Product Description
'I have nothing to declare', Wilde once told an American customs official, 'except my genius'. A socialite, a wit, a man who flaunted convention and was unafraid to shock, Oscar Wilde was a great writer and a great man. This new collection of wit and wisdom demonstrates the brilliance of his vision, the audacity of his style. Such is the scope of the material, it brings to life the Wilde of great feeling as well as the Wilde of great art. ... Read more

Product Description
The short story represents the perfect diversion for the busy modern reader — long enough to engage, but short enough to be portable to almost any setting from beach to bus ride. In this audio collection, a group of British readers breathe new life into 20 masterpieces of the form. There’s something here for every taste and mood, from a prime example of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s satirical “Pat Hobby” stories based on his Hollywood experiences, to gripping thrillers from the pen of Arthur Conan Doyle and Arnold Bennett. Writers include early masters such as Guy de Maupassant (“The White Wolf”), Poe (“The Purloined Letter”), and Alphonse Daudet (“Old Cornille’s Secret”). Here too are 20th-century favorites like Sapper (“The Patch on the Quilt”), E. E. Nesbitt (“The Violet Car”), and Jerome K. Jerome (“On Being in Love”). Readers include such notables as Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, and Patrick Malahide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

audio book
Wonderful to hear my favorite actor, and many others reading so many stories. I love listening in my car. Really great set of CD's! ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Stephen Fry, John Lloyd, List of Qi Episodes, the Museum of Curiosity, Alan Davies, Ted Dewan, Justin Pollard, Vitali Vitaliev, John Mitchinson, Quite Interesting Limited, Qi News, Adam Jacot de Boinod, Piers Fletcher, Dan Schreiber, Ian Lorimer. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 448. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: This is a list of episodes of QI, the BBC comedy panel game television programme hosted by Stephen Fry. Series G was the first in the show's history to be aired in its entirety on BBC One, beginning its run on 26 November 2009. The first series started on 11 September 2003. Although not mentioned at the time, all of the questions (with the exception of the final "general ignorance" round) were on subjects beginning with "a" (such as "arthropods", "Alans" and "astronomy"). The following six series continued the theme: the second series' subjects all began with "b", and so on. Series G featured a total of 18 editions, 2 of which were compilation episodes, making it the longest series yet, and was the first to be broadcast in its entirety on BBC One. As with the previous series, extended "XL" editions are also being shown on BBC Two soon after the normal broadcast. Because of scheduling issues, this only began with the fourth episode. The first episode had an "XL" edition aired some time after the original edition. Episodes 2, 3, 15 and 16 currently have no scheduled "XL" editions, but they are planned to be aired in the near future. Nine new guests appeared in this series; Jack Dee, John Hodgman, Barry Humphries, Lee Mack, Graham Norton, Sue Perkins, Jan Ravens, David Tennant and Sandi Toksvig. Another significant first is that episode 2 featured four guests instead of the usual three (with regular Alan Davies also present). Accompanying the recordings was a l...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=22732312 ... Read more

Product Description
Britain's best-loved comic genius Stephen Fry turns his celebrated wit and insight to unearthing the real America as he travels across the continent in his black taxicab. Stephen's account of his adventures is filled with his unique humour, insight and warmth in the fascinating book that orginally accompanied his journey for the BBC1 series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

How Brits see the USA
This book was disapointingly shallow and not very funny.I like Stephen Fry's humor but did not find much here.I got the British version because I thought it would be a bit bawdy.It was a bit boring.I was especially disappointed in the Illinois chapter.

Stephen Fry in a Hurry
I should have known better than to buy a TV series tie-in, but come on, I thought, it's Stephen "A Bit of Fry and Laurie, not to mention some bits of Blackadder" Fry. Surely, it will be worth a chuckle or two.

Alas, as Fry himself has said, "As private parts to the gods are we. They play with us for their sport."

