The affair between Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas, the son of the Marquess of Queensbury, led to a series of three trials in 1895, and Wilde's imprisonment for two years. He died three and a half years later in Paris at the age of 46. This recording recreates these sensational trials from the original transcripts.

Shakespeare was born in Stratford on 23rd April 1564 and died in the same English country town on the same date in 1616. This audiobook is the first in a series of four and explores the birth and youth of Shakespeare, his family fortunes and misfortunes and his emergence onto the London theatre scene.

Originally broadcast on Radio 4, this one-man show written by Dickens aficionado Peter Ackroyd is superbly voiced by Simon Callow. He portrays not only Charles Dickens but many of his best-loved characters, as Dickens travels through Europe and America thrilling audiences with public readings of his works.

Joy Adamson relates the story of her life alongside Elsa the lioness, whom she had rescued as an orphaned cub and raised until she was old enough to return to the African wilds. Millions have also come to know and love Elsa and the story of 'Born Free' through the film starring Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers.

The autobiography of Kate Adie, who has reported from many of the world's trouble spots - Northern Ireland, Tiananmen Square and the 1991 Gulf War among others - since she joined the BBC in 1969. This audiobook describes frontline events as well as the nitty-gritty of everyday life travelling the world by cattle truck and armoured vehicle.

'A Song Flung Up To Heaven' is the final part of Maya Angelou's series of autobiographies which began with 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings'. This memoir deals with the years 1964-68, a turbulent period in which Angelou returns to America after spending time in Africa. This was the time of the murders of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King; the latter with whom Angelou was on the point of working with during the American civil rights movement.

The first volume of Maya Angelou's autobiography, an honest and thought-provoking account of her childhood in the American South of the 1930s. She writes about racism and about learning the power of the white folks who lived at the other end of town. She also details intensely personal experiences such as the brutal rape she suffered at the hands of her mother's lover. Whilst exploring some harrowing themes this audiobook also highlights the extraordinary resilience of human nature.

A book about the North - poet Simon Armitage's North. His subjects include a typical Saturday night out in West Yorkshire, Hebden Bridge - the hippy capital of the universe, watching Huddersfield Town on Saturday afternoon, and the electrified East coast line.

At the age of 26, David Attenborough applied for a job at the BBC - which then meant radio - and was turned down. It was suggested that he tried television, and fifty years later he is still one of British television's most well-loved figures. This audiobook covers both his hectic half-century in television, as well as expeditions to some very wild parts of the world.

John Aubrey's eccentric portraits of the great figures of 17th-century England rank alongside Pepys's diaries for their vivid evocation of the period. Born in 1626, the son of a Wiltshire squire; at the age of 26 Aubrey inherited a family estate encumbered with debt, and finally went bankrupt in the 1670s. At his death in 1697 he left a mass of notes on the likes of Shakespeare, Sir Walter Raleigh and Thomas Hobbes, which became 'Brief Lives'.

It is to her elder sister Cassandra that most of Jane Austen's surviving letters are written, and through them we discover the intimate world of the English gentry. At times both candid and wickedly indiscreet, Austen's letters detail the joys and sorrows of her large family, and provide the listener with an insight into the life and inspirations of one of England's greatest novelists.

Tom Baker's spirited autobiography explores his childhood in a poor Irish community in Liverpool; his six years as a monk; his struggling times as an out-of-work actor; the drinking haunts of Soho with the likes of Jeffery Bernard and Anthony Hopkins and on to appearances alongside Olivier at the National Theatre before his big break as perhaps the definitive 'Dr Who' at the BBC.

After 28 years in a strictly enclosed convent, Monica Baldwin decided to return to the world in 1941 and was overwhelmed by the pace of wartime London, embarrased by her ignorance of everyday customs, and excited by her discoveries.

In this selection of their letters, diaries and autobiographical fragments, we hear the authentic voices of the three novelists, as well as their brother Bramwell and father, the Reverend Patrick Bronte. The collection follows their progress from exuberant childhood to years of hardship, followed by immense literary success and tragic later years.

The diary of Jean-Dominique Bauby, a 42-year-old father of two and editor-in-chief of Elle magazine in Paris, who, with his left eyelid (the only functioning muscle after a massive stroke), dictated a remarkable and moving account of being locked inside his own body.

On the 10th May 2002, author Nina Bawden and her husband, Austen Kark, boarded the 12.45 train from King's Cross en route to Cambridge for a friend's birthday party. A few minutes later the train derailed. Nina was gravely injured and Austen was killed instantly, along with seven others. In this powerful and poignant letter to her husband, Nina uses her considerable writing skills to try and make sense of it all, and explains how she found herself becoming a spokesperson for the survivors of the crash.

