Dec 23, 2007

The Christmas Stories by: Charles Dickens

Robert Whitfields narration allows listeners to recognize how much Dickens wrote for the ear. Whitfield reads these stories like he is telling them beside a winter fire.AudioFile

No writer is more identified with the modern idea of Christmas than Charles Dickens. In some ways, Dickens helped define the holiday that we now celebrate by immortalizing it as a time of warmth and sharing with an emphasis on family and friends. Dickens wrote all the stories presented here during the 1850s as contributions to the special Christmas issues of Household Words, the weekly magazine he founded and edited. Included are fictional sketches verging on the autobiographical, recollections of childhood, reflections on past holidays and old friends, as well as tales of misunderstandings and lost opportunities. They reaffirm the virtue of nurturing our traditions and offer a master storytellers vision of the real meaning of Christmas.

Charles Dickens (1812 –1870) was born in Landport, Portsea, England, the second of eight children in a family continually plagued by debt. A legacy brought release from the nightmare of debtors' prison and child labor and afforded him two years of formal schooling. He worked as an attorney's clerk and newspaper reporter until his early writings brought him the amazing success that was to be his for the remainder of his life.

Earphones Awards recipient Robert Whitfield was born in England and worked for the BBC for ten years as a radio news announcer and also worked as a narrator for the Royal National Institute for the Blind in London. In addition to narrating for Blackstone Audiobooks, he involves himself in numerous stage-acting projects in the United States and Europe.

Dec 16, 2007

New Dibble Show, The - Season 2 - Episode 15: Dibble's Christmas Special

Dibbles Christmas Special is a Blast with good clean fun for the entire family, CRT's hilarious comedy series starring Dibble, (that 3'3” 15 Watt Star of the Air!), along with a zany cast of characters in the small New England town of Mayham. You’ll laugh out loud to their misadventures. Loaded with a wonderful cast, great sound effects, and light hearted stories. Whether you are 6 or 96, you will find Dibble and his friends to be a wonderfully pleasant diversion.

Starring ...
  • Jerry Robbins
  • Nick Aalerud
  • Diane Capen
  • Bill Hammond
  • Lincoln Clark
  • Shane Clarke
  • Sam Donato
  • Rik Pierce
  • Cynthia Pape
  • J.T. Turner
  • Joseph Zamparelli Jr.

Dec 13, 2007

Christmas Lights . . .

Alternately laugh-out-loud funny and poignant, Christmas Lights celebrates the most significant aspects of the season. As the holiday approaches, seven women face their separate challenges and hopes and discover why the darkest season can also be the brightest.

In separate vignettes, we meet Katherine, who is taking care of her ailing husband; Julianna, juggling with construction paper, scissors, and rubber cement in a room full of high-spirited four-year-olds; Adrianna, struggling with the difficulties of marriage; Cassandra, tending her toddlers; Victoria, searching for a love to call her own; Alexandra, waiting for word from her doctor about an uncertain diagnosis; and Isabella, discovering the gift of motherhood. The threads of their lives come together in a moving conclusion that perfectly captures the holiday spirit.

Christmas Lights is currently available at a reduced price too

Dec 4, 2007

Santa's Secret Podcast

At last we have the truth about Santa. Children's author, Shoo Rayner, came upon Santa's iPod diary one Christmas Eve. This fascinating diary tells of the year that Santa had to get his delivery operation computerised.

What are Doodahs? What are Wijits and how are they made? Will Santa remember Mrs Claus's birthday? All these and many more fascinating questions are answered in this truly revealing tale. Be the first in your neighbourhood to know exactly how Santa manages to deliver all those present in just one night. HO! HO! HO!

Dec 3, 2007

The Worst Noel

December is all about christmas mostly so we will be bringing you the best of the best christmas and holiday celebration audiobooks this month. And to start off we've got a bit of playful humor . . .

It's that time of year again—the holiday season. Between checkout lines a mile long, the office party hangover, battles with traffic, and delayed flights, what's better to do than to listen to The Worst Noel and laugh your holiday aggravation away?

The collection features an eclectic mix of writers with playful, often dark humor as the conmon thread.
  • Donner Is Dead - Cynthia Kaplan
  • Blue Christmas: The Tour - John Marchese
  • Eight - Amy Krouse Rosenthal
  • That's Just About Enough Figgy Pudding, Actually - Catherine Newman
  • Birthdays - Ann Patchett
  • The Accidental Santa - Joni Rodgers
  • Christmas 2001 - Anne Giardini
  • 'Twas the Bite Before Christmas - Stanley Bing
  • Survivor - Louis Bayard
  • I'll Have Christmas with the Works on Rye, Hold the Ham and Jesus - Valerie Frankel
  • Christmas in Paris - Mike Albo
  • We Really Must Get Together This Year - Marian Keyes, read by Katrina Keyes
  • The Gift of the Magi Redux - Binnie Kirshenhaum
  • A Foreign Country - Mitchell Symons
  • The Jew Who Cooked a Ham for Christmas - Neal Pollack
  • Rum Balls - Roger Director
  • Buy Humbug - Cintra Wilson
  • The Gift That Did Not Need Wrapping - Elizabeth Noble

Click here to hear a sample of this christmas audiobook