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"“Oh, Ford, Ford Ford, I Wish I Had ..."

Overall
Performance
Story

Brave New World is a bitterly funny and humorously tragic dystopian novel in which Aldous Huxley satirizes modern civilization’s obsession with consumerism, sensual pleasure, popular culture entertainment, mass production, and eugenics. His far future world limits individual freedom in exchange for communal happiness via mass culture arts like “feelies” (movies with sensual immersion), the state-produced feel-good drug soma, sex-hormone gum, popular sports like “obstacle golf,” and the assembly line chemical manipulation of ova and fetuses so as to decant from their bottles babies perfectly suited for their destined castes and jobs, babies who are then mentally conditioned to become satisfied workers and consumers who believe that everyone belongs to everyone. In a way it’s more horrible than the more obviously brutal and violent repression of individuals by totalitarian systems in dystopias like George Orwell’s 1984, because Huxley’s novel implies that people are happy being mindless cogs in the wheels of economic production as long as they get their entertainments and new goods.

Michael York does a great job reading the novel, his voice oozing satire for the long opening tour of the Hatchery and Conditioning Centre, and then modifying in timbre and dialect for the various characters, among them the self-centered brooder Bernard Marx, the budding intellectual poet Helmholtz Howard, the sexy, sensitive, and increasingly confused Lenina Crowne, the spookily understanding Resident World Controller of Western Europe Mustapha Mond, and especially the good-natured, sad, and conflicted Shakespearean quoting “savage” John.

I had never read this classic of dystopian science fiction, so I’m glad to have listened to this excellent audiobook, because it is entertaining and devastating in its depiction of human nature and modern civilization, especially timely in our own brave new Facebook world.

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Brave New World

UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 5 mins)

By Aldous Huxley

Narrated By Michael York

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(1581)
Performance
(955)
Story
(955)

When Lenina and Bernard visit a savage reservation, we experience how Utopia can destroy humanity.
Cloning, feel-good drugs, anti-aging programs, and total social control through politics, programming, and media: has Aldous Huxley accurately predicted our future? With a storyteller's genius, he weaves these ethical controversies in a compelling narrative that dawns in the year 632 A.F. (After Ford, the deity). When Lenina and Bernard visit a savage reservation, we experience how Utopia can destroy humanity.
Jefferson says: "“Oh, Ford, Ford Ford, I Wish I Had My Soma!”"
"What's a Lonely Creature to Do?"

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The three readers are well-suited to their roles. Simon Templeman is sensitive and vigorous as the frame-narrator, the idealistic and lonely explorer Walton, Anthony Heald is fragile and feverish as the self-pitying, obsessed, and played-out Frankenstein, and Stefan Rudnicki is baritone and bare as the rational, wronged, and vengeful Creature.

And what a fascinating, nightmarish, sublime, melodramatic, elegant, and surprising novel it is! Told by letters and interviews and by narratives inside narratives, glossing over the science and diving into the morality of the creation of artificial life, exploring the glories and dangers of the heroic (and tragic) quests for knowledge and discovery, expressing the best and worst of human nature, laying bare the sadness of loss and alienation. If, at times, I feel like slapping Frankenstein out of his self-centered wallows in guilty misery, the Creature's autobiography is compelling, and the scenes on the Arctic ice are terrific. And Mary Shelley often effectively builds up and then thwarts or shocks reader expectations. The novel has little in common with most movie adaptations of it, but it is well worth listening to so as to experience the source of so much popular culture Frankenstein material, as well as a representative example of the Romantic era.

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Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus

UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 42 mins)

By Mary Shelley

Narrated By Simon Templeman, Anthony Heald, Stefan Rudnicki

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(147)
Performance
(69)
Story
(70)

Dr. Victor Frankenstein, an ambitious young scientist, is consumed by a fanatic desire to create a living being. He fashions an eight-foot-tall creature and succeeds in animating him, but, horrified by his visage, perceives his creation to be a monster and frightens him away. The monster, wandering in search of human companionship, is spurned and repulsed by all he approaches and learns to hate and to kill.
Jefferson says: "What's a Lonely Creature to Do?"
"Passionate, Poetic, Bloody, Heroic,..."

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Story

The Story of the Volsungs is a classic Icelandic saga, written in the 13th century from much older oral fragments of songs. Eirikr Magnusson and William Morris’ 1888 translation of the saga is fast-paced, coherent, heroic, tragic, and darkly beautiful. It is mostly prose, but includes many passages of poetry or songs. It influenced H. Rider Haggard’s The Saga of Eric Brighteyes, J. R. R. Tolkien’s oeuvre (especially the Silmarillion), and Poul Anderson’s The Broken Sword. If you like such tragic fantastic adventure fiction, if you are interested in Norsemen (Vikings!), or if you enjoy reading epics for their insights into human nature and their windows into different cultures, you should listen to this audiobook.

