his life trying to hide, and to not be seen. And it may not be that different from the story of our author. THIS IS A LOVE STORY. But to find out why, you'll have to read it for yourself. THIS IS A STORY UNLIKE ANYTHING YOU'VE EVER READ. THIS IS A HELL OF A BOOK.

    The 12 Days of Christmas by Poppy Alexander, read by Helen Keeley

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2021 21:31


    For the first time in ten years, Freya is back in the little village of Middlemass for Christmas. The streets might be twinkling with fairy lights, but after the recent loss of her mother, she's never felt less festive. Forced to sleep under the same roof as her handsome neighbour Finn, Freya realises she's going to need a distraction - fast! So she sets herself a challenge: to cook the '12 Days of Christmas'. Her delicious food soon brings the villagers together, and as each day passes, old friendships are renewed, memories stirred and there's even the flickering of romance... She was only meant to stay for the holidays, but could Middlemass - and Finn - steal her heart forever?

    Ask A Historian written and read by Greg Jenner

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2021 6:53


    Why is Italy called Italy? How old is curry? Which people from history would best pull off a casino heist? Who was the richest person of all time? When was the first Monday? What were history's weirdest medical procedures that actually worked? How much horse manure was splattered on the streets of Tudor London? How fast was the medieval Chinese postal system? What did the Flintstones get right about the Stone Age? Who gets to name historical eras, and what will ours be called in 100 years' time? How do we know how people sounded in the past? How old is sign language? In Ask a Historian the author, BBC podcaster, and public historian Greg Jenner provides answers to things you always wondered about, but didn't know who to ask. Responding to 50 genuine questions from the public, Greg whisks you off on an entertaining tour through the ages, revealing the best and most surprising stories, facts, and historical characters from the past. Bouncing through a wide range of subjects - from ancient jokebooks, African empires, and bizarre tales of medicinal cannibalism, to the invention of meringues, mirrors, and menstrual pads - Ask A Historian spans the Stone Age to the Swinging Sixties, and offers up a deliciously amusing and informative smorgasbord of historical curiosities, devoured one morsel at a time.

    The Hand Of The Sun King by J.T. Greathouse, read by Jeremy Ang Jones

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2021 7:07


    All my life, I have been torn between two legacies: that of my father, whose roots trace back to the right hand of the Emperor. That of my mother's family, who reject the oppressive Empire and embrace the resistance. I can choose between them - between protecting my family, or protecting my people - or I can search out a better path . . . a magical path, filled with secrets, unbound by empire or resistance, which could shake my world to its very foundation. But my search for freedom will entangle me in a war between the gods themselves . . . The first book in the Pact and Pattern series. Fans of Robin Hobb, Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn and R.F. Kuang's The Poppy War will love the magic running through every page.

    Let's Do It: The Authorised Biography of Victoria Wood by Jasper Rees

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2021 3:03


    Trapeze audiobooks presents an extraordinary multi-voice tribute to one of Britain's most talented and most loved entertainers: Victoria Wood. This audiobook features narration from some of the extraordinary voices who worked with Victoria over her career: Susie Blake Richenda Carey Celia Imrie Duncan Preston Anne Reid Daniel Rigby Kate Robbins David Threlfall Julie Walters Jane Wymark With an introduction read by Jasper Rees and two recordings of Victoria Wood's classic Ballad of Barry and Freda. 'I was born with a warped sense of humour and when I was carried home from being born it was Coronation Day and so I was called Victoria but you are not supposed to know who wrote this anyway it is about time I unleashed my pent-up emotions in a bitter comment on the state of our society but it's not quite me so I think I shall write a heart-warming story with laughter behind the tears and tears behind the laughter which means hysterics to you Philistines...' From 'Pardon?' by Vicky Wood, Aged 14. Bury Grammar School (Girls) Magazine, 1967 In her passport Victoria Wood listed her occupation as 'entertainer' - and in stand-up and sketches, songs and sitcom, musicals and dramas, she became the greatest entertainer of the age. Those things that might have held her back - her lonely childhood, her crippling shyness and above all the disadvantage of being a woman in a male-run industry - she turned to her advantage to make extraordinary comedy about ordinary people living ordinary lives in ordinary bodies. She wasn't fond of the term, but Victoria Wood truly was a national treasure - and her loss is still keenly felt. Victoria had plenty of stories still to tell when she died in 2016, and one of those was her own autobiography. 'I will do it one day,' she told the author and journalist Jasper Rees. 'It would be about my childhood, about my first few years in showbusiness, which were really interesting and would make a really nice story.' That sadly never came to pass, so Victoria's estate has asked Jasper Rees, who interviewed her more than anyone else, to tell her extraordinary story in full. He has been granted complete and exclusive access to Victoria's rich archive of personal and professional material, and has conducted over 200 interviews with her family, friends and colleagues - among them Victoria's children, her sisters, her ex-husband Geoffrey Durham, Julie Walters, Celia Imrie, Dawn French, Anne Reid, Imelda Staunton and many more. What emerges is a portrait of a true pioneer who spoke to her audience like no one before or since.

    Everyone Is Still Alive by Cathy Rentzenbrink, read by Lydia Wilson

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2021 2:43


    It is summer on Magnolia Road when Juliet moves into her late mother's house with her husband Liam and their young son, Charlie. Preoccupied by guilt, grief and the juggle of working motherhood, she can't imagine finding time to get to know the neighbouring families, let alone fitting in with them. But for Liam, a writer, the morning coffees and after-school gatherings soon reveal the secret struggles, fears and rivalries playing out behind closed doors - all of which are going straight into his new novel . . . Juliet tries to bury her unease and leave Liam to forge these new friendships. But when the rupture of a marriage sends ripples through the group, painful home truths are brought to light. And then, one sun-drenched afternoon at a party, a single moment changes everything. The fiction debut from Sunday Times bestselling author Cathy Rentzenbrink, Everyone Is Still Alive is funny and moving, intimate and wise; a novel that explores the deeper realities of marriage and parenthood and the way life thwarts our expectations at every turn.

