THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE

SUNDAY 28th April

13on & 8pm & 4am

PLAYS/DRAMA

The Great Detective by Roger Johnson

This play, by prominent Sherlock Holmes Society of London member Roger Johnson, offers the Holmesian another perspective on the beloved Canon. From a surrealist perspective, we find here a different and refreshing approach. We are transported to another time through the warmth of an English public house and immediately transfixed by the fascinating voices of those who contributed to the name Sherlock Holmes. This is a must listen for all those worshipers of the great detective.

 1pm & 9pm & 5am

IN CONVERSATION…..JAMES HEFFERNAN

James Heffernan, Professor Emeritus from Dartmouth College, has written extensively on JAMES JOYCE, and particularly Ulysses.  In this episode of In Conversation he focuses on the novel and in particular Leopold Bloom & his relationship with his adulterous wife Molly.  Bloomsday is an actual day – 16th June in Dublin which is when and where the novel is set. So an obvious day where James Joyce is celebrated & commemorated  & the events of the novel are re-lived.

2pm & 10pm & 6am

POETS & POETRY featuring Robert Hass

Robert Hass is a Pulitzer prize winning Poet Laureate born in San Francisco and raised by an alcoholic mother, both facts that feature in his concise and lyrical verse.  He is one of the most celebrated contemporary American poets and also known for translations of the Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz and Japanese  Haiku masters who he has paid tribute to for their inspiration.  In the mid-1990s, Hass promoted ecoliterarcy through the River of Words, an organisation he co founded to provide a multidisciplinary, interactive curricula to young students.   He currently teaches at Berkeley and lives in California with his wife the poet Brenda Hillman.    Thanks to the Lannan Organisation we now bring you Robert Hass reading his own poems followed by his being interviewed by NY poet Jorie Graham.

3pm & 11pm & 7am

ALTERNATIVE RADIO with ROXANNE DUNBAR-ORTIZ on The Other Side of Thanksgiving

Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz grew up in rural Oklahoma, the daughter of a tenant farmer and part-Indian mother. A distinguished scholar, she has been active in the international Indigenous movement for many years and is known for her commitment to social justice issues. She is the recipient of the 2017 Lannan Cultural Freedom Prize. Her 1977 book The Great Sioux Nation was the fundamental document at the first UN conference on Indigenous peoples of the Americas. She is the author of An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States, winner of the 2015 American Book Award, Loaded: A Disarming History of the Second Amendment, All the Real Indians Died Off and 20 Other Myths about Native Americans and Not a Nation of Immigrants.

 4pm & Midnight & 8am

The Damon Runyon Theatre

New York has given rise to many authors who record and memorialise its streets and people.  Damon Runyon is one such author who brings the New York story and its cast of characters to vibrant life.  His tongue-in-cheek tales of gamblers, hustlers, actors, gangsters and dolls appeal to our sense of what we think we know.  Their colorful monikers; ‘Big Jule,’ ‘Harry the Horse Thief,’ ‘Good Time Charlie,’ or ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ immediately give life to his sparkling words. And life is bigger, exuberant; better.

The veteran Radio actor John Brown voices the recurring ‘Broadway’ character so central to every episode which today are Blonde Mink and Leopard’s Spots

5pm & 1am & 9am

THE PODCAST HOUR – THE JO SHOW

Audiobookradio is delighted to launch a new strand, namely the Podcast Hour.  Our first podcast is the Jo Show presented by silky voiced Jo Sands and features a wide range of creatives with plenty to say….she calls it soul sipping maybe because her guests do some soul searching as Jo always gets to the parts that other interviewers don’t reach as you are about to find out.  Today her guest is Marcel Post a young Writer, Director, and Actor, residing in the ’new Hollywood mecca’ better known as Atlanta. He can be described as bold, brash, and at times controversial. However, his goal is to continue to create great stories bringing people of different ethnic groups to the forefront.

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 producer Irving Cummings unveils…KING SOLOMON’S MINES starring DEBORAH KERR and STEWART GRAINGER

7pm & 3am & 11am

SHORT STORIES

The Moonlit Road by Ambrose Bierce read by Christopher Ragland

A gothic horror short story by American Civil War soldier, wit, and writer Ambrose Bierce. It first appeared in a 1907 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, illustrated by Charles B. Falls. This story is presented in three parts and relates the tale of the murder of Julia Hetman from the perspective of her son, a man who may be her husband, and Julia herself, through a medium.

