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Wednesday 11th September
Noon & 8pm & 4am
PLAYS/DRAMA
CORMORANT BY SARAH HUTCHINGS and HIL COOKE
Unworldly John and injured sailor, McKinney wash up on an uninhabited island, the only survivors of a terrifying shipwreck. When the pair is finally rescued John isolates himself in an anonymous bed-sit owned by the grotesque Mrs Paskins. Haunted by the sounds of the island, he shies away from human contact communing only with the disturbing voices in his dreams. John’s new neighbour Crow sees life through a haze of delusional paranoia and finds it hard to respect John’s need for solitude. Edgy, secretive John is the perfect focus for Crow’s over-active imagination and he becomes obsessed with investigating John’s nocturnal rituals. However, his surveillance soon turns to clumsy overtures of friendship. Despite his protestations John is forced to turn to Crow for help when his ‘voices’ start to blur his sense of reality.
1pm & 9pm & 5am
IN CONVERSATION…ROBERT COOVER
Robert Coover has been described by The New York Times as, “one of America’s quirkiest writers, if by ‘quirky’ we mean an unwillingness to abide by ordinary fictional rules and a conviction that a novel is primarily a verbal artefact unconvertible to other media.” His novel, The Public Burning, is a long and fantastic fictional account of the events surrounding the executions for espionage of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg in 1952, whose principal narrator identifies himself as the then-Vice President of the United States, Richard Milhous Nixon. His other publications include Spanking the Maid, Gerald’s Party, Pinocchio in Venice, and Briar Rose.
2pm & 10pm & 6am
POETRY…AUGUST KLEINZAHLER
August Kleinzahler‘s poetry is described by the New York Times as “a modernist swirl of sex, surrealism, urban life and melancholy with a jazzy back beat. His personality combines Allen Ginsberg’s goofball charm and Norman Mailer’s inveterate pugnacity.” He has published eight books of poetry,
3pm & 11pm & 7am
GORGEOUS WOMEN
Women – we are the gentler sex or the deadlier of the species but universally it is agreed that we are good talkers, as Radio Gorgeous aptly delivers for ABR. Sometimes frivolous but always fabulous and today features LOUISE PENNY, best selling Canadian author and JODY DAY, the Founder of Gateway Women – the global friendship and support network for childless-by-circumstance women. Her book ‘Rocking the Life Unexpected’ introduces some radically new ways for childless women, and those who care about them, to think and feel about their situation.
4pm & Midnight & 8am
SHERLOCK HOLMES CLASSICS
ABR is proud to present two classic episodes, this time starring Tom Conway as Holmes. ‘The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor’ is followed by ‘The Boscombe Valley Mystery.’
We close the hour with an author interview from KOBO and today’s guest is JOWITA BYDLOWSKA.
5pm & 1am & 9am
SPARK LONDON
The concept is stand out simple. Real people telling real stories. Today’s are: Nobody’s Home by Alisdair Hurst, Down Post Office Lane by Andy Bodle and The Rabbit by Glen Long.
A WORD IN YOUR EAR
Word in Your Ear are a Bath based collective of writers who gather to tell their stories. They liked the way our ancestors enjoyed stories – by listening to them. We totally agree with them so let’s have a listen to: Winners and Losers by Pauline Mawurel and Black Sheep by Hannah Teasdale.
TAKE FIVE
We asked the same five questions to a range of writers – today it’s…POLLY COURTNEY, the bright and engaging novelist and commentator whose brilliant latest novel, Feral Youth, is critically acclaimed as both book and audio book.
6pm & 2am & 10am
HOLLYWOOD STAGE
Hollywood is indelibly printed in our minds as a go to place for entertainment and has been for decades. We take you back in time as The Hollywood ringmaster himself, CECIL B DE MILLE unveils…The Perfect Specimen featuring ERROL FLYNN.
7pm & 3am & 11am
SHORT STORIES
GEORGIE PORGIE BY RUDYARD KIPLING. READ BY EDWARD FOX.
A man breaks his promise to his Burmese wife, whom he bought essentially as a housekeeper. He bemoans his low station in such a remote colonial outpost, however, and returns to England to marry a proper British wife before moving to India and a higher diplomatic posting. The faithful Burmese wife, thinking he is in danger, seeks him out and follows him to India.
THE GARDEN OF TRUTH BY E. NESBIT. READ BY HARRIET WALTER.
Edith Nesbit was an English author and poet whose children’s works were published under the name of E. Nesbit. She wrote or collaborated on over 60 books of fiction for children, several of which have been adapted for film and television. She was also a political activist and co-founded the Fabian Society, a precursor to the modern Labour Party. She is regarded by some as the first ‘modern writer for children’ but this short story can certainly be enjoyed and appreciated by adults as well.