It begins with a useful 48-minute introduction by H. Halliday Sparling about the historical, religious, political, and cultural context of the Norsemen and of their sagas, which is followed by an 8-minute preface by Magnusson and Morris about their translation.

The saga depicts the interrelated fates of two great Norse families, the Volsungs and the Guikings. From the opening sequence, in which Sigi, grandfather of Volsung, kills a thrall who outperforms him in hunting and then hides his body in a snowdrift, the people in the saga are prey to overwhelming ambition, pride, envy, love, and hate. So there are plenty of battles, with kings killing kings and heroes dealing death till their arms are “red with blood, even to the shoulders,” and murders, brothers killing brothers, sons fathers, and mothers children, with poison, sword, or fire. The Norns have already decided the people’s dooms.

There are also fantastic elements aplenty: men change into wolves, nightmares reveal disastrous futures, magic potions make men forget, magical swords are re-forged, Odin interferes with advice, boon, or doom, and so on. There are many great scenes, like Sigurd talking with a dragon about its cursed treasure or finding the sleep-spelled shield-maiden, Brynhild, “clad in a byrny as closely set on her as though it had grown to her flesh.” The characters are compelling because they’re so heroic and flawed. Any character might be loathsome one moment and admirable the next, or vice versa.

The saga is not an easy listen, because many characters’ names sound similar and because of the archaic Malory-esque language used by Morris to evoke a timeless and heroic age (so the free online text might be helpful). But there is a dark, spare, grand, and beautiful poetry in his translation, and reader Antony Ferguson treats the text with restraint and fluency, subtly highlighting its terse turns and beautiful flights and rich alliteration, as in the following excerpt:

"So Regin makes a sword, and gives it into Sigurd’s hands. He took the sword, and said—'Behold thy smithying, Regin!' and therewith smote it into the anvil, and the sword brake; so he cast down the brand, and bade him forge a better."

I am very glad to have listened to this saga.

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The Story of the Volsungs: The Volsunga Saga

UNABRIDGED (4 hrs and 34 mins)

By Anonymous

Narrated By Antony Ferguson

Overall
(16)
Performance
(14)
Story
(14)

Originally written in Icelandic in the 13th century AD by an anonymous author, The Story of The Volsungs is a legendary saga based on Norse mythology. The epic describes the legendary history and heroic feats of several generations of mythic Viking families and derives from many sources, including preexisting Edda, or heroic poems, Norse legends, historical events, and orally transmitted folklore. The saga is imbued throughout with themes of power, jealousy, love, vengeance, and fear.
Ingwe says: "Wonderful Journey"

A Peek at Sherrie Dunford's Bookshelf

Sherrie Dunford's greatest hits:

The Iliad

"Outstanding in every way"

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Performance
Story

I own this book and have been intending to read it for years. When I found it available on Audible, I knew that I would finally "read" it, and began listening to it. It was one of the first Audible books I purchased.

Being somewhat ignorant on the subjects dealt with in this book, I had to listen to the first hour about four times before it made sense to me, but I am so happy that I did. The rest of it was a piece of cake - very delicious. Who would have thought Homer would be so descriptive, funny, endearing and enlightening? I guess that is why this work has endured for so long.

I soon learned that the narrator makes or breaks an audio book, and Derek Jacobi is absolutely unbeatable as a narrator. I could listen to him all day. His characterizations are suburb. He made me laugh and cry. I will definitely listen to this one again and again.
The Screwtape Letters

"So much truth, much of it scary."

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Story

I expect to listen to this book again in the not-too-distant future, because I am sure I missed a lot that I can pick up on a second time. As it is, I see so many of Screwtape's character traits in people I know, as well as in myself. Reading this book was like looking into a mirror in which one hardly recognizes oneself until forced to look long enough to see what is truly there. So often what one sees is very scary.

Unlike Screwtape, we still have the option of changing our lives for the better. That, to me, is the huge lesson of this book
The Woman in White

". . . And they all lived happily ever after."

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Performance
Story

I didn't know anything about this book when I started listening to it, other than it came highly recommended, and that it was pretty long. And it was a mystery novel. So, it turns out that Wilkie Collins was a Victorian author, and was good friends with Charles Dickens until Dickens' popularity took off, but Wikie's not so much. I understand, though, that Collins' popularity is starting to grow now. Too bad he's not around to enjoy the benefits.

I didn't know it was a Victorian novel, and as such has the characteristics of being long, very wordy, mostly about the upper class, etc. etc. The reason so many of them are long and wordy is because they were serialized, forerunners of the soap opera of today. People could not wait to get the next installment to find out what was happening. I read a book in the newspaper in serial form one time, and it was great fun. Nowadays, we seem too impatient to read a book like that. We want to know right now what happens in the end. So we read all day and half the night instead of doing other things that we should probably be doing instead. But we find out what happens a lot sooner than waiting for the newspaper every day.