A Thousand Deaths by Jack London read by Christopher Ragland

This is an 1899 short story by Jack London, his first work to be published. It is about the experimentally induced death and resuscitation/resurrection of the protagonist, by a mad scientist who uses multiple scientific methods for these experiments.  The story was adapted to film in 1939.

MONDAY 29th April

22oon & 8pm & 4am

PLAYS/DRAMA

WAR OF THE WORLDS

War of the Worlds Returns with a BANG courtesy of Radio Drama Reivial.

This week we take a bow to radio drama history by clobbering Grover’s Mill New Jersey with a big ball of fire and pissed off laser-toting Martians. Yes, folks, it is the War of the Worlds – and one of the most exquisite re-creations of it ever produced, the 50th anniversary production by Otherworld Media released in 1988.

GRAMMY-nominated for Best Spoken Word production, digital sound design by Oscar-winner Randy Thom at George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch, an international broadcast event, this contemporary NPR/CNN version of the Orson Welles classic stars Jason Robards with Hector Elizondo, Steve Allen, CBS newsman Douglas Edwards and public radio personalities Scott Simon and Terry Gross.

1pm & 9pm & 5am

IN CONVERSATION…..GREENLIGHT BOOKSTORE

If you love books you probably have a favourite bookstore where you can go and know that not only will there be shelves of a wide variety of books where you can immerse yourselves but also knowledge, tips and conversation all around you. Brooklyn has one such store that recorded a range of interviews with bestselling authors.  Today’s episode originally aired on 15th August and features Tom Rachman (The Imperfectionists) who talks with Susan Kamil, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Random House and Dial Press, about his new novel, The Rise and Fall of Great Powers, and why writing books is like flying with the Marx Brothers. Also: reviews of The Story of Land and Sea by Katie Simpson Smith and Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey and reviews of books released that week.

 2pm & 10pm & 6am

POETRY featuring Ben Jonson, Rumi, Classic Women Poets and 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 poets of the quality and breadth of Ben Jonson, Rumi and themes including Hell and Classic Women Poets

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 on your usual digital store such as Amazon or iTunes or at https://www.deadtreepublishing.com/  That’s Portable Poetry – poetry that carries you through!

 3pm & 11pm & 7am

ALTERNATIVE RADIO with Maureen Webb on Hackers and Democracy

The digital age has given birth to hackers who carry out cyberattacks on our personal data, on pipelines, energy grids and meat processing plants. There are also other hackers who practice the sharing of software, open sourcing and the secure free flow of information. Maureen Webb says those hackers “are making some of the most important contributions to preserving our liberal deocratic tradition in the 21st century.”

4pm & Midnight & 8am

The Damon Runyon Theatre

New York has given rise to many authors who record and memorialise its streets and people.  Damon Runyon is one such author who brings the New York story and its cast of characters to vibrant life.  His tongue-in-cheek tales of gamblers, hustlers, actors, gangsters and dolls appeal to our sense of what we think we know.  Their colorful monikers; ‘Big Jule,’ ‘Harry the Horse Thief,’ ‘Good Time Charlie,’ or ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ immediately give life to his sparkling words. And life is bigger, exuberant; better.

The veteran Radio actor John Brown voices the recurring ‘Broadway’ character so central to every episode which today are Lonely Heart and Broadway Complex

5pm & 1am & 9am

THE PODCAST HOUR – THE JO SHOW

Audiobookradio is delighted to launch a new strand, namely the Podcast Hour.  Our first podcast is the Jo Show presented by silky voiced Jo Sands and features a wide range of creatives with plenty to say….she calls it soul sipping maybe because her guests do some soul searching as Jo always gets to the parts that other interviewers don’t reach as you are about to find out.  Today her guest is Jaime Hinkson, Jamaican born, writer, producer, and musician, who when not in Miami creating his own music, travels the world as keyboardist for Julian Marley’s band.

 6pm & 2am & 10am

HOLLYWOOD STAGE – Red River

In our Hollywood Stage presentation John Wayne reprises his role as Tom Dunston and his journey west to build a cattle empire. He adopts a young boy, Matthew, orphaned by an Indian raid. Returning from the Civil War Mathew helps his father on a massive cattle drive only for their relationship to completely fall apart as Father is pitted against Son.

