Audiobooks narrated by John L. Sessions

Arthur Conan Doyle: A BBC Radio Drama Collection: More stories from the author of Sherlock Holmes

"BBC Radio dramatisations and readings of some of Arthur Conan Doyle's other works - plus extracts from his letters and a bonus drama by Bert Coules Arthur Conan Doyle is well known as the creator of Sherlock Holmes, but he also wrote numerous works in which the great detective played no part. Included here are a selection of the best, ranging from science fiction to tales of supernatural terror and rip-roaring adventures set in Jacobean and Regency England. Our collection opens with the first of three dramas featuring the hot-tempered, larger-than-life scientist and explorer Professor Challenger. 'The Lost World' stars David Robb as Challenger, he heads on an expedition to a plateau in the Amazon Basin. Following this drama we have two further dramatisations starring Bill Paterson as Challenger this time. In 'When the World Screamed', he sets out on a bold mission to be recognised by Mother Earth, while 'The Disintegration Machine' sees him investigating dastardly Latvian inventor Theodore Nemor. 'The Captain of the Polestar' drama tells the chilling story of a ship trapped in the Arctic, and stars Alec Heggie as Craigie, a man haunted by a strange apparition. Also included are the short stories 'Playing With Fire', 'How It Happened', 'One Crowded Hour', 'The Fall of Lord Barrymore', 'The Sealed Room' and 'The Lost Special' (read by Edward de Souza, Sam Dale, Christopher Harper and David Schofield), and the fascinating series Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters, in which Forbes Masson and John Dougal read extracts from his correspondence to his mother about marriage, fatherhood, killing off Holmes and going into politics. Finally, how the author ran for Parliament in 1900 and lost is explored in Bert Coules' biographical drama Vote For Conan Doyle!, starring John Sessions. First published 1883 ('The Captain of the Polestar'), 1898 ('The Sealed Room', 'The Lost Special'), 1900 ('Playing With Fire'), 1911 ('One Crowded Hour'), 1912 ('The Lost World'), 1912 ('The Fall of Lord Barrymore'), 1913 ('How It Happened'), 1928 ('When The World Screamed'), 1929 ('The Disintegration Machine'), Cast and credits Written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Track list Dramatisations 1. Professor Challenger: The Lost World - Episode 1 - A Bridge to the Unknown 2. Professor Challenger: The Lost World - Episode 2 - Our Eyes Have Seen Great Wonders 3. Professor Challenger: When The World Screamed 4. Professor Challenger: The Disintegration Machine 5. The Captain of the Polestar Short Stories 6. Playing With Fire 7. How It Happened 8. One Crowded Hour 9. The Fall of Lord Barrymore 10. The Sealed Room 11. The Lost Special Bonus content 12. Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters 13. Vote for Conan Doyle! ©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Author), Alec Heggie, Bill Paterson, David Robb, David Schofield, Full Cast, Jamie Glover, John L. Sessions, Sam Dale (Narrator)

Audiobook

Lenin of the Rovers: The Adventures of a Communist Football Club: The Complete Series 1 and 2 of the

"Alexei Sayle stars in this comical story of Britain's first Communist football team A secret descendant of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin, Ricky Lenin is a dyed-in-the-wool Marxist, fervently committed to overthrowing the decadent world of British football. As a midfield maestro, he's perfectly placed to infiltrate England's top club, Felchester Rovers, where he proceeds to introduce his radical ideas. But there's more to his fellow players than meets the eye, and Ricky soon discovers he's not the only one seeking to foment revolution... In these two series, the tactical mastermind and his teammates lock horns with the gutter press, are drawn against the notoriously hard Crungethorpe United, attempt to use the old boy network to get a sleeper agent into Cambridge, and head to the sunny socialist idyll of El Telvador - only to find themselves in the midst of a war zone. But can they make it through to the FA Cup final? Part parody, part social commentary, this tongue-in-cheek 'penny dreadful of the airwaves' affectionately spoofs everything from Roy of the Rovers and Boys' Own heroes to the British establishment, the North-South divide, Marxist-Leninist ideology and football itself. Among the star cast are Keith Allen, Phil Cornwell, John Sessions, Jim Broadbent and legendary BBC football commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme. Written by Marcus Berkmann Produced by Harry Thompson Cast Ricky Lenin - Alexei Sayle Frank Lee Brian - Kenneth Wolstenholme Stevie Stalin/Mike Frankly - Andrew McClean Brian Frankly - Jerold Wells Ray of the Rovers - Maurice Colbourne The Colonel - Ballard Berkeley/Donald Hewlett Terry Trotsky - Keith Allen/Jonathan Kydd/Phil Cornwell Frank Lee Motson/Davies/Robin Hood - Phil Cornwell Announcer - John Witty Des Frankly - Tony Alias Julian Frankly/Senior Praecucumber - John Wells Jeff Frankly - John Sessions Curvy Corinne - Jacqueline Ashman Manolo/McCreadie/C Hopper Harris - Jim Broadbent First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13 February-9 March 1988 (Series 1), 1-8 April 1989 and 8-15 April 2005 (Series 2) © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Marcus Berkmann (Author), Alexei Sayle, Andrew Mcclean, Full Cast, Jim Broadbent, John L. Sessions, Keith Allen, Kenneth Wolstenholme, Phil Cornwell (Narrator)

