Audiobooks narrated by Bernardine Evaristo

Bernardine Evaristo: A BBC Radio Collection: Including original writing for radio, plus full-cast ad

"Full-cast dramatisations and original plays and stories from the award-winning author. Bernardine Evaristo won the Booker Prize 2019 with her novel, Girl, Woman, Other and the one-off Women's Prize Outstanding Contribution Award in 2025. The author of ten books, her 2013 novel Mr Loverman was adapted into a BBC 1 drama series in 2024, winning two BAFTAS. She has received over 90 awards and honours and is Professor of Creative Writing at Brunel University of London. Featured here are some of her most innovative works, as well as an illuminating documentary about her life and career. The Emperor’s Babe – Set in AD 211, this drama adaptation of Evaristo’s 2001 verse novel, follows Zuleika, of Nubian heritage, who grows up wild and adventurous in Roman London and has a dangerous affair with the Roman emperor, Septimius Severus. Hello Mum – Fourteen-year-old Jerome grows up on a rough housing estate and makes a mistake that has disastrous consequences. Now he needs his mother to understand why - and what the world looks like through his eyes. A powerfully moving tale adapted from Evaristo’s 2010 novella. Madam Bitterfly and the Stockwell Diva - Feisty South Londoner, Charmayne, is determined to make it big in Hollywood – no matter what it takes…A wickedly comical take on the hierarchy of colour, told in verse. Medea – Mapping the Edge – Three writers: Amanda Dalton, Alison Fell and Evaristo, wrote three versions of the Medea myth featuring characters from Greece, Yemen and Yorkshire, which were integrated into a stunning and unique single drama. Originally staged as a promenade theatre production by Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, with WilsonWilson Company. Dalton adapted it for radio. On Top of the World – A woman's feelings of alienation and isolation lead her to the frozen landscape of the beautiful Arctic. London Choral Celestial Jazz – Bernardine Evaristo reads her own experimental verse short story, inspired by Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood, and featuring four very different Black women who navigate the high-octane, adrenaline-charged streets of contemporary London. Profile: Bernardine Evaristo – Bernardine Evaristo is the subject of this radio documentary about her life. Original Text copyright © Bernardine Evaristo 2001 (The Emperor’s Babe), 2003 (Madam Bitterfly and the Stockwell Diva), 2005 (On Top of the World), 2010 (Hello Mum), 2014 (London Choral Celestial Jazz), 2003 (Medea – Mapping the Edge) text copyright © Amanda Dalton, Alison Fell and Bernardine Evaristo. Content Warning: contains strong language and deals with themes of racism Cast and credits Written by Bernardine Evaristo The Emperor’s Babe Zuleika – Michelle Asante Felix – Paul Chahidi Alba – Alex Tregear Valeria – Hannah Wood Tranio – Rick Warden Severus – Terence Anderson Adapted by Jonathan Holloway Hello Mum Kimisi – Nadine Marshall Keith – Jude Akuwudike Dexter – Alex Lanipekun Madam Bitterfly and the Stockwell Diva Charmayne – Petra Letang Sonia – Sharon Duncan-Brewster Hortense – Dona Croll Rhona – Stephanie Turner Keisha – Clare Perkins Principal – Martin Hyder Medea – Mapping the Edge Mildred – June Broughton Young Mildred – Tassia Messimeris Jamal – Sushil Chudasama Gerald – Martin Pirongs Nadia – Sara Powell Jason – Danny Seward Maddy – Lexi Strauss Texan – Deka Walmsley Narrator – David Fleeshman On Top of the World Read by Adjoa Andoh London Choral Celestial Jazz Read by Bernardine Evaristo Profile: Bernardine Evaristo Presented by Mark Coles About Bernardine Evaristo © 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Bernadine Evaristo (Author), Adjoa Andoh, Bernardine Evaristo, Full Cast, Jude Akuwudike, June Broughton, Lexi Strauss, Michelle Asante, Paul Chahidi, Petra Letan, Rick Warden, Sara Powell, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Tassia Messimeris (Narrator)

