Audiobooks narrated by Timothy West

A History Of Britain: Volume 2 - The British Wars 1603-1776

Timothy West reads the second volume of Simon Schama’s compelling chronicle of the British Isles. The British wars began on the morning of 23 July 1637, heralding two hundred years of battles waged within and away from our isles. Most would be driven by religious or political conviction, as Republicans and Royalists, Catholics and Protestants, Tories and Whigs, and colonialists and natives vied for supremacy. Of those battles not fought on home territory, a great number took place across Europe, America, India and also at sea. Schama’s examination of this turbulent period reveals how the British people eventually united in imperial enterprise, forming what he calls ‘Britannia Incorporated’. The story of that change evokes the memory of such enduringly influential people as Oliver Cromwell, as well as lesser known but equally extraordinary individuals. A story of revolution and reaction, progress and catastrophe, this is a vivid account of two centuries which changed Britain.

Simon Schama (Author), Timothy West (Narrator)

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Rumpole: The Gentle Art of Blackmail & other stories: Four BBC Radio 4 dramatisations

Benedict Cumberbatch plays the young Horace Rumpole in this second stellar collection of court cases, also starring Timothy West as the older RumpoleRumpole and the Man of GodIt is 1959, and Rumpole must defend a clergyman accused of shoplifting who, although he clearly did not commit the crime, is curiously reluctant to be cross-examined under oath. Meanwhile, Hilda (she who must be obeyed) has big news…Rumpole and the Explosive Evidence Rumpole defends a well-known safe blower and exposes the underhand behaviour of one Dirty Dickerson, a senior police officer who is quite prepared to tamper with evidence.Rumpole and the Gentle Art of Blackmail In 1964 Rumpole returns to Oxford, where he studied law, to defend a young gardener who is accused of blackmailing the Master of St Joseph’s College. Their friendship had provoked rumours of homosexuality – still illegal in those days – and the Master says he has been threatened with a public accusation.Rumpole and the Expert Witness Rumpole is asked to defend a GP, Dr Ned Dacre, who is accused of murdering his wife, Sally. The plot thickens when the local pathologist turns out to have history with Dr Ned…

John Clifford Mortimer, John Mortimer (Author), , Benedict Cumberbatch, Timothy West (Narrator)

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Old Harry’s Game: The Complete Series of the Award-Winning BBC Radio 4 Comedy

All seven series of Andy Hamilton's fiendishly funny award-winning comedy set in Hell. 'Satirical, philosophical - and devilishly funny' Gillian Reynolds, Daily Telegraph Welcome to Hell - where nobody can ever quite catch the barman's eye. In this collection, which contains all seven series of Old Harry's Game, get ready for some wicked one-liners and scorching satire. Satan is fed up after a millennia in charge of Hell, especially given the prospect of an eternity still running the damned place. Although he does enjoy playing pranks on the world of the living and devising wry torments for the souls in his keeping, he often wistfully recalls his past as an archangel... Over the course of the series, we meet various famous figures now languishing in Hell, including a foul-mouthed Jane Austen, a mindless Helen of Troy and a less-than-heroic Samson. Satan takes Hell resident Thomas on a tour of his life, his assistant Scumspawn has trouble with a pushy computer, and love drives The Professor to extreme action. Satan and The Professor find a huge, empty space in Hell (when they enter Scumspawn's brain), a Health and Safety officer notes that the lighting is inadequate, and Satan punishes a feng shui expert. And then Edith arrives... Seven series of the Sony Award-winning comedy (plus the Christmas and Olympic specials) starring Andy Hamilton as Satan and a regular cast of acclaimed actors including Annette Crosbie as Edith, Timothy West as God, James Grout as The Professor, Jimmy Mulville as Thomas and Robert Duncan as Scumspawn. Production credits Written by Andy Hamilton Produced by Paul Mayhew-Archer First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 November - 28 December 1995 (Series 1), 7 April - 12 May 1998 (Series 2), 24 March - 28 April 1999 (Series 3), 29 March - 3 May 2001 (Series 4), 31 December 2002 - 1 January 2003 (2002 Christmas Special), 20 September - 11 October 2005 (Series 5), 27 September - 1 November 2007 (Series 6), 19 February - 26 March 2009 (Series 7), 23 December - 30 December 2010 (2010 Christmas Special), 12 July - 19 July 2012 (Olympic Special). ©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Andy Hamilton (Author), Andy Hamilton, Annette Crosbie, David Swift, Full Cast, James Grout, Jimmy Mulville, Robert Duncan, Timothy West (Narrator)