Audiobook

How to Have a Perfect Marriage: A BBC Radio 4 Drama

"Julia Ford and Greg Wise star in this BBC Radio 4 drama about a husband who comes out as gay after 19 years of marriage Jack and Karen are an ordinary, happily-married couple. They've been together for years and are convinced every problem can be worked through. Until Karen finds an odd text on Jack's phone, and her confrontation leads to a shock revelation: Jack is gay, and he wants a male lover. Seeking stability for themselves and security for their teenage children, they settle on a 'closed loop' arrangement, whereby they stay together and Jack has a boyfriend. So begins a new type of marriage, where small deceptions and unspoken fantasies are replaced with radical honesty. But can they make this work for everyone? When Jack decides he wants to move on, and live his life openly as a gay man, it's time for more negotiations with Karen and the girls. How will Naomi and Ella deal with the seismic changes to their family? Scripted by award-winning writer Nicholas McInerny, this autobiographical look at modern relationships stars Greg Wise as Jack and Julia Ford as Karen, with Katriona Perrett as Naomi and Ellie Bindman and Izzy Watts as Ella. Among the supporting cast are John Sessions, Con O'Neill, Toby Sawyer, Daniel Crowder and Andrew Hayden-Smith. Production credits Written by Nicholas McInerny Produced and directed by Melanie Harris Sound designers: Eloise Whitmore and Alisdair McGregor Executive Producers: Polly Thomas and Jo Meek A Sparklab production for BBC Radio 4 Cast Karen - Julia Ford Jack - Greg Wise Naomi - Katriona Perrett Ella - Ellie Bindman/Izzy Watts Cecily - Liza Sadovy Miranda - Liza Sadovy/Mary Doherty/Dona Croll Ben - Con O'Neill/John Sessions Malcolm - Toby Sawyer Tom - Toby Sawyer/Daniel Crowder Max - Andrew Hayden-Smith First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12-16 August 2013 (Series 1), 10-14 August 2015 (Series 2), 27 June-1 July 2016 (Series 3), 26-30 June 2017 (Series 4) © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Nicholas Mcinerny (Author), Andrew Hayden-Smith, Con O'neill, Daniel Crowder, Doña Croll, Ellie Bindman, Full Cast, Greg Wise, Izzy Watts, John L. Sessions, Julia Ford, Katriona Perrett, Liza Sadovy, Mary Doherty, Toby Sawyer (Narrator)

Audiobook

Beachcomber …..By the Way: A BBC Radio 4 Comedy

"All 18 episodes of the BBC radio series based on J. B. Morton's surreally comic 'Beachcomber' column 'As schoolboys, my brother and I worshipped Beachcomber... and that led to the birth of The Goon Show' Spike Milligan J.B. Morton took over the 'By The Way' column in the Daily Express in 1924 - succeeding his friend D.B. Wyndham-Lewis as Beachcomber - and continued writing it for over 50 years. Anarchic, absurdist and profoundly influential, it had a huge cult following, and paved the way for a great deal of modern humour. These three series bring Beachcomber's irreverent jottings to hilarious life, with Richard Ingrams as the eponymous author: 'Greetings, my public', interruptions from John Wells as Prodnose: 'What is all this?', 'Begone, you oaf!' (door slams after Prodnose), and Patricia Routledge, John Sessions and Joan Sims as the notorious Twelve Red-Bearded Dwarves, among others. Also participating in the nonsense are silken-voiced announcer Brian Perkins and guest stars June Whitfield, Brian Bowles, Simon Greenall and Henrietta Gooden. Featuring Morton's familiar colourful characters, in all their larger-than life glory - including Dr Strabismus (whom God preserve) of Utrecht, Colonel Wretch, Mr Justice Cocklecarrot, Captain Foulenough, Lady Cabstanleigh, Lord Shortcake, Dingipoos, Carstairs and Big White - these 18 rib-tickling adventures perfectly recreate his wonderful, whimsical world. Production credits Adapted by Michael Barfield with Richard Ingrams Starring Richard Ingrams, John Wells, John Sessions, Patricia Routledge and Joan Sims With June Whitfield, Brian Bowles, Simon Greenall and Henrietta Gooden Announcer: Brian Perkins Producer: Harry Thompson First broadcast on BBC Radio 4: 18 March-22 April 1989 (Series 1), 13 July-17 August 1991 (Series 2), 9 November-14 December 1994 (Series 3) © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