Author and literary critic John Bayley was married to novelist Iris Murdoch until her death in February 1999. In this memoir he recounts their life together, up to and including their realisation that Iris was suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

When Lillian Beckwith advertised for a quiet, secluded place in the country, she received the following unorthodox description of the attractions of life in an isolated Hebridean croft: 'Surely it's that quiet even the sheeps themselves on the hills is lonely'. Intrigued by her would-be landlady's letter and spurred on by the scepticism of her friends, Lillian Beckwith began her new life. 'The Hills is Lonely' is the enchanting story of the extremely unusual rest cure that followed.

The sequel to 'The Hills is Lonely'. After three years of rest cure in the Hebrides, Lillian Beckwith must move house. But from the moment she sets eyes on her new home, privacy and quiet are denied her. Lillian's life is now full of her frequent welcome - and less welcome visitors.

Tony Benn brings his unmistakable presence to the stage. His only props: a flask of tea, some rubbed tobacco and his trademark pipe. This audiobook is a mix of politics, opinion and debate as he explores the issues of today spiced with memories of the past.

When Tony Benn left Parliament after 51 years he quoted his wife Caroline's remark that now he would have 'more time for politics'. And so this has proved: in the first seven years of this century he has helped reinvigorate national debate through public meetings, mass campaigns and appearances in the media, passionately bringing moral and political issues to wide audiences. And throughout, as ever, he has been keeping his diaries.

The personal diaries of Alan Bennett, writer, actor and skilled observer of human foibles, whose kind but quirky eye makes even the most mundane occurance amusing. These cassettes provide not only an insider's view of the arts world but a writer's tour of Russia, life in New York and Camden, filming in Egypt, Mrs Thatcher and the Falklands War and tales of a Yorkshire village.

To mark their thirtieth anniversary, the Medici String Quartet asked composer George Fenton and writer Alan Bennett to collaborate on a piece for performance at the Harrogate International Festival. The result was 'Hymn', a meditative piece, in which Bennett looks at the part which music played in his childhood. George Fenton's score, which accompanies Bennett's words, draws on a range of musical references including Elgar, Delius and many well-known hymns.

Adapted by the author from his autobiographical memoir 'The Lady in the Van', this audiobook tells the story of Miss Mary Shepherd, whom Bennett first came across when she was living in a series of vans near his home in Camden town. Eventually he allowed her to stay in his garden where she lived until her death in 1989. This edition has an extra episode in which Bennett recounts the discovery of Mary's brother and learns more of her story. 'My Uncle Clarence' details the quest for an uncle whom Bennett never met, who was killed in France in 1917.

This is a collection of Alan Bennett's prose writings, assembled by Bennett himself from over a quarter of a century of diaries, reminiscences, broadcasting and reviews. Including recollections of growing up in Leeds, at the heart of the collection is 'The Lady in the Van', his account of Miss Mary Shephard, a homeless woman who took up residence in his garden for fifteen years. CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE.

The second part of the collection of Alan Bennett's prose writings, assembled by Bennett himself from over a quarter of a century of diaries, reminiscences, broadcasting and reviews. CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE.

For seven decades, actress Katharine Hepburn played a leading role in the popular culture of the 20th century. She also remained one of the most private figures of her time. In 1982, at the age of 75, she shared for the first time details of her life, including her famous relationships with Spencer Tracy and Howard Hughes, her family and extraordinary career in Hollywood and on Broadway.

Christabel Bielenberg, a niece of Lord Northcliffe, married a German lawyer in 1934. Her extraordinary story tells of how she lived through the war as a German citizen and dedicated her life to withstanding Hitler.

By the time Dickie Bird retired from international cricket in 1996, he had stood at over 66 Test matches and 50 internationals. In this autobiography Dickie gives a behind-the-scenes account of the game and those involved in it.

'Out of Africa' is a celebration of Karen Blixen's life in Kenya, and the story of her struggles and triumphs in managing a coffee plantation there. Her friendship with the people of the area, her sympathetic response to the landscape and animals and deep love for Africa is portrayed with warmth and clarity in this classic autobiography.

David Blunkett's autobiography describes his remarkable rise from his beginnings as a blind, underprivileged child to a member of the British Shadow Cabinet. Especially enjoyable are Blunkett's depictions of his early experiences in a boarding school for blind children, where sledding, baseball and bicycling were encouraged.

A portrait of a Suffolk village and its inhabitants during the 1950s, which includes reminiscences from survivors of the Great War to the concerns of a younger generation of farm workers and the personal recollections of the local schoolteacher, doctor, blacksmith, saddler, district nurse and magistrate.