7pm & 3am & 11am

SHORT STORIES

The Namesake by Willa Cather. Read by Christopher Ragland

Pullitzer Prize winning American author, Willa Cather sets her story, the Namesake, in the Paris studio of the great sculptor Lyon Hartwell at the turn of the 20th century.  Seven young aspiring student artists who admire his work hear Hartwell relate aspects of his life in this well crafted story which is said to be inspired by Cather’s own unlce.

When I Was a Witch by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.  Read by Laurel Lefkow

This story, although not as well known as The Yellow Wallpaper is another fine example of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s early feminist short stories.  It is a humorous fantasy about a woman that makes a deal with the devil to have her wishes come true and uses this power to shape the world.

TUESDAY 30th April

Noon & 8pm & 4am

PLAYS/DRAMA

ON BLAZING WINGS BY L. RON HUBBARD Part 1

Fans of classic Golden Age dramas will not be disappointed with this story and whilst possibly more serious than some of his other many stories, it’s a cracking good adventure about American David Duane whose business is war, regardless of its politics. Duane’s cold-edged neutrality takes him to Finland but then he finds himself in an elusive netherworld where he  discovers his true destiny, one that he half-remembers but must struggle to reject in order to save the woman he loves—a woman who happens to be an officer . . . in the Russian ranks.

1pm & 9pm & 5am

IN CONVERSATION – DAVID MITCHELL

GREENLIGHT BOOKSTORE….

If you love books you probably have a favourite bookstore where you can go and know that not only will there be shelves of a wide variety of books where you can immerse yourselves but also knowledge, tips and conversation all around you. Brooklyn has one such store that recorded a range of interviews with bestselling authors.  Today’s episode originally aired on 1st October, 2014 features the mighty DAVID MITCHELL (Cloud Atlas, Number9Dream) on his new novel, The Bone Clocks, his illicit dreams of Amsterdam, and why Optimism is probably the best choice – in conversation with John Freeman (How to Read a Novelist). Also a reviews of selected books released that week.

2pm & 10pm & 6am

POETS & POETRY

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.

Today, thanks to the Scottish Poetry Library, we bring you the work of award winning poet Shara McCullum, who was born in Jamaica and moved to the US at the age of nine.  She currently lives in Pennsylvania and teaches and directs at the Stadler Center for Poetry at Bicknell University.

Further information on the Scottish Poetry Library can be found on their website,

www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk

3pm & 11pm & 7am

ALTERNATIVE RADIO with Chalmers Johnson on Blowback

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

Chalmers Johnson, a distinguished political scientist, was professor emeritus at the University of California, and the author of Blowback, Sorrows of Empire, Nemesis and Dismantling the Empire. The CIA coined the term “blowback” to describe the unintended results of U.S. covert operations abroad.  The United States today has hundreds of military bases around the world.  It’s a form of domination that greatly expanded under the Bush Administration’s post-9/11 so-called War on Terror.  Supporting a far-flung military empire generates large profits for many U.S. corporations.  It’s terrific for weapons manufacturers like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing and Northrop Grumman and for contractors like Halliburton, DynCorp and Fluor.  Not surprisingly, many people from Iraq to Japan are angry with having to live with Uncle Sam in uniform in their backyard.

4pm & Midnight & 8am

The Damon Runyon Theatre

New York has given rise to many authors who record and memorialise its streets and people.  Damon Runyon is one such author who brings the New York story and its cast of characters to vibrant life.  His tongue-in-cheek tales of gamblers, hustlers, actors, gangsters and dolls appeal to our sense of what we think we know.  Their colorful monikers; ‘Big Jule,’ ‘Harry the Horse Thief,’ ‘Good Time Charlie,’ or ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ immediately give life to his sparkling words. And life is bigger, exuberant; better.

The veteran Radio actor John Brown voices the recurring ‘Broadway’ character so central to every episode which today are All Horse Players Die Broke and The Hottest Guy in the World

5pm & 1am & 9am

NEW VOICES with Adam Copeland

Today’s strand features Adam Copeland, an American author from Vancouver, Washington State. He is the author of the historical fantasy and Arthurian-esque Tales of Avalon series as well as the co-founder of Northwest Independent Writers Association.  Now, he has written the pulp-thriller Midnight in Silverton: American Gothic, recently turned into a spine-tingling audiobook with Canadian voice talent Scarlett Quinn. Midnight is a story of the search for a killer, and of self, which is part Fight Club and part Dandelion Wine.  We get to hear extracts from this audiobook and talk to Adam about his work.

