Audiobooks by Shaun Usher

Speeches of Note: A celebration of the old, new and unspoken

Random House presents the audiobook edition of Speeches of Note by Shaun Usher, compèred by Richard Cordery, and with speeches read by a variety of narrators. SPEECHES OF NOTE: seventy-five extraordinary ways to step into someone else's shoes. From Shaun Usher, the author of the international bestseller LETTERS OF NOTE, comes an obsessively curated, richly illustrated and sumptuously produced collection of speeches from throughout the ages. Discover speeches that altered the course of history, like NELSON MANDELA's on the day he became South Africa's first black President, and outpourings of much-needed change, such as the impassioned, impromptu appeal for women's rights from SOJOURNER TRUTH, an African-American woman born into slavery. Expect the gloriously unexpected, as KERMIT THE FROG takes to the podium, and celebrate lives well-lived, including TILDA SWINTON's tribute to 'every alien's favourite cousin', DAVID BOWIE. While some speeches are heard by millions, some remain unspoken: the secret draft prepared for QUEEN ELIZABETH II during a military exercise for World War III, and PRESIDENT NIXON's chilling public announcement should NEIL ARMSTRONG and BUZZ ALDRIN become stranded on the Moon. Surprising, inspiring and shocking; moving, comforting and enlightening. Read by Laura Aikman, Shenoa Allen, Kristin Atherton, Taj Atwal, Kirsty Besterman, Kieran Bew, Mhari Black, Panti Bliss, Louise Brealey, Leo Burnett, Nick Cave, Richard Cordery, Elliot Cowan, Severn Cullis-Suzuki, Ryan Ford Iosco, Fiona Hampton, Richard Hughes, Matthew Jacobs Morgan, Geraldine James, Paul Keating, Robert F Kennedy, Angus King, Liz Kingsman, Mitch Landrieu, Ursula le Guin, Donovan Livingstone, Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, Roy McMillan, Carla Mendonca, Ako Mitchell, Edward Murrow, Shirin Neshat, Amaka Okafor, Daniel O'Meara, Yeonmi Park, Jackie Robinson, Nicholas Rowe, Dan Russell, Clifford Samuel, Natalie Simpson, Adora Svitak, Justin Trudeau, Elie Wiesel, Maurice Williamson, Laura Aikman, Shenoa Allen, Kristin Atherton, Taj Atwal, Kirsty Besterman, Kieran Bew, Mhari Black, Panti Bliss, Louise Brealey, Leo Burnett, Nick Cave, Richard Cordery, Elliot Cowan, Severn Cullis-Suzuki, Ryan Ford Iosco, Fiona Hampton, Richard Hughes, Matthew Jacobs Morgan, Geraldine James, Paul Keating, Robert F Kennedy, Angus King, Liz Kingsman, Mitch Landrieu, Ursula le Guin, Donovan Livingstone, Nelson Mandela, Roy McMillan, Carla Mendonca, Ako Mitchell, EdwardMurrow, Shirin Neshat, Amaka Okafor, Daniel O'Meara, Yeonmi Park Source: Take Care of Your Artists, World Economic Forum, Switzerland, 2014

Shaun Usher (Author), Adora Svitak, Ako Mitchell, Amaka Okafor, Angus King, Carla Mendonca, Clifford Samuel, Dan Russell, Daniel O'meara, Donovan Livingstone, Edward Murrow, Elie Wiesel, Elliot Cowan, Fiona Hampton, Geraldine James, Jackie Robinson, Justin Trudeau, Kieran Bew, Kirsty Besterman, Kristin Atherton, Laura Aikman, Leo Burnett, Liz Kingsman, Louise Brealey, Matthew Jacobs Morgan, Maurice Williamson, Mhari Black, Mitch Landrieu, Natalie Simpson, Nelson Mandela, Nicholas Rowe, Nick Cave, Panti Bliss, Paul Keating, Richard Cordery, Richard Hughes, Robert F Kennedy, Roy Mcmillan, Ryan Ford Iosco, Severn Cullis-Suzuki, Shenoa Allen, Shirin Neshat, Taj Atwal, Ursula K. Le Guin, Ursula Le Guin, Yeonmi Park (Narrator)

