Author:Franz Kafka,Benedict Cumberbatch
Benedict Cumberbatch reads Franz Kafka's famous story of man-turned-insect, Metamorphosis
Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2018
After a night of troubled dreams, Gregor Samsa wakes to discover that he has turned into a huge, monstrous, cockroach-like creature, with an armour-plated back and multiple limbs.
Gradually, he comes to terms with his new state - but his parents and sister are horrified and increasingly revolted. To them, Gregor is unclean, verminous and entirely repellent, and as he becomes more and more of a burden, their horror turns to a terrible indifference...
First published in 1915, Kafka's surreal existential novella explores concepts such as the absurdity of life, alienation and the disconnect between mind and body. Read by Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Star Trek, The Imitation Game), this tale - often described as one of the greatest in the history of fiction - is chilling, captivating and darkly comic.
©2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
Voices isn’t just illuminating and thought-provoking and clever; it is exciting.
—— Roddy DoyleA brilliant book about singing… I have been talking to Nick Coleman about music, in person and in my head, for forty years now. [With Voices] you have the opportunity to hear what I have heard. I hope you take it
—— Nick Hornby , The BelieverA deeply personal hymn, aria, sea shanty and saloon bar serenade… Voices is not merely an elegantly written study of a parade of fabled artists, but a long, heartfelt song of gratitude. It’s well worth hearing.
—— Graeme Thomson , The Mail on SundayUnusual and affecting… An elegant, controlled writer whose curiosity is as engaging as his whooping passion.
—— Jane Graham , Big IssueExhilarating… Coleman hears better and more clearly with half an ear than the rest of us do in a lifetime with two.
—— Alexandra Coghlan , SpectatorNot just a gallery of pen portraits of [Nick Coleman's] favourite singers but an impassioned examination of why certain voices ‘speak’ to us… Like the best music criticism of yore, [Voices] tangentially covers the history of popular music… He’s enjoyably sniffy about Jagger; insightful on Joni… but mostly Voices believes in magic.
—— Chris Roberts , Classic RockA brilliant read.
—— James McNair , NationalA fantastic writer.
—— Lois Wilson , Mojo[Voices] will have you delving into your music collection with fresh thanks and renewed appreciation.
—— Duncan Fletcher , Shindig!Fans of all genres can dip in for thoughts on nearly everyone in the rock canon.
—— Helen Brown, **Books of the Year** , Daily Telegraph[Coleman] hears, listens, better with a quarter of an ear than most of us do with both. He has the knack of summing up a singer with an epigram that makes the listener thrill in agreement
—— The Wall Street JournalThe fact that [this book] exists is pretty incredible.
—— Annie MacEveryone should read this – and it arrives right at the moment we need it most – just when the island appears to be turning inwards and moving backwards, this book shows you how to turn your heart outwards and move forwards.
—— Manchester Review of BooksFrom the mid-90s, Wiley has been instrumental in creating a new sonic aesthetic. In the process he has given black Britain a unique voice, forging a genre that both contains black British musical history, and pushes it forward. It has enabled the success of artists from Dizzee Rascal to Stormzy to Skepta, whose cultural dominance have given shape to the wider identity of twenty-first century British youth culture.
—— BBCEskiboy is an insight into one of the most complex characters in Grime.
—— Nation of BillionsThe pioneer behind the grime sound. Hugely enjoyable.
—— The Fader'Incredible... evocative... concussive, a bit chilling and thoroughly infectious.
—— Sukhdev Sandhu , GuardianA reflective and vulnerable tale of a very raw and traumatic climb … This book reveals nuances absent from his past interviews. In fact, it reveals the kind of insight I seek to extract from every interview I do as Wiley tells his story in full for the first time. Wiley is flawed and refreshingly honest about it; endearingly so and without arrogance.
—— Life VocabularyUtterly brilliant. Charting his rise from harsh beginnings to pirate radio and literally building a genre of music, the book is a vivid and revealing account from the godfather of grime himself. The book is refreshing too, with written cameos from friends and collaborators as well as brutal eloquently written honesty throughout.
—— Essential JournalAn unconventional autobiography written by a committed individualist … He turned 39 this year, but Eskiboy reads like the worldview of a veteran.
—— New StatesmanRevelatory and surprising – perfect for the Ziggy completist
—— New York MagazineBeguiling … the fabulosity of Bowie’s life and times lends itself extraordinarily well
to the oral history form
An affectionate, sometimes surprising, always fascinating picture of a Star Man in the real world
—— STELLA magazineOf all the volumes to appear since Bowie’s death last year, this is perhaps the most useful
—— i paperA treat for enthusiasts […] it bulges with essential and telling Spinal Tappish gossip
—— GuardianAn intimate, detailed and gossip-spangled survey of the life of the great enigma
—— Strong Words magazineThere are sixty-two and a half million books written about David Bowie; this is the one that has been unanimously praised. Indeed, David Bowie: A life might be the only one that you really need.
—— Loud and Quiet MagazineYou can go to any page and read something really interesting. It’s the only book about another artist that I’ve really enjoyed.
—— Chris Difford , Daily ExpressA 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