6pm & 2am & 10am

HOLLYWOOD STAGE – Moby Dick

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 classic story of Moby Dick, starring Henry Hull, a much undervalued actor.

7pm & 3am & 11am

SHORT STORIES

The Ransom of Red Chief by O’Henry

The story and its main idea have become a part of popular culture, with many children’s television programs depicting versions of the story as one of their episodes. It has also been often used as a classic example of two ultimate comic ironies – a supposed “hostage” actually liking his abductors and enjoying being captured, and his captors getting their just deserts by having the tables turned on them, and being compelled to pay to be rid of him.  Read by Christopher Ragland

The Bride Came to Yellow Sky by Stephen Crane

The story’s protagonist is a Texas marshal named Jack Potter, who is returning to the town of Yellow Sky with his eastern bride. Potter’s nemesis, the gunslinger Scratchy Wilson, drunkenly plans to accost the sheriff after he disembarks the train, but he changes his mind upon seeing the unarmed man with his bride.  The short story inspired a 1967 opera of the same name by Roger Nixon, and the 1952 film Face to Face.  Read by Christopher Ragland

WEDNESDAY 1st May

Noon & 8pm & 4am

PLAYS/DRAMA

ON BLAZING WINGS BY L. RON HUBBARD Part 2

Fans of classic Golden Age dramas will not be disappointed with this story and whilst possibly more serious than some of his other many stories, it’s a cracking good adventure about American David Duane whose business is war, regardless of its politics. Duane’s cold-edged neutrality takes him to Finland but then he finds himself in an elusive netherworld where he  discovers his true destiny, one that he half-remembers but must struggle to reject in order to save the woman he loves—a woman who happens to be an officer . . . in the Russian ranks. 

1pm & 9pm & 5am

IN CONVERSATION – KHALED HOSSEINI

GREENLIGHT BOOKSTORE

If you love books you probably have a favourite bookstore where you can go and know that not only will there be shelves of a wide variety of books where you can immerse yourselves but also knowledge, tips and conversation all around you. Brooklyn has one such store that recorded a range of interviews with bestselling authors.  Today’s episode originally aired on 30th December, 2014 features KHALED HOSSEINI (The Kite Runner) who uses the release of his latest book, And The Mountains Echoed, to discuss east and west, war and peace, and everything in the middle. Plus two excellent graphic novels, one old and one new.

2pm & 10pm & 6am

POETS & POETRY

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.

Today, courtesy of the Scottish Poetry Library, we are delighted to be able to focus on two poets and hear them talking about their influences and work.  First up is Angela Clelland, born and schooled near Inverness. has been writing award winning poetry from an early age and she talks to Colin Waters.  After Angela we’ll hear from Swiss German poet Nora Gomringer who recites some of her work in German which sounds difficult but is surprisingly accessible.  Nora has a TV show in Germany where she recites poetry from Shakespeare to contemporary Syrian poets as well as her own work.  Here she is interviewed by Jennifer Williams. 

Information on both Angela, Nora and the Scottish Poetry Library can be heard on air or check out their website: www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk

3pm & 11pm & 7am

ALTERNATIVE RADIO with Jennifer Hendricks on Roe v Wade & the Supreme Court

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

Jennifer Hendricks is a Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Juvenile and Family Law Program at the University of Colorado. She is the author of the essay “Abortion Rights in the Supreme Court: A Tale of Three Wedges. Roe v Wade was the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision which established a constitutional right to abortion is under attack. The Supreme Court with its super-conservative majority is poised to overturn Roe.

4pm & Midnight & 8am

The Damon Runyon Theatre

New York has given rise to many authors who record and memorialise its streets and people.  Damon Runyon is one such author who brings the New York story and its cast of characters to vibrant life.  His tongue-in-cheek tales of gamblers, hustlers, actors, gangsters and dolls appeal to our sense of what we think we know.  Their colorful monikers; ‘Big Jule,’ ‘Harry the Horse Thief,’ ‘Good Time Charlie,’ or ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ immediately give life to his sparkling words. And life is bigger, exuberant; better.

