Great British Cycling Legends Audio CD

Given the overwhelming popularity of the world’s biggest annual sporting event, the Tour de France, it’s easy to forget that there is much more to cycling than who gets to wear the coveted yellow jersey. Cycling is rich with legends and pioneers, and it is their stories which light up this compelling account of British cycling. From the first recorded race in a Paris park in 1868 to the present day, Great British Cycling Legends profiles the true originals, across all cycling disciplines. There are the Victorians, like George Pilkington Mills, who still holds the record from Land’s End to John O’Groats on a penny farthing, and the significant firsts: first British road-race world champion, Dave Marsh, in 1922; one of the first female professionals and a major record-breaker in the 1950s, Eileen Sheridan; and the first Black British cycling champion in the 1970s, Maurice Burton. Great British Cycling Legends shows what makes each featured cyclist legendary, and how, in their different ways, they have helped to build British cycling, enabling the sport to develop and retain its extraordinary grip on the popular imagination

Great British Cycling Legends Audio MP3 CD

Given the overwhelming popularity of the world’s biggest annual sporting event, the Tour de France, it’s easy to forget that there is much more to cycling than who gets to wear the coveted yellow jersey. Cycling is rich with legends and pioneers, and it is their stories which light up this compelling account of British cycling. From the first recorded race in a Paris park in 1868 to the present day, Great British Cycling Legends profiles the true originals, across all cycling disciplines. There are the Victorians, like George Pilkington Mills, who still holds the record from Land’s End to John O’Groats on a penny farthing, and the significant firsts: first British road-race world champion, Dave Marsh, in 1922; one of the first female professionals and a major record-breaker in the 1950s, Eileen Sheridan; and the first Black British cycling champion in the 1970s, Maurice Burton. Great British Cycling Legends shows what makes each featured cyclist legendary, and how, in their different ways, they have helped to build British cycling, enabling the sport to develop and retain its extraordinary grip on the popular imagination

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An Interview with Martin Edwards

As part of our British Library Crime Classics celebration, Isis Audio over at Ulverscroft LTD sat down with bestselling author Martin Edwards to discuss the much-loved mystery series. From writing introductions to consulting and editing, Martin Edwards has played a huge part in the British Library Crime Classics series.

How did you become involved with the British Library Crime Classics series?
Quite by chance. I had a coffee with Rob Davies of the Library at a time when he was relaunching the series with new covers based on vintage railway poster artwork. He asked me to write a couple of introductions to two books by John Bude. I was happy to do this, but never imagined what would happen next. The new look Classics really took off and Rob asked me to write more introductions for the next few titles and also invited my thoughts on prospective authors and novels. Before long I was appointed series consultant and now, more than one hundred Crime Classics later, the series is still going strong.

What is it about detective stories and Golden Age Crime which timelessly draws readers in?
First and foremost, the stories are highly entertaining. The best of them stand comparison with the crime fiction of any era. The Golden Age was also a time of innovative storytelling, and some of the structural devices that inventive authors used playfully proved highly effective. They also offer more insights into human nature and relationships than many critics have realized. Beyond that, the books are now social documents – they tell us a great deal more about the time they were written in than many solemn history books. In some cases, the books have a nostalgic appeal, while some people see parallels between the anxieties of the Golden Age and those we experience today. But for me, the key point is that the best Golden Age detective stories are wonderfully enjoyable.

Do you personally have a favourite author, detective or book from the series so far?
I greatly admire Anthony Berkeley, one of the most gifted innovators of his day, and also Agatha Christie’s favourite detective novelist. The Poisoned Chocolates Case is a highly ingenious whodunit with no fewer than six solutions. I was delighted when the British Library commissioned me to write another!

Have you discovered anything you didn’t know previously as editor of the series, or discovered anything that’s surprised you?
I am a fan of E.C.R. Lorac (the main pen-name of Caroline Rivett, who also wrote as Carol Carnac) and in her Lunesdale novels she explores the northern farming communities with insight and compassion, but also with realism rather than sentimentality. I find her portrayal of village life compelling – and by no means cosy…

How important is it to revive these forgotten stories and bringing them back to print?
Very important! The fact that these books have been out of print for many years – sometimes seventy or eight years – means that readers have been denied a great deal of enjoyment. For too long there was a tendency for critics to be rather patronizing about detective stories of the past, but now that so many books are readily available, readers are able to judge for themselves – and it’s clear from my postbag, as well as from the sales figures, that they find a great deal of entertainment in these stories and are keen to read more.

Tell us about the beautiful covers. How did the design of vintage railway covers come about and how has the consistent style impacted the series?
Credit goes to Rob Davies of the British Library. The early reprints had covers in different styles, but by taking advantage of the fact that the Library owns the rights to many railway advertising posters, he created a truly iconic brand.

What are the key ingredients for a good murder mystery?
Ideally, an entertaining story that has a strong plot, but also benefits from credible characterization and a well-evoked setting.

For anyone who hasn’t discovered the series yet, is there a title you’d recommend diving in with?
Smallbone Deceased by Michael Gilbert is great fun. A terrific mix of plot, people and a well-realised legal setting, with a nice dash of wit.

