Author:Edward J. Mason,Douglas Kelly,Noël Johnson
Set in an exciting world of criminal masterminds, espionage and adventure, the adventures of special agent Dick Barton and his friends Jock and Snowey were essential listening for an entire generation.
Originally running on the BBC Light Programme between 1946 and 1951, few of the BBC’s original recordings still survive. However, in 1949 a number of early Barton tales were re-recorded for transmission overseas starring Douglas Kelly. This collection contains 12 of the most recognisable dramas, as well as live performances, a profile of the character and interviews with the stars.
Episodes include; The Affair of the Black Panther, The Cabotolin Diamonds, The Case of Conrad Ruda, The Firefly Adventure, The Lily Chang Adventure, The Paris Adventure, The Tibetan Adventure, The Vulture and The Smash and Grab Raiders.
The collection also includes;
Dick Barton Special Agent; The first episode broadcast in 1972, read by Noël Johnson,
Dick Barton Live; A 2013, one-off show from Leicester’s Y Theatre using period equipment and scripts from 1951. The resulting adventure stars Tim Bentinck as Dick with Terry Molloy as his faithful companion Snowy White.
Dick Barton Still a Special Agent; A profile of radio’s greatest hero, presented by John Hosken.
Hilarious
—— StylistHardly a soul writes of the listening and playing of music with such insight and tenderness
—— Patti Smith , New York Times Book ReviewTheir words tessellate perfectly, forcing the neurons in your brain into a brave new quest for artistic divinity… A book for people transfixed by the minutia of creativity.
—— ShortlistHigh Fidelity for classical music fans.
—— Publishers WeeklyThese dialogues...add up to a sprawling feast of Mahler-style “polytonality” - or, alternatively, the sort of protean jam-session that Monk and Parker relished.
—— Boyd Tonkin , Arts DeskMurakami is Japan's greatest living writer
—— Washington PostIts cool, conversational style is one of the trademarks of Murakami’s writing – his novels all have the easy calm of a bar room dialogue – and Absolutely On Music has the particular feel of sitting at a table with two friends while they bat around their ideas.
—— Ross McIndoe , SkinnyIt’s a conversation that is well worth hearing.
—— Richard Osborne , GramophoneA lively rumination on classical music.
—— Keeley Bolger , Belfast Telegraph MorningAbsolutely on Music is an intimate and fascinating conversation between two maestros… [A] compelling, moving novel.
—— Scottish WomenMurakami’s grasp of music is frequently both astonishing and inspiring. He has incredible ears and is able to distinguish and annunciate the smallest differences in interpretations… When Murakami writes in prose, he does so with the quick charm and alluring detail that fans of his novels will relish.
—— Andrew Mellor , RhinegoldIt's good to know that, while my body rusts, I can keep my mind stretched and nimble by reading Zadie Smith
—— ObserverA preturnaturally gifted writer with a voice that's street-smart and learned, sassy and philosophical all at the same time
—— The New York TimesOne of the most brilliant and inspiring things I've read in years. Couldn't put it down. This book is freedom
—— Chris Kraus, author of I Love DickThe seedy side of the golden age of Hollywood and Los Angeles is thrown into sharp relief in this fascinating oral history. Tales of the stars, the fallen idols, and the never-beens from the Twenties right up to the Nineties.
—— Daily MailThis gossipy exploration of life in the gilded cage from one of its own is packed with anecdotes… Wealth, fame, beauty and status are a heady mix in Jean Stein’s history of Hollywood told through the first-hand accounts of those who lived and worked there.
—— Fiona Wilson , The TimesMonstrous behaviour and vanity suffuse this oral history of Hollywood’s troubled dynasties… Tragedy lurks around the manicured lawns and marbled halls.
—— Anthony Quinn , GuardianThe anecdotes come so thick and fast it’s like being machine-gunned with marshmallows. Gradually, though, the mood darkens, the catalogue of vulgarity, cruelty and insanity takes its toll. While the Technicolor tour is relentlessly fascinating, it is reassuring to be shown in black and white that, in La-La Land at least, with the millions comes endless misery.
—— Mark Sanderson , Evening StandardJean Stein’s approach to family history is unconventional… Stein weaves them together with immense narrative skill.
