The audiobook of Swallows and Armenians is now available for free from Audible.

Swallows and Armenians is Karen Babayan’s story of the Anglo-Armenian Altounyan family who inspired Arthur Ransome to write his first book of fiction for children, Swallows and Amazons, which has gone on to be a classic of Lake District mythology.

The short stories in Swallows and Armenians are set in Coniston, Aleppo, Windermere, and Bradford, and are supported by a number of essays by the author about not only the turbulent history of the Armenian nation and its food, culture, and language, but also the history of Cumbria, which saw the Roman, Frisian, Syrian, and North African legions garrisoned there. Viking settlers also left evidence of their language in the local Cumbrian dialects.

The audiobook is narrated by Persia Babayan-Taylor, Karen Babayan’s daughter, and is available for free from Audible as part of its 30-day trial.

Other books and audiobooks about Swallows and Amazons are available from the Nancy Blackett Shop, and are sold in support of the work of the Nancy Blackett Trust.