Christmas Book at Bedtime: Complete Series

By: Hans Christian Andersen, Charles Dickens, Laurie Lee

Narrated by: Patricia Routledge, Joss Ackland, Miriam Margolyes, Dame Judi Dench, Richard Briers

Everyone loves a bedtime story. And here are eight of the best from BBC Radio 4's Book at Bedtime, each with a Christmas theme, written by an array of literature's best-known names. They include Laurie Lee, Charles Dickens, and Hans Christian Andersen - just some of the storytellers included in this collection. Amongst those giving voice to these stories are Patricia Routledge, Joss Ackland, Miriam Margolyes, Dame Judi Dench, and Richard Briers. Intriguing, funny, poignant, and above all entertaining, these eight Christmas stories are the best of Book at Bedtime.

©2010 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2010 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A gem worth relistening

I have a small but growing collection of Christmas books, many of which I listen to every year.

This books is definitely one of my favorites. Every story is short (less than 10 minutes). Unlike most anthologies, I find that I like all of the stories and I love some of them. I find that I enjoy this book so much that I will listen to one or two stories and then save the others, rather than listening straight through.

My particular favorites are Baboushka, Dulce Domum, and the Christmas Truce. They are all very dear, light heat stories and the producer picked great narrators, that fit the stories well. I look forward to listening to this one every December.

Comforting like a warm tea and a crackling fire.

I love Christmas and these stories bring the season to life w amazing narrators: Dench, Routledge, Jacoby. Love it.

A New Tradition

This is more than an Audible purchase, this is a welcome friend who comes to the door during Advent, and lingers like a close friend at the fireside or coffee potted kitchen table. I have revisited Mr Pickwick's Dickens of a Christmas with Mr D. Jacobi bringing forth every note from the fiddle into my imagination. Winter by Laurie Lee remains my favorite, and this year, in the wake of Paris nightmarish winter, all eight of my children sat in the living room lit only by the fireplace and listened to the Christmas Truce on the night of 22 Dec. A most excellent Christmas family prayer. Thank you Audible for savoring
language and the blessings that can come through narration.

Charming Christmas Collection

These beautiful stories are short selections and stories narrated wonderfully well by some very talented British actors. This collection absolutely set the mood for my Christmas season this year and I expect for many more to come.

The eight Christmas stories and storytellers include:

1. Winter (from Cider with Rosie) by Laurie Lee, read by Patricia Routledge.
2. Baboushka by Arthur Scholey, read by Diana Rigg.
3. Christmas at Dingley Dell (from the Pickwick Papers) by Charles Dickens, read by Derek Jacobi.
4. The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, read by Judi Dench.
5. Dulce Domum (from The Wind in the Willows) by Kenneth Grahame, read by Richard Briers.
6. A Second Christmas in Kenya (from The flame trees of Thika) by Elspeth Huxley, read by Felicity Kendal.
7. Christmas Eve in New York (from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn) by Betsy Smith, read by Miriam Margolyes.
8. Christmas Truce (from A Fox Under My Cloak) by Henry Williamson, read by Tim Pigott Smith.

*Note: 'Christmas Eve in New York' does contain language that may not be appropriate for children or those who don't enjoy that sort of thing. (I don't have kids, but it's the reason I gave 'Story' 4 out of 5.)

Christmas Stories From The BBC

I almost skipped this enchanting collection of stories set around the holiday season and coming from around the world because of warning reviews. I am so glad I went ahead and gave the collection a chance. What a delight it turned out to be!

The narration was perfection with each story read by a different actor--each completely invested in the production--putting in masterful performances. It couldn't have been better.

The stories are just plain wonderful. A positive collection filled with varying experiences and points of view that I think it would be a shame to judge and discard them so lightly. The story that caused the troublesome reviews was Christmas in New York. The funny thing is is that this story was written by Betty Smith, author of A Tree Grows In Brooklyn. I read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn as a child and loved it. I reread it as an adult and was surprised by how adult the focus and and language was in the stories. The swearing is fairly mild. I find it amusing that the story in question was written for children and about children growing up in the tenements in NYC.

To me, this was a beautiful and thoughtful collection of holiday stories--all of which were evocative of celebrations and merrymaking from many perspectives, angles and worlds. So glad I found it.