Prunella Scales

Dandruff Hits The Turtleneck By John Mayfield. Read by Prunella Scales From the moment pub landlord and keen amateur entomologist, Arnold Matson, arrives in Blinkington-on-the-Treacle to take over his new hostelry, the listener is guided superbly by one of Britain’s best-loved actresses, Prunella Scales, as she introduces local characters and intimately narrates her way through a colourful collection of vignettes and poignant flashbacks that are both comically funny and disturbingly familiar.

WEDNESDAY 20th November

Noon & 8pm & 4am

PLAYS/DRAMA

AL FRESCO BY CARL CHETTY featuring DEREK JACOBI

Once an affluent employee in a coffee bean corporation, redundant Al is now struggling to come to terms with homelessness on the streets of London. None of his army of old friends are remotely interested in his situation and, residing in an Optician’s doorway, he discovers that not many people want to know you when you’re down and out. However, The Crusty Young Gent, Marjorie and Hazel, a trio of compassionate passers-by, manage to lift Al’s spirits. In fact, it’s the beautiful red-haired Hazel who steals his heart and indirectly changes his life.

BIG SHAKEDOWN ON LITTLE EDDIE BY THEO CLARKE

A sandwich has been eaten and the authorities, aka Mum and Dad, think that 14 year old ‘Little Eddie’ did it. So they set about breaking his spirit, to get to the truth. No-one knows whether he did it or not, they just know that the kid ain’t talking. Set in a middle class Berkshire home, Eddie – Edward’s alter ego – strangely is like something out of the Bronx. And he’s not giving in for nobody!

SHADOW IN THE CORNER BY MARY ELIZABETH BRADDON

Butler Skeggs requires a servant to assist. Bascom agrees but when Maria arrives she finds her bedroom leaves her with very unhappy thoughts. Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s classic ghost story thrills and entertains.

1pm & 9pm & 5am

IN CONVERSATION with 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 includeSpanking the Maid, Gerald’s Party, Pinocchio in Venice, and Briar Rose.

2pm & 10pm & 6am

POETS & POETRY featuring DENNIS O’ DRISCOLL

Dennis O’ Driscoll was born in Co Tipperary, Ireland, in 1954, his nine books of poetry include New and Selected Poems (Anvil Press, 2004), a Poetry Book Society Special Commendation, Reality Check (2007) and Dear Life (Anvil Press, 2012; Copper Canyon Press, 2013). Among his other publications are Troubled Thoughts, Majestic Dreams: Selected Prose Writings (Gallery Press, 2001) and Stepping Stones: Interviews with Seamus Heaney (Faber and Faber, 2008). Here he recites some of his poems followed by an interview with poet and critic Adam Kirsch.

3pm & 11pm & 7am

ALTERNATIVE RADIO with GEOFFREY STONE

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 given by Geoffrey Stone, noted First Amendment and Constitutional law scholar and Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of Chicago. He is the award-winning author of many books including Perilous Times: Free Speech in Wartime, Eternally Vigilant: Free Speech in the Modern Era, Top Secret: When Our Government Keeps Us in the Dark and Speaking Out: Reflections of Law, Liberty and Justice.

4pm & Midnight & 8am

SHERLOCK HOLMES CLASSICS

ABR is proud to present two classic episodes starring Basil Rathbone. ‘The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot’ followed by ‘The Great Gandolpho.’

We close the hour with an author interview from KOBO and today’s guest is DENNIS LEHANE.

5pm & 1am & 9am

SPARK LONDON

The concept is stand out simple. Real people telling real stories.

Charley Harrison presents highlights from their second Best of Spark London night at the Canal Cafe Theatre. In this episode Francis Shire aspires to be ‘King of the Camden Goths’ – can his Swedish Cybergoth partner help him achieve his dream? Meanwhile, Robyn Jankel travels across China by train and introduces a new custom in the process.

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 Wading Not Drowning by Julie Green.

TAKE FIVE with STEPHANIE BOND

We asked the same five questions to a range of writers – today it’s STEPHANIE BOND, a prolific fiction writer of mystery and romance with four upcoming releases including 7 Brides for 7 Bodies, another instalment in the popular Body Movers series.

6pm & 2am & 10am

HOLLYWOOD STAGE with She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

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 She Wore a Yellow Ribbon featuring JOHN WAYNE

7pm & 3am & 11am

SHORT STORIES – SAKI, WELLS & MANSFIELD

THE REMOULDING OF GROBY LINGTON BY SAKI READ BY BARBARA LEIGH-HUNT

Saki’s world contrasts the effete conventions and hypocrisies of Edwardian England with the ruthless, but straightforward life-and-death struggles of nature. Nature generally wins in the end.

THE STOLEN BACILLUS BY H.G. WELLS. READ BY STEVE ARLOFF

In this short story an anarchist tries to steal cholera bacilli from a bacteriologist to poison London’s water supply, but by mistake is given a different one.

PSYCHOLOGY BY KATHERINE MANSFIELD. READ BY LIZA ROSS

New Zealand’s most famous writer, who was closely associated with D.H. Lawrence and something of a rival of Virginia Woolf. Mansfield’s creative years were burdened with loneliness, illness, jealousy, alienation – all this reflected in her work with the bitter depiction of marital and family relationships of her middle-class characters. Her short stories are also notable for their use of stream of consciousness. Like the Russian writer Anton Chekhov, Mansfield depicted trivial events and subtle changes in human behaviour. This work first appeared in 1920. In this short story, a male and a female artist are so painfully self-conscious of the ebb and flow of their relationship that they cannot get together.

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WEDNESDAY 20th November