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The Fall of Gondolin

Presented for the first time as a standalone work, the epic tale of The Fall of Gondolin reunites fans of The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings with Elves and Men, Balrogs, Dragons & Orcs and the rich landscape and creatures unique to Tolkien's Middle-earth. This brand new audio book is read by Timothy West & Samuel West. Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable, is central to the enmity of two of the greatest powers in the world. Morgoth of the uttermost evil seeks in vain to discover the marvellously hidden city of his Elven enemies, while the gods in Valinor refuse to support Ulmo Lord of Waters' designs to protect it. Into this world comes Tuor, cousin of Túrin, and guided unseen by Ulmo he sets out on the fearful journey to Gondolin to warn them of their coming doom. Then Morgoth learns through an act of supreme treachery all that he needs to mount a devastating attack on the city, with Balrogs and dragons and numberless Orcs.

J. R. R. Tolkien (Author), Samuel West, Timothy West (Narrator)

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Unfinished Tales

JRR Tolkien's legacy of short stories which inhabit the realm of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, on audio for the first time. Unfinished Tales is a collection of narratives ranging in time from the Elder Days of Middle-earth to the end of the War of the Ring, and provides those who have read The Lord of the Rings with a whole collection of background and new stories from the twentieth century's most acclaimed popular author. The book concentrates on the realm of Middle-earth and comprises such elements as Gandalf's lively account of how it was that he came to send the Dwarves to the celebrated party at Bag-End, the emergence of the sea-god Ulmo before the eyes of Tuor on the coast of Beleriand, and an exact description of the military organization of the Riders of Rohan. Unfinished Tales also contains the only story about the long ages of Numenor before its downfall, and all that is known about such matters as the Five Wizards, the Palantiri and the legend of Amroth. The tales were collated and edited by JRR Tolkien's son and literary heir, Christopher Tolkien, who provides a short commentary on each story, helping the reader to fill in the gaps and put each story into the context of the rest of his father's writings.

J. R. R. Tolkien (Author), Samuel West, Timothy West (Narrator)

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Beren and Lúthien

Painstakingly restored from Tolkien’s manuscripts and presented for the first time as a continuous and standalone story, the epic tale of Beren and Lúthien will reunite fans of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings with Elves and Men, Dwarves and Orcs and the rich landscape unique to Tolkien’s Middle-earth. The tale of Beren and Lúthien was, or became, an essential element in the evolution of The Silmarillion, the myths and legends of the First Age of the World conceived by J.R.R. Tolkien. Returning from France and the battle of the Somme at the end of 1916, he wrote the tale in the following year. Essential to the story, and never changed, is the fate that shadowed the love of Beren and Lúthien: for Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal Elf. Her father, a great Elvish lord, in deep opposition to Beren, imposed on him an impossible task that he must perform before he might wed Lúthien. This is the kernel of the legend; and it leads to the supremely heroic attempt of Beren and Lúthien together to rob the greatest of all evil beings, Melkor, called Morgoth, the Black Enemy, of a Silmaril. In this book Christopher Tolkien has attempted to extract the story of Beren and Lúthien from the comprehensive work in which it was embedded; but that story was itself changing as it developed new associations within the larger history. To show something of the process whereby this legend of Middle-earth evolved over the years, he has told the story in his father's own words by giving, first, its original form, and then passages in prose and verse from later texts that illustrate the narrative as it changed. Presented together for the first time on audio, they reveal aspects of the story, both in event and in narrative immediacy, that were afterwards lost.

J. R. R. Tolkien (Author), Samuel West, Timothy West (Narrator)

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A History Of Britain: Volume 1: At The Edge Of The World? 3000BC - AD 1603

To look back at the past is to understand the present. In this vivid account of over 4,000 years of British history Simon Schama takes us on an epic journey which encompasses the very beginnings of the nation’s identity, when the first settlers landed on Orkney. From the successes and failures of the monarchy to the daily life of a Roman soldier stationed on Hadrian’s Wall, Schama gives a vivid, fascinating account of the many different stories and struggles that lie behind the growth of our island nation. Simon Schama’s hugely successful BBC 2 series has shown him to be one of our most original and exciting historians. Timothy West’s abridged reading of the book accompanying the series, introduced by Schama himself reading his own Preface, bears further testimony to his extraordinary gift for story-telling. 'Schama is a giant, a great thinking-machine and a golden lyricist as well' - Mail on Sunday.

