Showing results by publisher "BBC Audio" in Literary Fiction

Iain Banks, aka Iain M Banks, came to fame in 1984 with his transfixing debut The Wasp Factory, described as both ‘a work of unparalleled depravity’ and 'a masterpiece'. In 1993 he was acknowledged as one of the Best of Young British Writers, and his numerous bestselling books include The Crow Road, Complicity and the ‘Culture’ sci-fi series. Collected here are three of his best works, as heard on BBC Radio.

This epic love story follows the engaged couple Renzo and Lucia as they navigate a perilous journey to be together amidst Spanish occupation, war, famine, and plague. Their struggle against the tyrannical Don Rodrigo, who seeks Lucia for himself, is interwoven with themes of faith, justice, power, and truth. Celebrated for its historical significance and cultural impact, the novel has inspired countless artists and remains a staple in Italian education and literature, praised by luminaries such as Giuseppe Verdi, Italo Calvino, Umberto Eco, and Pope Francis.

Fee Drummond has taken over the running of the Carnbeg Hydro Hotel following the death of her husband in a speedboat accident. But Fee is not short of enemies who would love to see her fail. Can she hold her nerve? Meanwhile, the staff of the Hydro are having their ‘Potential Superfactors’ assessed by a management guru, a distinguished concert violinist suffers stage fright on the eve of the Edinburgh Festival, and the bank drops a legal bombshell.

Brendan Behan is widely remembered as a hard-drinking, wise-cracking writer who turned up roaring drunk for interviews and cared little for authority. But he was more than just a hell-raising celebrity. His wit, expressive use of language and understanding of human nature made his writing famous around the world, and his masterpieces The Quare Fellow, Borstal Boy and The Hostage rank among the greatest works of 20th century Irish literature. Dramatisations of all three appear here, alongside a short interview with Behan himself and a fascinating biographical programme celebrating his genius.

Miner's son David Powlett-Jones returns from the carnage of the Western Front in 1918, shell-shocked and bitterly hardened by the violence of war. He begins life again as a master at a remote Devon school, controlling the destiny of boys barely his junior. As the years pass David becomes a teacher of rare talent, begins to find peace, and is able to adjust to the changes which are overwhelming society. But soon he will have to face up to the prospect of another terrible war...