A Soldier of the Great War Audiobook By Mark Helprin cover art

A Soldier of the Great War

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A Soldier of the Great War

By: Mark Helprin
Narrated by: David Colacci
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On his last long walk, septuagenarian war hero, deserter, and professor Alessandro Giuliani shares his past with an illiterate young factory worker, spinning a remarkable tale of heart-stopping escapes, of loves unrequited and won, of madmen, dwarfs, and mafiosi. But overshadowing all is his most miraculous and terrible adventure, the Great War: a surreal parade of horrors that devastated and defined Alessandro, yet enabled him to experience fully the magic and beauty of the absurd human comedy called life.©1991 Mark Helprin (P)2007 BBC Audiobooks America Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction War & Military War Witty Heartfelt Funny Military

Critic reviews

"Extraordinary....a vast, ambitious, spiritually lusty, all-guzzling, all-encompassing novel." ( The New York Times Book Review)
"A rousing tale....riotous energy and sustained brilliance....Helprin lights his own way, in his ownsingular direction." ( Time)
"A gripping, poignant and universally relevant moral fable." ( Publishers Weekly)
Beautiful Prose • Philosophical Depth • Excellent Narration • Memorable Protagonist • Vivid Imagery • Emotional Journey

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Great Book. I was not sure when it began but I hated when it ended. Good historical viewpoint also.

Great

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The beginning may seem a trifle slow-- stick with it. The hero, Alexander Guiliani, is one of the most memorable characters in fiction. He lives his life by a personal code we all would do well to try to emulate. Helprin shows us the utter senselessness and horror that was the First World War-- with lessons implicit for today.

well worth the time to listen!

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I wanted to like this more than i did - like there were really good parts... if i could - i'd probably go 3 1/2 stars. It just seemed like, given the age of the narrator at the beginning, that the story was going to cover more of his life. But it's really about just before the war, the war, and then it's impact on his life. I quite enjoyed it, just found it a bit long given the scope of time it covered. And this may be totally my own incorrect expectations (after all, it is named for the "Great War"), but there were whole sections i found just seemed to go on too long. Well written, well narrated overall tho. Recommended.

A bit long, good saga - 3 1/2?

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A beautifully written history of an individual’s life. I enjoyed listening to it very much, and becoming part of the story.

Wonderful

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I have read it twice and now I have listened to it. Love it again.

Great story telling of a life <br />

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I really loved this book. Great narrator, fantastic story. It feels like i now have a personal understanding of this time period and life during a time of war

Amazing

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absolutely fantastic story. the author puts you in Rome, Venice , the Alps, and of course The Great War.

what a well written boom

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Helprin is an unusual, magnificent writer. Indulgent and meandering, poetic and philosophical, this book is beautiful. It is occasionally glorious. I love it.

Spectacular. Moving.

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this is the third book I have enjoyed by Helprin, a terrific story teller...he does a wonderful job of creating interesting characters... looking forward to more of his books...

Helprin - A terrific story teller

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This is a profoundly ironic epic adventure wherein Helprin's staggering descriptive powers, dark humor, sharp wit, and wild imagination conjure a life so rich in experience it overwhelms.

An old man tells the story of his extraordinary life, first rich with love of beauty, color, music, and the joy of living, then sharply contrasted by the loss and horror of WWI that swallows him and all he loves. Action and brutality delivered with gorgeous prose and spirituality. And it works brilliantly.

The first 50 pages or so are slow, but don't give up, the next 750 pages are the payoff.

Helprin has crazy writing skills.

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