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Queen Anne: The Politics of Passion
She ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1702, at age thirty-seven, Britain’s last Stuart monarch, and five years later united two of her realms, England and Scotland, as a sovereign state, creating the Kingdom of Great Britain. She had a history of personal misfortune, overcoming ill health (she suffered from crippling arthritis; by the time she became Queen she was a virtual invalid) and living through seventeen miscarriages, stillbirths, and premature births in seventeen years. By the end of her comparatively short twelve-year reign, Britain had emerged as a great power; the succession of outstanding victories won by her general, John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough, had humbled France and laid the foundations for Britain’s future naval and colonial supremacy. While the Queen’s military was performing dazzling exploits on the continent, her own attention—indeed her realm—rested on a more intimate conflict: the female friendship on which her happiness had for decades depended and which became for her a source of utter torment. At the core of Anne Somerset’s riveting new biography, published to great acclaim in England (“Definitive”—London Evening Standard; “Wonderfully pacy and absorbing”—Daily Mail), is a portrait of this deeply emotional, complex bond between two very different women: Queen Anne—reserved, stolid, shrewd; and Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, wife of the Queen’s great general—beautiful, willful, outspoken, whose acerbic wit was equally matched by her fearsome temper. Against a fraught background—the revolution that deposed Anne’s father, James II, and brought her to power . . . religious differences (she was born Protestant—her parents’ conversion to Catholicism had grave implications—and she grew up so suspicious of the Roman church that she considered its doctrines “wicked and dangerous”) . . . violently partisan politics (Whigs versus Tories) . . . a war with France that lasted for almost her entire reign . . . the constant threat of foreign invasion and civil war—the much-admired historian, author of Elizabeth I (“Exhilarating”—The Spectator; “Ample, stylish, eloquent”—The Washington Post Book World), tells the extraordinary story of how Sarah goaded and provoked the Queen beyond endurance, and, after the withdrawal of Anne’s favor, how her replacement, Sarah’s cousin, the feline Abigail Masham, became the ubiquitous royal confidante and, so Sarah whispered to growing scandal, the object of the Queen's sexual infatuation. To write this remarkably rich and passionate biography, Somerset, winner of the Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography, has made use of royal archives, parliamentary records, personal correspondence and previously unpublished material. Queen Anne is history on a large scale—a revelation of a centuries-overlooked monarch.
Anne Somerset (Author), Hannah Curtis (Narrator)
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The secrets that might save a nation could shatter a marriage. Madly in love, Diana Foyle and Brent Somerville married in London as the bombs of World War II dropped on their beloved city. Without time for a honeymoon, the couple spent the next four years apart. Diana, an architectural historian, took a top-secret intelligence post at Bletchley Park. Brent, a professor of theology at King's College, believed his wife was working for the Foreign Office as a translator when he was injured in an attack on the European front. Now that the war is over, the Somervilles' long-anticipated reunion is strained by everything they cannot speak of. Diana's extensive knowledge of London's churches could help bring down a Russian agent named Eternity. She's eager to help MI6 thwart Communist efforts to start a new war, but because of the Official Secrets Act, Diana can't tell Brent the truth about her work. Determined to save their marriage and rebuild the city they call home, Diana and Brent's love is put to the ultimate test as they navigate the rubble of war and the ruins of broken trust.
Rachel Mcmillan (Author), Hannah Curtis (Narrator)
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Memory Box [Dramatized Adaptation]: Deathlands 144
'Continuing from Deathlands 143: Grave Capitol. Catch a Lethal Star. Enlisted for a mission to retrieve the memory of a military satellite that's been mistaken for an angel by in-bred locals, Ryan Cawdor and his companions head deep into the wild country of Kill Island, only to discover they are being pursued by an old foe harboring a deadly grudge. With enemies on all sides, Ryan and his allies rapidly run out of places to turn ... and no way back. Meanwhile, Doc Tanner is offered a tantalizing possibility that could end his time with the companions forever. Performed by Richard?Rohan,?Terence?Aselford, Alejandro Ruiz,?Lolita Horne, Colleen Delany, Amanda Forstrom, Hannah Curtis, Julie-Ann Elliott, Foster Smith, David Zitney, Eric Messner, Jonathan Lee Taylor, K'lai Rivera, Amanda L'orien, Kelly Baskin, Ken Jackson, Mark Harrietha, Martin Dickinson, Peter Holdway, Rayner Gabriel, Scott McCormick, Michael Getz, Tyler Hyrchuck, and Yasmin Tuazon.'