    Fault Line by Emily Itami, read by Lydia Wilson

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2021 1:46


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/3a79C6Z Mizuki is a Japanese housewife. She has a hardworking husband, two adorable children and a beautiful Tokyo apartment. It's everything a woman could want, yet sometimes she wonders whether it would be more fun to throw herself off the high-rise balcony than spend another evening not talking to her husband or hanging up laundry. Then, one rainy night, she meets Kiyoshi, a successful restaurateur. In him, she rediscovers freedom, friendship, a voice, and the neon, electric pulse of the city she has always loved. But the further she falls into their relationship, the clearer it becomes that she is living two lives - and in the end, we can choose only one. Alluring, compelling, startlingly honest and darkly funny, Fault Lines is a bittersweet love story and a daring exploration of modern relationships from a writer to watch.

    Mixed/ Other written and read by Natalie Morris

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2021 1:54


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/3fvCBVo How does it feel when your heritage isn't listed as an option on an identification form? What is it like to grow up as the only person in your family who looks like you? Where do you belong if you are simultaneously seen as being 'too much' of one race and 'not enough' of another to fit neatly into society's expectations? The mixed population is the fastest-growing group in the U.K. today, but the mainstream conversation around mixedness is stilted, repetitive and often problematic. At a time when ethnically ambiguous models fill our Instagram feeds and our high street shop windows, and when children of interracial relationships are lauded as heralding in the dawn of a post-racial utopia, journalist Natalie Morris takes a deep dive into what it really means to be mixed in Britain today. From blackfishing to the fetishisation of mixed babies; from the complexities of passing and code-switching to navigating the world of work and dating, Natalie explores the ways in which all of these issues uniquely impact those of mixed heritage. Drawing from a wealth of research, interviews and her own personal experiences, in Mixed/Other, Natalie's aims to dismantle the stereotypes that have plagued mixed people for generations and to amplify the voices of mixed Britons today, shining a light on the struggles and the joys that come with being mixed.

    1939: The Last Season by Anne de Courcy, read by Maggie Ollerenshaw

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2021 1:27


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/3828gJK A wonderful portrait of British upper-class life in the Season of 1939 - the last before the Second World War. The Season of 1939 brought all those 'in Society' to London. The young debutante daughters of the upper classes were presented to the King and Queen to mark their acceptance into the new adult world of their parents. They sparkled their way through a succession of balls and parties and sporting events. The Season brought together influential people not only from Society but also from Government at the various events of the social calendar. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain chaperoned his debutante niece to weekend house parties; Lord Halifax, the Foreign Secretary, lunched with the Headmaster of Eton; Cabinet Ministers encountered foreign Ambassadors at balls in the houses of the great hostesses. As the hot summer drew on, the newspapers filled with ever more ominous reports of the relentless progress towards war. There was nothing to do but wait - and dance. The last season of peace was nearly over.

    The Citadel of Autarch by Gene Wolfe, read by James Lailey

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2021 2:33


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/303aQuq Severian the Torturer continues his epic journey across the lands of Urth, carrying with him the Claw of the Conciliator and the great sword, Terminus Est. All his travels are leading towards a destiny that he dare not refuse . . . Winner of the John W. Campbell Award for best novel, 1984

    A Year at the Chateau, written and read by Dick and Angel Strawbridge

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2021 1:38


    Click here to buy: adbl.co/3stU8AH THE ENTERTAINING AND HEARTWARMING SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER. Like many couples, Dick and Angel had long dreamed of living in France, but where others might settle for a modest bolthole in the French countryside, the Strawbridges fell in love with a 19th-century fairytale chĂ¢teau, complete with 45 rooms, seven outbuildings, 12 acres of land and its own moat. Throwing caution to the wind, Dick and Angel swapped their two-bedroom flat in East London for an abandoned and derelict castle in the heart of the Loire valley and embarked on the adventure of a lifetime with their two young children Arthur and Dorothy. Sharing their full journey for the first time, A Year at the ChĂ¢teau follows Dick and Angel from when they first moved to France in the depths of winter and found bedrooms infested with flies, turrets inhabited by bats, the wind rattling through cracked windows, and just one working toilet, which flushed into the moat, through to the monumental efforts that went into readying the chĂ¢teau for their unforgettable wedding and their incredibly special first Christmas. Along the way we'll read glorious descriptions of rural life in France, with charming characters, delicious food and wonderful seasonal produce, together with the extraordinary list of renovations and restorations Dick and Angel completed, many of which were never shown on TV. As warm and entertaining as their much-loved show, A Year at the ChĂ¢teau is a truly irresistible story of adventure and heart, epic ambitions and a huge amount of hard graft.

    A Year at the Chateau, written and read by Dick and Angel Strawbridge

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2021 2:15


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/3stU8AH THE ENTERTAINING AND HEARTWARMING SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER. Like many couples, Dick and Angel had long dreamed of living in France, but where others might settle for a modest bolthole in the French countryside, the Strawbridges fell in love with a 19th-century fairytale chĂ¢teau, complete with 45 rooms, seven outbuildings, 12 acres of land and its own moat. Throwing caution to the wind, Dick and Angel swapped their two-bedroom flat in East London for an abandoned and derelict castle in the heart of the Loire valley and embarked on the adventure of a lifetime with their two young children Arthur and Dorothy. Sharing their full journey for the first time, A Year at the ChĂ¢teau follows Dick and Angel from when they first moved to France in the depths of winter and found bedrooms infested with flies, turrets inhabited by bats, the wind rattling through cracked windows, and just one working toilet, which flushed into the moat, through to the monumental efforts that went into readying the chĂ¢teau for their unforgettable wedding and their incredibly special first Christmas. Along the way we'll read glorious descriptions of rural life in France, with charming characters, delicious food and wonderful seasonal produce, together with the extraordinary list of renovations and restorations Dick and Angel completed, many of which were never shown on TV. As warm and entertaining as their much-loved show, A Year at the ChĂ¢teau is a truly irresistible story of adventure and heart, epic ambitions and a huge amount of hard graft.