J.B. Morton (Author), Full Cast, Joan Sims, John L. Sessions, John Wells, June Whitfield, Patricia Routledge, Richard Ingrams (Narrator)

Audiobook

Tumanbay: The Complete Series 1-4: The BBC Radio epic full-cast saga

"An engrossing, expansive historical fantasy drama, inspired by the Mamluk slave dynasty of Egypt Tumanbay: the wealthiest city on earth. The beating heart of a vast empire. A city of dreams, where those who once arrived as slaves now hold power, and merchants, artists and warriors live side-by-side in peace. But this magnificent city is under threat. A rebellion in a far-off province, led by 'Queen' Maya, is gathering strength - and a mysterious force is devouring the empire from within. Gregor, a merciless spymaster and Master of the Palace Guard, is charged by Sultan Al-Ghuri to crush the insurgence, as his brother General Qulan is dispatched to quell the provincial insurrection. But as well as rooting out traitors, Gregor must contend with his arch-rival, the cunning Grand Vizier, Cadali. Meanwhile, Heaven, the 14-year-old daughter of slave merchant Ibn, is adrift at sea, captive to an escaped slave on whom she depends for her survival. Madu, the Sultan's spoilt nephew, also has to grow up quickly as he swaps palace life for the army... As the wheel of fate turns, Tumanbay's fortunes suffer a terrible reversal. Beset by plague, assassins, invasion, occupation and revolution, the once-great city is riven by political intrigue and power struggles. As rulers are toppled and tyrants fall, who will survive and thrive - and who will die? A Game of Thrones-style epic with the sweep of The Arabian Nights, this compelling story of love, revenge, betrayal and deception won the Best Audio Serial Gold Award at the New York Radio Festival. Among the impressive ensemble cast are Rufus Wright, Olivia Popica, Matthew Marsh, Alexander Siddig, John Sessions, Hiran Abeysekera, Aiysha Hart, Anton Lesser, Tara Fitzgerald, Enzo Cilenti and Rob Jarvis. Production credits Created by John Scott Dryden and Mike Walker and inspired by the Mamluk slave rulers of Egypt Written by John Scott Dryden, Mike Walker and Mac Rogers Directed by John Scott Dryden Produced by Emma Hearn, Nadir Khan and John Scott Dryden Original music by Sacha Puttnam Additional music by Jon Ouin Sound Design: Steve Bond, Jon Ouin and Eloise Whitmore Sound Recording by Joe Richardson and Laurence Farr Sound Edited by James Morgan and Andrea Gomez Editors: Ania Przygoda and James Morgan A Goldhawk Production for BBC Radio 4 © 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

John Dryden, Mike Walker (Author), Alexander Siddig, Anton Lesser, Danny Ashok, Full Cast, John L. Sessions, Matthew Marsh, Nabil Elouahabi, Olivia Popica, Raad Rawi, Rufus Wright (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Quanderhorn Collexion: The complete BBC Radio 4 sci-fi comedy