Simon Schama (Author), Timothy West (Narrator)

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A History Of Britain: Volume 3 - The Fate of Empire 1776-2000

Award-winning historian Simon Schama concludes his monumental three-volume history of Britain. Here he illuminates the period from 1776 to 2000 through a variety of historical themes, including Victorian advances in technology and industry, women’s increasing role in society, and the burgeoning British Empire which promised civilisation and material betterment for all. This volume also looks at key characters from the period, including Wordsworth, Burke, Queen Victoria, Churchill and Orwell, whilst examining some lesser-known lives, such as Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the first woman doctor, and Mary Seacole, a Jamaican nurse in the Crimea. Finally Schama reflects on the overwhelming presence of the past in the 20th century, and the struggle of our leaders to find a way of making a different national future.

Simon Schama (Author), Timothy West (Narrator)

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Shakespeare: The Complete Works

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic prose and verse read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. For the first time, the complete works of Shakespeare are available to download as one. This collection includes all 37 plays, 4 narrative poems, and the sonnets. Performed by an incredible array of the 20th century’s greatest actors, Ian McKellen, Timothy West, Diana Rigg, Derek Jacobi, Roy Dotrice, Prunella Scales, and many others can be heard in these recordings. All of the Shakespeare plays within the ARGO Classics catalogue are performed by the Marlowe Dramatic Society and Professional Players. The Marlowe was founded in 1907 with a mission to focus on effective delivery of verse, respect the integrity of texts, and rescue neglected plays by Shakespeare’s contemporaries and the less performed plays of Shakespeare himself. The Marlowe has performed annually at Cambridge Arts Theatre since its opening in 1936 and continues to produce some of the finest actors of their generations. This collection brings together all of Shakespeare’s works, including: • A Lover's Complaint • A Midsummer Night's Dream • All's Well That Ends Well • Antony And Cleopatra • As You Like It • Coriolanus • Cymbeline • Hamlet • Henry IV, Pt. 1 • Henry IV, Pt. 2 • Henry V • Henry VI, Pt. 1 • Henry VI, Pt. 2 • Henry VI, Pt. 3 • Henry VIII • Julius Caesar • King John • King Lear • Love's Labour's Lost • Macbeth • Measure For Measure • Much Ado About Nothing • Othello • Pericles, Prince Of Tyre • Richard II • Richard III • Romeo And Juliet • Sonnets • The Comedy Of Errors • The Merchant Of Venice • The Merry Wives Of Windsor • The Phoenix and the Turtle • The Rape Of Lucrece • The Taming Of The Shrew • The Tempest • The Two Gentlemen Of Verona • The Winter's Tale • Timon Of Athens • Titus Andronicus • Troilus And Cressida • Twelfth Night • Venus And Adonis The full casts for each production in this collection can be found in the description of the individual play’s product page.

William Shakespeare (Author), Derek Jacobi, Diana Rigg, Full Cast, Ian McKellen, Ian Mckellen, Prunella Scales, Roy Dotrice, Timothy West, full cast (Narrator)

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Beatrix Potter Complete Tales

The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter are now available as a downloadable, digital audiobook, complete and unabridged! The twenty-three tales in this set have never lost their popularity, and sell in their millions all over the world. Meet again the famous characters that children love and adore... PETER RABBIT, SQUIRREL NUTKIN, THE FLOPSY BUNNIES, MRS TIGGY-WINKLE, TOM KITTEN, JEREMY FISHER, JEMIMA PUDDLE-DUCK and many more. These stories are beautifully brought to life by a talented cast of readers, including Gary Bond, Michael Hordern, Rosemary Leach, Janet Maw, Patricia Routledge and Timothy West.

Beatrix Potter (Author), Gary Bond, Janet Maw, Michael Hordern, Patricia Routledge, Rosemary Leach, Timothy West (Narrator)

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Tom Stoppard: A BBC Radio Collection: 14 full-cast productions