Dirk Bogarde's first volume of autobiography traces the first steps of a young actor who went on to achieve worldwide acclaim. It details not only his early stage experiences, but also scenes from his childhood in Sussex, where his family lived in a cottage in the South Downs. Later came a technical college in Glasgow, an apprenticeship in printing, an art education at Chelsea, and finally a scholarship to the Old Vic - just as war broke out.

Dirk Bogarde recalls living in France and London in the fifth volume of his autobiography. He analyses his sense of loss at 67, after the death of his life partner, and coming to terms with living alone in London.

Dirk Bogarde recalls living in France and London in the fifth volume of his autobiography. He analyses his sense of loss at 67, after the death of his life partner, and coming to terms with living alone in London.

The third volume of Bogarde's autobiographies. As work on 'Death in Venice' draws to a close, Dirk Bogarde is preparing his house in Provence as a retreat. This audio book covers the years in which he gave some of his finest, most sensitive acting performances and began his career as a writer.

The fourth volume of autobiography from Dirk Bogarde, in which he retraces his life from childhood to adult life in Provence. 'Cleared for Take-Off' is a very personal account of Bogarde's life behind the scenes, and an affectionate, amusing and touching review of an extraordinary life.

The sixth volume of Bogarde's autobiographies. On his many reconnaissance missions in Europe and the Far East, the young Bogarde experienced the terror of enemy attack and the horror of its aftermath, together with the intense comaraderie and bitter humour of the battlefield. He also felt a feeling of hopelessness at the war's end, when, as suddenly as the fighting had stopped, these youthful, but hardened comrades-in-arms were suddenly forced to find their feet in an unrecognisable world.

When Dirk Bogarde returned from two idyllic decades in France to live in England, the then Literary Editor of the Daily Telegraph invited him to review some books for the newspaper. Over the next eight years, Bogarde wrote much of the criticism, essays, obituaries, fragments of autobiography and appreciations which are collected in this volume, giving insights into his mind and views.

This lost world, visited fleetingly in 'A Postillion Struck by Lightning', the first volume of Dirk Bogarde's autobiography, is seen here through the eyes of an 11-year-old boy. With sensitivity and shrewdness, he captures the sounds and scents, love and gentleness surrounding himself as a young boy. Meanwhile, the world outside prepared to go to war.

This is the second volume of Dirk Bogarde's autobiography, covering the time between his experiences at an army camp at Catterick to his role as van Aschenback in the film 'Death in Venice'. From 1947 Bogarde starred in more than 60 films, especially during the 50s and 60s, including 'The Night Porter' and 'Despair'. In more recent years, he became known as a writer.

Boswell's biography of his friend and hero Samuel Johnson is an acknowledged classic, full of humorous anecdotes and rich characterisation. Johnson's depression, intellectual brilliance and rough humour is set wthin a vivid portrayal of 18th century London peopled by personalities of the time such as Sir Joshua Reynolds, John Wilkes, Oliver Goldsmith and David Garrick.

Dodging minefields in Cambodia, diving into the icy waters outside a Russian bath, Chef Bourdain travels the world over in search of the ultimate meal. The adventures include Japan, where he eats traditional Fugu, a poisonous blowfish which can be prepared only by specially licensed chefs, and Saigon, where he's treated to a sustaining meal of live Cobra heart before moving on to savour a snack with the Viet Cong in the Mecong Delta. Further west, 'Kitchen Confidential' fans will recognize the Gironde of Tony's youth, the first stop on his European itinerary. And from France, it's on to Portugal, where an entire village has been fattening a pig for months in anticipation of his arrival. And we're only halfway around the globe...

After 25 years of 'sex, drugs, bad behaviour and haute cuisine', chef and novelist Anthony Bourdain has decided to tell all. From his first oyster in the Gironde to his lowly position as a dishwasher in a honky-tonk fish restaurant in Provincetown; from the kitchen of the Rainbow Room atop the Rockefeller Center to drug dealers in the East Village; from Tokyo to Paris and back to New York again, Bourdain's tales of the kitchen are as passionate as they are unpredictable, shocking and funny. CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE AND ADULT THEMES.

There can be few people whose lives better demonstrate the triumph of determination over adversity than that of Douglas Bader. An athletic, charismatic young flying officer, Bader had a seemingly golden future ahead of him. Then on Monday 14 December, 1931, disaster struck. A flying accident, resulting in the amputation of both legs, left his life and career in ruins. Or would have done had not Douglas Bader been the man he was.

In this sequel to `Testament of Youth' Vera Brittain tells of the woman who helped her survive the First World War - the writer Winifred Holtby. They met at Oxford immediately after the war and their friendship continued throughout Vera's marriage and their separate but parallel writing careers, until Winifred's death at the age of 37.

