Two of the nation's greatest voices - Stephen Fry and Miriam Margolyes - read two of Dickens' most beloved novels, Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities.
Great Expectations, read by Stephen Fry
Great Expectations follows Pip's life from a plucky but poor and put-upon child in the Kent marshes, to a young man with "great expectations" in London and the choices he must make as a result of his winding journey. On the way, we meet some of Dickens' most memorable and unique characters - the mysterious and brutal Magwtich; eternally heartbroken Miss Havisham; and her cold-hearted child Estella.
In 2015, Great Expectations was placed 4th on the list of the 100 Greatest British Novels and has been beloved by readers and listeners since its original serialisation and publication in 1860-1.
A Tale of Two Cities, read by Miriam Margolyes
Charles Darnay, a French aristocrat, flees to England to escape the violence of his noble family's past, only to be drawn back into the chaos of his homeland. Lucie Manette, the daughter of a former prisoner of the Bastille, becomes the emotional anchor for those around her, including the brilliant but disillusioned lawyer Sydney Carton.
As the revolution intensifies, lives are torn apart, and Carton makes a selfless sacrifice that will change the fate of those he loves. In this timeless tale of struggle, identity, and the power of selfless love, Dickens weaves a powerful tale of resurrection and hope in the face of darkness.