    Who's Loving You by Sareeta Domingo, read by Various Artists

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2021 2:09


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/3dQAVF8 'A beautiful collection that I both lost and found myself in. Unbelievably exciting stories from some show-stoppingly talented writers.' Candice Carty-Williams, author of Queenie. Lost love. Forbidden Love. Unrequited love. Tenderness. Desire. Romance. Passion. Who's Loving You? is a celebration of love in all its guises written by women of colour, with ten original short stories from bold new voices, literary prize-winners and national treasures. Two souls come together and are torn apart, lifetime after lifetime. A seed of hope begins to grow out of the ashes of grief, heartbreak and loss. Romance sparks in the most unexpected of places. And an unbreakable bond is formed that transcends countries, continents and even the boundaries of time... In this extraordinary collection, ten writers explore the full spectrum of love in all its messy, joyful, agonising and exhilarating forms. Celebrating and centring the romance, passion and desire of women of colour, these stories burn with an intensity and longing that lingers long after the final page. WHO'S LOVING US? LET US SHOW YOU... * Rowan Hisayo Buchanan * Sara Collins * Danielle DASH * Sareeta Domingo * Sara Jafari * Dorothy Koomson * KUCHENGA * Kelechi Okafor * Amna Saleem * Varaidzo * Read by Sareeta Domingo, Kelechi Okafor, Varaidzo, Elliot Barnes-Worrell, Maria Gbeleyi, Jennifer Saayeng, Hiftu Quasem, Sara Jafari, Rowan Hisayo Buchanan and Danielle DASH

    Those Who Are Saved By Alexis Landau, Read by Helen Keeley

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2021 5:00


    Click here to buy: http://adbl.co/3p4MGtF 'Such subtle and skilful writing, so evocative of the Second World War ...Absolutely haunting' Frances Liardet, New York Times bestselling author of We Must Be Brave On the cusp of World War II, a young mother is faced with an impossible choice. Vera is a Russian Jewish émigré to France, newly wed - but her marriage cannot protect her or her four-year-old-daughter, Lucie, once the Nazis occupy the country. After receiving notice that all foreigners must report to an internment camp, Vera must decide: does she subject Lucie to the horrid conditions of the camp, or put Lucie into hiding with her beloved and trusted governess, safe until Vera can retrieve her? Surely the war will end soon... And so begins a heartbreaking journey and separation . . . and an unpredictable fate for a mother and her daughter. A sweeping, heart-rending story about a mother's love for her child that will take you through a world war and across a continent. ---------------------- Praise for Those Who Are Saved: 'A profound and engaging story... I loved it' Paulette Jiles, author of National Book Award finalist News of the World 'With poetic, mesmerizing prose, Alexis Landau creates a heartrending story of the unbreakable bond of maternal love...This gripping and compassionate novel continues to haunt me' Lauren Belfer, New York Times bestselling author of And After the Fire, recipient of the National Jewish Book Award 'Those Who Are Saved is an achingly beautiful epic about love's endurance... Alexis Landau is an amazing storyteller and her novel will whisper to you long after you finish' Devin Murphy, author of The Boat Runner 'Those Who Are Saved is a gorgeously written, emotional novel about the unshakable bonds of mothers and daughters, even in the darkest times... An unforgettable story of heartbreak, but ultimately of hope, resilience, and love - I could not put this book down!' Jillian Cantor, USA Today bestselling author of In Another Time and Half Life 'A stunning tale of indestructible love, of sacrifice and faith, and of one woman's fierce determination... this gem of a novel has everything that I love in historical fiction, and it is one of the best I've read this year.' Roxanne Veletzos, bestselling author of The Girl They Left Behind *** Praise for Alexis Landau's first novel, Empire of the Senses: 'A fresh and moving perspective on a piece of history we thought we already knew.' Christina Baker Kline, author of Orphan Train 'Stunning... Elegantly crafted and psychologically astute.' San Francisco Chronicle 'A sweeping family epic. . . Internal dramas mirror the turbulent cultural landscape of 1920s Germany.' Los Angeles Magazine

    Where Hope Comes From, written and read by Nikita Gill

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2021 2:07


    Click here to buy: http://adbl.co/3phE580 Written against the backdrop of global crisis, Nikita Gill's new collection Where Hope Comes From shines a light into the darkness as we begin our journey back to hope. Weaving words that explore our collective trauma, her poetry takes us on a journey through the five stages of grief to the five stages of hope through the life cycle of a star. The collection features her most popular poems to date Love in the Time of Coronavirus and How to be Strong, alongside new material and beautiful watercolour illustrations. If you, or someone you know is mourning the loss of a loved one, or a way of life; let Nikita's words help you through the process to heal.