In 1914 Vera Brittain was 21 years old, and an undergraduate student at Somerville College, Oxford. When war broke out in August of that year, Brittain disrupted her studies to enrol as a volunteer nurse, nursing casualties both in England and on the Western Front. The next four years were to cause a deep rupture in her life, as she witnessed not only the horrors of war first hand, but also experienced the quadruple loss of her fiance, her brother, and two close friends. 'Testament of Youth' is a powerfully written, unsentimental memoir.

The brief and tragic life of author Charlotte Bronte (1816-1855) is captured here in the beautiful letters she wrote to her best friend Ellen Nussey.

Christy Brown was born with Cerebral Palsy. This is the remarkable story of his childhood struggle to learn how to read, write, paint, and finally type, with the toe of his left foot. In this manner he wrote the bestselling novel 'Down all the Days' (catalogue number 7488).

One of the most flamboyant women of the late 18th century, Mary Robinson's life was marked by reversals of fortune. After being raised by a middle-class father, Mary was married, age 14, to Thomas Robinson. His dissipated lifestyle landed the couple and their baby in debtor's prison, where Mary wrote her first book of poetry and met lifelong friend Georgina, Duchess of Devonshire. On her release, Mary quickly became one of the most popular actresses of the day, famously playing Perdita in 'The Winter's Tale' for a rapt audience that included the Prince of Wales, who fell madly in love with her.

In this compilation of the infamous Romantic poet Lord Byron's letters, we follow his colourful life, from his birth in 1788, to his death at Missolongi on April 19th 1824.

Taken from Alastair Campbell's daily diaries, these audio extracts chart the rise of New Labour and the tumultuous years of Tony Blair's leadership. Here are recorded an insider's perspectives on the defining events of contemporary politics. Here is Tony Blair, up close and personal. As Blair's press secretary, strategist and trusted confidant, Alastair Campbell's diaries take the listener right to the heart of Labour government.

Jack Cardiff tells the story of his life in films, first as a cameraman and then as a director. He records the development of colour cinematography in Britain and he also provides a humorous account of his days on the music-hall circuit during the 1920s and 30s, and anecdotes about his experiences photographing actresses such as Ingrid Bergman, Audrey Hepburn, Ava Gardner, Sophia Loren and Marilyn Monroe. With a foreword by Martin Scorsese.

Born in 1725 to Italian and Spanish parents, Giacomo Casanova was a scholar and adventurer, not to mention a notorious seducer of women, who lived a long and exciting life. This first volume of his memoirs charts his childhood and life as a young man in Venice and Italy.

In 1909, actress Sybil Thorndike wed Welsh-born actor/director Lewis Casson. This is the story of their great theatre partnership as told by their son John.

Actor and entertainer Roy Castle was best-known as the presenter of the BBC's 'Record-Breakers' - and record holder eight times himself, including the world record for the fastest tap dancer. His autobiography is a candid account of his life and career, and also covers his battle with lung cancer, which he lost in 1994.

Jung Chang's powerful and moving memoir documents some of the most tumultuous events of China's history through the eyes of her grandmother and mother - Japanese occupation; the Civil War that carried Mao to power; and her own experiences as a daughter growing up during the Cultural Revolution, during which time teachers, writers and artists were among those vilified by Mao and his Red Guards.

Fascinated by Patagonia ever since an early childhood fascination for his Grandma's scrap of ancient Giant Sloth skin, Bruce Chatwin is further intrigued by eccentric relatives, isolated welsh communities, old revolutionaries, Darwin and the log cabin built by Butch Cassidy... From Buenos Aires to Tierra del Fuego, Chatwin depicts all in writing as spare as the Patagonian desert in this fragmented but deservedly classic travel memoir.

In this classic autobiography, first published in 1930, when Churchill's most testing time still lay ahead, he recalls his childhood, his schooling, his years as a war correspondent in South Africa during the Boer War and his first forays into politics as a member of Parliament. 'My Early Life' not only gives readers insights into the shaping of a great leader but, as Churchill himself wrote, 'a picture of a vanished age'.

In this audiobook the former president recounts his childhood in Hope, Arkansas, the illustrious academic career that took him to Oxford and Yale Law School, and his meteoric rise in politics. Offering a candid appraisal of his successes and setbacks, Clinton devotes plenty of space here to his White House years, paying particular attention to the policy initiatives he feels to be his true legacy.

For the last three decades Brian Clough has been one of the most charismatic managers in football. At last he has decided to tell his full story: from terraced council house to luxurious mansion; from fitter to socialist millionaire.