The premise is simple enough: Englishman tours the 50 states, and discovers Americans are not all that bad. The book is structured as a travelogue, recording Stephen's adventures along his journeys. Each state gets its own chapter, preceeded by a list of "Key Facts" such as the State Capital, Motto and/or Neckwear (Arizona: Bolo tie). Very democratic and even-handed, but it does mean that when crammed into the space of 300 pages, each state gets an average of roughly six pages. Well, five, less the Key Facts.

Depth then is somewhat lacking. Each state is reduced to one or two encounters with assorted billionaires, entrepreneurs, hillbillies, indians, stoners, witches and zulus. Delware is passed through without stopping. Stephen gets no further than the state line of Idaho before zipping off to Wyoming. Of course, length is no guarantee of quality, but so much of Stephen's prose is filled with the banal, "I couldn't be happier" (Montana), "I enjoyed myself here as much as I have anywhere" (South Dakota), "I decide that I like the South" (South Carolina).

All this would be less disappointing if it was delivered with a bit more wit. Stephen, however, apparently had other ideas, and plays it straight (badda-bing) for most of the book. Stephen's prose is good, solid, readable stuff, but it rarely shines. There is the odd sally that raises a smile, but for the most part Stephen has decided it is more important to be earnest. Indeed, the book's simplicity of spirit is almost... well... American.

Not a bad book then, simply less than I had hoped for. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Stephen Fry, Tom Wise, Malcolm Hardee, John Darwin Disappearance Case, Ashley Mote, John Poulson, Charles Ingram, William Sharington, Horatio Bottomley, William Sudell, John George Haigh, Whitaker Wright, John Nichols Thom, Darius Guppy, Chantal Mccorkle, Bampfylde Moore Carew, Percy Toplis, Kevin Foster, Ernest Saunders, Mary Carleton, Anthony Parnes, John Ryman, Brother Xii, Peter Francis-Macrae, Charles Nall-Cain, 3rd Baron Brocket, Kevin Cullis, Alexander Davison, Colleen Mccabe, Angus Montagu, 12th Duke of Manchester, Sir Arthur Wheeler, 1st Baronet, Leon Warnerke, John Forbes. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 170. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957) is an English actor, writer, journalist, comedian, television presenter and film director. He first came to attention in the 1982 Cambridge Footlights Revue presentation, "The Cellar Tapes", which also included Hugh Laurie, Emma Thompson and Tony Slattery. With Hugh Laurie, as the comedy double act Fry and Laurie, he co-wrote and co-starred in A Bit of Fry and Laurie, and the duo also played the title roles in Jeeves and Wooster. As a solo actor, Fry played the lead in the film Wilde, was Melchett in the Blackadder television series and is the host of the quiz show, QI. He also presented a 2008 television series Stephen Fry in America, which saw him travelling across all 50 U.S. states in six episodes. Fry has become known to American audiences for his recurring guest role as Dr. Gordon Wyatt on the Fox crime series Bones. Apart from his work in television, Fry has contributed columns and articles for newspapers and magazines, and has written four novels and an autobiography, Moab Is My Washpot. He also appears frequently on BBC Radio 4, starring in the comedy series Absolute Power, bei...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=63401 ... Read more

Product Description

"Bears like Paddington are very rare," says Mrs. Bird, "and a good thing too, or it would cost us a small fortune in marmalade."

Customer Reviews (2)

Wonderful story beautifully narrated!
All the Paddington books are such great stories for children (and adults!), and this is no exception!Stephen Fry is an excellent narrator.This book is great for story time with your children, or to while away the long hours of a road trip!

Absolutely Wonderful!
My 5 year old listens to this over and over again. Stephen Fry does a fantastic job narrating, giving just the right voice inflection and capturing the spirit of the characters beautifully. A family favorite! ... Read more

Product Description
Dickens's classic tale of kindness, truth and virtue is ruined by the involvement of a member of the Blackadder family. This Christmas episode of the "Blackadder" comedy series was first transmitted on BBC1 in 1988. ... Read more