I seem to have come through my reading drought and am now happily reaching the end of Whisky Galore by Compton Mackenzie. However, when I was feeling so unsettled with every single other book I tried to read, sometimes I just gave up, closed my eyes, and let someone else read me a story instead. And it was wonderful.
While I have a few favourite podcasts (CBC’s Vinyl Cafe, BBC’s Home Front, and Rachel and Simon’s Tea or Books), I generally stick to audiobooks. I listen to audiobooks regularly and find them a wonderful companion when I’m out walking, when podcasts can go by far too quickly.
Lately though I’ve been exploring the many, many programs available through the BBC Radio website and I’ve had many happy hours of listening as a result. What to? Well, here’s a brief list of some of the intriguing programs currently available (some of which I’ve listened to but most of which are still on my “to listen” list):
- The Provincial Lady Goes Further – who can resist the Provincial Lady?
- Mrs Miniver stories read by Penelope Wilton
- a dramatisation of Vanity Fair
- Kipling in Love – a series of plays based on Rudyard Kipling’s stories
- Anthony Trollope’s Christmas Day at Kirkby Cottage
- An adaptation of Emma set in 19th Century India
There is still plenty to listen to, as you can see!
I’m always looking for recommendations so please let me know what some of your favourite radio programmes and podcasts are.
The Captive Reader 
I’ve subscribed to Audible for years and love listening to books on my way to work or while out walking my dogs.
Thanks for all these links. Listening to one of the Mrs. Miniver right now, I haven’t read any of the books in years.
You will probably have gathered from my tweets that I love radio and podcasts. I often listen late at night, as I am one of those unusual reading enthusiasts who does not like reading in bed. There’s no clear pattern as to what lulls me to sleep and what keeps me awake, although single voices are often more likely to have a soporific effect than full cast dramas. I’m currently listening to a radio version of the play (later a film) Amadeus, but keep nodding off. It’s not a bad production, some voices just do that.
Thank you, Clare! Listening to Mrs. Miniver made even cleaning up the dog’s messes in the backyard more bearable!
I have to say that I’ve never tried an audio book or podcasts, but the past few days Ove been really sick with the flu and couldn’t even find the energy to read. I’m definitely bookmarking this post for future reference, and I think I might start checking out some audiobooks over the next fee weeks.
The historical adaptations about the Platagenets on BBC Radio 4a are wonderful radio dramatisations. Full of colour and vibrancy. Anything written by Mike Walker for radio so far has been riveting and brilliant.
I am now an audiobook devotee and am pretty much never without one. (I’m currently listening to Patrick Tull read Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin novels . . . for the second time. It’s been 5 or 6 years since my last listen, so it was time.) But 20 + years ago, pre-internet, I was living in New Delhi. During monsoon season, when it was incredibly hot and muggy in my un-air conditioned apartment, I discovered that the BBC World Service had a series called “Off the Shelf,” which was 1/2 hour of audiobook reading a day. I spent many hours lying on my bedroom floor (wearing the shorts and tank top I couldn’t wear outside), just beneath the fan, listening on my shortwave radio. Even though so much has changed since then, it’s comforting to know that the BBC is still doing this kind of thing.
Well, Claire, I read this yesterday afternoon, meant to comment, but, ended up spending some very enjoyable time, sipping tea, eating some shortbread I’d made earlier, and listening to Penelope Wilton reading Mrs. Miniver. 🙂 Thank you.
Hereabouts, we don’t have the wonderful assortment of programs that you have, but, we do have some and my favorites, on a Saturday afternoon, I love a program called “The Moth Hour” and a our coal Old Time Radio Station.
In the car, I’ve been listening to the audio book of Still Life with Bread Crumbs by Anna Quindlen, which is wonderful.
I really enjoy listening to Home Front but did switch to the omnibus for continuity, and Tea or Books is a favourite. Have I ever mentioned The Kitchen Cabinet? I’m not a huge fan of cooking but listening to the panel talk about it is fantastic! And they make me laugh…