Showing titles in Classics

Have you ever wondered why the heart remains loyal even after hope is gone? In Jane Austen's most mature novel, Persuasion, Anne Elliot lives with the quiet agony of a past mistake. Swayed by a trusted mentor eight years ago, she rejected the man she loved—Captain Frederick Wentworth—because he lacked wealth and status. Now, the tables have turned. Anne's vain family is on the brink of ruin, while Wentworth returns from war a wealthy, eligible bachelor. As fate forces them back into the same social circle, Anne must navigate the painful awkwardness of his apparent indifference.

Brought to you by Penguin. THE SIXTH GEORGE SMILEY NOVEL George Smiley, now acting head of the Circus, must rebuild its shattered reputation after one of the biggest betrayals in its history. Using the talents of journalist and occasional spy Jerry Westerby, Smiley launches a risky operation...

Initially published in 1863, Five Weeks in a Balloon was the first novel in what would become the author's Extraordinary Voyages series. It tells the tale of a 4,000-mile balloon trip over the mysterious continent of Africa, a trip that wouldn't actually take place until well into the next century. Fusing adventure, comedy, and science fiction, Five Weeks has all the key ingredients of classic Verne: sly humor and cheeky characters, an innovative scientific invention, a tangled plot that's full of suspense and surprise, and visions of an unknown realm.

The Complete Brontë Sisters and Jane Austen Collection brings together four of the most influential female authors of the 19th century. The collection includes Austen's 7 novels, selected short fiction, and a selection of her letters; alongside all 7 of the Brontë sisters' completed novels, as-well as a selection of the poetry which all three sisters published.

The Western Front, 1916. Private Percy Blakeney wakes up. He is lying on fresh spring grass. He can hear birdsong, and the wind in the leaves in the trees. Where have the mud, blood, and blasted landscape of No Man's Land gone? Madison, Wisconsin, 2015. Cop Monica Jansson is exploring the burned-out home of a reclusive - some said mad, others dangerous - scientist when she finds a curious gadget: a box containing some wiring, a three-way switch and a potato. It is the prototype of a life-changing invention....

A collection of BBC Radio 3's iconic Shakespeare productions: six tragedies with all star casts including Michael Sheen, Juliet Stevenson, Kenneth Cranham, Corin Redgrave, Ken Stott, Geraldine James, Bill Wallis, Siân Phillips and Sophie Dahl.

From the author, whom The Times called 'a comic genius' and ' an old master of farce', are eleven further stories featuring such eccentric characters as Freddie Widgeon, Cyril (Barmy) Fotheringay Phipps, Percy Wimbolt and Pongo.

Patsy and Edina are in full swing in these four BBC TV soundtrack episodes - Fat; Birthday; Death; Happy New Year - starring Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley, with Julia Sawalha, June Whitfield and others. Duration: 1 hour 40 mins...

Don’t panic! The Hitchhiker’s saga continues with a full-cast dramatisation of Life, the Universe and Everything, the third book in Douglas Adams’s famous ‘trilogy in five parts’ ‘The pitch here at Lord’s is blackened, lightly smoking down towards square leg – and two men have...

Late one moonlit night, Walter Hartright encounters a solitary and terrified woman dressed all in white. He saves her from capture by her pursuers and determines to solve the mystery of her distress and terror. Inspired by an actual criminal case, this gripping tale of murder, intrigue, madness and mistaken identity has never been out of print since its publication and brought Collins great fame and success.

When Humphrey Van Weyden finds himself struggling in the freezing waters of San Francisco Bay, he thinks the worst that can happen to him is drowning. After he is rescued by the Ghost and its captain, Wolf Larson, Humphrey discovers that there are fates far worse than death. On Larsen's hell-ship, the dilettante hero is forced to slave as cabin boy and humble seaman. And over the seven months' voyage to the sealing grounds off Siberia, he engages in an epic duel with his ruthlessly Nietzschean skipper.

The Collected Blandings Short Stories. Blandings Castle is the home of Lord Emsworth, who likes nothing better than to potter at home in his enormous castle garden. But his rural idyll is once again set to be disturbed in these nine hilarious fables. No peace is possible when his sister Constance is let loose, and she is constantly trying to reorganise the household and its inhabitants! Without great success…

Dombey and Son is a poignant exploration of pride, family, and the pursuit of legacy in Victorian England. The novel follows the powerful and often cold-hearted Paul Dombey, a wealthy shipping magnate, who places all his hopes for the future on his son, young Paul. Obsessed with the idea of inheriting his business and name, Dombey’s disregard for the emotional needs of his children—especially his daughter Florence—leads to devastating consequences. As the story unfolds, Dombey’s single-minded pursuit of his goals ultimately challenges his understanding of love, family, and success.

Brought to you by Penguin. Stella Rode has twice disturbed the ancient cloisters of Carne School: firstly by being the wrong sort, with her doilies and china ducks, and secondly by being murdered. George Smiley, who has his own connection with the school, is asked by an old Service friend to...

The Charles Dickens Collection: 10 Novels & A Christmas Carol brings together all of the major novels written during Dickens' lifetime. Dickens wrote into life some of the most beloved and well-known characters in literature - introducing us to Pip, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Little Nell, Scrooge, Nicholas Nickleby, Miss Haversham, and many more who have lived long in the memory for generations of listeners.

Herbert George "H. G." Wells (September 21, 1866-August 13, 1946) was a prolific English writer in many genres. He is sometimes called the “Father of Science Fiction.” His stories have been filmed many times. His best-known classics are The Time Machine (1895), The Invisible Man (1897) and The War of the Worlds (1898).

Have you ever wondered why the rage of a single man could doom an entire civilization? The Iliad is the ultimate testament to the glory and misery of the human condition. Set during the final year of the Trojan War, this foundational epic captures the moment the invincible Greek army begins to crumble—not from enemy swords, but from the internal strife of their own leaders. When the proud warrior Achilles is slighted by his commander, his withdrawal from the fight shifts the tides of war.

Brought to you by Penguin. This Penguin Classic is performed by Kirsty Besterman, an experienced TV and theatre actress known for her leading role as Lady Macbeth in the National Theatre Tour, as well as a number of roles with Shakespeare's Globe and the RSC. 'January 22nd - Robert startles me...

Pride and Prejudice is a masterpiece of wit and perception, perfectly exposing the mannered social scene of Jane Austen's England. This was an era when young ladies were carefully groomed for matrimony and little else, so Mrs Bennet is eager to see at least some of her five daughters married off. But the various temperaments and spirits of Elizabeth and her sisters, not to mention their precarious social standing, means the quest for love and happiness is not without setback.

'Fawless epic fantasy . . . An instant fantasy classic' - Kirkus ************ Thirty years ago Ineluki, the Storm King, was destroyed and his armies scattered. Osten Ard has been at peace ever since, ruled by Simon Snowlock, kitchen boy made king, and Miriamele, King Elias' only child. But now...