    How to Heal a Broken Heart, written and read by Rosie Green

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2021 1:28


    Click here to buy: http://adbl.co/3pnFPNa If you've ever had your heart broken (and who hasn't) Rosie Green's How to Heal a Broken Heart is your best friend. Honest, comforting and hopeful.' MARIAN KEYES 'I love Rosie Green's writing.' ELIZABETH DAY 'It wasn't a conscious uncoupling. I had my heart ripped out and stamped on.' When Rosie Green's husband walked out after 26 years together, he declined to leave a forwarding address. Instead, he left a devastated woman who turned into someone she barely recognised: unable to eat or sleep, and so desperate to keep her family together she'd sacrifice her sense of self - and her dignity. She thought she'd never get over it. But she did. And so can you. This is the frank, uplifting and insightful book Rosie wished she could have found when her whole world fell apart. Here's your guide to getting through it - with advice from the experts, with the help of your friends, with a deliciously dark sense of humour and, for Rosie, with some highly inappropriate sex advice from her pre-teen daughter. Let her brilliantly honest handbook show how you can heal faster, understand yourself better and move on. How to Heal a Broken Heart doesn't sugarcoat it - heartbreak brings you to your knees. But, sometimes, it also gives you a necessary shove towards a happier, more fulfilled life than you ever dreamed was possible.

    The Pembrokeshire Murders by Steve Wilkins and Jonathan Hill, read by Peter Kenny

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 5:34


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/2W7PLgs The dramatic and compelling account of how a serial killer was finally unmasked after evading justice for more than twenty years Soon to be a major TV series starring Luke Evans 1980s. In the beautiful, unspoiled landscape of Pembrokeshire, a serial killer is at large: two double murders; an assault; the rape and assault of two teenagers - all potentially the work of one man. This is the fascinating true story of a brutal murderer and the detectives who worked the cold case for six years in order to bring him to justice. Combining cutting edge forensic techniques with old fashioned detective work, a team of detectives worked to build a case against their prime suspect. But it was a race against time: would he strike again? No one could predict that the killer's appearance on a gameshow would provide bizarre but crucial evidence. The operation is now recognised as one of the greatest cold case reviews ever undertaken in the UK. The killer is now serving a "life means life" sentence.

    Just My Type by Simon Garfield, read by Julian Rhind-Tutt

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 6:39


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/343Tb8o A delightfully inquisitive tour that explores the rich history and the subtle powers of fonts. Fonts surround us every day, on street signs and buildings, on movie posters and books, and on just about every product that we buy. But where do fonts come from and why do we need so many? Who is behind the businesslike subtlety of Times New Roman, the cool detachment of Arial, or the maddening lightness of Comic Sans (and the movement to ban it)? Simon Garfield embarks on a mission to answer these questions and more, and reveal what may be the very best and worst fonts in the world. Typefaces are now 560 years old, but we barely knew their names until about twenty years ago, when the pull-down font menus on our first computers made us all the gods of type. Beginning in the early days of Gutenberg and ending with the most adventurous digital fonts, Garfield unravels our age old obsession with the way our words look. Just My Type investigates a range of modern mysteries, including how Helvetica took over the world, what inspires the seemingly ubiquitous use of Trajan on bad movie posters, and what makes a font look presidential, male or female, American, British, German, or Jewish. From the typeface of Beatlemania to the graphic vision of the Obama campaign, fonts can signal a musical revolution or the rise of an American president. This book is a must-read for the design conscious that will forever change the way you look at the printed word.

    Dog's Best Friend by Simon Garfield, read by Julian Rhind-Tutt

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 5:11


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/3qKXZt3 One of the first words we learn. Perhaps the best friend we'll have. An animal so much part of our lives that we speak to it like a child and spend small fortunes on its wellbeing and wardrobe. Dogs and humans: in the last 200 years no inter-species relationship has developed so fast nor come so far. Dogs accompany us in every walk of life, usually three times a day. How and why did this relationship begin? How has it changed over the centuries? And who's getting the upper hand? DOG'S BEST FRIEND investigates this unique bond by revisiting some of the most important milestones in our shared journey. It begins with the earliest visual evidence on ancient rock art, and ends at the laboratory that sequenced the first dog genome. En route we encounter the first Labradoodle in Australia, a misguidedly loyal Akita in Japan, an ill-fated Poodle trainer in the United States, and a hilariously disobedient Romanian rescue dog named Kratu at the Birmingham NEC. We will also meet Corgis and Dorgis at the Palace, the weightless mutniks of the Soviet space programme, a Dalmatian who impersonates Hitler, and an owner who claims his Border Collie can remember the names of more than a thousand soft toys. If you own or once owned a dog, you will know that our relationship can be as rich, complicated and rewarding as the relationship we have with other humans, and the book reflects this diversity with the aid of trainers, breeders and psychologists. Above all, it explores the extraordinary ability of dogs to enhance so many aspects of our lives. DOG'S BEST FRIEND is as entertaining as it is informative, as eccentric as it is erudite, and all told with Simon Garfield's irrepressible gift for witty and insightful storytelling.

    The Silk House by Kayte Nunn, read by Amanda McKay

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 5:39


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/3qO5Eag Utterly spellbinding' Natasha Lester 'An elegantly woven story that both chills and delights' Joanna Nell An enchanting mystery kept hidden for hundreds of years... 1700s Rowan Caswell leaves her village to work at the home of an English silk merchant. Very soon, she finds herself thrust into a dangerous world, where her talent for herbs and healing starts to attract unwanted attention. Mary-Louise Stephenson dreams of becoming a silk designer, a path that has remained largely forbidden to women. A length of fabric she weaves with a pattern of deadly flowers will have shocking consequences for all who dwell at the Silk House. Present Day Thea Rust arrives at an exclusive boarding school in the British countryside to look after the first intake of girls in its history. She is to stay with them in the Silk House, a converted silk factory from the 18th century, where the shadows hide secrets waiting to be discovered...

