Bettie's Books

Recommended for: BBC Radio Listeners

Read from May 10 to 16, 2014

Classic Serial

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00m5sr5

"Ah, my heart her eyes and she
Have taught thee new astrology.
Howe'er Love's native hours were set,
Whatever starry synod met,
'Tis in the mercy of her eye,
If poor Love shall live or die."

Description: Dramatisation by Jon Sen of Thomas Hardy's tragic tale of star-crossed lovers in the West Country.

When Lady Viviette Constantine discovers the handsome young astronomer Swithin St Cleeve on the lonely tower on her estate, a story of passion and sacrifice begins.

Viviette and Swithin have married in secret, but chance and convention conspire against them and painful sacrifices have to be made.

Lady Constantine ...... Maggie O'Neill
Swithin St Cleeve ...... Blake Ritson
Parson Torkingham ...... Conrad Nelson
Tabitha Lark ...... Amy Humphreys
Fellows ...... Stephen Tomlin
Granny Martin ...... Pauline Jefferson
Louis ...... Richard Heap
Joshua ...... Carter Dowland

Directed by Stefan Escreet.

CR Two on a Tower
4* Tess of the d'Urbervilles
4* Far from the Madding Crowd
5* Jude the Obscure
4* The Mayor of Casterbridge
4* The Return of the Native
4* The Woodlanders
5* Under the Greenwood Tree
5* A Pair of Blue Eyes
4* The Trumpet-Major
WL Wessex Tales
WL Life's Little Ironies
4* The Darkling Thrush