The veteran Radio actor John Brown voices the recurring ‘Broadway’ character so central to every episode which today are A Piece of Pie and Barbecue

5pm & 1am & 9am

NEW VOICES with Kasey Rogers

Today’s new voice is Kasey Rogers who is an author based in Massachusetts.  She reads from her latest book, The Colour of Frost, which explores the life of Nina through her turbulent and troubled relationships and life.  Kasey openly shares her own experiences living with abuse as the book is based on her own life and has prompted her to set up an initiative called I Know Why She Stayed, that advocates for women suffering abuse.  To find out more about both the book, initiative and further resources for abused women, please visit her website, kaseyrogers.com.

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 Charles Dickens’ classic tale of David Copperfield, which chronicles the young mans journey from childhood to maturity and the problems and hurdles that bestride his path. Starring Boris Karloff

7pm & 3am & 11am

SHORT STORIES

The Moonlit Road by Ambrose Bierce

“The Moonlit Road” is a gothic horror short story by American Civil War soldier, wit, and writer Ambrose Bierce. It first appeared in a 1907 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, illustrated by Charles B. Falls. This story is presented in three parts and relates the tale of the murder of Julia Hetman from the perspective of her son, a man who may be her husband, and Julia herself, through a medium. Read by Christopher Ragland

A Thousand Deaths by Jack London

This short story by Jack London, written in 1899 was his first work to be published. It is about the experimentally induced death and resuscitation/resurrection of the protagonist, by a mad scientist who uses multiple scientific methods for these experiments. It was published in Black Cat magazine and adapted to film in 1939.  Read by Christopher Ragland

THURSDAY 2nd May

Noon & 8pm & 4am

PLAYS/DRAMA

MUMBAI CHUZZLEWITS Part 1

Brought to us by Radio Drama Revival and introduced by Fred Greenhalgh who provides background to this excellent drama recorded in India and providing a unique and insightful take on Dickens’ classic.  A must listen with forthcoming parts tomorrow and the day after, always at this time.

1pm & 9pm & 5am

IN CONVERSATION with NAOMI KLEIN

Naomi Klein’s intelligence and perception provides a radical view on the world that finds great favour among many. As a teenager she lived her life in shopping malls and maybe somewhere between the two lies the real Naomi Klein.

2pm & 10pm & 6am

POETRY & POETS featuring DEREK WALCOTT

Derek Walcott, is a hugely talented poet, playwright and visual artist. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1992 and the T. S. Eliot Prize in 2011 for White Egrets.  Here he reads some of his work and then is interviewed by Glyn Maxwell.

3pm & 11pm & 7am

ALTERNATIVE RADIO with EDUARDO GALEANO

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 Eduardo Galeano the essayist, journalist, historian, and activist, as well as one of Latin America’s most beloved literary figures.  An outspoken critic of the increasingly dehumanizing effects of globalization on modern society, Galeano has remained a passionate advocate for human rights and justice.

4pm & Midnight & 8am

SHERLOCK HOLMES

Greg Wagland superbly narrates The Priory School by Arthur Conan Doyle

5pm & 1am & 9am

SPARK LONDON

The concept is stand out simple. Real people telling real stories. Today’s are A Grand Gesture by Jess Brownrigg and The Open Window by Harsh Agarwal.

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 Wherever I Lay My Hat by Julie Green and Venus by Clare Reddaway.

TAKE FIVE with PETER JAMES

We asked the same five questions to a range of writers – today PETER JAMES, Brighton charmer, film producer and international best seller of crime thriller fiction.

6pm & 2am & 10am

HOLLYWOOD STAGE with Sunset Boulevard

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 to unveil the classic Sunset Boulevard featuring WILLIAM HOLDEN and GLORIA SWANSON

7pm & 3am & 11am

SHORT STORIES  – TWAIN & SHELLEY

GHOST STORY BY MARK TWAIN READ BY STUART MILLIGAN

Humourist Mark Twain’s take on horror is surprisingly convincing at creating an atmosphere of terror as our narrator endures a haunting of gigantic proportions.   Ultimately Twain’s characteristic style prevails.

