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Mark Macauley, an Anglo-Irish debut author whose book House of Slamming Doors has received rave reviews from a range of publications from the Times Literary Supplement to the Sun by way of the Guardian. We also get to hear a couple of chapters from the audiobook that he has produced himself with ambient sound effects that enhance the cracking good story as it unfolds apace with a cast of characters that he has successfully voiced himself….not so surprising as he trained as an actor and it shows! Stephen Fry says it’s “A marvellous achievement. It’s a Tubular Bells for the podcast and audiobook market.” Available on Audible.
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 feature DH Lawrence, Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Edgar Allan Poe, Amy Lowell and others.
This comes to you courtesy of Miniature Masterpieces who have an excellent range of quality short stories from the masters of the craft. Do search for them and many more on https://www.deadtreepublishing.com/
This hour opens with Rudyard Kipling’s ‘My Own True Ghost Story.’ Then we hear the dark humour of Saki in Tobermory read by Richard Mitchley followed by Daniel Defoe’s story entitled The Apparition of Mrs Veal read by Ghizela Rowe.
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.
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.