—— Christopher Silvester , Spears Wealth Management SurveyThe stories are mesmerising… Great for people who want to see beyond the world of make-believe.
—— William Leith , Evening StandardA very dark oral history of Hollywood… mesmerising.
—— iEngaging… Hytner proves an erudite chronicler of his notable successes, while not being afraid to acknowledge some of the more egregious failures on his watch. A must-read for anyone interested in theatre.
—— Alexander Larman , The ObserverHytner chronicles the highs – and occasional lows – of running the National with crisp wit and deep affection
—— Jane Shilling , Daily MailBook of the day
—— The IndependentA sensitive, sweetly melancholic story of music, connection and community
—— S MagazineBOOK OF THE WEEK: An uplifting read…full of humour and authentic characters
—— Midweek ExtraBreezily written, heart-warming and unashamedly sentimental… [a] modern fairy tale
—— Mail on SundayRachel Joyce returns to some of the themes in her bestselling debut The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: loss, the past and the bonds that can be forged with strangers. This time the pilgrimage is through music.
—— Press AssociationA quirky, romantic fairy tale perfect for summer.
—— You MagazineMy Christmas pick: I love any novel by Rachel Joyce, whose The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry was a huge success. Now she has created another Pied Piper of the heart in Frank, the proprietor of The Music Shop...This bewitching love story sings out the unique beauty of every human being, leaving you uplifted.
—— Bel Mooney , Daily MailThe Music Shop is a one gulp, super-satisfying read. Love it, love it, love it.
—— Sir Lenny HenryJoyce, a British actress and playwright, whose first novel, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, was longlisted for the Man Booker, continues to enchant and break hearts with her lovable misfits trying to survive in a modern world determined to pass them by. Irresistible.
—— Beth Anderson , Library JournalAn unforgettable story of music, loss and hope. Fans of High Fidelity, meet your next quirky love story. Vinyl fans, hold onto your turntables - Joyce's latest is a buoyant homage to the healing power of music well-played.
—— PEOPLE magazine‘The Music Shop’ is an unabashedly sentimental tribute to the healing power of great songs, and Joyce is hip to greatness in any key…. [The novel] captures the sheer, transformative joy of romance — ‘a ballooning of happiness.’ Joyce’s understated humor…offers something like the pleasure of A.A. Milne for adults. She has a kind of sweetness that’s never saccharine, a kind of simplicity that’s never simplistic…. I wouldn’t change a single note. Rachel Joyce, if music be the food of love, write on!
—— The Washington PostRachel Joyce’s charming and deceptively simple fourth novel chronicles an offbeat love story between a mystery woman and an ardent, if lonely, collector and gently explores the power of memory and music and the certainty of change…. love, friendship, and especially the healing powers of music all rise together into a triumphant crescendo…. This lovely novel is as satisfying and enlightening as the music that suffuses its every page.
—— The Boston GlobeMagnificent…. Joyce’s novel is intellectually and emotionally satisfying on every possible level. If you love words, if you love music, if you love, this is 2018’s first must-read, and it will be without question one of the year’s best.
—— Top Pick in Fiction, January 2018 , BookPageJoyce has a knack for quickly sketching characters in a way that makes them stick…. This is a touching, sometimes funny book about surviving change, the power of music and the importance of having a community — wacky or not. As with all of Joyce’s books, it will surprise you.
—— Minneapolis Star TribuneJoyce…continues to enchant and break hearts with her lovable misfits trying to survive in a modern world determined to pass them by. Irresistible.
—— Library JournalMagical…. [Rachel] Joyce has a winner in this deceptively simple love story…. Joyce’s odes to music…and the notion that the perfect song can transform one’s life make this novel a triumph.
—— Publishers WeeklyWhether on foot, as in her novel The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, or track by track, on this unlikely musical odyssey, Joyce excels in enveloping readers in epic journeys of lost connections and loving reunions.
—— Booklist[Rachel] Joyce sets up a charming cast of characters, and her spirals into the sonic landscapes of brilliant musicians are delightful, casting a vivid backdrop for the quietly desperate romance between Frank and Ilse. From nocturnes to punk, this musical romance is ripe for filming.
—— Kirkus Reviews