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Dat's Love

"Brought to you by Penguin. A brilliant collection of short stories from Leonora Brito exploring race, identity, and love Leonora Brito was a writer of exceptional stories. In Dat's Love, she soaks up the sights, sounds and colours of Cardiff to boldly explore race and history. With each electric story, Brito introduces a unique cast of characters, vibrantly elevating their everyday lives. From 59-year-old Dorothy taking up nude modelling to black aristocrat Dido Elizabeth Belle, from the assassination of JFK to what's going down at the Blue Bayou, Brito blends the surreal and the mundane to redress history and immerse the reader in a vibrantly painted world. Containing an unusual exactness and sense of place, Brito's stories are unique in Welsh fiction in presenting an insider's perspective on a black Welsh history only alluded to by other writers. Full of wry humour and startling originality, this collection features some of Brito's most acclaimed work. A title in the Black Britain: Writing Back series - selected by Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo, this series rediscovers and celebrates pioneering books depicting black Britain that remap the nation. ©2023 Leonora Brito (P)2023 Penguin Audio"

Leonora Brito (Author), Bernardine Evaristo, Olivia Forrest (Narrator)

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Between Starshine and Clay: Conversations from the African Diaspora

"'A must read...!!!' will.i.am 'Each encounter is framed and presented with enormous literary skill and grace' David Olusoga WITH A FOREWORD FROM BERNARDINE EVARISTO Conversations with some of the most extraordinary Black minds of our age, discussing race, decolonisation, systemic inequalities, and the climate crisis. In a series of incisive and intimate encounters, Sarah Ladipo Manyika introduces some of the most distinguished Black thinkers of our times, including Nobel Laureates Toni Morrison and Wole Soyinka, and civic leaders first lady Michelle Obama and Senator Cory Booker. She searches for truth with poet Claudia Rankine and historian Henry Louis Gates, Jr. She discusses race and gender with South African filmmaker Xoliswa Sithole and American actor and playwright Anna Deavere Smith. She interrogates the world around us with pioneering publisher Margaret Busby, parliamentarian Lord Michael Hastings and civil rights activist Pastor Evan Mawarire - who dared to take on President Robert Mugabe and has lived to tell the tale. We also meet the living embodiment of the many threads, ideas and histories in this book through the profile of her fabulous 102-year-old friend, Mrs Willard Harris. In journeys that book-end the collection, Sarah Ladipo Manyika reflects on her own experience of being seen as 'oyinbo' in Nigeria, African in England, Arab in France, coloured in Southern Africa and Black in America, while feeling the least Black and most human among her fellow travellers, explorers all, against the sharp white relief of the South Pole."

Sarah Ladipo Manyika (Author), Bernardine Evaristo, Sarah Ladipo Manyika (Narrator)

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A Black Boy at Eton

"Brought to you by Penguin. Dillibe was the second black boy to study at Eton - joining in 1965 - and the first to complete his education there. Written at just 21, this is a deeply personal, revelatory account of the racism he endured during his time as a student at the prestigious institution. He tells in vivid detail of his own background as the son of a Nigerian judge at the International Court of Justice at The Hague, of his arrival at the school, of the curriculum, of his reception by other boys (and masters), and of his punishments. He tells, too, of the cruel racial prejudice and his reactions to it, and of the alienation and stereotyping he faced at such a young age. A Black Boy at Eton is a searing, ground-breaking book displaying the deep psychological effects of colonialism and racism. A title in the Black Britain: Writing Back series - selected by Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo, this series rediscovers and celebrates pioneering books depicting black Britain that remap the nation. 'The story [Onyeama] had to tell was so gripping and shocking, it wouldn't let me go . . . A remarkably well-written memoir.' Bernardine Evaristo, from the Introduction © Dillibe Onyeama 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022"

Dillibe Onyeama (Author), Bernardine Evaristo, Michael Obiora (Narrator)

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Growing Out: Black Hair and Black Pride in the Swinging 60s

"Brought to you by Penguin. Travelling over from Jamaica as a teenager, Barbara's journey is remarkable. She finds her footing in TV, and blossoms. Covering incredible celebrity stories, travelling around the world and rubbing shoulders with the likes of Germaine Greer and Michael Caine - her life sparkles. But with the responsibility of being the first black woman reporting on TV comes an enormous amount of pressure, and a flood of hateful letters and complaints from viewers that eventually costs her the job. In the aftermath of this fallout, she goes through a period of self-discovery that allows her to carve out a new space for herself first in the UK and then back home in Jamaica - one that allows her to embrace and celebrate her black identity, rather than feeling suffocated in her attempts to emulate whiteness and conform to the culture around her. Growing Out provides a dazzling, revelatory depiction of race and womanhood in the 1960s from an entirely unique perspective. A title in the Black Britain: Writing Back series - selected by Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo, this series rediscovers and celebrates pioneering books depicting black Britain that remap the nation. 'A gorgeously exuberant account. . . writing that is natural and vivacious . . . a fascinating and hugely enjoyable read.' Bernardine Evaristo, from the Introduction © Barbara Blake Hannah 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022"