    Inscape by Louise Carey, read by Helen Keeley

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 3:11


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/3nc4jYj 'Louise Carey's dystopian future is chillingly plausible' Claire North Inscape is the dystopian future we would do best to avoid. Warning: use of this gate will take you outside of the InTech corporate zone. Different community guidelines may apply, and you may be asked to sign a separate end-user license agreement. Do you wish to continue? Tanta has trained all her young life for this. Her very first mission is a code red: to take her team into the unaffiliated zone just outside InTech's borders and retrieve a stolen hard drive. It should have been quick and simple, but a surprise attack kills two of her colleagues and Tanta barely makes it home alive. Determined to prove herself and partnered with a colleague whose past is a mystery even to himself, Tanta's investigation uncovers a sinister conspiracy that makes her question her own loyalties and the motives of everyone she used to trust. 'In Tanta's world, warring corporations battle over the ruins of our civilisation. This is cyberpunk rebooted' Stephen Baxter

    A List Of Animal Rhymes - The Correct Order of Biscuits by Adam Sharp

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 0:41


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/2KkpXve Read by Matthew Spencer 'There is a theory that humans made lists before we invented writing. Adam Sharp's exquisitely arranged, addictively witty book of lists is the reasons why. He is the poet laureate of lists' John Mitchinson, Senior QI Elf 'So much to disagree with in this book. And I mean that as a huge recommendation' Richard Osman 'Very funny and highly addictive. Adam Sharp, you weird genius' Russell Kane A list of ways to start a conversation with a cat in different countries 5. Pss-pss-pss (England) 4. Kac-kac-kac (Lithuania) 3. Pish-pish-pish (Iran) 2. Ming-ming-ming (Philippines) 1. Bellowing "What's new pussycat, whoa, oh whoa" (Wales) Are you feeling down in the dumps? Is the chaotic, disordered nature of modern existence freaking you out? Are you feeling...listless? Then this collection of fascinating, hilarious and brilliantly odd lists is the remedy you need. Packed full of incredible facts, from what people say instead of cheese when they're taking a photo in Bulgaria, to what a platypus is called in Mandarin, everything under the sun is here. In order.

    Drinking Noises - The Correct Order of Biscuits by Adam Sharp

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 0:48


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/2KkpXve Read by Matthew Spencer 'There is a theory that humans made lists before we invented writing. Adam Sharp's exquisitely arranged, addictively witty book of lists is the reasons why. He is the poet laureate of lists' John Mitchinson, Senior QI Elf 'So much to disagree with in this book. And I mean that as a huge recommendation' Richard Osman 'Very funny and highly addictive. Adam Sharp, you weird genius' Russell Kane A list of ways to start a conversation with a cat in different countries 5. Pss-pss-pss (England) 4. Kac-kac-kac (Lithuania) 3. Pish-pish-pish (Iran) 2. Ming-ming-ming (Philippines) 1. Bellowing "What's new pussycat, whoa, oh whoa" (Wales) Are you feeling down in the dumps? Is the chaotic, disordered nature of modern existence freaking you out? Are you feeling...listless? Then this collection of fascinating, hilarious and brilliantly odd lists is the remedy you need. Packed full of incredible facts, from what people say instead of cheese when they're taking a photo in Bulgaria, to what a platypus is called in Mandarin, everything under the sun is here. In order.

    International Idioms - The Correct Order of Biscuits by Adam Sharp

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 0:55


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/2KkpXve Read by Matthew Spencer 'There is a theory that humans made lists before we invented writing. Adam Sharp's exquisitely arranged, addictively witty book of lists is the reasons why. He is the poet laureate of lists' John Mitchinson, Senior QI Elf 'So much to disagree with in this book. And I mean that as a huge recommendation' Richard Osman 'Very funny and highly addictive. Adam Sharp, you weird genius' Russell Kane A list of ways to start a conversation with a cat in different countries 5. Pss-pss-pss (England) 4. Kac-kac-kac (Lithuania) 3. Pish-pish-pish (Iran) 2. Ming-ming-ming (Philippines) 1. Bellowing "What's new pussycat, whoa, oh whoa" (Wales) Are you feeling down in the dumps? Is the chaotic, disordered nature of modern existence freaking you out? Are you feeling...listless? Then this collection of fascinating, hilarious and brilliantly odd lists is the remedy you need. Packed full of incredible facts, from what people say instead of cheese when they're taking a photo in Bulgaria, to what a platypus is called in Mandarin, everything under the sun is here. In order.

    George Bush Quotes - The Correct Order of Biscuits by Adam Sharp

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 0:52


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/2KkpXve Read by Matthew Spencer 'There is a theory that humans made lists before we invented writing. Adam Sharp's exquisitely arranged, addictively witty book of lists is the reasons why. He is the poet laureate of lists' John Mitchinson, Senior QI Elf 'So much to disagree with in this book. And I mean that as a huge recommendation' Richard Osman 'Very funny and highly addictive. Adam Sharp, you weird genius' Russell Kane A list of ways to start a conversation with a cat in different countries 5. Pss-pss-pss (England) 4. Kac-kac-kac (Lithuania) 3. Pish-pish-pish (Iran) 2. Ming-ming-ming (Philippines) 1. Bellowing "What's new pussycat, whoa, oh whoa" (Wales) Are you feeling down in the dumps? Is the chaotic, disordered nature of modern existence freaking you out? Are you feeling...listless? Then this collection of fascinating, hilarious and brilliantly odd lists is the remedy you need. Packed full of incredible facts, from what people say instead of cheese when they're taking a photo in Bulgaria, to what a platypus is called in Mandarin, everything under the sun is here. In order.