As far as the mystery part, yeh, it was a pretty good mystery, but a bit predictable. There were some pretty good twists and turns, but *** spoiler alert*** (sort of), they all lived happily ever after. Except for the people who died, of whom there was a fair number.

In any case, I did enjoy this book a great deal, but it did move slowly and was very wordy. It won't go on my favorites list, but I am glad I read it. I enjoyed the narrators very much, except for the reading of Count Fosco. He was supposed to be from Italy, but sounded 100% English. Every time he was called a foreigner, I though, Wait, where is he from? Oh yeh, Italy. Hmmmm.
Heart of Darkness: A Signature Performance by Kenneth Branagh

"Dark story, much to ponder"

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Performance
Story

This book is so full of symbolism that I had to listen to it twice to get the most out of it. I checked out sparknotes in between listens so as to get as much as I could out of the second listen, and it was a smart move on my part. If I had been satisfied with one time through, I would have missed the whole point of the story. It is a short book, more of a novella, which might help entice me to read it again in the future. It is a great allegory and commentary on human nature. Conrad is a great writer. I think I will ponder on this story for a long time and try to determine which character I am most like at an given time. I will also use it to analyze (not judge) those around me. It is inevitable, I think. Read this book if you enjoy stories that make you think, dig deep for hidden meanings, and analyze. It will stay with you for a long time. However, keep in mind that it was written for another era and much of the structure should not be considered or evaluated according to modern standards. It is a classic and will stand up to the test of time if the reader remembers that fact. The story itself is timeless.

I can't say enough good about narrator Kenneth Branagh. Fabulous!!

"Should be classified as art...."

36 of 36 helpful votes

This is probably as close to perfection as an audio book can be. The narration is excellent. The music tracks are perfect. The production values outstanding.

This is no easy piece of writing to grasp. It takes some background study---read Dubliners and Portrait of an Artist and the Odyssey first. Study them. Then pick up a couple good commentaries on this book---forget the quick notes.

A lot of work? Sure. Enjoyable? It's an experience more than a listen. The writing is beyond masterful. There are passages and chapters that will touch your core---some will leave a scar. It's that good.

This audio book isn't for everyone. But again, it could not be better.

Chris Reich

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Ulysses

UNABRIDGED (27 hrs and 21 mins)

By James Joyce

Narrated By Jim Norton

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(463)
Performance
(221)
Story
(217)

Ulysses is regarded by many as the single most important novel of the 20th century. It tells the story of one day in Dublin, June 16th 1904, largely through the eyes of Stephen Dedalus (Joyce's alter ego from Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man) and Leopold Bloom, an advertising salesman. Both begin a normal day, and both set off on a journey around the streets of Dublin, which eventually brings them into contact with one another.
Peter says: "Ulysses (Unabridged)"

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4.8 (1136 ratings)

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The Two Towers: Book Two in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

UNABRIDGED
- J. R. R. Tolkien
The Two Towers: Book Two in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

UNABRIDGED (16 hrs and 40 mins)

By J. R. R. Tolkien

Narrated By Rob Inglis

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(1136)
Performance
(1002)
Story
(1027)

The Two Towers is the second volume of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic saga, The Lord of the Rings. The Fellowship has been forced to split up. Frodo and Sam must continue alone towards Mount Doom, where the One Ring must be destroyed. Meanwhile, at Helm’s Deep and Isengard, the first great battles of the War of the Ring take shape. In this splendid, unabridged audio production of Tolkien’s great work, all the inhabitants of a magical universe - hobbits, elves, and wizards - spring to life. Rob Inglis’ narration has been praised as a masterpiece of audio.
Anna says: "Thank you, Audible! Tolkien at long last!"
4.8 (1009 ratings)

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The Return of the King: Book Three in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

UNABRIDGED
- J. R. R. Tolkien
The Return of the King: Book Three in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

UNABRIDGED (18 hrs and 18 mins)

By J. R. R. Tolkien

Narrated By Rob Inglis

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(1009)
Performance
(878)
Story
(900)

The Return of the King is the towering climax to J. R. R. Tolkien’s trilogy that tells the saga of the hobbits of Middle-earth and the great War of the Rings. In this concluding volume, Frodo and Sam make a terrible journey to the heart of the Land of the Shadow in a final reckoning with the power of Sauron. In addition to narrating the prose passages, Rob Inglis sings the trilogy’s songs and poems a capella, using melodies composed by Inglis and Claudia Howard, the Recorded Books studio director.
Natalie says: "Finally!"
4.8 (136 ratings)

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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Volume 1: The War of the Ring

UNABRIDGED
- J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Volume 1: The War of the Ring

UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 28 mins)

By J.R.R. Tolkien

Narrated By Rob Inglis

Overall
(136)
Performance
(62)
Story
(63)