The collected BBC radio productions of the internationally renowned playwright Tom Stoppard One of the giants of British theatre, Sir Tom Stoppard has been writing for the stage and screen for over 50 years. Full of wit, verbal brilliance and big ideas, his plays appeal to critics and audiences alike and are among the most studied works of the last century. Our collection contains the masterpiece, Arcadia, which won him an Olivier Award for Best Play and transferred to radio with the cast of the award-winning National Theatre production. It is followed by two of his most famous and best-loved dramas: the hilarious spoof whodunnit The Real Inspector Hound and the play that made Stoppard's name, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Also included is the bittersweet drama Dalliance, based on Arthur Schnitzler's play Liebelei. The troubled history of Stoppard's home country, Czechoslovakia, is explored in two thought-provoking plays. Rock 'n' Roll, about love, loyalty, compromise and music, was specially adapted for radio by Stoppard himself, with a new final scene and a soundtrack featuring artists such as, U2, Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys and The Velvet Underground. Its themes of resistance to totalitarianism are echoed in Professional Foul, dramatised by Stoppard from his award-winning BBC TV play and set in communist Prague. Stoppard also wrote numerous original radio plays, eight of which are featured here including; The Prix Italia-winning Albert's Bridge; In the Native State (later adapted as the stage play Indian Ink) and Darkside, based on the themes of Pink Floyd's classic album The Dark Side of the Moon. Among the multitude of stars in these dazzling dramas are Hugh Grant, Rufus Sewell, Bill Nighy, Felicity Kendal, Harriet Walter, Amaka Okafor, Emma Fielding, Bill Paterson, John Hurt, Bertie Carvel, Toby Jones, Penelope Keith, John Le Mesurier, Penny Downie, Anna Massey, Ron Cook, Ronny Jhutti, Mathew Baynton, Peggy Ashcroft and Timothy West. Production credits Written by Tom Stoppard Text copyright 1964 (The Dissolution of Dominic Boot; M is for Moon Among Other Things), 1966 (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead; If You're Glad, I'll Be Frank), 1967 (Albert's Bridge), 1968 (The Real Inspector Hound), 1970 (Where Are They Now?), 1977 (Professional Foul), 1982 (The Dog It Was That Died), 1986 (Dalliance), 1991 (In the Native State), 1993 (Arcadia), 2006 (Rock 'n' Roll), 2013 (Darkside) All rights reserved Arcadia Directed by David Benedictus Original music composed by Jeremy Sands The Real Inspector Hound Directed by Gordon House Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead Directed by Emma Harding Music arranged and performed by Clare Salaman, Philip Hopkins and Amelia Shakespeare from The Society of Strange and Ancient Instruments Albert's Bridge Produced and directed by Charles Lefeaux Where Are They Now? Produced by John Tydeman If You're Glad, I'll Be Frank Produced by John Tydeman The Dissolution of Dominic Boot Directed by Glyn Dearman The Dog It Was That Died Produced by John Tydeman Rock 'n' Roll Directed by Alison Hindell Darkside Produced by James Robinson Professional Foul Directed by Gordon House Dalliance Directed by Jeremy Howe Based on a play by Arthur Schnitzler Piano played by Steve Edis M is for Moon Among Other Things Directed by Paul Schlesinger In the Native State Produced by John Tydeman Excerpt from Up the Country by Emily Eden read by Auriol Smith

Tom Stoppard (Author), Bill Nighy, Felicity Kendal, Full Cast, Harriet Walter, Harriet Walters, Hugh Grant, Peggy Ashcroft, Penelope Keith, Rufus Sewell, Timothy West, Toby Jones (Narrator)

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Shakespeare: The Histories: Henry IV Part I, Henry IV Part II, Henry V, Henry VI Part I, Henry VI Pa

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic prose and verse read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. All 10 of Shakespeare’s timeless histories, performed by the celebrated Marlowe Dramatic Society and Professional Players. Politics, power, and the tragedy of war are played out in these sweeping histories that continue to surprise and entertain. Performed by an incredible array of the 20th century’s greatest actors, Marlowe alumni including Ian McKellen, Derek Jacobi, Prunella Scales, William Squire, and Timothy West can be heard in these recordings. All of the Shakespeare plays within the ARGO Classics catalogue are performed by the Marlowe Dramatic Society and Professional Players. The Marlowe was founded in 1907 with a mission to focus on effective delivery of verse, respect the integrity of texts, and rescue neglected plays by Shakespeare’s contemporaries and the less performed plays of Shakespeare himself. The Marlowe has performed annually at Cambridge Arts Theatre since its opening in 1936 and continues to produce some of the finest actors of their generations. Thurston Dart, Professor of Music at London University and a Fellow of Jesus College Cambridge, directed the music for this production. This collection includes 10 histories: • Henry IV Part I • Henry IV Part II • Henry V • Henry VI Part I • Henry VI Part II • Henry VI Part III • Henry VIII • King John • Richard II • Richard III The full casts for each production in this collection can be found in the description of the individual play’s product page.

William Shakespeare (Author), Derek Jacobi, Full Cast, Ian McKellen, Ian Mckellen, Prunella Scales, Timothy West, William Squire, full cast (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Timothy West