Audiobooks narrated by Clive Mantle

The Barchester Chronicles: Six BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations

Six lavish BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations of Anthony Trollope's much-loved novels.Anthony Trollope’s series of witty and gently satirical stories of provincial life are set in the fictional town of Barchester and its surrounding county of Barsetshire. The canvas is broad and colourful, with a set of iconic characters in whose lives we become intimately involved as they grow up, grow old, and fall in or out of love and friendship, across the years.The Warden: The gentle Mr Harding finds his peaceful life disrupted, when his would-be son-in-law calls into question the large income he receives as warden of Barchester alms house.Barchester Towers: The cathedral town is changing again, with the arrival of a new Bishop, his wife and his Chaplain from London throwing all Barchester into disarray.Dr Thorne: When young heir Frank Gresham expresses his desire to marry Mary, her uncle Dr Thorne realises that a secret he has concealed for so long can no longer stay secret.Framley Parsonage: Mark Robarts, the young vicar of Framley, cannot resist the lure of celebrity beyond his own village. But his ambitious pursuits will lead him to risk his devoted wife and children, as well as his sister's happiness.The Small House at Allington: The Arrival of the handsome Adolphus Crosbie causes quite a stir at Allington. There is concern for Lily Dale in her fight against scarlet fever, and Dr Crofts is a frequent visitor to the Small House.The Last Chronicle of Barset: Henry Grantley has fallen in love again, Lily's past returns to haunt her, and Mr Crawley must reckon with an angry butcher. Johnny traverses Europe trying to save Mr Crawley, and meets an unexpected new friend."Rich in character detail, beautifully cast and absorbing" - Moira Petty, The Stage

Anthony Trollope (Author), , Clive Mantle, David Bamber, Iain Glen, Maggie Steed, Tim Pigott-Smith (Narrator)

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Oliver and the Seawigs

Oliver grew up in a family of explorers - but his biggest adventure is about to begin! Along with his new friends, a grumpy old albatross, a short-sighted mermaid and a friendly island called Cliff, Oliver goes off in search of his missing parents. But before he can put his rescue plan into action there's the evil Stacey de Lacey and an army of pesky sea monkeys to contend with . . . EEP!

Multiple Authors, Philip Reeve, Sarah Mcintyre (Author), Clive Mantle (Narrator)

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Tune In: The Beatles: All These Years

Tune In is the first volume of All These Years a highly-anticipated, groundbreaking biographical trilogy by the world's leading Beatles historian. Mark Lewisohn uses his unprecedented archival access and hundreds of new interviews to construct the full story of the lives and work of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Ten years in the making, Tune In takes the Beatles from before their childhoods through the final hour of 1962 when, with breakthrough success just days away, they stand on the cusp of a whole new kind of fame and celebrity. They've one hit record ('Love Me Do') behind them and the next ('Please Please Me') primed for release, their first album session is booked, and America is clear on the horizon. This is the lesser-known Beatles story the pre-Fab years of Liverpool and Hamburg and in many respects the most absorbing and incredible period of them all. Here is the complete and true account of their family lives, childhoods, teenage years and their infatuation with American music, here is the riveting narrative of their unforgettable days and nights in the Cavern Club, their laughs, larks and adventures when they could move about freely, before fame closed in. For those who've never read a Beatles book before, this is the place to discover the young men behind the icons. For those who think they know John, Paul, George, and Ringo, it's time to press the Reset button and tune into the real story, the lasting word.From the Hardcover edition.

Mark Lewisohn (Author), Clive Mantel, Clive Mantle (Narrator)

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Sean Yates: It's All About the Bike: My Autobiography

Before Bradley Wiggins, there was Sean Yates. Behind Bradley Wiggins, there was Sean Yates.One of only five Britons to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France, Sean Yates burst onto the cycling scene as the rawest pure talent this country has ever seen. After turning professional at the age of 22, he soon became known as a die-hard domestique, putting his body on the line for his teammates. Devastatingly fast, powerful and a fearless competitor, Yates won a stage of the Tour, as well as the Vuelta a España, in 1988, and went on to don the coveted maillot jaune six years later.Having put British cycling on the map as a rider, Yates was soon in demand as a directeur sportif, using his tactical knowledge to inspire a new generation of cyclists to success. And after Team Sky came calling, Yates was the man to design the brilliant plan that saw Sky demolish the opposition in 2012, and for Bradley Wiggins to become the first cyclist from these shores to win the Tour.Straight-talking, entertaining and revelatory, It's All About the Bike is the story of a remarkable career told from the unique perspective of a man who is immersed in the history of the sport he loves.