James Axler (Author), Alejandro Ruiz, Amanda Forstrom, Bradley Foster Smith, Colleen Delany, David Zitney, Eric Messner, Hannah Curtis, Julie-Ann Elliott, Lolita Horne, Richard Rohan, Terence Aselford (Narrator)
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On the morning of December 26, 2004, on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, Sonali Deraniyagala lost her parents, her husband, and her two young sons in the tsunami she miraculously survived. In this brave and searingly frank memoir, she describes those first horrifying moments and her long journey since. She has written an engrossing, unsentimental, beautifully poised account: as she struggles through the first months following the tragedy, furiously clenched against a reality that she cannot face and cannot deny; and then, over the ensuing years, as she emerges reluctantly, slowly allowing her memory to take her back through the rich and joyous life she's mourning, from her family's home in London, to the birth of her children, to the year she met her English husband at Cambridge, to her childhood in Colombo; all the while learning the difficult balance between the almost unbearable reminders of her loss and the need to keep her family, somehow, still alive within her. "Out of unimaginable loss comes an unimaginably powerful book. Wave is unflinching as it charts the depths of grief, but it's also, miraculously, a beautifully detailed meditation on the essence of happiness. I came away from this stunning book with a new appreciation of life's daily gifts. I urge you to read Wave. You will not be the same person after you've finished." -Will Schwalbe "Wave is a haunting chronicle of love and horrifying loss. The heartfelt writing manages to render the absence of the loved ones-the void, and the pain of it-in such a beautiful way that what was lost emerges as a new life form, one whose flesh and sinew are memory, sorrow, and undying love." -Abraham Verghese
Sonali Deraniyagala (Author), Hannah Curtis (Narrator)
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Julia Stuart returns in her follow-up to the bestselling The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise with this clever murder mystery set in Victorian England, brimming with her signature charm and fabulous characters. When Indian Princess Alexandrina is left penniless by the sudden death of her father, the Maharaja of Brindor, Queen Victoria grants her a grace-and-favor home in Hampton Court Palace. Though rumored to be haunted, Alexandrina and her lady's maid, Pooki, have no choice but to take the Queen up on her offer. Aside from the ghost sightings, Hampton Court doesn't seem so bad. The princess is soon befriended by three eccentric widows who invite her to a picnic with all the palace's inhabitants, for which Pooki bakes a pigeon pie. But when General-Major Bagshot dies after eating said pie, and the coroner finds traces of arsenic in his body, Pooki becomes the #1 suspect in a murder investigation. Princess Alexandrina isn't about to let her faithful servant hang. She begins an investigation of her own, and discovers that Hampton Court isn't such a safe place to live after all. With her trademark wit and charm, Julia Stuart introduces us to an outstanding cast of lovable oddballs, from the palace maze-keeper to the unconventional Lady Beatrice (who likes to dress up as a toucan-don't ask), as she guides us through the many delightful twists and turns in this fun and quirky murder mystery. Everyone is hiding a secret of the heart, and even Alexandrina may not realize when she's caught in a maze of love. Praise for The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise "[A] hilarious love story . . . This book will steal your heart." -People
Julia Stuart (Author), Hannah Curtis (Narrator)
