Simon Callow is best known as an actor, on screen and in theatres; many of you will recognise him from his role as Charles Dickens in Doctor Who (2005 and 2011), or as the voice of Grasshopper in the 1996 film adaptation of James and the Giant Peach.
I adore his silky smooth voice, and wonderfully English manner, so I was thrilled when I came across his reading of an excerpt of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales.
The Folio Society provides such lusciously illustrated versions of popular books: The Canterbury Tales was wonderfully crafted by illustrator Eric Gill, and boasts many sumptuous designs to feast our eyes upon. The price tag is quite steep at nearly £400, but other versions are available (see links under the video).
We can see the stunning, unique collector’s edition, read by Simon Callow, in the video below.