Serialised book readings, featuring works of non-fiction, biography, autobiography, travel, diaries, essays, humour and history
Michael Maloney reads from Jenny Uglow's account of the restoration of Charles II in 1660 and events in the decade that followed
DetailsJonathan Firth reads from Paul Richardson's account of his travels around Spain to discover the country's gastronomic secrets, abridged by Katrin Williams
DetailsIshmael Beah's personal account of his life as a child soldier fighting in the Sierra Leone conflict. Read by Chuk Iwuji
DetailsSian Thomas reads from Elena Gorokhova's memoir of growing up behind the Iron Curtain in the 1960s
DetailsEleanor Bron reads from Michael Holroyd's biography of Ellen Terry and Henry Irving, two greats of the Victorian stage
DetailsSam Dale reads an adaptation of the diary kept by Chris Mullin during his time as a minister in the New Labour government
DetailsThe previously untold story of Britain's most extraordinary double agent: British criminal Eddie Chapman, who became a decorated Nazi operative while working undercover for MI5
DetailsJohn O'Farrell's comical and irreverent take on British history, read by Geoffrey Palmer with the voices of Jan Ravens, Mark Perry, Rupert Degas and the author
DetailsMartin Freeman reads from Charlie Connelly's travelogue in which he recreates a series of famous historical journeys through the British Isles
DetailsLetters written by the author to his mother Mary Doyle, read by Forbes Masson and John Dougal
DetailsHenry Goodman reads from Christopher Bigsby's biography of the prominent American playwright
DetailsTeresa Gallagher reads from Anne Fadiman's collection of essays
DetailsKerry Shale reads from Mark Twain's autobiography, which he forbade to be published until 100 years after his death.
DetailsJools Holland reads from his autobiography
DetailsScottish sports writer Angus Bell's account of a cricket tour to unusual places, read by Robin Laing
DetailsRory McGrath reads from his comic memoir, a story of love and birdwatching
DetailsNigel Hastings reads from author Luke Jennings's account of a lifetime of fishing and fishing mentors
DetailsNia Wyn's heart-rending memoir of the first years of her son's life, read by Siriol Jenkins
DetailsGemma Arterton reads Vesna Maric's account of coming to Britain as a 16-year-old asylum seeker, after fleeing the conflict in Bosnia in 1992
DetailsMiriam Margolyes reads from Jane Robinson's account of the first British women to receive a university education, at Cambridge at the end of the 19th century
DetailsBooks to Change your Life By. Bel Mooney introduces extracts from books offering thoughts and advice on better living. 1/5: How to Win Friends and Influence People.
DetailsBel Mooney introduces an anthology of extracts from classic and contemporary books offering thoughts and advice on better living
DetailsNicholas Boulton reads Christopher Stevens' biography of Kenneth Williams
DetailsThe story of a boy who sees numbers as shapes, colours and textures, who can perform extraordinary calculations in his head and also learn a language in a week. By Daniel Tammet, read by Paul Panting
DetailsLindsay Duncan reads from Hilary Spurling's biography of Pearl Buck, the influential American writer whose novels helped change Western perceptions of China forever
DetailsBenedict Cumberbatch reads from Ian Kelly's fascinating biography of the world's most famous lover and libertine
DetailsGiles Tremlett's biography of Henry VIII's first wife
DetailsDerek Jacobi reads from Jackie Wullschlager's new biography of Marc Chagall
DetailsAllan Corduner reads Richard Cohen's biography of the sun
DetailsReadings from a new anthology of humorous writing by the late Alan Coren, edited by his children, Giles and Victoria
DetailsAdam Zamoyski's biography of the brief but eventful life of the great Romantic composer Frederic Chopin
DetailsKatherine Ashenburg's unsanitised history of washing, read by Tamsin Greig
DetailsJoyce Tyldesley's biography reveals the truth behind the myths surrounding a highly intelligent ruler who steered her kingdom through turbulent times
DetailsBrian Thompson's memoirs of growing up in the 50s, abridged by Doreen Estall and read by David Troughton
DetailsDiana Souhami's story of a personal journey to Pitcairn Island which echoes the region's rich history
DetailsToby Stephens reads from the playwright Simon Gray's candid and darkly comic account of his battle with terminal cancer
DetailsOliver Ford Davies reads from Ferdinand Mount's memoir, abridged by Alison Joseph
DetailsMartin Gayford's account of the early career of John Constable and his long battle to win the hand of his future wife, Maria Bicknell, based on correspondence between the pair
DetailsJustin Webb introduces five of Alistair Cooke's famous Letters from America, broadcast during previous election campaigns over the past 60 years