The Companions of the Ring have become involved in separate adventures as the quest continues. Aragon, revealed as the hidden heir of the ancient Kings of the West, joined with the Riders of Rohan against the forces of Isengard, and took part in the desperate victory of the Hornburg. Merry and Pippin, captured by orcs, escaped into Fangorn Forest and there encountered the Ents. And all the time the armies of the Dark Lord are massing.
Catherine says: "Inglis sounds like Tolkien!"
4.8 (131 ratings)

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Audiobook

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Volume 1: The Treason of Isengard

UNABRIDGED
- J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Volume 1: The Treason of Isengard

UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 23 mins)

By J.R.R. Tolkien

Narrated By Rob Inglis

Overall
(131)
Performance
(66)
Story
(67)

Frodo and the Companions of the Ring have been beset by danger during their quest to prevent the Ruling Ring from falling into the hands of the Dark Lord by destroying it in the Cracks of Doom. Now they continue their journey alone down the great River Anduin, alone, that is, save for the mysterious creeping figure that follows wherever they go.
Catherine says: "third book of the series"
4.8 (81 ratings)

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Audiobook

SmartPass Plus Audio Education Study Guide to Hamlet (Dramatised, Commentary Options)

UNABRIDGED
- William Shakespeare , Simon Potter
SmartPass Plus Audio Education Study Guide to Hamlet (Dramatised, Commentary Options)

UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 9 mins)

By William Shakespeare, Simon Potter

Narrated By Joan Walker, Stephen Elder, Paul Clayton

Overall
(81)
Performance
(52)
Story
(52)

The multi award-winning SmartPass study guide with and without commentary options. This is a full-cast, unabridged performance with comprehensive commentary and analysis for any student to fully understand and appreciate the play. Universally accepted as Shakespeare's finest play, we peel back the layers of Hamlet to discover how and why it deserves such a place of honour in world literature.
Jane says: "Great introduction to Hamlet"
4.8 (54 ratings)

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SmartPass Plus Audio Education Study Guide to Macbeth (Unabridged, Dramatised, Commentary Options)

UNABRIDGED
- William Shakespeare , Simon Potter
SmartPass Plus Audio Education Study Guide to Macbeth (Unabridged, Dramatised, Commentary Options)

UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 7 mins)

By William Shakespeare, Simon Potter

Narrated By Full-Cast featuring Joan Walker, Nick Murchie, Coralyn Sheldon

Overall
(54)
Performance
(27)
Story
(27)

Combined for great value! The multi-award-winning SmartPass study guide with and without commentary options. Full-cast, unabridged performance with comprehensive commentary and analysis for any student to fully understand and appreciate the play.
"And nothing is, but what is not." Macbeth may be mystified by the Weird Sisters' words but this intense performance with incisive commentary cuts to the heart of Shakespeare's complex psychological tragedy.
Philip says: "Shakespeare made easy to understand!"
4.8 (32 ratings)

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SmartPass Plus Audio Education Study Guide to Romeo and Juliet (Unabridged, Dramatised, Commentary Options)

UNABRIDGED
- William Shakespeare , Simon Potter
SmartPass Plus Audio Education Study Guide to Romeo and Juliet (Unabridged, Dramatised, Commentary Options)

UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 51 mins)

By William Shakespeare, Simon Potter

Narrated By Full-Cast featuring Joan Walker, Chris Kelham, Sara Bowes

Overall
(32)
Performance
(15)
Story
(15)

Combined for great value! The multi-award-winning SmartPass study guide with and without commentary options. Full-cast, unabridged performance with comprehensive commentary and analysis for any student to fully understand and appreciate the play. The poetry of Shakespeare's star crossed lovers is poignantly performed and expertly explained in this unique production: "Passion lends them power."
Cheryl says: "Very Helpful"
4.8 (31 ratings)

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A Christmas Carol

UNABRIDGED
- Charles Dickens
A Christmas Carol

UNABRIDGED (2 hrs and 54 mins)

By Charles Dickens

Narrated By Simon Vance

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(31)
Performance
(27)
Story
(27)

A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman and Hall and first released on 19 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visitations of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Yet to Come.
Tad Davis says: "One of the best"
4.9 (13 ratings)

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Master i Margarita [The Master and Margarita]

UNABRIDGED
- Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov
Master i Margarita [The Master and Margarita]

UNABRIDGED (16 hrs and 40 mins)

By Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov

Narrated By Vladimir Ivanovich Samoylov

Overall
(13)
Performance
(10)
Story
(10)

Master i Margarita - "posledniy zakatnyy" roman M.A. Bulgakova, roman zaveshchanie, voskresshiy iz pepla unichtozhennoy avtorom pervoy redaktsii. V Mastere i Margarite fantastika natalkivaetsya na realizm, mif na istoricheskuyu dostovernost, teosofiya na demonizm, romantika na klounadu.
4.8 (12 ratings)

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Tales from Shakespeare: The Lambs' Tales