Peter Cook's comic genius set the tone for the new British comedy of the sixties. His appearances on stage, television and film over three decades were legendary, as was his partnership with Dudley Moore. This audiobook offers a composite portrait, both of the public performer and the private man, written by many of the writers, performers and friends who worked with him and knew him best.

In his autobiography, Roger Cook tells how in 25 years of investigative reporting he has been knocked unconscious a dozen times, hospitalised on almost 30 occasions, and has had 23 bones broken by those who have resented his ruthless search for the truth.

An audiobook containing renditions of such classics as 'My Way', 'Danny Boy' and 'The Last Rose of Summer', together with Cookson's own composition, 'Falling Leaves'. Interspersed are personal stories from Catherine Cookson's past, which give the listener an insight into her philosophy of life

Catherine Cookson, the successful author of novels such as 'Justice is a Woman', tells the story of her childhood and her relationship with her mother, Kate, whom she was brought up to believe was her sister.

Contemporary sources are used to throw new light on the poems of the last of the great Romantic poets. Cootes reveals John Keates to be an original, challenging and deeply human man.

This is the story of the legendary band leader, Billy Cotton, and his namesake son, Bill Cotton Jnr, who became Managing Director of BBC Television. Bill Cotton not only looks back on the BBC's golden years, but also on his relationship with his father.

This is the true story of the author's son, Damon Courtenay, who was born with haemophilia, and contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion in an Australian hospital. An audiobook about love, tragedy and the power of the family.

This is the true story of how one moment in time, by the thinnest thread of a chance, changed the course of a small boy's life in ways that are beyond imagination. Li Cunxin was from a poor peasant village in revolutionary China. One day a delegation from Madame Mao's Beijing Dance Academy arrived at Li's commune school to find suitable children to study ballet and serve in Chairman Mao's revolution. At first they passed Li without taking any notice, but just as they were walking out of his classroom, the class teacher hesitated: 'What about that boy?' And that boy was Li.

This audiobook traces the career of Niccolo Machiavelli, political and military theorist, historian, playwright and diplomat, and discusses his political theories and his influence on political science.

A memoir of Roald Dahl's childhood containing some hilariously true stories, such as the great mouse plot of 1924, when an eight year old Dahl and his gobstopper-loving friends took a just revenge on the disgusting sweetshop owner Mrs Pratchett. Dahl also recounts the deaths of his father and his sister within the space of a few short weeks, the canings by headmasters and older schoolboys, the grisly methods of matron, and the car ride which nearly cost the author his nose. There were glorious times too, with his big family at home in Wales, and the summer holidays spent on a remote island in Norway.

The sequel to 'Boy', the second part of Roald Dahl's autobiography, creates a world as bizarre and unnerving as any one will find in his fiction. An evocation of his wartime exploits, it tells of African safaris and deadly snakes; of fighter planes and air battles with the enemy during the Second World War.

In the last year of his life Roald Dahl worked on a diary. Reminiscences of childhood and adolescence, combined with tips about how to rid your lawn of moles or attract birds to your garden, are interwoven with observations about the changing seasons and the celebration of Dahl's favourite festivals.

One of the most acclaimed British jazz musicians of all time, John Dankworth worked with and befriended many of the all-time greats, including Ella Fitzgerald, Chick Corea, Benny Goodman and Nat King Cole. His story gives a fascinating insight into the talented figures who left an indelible mark on jazz's first century.

An acclaimed set of articles by a major influence on post-war British cookery. David's culinary lifetime was spent in encouraging the fresh, the simple and above all the fitting meal. Her often ascerbic style when she writes about bad food provides as much relish as her descriptions of what is good.

Alfred Wainwright's unique hand-drawn and hand-written 'Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells' have been an inspiration to walkers for over forty years. With full access to Alfred Wainwright's private letters and unpublished material, Hunter Davies reveals a passionate, witty and generous man.

Lord Deedes is familiar to many as the Bill recipient of fictional letters from Dennis Thatcher in 'Private Eye'. Here, William Deedes's memoirs provide an insight on matters political and social, both British and global.

Shortly before his 44th birthday, journalist John Diamond received a call from the doctor who had removed a lump from his neck. Having been assured for the previous two years that this was a benign cyst, Diamond was told that the lump was cancerous. This audio book includes his subsequent reflections on alternative medicine versus orthodox treatments, the love and support of his family, and how he found therapy in writing about his illness in his column for the 'Sunday Times'.

The third of Monica Dickens' autobiographies describes her time as cub reporter on the 'Downingham Post', a long established small-town paper with a steady circulation and not much sympathy with the innovations of its junior reporter.

The sequel to 'One Pair of Hands'. War has started. Monica Dickens wants to be useful, and so begins her second, equally funny, career as a nurse. A candid and irreverent look at life on the wards during the Second World War by the great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens.

