Showing results by narrator "David Blair" in All Categories

Why are we so mesmerized by gold? Why is it so revered and so valued? From the earliest times to the present day, humans have been attracted by this sun-coloured metal, sometimes worshipping it, always prizing it. Gold: The Metal that Rules the World investigates the history of this versatile element, examining what it is, how it came to be found on Earth and why it has played such an important part in human history.

Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot both make appearances in Agatha Christie’s Double Sin and Other Stories, a sterling collection of short mystery fiction that offers double the suspense, surprise, and fun. In one of London’s most elegant shops, a decorative doll dressed in green velvet adopts...

Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and Christie’s wildly unconventional investigator, Parker Pyne, all make appearances in The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories—a riveting collection of short stories featuring a host of murderous crimes of passion, pleasure, and profit. There's a body in a trunk...

In Not Old, Not Young, Not Done, you’ll find encouragement to faithfully follow Jesus through the ups and downs of this season. No matter what the specific circumstances you might find yourself in during the “afternoon of life,” author Christopher Ash speaks truth to the heart.

This is a delightful collection of fairy tales and fables written by the most beloved of all children's authors and read with charming wit and tenderness. Includes the story of that fleet-footed Gingerbread Man who commences running as soon as the oven door is opened.

**Pre-order The Knight's Pledge, the second book in the Will Bowman series, now!** 1190 - Humble layman Will Bowman lives in the countryside with his pregnant wife, when soldiers from Richard Lionheart's army tear through his home. Will is beaten unconscious, and awakes to find his wife murdered...

In this compelling account, Ian Fitzgerald tells the complete story of oil, from its formation over millions of years to its first discovery and use by humankind to its role as a crucial energy source and the conflicts that have since revolved around it.

Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life is one of the best-loved films of Classical Hollywood cinema, a story of despair and redemption in the aftermath of war that is one of the central movies of the 1940s, and a key text in America's understanding of itself. This is a film that remains relevant to our own anxieties and yearnings, to all the contradictions of ordinary life, while also enacting for us the quintessence of the classic Hollywood aesthetic.

In this compelling study, Joshua Clover undertakes the task of decoding the film. Examining The Matrix's digital effects and how they were achieved, he shows how the film represents a melding of cinema and video games (the greatest commercial threat to have faced Hollywood since the advent of television) and achieves a hybrid kind of immersive entertainment. He also unpacks the movie's references to philosophy, showing how The Matrix ultimately expresses the crisis American culture faced at the end of the 1990s.

A legendary fusion of science fiction and horror, Ridley Scott's Alien (1979) is one of the most enduring films of modern cinema – its famously visceral scenes acting like a traumatic wound we seem compelled to revisit. Exploring the ways in which Alien compels us to think about otherness, Luckhurst demonstrates how and why this interstellar slasher movie, this old dark house in space, came to coil itself around our darkest imaginings about the fragility of humanity.

Ridley Scott's dystopian classic Blade Runner, an adaptation of Philip K. Dick's novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, combines noir with science fiction to create a groundbreaking cyberpunk vision of urban life in the twenty-first century. In his innovative and nuanced reading, Scott Bukatman details the making of Blade Runner and its steadily improving fortunes following its release in 1982.

Stanley Kubrick hailed The Shining as 'the scariest horror film of all time' before its release in 1980. Though the film opened to poor reviews, it has since become one of the most admired horror films in cinema history. Exerting an enormous influence on popular culture, The Shining has spawned a vast array of interpretations and conspiracy theories. Roger Luckhurst's illuminating study explores the film's themes, tropes and resonances through a detailed analysis of sequences and performances.

Will Bowman, now fully entangled in Richard Lionheart's crusade, has reached the Holy Land. However, just as he and his crew are about to touch down in Acre, they are drawn into an intense battle at sea, where they are faced with the dreaded Byzantine weapon: Greek Fire. Barely escaping with his life, Will gains the trust of Richard Lionheart, moving into his service. But as the siege of Acre continues, and Richard's campaign grows ever more brutal and barbaric, Will begins to wonder just how safe his new position is.

The biggest annual sports event in the world is the Tour de France. In the wake of its overwhelming popularity, it’s easy to forget that there is much more to cycling than whoever gets to wear the yellow jersey. Cycling is rich with legends and pioneers, and it is their stories which light up this compelling account of the sport. This is the story of British cycling as told through the lives of the people who built it. From the first recorded race in a Paris park in 1868 to the present day, Great British Cycling Legends profiles the true originals.

Suave, unflappable and ambitious, veteran politician Charles Bannister knows his way around the corridors of power. As chief whip, he's adept at keeping MPs in line and squashing potential scandals—aided by his brother-in-law, MI6 Agent Henry Colvil, who whispers useful titbits of information in his ear. His position seems invincible—but nothing is forever, and when the tides of politics turn, Charles finds himself under threat. In these six series, we follow his fortunes and those of his close friend Home Secretary Dougal Baxter. Together, the duo rise, fall and rise again.

This collection of classic Christmas tales is a delightful celebration of Christmas and the joyful spirit of giving. "What Christmas is as We Grow Older" is Charles Dicken's touching essay on the true meaning of charity; "Christmas Day" is a delightful story of a young boy's willingness to sacrifice skating with his friends to help an old woman; "The Little Match Girl" is the heart-wrenching classic about a poor little match girl, cold and alone on the streets on Christmas Eve; and "The Greatest of These" is an upbeat, inspiring story of a pair of farmers who bring Christmas to a poor neighbor's family.

A wonderful collection of Christmas stories and poems celebrating all the warmth and joy of the holiday season. "Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus" is a kindly editor's reply to a young reader regarding the existence of Santa; "Silent Night" is the classic song read with meaning and reverence; "The Christmas Masquerade" is a charming tale of a magical Christmas Eve.

A charming collection of whimsical children's favorites narrated with wit, warmth, and wonder. Featuring the mischievous story of "Jack and the Beanstalk", the tongue-twisting "Henny Penny", the lethargic "Lazy Jack", and the scrambled "Humpty Dumpty".

A delightful collection of children's favorites hosted by a hilarious wicked witch and narrated with delightful enthusiasm. Featuring the classic story of "Snow White", the story of "The Seven Ravens", the charming "Little Ida's Flowers", and the mirthful "The Shoemaker and the Elves".

The all-conquering King Henry V is dead, and the throne is occupied by his infant son, Henry VI. The good Duke Humphrey of Gloucester has been appointed protector, but a struggle for power soon develops between the young king's Lancastrian relatives and the powerful house of York under Richard Plantagenet. Meanwhile the French, led by Joan of Arc, the maid of Orleans, threaten to win back the territories lost to Henry V.