UNABRIDGED
- Charles Lamb , Mary Lamb , William Shakespeare
Tales from Shakespeare: The Lambs' Tales

UNABRIDGED (3 hrs and 54 mins)

By Charles Lamb, Mary Lamb, William Shakespeare

Narrated By Alan Cumming, Nigel Davenport, Andrew Sachs, and others

Overall
(12)
Performance
(8)
Story
(7)

A perfect introduction for all ages to the breadth and beauty of Shakespeare's work, Tales from Shakespearehas become a classic work in its own right. The tales bring vividly alive the power of Hamlet and Macbeth, the fun of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and the drama of The Tempest. Blending detailed narrative with original dialogue and poetic language, they fully convey the wit, wisdom, and imagination of Shakespeare's magnificent plays.
Heidi says: "My daughter's absolute favorite!"
4.8 (10 ratings)

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Captains Courageous

UNABRIDGED
- Rudyard Kipling
Captains Courageous

UNABRIDGED (5 hrs and 57 mins)

By Rudyard Kipling

Narrated By George Guidall

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(10)
Performance
(8)
Story
(8)

Captains Courageous is Rudyard Kipling’s classic fable of a boy’s initiation into the fellowship of men, played out on the high seas of the late 1800s. When he falls overboard from a luxury liner, Harvey Cheyne, the spoiled son of an American millionaire, is rescued by a small New England fishing schooner. To earn his keep, Harvey must prove his worth in the only way the skipper and his hardy crew will accept: through the grueling mastery of a fisherman’s skills.
Walt Robertson says: "A case where a good movie ruined a great book"
4.5 (4687 ratings)

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Audiobook

The Hobbit

UNABRIDGED
- J. R. R. Tolkien
The Hobbit

UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 8 mins)

By J. R. R. Tolkien

Narrated By Rob Inglis

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(4687)
Performance
(4188)
Story
(4238)

Like every other hobbit, Bilbo Baggins likes nothing better than a quiet evening in his snug hole in the ground, dining on a sumptuous dinner in front of a fire. But when a wandering wizard captivates him with tales of the unknown, Bilbo becomes restless. Soon he joins the wizard’s band of homeless dwarves in search of giant spiders, savage wolves, and other dangers. Bilbo quickly tires of the quest for adventure and longs for the security of his familiar home. But before he can return to his life of comfort, he must face the greatest threat of all.
Darwin8u says: "Victory after all, I suppose!"

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The Great Gatsby

UNABRIDGED
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby

UNABRIDGED (4 hrs and 52 mins)

By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Narrated By Jake Gyllenhaal

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(530)
Performance
(489)
Story
(489)

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic American novel of the Roaring Twenties is beloved by generations of readers and stands as his crowning work. This new audio edition, authorized by the Fitzgerald estate, is narrated by Oscar-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal (Brokeback Mountain). Gyllenhaal's performance is a faithful delivery in the voice of Nick Carraway, the Midwesterner turned New York bond salesman, who rents a small house next door to the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby....
Darwin8u says: "Simple, Beautiful, and Exquisitely Textured"
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Heart of Darkness: A Signature Performance by Kenneth Branagh

UNABRIDGED
- Joseph Conrad
Heart of Darkness: A Signature Performance by Kenneth Branagh

UNABRIDGED (3 hrs and 51 mins)

By Joseph Conrad

Narrated By Kenneth Branagh

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(778)
Performance
(583)
Story
(583)

A Signature Performance: Kenneth Branagh plays this like a campfire ghost story, told by a haunted, slightly insane Marlow.
Darwin8u says: "Conrad's Brilliant & Wild Novella"
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The Hobbit

UNABRIDGED
- J. R. R. Tolkien
The Hobbit

UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 8 mins)

By J. R. R. Tolkien

Narrated By Rob Inglis

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(4687)
Performance
(4188)
Story
(4238)

Like every other hobbit, Bilbo Baggins likes nothing better than a quiet evening in his snug hole in the ground, dining on a sumptuous dinner in front of a fire. But when a wandering wizard captivates him with tales of the unknown, Bilbo becomes restless. Soon he joins the wizard’s band of homeless dwarves in search of giant spiders, savage wolves, and other dangers. Bilbo quickly tires of the quest for adventure and longs for the security of his familiar home. But before he can return to his life of comfort, he must face the greatest threat of all.
Darwin8u says: "Victory after all, I suppose!"
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The Fellowship of the Ring: Book One in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

UNABRIDGED
- J. R. R. Tolkien
The Fellowship of the Ring: Book One in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

UNABRIDGED (19 hrs and 11 mins)

By J. R. R. Tolkien

Narrated By Rob Inglis

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(1923)
Performance
(1687)
Story
(1722)

The Fellowship of the Ring, the first volume in the trilogy, tells of the fateful power of the One Ring. It begins a magnificent tale of adventure that will plunge the members of the Fellowship of the Ring into a perilous quest and set the stage for the ultimate clash between the powers of good and evil.
Ellen says: "At last - The Definitive Recording!"
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The Two Towers: Book Two in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

