h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's not only Dmitri who has freebie tips. If any of you have access to BBC iPlayer, then I strongly recommend this audio production of Dylan Thomas's 'Under Milk Wood', which I listened to for the first time this week. As I write, it's available for 10 more days.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0076htk

This 2003 production is a mash-up of Richard Burton's acclaimed 1963 recording, adding contemporary voices including Sian Phillips and even the BBC newsreader John Humphreys.

It was the first time I'd heard this work, and it was frankly astonishing. The language is wonderfully evocative, and the rhythm of the piece hypnotic.

If you don't have access to iPlayer, then there are ways around this, involving installing software utilities to download the files. As this breaches licensing arrangements, I'm not going to assist you No-good Boyos in finding it - you'll have to Google it for yourself.

It looks good from here - seems to be willing to play for us. Bookmarking it for a bit later, thanks!

I just wish somebody would do Thomas' 'Rebecca's Daughers'.

[Amy P]

This is beautiful! You can't beat Thomas' lyrical sense of humour.

Within the next month or two, I expect local radio stations to play his reminiscences about Christmas in Wales when he was a child.

My personal favourite has always been 'Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night'

Not that I necessarily agree with his point.

F S

I couldn't live a day without the BBC iPlayer. When the internet occasionally blips I panic. I have it on more or less constantly, either live or listening to earlier programmes I will have missed.

I think I am always 'going on about' something I've been listening to. I think they've made the length of time a radio programme is available worldwide from seven days to 30.

I stream the BBC when I am at home, too, and have often raved about Cerys Matthews programme on 6music on Sunday mornings (another Welsh rarebit).

Under Milk Wood is like a favourite song - when it comes on the Radio, you find yourself mumbling along with it. I think I might get myself the Richard Burton version of Under Milk Wood. Or perhaps this version will become available on CD.

There's been quite a lot about Dylan Thomas lately - is he having some kind of anniversary?

100 years old 27 Oct this year that's about all

It is a beautiful piece of work, and Richard Burton does a superb job, turning it into music, almost.

I remember a cartoon version, set to the Burton version, I believe it will be available somewhere on the InterWeb, perhaps even legally.

And I can't remember where I saw/heard, but allegedly Dylan Thomas's last words were, 'I have just drunk 18 shots of whisky, I think that might be a record.'