THE DREAM BY MARY SHELLEY READ BY GHIZELA ROWE

The dream of this short story occurs to the young and beautiful Constance, the Countess of Villeneuve whose grief for the death of her father and brothers is so great that she passes ‘many a day of tears and many a night of restless misery.’  The king, Henry IV of France orders her to marry so her immense estate will be upheld but she would rather remain isolated and see no one.  However, the dream changes her life forever. (Vol 10)

FRIDAY 3rd May

Noon & 8pm & 4am

PLAYS/DRAMA

MUMBAI CHUZZLEWITS by JOHN DRYDEN  Part 2

Brought to us by Radio Drama Revival we hear Part 2 Murder, Alliances and Greed of this excellent drama that transposes Charles Dickens’ satire on the corrosive power of money to the hot, hectic streets of modern-day Mumbai, India.  In it, the miserly old recluse Martin Chuzzlewit adopts an orphan girl, Mary, to be his caregiver. As she will inherit nothing upon his death, he believes she will do her utmost to keep him in good health. But when Chuzzlewit’s grandson Mickey falls in love with Mary, Martin’s plans are thrown into disarray. Disinheriting him, Martin triggers a complex web of deceit, betrayal and manipulation as the extended family and hangers-on close in, in pursuit of his fortune.  This fast-paced drama full of intrigue, romance, suspense and murder is told in three hour-long parts, and you can hear the final part tomorrow or previous parts on  Radio Drama Revival introduced by Fred Greenhalgh.

1pm & 9pm & 5am

IN CONVERSATION with MARGARET ATWOOD

Margaret Atwood is an extraordinarily talented writer of poetry, literary criticism, non-fiction and of course novels including The Edible Woman (1970), The Handmaid’s Tale (1983) and The Blind Assassin, which won the prestigious Booker Prize in 2000.

2pm & 10pm & 6am

THE POETRY HOUR Vol 13 featuring Rumi, Ben Jonson & 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 Ben Jonson, The Poetry of Hell, Rumi, The Female Poet – Volume 1 and Victorian Poetry Volume 1

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 RALPH NADER

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 by Ralph Nader who has spent a lifetime fighting on behalf of ordinary people. He has run for president four times. And Life magazine ranks him as one of the most influential Americans of the 20th century. Founder of Public Citizen, he is a long-time advocate for consumer safety and workers’ rights. He rose to fame in the 1960s when he took on General Motors and its unsafe Corvair car. His book Unsafe at Any Speed not only created a sensation but was instrumental in the enactment of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act. His efforts helped create the Environmental Protection Agency. He has exposed the misdeeds of the corporate sector as well as of the political system.

4pm & Midnight & 8am

SHERLOCK HOLMES CLASSICS

GREG WAGLAND superbly narrates The Dancing Men by Arthur Conan Doyle.

5pm & 1am & 9am

SPARK LONDON

The concept is stand out simple. Real people telling real stories. Today’s are A Breakdown on the Motorway by Simon Mason and A Picnic in Paris by Mark Yansen.

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 The Captain by Phillip Douch and Blue Genes by Elaine Miles.

TAKE FIVE WITH ELIF SHAFAK

We asked the same five questions to a range of writers – today ELIF SHAFAK, the award winning novelist, whose most recent book is the mesmerising Honour.

6pm & 2am & 10am

HOLLYWOOD STAGE with Alice Adams

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 interviews DW GRIFFITHS and unveils

Alice Adams featuring CLAUDETTE COLBERT and FRED McMURRAY

7pm & 3am & 11am               

SHORT STORIES – LONDON & LEBLANC

THE LAW OF LIFE BY JACK LONDON READ BY WILLIAM DUFRIS

Old Koskoosh was the chief of an Eskimo tribe. Now he is blind and lame, and his tribe is preparing to leave him alone in the snow to face his death as they travel on without him. His son leaves him a pile of sticks to feed the fire beside him. When the fire dies, so will he. As he waits alone for death, he thinks of the time he left his own father in the snow.

