Classic Fiction Collection

The Apology of Socrates, by Plato, is the dialogue that presents the speech of legal self-defense, which Socrates presented at his trial for impiety and corruption, in 399 BC. Specifically, The Apology of Socrates is a defense against the charges of “corrupting the youth” and “not believing in the same gods as the city, but in other gods which are novel” to Athens.

Compiled by Thucydides, an Athenian historian and general during the Peloponnesian War, The History of the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) is considered to be one of the first scholarly historical works ever written.

Paul W. Fairman (1916-1977) was the author of not one - but two stories for science fiction magazines that were later purchased and transformed into classic 1950s drive-in theater horror fare. Oddly both tales were published in the same year, 1953, two months apart. The first, "Deadly City" appeared in the March 1953 issue of Worlds of If, under Fairman's "Ivar Jorgensen" pseudonym; and was filmed as Target Earth (1954). 

From tales of humans and animals forced to violence and primitivism, to stories of chaos and civilizational collapse, this elegant collection gathers Jack London’s most famous and influential works for a modern audience. Reflecting the eloquent prose and gripping themes first written over a century ago, these stories speak to universal ideas and truths which have captivated the minds of fans for generations.

This curated collection of Jane Austen’s most beloved novels is read by Fawlty Towers’ and A Question of Attribution’s Prunella Scales. This collection includes: Sense and Sensibility, Emma and Persuasion.

 The Iliad and The Odyssey are epic poems traditionally attributed to Homer, of which the written versions are dated to the 8th century BCE. Chronicling events in the Greek Bronze Age, this magnificent pair of poems forms the cornerstone of Western literature. If The Iliad is a classic war story, The Odyssey is symbolic of the individual’s journey through life.

Explore the wild world of the southern United States in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. These books are known for their adventurous spirit and their portrayal of the southern reaches of America.

Anne's once-wealthy father - widowed for fourteen years - has fallen into financial ruin and the family is forced to rent their estate and move to more modest accommodations. What's more, the family that moves in to the house is that of Captain Wentworth, who Anne rejected as a suitor years before due to his lack of prospects but who has now risen in the military ranks to become wealthy and prosperous.

A unique collection of classic poetry beautifully narrated with a musical accompaniment that enhances the power and emotion of the writing. Includes poems by Keats, Burns, Shelley, and Wordsworth.

The bestselling children’s books series for over 50 years is now available as a series of audiobooks! This laugh-out-loud collection includes Mr Adventure, Little Miss Brave, Mr Cool, Little Miss Curious, Mr Daydream, Little Miss Inventor, Mr Impossible and Little Miss Somersault. The Mr Men and Little Miss have been delighting children for generations with their charming and funny antics.

An engrossing collection of detective stories featuring all the great classic sleuths, including Sherlock Holmes, Father Brown, Max Carrados, J. G. Reeder, and C. Auguste Dupin. 1.The Tea-Leaf by Edgar Jepson & Robert Eustace 2.The Queer Feet by G. K. Chesterton 3.The Curious Circumstances of the Two Left Shoes by Ernest Bramah 4. The Club of One-Eyed Men by Arthur Somers Roche 5.Diamond Cut Diamond by F. Britten Austin 6.The Game Played in the Dark by Ernest Bramah

Iamblichus' famous biography of Pythagoras, which has been republished by the MSAC Philosophy Group. Details the interesting life narrative of the one of the great thinkers in the early Greek world.

Generations of readers and listeners have enjoyed the ingenuous triumphs and feckless mishaps of boyhood days on the Mississippi. This classic of American wit and storytelling introduced Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher, Aunt Polly, the Widow Douglas, and many other characters to the world, including, of course the boy who “was cordially hated and dreaded by all the mothers of the town because he was idle and lawless and vulgar and bad—and because all their children admired him so”: Huckleberry Finn.

Eight fantastic stories, brilliantly retold, reaching from Africa to the United Kingdom. Hours of audio fun to keep children entertained while on the move! Introduce your children to a selection of folk tales from around the world, written especially for children. Filled with sound effects and fun, these stories will introduce your children to a wider world of classic stories....

Traveling schoolmaster, Ichabod Crane, doesn't believe the rumors about witches and spirits haunting the idyllic village of Sleepy Hollow. The townsfolk, led by the rich Van Tassel family, are friendly and welcoming to strangers. On Halloween night, Ichabod is caught in the clutches of a frightening specter. But the Headless Horseman is not the devil he has been led to believe, and Ichabod finds himself falling for the lonely spirit.

Dramatisations and readings of EM Forster’s finest works, plus Stephen Wakelam’s radio play A Dose of Fame and the documentary feature Forster in India: Sex, Books and Empire. One of the greatest English novelists of the 20th century, EM Forster was also an accomplished short story writer. This collection includes stunning adaptations of his classic novels A Passage to India, Where Angels Fear to Tread, A Room with a View and Howards End. Among the star casts are Penelope Wilton, Ellie Kendrick, Sian Thomas, Emilia Fox, Sheila Hancock and John Hurt.

Written in alternating prose and poetry, La Vita Nuova is a profound reflection on the nature of love, devoted to Dante's muse Beatrice. Following Beatrice's death in 1290, Dante became obsessed with the young Florentine woman, whom he only ever knew from a distance. He believed his love for her was a form of divine love and saw her as an image of salvation itself - a theme that is later explored in his masterpiece The Divine Comedy, where she guides him through heaven.

Virgil's Aeneid, one of the greatest classical poems, tells the story of Aeneas, son of Priam, after the fall of Troy. His quest is to find the site "in the west" where he will found a new town prophesied to be the seat of a world empire: Rome.

A collection of seven of Shakespeare's best-loved plays adapted for children in plain English with additional commentary. Performed in plain English by a full cast.

This collection brings together the best British writing of the 20th century, narrated by a trio of beloved voices from the stage and screen. From the ghost stories of M.R. James to the intensity of D.H. Lawrence’s Sons and Lovers, as well as the intrigue of Joseph Conrad’s spy thriller, The Secret Agent, these enthralling modern classics will delight every listener. These classic stories are read by The Jewel in the Crown’s Tim Pigott-Smith; legendary Shakespearean actor Sir Michael Hordern; and Sir Ian McKellen.