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Culinary delights abound, romance lingers in the air, and plans go terribly, wonderfully astray in this gender-bent take on My Fair Lady from Jennieke Cohen, author of Dangerous Alliance—perfect for fans of Bridgerton or A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue. It’s 1830s England, and Culinarians—doyens who consult with society’s elite to create gorgeous food and confections—are the crème de la crème of high society. Helena Higgins, top of her class at the Royal Academy, has a sharp demeanor and an even sharper palate—and knows stardom awaits her if she can produce greatness in her final year. Penelope Pickering is going to prove the value of non-European cuisine to all of England. Her contemporaries may scorn her Filipina heritage and her dishes, but with her flawless social graces and culinary talents, Penelope is set to prove them wrong. Elijah Little has nothing to his name but a truly excellent instinct for flavors. London merchants won’t allow a Jewish boy to own a shop, so he hawks his pasties for a shilling a piece to passersby—but he knows with training he can break into the highest echelon of society. When Penelope and Helena meet Elijah, a golden opportunity arises: to pull off a project never seen before, and turn Elijah from a street vendor to a gentleman chef. But Elijah’s transformation will have a greater impact on this trio than they originally realize—and mayhem, unseemly faux pas, and a little romance will all be a part of the delicious recipe. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
Jennieke Cohen (Author), Hannah Curtis (Narrator)
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For fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train, an electrifying thriller that will take you into the dark spaces that exist between a husband and a wife. When the police started asking questions, Jean Taylor turned into a different woman. One who enabled her and her husband to carry on, when more bad things began to happen... But that woman's husband died last week. And Jean doesn't have to be her anymore. There's a lot Jean hasn't said over the years about the crime her husband was suspected of committing. She was too busy being the perfect wife, standing by her man while living with the accusing glares and the anonymous harassment. Now there's no reason to stay quiet. There are people who want to hear her story. They want to know what it was like living with that man. She can tell them that there were secrets. There always are in a marriage. The truth-that's all anyone wants. But the one lesson Jean has learned in the last few years is that she can make people believe anything… List of Readers: 'The Mother' read by Jayne Entwistle 'The Detective' read by Nicholas Guy Smith 'The Widow' read by Hannah Curtis 'The Husband' read by Steve West 'The Reporter' read by Mandy Williams From the Compact Disc edition.
Fiona Barton (Author), , Hannah Curtis, Nicholas Guy Smith, Various Narrators (Narrator)
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A gorgeous memoir of an unthinkable life: a young woman writes of the sensitivity to light that has forced her to live in darkness, and of the love that has saved her. "Something is afoot within me that I do not understand, the breaking of a contract that I thought could not be broken, a slow perverting of my substance." Anna was living a normal life. She was ambitious and worked hard; she had just bought an apartment; she was falling in love. But then she started to develop worrying symptoms: her face felt like it was burning whenever she was in front of the computer. Soon this progressed to an intolerance of fluorescent light, then of sunlight itself. The reaction soon spread to her entire body. Now, when her symptoms are at their worst, she must spend months on end in a blacked-out room, losing herself in audio books and elaborate word games in an attempt to ward off despair. During periods of relative remission she can venture cautiously out at dawn and dusk, into a world that, from the perspective of her normally cloistered existence, is filled with remarkable beauty. And throughout there is her relationship with Pete. In many ways he is Anna's savior, offering her shelter from the light in his home. But she cannot enjoy a normal life with him, cannot go out in the day, and even making love is uniquely awkward. Anna asks herself "By continuing to occupy this lovely man while giving him neither children nor a public companion nor a welcoming home—do I do wrong?" With gorgeous, lyrical prose, Anna brings us into the dark with her, a place from which we emerge to see love, and the world, anew.