"London, England, 1952. Meet the mercurial genius Professor Quanderhorn (James Fleet) - a maverick scientist with absolutely no moral compass. Join him and his rag-tag crew on their frontal-lobe-knotting escapades as they: · Battle insane hybrid creatures: the Gorrirrel and the Squirrilla, to the death! · Become Gods to a Stone Age tribe · Are engulfed in a Martian invasion of Earth · Escape shipwreck on the Moon in a spacecraft powered by anger · Evade multiple fiendish traps in the Alien Ziggurat of Death · Tussle with a Top Secret Parrot · Become terminally confused when they encounter their past selves in a Time accident... Will our crew of Brave Boffins survive? And what a crew they are: Q's part insect son, Troy, reputedly a 'major breakthrough in Artificial Stupidity' (Freddie Fox); eager young Test Pilot and recovering amnesiac, Brian Nylon (Ryan Sampson); brilliant scientist Dr. Gemini Janussen with her half-clockwork brain (Cassie Layton); captured Martian hostage Guuuurk (Kevin Eldon); sinister janitor Jenkins (John Sessions), and synthetic-voice-commentator-later-inserted-into-diving-suit, Dolores (Rachel Atkins). Plug in your blue and red cardboard airpods and pair your tin foil router with the Droitwich transmitter array for an adventure beyond human understanding. Get it now, in Super-Vis-O-Download-O-Sound! [patent refused] This Collexion includes both series of the BBC Radio 4 sci-fi comedy, plus ten never-before-heard deleted scenes and interviews with the cast and crew. Track listing: Series 1: 1. It's Eating My Face 2. Mummy! My Donkey's Head is Exploding 3. A Little Thing Like Chocolate Gates Can't Stop Us 4. The Splattered Remains of Unidentifiable Organs Incident All Over Again 5. Fear! Terror! Gut-wrenching Horror! Arg Arg. Please! 6. Dah dah dah dah dah dahh Dah dah dah dah dahhh... Series 2: 7. Killdiboos and Universibold Explodibangbang 8. Shoveleth in More Hazlenuts! 9. Wasp 10. I Didn't Say it was Well Cloaked 11. Am I Actually the Other Half of Gemma Emma Emma? 12. I Heregy Thind You Guilky Deleted scenes: 13. Psychopathic Wasp (Series 1, Ep 6) 14. Crockery Cupboard (Series 1, Ep 6) 15. Guuuurk Diary (Series 2, Ep1) 16. Nut Merchant (Series 2, Ep 2) 17. Bongo-playing Beatniks from Under the Sea (Series 2, Ep 4) 18. Martian Training (Series 2, Ep 4) 19. Martian Countdown (Series 2, Ep 5) 20. Churchill Full Speech (Series 2, Ep 5) 21. Quanderhorn Prison Diary (Series 2, Ep 5) 22. Make your own Martian Opera Tracks (Series 2, Ep 6) Cast and crew interviews: 23. Gordon interviews Rob, Andrew and sound designer Alisdair MacGregor 24. Rob and Andrew interview composer Peter Brewis 25. Gordon interviews Freddie Fox 26. Gordon interviews John Sessions 27. Gordon interviews Rachel Atkins and James Fleet 28. Gordon interviews Ryan Sampson and Cassie Layton 29. Gordon interviews Kevin Eldon Cast and credits: Professor Quanderhorn - James Fleet Brian Nylon - Ryan Sampson Dr Gemini Janussen - Cassie Layton Guuuurk - Kevin Eldon Troy Quanderhorn - Freddie Fox Churchill/Jenkins - John Sessions Synthetic Voice/Mrs Bessie Braddock (MP)/Virginia White/Dolores - Rachel Atkins Created and written by Rob Grant and Andrew Marshall Directed by Andrew Marshall Music by Peter Brewis Engineered, Edited and Sound designed by Alisdair McGregor Production Manager: Sarah Tombling Produced by Rob Grant and Gordon Kennedy Recorded at The Soundhouse Studios Special Thanks to Edward Rowett An Absolutely Production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in June 2018 (Series 1) and May 2020 (Series 2)."

Andrew Marshall, Rob Grant (Author), Cassie Layton, Freddie Fox, James Fleet, John L. Sessions, Kevin Eldon, Rachel Atkins, Ryan Sampson (Narrator)

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The Rivals: Tales of Sherlock Holmes’ rival detectives: 16 BBC Radio full-cast dramas

"The complete collection of all 16 episodes from this gripping BBC Radio crime series Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard was made to look a fool in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Now he gets his own back, introducing sixteen tales of detectives whose abilities rival that of the great Sherlock Holmes. Starring James Fleet (Series 1, 3 and 4) and Tim Piggott-Smith (Series 2) as Lestrade, with casts featuring Andrew Scott, Paul Rhys, Anton Lesser, Honeysuckle Weeks, Rupert Vansittart, John Sessions, Marcia Warren and Tim McInnerny. Dramatised for radio by Chris Harrald, these stories are written by masters of the crime and thriller genre, all contemporaries of Arthur Conan Doyle. They include: The Murders on the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe The Problem of Cell 13 by Jacques Futrelle Murder By Proxy by Matthias McDonnel Bodkin The Mystery of Redstone Manor by Catherine Louisa Pirkis The Problem of the Superfluous Finger by Jacques Futrelle The Clue of the Silver Spoons by Robert Barr The Intangible Clue by Anna Katharine Green The Game Played in the Dark by Ernest Bramah The Kinght's Cross Signal Problem by Ernest Bramah A Snapshot by Matthias McDonnel Bodkin Seven, Seven, Seven - City by Julius Chambers The Moabite Cipher - by R Austin Freeman The Clairvoyants - by Arthur B Reeve The Stanway Cameo Mystery - Arthur Morrison The Secret of Dunstan's Tower - Ernest Bramah The Mystery of the Scarlet Thread - Jacques Futrelle Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko (Series 1) and Liz Webb (Series 2, 3, 4) (c) BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 2021 (p) BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 2021"

