Showing results by publisher "CSA Word" in Genre Fiction

Hugo's vibrant portrait of the characters in late 18th century Paris is a world-famous story, which has also been made into an award-winning musical. Jean Valjean, an ex-convict, tries to turn his life around for the sake of his adopted daughter, Cosette. Set in turbulent times, this reding by Michael Jayston of this classic tale is a bustling and thrilling trip for a listener through the streets and cafes of a Paris finding its feet and losing its head.

An absorbing, semi-philosphical tale of love and people driven to extremes. Our hero, a carpenter, loves Hetty Sorel, but she loves Arthur Donnington, a local squire. The story soon progresses onto powerful themes, such as: who has the right to determine who lives and who dies?

Sense and Sensibility is the story of two sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their very different responses to love, loss, and the crushing of their hopes and dreams. Austen chooses this novel to comment on the financial situation of women. The Dashwood Sisters are virtually penniles in a world where the "marriage market" is largely governed by money. They lose their home on their father's death and receive more kindness from strangers than from their own brother.

Moll Flanders is the epitome of a "bawdy" woman, who makes few excuses for herself and is unashamed of her shady past. Now converted to religion, Moll recounts her history, which includes thievery, prostitution, incest, and deception amongst a list of other necessary evils. Often shocking and always funny, Moll's story is poignant and captivating, and our charismatic narrator is sure to bring joy to a listener's ears and heart.

Sons and Lovers is the moving and explicit account of a young man growing up in a closed mining community. Born into a difficult marriage, Paul Morel is shy, introverted, and impressionable. As a young adult he becomes violently caught between the attentions of three women: his influential mother Gertrude; spiritual and devoted Miriam; and the sensual and mature Clara.

Jane Eyre, an orphan, has to suffer appalling conditions when she is sent away to a correctional school. She lands on her feet, or so it seems, when she becomes adult and obtains a job working for Mr Rochester, a brooding and formidable man who initially scares her, but whom she begins to warm to. At the same time, strange things are happening in the house. What is Adele, his ward, afraid of? And what are the strange banging noises coming from the attic at night time?

Maggie and Tom, brother and sister, try to save their livelihood as their parents flounder in the face of modernization. Maggie befriends the disabled son of a family rival in an attempt to build bridges, and Tom fights hard to reclaim the family property. Having drifted apart, they are brought back together in the novel's dramatic and moving conclusion.

Anne Elliot made a big mistake: she let the love of her life get away. But seven years later, he comes back from the sea. As with all Jane Austen novels, this draws much of its appeal from the author's talent for observation and satire. The snobberies of a genteel world are exposed by its demurely mischievious heroine.

Classic Love Stories 2 read by Joanna David & Edward Fox. Wonderful readings of stories centred around the theme of love, including works by classic writers like Rudyard Kipling and John Galsworthy.

Women in Love begins one blossoming spring day in England and ends with a terrible catastrophe in the snow of the Alps. Ursula and Gudrun are very different sisters who become entangled with two friends, Rupert and Gerald, who live in their hometown. The bonds between the couples quickly become intense and passionate, but whether this passion is creative or destructive is unclear.

Pip, Estella, and Miss Havisham meet in this world-famous masterpiece.

Frankenstein (1818) is the definitive fable about genetic modification gone haywire which is only too relevant to modern times. Victor Frankenstein decides to build a 'man' from assembled body parts stolen from corpses. What results, of course, is a 'monster', but the mastery of Shelley's storytelling leaves a listener asking themselves what a 'monster' really is - and feeling thoroughly frightened.

Sydney Carton, a lawyer and wastrel, tries to redeem himself somewhere between Paris and London to make up for his mis-spent youth. A tale of two cities is considered by many to be Dickens' most thrilling novel. Whilst contrasting the tranquility of London with revolution-torn Paris, incident follows incident as Sydney Carton finally redeems himself from his past. Read movingly by Martin Jarvis.

Arthur Cadogan West, a young government clerk, is found dead by the railway tracks near Aldgate. On his body Holmes' brother Mycroft finds some secret submarine plans - three pages of which seem to be missing. These pages alone, in the wrong hands, could be used to build a Bruce-Partington submarine that would pose a threat to Britain. Cadogan West's head has been crushed, but it looks like there has been no robbery - was the assailant after the plans?

A biting satire on American life which turned convention on its head. This story explores the obsessive affections of the radical Olive Chancellor for Verena Tarrant, a gifted young speaker in the feminist movement. When Olive's cousin Basil becomes equally besotted, the scene is set for a bitter tug of war.

Oliver Twist is an orphan who was born in a workhouse. After an unhappy apprenticeship, Oliver steals away to London where he is taken in by thieves, headed by a man named Fagin. He is rescued by Mr Brownlow, but the gang kidnaps him back. Oliver discovers the identity of his parents and the gang is exposed.

Gulliver’s Travels has been in print since its first publication in 1726, due to its popularity with young and old alike. As well as a wildly imaginative tale of travel and adventure, it is a comment on human nature and an overblown explorer’s story, rich in symbolism and humour. Lemuel Gulliver, an English surgeon, sets sail on expeditions to extraordinary worlds. He is twelve times larger than the inhabitants of Liliput, who recruit him into their military, and equally as small to the people of Brobdingnag.

One of the great love stories of our time. Anna is attracted to the dashing Count Vronsky and has to make a hideous choice.

Captain Ahab is hell-bent on catching the famous gargantuan whale, who cost him one of his legs on a previous voyage. With disregard for his safety or that of his crew, he persues the beast with an obsession tantamount to madness.

The famous story of David Copperfield and his journey from young boy to man.