Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • The Darling Buds of May

  • The Larkin Novels, Volume 1
  • By: H. E. Bates
  • Narrated by: Philip Franks
  • Length: 4 hrs and 21 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (295 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
The Darling Buds of May cover art

The Darling Buds of May

By: H. E. Bates
Narrated by: Philip Franks
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £14.99

Buy Now for £14.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

Lark Rise cover art
Vicar of Dibley 1 cover art
Jeeves & Wooster: The Collected Radio Dramas cover art
My Family and Other Animals cover art
To the Manor Born cover art
Only Fools and Horses cover art
Dinnerladies: A BBC Collection cover art
Doctor in the House cover art
The Good Life: The Complete Collection cover art
Stories from a Corfu Childhood cover art
The Railway Children cover art
Doctor at Large cover art
The School Inspector Calls! cover art
The Two Ronnies cover art
One Foot in the Grave cover art
Classic BBC Radio Comedy: Kenneth Williams' Stop Messing About cover art

Summary

When Cedric Charlton, an unsuspecting tax inspector, arrives at the door of the Pop Larkin farm, he soon forgets the purpose of his visit: The fun-loving Ma and Pop Larkin distract him at every turn with strawberries, cream, alcohol, and their attractive young daughter, Mariette. Well known by the popular TV series starring David Jason and Catherine Zeta-Jones, The Darling Buds of May is the quintessential feel-good country romp. It will have you falling wholeheartedly in love with the Larkin family and their carefree way of life. So grab a bowl of ice cream, pull out a deck chair, and share in the "perficktion" of country life.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©1958 H. E. Bates (P)2015 Naxos AudioBooks

What listeners say about The Darling Buds of May

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    252
  • 4 Stars
    26
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    230
  • 4 Stars
    25
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    220
  • 4 Stars
    26
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The Essence of Late Spring

This luscious paean to the English countryside is right up there with everything vernal ever written by Chaucer, Shakespeare and their descendants. It is also read superbly by Philip Frank's - Charley in the excellent BBC television adaptations.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

One of my all time favourite books.

Having read and reread this book a dozen times I simply had to have the audio version . A real pleasure to listen to . Philip Franks is an excellent narrator .

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A warm feeling, when you listen to the Darling buds of may, you can see all the meadowlands even hear the birds singing,

Smell the blossom on the trees, just feel so good when listened to it PERFICK

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fabulous

one of my favorite stories and I felt right there with the family, in the beautiful countryside. its worth a listen nice clean no swearing book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Perfick!!!!!!!

Darling Buds of May , takes me back to times of being uncomplicated and living in the moment Perfick!!!! I smiled and laughed to myself and the fact that my dear old Dad God bless him looks so much like the TV character David Jason who played pop Larkin it filled my mind and imagination
with so many fond memories.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • GS
  • 01-10-21

A lovely listen.

A lovely, charming story of a lovely charming family. Soft, gentle humour that was somewhat ahead of its time in terms of attitudes. Well read. Perfick.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

the story is great

the story is great and the preson how tells the story is great too

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Darling Buds of May review

What did you like most about The Darling Buds of May?

It's a lovely, gentle show. I know it shows you a way of life that could never be - but you wish it could be.

What did you like best about this story?

The gentle pace of the show.

Which character – as performed by Philip Franks – was your favourite?

Mariette.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Want to forget the rat race for a while? A lovely escape to the comforting joy of endless summer awaits you with the Larkins. Enjoy!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Delightful

An absolute cherish to listen to
Almost felt I was in the story 👌🏼
I have also purchased the other audios along side this one

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Variety too many voices

I found it a bit confusing, I’m not well and find it difficult to concentrate, this must be just me, overall I enjoyed it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!