Anna Lyndsey (Author), Hannah Curtis (Narrator)
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One dinner party will destroy everything. The night that throws a wrecking ball into Abby's life starts out perfectly at first. There's still a hint of summer sun in the purple-streaked sky. Abby and her best friend, Sienna, look on fondly as their two husbands laugh under the garden gazebo. None of them know it's the last time they will be together again. What starts out as just a little fun has devastating consequences for the couples. Alone with Sienna's husband, Greg, Abby finds him unexpectedly charming. Caught up in the moment, she reveals a secret she swore never to tell. And something happens that night that neither she nor Greg can take back. Abby is desperate to tell her husband and Sienna the truth, but can't risk Greg sharing what she told him. She has no choice but to keep quiet. Then Greg suddenly disappears. Is her best friend's husband simply running from his secrets? Or has someone decided they can't risk that he may share theirs? From #1 bestselling author Kathryn Croft comes a gripping and twisty psychological thriller perfect for fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train.
Kathryn Croft (Author), Hannah Curtis (Narrator)
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A Vicarage Christmas: A Holley Sisters of Thornthwaite Romance
Welcome to Thornwaite, a quaint village tucked up in England's beautiful but rainy Lake District ... where homecomings happen and surprises are in store for the four Holley sisters ... Anna Holley, the third of four sisters, has always felt a little bit forgotten. A family tragedy when she was a child had her retreating deep into shyness, and social anxiety kept her on the fringes of the cozy chaos of the busy vicarage. After several years away from home, Anna returns for Christmas ... and an important announcement from her father. As much as she once loved the village, coming back is hard and puts Anna's social capabilities to the test. Avoiding her sisters' bossy questions, she heads out to the local pub one night, and meets a handsome stranger nursing a pint. Somehow, unburdened by expectations, Simon seems like the perfect person to spill all her secrets to-including a hopeless, long-held crush on her sister's boyfriend. Confident she'll never see him again, Anna returns home ... only to discover the next day that Simon is actually her father's new curate! Anna is beyond mortified, but Simon won't let her retreat into her usual shyness-and for once Anna is forced to confront the past, and all the fears and feelings she'd tried so long to hide. But with his own heartache that needs to heal, can Simon help Anna to make this the most magical Christmas either of them have known?
Kate Hewitt (Author), Hannah Curtis (Narrator)
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A Vicarage Reunion: A Holley Sisters of Thornthwaite Romance
Welcome to Thornthwaite, a quaint village tucked up in England's beautiful but rainy Lake District ... where homecomings and surprises await the four Holley sisters ... Esther Holley, the eldest in the family, has always had her life firmly in control until a miscarriage knocks her off course. Two months later, still emotionally spinning, she separates from her husband Will, a sheep farmer and man of few words and moves back in with her parents. Life as a singleton thirty something living in her parents' house is miserable, but Esther is determined to reboot her life, including going on a few unfortunate dates. She's shocked when tight-lipped Will shows up on her doorstep determined to woo her back. They've been married for seven years, but Will wants to return to the beginning, dating and getting to know each other again. New challenges face them as they start over-and new chances too. Can Esther and Will save their marriage, especially when faced with the hardest decision of all.
Kate Hewitt (Author), Hannah Curtis (Narrator)
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A Vicarage Wedding: A Holley Sisters of Thornthwaite Romance
Rachel Holley has always dreamed of a wedding-the white dress, the fairy tale, and of course, the happily-ever-after. But when her fiancé breaks it off the night before, claiming she doesn't love him, Rachel's fairy tale ends in ashes. Homeless, hopeless, and feeling like her life has been completely derailed, Rachel must start over in all sorts of ways-and hold her head up high in the fishbowl of her tiny village. The last person she expects to become a friend is Sam West, the taciturn owner of the Bell, Thornthwaite's rougher pub, and a little rough around the edges of himself. But as Rachel gets to know Sam, and sees him caring for his orphaned nephew, she finds herself drawn to this enigmatic man. Nothing about Sam is what Rachel expected in a life partner, and yet she can't deny their increasing closeness. But can love flourish on the rebound? And will there be a vicarage wedding after all?
Kate Hewitt (Author), Hannah Curtis (Narrator)
Audiobook
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