THE MYSTERIOUS RAILWAY PASSENGER BY MAURICE LEBLANC. READ BY PATRICK MALAHIDE

French author and journalist, known as the creator of Arsène Lupin, master of disguises, the French gentleman-thief turned detective. Leblanc was a very prolific writer – he published over 60 novels and short stories. His famous hero appeared first time in the crime story ‘L’arrestation d’Arsène Lupin,’ which was written for periodical Je Sais Tout in 1905. Lupin was a forerunner of Simon Templar (The Saint) and other Robin Hoods of modern crime. In this story, a notorious villain dupes the police with his audacity and dexterity

SATURDAY 4th May

Noon & 8pm & 4am

PLAYS/DRAMA

MUMBAI CHUZZLEWITS by JOHN DRYDEN Part 3

Brought to us by Radio Drama Revival we hear Part 3, the final part of this excellent drama that transposes Charles Dickens’ satire on the corrosive power of money to the hot, hectic streets of modern-day Mumbai, India.  In it, the miserly old recluse Martin Chuzzlewit adopts an orphan girl, Mary, to be his caregiver. As she will inherit nothing upon his death, he believes she will do her utmost to keep him in good health. But when Chuzzlewit’s grandson Mickey falls in love with Mary, Martin’s plans are thrown into disarray. Disinheriting him, Martin triggers a complex web of deceit, betrayal and manipulation as the extended family and hangers-on close in, in pursuit of his fortune.  This fast-paced drama full of intrigue, romance, suspense and murder is told in three hour-long parts, and you can hear previous parts on  Radio Drama Revival introduced by Fred Greenhalgh.

1pm & 9pm & 5am

IN CONVERSATION with NOAM CHOMSKY

Noam Chomsky is a world class thinker and leader of Liberal America so therefore vilified by the Right. However, all would agree that his opinions and facts engage and drive the debate.

2pm & 10pm & 6am

POETRY & POETS featuring SEAMUS HEANEY

Seamus Heaney reads his own work followed by a chat with the late, great Seamus Heaney interviewed by Dennis O’ Driscoll

Heaney was born in April 1939, the eldest member of a family which would eventually contain nine children. He uses all aspects of Irish culture, history, folklore, song, myth, and religion to write poetry that not only describes the Irish experience to the reader, but also allows the reader to feel the experience and emotions of the Irish people. Heaney was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1995.

3pm & 11pm & 7am

ALTERNATIVE RADIO with ARUN GANDHI on Gandhian Nonviolence Today

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, Arun Gandhi the grandson of India’s apostle of nonviolence, Mohandas Karamchand “Mahatma” Gandhi talks about Gandhian Nonviolence Today. In 1991, Arun Gandhi and his wife Sunanda, founded The M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence in Memphis, Tennessee. He is an author, journalist, and activist who lectures on this subject all over the world.

4pm & Midnight & 8am

SHERLOCK HOLMES

GREG WAGLAND superbly narrates The Missing Three Quarter by Arthur Conan Doyle

5pm & 1am & 9am

SPARK LONDON

The concept is stand out simple. Real people telling real stories. Today’s are

Choose your own Adventure by Kit Lovelace and Down Old Compton Street by Clayton Littlewood.

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 Carpe Diem by Natalie Bown and The Diary by Mark Rutherford.

TAKE FIVE with ANDREA DI ROBILANT

We asked the same five questions to a range of writers – today ANDREA DI ROBILANT, widely praised Italian writer and journalist who writes elegant, informative prose in both languages as evident from A Venetian Affair and his latest book Chasing the Rose.

6pm & 2am & 10am

HOLLYWOOD STAGE with JEZEBEL

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 ezebel featuring LORETTA YOUNG

7pm & 3am & 11am

SHORT STORIES – COLLINS & JEROME

THE DEAD HAND WILKIE COLLINS. READ BY RICHARD MITCHLEY.

It’s 1850 and young, easy-going Arthur Holliday visits Doncaster for the races, but all the hotel rooms are full, all that is, except for one remaining twin room that he’ll have to share with a stranger. After agreeing to take the room Arthur discovers his room-mate is recently deceased. Even then, all might be well if it wasn’t for the dead hand…

ON BEING IDLE BY JEROME K. JEROME. READ BY HUGH LAURIE.

It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do. There is no fun in doing nothing when you have nothing to do. Wasting time is merely an occupation, then, and a most exhausting one. A few intriguing tips and observations on a fascinating pastime…

SUNDAY 28th April

13on & 8pm & 4am

PLAYS/DRAMA

The Great Detective by Roger Johnson

This play, by prominent Sherlock Holmes Society of London member Roger Johnson, offers the Holmesian another perspective on the beloved Canon. From a surrealist perspective, we find here a different and refreshing approach. We are transported to another time through the warmth of an English public house and immediately transfixed by the fascinating voices of those who contributed to the name Sherlock Holmes. This is a must listen for all those worshipers of the great detective.