DetailsBiologist, writer and broadcaster Professor Steve Jones reads from his new book about the cultural, social and scientific significance of one of the world's most threatened habitats, the coral atoll
DetailsMaureen Beattie reads from Esther Woolfson's story of her life with birds
DetailsComedian Mark Watson reads from his account of his efforts to reduce his carbon footprint
DetailsA letter from your postman written by Roy Mayall and delivered by Philip Jackson; a heartfelt musing on the past, present and future role of one of the oldest British institutions, the Postie
DetailsSophie Thompson reads from the letters of Frances Woodsford, a Bournemouth council worker, to wealthy American widower, Paul Bigelow, who she never met, written between 1949 and his death in 1961
DetailsSam Dale reads from the second volume of former MP and New Labour minister Chris Mullin's irreverent and humourous diaries
DetailsCriminal barrister Alex McBride's behind-the-scenes account of Britain's criminal justice system
DetailsMax Hastings recalls the marriage of his Fleet Street parents, roving reporter Mac and glamorous editor Anne
DetailsColin Stinton reads the story of the American linguist Daniel Everett, who lived among the Piraha, a small tribe of Amazonian Indians in central Brazil
DetailsJane Stevenson's biography of one of the greatest English watercolourists of the 20th century
DetailsEmma Fielding reads from Tracy Borman's biography of Elizabeth I, which explores the relationships she had with the women in her life
DetailsDominic West reads from David Kynaston's vivid and intimate story of Britain in the 1950s, drawing on the letters, diaries and memories of well-known and ordinary people
DetailsJuliet Stevenson reads from Pat Shipman's story of Margaretha Zelle, the provincial Dutch schoolgirl who later achieved notoriety as a dancer, courtesan and alleged spy
DetailsTo mark his 80th birthday, Stephen Sondheim appraises his long career
DetailsMark Bostridge's biography sheds new light on the renowned 19th-century nurse and reformer's personal life and her contribution to the medical profession
DetailsMaureen Beattie reads from Sarah Rose's story about a plan to steal the lucrative secrets of tea from China
DetailsDona Croll reads from Lorna Goodison's portrait of past generations of her unconventional family in Harvey River, Jamaica
DetailsLynne Truss reads from her account of the four years she spent as a sports reporter
DetailsDuncan Hewitt reads from his book, a look at the rapid changes China is undergoing as seen through the eyes of ordinary people. Also features Sarah Lam, Su-Lin Looi, Tony Wu and David Yip
DetailsStuart Milligan reads from Paul Theroux's account of a journey in which he retraces his own steps and follows in the tracks of his classic 1973 travel book The Great Railway Bazaar
DetailsRosemary Hill's biography of Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, one of Britain's greatest architects, abridged in five parts by Doreen Estall and read by Haydn Gwynne
DetailsNeil Pearson reads Iain Sinclair's account of the chequered history and inhabitants of Hackney in East London and his own life there
DetailsMichael Palin reads from his second volume of memoirs, covering his film work and family life in the 1980s
DetailsNew Zealand nurse Lisa French-Blaker describes her experiences as an aid worker for Medecins Sans Frontieres in Darfur
DetailsAcclaimed Scottish writer Christopher Rush reads from his new memoirs – a vivid and richly poetic account of his post-war childhood in the small Fife fishing village of St Monans
DetailsChristian Camargo and Clarke Peters reads from Hampton Sides's new account of the assassination of Martin Luther King and the hunt for his killer, James Earl Ray
DetailsWorking from home every day, novelist Andrew Martin decides to tackle the myths and practicalities of carrying out domestic chores
DetailsNicholas Boulton reads from Jasper Rees's account of resuming his horn-playing after 22 years, rekindling the urge to perform in public. Abridged by Penny Leicester
DetailsGeert Mak's account of his journey across Europe in 1999, tracing the continent's history in an attempt to define the condition of Europe at the verge of a new millennium. Read by Lars Rudolph
DetailsFenella Woolgar reads from Justine Hardy's account of the lives of ordinary people who have lived in the disputed territory of Kashmir through 20 years of conflict
DetailsCaroline P Murphy's biography of the most brilliant and celebrated woman of Renaissance Florence. Read by Fenella Woolgar
DetailsAlice Krige reads from Clare Harman's exploration of Jane Austen's rise to pre-eminence from humble family scribblings to Hollywood movies
DetailsPatti Smith reads from her new memoir of her life in New York in the late 1960s and 1970s
DetailsHistorian Alison Weir's extraordinary tale of an exceptional woman. Katherine Swynford was first the mistress and later the wife of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster
DetailsRosamunde Pike reads from Hallie Rubenhold's account of the marriage of Sir Richard and Lady Worsley, the details of whose private life scandalised 18th-century society when revealed in court
DetailsThe Life and Work of Leni Riefenstahl: Kenneth Branagh reads from Steven Bach's biography of the controversial director, abridged by Libby Spurrier
DetailsHugh Bonneville reads from Philip Larkin's letters to Monica Jones
DetailsEvan Davis introduces a selection of writings, fiction and non-fiction, reflecting the repetitive boom-and-bust cycle of our economy
DetailsJason Butler Harner reads from Michael Chabon's memoir
DetailsTony Gardner reads from Richard Barnett's book that charts the many roles that diseases, treatments and cures have played in the history of London, and reveals how the city has shaped modern medicine
DetailsJG Ballard's memoir, abridged by Andrew Simpson, in which the best-selling author reflects on various influences that have shaped his work. Read by James Laurenson
DetailsJohn Major reads from his history of cricket, exploring the game's rich past, its characters and its moments of beauty and madness
DetailsMartin Stannard's biography of the acclaimed Scottish novelist
DetailsAntonia Fraser reads from her diary of her life with Harold Pinter
DetailsWibke Bruhns's chronicle of the life of her father, who was executed in 1944 for failing to disclose a plot to assassinate Hitler
DetailsSian Thomas reads from Aeronwy Thomas's memoir of her childhood in Laugharne on the south Wales coast with her father, Dylan Thomas, and mother Caitlin
DetailsSusie Boyt's tribute to her screen idol Judy Garland
DetailsComedian Arthur Smith reads from his autobiography
DetailsImelda Staunton reads from the postwar diaries of 'Housewife, 49', Nella Last, which give a frank account of the difficulties of adapting to life in Britain after the end of WWII
DetailsCrawford Logan reads from Thomas Levenson's biography of Isaac Newton and his rivalry with one of 17th-century London's most accomplished and daring criminals, William Chaloner
DetailsJot Davies reads from ballet superstar Carlos Acosta's enchanting and inspirational memoir
DetailsChief Superintendent Ali Dizaei's controversial account of his time in the Metropolitan Police, written with Tim Phillips. Read by Paul Bhattacharjee
DetailsJulian Barnes reads from his book which combines family memoir with reflections on art, religion and death
DetailsMichele Roberts reads from her memoir of life in the 1970's and beyond. Abridged by Alison Joseph
DetailsStephen Boxer reads from Graham Robb's new book about Paris and its famous dwellers and visitors
DetailsKevin Whately reads from Denis O'Connor's memoir
DetailsThe controversial autobiography of the early life of Nobel Prize-winning German author Gunter Grass, translated by Michael Henry Heim and read by Kenneth Cranham
DetailsBy Lorenza Foschini. A story of literary detection set in pre-war Paris
DetailsMark Bonnar reads from Joe Moran's humorous look at the key points of our day and the habits and rituals surrounding them, abridged in five parts by Polly Cole
DetailsLee Ingleby reads from John Osborne's exploration of the radio stations of Britain. He listens to a different one each day and experiences the uplifting, the informative and the downright bizarre
DetailsPoet Jackie Kay traces her biological parents, in a journey that takes her from Scotland to Nigeria
DetailsMatthew Brzezinski's story of Sputnik and the rivalries that ignited the space age
DetailsJamie Glover reads from Julie Kavanagh's biography of the great dancer, abridged in five parts by Miranda Davies
DetailsAlex Lowe reads from Michael Booth's account of his French culinary education, abridged by Libby Spurrier
DetailsStuart Kelly examines the powerful images of Scotland created by Sir Walter Scott, the world's first celebrity author
DetailsThomas Keneally's account of his discovery of the story of Oscar Schindler, which became the basis for his Booker Prize-winning novel Schindler's Ark and the Oscar-winning film Schindler's List
DetailsTim Guest explores the phenomenon of virtual worlds and looks at how different people have experienced them
DetailsKatharine Whitehorn reads from her autobiography, written with the searing wit and close observation that characterised her Observer column for 40 years
DetailsLindsay Duncan reads from Lindy Woodhead's biography of Harry Gordon Selfridge, founder of the famous department store
DetailsMiriam Margolyes reads from Virginia Nicholson's true story of the remarkable generation of women who were left without husbands after the carnage of the First World War
DetailsAdam Nicolson reads from his account of Sissinghurst, one of Britain's most celebrated gardens, purchased by his grandparents Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson in 1932