UNABRIDGED
- J. R. R. Tolkien
The Two Towers: Book Two in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

UNABRIDGED (16 hrs and 40 mins)

By J. R. R. Tolkien

Narrated By Rob Inglis

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(1136)
Performance
(1002)
Story
(1027)

The Two Towers is the second volume of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic saga, The Lord of the Rings. The Fellowship has been forced to split up. Frodo and Sam must continue alone towards Mount Doom, where the One Ring must be destroyed. Meanwhile, at Helm’s Deep and Isengard, the first great battles of the War of the Ring take shape. In this splendid, unabridged audio production of Tolkien’s great work, all the inhabitants of a magical universe - hobbits, elves, and wizards - spring to life. Rob Inglis’ narration has been praised as a masterpiece of audio.
Anna says: "Thank you, Audible! Tolkien at long last!"
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The Great Gatsby

UNABRIDGED
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby

UNABRIDGED (5 hrs and 44 mins)

By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Narrated By Tim Robbins

Overall
(1093)
Performance
(547)
Story
(547)

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald's portrait of the Jazz Age in all its decadence and excess, is, as editor Maxwell Perkins praised it in 1924, "a wonder". It remains one of the most widely read, translated, admired, imitated, and studied 20th-century works of American fiction.
Erin says: "Something you won't fall asleep to..."
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Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: A Signature Performance by Elijah Wood

UNABRIDGED
- Mark Twain
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: A Signature Performance by Elijah Wood

UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 12 mins)

By Mark Twain

Narrated By Elijah Wood

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(1546)
Performance
(1109)
Story
(1085)

A Signature Performance: Elijah Wood becomes the first narrator to bring a youthful voice and energy to the story, perhaps making it the closest interpretation to Twain’s original intent.
James says: "Worthy "signature" premiere"
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Jane Eyre [Brilliance Edition]

UNABRIDGED
- Charlotte Bronte
Jane Eyre [Brilliance Edition]

UNABRIDGED (17 hrs and 21 mins)

By Charlotte Bronte

Narrated By Susan Ericksen

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(654)
Performance
(398)
Story
(405)

After a sad and neglected childhood as an orphan, Jane Eyre was hired by Edward Rochester as governess for his ward. Jane was pleased with the quiet country life at Thornfield, with the beautiful old manor house and gardens, with the book-filled library, and with her own comfortable room. But there were stories of a strange tenant, a woman who laughed like a maniac, and who stayed in rooms on the third floor.
Elizabeth says: "a book that can be heard/read again and again"
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Meditations

UNABRIDGED
- Marcus Aurelius
Meditations

UNABRIDGED (5 hrs and 11 mins)

By Marcus Aurelius

Narrated By Duncan Steen

Overall
(105)
Performance
(85)
Story
(86)

One of the most significant books ever written by a head of State, the Meditations are a collection of philosophical thoughts by the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121 - 180 ce). Covering issues such as duty, forgiveness, brotherhood, strength in adversity and the best way to approach life and death, the Meditations have inspired thinkers, poets and politicians since their first publication more than 500 years ago. Today, the book stands as one of the great guides and companions - a cornerstone of Western thought.
Guilherme says: "Stoic Wisdom at it's best"
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The Return of the King: Book Three in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

UNABRIDGED
- J. R. R. Tolkien
The Return of the King: Book Three in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

UNABRIDGED (18 hrs and 18 mins)

By J. R. R. Tolkien

Narrated By Rob Inglis

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(1009)
Performance
(878)
Story
(900)

The Return of the King is the towering climax to J. R. R. Tolkien’s trilogy that tells the saga of the hobbits of Middle-earth and the great War of the Rings. In this concluding volume, Frodo and Sam make a terrible journey to the heart of the Land of the Shadow in a final reckoning with the power of Sauron. In addition to narrating the prose passages, Rob Inglis sings the trilogy’s songs and poems a capella, using melodies composed by Inglis and Claudia Howard, the Recorded Books studio director.
Natalie says: "Finally!"
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The Great Gatsby

UNABRIDGED
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby

UNABRIDGED (4 hrs and 52 mins)

By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Narrated By Jake Gyllenhaal

Overall
(14)
Performance
(13)
Story
(13)

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic American novel of the Roaring Twenties is beloved by generations of readers and stands as his crowning work. This new audio edition, authorized by the Fitzgerald estate, is narrated by Oscar-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal (Brokeback Mountain). Gyllenhaal's performance is a faithful delivery in the voice of Nick Carraway, the Midwesterner turned New York bond salesman, who rents a small house next door to the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby. There, he has a firsthand view of Gatsby’s lavish West Egg parties - and of his undying love....
Ian C Robertson says: "The Very Good Gatsby, Reprised"
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Atlas Shrugged