The first in a series of autobiographies. After being expelled from drama school and exhausted by the deb party circuit, Monica Dickens, the great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens, takes on the role of cook-general for the English upper classes. While frantically trying to cook and clean for a succession of employers, she subjects herself to all the degradations and delights of life as a servant in the 1930s.

Since her death in 1987, Jacqueline du Pre's brother and sister have long felt that her life story has never been properly told. This is an often painful account of what happens when a prodigy is born into a family and how the driving force of Jacqueline's talent controlled not only her life, but theirs.

Prolific novelist Catherine Cookson co-operated on this biography which tells the story of her long and eventful life through the heroines of her books - all of whom reflect some part of her personality and her harsh early life on Tyneside.

The story of how Gerald Durrell and his wife Lee set up their own zoo in Jersey. Journeying to the Cameroons they managed to collect 'plenty beef', helped by the renowned Fon of Bafut. Their difficulties began when they found themselves back at home with Cholmondely the chimpanzee, Bug-eye the bush-baby, and other founder-members... and nowhere to put them.

Gerald Durrell takes up the story after his childhood in Corfu and recaptures the fun of his early years when he joined Whipsnade as a student keeper. Here he learns some practical lessons in looking after animals.

The sequel to `My Family and Other Animals', recounting Durrell's magical years as a young boy in Corfu. Gerald Durrell was ten when he went to live on the beautiful island of Corfu with his family. It was there that he met the intoxicated hedgehogs - as well as a dancing bear, a talking head, tarantulas, dung beetles, trap-door spiders and, of course, a menagerie of eccentric friends.

A collection of humerous anecdotes about Durrell's youth, his larger-than-life family and friends of both the two and four-legged variety. In Corfu, his mother is given a calamitous birthday party which starts with the hi-jacking of the icebox and ends with the entire gathering marooned on a remote and deserted beach, whilst at a dinner party in Mamfa, uninvited guests include a green mamba, numerous geckos and eight tree frogs.

When Mother starts showing an interest in passion flowers the children decide it's time she got married again, but young Gerry is more concerned about the marital affairs of his toads than those of his mother. This collection of eight short stories introduces an eccentric cast of characters including a prize truffling pig in France, an aging Memphis belle, a gambling nun in Monte Carlo and a foul-mouthed parrot.

The first of Gerald Durrell's childhood memoirs on life amidst the olive groves and mountains of Corfu. The young naturalist Gerald lives with his family in chaotic harmony, welcoming a constant stream of eccentric visitors to their villa. He spends many blissful hours collecting all kinds of animals and insects including chameleon spiders, cicadas, tortoises, toads, fireflies and scorpions, and brings them back to the house, much to his family's dismay...

Once thought to be extinct, the Aye-aye, one of the world's strangest creatures, is now only found in small colonies on the magical island of Madagascar, situated off the coast of Southern Africa. Gerald Durrell's task was to capture some for breeding at the famous Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust. Although on a serious scientific expedition, Durrell describes his adventures and some amazing creatures from giant jumping rats to flat-tailed tortoises and gentle lemurs with his own inimitable sense of humour.

Hairy Frogs, White-faced Scops Owls, Flying Mice, Hyrax: Gerald Durrell tells of his experiences collecting these and other exotic creatures in the highlands of Cameroon in Africa during the late 1940s. A zoologist, Durrell vividly and humourously describes his adventures, the scenery, the people, and the unusual creatures that he hopes to take back alive to England with the help of the local ruler, the Fon of Bafut.

The 'Adventure' of the title is both Durrell's destination - a settlement in the remote tropical forest of British Guiana, off the coast of South America - and his mission: to bring back live specimens of rare animals. The tale of this exciting but equally frustrating journey is interspersed with his trademark humour.

A portrait of Queen Victoria and the Victorian era. The author reveals the inner contradictions of the resolute, high-minded and cantankerous woman who became queen at the age of eighteen and reigned until her death sixty-four years later in 1901.

Over 50 years ago, 12 year old Donn Fendler became lost on Mount Katahdin - the highest mountain in the American state of Maine. This is his account of how he survived nine days in the wilderness, alone, starving and without shelter.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes has been described by 'The Guinness Book of Records' as 'the world's greatest living explorer'. He has led over 30 expeditions including the first polar circumnavigation of the Earth and the first unsupported crossing of the Antarctic continent. He discovered the legendary Lost City of Ubar and has also completed seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. In his inspirational one-man show Sir Ranulph enthrals theatre audiences with tales of his amazing exploits and astonishing feats of physical and mental endurance as a member of the SAS and as an explorer and adventurer.

