A Bit of Brontës, a Dollop of Dickinson, an Offering of Austen

Elliot Engel has taught at the University of North Carolina, North Carolina State University, and Duke University. He earned his MA and PhD as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at UCLA, where he won the Outstanding Teacher Award. He has written numerous books, and his mini-lecture series on Charles Dickens ran on PBS stations around the country. His articles have appeared in many newspapers and national magazines, including Newsweek. He has lectured throughout the United States and on every continent.

Joan Allen has worked in theater, television, and film during her early career and achieved recognition for her Broadway debut in Burn This, winning a Tony Award. She has received three Academy Award nominations, including two for Best Supporting Actress for Nixon and The Crucible and one for Best Actress for The Contender. Her other films include The Ice Storm, Face/Off, Pleasantville, The Notebook, and The Bourne Ultimatum.

Stephanie Beacham has performed on the London stage in the plays The Basement and On Approval. She also has starred on television in The Colbys, Dynasty, and in numerous made-for-TV movies, including Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story.

Frederick Davidson (1932–2005), also known as David Case, was one of the most prolific readers in the audiobook industry, recording more than eight hundred audiobooks in his lifetime, including over two hundred for Blackstone Audio. Born in London, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and performed for many years in radio plays for the British Broadcasting Company before coming to America in 1976. He received AudioFile’s Golden Voice Award and numerous Earphones Awards and was nominated for a Grammy for his readings.

Gabrielle de Cuir, award-winning narrator, has narrated over three hundred titles and specializes in fantasy, humor, and titles requiring extensive foreign language and accent skills. She was a cowinner of the Audie Award for best narration in 2011 and a three-time finalist for the Audie and has garnered six AudioFile Earphones Awards. Her “velvet touch” as an actor’s director has earned her a special place in the audiobook world as the foremost producer for bestselling authors and celebrities.

Amy Irving is known for her numerous film roles as well as acclaimed roles on Broadway and off-Broadway. She received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the film Yentl, Golden Globe nominations for her performances in the films Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna and Crossing Delancey, and an Obie Award for her stage performance in The Road to Mecca. More recently she appeared in the films Traffic, Tuck Everlasting, and Thirteen Conversations about One Thing.

Glenda Jackson is the winner of two Academy Awards for her roles in Women in Love and A Touch of Class. She also received an Emmy for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in the acclaimed BBC production Elizabeth R. She won a seat in the British Parliament in 1992 and now devotes her time to politics.

Wanda McCaddon (a.k.a. Nadia May or Donada Peters) has narrated well over six hundred titles for major audiobook publishers, has earned numerous Earphones Awards, and was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine.

Juliet Mills is a highly acclaimed actress. She won an Emmy Award for QB VII and a Tony nomination for her role in Five Finger Exercise, and was one of the stars of the daytime drama show Passions.

Carolyn Seymour is a voice artist and audiobook narrator. She was born in England and grew up on a farm on the Isle of Wight. Her rather eccentric Russian Irish parents instilled in her a love of reading and a passion for the countryside. She has lived in Los Angeles for the last thirty years, where she putters about in her garden, grows vegetables, entertains her children and friends, and hikes with her three glorious but ancient dogs.

Read by Jean Smart, Eric Idle, Terry Bradshaw, and other celebrity narrators

Meryl Streep has been nominated for an Academy Award^® thirteen times, winning twice. Her numerous film credits include The Deer Hunter, Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie's Choice, Out of Africa, The Bridges of Madison County, Adaptation, and The Hours.