Interactive English

The tune of this traditional Christmas carol is also known by its Latin name, 'Adeste Fideles'. John Francis Wade was one of the first to include it within his publications, but it is quite possible that the lyrics and tune date from earlier times. Arrangements of this tune also exist in compositions of Franz Liszt. This recording offers reading of the English-language lyrics followed by magical harp music based on original Christmas carol melody.

Shakespeare often uses expressive language in his portrayal of jealousy. It is a 'green-eyed monster', an object that 'one might fight and conquer', 'an infection which strikes as quickly as the plague'. In this selection of Shakespeare stories, jealousy plays a prominent role, offering us a wonderful opportunity to learn how Shakespeare's characters are dealing with this vice.

This collection of Shakespeare's tales focuses on themes of friendship and betrayal. Included in this volume: 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona', 'The Comedy of Errors' and 'The Winter's Tale'. Read in English, unabridged.

This traditional Christmas carol is also known as 'The Basque Carol' or simply as 'Gabriel's Message'. It tells a story of Jesus' birth. Charles Bordes composed the tune while researching traditional Basque music. He published several of these traditional songs, and some were popularised elsewhere in Europe. This recording offers a reading of the English-language text followed by magical harp music based on original composition.

This collection of Shakespeare tales focuses on themes of revenge, opening with Hamlet, the greatest revenge play of all time, one of the finest examples of revenge that a young man plans for the murder of his father. This collection of Shakespeare adaptations also includes Macbeth and The Merchant of Venice, each offering a unique perspective on the psychology of revenge.

In Shakespeare plays the tragic and the comic often fade into each other, turning into a harmonious blending of these two elements. Shakespeare takes a special delight in the employment of such harmonies. His tragedies never fail having their comic interludes, and his comedies often have a serious undertone. Still, the comic is not the tragic, and in this collection we offer some of the more humorous and witty tales from Shakespeare. The following Shakespeare adaptations are included here: A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It and Measure for Measure.

We continue to explore the world of our feral friends and learn about some of their darker secrets, some of the naughty episodes of their hidden lives, and some of the most revealing confessions of what cats think about their human masters. It may come as a surprise, but cats often do watch humans and attempt to imitate their behaviour, albeit not always very successfully. And in the second half of this collection we meet humans who don't seem to know how to handle their pets without embarrassment and even those humans who try to be a bit too close to nature for their own good.

Did you know cats have nine lives? Mother cat tells her life story and teaches her kittles cat wisdom and useful cat-life tricks.

Pericles, the young Prince of Tyre in Phoenicia, modern day Lebanon, hears the riddle, and instantly understands its meaning: Antiochus is engaged in an incestuous relationship with his daughter. If he reveals this truth, he will be killed, but if he answers incorrectly, he will also be killed. This edition of Pericles is an adaptation of Shakespeare's eponymous drama, narrated in plain modern English, capturing the very essence and key elements of the original Shakespeare's work. Read in English, unabridged.

This selection of stories and tales is perfect for that cold winter night to cosy up around fireplace and enter magical world of far away lands or kingdoms of the past. This volume opens with two tales from Beatrix Potter: 'The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse' and 'The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin', followed by 'Puss in Boots' by Charles Perrault. And in the second half we have Anton Chekhov's story, 'A Gentleman Friend', followed by William Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night'. Read in English, unabridged.

Shakespeare was familiar with all beautiful forms and images, with all that is sweet or majestic in the simple aspects of nature and human life, of that indestructible love, and clear waters, and soft airs and sounds, and bright skies and woodland solitudes, and moon-light bowers. The writings of Shakespeare have been justly termed the richest, the purest, the fairest, that genius uninspired ever penned.

From Marilyn to Streisand and all the celebs in-between. Film producers and studio executives know the nitty-gritty behind the scenes. Award-winning writer, producer, and executive Ken Rotcop now tells all about the comical, dramatic, and tragic celebrities he befriended. Look through the mirror on the wall to see the stars as they were without their masks, including Marilyn Monroe, Peter O’Toole, Mel Brooks, Peter Faulk, Monty Hall, Regis Philbin, Mickey Mantel, John Barrymore, Jr., Baron Hilton, and Jack Klugman.

The importance of women and their influence can never be underestimated. This story vividly shows how in 19th century Russia, women pulled strings behind scenes to influence even the most principled and seemingly unbreakable of decision makers. And only Chekhov knew how to express such delicate matters in the most enjoyable and humorous way. Read in English, unabridged.

Strizhin, who normally leads a sober and regular life, comes home from a christening party where he had permitted himself to drink four glasses of vodka and a glass of wine. And of course spirituous liquors being like sea-water and glory: the more you imbibe of them the greater your thirst, Strizhin felt an overwhelming craving for another drink. He accidentally downed a glass of paraffin instead of vodka, and in desperate search for a doctor at 4 a.m. he found that a doctor is only readily found when he is not wanted.

Polinka, a thin fair little person whose mother is the head of a dressmaking establishment, is standing in the middle of the shop looking about for some one. Nikolay Timofeitch, a graceful dark young man, fashionably dressed, with frizzled hair and a big pin in his cravat, has already cleared a place on the counter and is craning forward, looking at Polinka with a smile.

A native Frenchman no longer tutors the wealthy landlord's children, as they've grown up and left the house. The Frenchman is now paid simply to be around, to be properly dressed, to smell of scent, and to listen to Kamyshev's babble, to eat and drink and sleep. It may sound like a dream job, but there's always a catch. Read in English, unabridged.

Tickets, please.... A phrase familiar to every train passenger. And every now and then, there's one without a ticket, with a good excuse ready. When Podtyagin, a seasoned ticket collector on a train, decides to give up drinking and work honestly at his job, it sounds like a good resolution. And this very day he comes across an 'unreasonable' passenger who finds the very word 'tickets' cruel and absurd. Read in English, unabridged.

Some of the happiest memories of childhood often come from memorable magical tales. Rediscover this magic with this collection of fairy tales and stories.

This volume includes 'Little Red Riding-Hood' and 'The Sleeping Beauty' by Charles Perrault; 'The Looking Glass' and 'Her Husband' by Anton Chekhov; and 'The Gift of The Magi' by O. Henry.

The party of sportsmen spent the night in a peasant's hut on some newly mown hay. The moon peeped in at the window; from the street came the mournful wheezing of a concertina; from the hay came a sickly sweet, faintly troubling scent. The sportsmen talked about dogs, about women, about first love and about snipe.

The charming Vanda - or, as she was described in her passport, the Honourable Citizen Nastasya Kanavkin - found herself, on leaving the hospital, in a position she had never been in before: without a home to go to or a farthing in her pocket. What was she to do? Read in English, unabridged.