DetailsBy Janet Soskice. The true story of the two sisters who discovered one of the earliest known copies of the Bible on Mount Sinai in 1892. Read by Stella Gonet
DetailsNigel Anthony reads from Bertrand M Patenaude's account of the exile and subsequent assassination of Leon Trotsky
DetailsThe story of the boy who grew up to be the great explorer, Henry Morton Stanley - the man who discovered Dr Livingstone
DetailsBy Keith Floyd, with James Steen. Read by Michael Cochrane
DetailsJulian Rhind-Tutt reads from Donald Sturrock's biography of Roald Dahl
DetailsJane Shilling's book is a reflective and enquiring memoir told from the perspective of mid life
DetailsBee Wilson's history of food adulteration over the centuries
DetailsJon Savage's book offers a powerful insight into the years that shaped the modern teenager, from the lost generation of WW1 to the new independence and economic power of the 1940s
DetailsJot Davies reads Hugh Thomson's account of his 1979 road trip through Mexico, aged 18 and without knowing how to drive
DetailsJulie Walters, one of Britain's best-loved actresses, reads from her new autobiography, recounting her childhood and how she began her career
DetailsBen Mezrich's account of the much-contested history of the genesis of the social networking site Facebook
DetailsDouglas Hodge reads Richard Holmes' account of the scientific ferment that swept through Britain in the late-18th century
DetailsSeries of essays by Andrew O'Hagan, read and abridged by the author
DetailsJohn Hatcher's account of how the people of a typical English village lived and died in the worst epidemic in history
DetailsClive James reads from his fifth volume of memoirs, charting the TV years that shot him into the public eye
DetailsLillian Pizzichini's biography of the author Jean Rhys, best known for the 1966 novel Wide Sargasso Sea
DetailsAndrea Wulf's history of the gardening revolution of the 18th century
DetailsMark Edmundson's story of the great psychiatrist's final years, abridged by Penny Leicester and read by Anton Lesser
DetailsHari Dhillon and Amanda Burton read Jonah Lehrer's exploration of neuroscience and how the human brain makes up its mind
DetailsPeter Firth reads from Christopher Andrew's history of the British Security Service, MI5
DetailsKelly Grovier's history of Newgate, London's most notorious prison, abridged by Libby Spurrier
DetailsKarl Sabbagh book explores the surprising science behind seemingly trivial assumptions. Read by Toby Longworth
DetailsYorkshire schools inspector Gervase Phinn reads from his memoir. As he visits village primary schools across the county, he gets to know both the staff and their delightful pupils
DetailsBettany Hughes reads from her account of Socrates' life, death and beliefs
DetailsWriter and broadcaster Lavinia Greenlaw's account of the role of music in her growing up
DetailsRobert Glenister reads Judith Flanders' book on the Victorian obsession with violent crime
DetailsPatrick Hennessey reads his soldier's tale for the 21st century; an account of his experiences at Sandhurst and then on deployment in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan's Helmand Province
DetailsCarola Hicks's book traces the history of the wonderful stained glass windows of the chapel of King's College, Cambridge, and the people who created them
DetailsJamie Bamber reads from Jon Henderson's biography of English tennis great Fred Perry, charting his extraordinary life from his childhood in Stockport to Wimbledon glory and the glamour of Hollywood
DetailsDermot Crowley reads from the memoir by traditional Irish matchmaker Willie Daly
DetailsJack Klaff reads from Douglas Rogers's account of life ina Zimbabwean tourist lodge
DetailsHolly Aird reads Rachel Cusk's story of her family's three-month tour of Italy, during which they discover some of the country's rich artistic heritage and enjoy adapting to a more relaxed way of life
DetailsAn unusual dialogue between a Palestinian man and the Israeli woman who now lives in his old home. By Sandy Tolan, abridged by Libby Spurrier
DetailsLebanese novelist Hanan al-Shaykh's memoir of the life of her mother, who abandoned her as a child
DetailsCharles Nicholl's account of a little-known episode of William Shakespeare's life
DetailsRA Scotti's account of incident in 1911 when the Mona Lisa briefly went missing from the Louvre
DetailsAdjoa Andoh reads from Sara Wheeler's account of her journey to the lands that border the Arctic Ocean
DetailsSeeta Indrani reads from Yasmin Hai's account of her assimilation into the English way of life
DetailsKatherine Swift narrates the story of how she created her beautiful garden at Morville
DetailsDan Stevens reads William Fiennes's account of his magical childhood in a moated castle in which he grew up with his severely epileptic older brother