How important is it that the series is available in audio?
Again, very important! So many readers enjoy audiobooks that it’s highly desirable that they can listen to these wonderful stories as well as read the print versions.

What’s next for the series? Are there new titles in the pipeline?
There are plenty of books in the pipeline, including more themed anthologies of short stories. I’m sure there will be more titles by Lorac as well as other popular Crime Classics authors, but there will also be some surprises and highly obscure titles. As always, I hope the series combines quality with tremendous variety.

The Life And Times Of A Very British Man

Kamal Ahmed’s childhood was very “British” in every way – except for the fact that he was brown. Half English, half Sudanese, he was raised in 1970s London at a time when being mixed-race meant being told to go home, even when you were born just down the road. Kamal makes the case for a new conversation about race in Britain through personal stories, political analysis, and a passionate belief in the ultimate good of this country. This is a modern commentary from a man who adopted the name Neil growing up (it was better than “camel”) and went on to occupy one of the most elite positions in the British establishment. It is also a call to recognise that this very British mix is the foundation for the country as we know it.

Hitler’s British Isles

In 1940 Britain stood perilously close to invasion. One by one, the nations of Europe had fallen, and Hitler s sights were set on the English coast. And yet, following the success of the Battle of Britain, the promised invasion never came. But the spectre of what might have been is one that has haunted us down the decades. What would a British occupation have looked like? The answer lies in the experiences of the Channel Islanders – the only British people to bear the full brunt of German Occupation. Based on interviews with islanders who lived through it, this book opens the lid on life in Hitler s British Isles.

Empireland Audio CD

WINNER OF THE 2022 BRITISH BOOK AWARD FOR NARRATIVE NONFICTION THE BOOK THAT INSPIRED THE CHANNEL 4 DOCUMENTARY ‘EMPIRE STATE OF MIND’ EMPIRE explains why there are millions of Britons living worldwide. EMPIRE explains Brexit and the feeling that we are exceptional. EMPIRE explains our distrust of cleverness. EMPIRE explains Britain’s particular brand of racism. Strangely hidden from view, the British Empire remains a subject of both shame and glorification. In his bestselling book, Sathnam Sanghera shows how our imperial past is everywhere: from how we live and think to the foundation of the NHS and even our response to the COVID-19 crisis. At a time of great division, when we are arguing about what it means to be British, Empireland is a groundbreaking revelation – a much-needed and enlightening portrait of contemporary British society, shining a light on everything that usually gets left unsaid.

Empireland Audio MP3 CD

WINNER OF THE 2022 BRITISH BOOK AWARD FOR NARRATIVE NONFICTION THE BOOK THAT INSPIRED THE CHANNEL 4 DOCUMENTARY ‘EMPIRE STATE OF MIND’ EMPIRE explains why there are millions of Britons living worldwide. EMPIRE explains Brexit and the feeling that we are exceptional. EMPIRE explains our distrust of cleverness. EMPIRE explains Britain’s particular brand of racism. Strangely hidden from view, the British Empire remains a subject of both shame and glorification. In his bestselling book, Sathnam Sanghera shows how our imperial past is everywhere: from how we live and think to the foundation of the NHS and even our response to the COVID-19 crisis. At a time of great division, when we are arguing about what it means to be British, Empireland is a groundbreaking revelation – a much-needed and enlightening portrait of contemporary British society, shining a light on everything that usually gets left unsaid.

Night Raid

The loss of British bombers over Occupied Europe began to reach alarming levels in 1941. Could it be that the Germans were using a sophisticated form of radar to direct their night fighters and anti-aircraft guns at the British bombers? British aerial reconnaissance discovered what seemed to be a rotating radar tower on a clifftop at Bruneval, near Le Havre. The decision was taken to launch a daring raid on the Bruneval site to try and capture the technology for further examination. The planned airborne assault would be extremely risky. The parachute regiment had only been formed a year before on Churchill’s insistence. This night raid would test the men to the extreme limits of their abilities.

The Children Who Fought Hitler

The expatriate outpost in Ypres grew around the British ex-servicemen who cared for the war memorials and cemeteries. Many married local women and their children grew up multi-lingual, but attended their own school and were intensely proud to be British. But when Germany invaded in 1940 the community was threatened. But, armed with their linguistic skills and local knowledge, pupils of the British Memorial School were uniquely prepared to fight Hitler. Still in their teens, some risked capture and death in operations in the field. Whilst their peers at home were being evacuated to the English countryside, these children were directly exposed to danger in one of the major theatres of war.

Spymaster

Sir Maurice Oldfield was one of the most important British spies of the Cold War era. A farmer s son from a provincial grammar school, Sir Maurice was the first Chief of MI6 who didn t come to the role via the traditional route. Oldfield was the voice of British Intelligence in Washington at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and was largely responsible for keeping the UK out of the Vietnam War. Working his way to the top, he took on the job of rebuilding confidence in the British Secret Service in the wake of the Cambridge spies scandal. This is the fascinating story of a complex, likable character as well as a formidable intelligence chief.