When British climber David Fletcher decided to explore the remote Hayes group of mountains in Alaska, he was warned about soloing so far from rescue. This audiobook tells the true story of Fletcher's encounter with the most feared creature in the Alaskan wilderness - a furious 10-foot-high grizzly bear, whose cub he had accidentally killed in a moment of panic.

Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff is one of the most exciting cricketers in the world and has improved out of all recognition during the last two years. In 2003, he was England's best player at the World Cup. Then, explosively, he lit up the second half of the summer in 2004, lifting spirits at Lord's with a bat-smashing 142. He walked off with the 'England Man of the Series' award and averages to flaunt. This audiobook marks his story so far in his own words, taking us up to and including the summer of 2005, during which Flintoff performed heroics with both bat and ball against Australia. Freddie highlights the moments and matches in his career that helped him dramatically on his way forward, and reveals what it is like to play for one of the most successful England cricket teams in history.

The story of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, one of the most flamboyant women of the 18th century. Georgiana was, in turn, a compulsive gambler, astute political operator, drug addict, adulteress and darling of the common people. Winner of the Whitbread Biography of the Year Award.

When Helen Forrester's father went bankrupt in 1930 she and her six siblings were forced from their comfortable middle-class life in southern England to poverty in the Depression-ridden North. Her parents collapsed under the strain, father spending hours in search of non-existent work, mother on the verge of a breakdown and striving to find and keep part-time jobs. The running of the household and care of the younger children, in slum surroundings and with little food, all fell on twelve-year-old Helen.

The memoirs of Bruce Forsyth begin in Edmonton, North London, and proceed though evacuation, the war years, and on to the theatre-land world of pier shows and music hall, his first big break and his transformation into 'Mr Entertainer', the face of such classic shows as 'The Generation Game', 'Play Your Cards Right' and 'Bruce's Price is Right'.

After losing all their money in the 1929 stockmarket crash, Sir John and Lady Fortescue sold up and bought a tumbledown cottage in Grasse in Provence, France. This book recounts their trials and tribulations including rebuilding the house, living with the villagers, the food and the gardens.

Lady Fortescue moved with her husband from England to Provence in the early l930s. In this continuation of the story began in 'Perfume from Provence' she recalls her involvement with French troops during the Mobilisation Generale and her hasty escape back to England at the start of hostilities. The constant labours of housing, feeding and clothing troops are realised with wit and humour and provide the listener with an insight to some of the confrontations and challenges she faced during the Second World War.

Best-selling novelist Dick Francis made his first career as a champion steeplechase jockey. In his autobiography he tells of his development as a rider, from his first attempts on a donkey to the heights of his eventual success. Dick Francis recounts his progress through show jumping and hunting, the war years with the RAF, and his long struggle to become a jockey.

In 1942, Anne Frank and her family, fleeing the horrors of Nazi occupation, hid in the back of an Amsterdam warehouse. Over the next two years, 13-year-old Anne describes in her diary the fear of discovery and her frustrations at being confined, hungry and bored. Her diary ends in 1944 when the family were discovered by the Gestapo.

Still a controversial figure - as well as a celebrated one - Marie Antoinette's dramatic life story continues to arouse mixed emotions. Was she a misused heroine? Or would there have been no French Revolution without her? In this comprehensive biography, Antonia Fraser charts the journey made by this ill-fated Queen.

Life and death in the Nine Section, a small group of hard-bitten and eccentric Cumbrian borderers with whom the author, then 19, served in the last great land campaign of the Second World War. It describes when the 17th Black Cat Division captured a vital strongpoint deep in Japanese territory, held it against counter-attack and spearheaded the final assault under the leadership of General 'Bill' Slim, one of Britain's greatest commanders.

Orphaned in infancy, imprisoned in childhood, heiress to an ancient name and vast fortune, Catherine de Medici was brought up in the Florentine court and married off, by her uncle the Pope, to Henry, Duke of Orleans, son of King Francis I of France. Aged only 14, she suffered cruelly as Henry loved only his beautiful mistress, Diane de Poitiers. Leonie Frieda uncovers the truth behind the woman known as 'the Black Queen'.

'Moab is my Washpot' covers actor, writer and director Stephen Fry's first twenty years and includes reminiscences on his family life, childhood, public school and sexuality, all with great charm and honesty. CONTAINS ADULT THEMES.

On 6th June 2004, Frank Gardner and cameraman Simon Cumbers were in a quiet suburb of Riyadh, filming a report on Al-Qaeda, when they were ambushed by Islamist gunmen. This is the story of a man who was left for dead. Told with honesty, integrity and humour, this audiobook reveals a deep understanding of the Islamic world and offers an insider's compelling analysis of the ongoing 'War on Terror' and what it means in these uncertain times.