Anna Katherine Green, Arthur B. Reeve, Arthur Morrison, Edgar Allan Poe, Ernest Bramah, Jacques Futrelle, Julius Chambers, Louisa Pirkis, Matthias Mcdonnel Bodkin, R.Austin Freeman, Robert Barr (Author), Andrew Scott, Anton Lesser, Full Cast, Honeysuckle Weeks, James Fleet, John L. Sessions, Marcia Warren, Paul Rhys, Tim Mcinnerny, Tim Pigott-Smith (Narrator)

Audiobook

Electric Ink: The Complete Series 1 and 2: Old hack meets new media in this BBC Radio comedy

"Old hacks meet new media in this BBC radio sitcom set in the changing world of the newspaper industry 'The writing is tight, the characters astutely observed and the situation comedy inclusive' Radio Times Maddox is an old-school journalist struggling to keep up with new technology. He fears the art of finding stories is being forgotten, and is not about to let that happen. His online editor Freddy, however, will happily regurgitate a press release and call it a story. But they have a grudging respect for each other, as Freddy helps Maddox stay afloat in the world of Twitter, Facebook and podcasting and Maddox shows Freddy how to land a real scoop. Both are at the mercy of pragmatic editor Oliver, who simply wants to keep his job, and news editor Carol, who believes the public want more pieces on Big Mac-eating orang-utans and fewer of Max's moral diatribes. And only Masha, the Russian head of online communities, knows Freddy's secret: he's not a hyper-cool kid from the street, but a posh boy from Eton... As the team attempt to cover major news stories while grappling with the demands of working in a multi-platform environment, can they stop circulation figures plummeting, keep their jobs and still retain their journalistic integrity? Robert Lindsay and John Sessions star in this witty satirical comedy, with Alex Jennings, Ben Willbond, Stephen Wight, Debbie Chazen and Polly Frame. Production credits Written by Alistair Beaton and Tom Mitchelson Produced and directed by Sally Avens"

Alistair Beaton (Author), Alex Jennings, Ben Willbond, Debbie Chazen, Elizabeth Berrington, Full Cast, John L. Sessions, Polly Frame, Robert Lindsay, Stephen Wight, Zita Sattar (Narrator)

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Whose Line Is It Anyway?: The complete BBC radio series

"The hit improvisation radio show that spawned the TV phenomenon Regular team captains Stephen Fry and John Sessions are joined by Lenny Henry, Dawn French, Hugh Laurie, Enn Reitel, Jimmy Mulville, Nonny Williams, Griff Rhys Jones, Kate Robbins, John Bird, Rory Bremner and Jon Glover, as they battle their way through a succession of games and romp through a world of literary styles, TV theme tunes, and film genres. Chairman Clive Anderson desperately tries to hold the whole thing together and the guests make it up as they go along in this riot of improvisation. First heard on BBC Radio 4 in January 1988, Whose Line is it Anyway? went on to run for 10 series on Channel 4 and found success in America. Based on comedy suggestions from the studio audience, this is ad-libbed comedy at its best. With Colin Sell at the piano. Devised and compiled by Mark Leveson, with additional material by Martin Booth. Produced by Dan Patterson"

Dan Patterson, Mark Leveson (Author), Clive Anderson, Dawn French, Griff Rhys Jones, Hugh Laurie, John Bird, John L. Sessions, Kate Robbins, Lenny Henry, Rory Bremner, Stephen Fry (Narrator)

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Gloomsbury: The complete series 1-5 of the hit BBC Radio 4 comedy

