'Attempts to see the conflict from the perspectives of those who fought.' – History TodayThe Battle of Agincourt still rings down through the centuries as a quite incredible victory by the outnumbered, happy few of England, enfeebled by disease and exhaustion, against the might of French chivalry. For many commentators then and now, it was the English archers who won the day for Henry V. This history re-tells the story of the batt...

Writer Colette’s classic works brought to life in a unique audio collectionListen for the first time to this stunning collection of five of Colette’s most celebrated works, compiled and created by BBC Radio. French author and woman of letters, Colette is best known for her 1944 novella Gigi, which became the stage musical launching the career of Audrey Hepburn. Known for her frank, direct and honest way of writing about women and female friendships, Colett...

Penguin Classics presents William Makepeace Thackeray adapted for audio and available as a digital download as part of the Penguin English Library series. Read by Robert Hardy.'Vanitas Vanitatum! Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire? or, having it, is satisfied?'No one is better equipped in the struggle for wealth and worldly success than the alluring and ruthless Becky Sharp, who defies her impoverished background to clam...

Under the Greenwood Tree is Hardy’s most charming novel using, as it does, the four seasons of the Wessex year as a backdrop for the delightful romance of the young Dick Dewy and Fancy Day, the local school mistress. The story of the ups and downs of their courtship is set alongside the story of the rustics who form the Mellstock church choir and their struggle against the introduction of a church organ which threatens their very existence.

Dive into the captivating world of '101 Mystery & Detective Classics You Should Read Before You Die,' an anthology that expertly curates a wide spectrum of engaging tales from the annals of mystery and detective fiction. This remarkable collection showcases an impressive range of styles, from the cerebral puzzles of classic Victorian mysteries to the atmospheric noir tales that dominate American fiction. As you journey through these pages, you'll encounter groundbreaking narratives that de...

Four of Thornton Wilder's most acclaimed works, adapted for BBC Radio - plus bonus material exploring his life and careerThornton Wilder is one of America's most important literary figures. He won the Pulitzer Prize three times - for his novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey and the plays Our Town and The Skin of Our Teeth - and is the only person to be awarded the Pulitzer for both fiction and drama. Included here are four of his key works, s...

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction 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.This curated collection of Arthur Conan Doyle’s most beloved Sherlock Holmes tales is read by the incredible Robert Hardy, known to many for playing Cornelius Fudge in Harry Pott...

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly abridged and remastered stories are now available to download for the first time.The basis of modern science fiction and fantasy dinosaur adventures, The Lost World is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's journey into the lost prehistoric world.Listen as...

Like Jimmie Rodgers Woody Guthrie Robert Johnson and Hank Williams Townes Van Zandt was the embodiment of that mythic American figure the troubled troubadour. A Deeper Blue traces Van Zandts background as the scion of a prominent Texas family; his troubled early years and his transformation from promising pre-law student to wandering folk singer; his life on the road and the demons that pursued and were pursued by him; the women who loved and inspired him; and the brilliance and enduring b...

Robert Hardy stars in this political satire from the writer of Absolute Power and In the RedMedia mogul Lord Malan is the billionaire owner of The Blue Touch Paper, an old-fashioned, hard-right weekly magazine with traditional Conservative values. But the paper is so true blue, it’s losing its touch. Sales are falling and circulation is down – mainly because its core readers are either on the brink of death or foam-flecked with rage. It’s...

This anthology contains many of Kipling’s most famous poems, If, Mandalay, Gunga Din. Though sometimes still regarded as a product of the colonial era, Kipling touches a very popular nerve in Britain’s literary tradition, and is regarded more generously now as a master of popular verse. It is often forgotten that he won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1907.

The 'Dark Christmas Collection: 30+ Supernatural Thrillers, Mysteries & Ghost Stories' serves as a confluence of chilling narratives and spectral whispers that merge traditional yuletide themes with the eerie undertones of supernatural fiction. This anthology showcases a breadth of literary styles from the florid Victorian prose to the sharp, evocative narratives of the early 20th century. Encompassing an array of sinister Christmas tales, the collection captures the uncanny ability of the...