In 1936 anthropologist Tom Harrison, poet and journalist Charles Madge and documentary filmmaker Humphrey Jennings set up the 'Mass Observation Project'. The idea was simple: ordinary people would record, in diary form, the events of their everyday lives. Here, four members of the public tell their stories.

A portrayal of Christ through the eyes of his contemporaries, men and women who knew him as an enemy, friend or teacher. Mary Magdalen, Simon Peter, Pontius Pilate and Barabbas are brought to life against the social, political and religious realities of the period.

Sir John Gielgud's classic memoir of growing up and taking to the stage is a memorable picture of life in the theatre during the 1920s and 1930s. Sir John's mother was a member of the Terrys, the notable theatrical family, and it was the desire to describe their remarkable personalities which led to this book. Witty and engaging, 'Early Stages' gives us a glimpse of many theatre legends including Noel Coward, Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson, Mrs Patrick Campbell, Sybil Thorndike and Edith Evans.

Born to Jewish immigrant parents living in the notorious Gorbals of Glasgow, Glasser's inspirational memoir vividly recounts the hardships of his childhood, from his time working as both a soap-boy in a barber's and a presser in a clothes factory, to his eventual education at Oxford University.

Jane Goodall shares the remarkable journey which took her from her childhood in London and Bournemouth to the realisation of her dream to study chimpanzees in the wilds of Gombe, Tanzania.

In 1951 Oliver Graham Jones was appointed Curator of mammals at London Zoo, becoming Senior Veterinary Officer in 1960, a post he held until his retirement. This is a fascinating collection of tales from his days at the zoo during the 1950s and 1960s.

In 1993 Linda Grant's mother, Rose, was diagnosed with Multi-Infarct Dementia. With Rose's memory deteriorating, a whole world was in the process of being lost. In this moving work Grant looks at the issues of identity, memory and autonomy that dementia raises.

Robert Graves's classic autobiography tells the story of his life at public school and as a young officer during the First World War in an engaging diary style. Graves describes the military hierarchy, camaraderie (in particular his friendship with Siegfried Sassoon), trench warfare and his increasing disillusionment with war in a fascinating insight into the world of an officer at that time.

Actress, comedienne and raconteur Joyce Grenfell brings to life her experiences working in radio and in film, on the stage and war-time entertainment tours. Her glamorous and madcap American mother, aunt Nancy Astor and husband Reggie are just some of the larger-than-life characters in this reading.

Wheelchair athlete Tanni Grey-Thompson captured the heart of the nation after winning four gold medals at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics. In this disarmingly frank account of her life, she talks candidly about her childhood and living with spina bifida.

A biography of playwright and novelist Dodie Smith, which examines the life and work of one of the most successful dramatists of her generation, and discusses the inspiration behind her well-loved works such as 'The Hundred and One Dalmatians' and 'I Capture the Castle'.

Sir Alec Guinness coping with old age, illness, obsessive Star Wars fans and a very different world from the one in which he started out as an actor. This engaging raconteur also shares his thoughts on politics, religion and the friends (including Greta Garbo, Noel Coward and Wallis Simpson), family and beloved animals with whom he shared his life.

The memoirs of the actor Sir Alec Guinness. The book includes portraits of such characters as Ralph Richardson, Sybil Thorndike and John Gielgud, as well as accounts of Guinness's film career, religious beliefs and wartime experiences.

Having filled roles in films as varied as 'Lawrence of Arabia' and 'Star Wars', Guinness is one of the most distinguished and beloved movie actors of his generation. His charmingly sincere diary entries offer a glimpse of the private side of his often very public life. What makes Guinness a fine and versatile actor is precisely what also makes him a good diarist: an ironically observant eye.

Having filled roles in films as varied as 'Lawrence of Arabia' and 'Star Wars', Guinness is one of the most distinguished and beloved movie actors of his generation. His charmingly sincere diary entries offer a glimpse of the private side of his often very public life. What makes Guinness a fine and versatile actor is precisely what also makes him a good diarist: an ironically observant eye.

Taking part in the first Lions tour to the home of the Springboks in South Africa since the demise of Apartheid, England centre Jeremy Guscott presents a record of the camaradie, off-duty revelry, high pressures and behind-the-scenes politics.

Joyce Grenfell was one of Britain's best-loved entertainers, immortalised in roles such as the gym mistress Miss Gossage in 'The Happiest Days of Your Life', and Ruby Gates in the 'St Trinian's' films. She achieved success as a writer and performer of songs and monologues on stage and radio at a time when it was unusual for a woman of her background to work at all. Although her private life was guarded, this biography provides a very human portrait of Joyce, highlighting her humour, kindness and generosity.