    Greedy People - The Correct Order of Biscuits by Adam Sharp

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 1:05


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/2KkpXve Read by Matthew Spencer 'There is a theory that humans made lists before we invented writing. Adam Sharp's exquisitely arranged, addictively witty book of lists is the reasons why. He is the poet laureate of lists' John Mitchinson, Senior QI Elf 'So much to disagree with in this book. And I mean that as a huge recommendation' Richard Osman 'Very funny and highly addictive. Adam Sharp, you weird genius' Russell Kane A list of ways to start a conversation with a cat in different countries 5. Pss-pss-pss (England) 4. Kac-kac-kac (Lithuania) 3. Pish-pish-pish (Iran) 2. Ming-ming-ming (Philippines) 1. Bellowing "What's new pussycat, whoa, oh whoa" (Wales) Are you feeling down in the dumps? Is the chaotic, disordered nature of modern existence freaking you out? Are you feeling...listless? Then this collection of fascinating, hilarious and brilliantly odd lists is the remedy you need. Packed full of incredible facts, from what people say instead of cheese when they're taking a photo in Bulgaria, to what a platypus is called in Mandarin, everything under the sun is here. In order.

    Most Satisfying Words To Say Aloud - The Correct Order of Biscuits by Adam Sharp

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 0:38


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/2KkpXve Read by Matthew Spencer 'There is a theory that humans made lists before we invented writing. Adam Sharp's exquisitely arranged, addictively witty book of lists is the reasons why. He is the poet laureate of lists' John Mitchinson, Senior QI Elf 'So much to disagree with in this book. And I mean that as a huge recommendation' Richard Osman 'Very funny and highly addictive. Adam Sharp, you weird genius' Russell Kane A list of ways to start a conversation with a cat in different countries 5. Pss-pss-pss (England) 4. Kac-kac-kac (Lithuania) 3. Pish-pish-pish (Iran) 2. Ming-ming-ming (Philippines) 1. Bellowing "What's new pussycat, whoa, oh whoa" (Wales) Are you feeling down in the dumps? Is the chaotic, disordered nature of modern existence freaking you out? Are you feeling...listless? Then this collection of fascinating, hilarious and brilliantly odd lists is the remedy you need. Packed full of incredible facts, from what people say instead of cheese when they're taking a photo in Bulgaria, to what a platypus is called in Mandarin, everything under the sun is here. In order.

    Musical Artists And Biscuits - The Correct Order of Biscuits by Adam Sharp

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 1:40


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/2KkpXve Read by Matthew Spencer 'There is a theory that humans made lists before we invented writing. Adam Sharp's exquisitely arranged, addictively witty book of lists is the reasons why. He is the poet laureate of lists' John Mitchinson, Senior QI Elf 'So much to disagree with in this book. And I mean that as a huge recommendation' Richard Osman 'Very funny and highly addictive. Adam Sharp, you weird genius' Russell Kane A list of ways to start a conversation with a cat in different countries 5. Pss-pss-pss (England) 4. Kac-kac-kac (Lithuania) 3. Pish-pish-pish (Iran) 2. Ming-ming-ming (Philippines) 1. Bellowing "What's new pussycat, whoa, oh whoa" (Wales) Are you feeling down in the dumps? Is the chaotic, disordered nature of modern existence freaking you out? Are you feeling...listless? Then this collection of fascinating, hilarious and brilliantly odd lists is the remedy you need. Packed full of incredible facts, from what people say instead of cheese when they're taking a photo in Bulgaria, to what a platypus is called in Mandarin, everything under the sun is here. In order.

    Only Posh People Say - The Correct Order of Biscuits by Adam Sharp

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 0:34


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/2KkpXve Read by Matthew Spencer 'There is a theory that humans made lists before we invented writing. Adam Sharp's exquisitely arranged, addictively witty book of lists is the reasons why. He is the poet laureate of lists' John Mitchinson, Senior QI Elf 'So much to disagree with in this book. And I mean that as a huge recommendation' Richard Osman 'Very funny and highly addictive. Adam Sharp, you weird genius' Russell Kane A list of ways to start a conversation with a cat in different countries 5. Pss-pss-pss (England) 4. Kac-kac-kac (Lithuania) 3. Pish-pish-pish (Iran) 2. Ming-ming-ming (Philippines) 1. Bellowing "What's new pussycat, whoa, oh whoa" (Wales) Are you feeling down in the dumps? Is the chaotic, disordered nature of modern existence freaking you out? Are you feeling...listless? Then this collection of fascinating, hilarious and brilliantly odd lists is the remedy you need. Packed full of incredible facts, from what people say instead of cheese when they're taking a photo in Bulgaria, to what a platypus is called in Mandarin, everything under the sun is here. In order.

    Tautologies - The Correct Order of Biscuits by Adam Sharp

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 0:48


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/2KkpXve Read by Matthew Spencer 'There is a theory that humans made lists before we invented writing. Adam Sharp's exquisitely arranged, addictively witty book of lists is the reasons why. He is the poet laureate of lists' John Mitchinson, Senior QI Elf 'So much to disagree with in this book. And I mean that as a huge recommendation' Richard Osman 'Very funny and highly addictive. Adam Sharp, you weird genius' Russell Kane A list of ways to start a conversation with a cat in different countries 5. Pss-pss-pss (England) 4. Kac-kac-kac (Lithuania) 3. Pish-pish-pish (Iran) 2. Ming-ming-ming (Philippines) 1. Bellowing "What's new pussycat, whoa, oh whoa" (Wales) Are you feeling down in the dumps? Is the chaotic, disordered nature of modern existence freaking you out? Are you feeling...listless? Then this collection of fascinating, hilarious and brilliantly odd lists is the remedy you need. Packed full of incredible facts, from what people say instead of cheese when they're taking a photo in Bulgaria, to what a platypus is called in Mandarin, everything under the sun is here. In order.

