Showing results by narrator "Clyde" in All Categories

A fresh and fascinating reappraisal of the first half of the 20th century from one of our foremost historians. 'War, comrades,' declared Trotsky, 'is a great locomotive of history.' He was thought to be acknowledging the opportunity the First World War had offered the Bolsheviks to seize power in Russia in 1917. Peter Clarke explores the crucial ways in which war can be seen as a prime mover of history in the 20th century through the eyes of five major figures.

Begun in 1292, the royal chapel of St Stephen was the crowning glory of the old palace of Westminster – a place of worship for kings and a showcase of the finest architecture, ritual and music the Plantagenets could muster. But in 1548, as the Protestant Reformation reached its height, St Stephen's was given a new purpose as the House of Commons. Burned out in the great palace fire of 1834, the Commons chamber was then recreated on a remarkably similar medieval design, perpetuating a way of doing politics that is recognisable to this day.

soft-spoken paragon of virtue on the range, Hopalong Cassidy brought law, order, and justice to the frontier. He was a model of integrity, courage, hard work, tolerance, patriotism, chivalry, and good-natured decency - and he attempted to instill these values in his young listeners - all while delivering action-packed entertainment. Cassidy, the creation of Clarence E. Mulford, who dreamed of the West he had never visited, was brought to life by former silent-movie matinee idol William Boyd.

It’s hard to know what’s meant to be healthy. If you read the news, you’ll see headlines praising a food one day, and then condemning it the next. You’ll see people selling you miracle cures for conditions that they’ve invented. You’ll realize that powerful industries control the information that’s given the most airtime, and that ultimately, you’re better off trying to find out the truth for yourself.

The outspoken autobiography of one of Britain's best known, and respected, Generals. With a foreword by Sir Max Hastings.General Sir David Richards is one of the best known British generals of modern times. In 2013 he retired after over forty years of service in the British Army and a career that had seen him rise from junior officer with 20 Commando to Chief of the Defence Staff, the professional head of the British Armed Forces.

In the high days of the Raj, Captain Toby Larburgh meets a stranger in Calcutta’s Great Eastern Hotel. Over a drink Toby tells of his adventures in the mountains of British India’s northern borders. His quest to find out what lay behind the death of a local Imperial agent took him to the far-flung reaches of the British Empire, the distant princely state of Ghondabaur. When he reaches the lavish palace, he encounters a prince who is desperately attempting to save his father’s kingdom from brutal invaders.

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Elizabeth II: The Steadfast by Douglas Hurd, read by Jeremy Clyde. Elizabeth II is the longest-serving monarch who ever sat on the English or British throne. Yet her personality and influence remain elusive. This book, by a senior politician who has spent significant periods of time in her company, and is also a distinguished historian, portrays her more credibly than any other yet published.

Snow White as the cocaine queen? Hansel and Gretel abducted by aliens? And since when is Red's granny into cosplay? Classic fairy tales are re-magined in this collection. Don't expect an innocent Cinderella or a sober Red Riding Hood. As for Pinocchio, what is it that grows when he lies?

Raffles, the famous cricketer and amateur cracksman, is back in an original adventure. Harry "Bunny" Manders, Raffles' biographer and accomplice, recounts the tale of the time they broke into the bookshop Hatchard's of Piccadilly. Their mission? To steal a letter, formally owned by one Rene d'Aramis, which if published could compromise a prominent member of the government. Yet even more intriguing than their employment is their employer - a certain Mr Sherlock Holmes of 221b Baker Street.

It started as just another interview. Young journalist Danielle Nadler agreed to call an old man who had lived 50 years in the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Through their weekly conversations, the mountaineer boasts of his decades of outdoor survival only to eventually reveal his personal tragedies that drove him to life in the wild.

Charlie gives the cop who pulls her over for speeding and reckless driving the performance of a lifetime, telling him that her mother is in the hospital on the edge of death. Trooper Vin Loveanu wants nothing more than to pull her out of the vehicle and comfort her but has to settle for sending flowers to the hospital, only to find out that the mother is not a patient. Further investigation turns up an obituary for Charlene's mother from four years before!

Raffles The Gentleman Thief returns in this magnificent third instalment of Richard Foreman's new series based upon the adventures of one of the classic characters of British fiction. In Raffles: A Perfect Wicket, Bunny is worried for his great friend. Since the disappearance of Mary Flanagan (the events of which are contained in the story Raffles: Bowled Over) Raffles has grown despondent, sick with boredom. Thankfully a remedy is found, in the form of an invite to a party.

In this tale, Harry "Bunny" Manders finds himself badly in debt. Bunny must pay off a loan to an unscrupulous moneylender, Alexander "Shylock" Cardinal, or else lose all of his assets - or worse, his life. Bunny puts his faith in his best friend to save the day but can even Raffles pull off a job at such short notice - and raise such a large sum of money?

Thomas's friend Ben Mallam, the streetwise jingler (a dealer in used horses) returns to aid him. After a run of bad luck, perhaps Ben's fortunes will change as he helps Thomas unravel a deadly plot which strikes at the very heart of Tudor England, threatening the security of the nation itself.

Raffles decides to undertake a job close to home, at the Albany. His new neighbour is Rupert Robert Fuller, a powerful - and odious - financier. In order to distract Fuller, whilst he breaks into the banker's opulent apartment, Raffles calls upon his friend - the cricketing legend C.B. Fry. Yet how much is Raffles being distracted himself Mary Flanagan, Fuller's beautiful and enigmatic maid? Has someone finally stolen the gentleman thief's heart?

Raffles: Caught Out follows on from the events of Raffles: A Perfect Wicket. Harry "Bunny" Manders returns to London to find a message in his apartment from Raffles, summoning him to the Albany. Their mutual friend "Ranji", the great batsman of the age, has been compromised by a beautiful and mysterious widow, Iris Adams. Their task is to retrieve a ruby ring in her possession - and if diplomacy fails Raffles vows to use his skills as a cracksman.

For decades a popular hero of novels, short stories, and movies, Hopalong Cassidy became a seemingly overnight entertainment phenomenon when he burst in to the new medium of television in 1949. Shortly thereafter, he moseyed over to his very own radio series. William Boyd stars as Hoppy in this collection, riding out from the Bar 20 astride his trusty horse Topper in 20 digitally restored and remastered episodes

This book is addressed to Christian believers who are feeling the ambiguities and challenges of a life of faith. Many of them may be uncertain about the meaning of the faith which they profess. The familiar words that they hear in sermons and prayers seem, at times, to belong to a reality far removed from the actual world they live in. They need to discover a meaning of their faith that they can relate to their own life experience and their general knowledge of the world.

After all the debates, manoeuvrings, recriminations and exaltations, Brexit is upon us. But Brexit did not emerge out of nowhere: it is the culmination of events that have been underway for decades and have historical roots stretching back well beyond that. Brexit has a history. O'Rourke, one of the leading economic historians of his generation, explains not only how British attitudes to Europe have evolved but also how the EU's history explains why it operates as it does today - and how that history has shaped the ways in which it has responded to Brexit.

A.J. Raffles has left the country in mysterious circumstances. Harry "Bunny" Manders is left back in London, to worry about his friend and listen to all sorts of rumours concerning his sudden disappearance. Bunny has troubles of his own however. The father of Lucy Rosebery, Prescott Rosebery, will not consent to his daughter marrying someone with so little social standing and income. Raffles suddenly returns though - and one of his first tasks is to arrange a cricket match against a highly accomplished team, captained by Prescott Rosebery.