"'... one of the funniest, slyest, most naughtily inventive and brilliantly performed shows on the air' - Gillian Reynolds, The Daily Telegraph 'A gloriously silly show' - The Lady Miriam Margolyes, Alison Steadman and Nigel Planer star in Sue Limb's wickedly funny comedy parodying the arty and adulterous adventures of the Bloomsbury Group, who dominated the English cultural scene in the early 20th Century. The series follows the fortunes of Vera Sackcloth-Vest - writer, gardener and cross-dresser - and her urge to escape from the tranquillity of the rather cramped little castle in Kent which she shares with her doting but ambiguous husband, Harry, who is 'something in the Foreign Office'. Vera's heart is forever surging with exotic passion, either for Ginny Fox, a highly-strung novelist who adores her, or the beautiful but shallow Venus Traduces. As the scene shifts from Kent to London, and Cornwall to Monaco, this close-knit coterie is divided by misunderstandings, jealousies and rows, whilst the colourfully chaotic characters are joined by such sort-of familiar figures as D.H. Lollipop, T.S. Jellitot, Sigmund Void, George Gurnard Shaw, Dorothy Barker, Al Padrone, James Voyce and Ernest Hammingaway. Production credits Written by Sue Lamb. Produced by Jamie Rix. A Little Brother production for BBC Radio 4. Cast Vera Sackcloth-Vest - Miriam Margolyes Henry Mickleton - Jonathan Coy Mrs Ginny Fox / Mrs Gosling - Alison Steadman Venus Traduces - Morwenna Banks Lionel Fox / Mr Gosling - Nigel Planer (Series 1, 3-5) / Roger Lloyd Pack (Series 2) D H Lollipop - John Sessions Other parts played by members of the cast. First broadcast 28th September - 2nd November 2012 (Series 1), 2nd April - 7th May 2014 (Series 2), 29th May 2015 - 3rd July 2015 (Series 3), 7th April - 12th May 2017 (Series 4) and 12th October 2018 -16th November 2018 (Series 5). ©2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Sue Limb (Author), Alison Steadman, Full Cast, John L. Sessions, Jonathan Coy, Miriam Margolyes, Morwenna Banks, Nigel Planer, Roger Lloyd Pack (Narrator)

Audiobook

Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War

"Random House presents the audiobook edition of Appeasing Hitler by Tim Bouverie, read by John Sessions. 'Appeasing Hitler is an astonishingly accomplished debut. Bouverie writes with a wonderful clarity and we will no doubt hear a lot more of his voice in future' ANTONY BEEVOR On a wet afternoon in September 1938, Neville Chamberlain stepped off an aeroplane and announced that his visit to Hitler had averted the greatest crisis in recent memory. It was, he later assured the crowd in Downing Street, ‘peace for our time’. Less than a year later, Germany invaded Poland and the Second World War began. Appeasing Hitler is a compelling new narrative history of the disastrous years of indecision, failed diplomacy and parliamentary infighting that enabled Nazi domination of Europe. Beginning with the advent of Hitler in 1933, it sweeps from the early days of the Third Reich to the beaches of Dunkirk. Bouverie takes us into the backrooms of 10 Downing Street and Parliament, where a small group of rebellious MPs, including the indomitable Winston Churchill, were among the few to realise that the only choice was between ‘war now or war later’. And we enter the drawing rooms and dining clubs of fading imperial Britain, where Hitler enjoyed surprising support among the ruling class and even some members of the Royal Family. Drawing on deep archival research, including previously unseen sources, this is an unforgettable portrait of the ministers, aristocrats and amateur diplomats who, through their actions and inaction, shaped their country's policy and determined the fate of Europe. Both sweeping and intimate, Appeasing Hitler is not only eye-opening history but a timeless lesson on the challenges of standing up to aggression and authoritarianism – and the calamity that results from failing to do so."

Tim Bouverie (Author), John L. Sessions (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Bid

"After five years of planning and an 18-month campaign costing more than £15m, England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup ended in humiliation in front of millions of TV viewers around the world. This thrilling drama tells the behind-the-scenes story of what happened in Zurich in the days leading up to the momentous announcement on 2nd December 2010. The England bid team - which included David Beckham and Prince William - arrived with high hopes. They had a strong bid and their presentation to the FIFA voting executives went without a hitch. But behind the confident facade, a desperate struggle was taking place as England jostled with other countries, courting FIFA executive members, lobbying for votes and making deals. This is a gripping story of hope, broken promises and disappointment, starring John Sessions and written by Matthew Solon. Directed by John Dryden. A Goldhawk Production for BBC Radio 4."

Matthew Solon (Author), John L. Sessions (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by John L. Sessions