    Victorian Slang - The Correct Order of Biscuits by Adam Sharp

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 0:48


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/2KkpXve Read by Matthew Spencer 'There is a theory that humans made lists before we invented writing. Adam Sharp's exquisitely arranged, addictively witty book of lists is the reasons why. He is the poet laureate of lists' John Mitchinson, Senior QI Elf 'So much to disagree with in this book. And I mean that as a huge recommendation' Richard Osman 'Very funny and highly addictive. Adam Sharp, you weird genius' Russell Kane A list of ways to start a conversation with a cat in different countries 5. Pss-pss-pss (England) 4. Kac-kac-kac (Lithuania) 3. Pish-pish-pish (Iran) 2. Ming-ming-ming (Philippines) 1. Bellowing "What's new pussycat, whoa, oh whoa" (Wales) Are you feeling down in the dumps? Is the chaotic, disordered nature of modern existence freaking you out? Are you feeling...listless? Then this collection of fascinating, hilarious and brilliantly odd lists is the remedy you need. Packed full of incredible facts, from what people say instead of cheese when they're taking a photo in Bulgaria, to what a platypus is called in Mandarin, everything under the sun is here. In order.

    Prophecy by Peter James, read by Nathalie Buscombe

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 5:45


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/3n9PRAf A game that turns to a nightmare ... Non Omnis Moriar I shall not altogether die A young boy watches his mother die. A sadistic man dies in agony. Drunk students play with a Ouija board in a damp cellar. Can bricks and mortar retain imprints of the emotions experienced within them? Frannie is delighted when a chance meeting with a handsome man and his son leads to a romance. The fact that the relationship is marred by gruesome tragedies, she dismisses as an unsettling coincidence. But eventually she can no longer ignore the fact that she is the only thing linking these horrible events. Is it a murderous practical joke? Or worse...? 'James just gets better and better' Independent on Sunday 'Britain's answer to Stephen King and Michael Crichton.' Sunday Telegraph Read more from the multi-million copy bestselling author of the Roy Grace novels: Possession Dreamer Sweet Heart Twilight Prophecy Host Alchemist Denial The Truth Faith * Each Peter James novel can be read as a standalone*

    I Give It A Year by Helen Whitaker, read by Helen Keeley

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 5:39


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/3qMWril Her husband's moved out - and her dad's moved in... It's New Year's Eve, and Iris has just found out that her husband, Adam, is cheating on her. Furious, she kicks him out, and enlists her Dad to move in and help with the children whilst she tries to mend her broken heart. But her Dad soon starts to display signs of Alzheimer's, and Iris realises that if she loses her partner, she'll be managing an awful lot on her own. Soon, she realises that Adam wasn't the only one taking their marriage for granted, and for the sake of the children she decides to give him one more chance. But is it braver to stay than to run? And can anyone fall in love with the same person twice? Praise for Helen Whitaker: 'Funny and frank' DAWN O'PORTER 'Hilarious' EMMA GANNON 'Packed with humour' WOMAN AND HOME

    The Six Tales of Christmas by Anne Marie Ryan, read by Karen Cass

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2020 5:05


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/3oedmZd 'Comfort reading of the highest order' The I Newspaper It's almost Christmas and snow is falling in the Cotswolds. Simon and Nora are gearing up for the festive season - but their bookshop is in trouble. Nora is delighted when a customer buys a book that's been on the shelves for years, but that won't be enough to keep the bailiffs away. Fuelled by mulled wine and mince pies, Nora and Simon hatch a plan to rouse community spirit, sending out six books to lonely villagers. The books change the recipients' lives, but is it too late to change the bookshop's fate?

    Castles Made Of Sand by Gwyneth Jones, read by Mel Hudson

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2020 4:59


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/3pZYGhR The BOLD AS LOVE series is a world of daring, dread and enchantment, a world that could almost be ours: a brilliant combination of myth, magic and pop culture. Ax Preston, Sage Pender and Fiorinda, charismatic leaders of the Rock-n-Roll Reich, have beaten the cascade of disasters that followed the collapse of the former United Kingdom. Now they have to find some resolution to the impossible dynamics of their own relationship, while the world keeps falling apart. There are fearsome things going on in England's rural hinterland, and in Continental Europe the green nazis are planning a final solution to desperate environmental damage. But there's nothing the Triumvirate can't handle - until Fiorinda's father, a monster of the kind the world has never before known, reaches out to reclaim his magical child, the flower-bride. And that's when darkness falls over Ax's England . . . Harrowing . . . enchanting - a dark fairy tale with an epic sweep, set in a world very like our own.

    Voices by Ursula Le Guin, read by Aysha Kala

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2020 1:50


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/39eCHOd Memer is a child of rape; when the Alds took the beautiful city of Ansul, they descecrated or destroyed everything of beauty. The Waylord they imprisoned and tortured for years until finally he is freed to return to his home. Though crippled, he is not destroyed. His life still has purpose. Memer is the daughter of his House, the daughter of his heart. The Alds, a people who love war, cannot and will not read: they believe that in words lie demons that will destroy the world. All the city's libraries, the great treasure trove of knowledge of ages past, are burned, except for those few volumes secreted inthe Waylord's hidden room. But times are changing. Gry Barre of Roddmant and Orrec Caspro of Caspromant have arrived in the city. Orrec is a story-teller, the most famous of all: he has the gift of making. His wife Gry's gift is that of calling; she walks with a halflion who both frightens and fascinates the Alds. This is Memer's story, and Gry's and Orrec's, and it is the story of a conquered people craving freedom.