Sean Yates (Author), Clive Mantle (Narrator)

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The Dinner: A Novel

It's a summer's evening in Amsterdam, and two couples meet at a fashionable restaurant for dinner. Between mouthfuls of food and over the polite scrapings of cutlery, the conversation remains a gentle hum of polite discourse-the banality of work, the triviality of the holidays. But behind the empty words, terrible things need to be said, and with every forced smile and every new course, the knives are being sharpened. Each couple has a fifteen-year-old son. The two boys are united by their accountability for a single horrific act; an act that has triggered a police investigation and shattered the comfortable, insulated worlds of their families. As the dinner reaches its culinary climax, the conversation finally touches on their children. As civility and friendship disintegrate, each couple shows just how far they are prepared to go to protect those they love. Tautly written, incredibly gripping, and told by an unforgettable narrator, The Dinner promises to be the topic of countless dinner party debates. Skewering everything from parenting values to pretentious menus to political convictions, this novel reveals the dark side of genteel society and asks what each of us would do in the face of unimaginable tragedy.

Herman Koch (Author), Clive Mantle (Narrator)

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Shelf Life: How I Found The Meaning of Life Stacking Supermarket Shelves

The day I was appointed Chair of the shop union was the same day the Pope was elected. There the similarities end, however. For while his elevation took place beneath the fine art of the Sistine Chapel, with the mysterious white smoke rising, mine took place in the cold store, with nothing more mysterious than the bacon delivery and yesterday's waste. . . A vicar for twenty years, Simon Parke trades in his dog collar for a job on the tills in his local supermarket. Among the vegetable aisles and dairy produce he unpacks the meaning of life with his fellow workers, a colourful bunch. Sonny the security guard hates conflict; shelf-filler Winston knows he is destined for something better; and voluptuous Faith is generous with her wares - but sadly not with Simon. You don't have to be off your trolley to work there, but it helps. . . From checkout charlies to banana rage, from short-changed lows to cold store highs, Shelf Life is a pick-n-mix of wit and wisdom for anyone who loves life and hopes for more - no matter where they find themselves.

Simon Parke (Author), Clive Mantle (Narrator)

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The Pathfinder

BERLIN 1948: - A vanquished city of rubble - sliced into sections by the Allies, and set well back behind the Russian lines. A city of old women, black marketeers and sleazy cabarets in ruined cellars. In the British sector was Squadron Leader Michael Harrison, a war hero who had helped to bomb Berlin into fragments. He hated the Nazis who had killed his sister and her children. But here he was, doing his best to ensure that food and fuel was somehow brought in to save the surviving Berliners. In the Russian sector was young Lili Leicht, German, middle-class daughter of a university professor and now living in the ruins of her former home, trying to prevent her grandfather and two younger brothers from dying of malnutrition. Her mother had been killed by British bombers. As the tensions in the smouldering city grew worse, so Michael and Lili slowly fell in love. It was a love that surmounted all the prejudices and hatreds of war and offered a hope of understanding for the future.

Margaret Mayhew (Author), Clive Mantle (Narrator)

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Fred: The Definitive Biography Of Fred Dibnah

Fred Dibnah's World celebrates the life and work of Britain's best known steeplejack and national treasure, Fred Dibnah. Before his death in 2004, Fred presented many popular series, including Magnificent Monuments, The Age of Steam and Made in Britain, all of which attracted viewers in their millions. Fred is the companion to the 12-part BBC2 series celebrating the life of this great man, which combines highlights from some of Dibnah's classic programmes with previously unseen footage. The book can of course go much further than the series, including an extraordinarily account of Fred's childhood which evokes a lost England and our great industrial heritage. Fred's passion for the glories of the Victorian age and his fascination with the landscape he grew up in, plus his admiration for the craftsmen and labourers who made it all possible, captivate us on every page. Fred is the personification of everything that made England great in the first place. And this is a glorious tribute to a man whom millions came to love.