DetailsTim Pigott-Smith reads the journal kept by Dr John Rae during his years as the headmaster of Westminster School from 1970 to 1986
DetailsFfion Hague reads from her new book, abridged by Penny Leicester, which explores the role of women in David Lloyd George's life
DetailsKenneth Cranham reads from Andrew McConnell Stott's account of the life of one of the world's most famous clowns, Joseph Grimaldi, who became a superstar of Georgian pantomime
DetailsPeter Firth reads from Peter Constantine's new translation of Niccolo Machiavelli's guidebook on how to seize and maintain political power
DetailsJulian Rhind Tutt reads from music critic Alex Ross's history of 20th century classical music
DetailsBarbara Flynn reads from Selina Hastings's biography of Somerset Maugham, which sheds new light on his complex character
DetailsYasmin Alibhai-Brown reads her memoir of her childhood in Uganda and move to Britain in the 1970s
DetailsCamilla Carr and Jon James tell the story of the 14 months they spent in captivity, having been taken hostage by Chechen rebels
DetailsAlison Gangel's moving memoir of a chaotic childhood in late 1960s Glasgow. Read by Maureen Beattie
DetailsDeborah Findlay reads from Kate Summerscale's account of a Victorian murder case that gripped the nation
DetailsBy Chloe Hooper. The story of Palm Island, the Australian paradise where, one day in 2004, Cameron Doomadgee swore at policeman Christopher Hurley and 40 minutes later lay dead in a watch-house cell
DetailsEmma Kennedy reads her account of family camping holidays from her childhood in the 1970s
DetailsThe comic diary of Robin Cooper, documenting a year in the life of this quintessential Englishman. Read by Paul Whitehouse and abridged by John and Kati Nicholl
DetailsRobert Macfarlane explores Britain's wild places as he visits and describes parts of the land no longer acknowledged in modern road atlases
DetailsBy Susan Maushart. How one mother imposed techno-silence on three angry teenagers for six months
DetailsSinead Cusack reads from Frances Stonor Saunders's account of troubled life of Violet Gibson, the daugher of an Anglo-Irish lord who attempted to assassinate Mussolini in Rome in 1926
DetailsBy Kenneth Tynan, selected by Dominic Shellard. Michael Sheen and David Horovitch read from a new selection of articles by one of the 20th Century's most influential theatre critics
DetailsNovelist Janice Galloway's memoir of her upbringing in 1950s Ayrshire
DetailsGreg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin's account of Greg's involvement in building schools in Pakistan
DetailsJack Klaff reads from Jake Adelstein's gritty memoir about reporting on organised crime in Tokyo
DetailsGrevel Lindop reads from his account of how he took up salsa dancing, became hooked on it and embarked upon an odyssey to explore its roots
DetailsMax Pemberton reads from his account of his first year in the NHS, based on his columns in the Daily Telegraph
DetailsAnne-Marie Duff reads from Robyn Scott's affectionate memoir of growing up in an eccentric family in Botswana in the 1980s
DetailsFlora Fraser's biography tells the extraordinary life of Pauline Bonaparte, Napoleon's favourite sister
DetailsMark Rylance and Julius D'Silva read from a new edition of Van Gogh's prodigious correspondence
DetailsPeggy Orenstein's account of her long journey to motherhood
DetailsColin Stinton reads from Lynn Schooler's memoir about his solo journey in the Alaskan wilderness
DetailsZaiba Malik's memoir of growing up in the 70s and 80s, torn between being 'British' and 'Muslim'. Abridged by Libby Spurrier
DetailsLesley Manville reads Jenny Diski's book on human and animal interaction
DetailsEmma Brockes celebrates the feel-good factor of film musicals with extracts taken from her new book, abridged by Penny Leicester and read by Tracy Ann Oberman
DetailsJosh Hamilton reads from American-Iranian writer Said Sayrafiezadeh's funny and touching memoir
DetailsBased on her popular blog, the story of Judith O'Reilly's decision to give up her glamorous London lifestyle and make a new life for her family in the North of England
DetailsSean Baker reads from the late nature writer and conservationist Roger Deakin's travelogue, abridged in five parts by Julian Wilkinson
DetailsChristian Rodska reads from John Carey's biography of the Nobel Prize-winning author
DetailsExtracts from five books exploring different aspects of contemporary Russia
DetailsBiography of satirist and writer Willie Donaldson, creator of the infamous Henry Root Letters. Written by Terence Blacker and read by Stephen Boxer
DetailsSports journalist Jim White reads from his account of his experiences as coach of his teenage son's football team
DetailsGraham Fellows reads from Mike Pannett's account of his experiences as a rural policeman, having swapped a post with the Metropolitan Police for a return to his native North Yorkshire
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