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Letters of Note: War

In Letters of Note: War, Shaun Usher brings together some of the most remarkable letters that encapsulate the human experience of war, from unimaginable feats of courage and compassion, to unthinkable episodes of violence and horror. A star-studded cast of readers brings the letters to life, with contributions from Sanjeev Bhaskar, Louise Brealey, Simon Callow, Benedict Cumberbatch, Adrian Edmondson, Stephen Fry, Neil Gaiman, Danny Huston, Toby Jones, Ferdinand Kingsley, Jude Law, Natascha McElhone, Clarke Peters, Juliet Stevenson and Mark Strong. The collection features letters by Mark Twain, June Wandrey, Evelyn Waugh, Lord Horatio Nelson, Alexander Hamilton, Luis Alvarez and many more. Letters of Note: War also includes audio exclusive bonus content drawn from recordings made at performances of Letters Live, the live events series produced by Canongate in partnership with SunnyMarch and Shaun Usher. Listen to Ben Kingsley reading Mohandas Gandhi’s letter to Adolf Hitler and Colin Firth and Taron Egerton read letters exchanged between Rudyard Kipling and his son, John. A donation will be made to The National Literacy Trust – one of the regular partner charities for Letters Live – for each audiobook sold.

Shaun Usher (Author), Adrian Edmondson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Clarke Peters, Danny Huston, Ferdinand Kingsley, Jude Law, Juliet Stevenson, Louise Brealey, Mark Strong, Miriam Margolyes, Natascha Mcelhone, Neil Gaiman, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Simon Callow, Stephen Fry, Toby Jones (Narrator)

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Letters of Note: Music

In Letters of Note: Music, Shaun Usher brings together a riveting collection of letters by and about some of the musicians and music that enrich our lives. Wonderfully wide-ranging and illuminating, it will delight music lovers of all stripes. A star-studded cast of readers brings the letters to life, with contributions from Sanjeev Bhaskar, Louise Brealey, Simon Callow, Nick Cave, Crystal Clarke, Benedict Cumberbatch, Adrian Edmondson, Stephen Fry, Danny Huston, Toby Jones, Jude Law, Stephen Mangan, Miriam Margolyes, Clarke Peters, Juliet Stevenson and Mark Strong. The collection features letters by Nick Cave, Helen Keller, Keith Richards, Leonard Cohen, John Coltrane, Kim Gordon and many more. Letters of Note: Music also includes audio exclusive bonus content drawn from recordings made at performances of Letters Live, the live events series produced by Canongate in partnership with SunnyMarch and Shaun Usher. Savour Jarvis Cocker reading Iggy Pop’s letter to a fan named Laurence and Matt Berry reading Robert Crumb’s letter to free jazz saxophonist Mats Gustafsson. A donation will be made to The National Literacy Trust – one of the regular partner charities for Letters Live – for each audiobook sold.

Shaun Usher (Author), Adrian Edmondson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Clarke Peters, Crystal Clarke, Danny Huston, Jude Law, Juliet Stevenson, Louise Brealey, Mark Strong, Miriam Margolyes, Nick Cave, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Simon Callow, Stephen Fry, Stephen Mangan, Toby Jones (Narrator)

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Letters of Note: Love

In this moving collection, Shaun Usher gathers together some of the most powerful letters about love ever written. Whether inspired by love’s first blush or the recriminations at its ending, the regrets of unrequited feelings and the joys of passions known, Letters of Note: Love is essential listening for anyone with a heart. A star-studded cast of readers brings the letters to life, with contributions from Sanjeev Bhaskar, Louise Brealey, Simon Callow, Crystal Clarke, Benedict Cumberbatch, Danny Huston, Toby Jones, Jude Law, Natascha McElhone, Stephen Mangan, Miriam Margolyes, Clarke Peters, Juliet Stevenson, Mark Strong and Meera Syal. The collection features letters by Simone de Beauvoir, Vladimir Nabokov, Zora Neale Hurston, Nelson Mandela, Maud Gonne, Johnny Cash and many more. Letters of Note: Love also includes audio exclusive bonus content drawn from recordings made at performances of Letters Live, the live events series produced by Canongate in partnership with SunnyMarch and Shaun Usher. Hear Benedict Cumberbatch and Louise Brealey read Chris Barker’s letter to Bessie Moore at the Royal Albert Hall, Tom Hiddleston reading Gerald Durrell’s letter to his wife at the Freemasons’ Hall and Nick Cave perform his song, Love Letter, at the Union Chapel. A donation will be made to The National Literacy Trust – one of the regular partner charities for Letters Live – for each audiobook sold.