 1pm & 9pm & 5am

IN CONVERSATION…..JAMES HEFFERNAN

James Heffernan, Professor Emeritus from Dartmouth College, has written extensively on JAMES JOYCE, and particularly Ulysses.  In this episode of In Conversation he focuses on the novel and in particular Leopold Bloom & his relationship with his adulterous wife Molly.  Bloomsday is an actual day – 16th June in Dublin which is when and where the novel is set. So an obvious day where James Joyce is celebrated & commemorated  & the events of the novel are re-lived.

2pm & 10pm & 6am

POETS & POETRY featuring Robert Hass

Robert Hass is a Pulitzer prize winning Poet Laureate born in San Francisco and raised by an alcoholic mother, both facts that feature in his concise and lyrical verse.  He is one of the most celebrated contemporary American poets and also known for translations of the Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz and Japanese  Haiku masters who he has paid tribute to for their inspiration.  In the mid-1990s, Hass promoted ecoliterarcy through the River of Words, an organisation he co founded to provide a multidisciplinary, interactive curricula to young students.   He currently teaches at Berkeley and lives in California with his wife the poet Brenda Hillman.    Thanks to the Lannan Organisation we now bring you Robert Hass reading his own poems followed by his being interviewed by NY poet Jorie Graham.

3pm & 11pm & 7am

ALTERNATIVE RADIO with ROXANNE DUNBAR-ORTIZ on The Other Side of Thanksgiving

Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz grew up in rural Oklahoma, the daughter of a tenant farmer and part-Indian mother. A distinguished scholar, she has been active in the international Indigenous movement for many years and is known for her commitment to social justice issues. She is the recipient of the 2017 Lannan Cultural Freedom Prize. Her 1977 book The Great Sioux Nation was the fundamental document at the first UN conference on Indigenous peoples of the Americas. She is the author of An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States, winner of the 2015 American Book Award, Loaded: A Disarming History of the Second Amendment, All the Real Indians Died Off and 20 Other Myths about Native Americans and Not a Nation of Immigrants.

 4pm & Midnight & 8am

The Damon Runyon Theatre

New York has given rise to many authors who record and memorialise its streets and people.  Damon Runyon is one such author who brings the New York story and its cast of characters to vibrant life.  His tongue-in-cheek tales of gamblers, hustlers, actors, gangsters and dolls appeal to our sense of what we think we know.  Their colorful monikers; ‘Big Jule,’ ‘Harry the Horse Thief,’ ‘Good Time Charlie,’ or ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ immediately give life to his sparkling words. And life is bigger, exuberant; better.

The veteran Radio actor John Brown voices the recurring ‘Broadway’ character so central to every episode which today are Blonde Mink and Leopard’s Spots

5pm & 1am & 9am

THE PODCAST HOUR – THE JO SHOW

Audiobookradio is delighted to launch a new strand, namely the Podcast Hour.  Our first podcast is the Jo Show presented by silky voiced Jo Sands and features a wide range of creatives with plenty to say….she calls it soul sipping maybe because her guests do some soul searching as Jo always gets to the parts that other interviewers don’t reach as you are about to find out.  Today her guest is Marcel Post a young Writer, Director, and Actor, residing in the ’new Hollywood mecca’ better known as Atlanta. He can be described as bold, brash, and at times controversial. However, his goal is to continue to create great stories bringing people of different ethnic groups to the forefront.

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 producer Irving Cummings unveils…KING SOLOMON’S MINES starring DEBORAH KERR and STEWART GRAINGER

7pm & 3am & 11am

SHORT STORIES

The Moonlit Road by Ambrose Bierce read by Christopher Ragland

A gothic horror short story by American Civil War soldier, wit, and writer Ambrose Bierce. It first appeared in a 1907 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, illustrated by Charles B. Falls. This story is presented in three parts and relates the tale of the murder of Julia Hetman from the perspective of her son, a man who may be her husband, and Julia herself, through a medium.

A Thousand Deaths by Jack London read by Christopher Ragland

This is an 1899 short story by Jack London, his first work to be published. It is about the experimentally induced death and resuscitation/resurrection of the protagonist, by a mad scientist who uses multiple scientific methods for these experiments.  The story was adapted to film in 1939.