UNABRIDGED
- Ayn Rand
Atlas Shrugged

UNABRIDGED (63 hrs)

By Ayn Rand

Narrated By Scott Brick

Overall
(4003)
Performance
(2036)
Story
(2031)

In a scrap heap within an abandoned factory, the greatest invention in history lies dormant and unused. By what fatal error of judgment has its value gone unrecognized, its brilliant inventor punished rather than rewarded for his efforts? In defense of those greatest of human qualities that have made civilization possible, one man sets out to show what would happen to the world if all the heroes of innovation and industry went on strike.
Mica says: "Hurt version decidedly superior"

New Releases

(More Classics New Releases) All Classics New Releases

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The Unknown Quantity

UNABRIDGED
- O. Henry
The Unknown Quantity

UNABRIDGED (13 mins)

By O. Henry

Narrated By Cathy Dobson

Overall
(0)
Performance
(0)
Story
(0)

When Dan Kinsolving inherits a fortune from his late father, he wants to make amends for the immoral way in which the money was amassed. Kinsolving senior had been responsible for a rise in the price of bread which had caused great hardship among the poor of New York. Kinsolving's friend Kenwitz shows Dan the impact of the bread price on real people's lives... and also explains the impossibility of undoing the damage which has been done.
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The Watter's Mou'

UNABRIDGED
- Bram Stoker
The Watter's Mou'

UNABRIDGED (2 hrs and 24 mins)

By Bram Stoker

Narrated By Kaleo Griffith

Overall
(0)
Performance
(0)
Story
(0)

The Watter's Mou, meaning "the water's mouth," revolves around the romance between a young coast guard officer and his girlfriend, the daughter of a fisherman. The officer, William Barrow [or Sailor Willy], is tasked with dealing with smuggling going on among the local fishermen, including his girlfriend’s father. Maggie MacWhirter's father had fallen upon hard times, when once his fishing boat had brought him a prosperous living.
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Poe on Poetry: Edgar Allan Poe Audiobook Collection, Volume 4

UNABRIDGED
- Edgar Allan Poe , Christopher Aruffo
Poe on Poetry: Edgar Allan Poe Audiobook Collection, Volume 4

UNABRIDGED (5 hrs and 22 mins)

By Edgar Allan Poe, Christopher Aruffo

Narrated By Christopher Aruffo

Overall
(0)
Performance
(0)
Story
(0)

The author reveals his craft in the structure of story, the creation of Beauty, the role of the critic, and the mechanics of verse - including a complete, step-by-step explanation of how he wrote his most famous poem, The Raven.
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Robinson Crusoe: The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe

UNABRIDGED
- Daniel Defoe
Robinson Crusoe: The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe

UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 29 mins)

By Daniel Defoe

Narrated By Alan Munro

Overall
(0)
Performance
(0)
Story
(0)

Who has not dreamed of life on an exotic isle, far away from civilization? Here is the novel that has inspired countless imitations by lesser writers, none of which equal the power and originality of Defoe's famous book. Robinson Crusoe, set ashore on an island after a terrible storm at sea, is forced to make do with only a knife, some tobacco, and a pipe. He learns how to build a canoe, make bread, and endure endless solitude. That is, until, 24 years later, when he confronts another human being.
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Short Story Classics: From the Great Storywriters of the World

UNABRIDGED
- Edgar Allan Poe , George Eliot , Kate Chopin , Mark Twain , Robert Louis Stevenson , Oscar Wilde , O. Henry
Short Story Classics: From the Great Storywriters of the World

UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 7 mins)

By Edgar Allan Poe, George Eliot, Kate Chopin, and others

Narrated By Cathy Dobson

Overall
(0)
Performance
(0)
Story
(0)

A vintage collection of some of the greatest short stories ever written: "The Purloined Letter", by Edgar Allan Poe; "The Nose", by Nikolai Gogol; "The Story of an Hour", by Kate Chopin; "The Gift of the Magi", by O. Henry; "The Apparition of Mrs. Veal", by Daniel Defoe; "The Lifted Veil", by George Eliot; "Life of Ma Parker", by Katherine Mansfield; "The Baron", by Katherine Mansfield; "The Cask of Amontillado", by Edgar Allan Poe; "The Seventh Pullet", by Saki; and more.
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Edgar Allan Poe Audiobook Collection 2: William Wilson / The Masque of the Red Death

UNABRIDGED
- Edgar Allan Poe , Christopher Aruffo
Edgar Allan Poe Audiobook Collection 2: William Wilson / The Masque of the Red Death

UNABRIDGED (1 hr and 7 mins)

By Edgar Allan Poe, Christopher Aruffo

Narrated By Christopher Aruffo

Overall
(0)
Performance
(0)
Story
(0)

William Wilson is drawn into a desperate struggle against a mysterious doppleganger intent on his destruction. The Masque of the Red Death: As his kingdom dies of a hideous plague, the Prince revels in his palace, sealed away from a gruesome fate. But is he as safe as he believes....?
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The Wings of the Dove (Dramatised)