Barbara Blake Hannah (Author), Barbara Blake Hannah, Bernardine Evaristo (Narrator)

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Sequins for a Ragged Hem

"Brought to you by Penguin. A beautifully atmospheric memoir and travelogue from poet Amryl Johnson depicting her journey from the UK to Trinidad in the 1980s 'Memories demanded that I complete this book. If what I experienced was, in fact, a haunting, I believe I have now laid these ghosts to rest in a style which I hope will satisfy even the most determined ones.' Amryl Johnson came to England from Trinidad when she was eleven. As an adult in 1983, ready for a homecoming, she embarks on a journey through the Caribbean searching for home, searching for herself. Landing in Trinidad as carnival begins, she instantly surrenders to the collective, pulsating rhythm of the crowd, euphoric in her total freedom. This elation is shattered when she finds the house where she was born has been destroyed. She cannot escape - nor wants to - from the inheritance of colonialism. Her bittersweet welcome sets the tone for her intoxicating exploration of these distinct islands. In evocative, lyrical prose Sequins for a Ragged Hem is an astonishingly unique memoir, interrogating the way our past and present selves live alongside one another. Selected by Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo, this series rediscovers and celebrates pioneering books from Black Britain and the diaspora, which remap the nation and reframe our history. © Amryl Johnson 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022"

Amryl Johnson (Author), Bernardine Evaristo, Martina Laird (Narrator)

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My Fathers' Daughter

"Brought to you by Penguin. A powerful, intimate memoir of Eritrean-British journalist, Hannah Azieb-Pool, who returns to Eritrea at the age of 30 to meet her family for the first time 'When I stepped off the plane in Asmara, I had no idea what lay ahead, or how those events would change me . . .' In her twenties, Hannah-Azieb Pool is given a letter that unravels everything she knows about her life. She knew she was adopted from an orphanage in Eritrea, and as her adoptive family brought her to the UK, they believed she did not have any surviving relatives. When she discovers the truth in a letter from her brother - that her birth father is alive and her Eritrean family are desperate to meet her - she is faced with a critical choice. Should she go? In this intimate memoir, she takes us with her on an extraordinary journey of self-discovery, as she travels to Eritrea to uncover her own story. With radiant warmth, courage and wisdom, Hannah-Azieb disentangles the charged concepts of identity, family and home. Featuring a new introduction from Bernardine Evaristo and an updated afterword from the author, this is a timeless, essential read. 'Remarkable' Observer 'What a story. So vivid, honest and moving' Andrea Levy, author of Small Island Selected by Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo, this series rediscovers and celebrates pioneering books from black Britain and the diaspora, which remap the nation and reframe our history. © Hannah Azieb 2005 (P) Penguin Audio 2022"

Hannah Azieb Pool (Author), Bernardine Evaristo, Yusra Warsama (Narrator)

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Britons Through Negro Spectacles

"Brought to you by Penguin. 'We shall therefore confine our walk to Central London where people meet on business during the day, and to West London where they meet for pleasure at night. If you will walk about the first City in the British Empire arm in arm with Merriman-Labor, you are sure to see Britons in merriment and at labour, by night and by day, in West and Central London.' In Britons Through Negro Spectacles Merriman-Labor takes us on a joyous, intoxicating tour of London at the turn of the 20th century. Slyly subverting the colonial gaze usually placed on Africa, he introduces us to the citizens, culture and customs of Britain with a mischievous glint in his eye. This incredible work of social commentary feels a century ahead of its time, and provides unique insights into the intersection between empire, race and community at this important moment in history. Selected by Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo, this series rediscovers and celebrates pioneering books depicting black Britain that remap the nation. © ABC Merriman-Labor 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022"

Abc Merriman-Labor (Author), Bernardine Evaristo, Mohammed Mansary (Narrator)

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Manifesto: A radically honest and inspirational memoir from the Booker Prize winning author of Girl,