Shaun Usher (Author), Adrian Edmondson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Clarke Peters, Crystal Clarke, Danny Huston, Jude Law, Juliet Stevenson, Louise Brealey, Mark Strong, Meera Syal, Miriam Margolyes, Natascha Mcelhone, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Simon Callow, Stephen Mangan, Toby Jones (Narrator)

Audiobook

Letters of Note: Cats

In Letters of Note: Cats, Shaun Usher collects together the most engaging missives that celebrate, eulogise, rail against and analyse the idiosyncratic ways of our feline companions. A star-studded cast of readers brings the letters to life, with contributions from Sanjeev Bhaskar, Louise Brealey, Simon Callow, Benedict Cumberbatch, Adrian Edmondson, Stephen Fry, Neil Gaiman, Danny Huston, Toby Jones, Ferdinand Kingsley, Helen McCrory, Natascha McElhone, Stephen Mangan, Miriam Margolyes, Clarke Peters, Juliet Stevenson, Mark Strong and Meera Syal. The collection features letters by Nikola Tesla, Elizabeth Taylor, Anne Frank, Raymond Chandler, John Cheever, Rachel Carson, Jack Lemmon and many more. Letters of Note: Cats also includes audio exclusive bonus content drawn from recordings made at performances of Letters Live, the live events series produced by Canongate in partnership with SunnyMarch and Shaun Usher. Listen to Toby Jones reading John Cheever’s letter to Susie Herbst and an ensemble cast reading a flurry of letters to the Guardian on the hotly contested topic of ‘cats vs dogs’. A donation will be made to The National Literacy Trust – one of the regular partner charities for Letters Live – for each audiobook sold.

Shaun Usher (Author), Adrian Edmondson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Clarke Peters, Crystal Clarke, Danny Huston, Ferdinand Kingsley, Helen Mccrory, Louise Brealey, Mark Strong, Meera Syal, Miriam Margolyes, Natascha Mcelhone, Neil Gaiman, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Simon Callow, Stephen Fry, Stephen Mangan, Toby Jones (Narrator)

Audiobook

Letters of Note: Art

In Letters of Note: Art, Shaun Usher celebrates extraordinary correspondence about art, from missives on the agony of being overlooked, the ecstasy of producing work that excites, to surprising sources of inspiration and rousing manifestos. A star-studded cast of readers brings the letters to life, with contributions from Sanjeev Bhaskar, Louise Brealey, Simon Callow, Crystal Clarke, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Fry, Neil Gaiman, Toby Jones, Ferdinand Kingsley, Jude Law, Helen McCrory, Stephen Mangan, Clarke Peters, Juliet Stevenson, Mark Strong and Meera Syal. The collection features letters by Michelangelo, Frida Kahlo, Oscar Howe, Martin Scorsese, Henri Matisse, Augusta Savage, Vincent van Gogh and many more. Letters of Note: Art also includes audio exclusive bonus content drawn from recordings made at performances of Letters Live, the live events series produced by Canongate in partnership with SunnyMarch and Shaun Usher. Enjoy Noel Fielding reading Salvador Dali’s letter to Federico García Lorca at London’s Union Chapel and Ian McKellen reading Kurt Vonnegut’s letter to the students of Xavier High School at the Freemasons’ Hall. A donation will be made to The National Literacy Trust – one of the regular partner charities for Letters Live – for each audiobook sold.

Shaun Usher (Author), Benedict Cumberbatch, Clarke Peters, Crystal Clarke, Ferdinand Kingsley, Helen Mccrory, Jude Law, Juliet Stevenson, Louise Brealey, Meera Syal, Neil Gaiman, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Simon Callow, Stephen Fry, Stephen Mangan, Toby Jones (Narrator)

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