Selected Dramatisations and readings of the genre-spanning work of HE Bates
HE Bates is probably best known for his comic novel The Darling Buds of May, which introduced the lovable Larkins to the world and sparked three hugely popular TV adaptations. In his 68 years, Bates wrote over 20 further novels, more than 300 short stories, children’s books, poems, plays and non-fiction. This collection brings together three full-cast BBC Radio dramatisations and fourteen excellent readings, rounding off with extracts from HE Bates autobiographies.
His wartime bestseller Fair Stood the Wind for France is a classic tale of danger, suspense and romance, centred around a British aircrew who ditch in Occupied France, and their attempts to survive and escape. This BBC radio dramatisation stars Rory Kinnear, Tom Goodman-Hill and Louise Brealey. Adapted from HE Bates’ semi-autobiographical 1952 novel, Love for Lydia charts the romance between a young reporter and a shy heiress. Tim Pigott-Smith and Juliet Aubrey star in this moving story of first love. Death of a Huntsman, based on Bates’ 1957 novella, is a vintage radio drama about a middle-aged businessman who finds himself strangely drawn to his ex-lover’s daughter. It stars Roger Delgado and Pauline Letts.
Described by Graham Greene as ‘the English Chekhov’, HE Bates was much acclaimed for his short fiction. Included here are 14 of his best tales, beginning with five stories taken from his 1957 collection Sugar for the Horse. Featuring his much-loved character Uncle Silas, they include ‘The Widder’, ‘The Blue Feather’, ‘Queenie White’, ‘The Singing Pig’ and ‘Aunt Tibby’. They are read by David Neal, who also reads six more bucolic tales: ‘Time’, ‘Chaff in the Wind’, ‘The Maker of Coffins’, ‘The Cowslip Field’, ‘Loss of Pride’ and ‘Great Uncle Crow’. A further three stories, ‘The Primrose Place’, ‘The Small Portion’ and ‘The Sun of December’, are read by Kim Hicks, John Rowe and Anthony Hyde.
02 – Fair Stood the Wind for France
03 – Fair Stood the Wind for France
15 – Sugar for the Horse – The Wider
16 – Sugar for the Horse – The Blue Feather
17 – Sugar for the Horse – Queenie White
18 – Sugar for the Horse – The Singing Pig
19 – Sugar for the Horse – Aunt Tibby
21 – Country Stories – Chaff in the Wind
22 – Country Stories – The Maker of Coffins
23 – Country Stories – The Cowslip Field
24 – Country Stories – Great Uncle Crow
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