"Brought to you by Penguin. RECIPIENT OF THE WOMEN’S PRIZE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION AWARD The powerful, urgent manifesto on never giving up from Booker prize-winning trailblazer, Bernardine Evaristo Bernardine Evaristo's 2019 Booker win - the first by a Black woman - was a revolutionary moment both for British culture and for her. After three decades as a trailblazing writer, teacher and activist, she moved from the margins to centre stage, taking her place in the spotlight at last. Her journey was a long one, but she made it, and she made history. MANIFESTO is Bernardine Evaristo's intimate and inspirational, no-holds-barred account of how she did it, refusing to let any barriers stand in her way. She charts her creative rebellion against the mainstream and her life-long commitment to the imaginative exploration of 'untold' stories. And drawing deeply on her own experiences, she offers a vital contribution to current conversations around social issues such as race, class, feminism, sexuality and aging. This is a unique book about staying true to yourself and to your vision. It's about how to be unstoppable - in your craft, your work, your life. It is Bernardine Evaristo's manifesto for never giving up. 'Bernardine Evaristo is one of those writers who should be read by everyone, everywhere.' Elif Shafak 'Bernardine Evaristo is one of Britain's best writers, an iconic and unique voice, filled with warmth, subtlety and humanity. Exceptional' Nikesh Shukla 'Bernardine Evaristo is the most daring, imaginative and innovative of writers' Inua Ellams © Bernadine Evaristo 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021"

Bernardine Evaristo (Author), Bernardine Evaristo (Narrator)

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Bernard and the Cloth Monkey: A collection of rediscovered works celebrating Black Britain curated b

"Brought to you by Penguin. WINNER OF THE SAGA PRIZE 1997: a literary award for trailblazing new Black British novelists A shattering portrayal of family, guilt and unshakable bonds as a family's deepest secrets explosively unravel When Anita finally returns home to London after a long absence, everything has changed. Her father is dead, her mother is away, and she and her sister Beth are alone together for the first time in years. They share a house. They share a family. They share a past. Tentatively, they reach out to one another for connection, but the house echoes with words unspoken. Dazzling and heart-breaking, Bernard and the Cloth Monkey is a searing portrait of family, a rebellion against silence and a testament to the human capacity for survival. 'A quietly outstanding work of fiction . . . an exemplary novel' Bernardine Evaristo © Judith Bryan 1998 (P) Penguin Audio 2021"

Judith Bryan (Author), Bernardine Evaristo, Sara Powell (Narrator)

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The Fat Lady Sings: A collection of rediscovered works celebrating Black Britain curated by Booker P

"Brought to you by Penguin. A groundbreaking novel exploring the intersection between race, class and mental health in the UK 'That is the glory of being a mental patient. Nothing is impossible.' It is the 1990s, and Gloria is living in a London psychiatric ward. She is unapologetically loud, audacious and eternally on the brink of bursting into song. After several months of uninterrupted routine, she is joined by another young black woman - Merle - who is full of silences and fear. Unable to confide in their doctors, they agree to journal their pasts. Whispered into tape recorders and scrawled ferociously at night, the remarkable stories of their lives are revealed. In this tender, deeply-moving depiction of mental health, Roy creates a striking portrait of two women finding strength in their shared vulnerability, as they navigate a system that fails to protect them. Life-affirming and fearlessly hopeful, this is an unforgettable story. 'This is a novel of daring - enjoyable, surprising and original.' Bernardine Evaristo 'A strong and humane work of fiction' Jackie Kay 'A striking commentary' Scotsman 'A strong, humorous and moving piece of fiction . . . such is the life injected into the characters that by the end of the novel there remains that reluctance to part with people you have come to love' calabash 'A joy' Pride 'Unflinchingly told . . . harrowing but also shockingly funny' Big Issue © Jacqueline Roy 2000 (P) Penguin Audio 2021"

Jacqueline Roy (Author), Bernardine Evaristo, Nneka Okoye (Narrator)

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Incomparable World: A collection of rediscovered works celebrating Black Britain curated by Booker P

"Brought to you by Penguin. A visceral reimagining of 1780s London, showcasing the untold stories of African-American soldiers grappling with their post-war freedom In the years just after the American revolution, London was the unlikely refuge for thousands of black Americans who fought for liberty on the side of the British. Buckram, Georgie and William have earned their freedom and escaped their American oppressors, but on the streets of London, poverty awaits with equal cruelty. Ruthless, chaotic and endlessly evolving, London forces them into a life of crime, and a life on the margins. Their only hope for a better future is to concoct a scheme so daring, it will be a miracle if it pays off. Bursting with energy and vivid detail, Incomparable World boldly uncovers a long-buried narrative of black Britain. 'Adventurous and exuberant . . . a rollicking thriller [that] pulsates with vivacity' Bernardine Evaristo 'Remarkable' David Dabydeen © S. I. Martin 1996 (P) Penguin Audio 2020"

S. I. Martin (Author), Bernardine Evaristo, Gary Carr (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Bernardine Evaristo

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