    Toksvig's Almanac 2021: An Eclectic Meander Through the Historical Year by Sandi Toksvig

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2020 4:57


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/3pYtZJS 'Fierce, funny and long overdue - I read this book out loud to anyone who'd listen.' Adam Kay 'Toksvig's Almanac is intended merely as a starting point for your own discoveries. Find a fabulous (or infamous) woman mentioned and, please, go looking for more of her story. The names mentioned are merely temptations. Amuse-bouches for the mind, if you like. How I would have loved to have written out in detail each tale there is to be told, but then this book would have been too heavy to lift.' Let Sandi Toksvig guide you on an eclectic meander through the calendar, illuminating neglected corners of history to tell tales of the fascinating figures you didn't learn about at school. From revolutionary women to serial killers, pirate nuns to pioneering civil rights activists, doctors to dancing girls, artists to astronauts, these pages commemorate women from all around the world who were pushed to the margins of historical record. Amuse your bouche with: Belle Star, American Bandit Queen Lady Murasaki, author of the world's first novel Madame Ching, the most successful pirate of all time Maud Wagner, the first female tattoo artist Begum Samru, Indian dancer and ruler who led an army of mercenaries InĂªs de Castro, crowned Queen Consort of Portugal six years after her death Ida B. Wells, activist, suffragist, journalist and co-founder of the NAACP Eleanor G. Holm, disqualified from the 1936 Berlin Olympics for drinking too much champagne These stories are interspersed with helpful tips for the year, such as the month in which one is most likely to be eaten by a wolf, and the best time to sharpen your sickle. Explore a host of annual events worth travelling for, from the Olney Pancake Race in Wiltshire to the Danish Herring Festival, or who would want to miss Serbia's World Testicle Cooking Championship? As witty and entertaining as it is instructive, Toksvig's Almanac is an essential companion to each day of the year.

    The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again by M. John Harrison, read by Max Dowler

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2020 6:02


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/38TN4XH Winner of the Goldsmiths Prize 2020, this is fiction that pushes the boundaries of the novel form. Shaw had a breakdown, but he's getting himself back together. He has a single room, a job on a decaying London barge, and an on-off affair with a doctor's daughter called Victoria, who claims to have seen her first corpse at age fourteen. It's not ideal, but it's a life. Or it would be if Shaw hadn't got himself involved in a conspiracy theory that, on dark nights by the river, seems less and less theoretical . . . Meanwhile, Victoria is up in the Midlands, renovating her dead mother's house, trying to make new friends. But what, exactly, happened to her mother? Why has the local waitress disappeared into a shallow pool in a field behind the house? And why is the town so obsessed with that old Victorian morality tale, The Water Babies? As Shaw and Victoria struggle to maintain their relationship, the sunken lands are rising up again, unnoticed in the shadows around them.

    Powers by Ursula Le Guin, read by Theo Soloman

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2020 2:37


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/3fbdghA 'Le Guin's storytelling is sharp, magisterial, funny, thought-provoking and exciting, exhibiting all that science fiction can be' EMPIRE 'Told with shimmering lyricism, this coming-of-age saga will leave readers transformed' BOOKLIST 'Le Guin is a writer of phenomenal power' OBSERVER 'A tour de force' EVENING STANDARD The final part in the story that started with GIFTS, and the tale of Gry Barre of Roddmant and Orrec Caspro of Caspromant, two children with extraordinary powers. They play a part in VOICES too, the sequel to GIFTS, in which Memer, a girl who has grown up in a captured city, is part of the people's fight for freedom. And now, in POWERS, we have the conclusion to Ursula Le Guin's beautifully written, powerful and moving story of the Western Isles, a tale that will leave every reader begging for more.

    Mending the Mind by Oliver Kamm, read by Roger May

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2020 4:29


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/3ffCX0j Sadness is an inevitable part of life, but for most people it will usually alternate or coexist with happy times. Clinical depression, on the other hand, is a mental disorder that causes torment and anguish. It has no moments of relief. It unhinges us from everything we thought we knew about the world and makes us strangers to those we love. It is the predominant mental-health problem worldwide, affecting more than 250 million people. More than a fifth of the population of the UK report symptoms of depression or anxiety. Yet how much do we really know of the condition and of ways to treat it? In MENDING THE MIND, Oliver Kamm recounts what it's like to be mentally ill with severe depression, and he details the route by which, with professional help, he was able to make a full recovery. His experience prompted him to find out all he could about a condition that has afflicted humanity throughout recorded history. He explains the progress of science in understanding depression, and the insights into the condition that have been provided by writers and artists through the ages. His message is hopeful: though depression is a real and devastating illness, the mind and its disorders are yielding to scientific inquiry, and effective psychological, psychiatric and pharmacological treatments are already available. Candid, revelatory and deeply versed in current scientific research, MENDING THE MIND sets out in plain language how the scourge of clinical depression can be countered and may eventually be overcome.

    A Fool's Hope by Mike Shackle, read by Nicola Bryant

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2020 5:01


    Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/3kPjmFG The sequel to the darkly fantastic WE ARE THE DEAD: with more unflinching action, A FOOL'S HOPE sees Jia's revolutionaries dig in their heels as they learn that wars aren't won in a day. War takes everything. From Tinnstra, it took her family and thrust her into a conflict she wanted only to avoid. Now her queen's sole protector, she must give all she has left to keep Zorique safe. It has taken just as much from Jia's revolutionaries. Dren and Jax - battered, tortured, once enemies themselves - must hold strong against their bruised invaders, the Egril. For the Egril intend to wipe Jia from the map. They may have lost a battle, but they are coming back. If Tinnstra and her allies hope to survive, Jia's heroes will need to be ready when they do. With more bone-crunching action, tough choices and impossible odds, fans of Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence and Ed McDonald will find something to love in this series. * * * * * * * * * * THE LAST WAR Book One: We Are the Dead

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