Noon & 8pm & 4am
PLAYS/DRAMA
SEX AND POLITICS by COLIN LEWISOHN
Tom thinks he knows himself well, he fancies women. Leaving his affair with Jo behind him Tom enters the world of sexual politics where he faces a challenge to his very identity. It is the mid-1980s and the pursuit of gay rights is now at the centre of the political stage. But how will the pursuit of justice fare in the murky world of political intrigue and what will be the personal costs?
1pm & 9pm & 5am
IN CONVERSATION with MAUDE BARLOW
Maude Barlow educates people all over the world about the crisis of water privatization, and documents how commodification of water results in soaring rate increases and severe water shortages. She says, “Life requires access to clean water; to deny the right to water is to deny the right to life.” In her work she particularly advocates for the world’s poor, who in some cases pay more for potable water than do wealthier people in the same communities. She travels and lectures widely, arguing that water is a basic right and should not be a commodity.
THE POETRY HOUR Vol 14 featuring Shakespeare & more
Poetry is often cited as our greatest use of words. The English language has well over a million and poets down the ages seem, at times, to make use of every single one. But often they use them in simple ways to describe anything and everything from landscapes to all aspects of the human condition. Poems can evoke within us an individual response that takes us by surprise; that opens our eyes and ears to very personal feelings. Forget the idea of classic poetry being somehow dull and boring and best kept to school textbooks. It still has life, vibrancy and relevance to our lives today. In this hour we’ll be listening to Shakespeare, The Female Poet – Volume 2 and The Poets of 19th Century America – Volume 2
All of them are from a dedicated poetry publisher – Portable Poetry who believe that poetry should be a part of our everyday lives, uplifting the soul & reaching the parts that other things can’t. Their range of audiobooks and ebooks cover volumes on some of our greatest poets to anthologies of seasons, months, places and a range of themes. Check them out at https://www.deadtreepublishing.com/ That’s Portable Poetry – poetry that carries you through!
3pm & 11pm & 7am
ALTERNATIVE RADIO with Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Gender Equality
Here at Audiobook Radio we are keen to provide a range of voices – very literally as well as in terms of opinions and views of the world. This strand created by Alternative Radio does just that. We will hear from some of the most informed minds and greatest social activists of our time whose take on justice and power does not chime with those that hold the power and don’t provide justice for all so we rarely get to hear from them in mainstream media. Different opinions always help inform our own and we are always eager to hear from listeners about this or any other strand. Contact us on the tab at www.audiobookradio.net.
Today’s talk is about Gender Equality and is given by Ruth Bader Ginsburg who was an editor of the Harvard Law Review and director of the ACLU Women’s Rights Project. She served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia for thirteen years before being appointed to the Supreme Court by President Clinton in 1993 and in 24 years on the nation’s highest court she has never missed a day on the bench.
4pm & Midnight & 8am
SHERLOCK HOLMES
GREG WAGLAND superbly narrates The Empty House by Arthur Conan Doyle
5pm & 1am & 9am
SPARK LONDON
The concept is stand out simple. Real people telling real stories. Today’s are
Crab Dinner / The Goldfish by Fred and Kerry Crawley and Long Legs by Bill Singh.
A WORD IN YOUR EAR
Word in Your Ear are a Bath based collective of writers who gather to tell their stories. They liked the way our ancestors enjoyed stories – by listening to them. We totally agree with them so let’s have a listen to Black Sheep by Rosemary Senior and Erthenta by Alison Lock.
TAKE FIVE with MARIO LEVI
We asked the same five questions to a range of writers – today MARIO LEVI, one of the most important modern Turkish writers.
6pm & 2am & 10am
HOLLYWOOD STAGE with Dark Victory
Hollywood is indelibly printed in our minds as a go to place for entertainment and has been for decades. We take you back in time as The Hollywood ringmaster himself, CECIL B DE MILLE unveils Dark Victory featuring BETTE DAVIES and SPENCER TRACY
7pm & 3am & 11am
SHORT STORIES – DICKENS & JAMES
THE BAGMAN’S STORY BY CHARLES DICKENS READ BY RICHARD MITCHLEY.
An uncharacteristically happy story taken from ‘The Pickwick Papers’. Dealing with themes of marriage and having an overall positive tone, this tale is uplifting and gentle, with a reassuring and welcome direction.
LOST HEARTS BY M.R. JAMES READ BY RICHARD PASCO.
An orphaned boy comes to live with his reclusive relative, but there are strange manifestations in the house. The ghost children want vengeance – and they want it now. A classic ghost story from a master storyteller.