David Hall (Author), Clive Mantle (Narrator)

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The Edge Chronicles 4: Beyond the Deepwoods: First Book of Twig

Young Twig lives in the Deepwoods, among the Woodtrolls, but he isn't one of them. In a brave attempt to find out where he belongs, Twig wanders into the mysterious, fascinating, and sometimes hazardous world beyond the Deepwoods. In his travels he encounters myriad peculiar creatures, like his wise guardian, the Caterbird; the Slaughterers, a peaceful race who butcher animals for their livelihood; and the vicious, bile-swilling Rotsucker. Always mindful of the Gloamglozer, whose presence haunts the thoughts of all the inhabitants of The Edge, Twig pursues his quest until he discovers his roots, not among the trees, but in the skies. With his new allies, the Sky Pirates, Twig prepares to embark on his next adventure.

Chris Riddell, Paul Stewart (Author), Clive Mantle (Narrator)

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Hugo Pepper

A brilliantly inventive, fabulously illustrated addition to the Far-Flung Adventure series from the award-winning, bestselling author and illustrator team, Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell. Set in the same world as Fergus Crane and Corby Flood's stories, this is the tale of a small boy, Hugo Pepper, and his amazing exploits. Raised in the Frozen North by reindeer herders, his parents eaten by polar bears when he was just a baby, Hugo discovers that the sled they arrived in has a very special compass - one that can be set to 'Home'. And so Hugo arrives in Firefly Square - to discover a group of very special friends, and a dastardly enemy... With three-toed snowmen, a secret buried treasure and a host of fabulous stories, this is a fantastic new tale in this series.

Chris Riddell, Paul Stewart (Author), Clive Mantle (Narrator)

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All in the Mind

Martin Sturrock desperately needs a psychiatrist. The problem? He is one. Emily is a traumatised burns victim, Arta a Kosovan refugee recovering from a rape. David Temple is a longterm depressive, while the Rt Hon Ralph Hall MP lives in terror of his drink problem being exposed. Very different Londoners, but they share one thing: every week they spend an hour at the Prince Regent hospital, revealing the secrets of their psyche to Professor Martin Sturrock. Little do they know that Sturrock's own mind is not the reassuring place they believe it to be. For years he has hidden in his work, ignoring his demons. But now his life is falling apart, and as his ghosts come back to haunt him, the only person he can turn to is a patient. Set over a life-changing weekend, Alastair Campbell's astonishing first novel delves deep into the human mind to create a gripping portrait of the strange dependency between patient and doctor. Both a comedy and tragedy of ordinary lives, it is rich in compassion for those whose days are spent on the edge of the abyss.

Alastair Campbell (Author), Clive Mantle (Narrator)

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Doctor Who: The Coming Of The Terraphiles

Miggea - a world on the very edge of reality. The cusp between this universe and the next. And the venue for the grand finals of the competition to win the fabled Arrow of Law. The Doctor and Amy have joined the Terraphiles - a group obsessed with Earth's history, and dedicated to re-enacting ancient sporting events. They are determined to win the Arrow. But just getting to Miggea proves tricky. Reality is collapsing, ships are disappearing, and Captain Cornelius and his crew of pirates are looking for easy pickings. Even when they arrive, the Doctor and Amy's troubles won't be over. They must find out who is so desperate to get the Arrow of Law that they will kill for it. And uncover the traitor on their own team. And win the contest fair and square. And, of course, they need to save the universe from total destruction... Featuring the Doctor and Amy as played by Matt Smith and Karen Gillan in the hit series from BBC Television.

Michael Moorcock (Author), Clive Mantle (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Clive Mantle