ORIGINAL
- Henry James , Linda Marshall Griff (dramatisation)
The Wings of the Dove (Dramatised)

ORIGINAL (2 hrs and 50 mins)

By Henry James, Linda Marshall Griff (dramatisation)

Narrated By Lyndsey Marshal

Overall
(1)
Performance
(1)
Story
(1)

Kate and Merton need money. Milly needs love. How far will they go to get what they want? Kate Croy is in love with Merton Densher; a poor writer. Her rich aunt Maud disapproves. Maud has offered Kate a wealthy existence but if Kate chooses to marry Merton she risks losing it all. When American Heiress Milly Theale steps into her London society, Kate sees a way out. Milly confides in Kate that she believes herself to be gravely ill and Kate begins to see a way for her and Merton to have a future. When Merton returns to London, Kate sets out to bring her lover and her friend together.
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Edgar Allan Poe Audiobook Collection 3: The Fall of the House of Usher/The Imp of the Perverse

UNABRIDGED
- Edgar Allan Poe , Christopher Aruffo
Edgar Allan Poe Audiobook Collection 3: The Fall of the House of Usher/The Imp of the Perverse

UNABRIDGED (1 hr and 2 mins)

By Edgar Allan Poe, Christopher Aruffo

Narrated By Christopher Aruffo

Overall
(0)
Performance
(0)
Story
(0)

This audiobook is a collection of two short stories by author, Edgar Allan Poe. The Fall of the House of Usher: At his friend's dire pleading, a man braves a living tomb now beset by madness and unknowable disease. The Imp of the Perverse: Blinded by the promise of wealth, a man commits the perfect murder... but how will he keep his secret when his own soul turns against him?
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The Sphinx Without a Secret

UNABRIDGED
- Oscar Wilde
The Sphinx Without a Secret

UNABRIDGED (13 mins)

By Oscar Wilde

Narrated By Cathy Dobson

Overall
(0)
Performance
(0)
Story
(0)

When Lord Muchison catches sight of a mysterious and beautiful lady in a carriage on London's Bond Street, he is captivated and spends the next few days on the lookout for her again. A week later, by chance he finds himself at a dinner party where Lady Alroy is present, who he immediately recognizes as the lady from Bond Street. But her mysterious behaviour and insistence on secrecy puzzles him greatly.
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Edgar Allan Poe Audiobook Collection 1: The Pit and the Pendulum/The Black Cat

UNABRIDGED
- Edgar Allan Poe , Christopher Aruffo
Edgar Allan Poe Audiobook Collection 1: The Pit and the Pendulum/The Black Cat

UNABRIDGED (1 hr and 8 mins)

By Edgar Allan Poe, Christopher Aruffo

Narrated By Christopher Aruffo

Overall
(0)
Performance
(0)
Story
(0)

This audiobook is a collection of two short stories by author, Edgar Allan Poe. It includes: The Pit and the Pendulum: Imprisoned and subjected to extraordinary torments at the hands of the Spanish Inquisition, one man struggles to keep his sanity... and his life. The Black Cat: A man overcome by alcohol sinks into wild depravity, goaded by the haunting spectre of a murdered pet.
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Gargantua & Pantagruel (Classic Serial)

ORIGINAL
- Francois Rabelais , Lavinia Murray (dramatisation)
Gargantua & Pantagruel (Classic Serial)

ORIGINAL (1 hr and 53 mins)

By Francois Rabelais, Lavinia Murray (dramatisation)

Narrated By David Troughton, full cast

Overall
(0)
Performance
(0)
Story
(0)

Gargantua and Pantagruel by Francois Rabelais. Dramatised by Lavinia Murray. Episode 1: Gargantua. The bawdy, exuburant adventures of medieval giants. A dizzying blend of fantasy, comedy, philosophy and scatological humour. The world's a messy place. The first episode depicts the young life of the giant Gargantua, who is reduced to laughable insanity by an education at the hands of paternal ignorance, old crones and syphilitic professors. Episode 2: - Pantagruel. Concluding the bawdy and scatological adventures of Medieval giants.
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The Great Gatsby

UNABRIDGED
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby

UNABRIDGED (5 hrs and 10 mins)

By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Narrated By Dan Russell

Overall
(0)
Performance
(0)
Story
(0)

The Great Gatsby, first Published in 1925 and probably F. Scott Fitzgerald's finest novel, is set on Long Island's North shore, where Nick Carraway begins a new life in New York in the "roaring 20's".
Carraway is invited to join his new neighbour Jay Gatsby's social circle, including the self-made millionaire's legendary parties, and bears witness to Gatsby's rekindled love affair with the unhappily married Daisy, which ends in tragedy. Today the novel is widely regarded as a paragon of the Great American Novel and a literary classic.

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