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Tad Davis
Tad Davis Philadelphia, PA USA Member Since 2005
HELPFUL VOTES
2008
ratings
REVIEWS
1402
199
FOLLOWERS
FOLLOWING
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3
  • The Canterbury Tales

    "Many voices, at times enthralling"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    This new Blackstone recording of "Canterbury Tales" is wonderful and at times enthralling -- and also at times laugh-out-loud funny. Like the Charlton Griffin recording (also available here), it's the whole ball of wax: every tale, including the often-omitted Tale of Melibee and the Parson's Tale (which is really a three-hour sermon rather than a tale. Listen to it. It's good for the digestion, and quite a bit more interesting than it sounds). This translation, by J.U. Nicholson, uses a more old-fashioned vocabulary in places than the Coghill translation used by Griffin; but at the same time, it's also saltier. There are few crude names for parts or functions of the human body that Chaucer fails to use at one point or another, and most of them find their way into this recording. (For me, that's a GOOD thing!) One notable feature is that this is a multi-voice recording. Martin Jarvis is Chaucer, Ralph Cosham the Lawyer, Simon Vance the Squire; and that's only a few examples. Both this version and Griffin's version are five-star recordings in my book. Griffin's has occasional music, which this one lacks; on the other hand, this one has greater variety of tone and voice.

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    The Canterbury Tales

    • UNABRIDGED (20 hrs and 49 mins)
    • By Geoffrey Chaucer
    • Narrated By Martin Jarvis, Jay Carnes, Ray Porter, and others
    Overall
    (257)
    Performance
    (131)
    Story
    (136)

    In this edition, we hear, translated into modern English, 20-some tales, told in the voices of knight and merchant, wife and miller, squire and nun, and many more. Some are bawdy, some spiritual, some romantic, some mysterious, some chivalrous. Between the stories, the travelers converse, joke, and argue, revealing much about their individual outlooks upon life as well as what life was like in late 14th-century England.

    Tad Davis says: "Many voices, at times enthralling"
  • Odyssey: The Story of Odysseus

    "Great prose translation, great reading"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I've always loved W.H.D. Rouse's prose translations of Homer. They've been available on Audible for years in an older recording by Nadia May. Blackstone has just reissued them in new readings by Anthony Heald, and they're wonderful. Heald is fast becoming one of my favorite readers. His fast-paced, emotionally-charged style is perfectly suited to the breezy rhythms of Rouse's prose. There are other more poetic translations and readings of The Iliad and The Odyssey, but to my mind these are by far the best prose versions -- especially appropriate if your goal is to be immersed in the story rather than the language.

    There are some things about Rouse's style you should be aware of, though. Mostly these are reflections of Homer's style, but some translators smooth it over; Rouse does not. Zeus is sometimes referred to Cronides, Cronion, or just plain God. Other characters are referred to sometimes by their names, sometimes by their patronymics (Agamemnon is Atreides, the son of Atreus; Achilles is Peleides, the son of Peleus). Sometimes, as in Cronides/Cronion, those patronymics have more than one form. In addition, Rouse often uses the word "good" to indicate an in-law relationship: a "good-sister" is actually a sister-in-law; a "good-father" is a father-in-law. To me this is part of the charm of the translation, but if you're not prepared for it, it can be confusing.

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    Odyssey: The Story of Odysseus

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 27 mins)
    • By Homer
    • Narrated By Anthony Heald
    Overall
    (98)
    Performance
    (43)
    Story
    (42)

    One of the great masterpieces of Western literature, The Odyssey chronicles the many trials and adventures Odysseus must pass through on his long journey home from the Trojan wars. Though the stormy god of the ocean is determined to keep him off course, Odysseus is clever and has the brilliant goddess Athena on his side.

    Tad Davis says: "Great prose translation, great reading"
  • Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus

    "Great reading"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    This is yet another excellent reading of "Frankenstein." There are actually several really good performances of this book on Audible. Simon Vance tends to emphasize the lyrical Romanticism of the prose. Others have other strengths: George Guidall emphasizes the brooding tragedy; the three-reader version from Blackstone highlights the unusual structure of the narrative; and Flo Gibson gives what I think is the only available recording of the shorter 1818 version of the text. (Most use the 1831 revision.) I seem to be collecting versions of this book without realizing it. Vance's reading is lively and clearly differentiates the three major voices in the book (Walton, Frankenstein, and the Creature).

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    Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 21 mins)
    • By Mary Shelley
    • Narrated By Simon Vance
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (249)
    Performance
    (178)
    Story
    (186)

    At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, Frankenstein tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering "the cause of generation and life" and "bestowing animation upon lifeless matter", Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts. However, upon bringing it to life, he recoils in horror at the creature's hideousness.

    Tad Davis says: "Great reading"
  1. The Canterbury Tales
  2. Odyssey: The Story of Ody...
  3. Frankenstein, or The Mode...
    4. .

A Peek at Sherrie Dunford's Bookshelf

Helpful
Votes
371
 
Sherrie Dunford
Utah 161 REVIEWS / 248 ratings Member Since 2009 118 Followers / Following 0
 
Sherrie Dunford's greatest hits:
  • The Iliad
    The Iliad

    "Outstanding in every way"

    Overall
    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
    The Screwtape Letters

    "So much truth, much of it scary."

    Overall
    Performance
    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
    The Woman in White

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

    Overall
    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.

  • The Scarlet Pimpernel
    The Scarlet Pimpernel

    "Beautifully Written Classic"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Everyone should read this book at least once. It is an intriguing story based on real history. The narrator, Michael Page, is fabulous. I really enjoyed the story. It is a good love story with a great hero, actually more than one hero. Heroes are hard to come by these days, which makes this book all the better.

Ian
Ian Farnborough, United Kingdom 09-28-06 Member Since 2003
HELPFUL VOTES
206
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94
59
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FOLLOWING
42
1
  • Peter Pan

    "Essential childhood reading"

    21 of 22 helpful votes

    I never read this book as a child. Neither was it read to me and I thought that Peter Pan was a cartoo character until I was an adult. I missed out.

    If you have children then buy the book and read it to them. If you can't or won't then the next best thing is to let Jim Dale read it to them for you. His delivery is excellent and carries just the right balance of restraint and enthusiasm.

    An excellent presentation of a classic story.

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    Peter Pan

    • UNABRIDGED (5 hrs and 16 mins)
    • By J.M. Barrie
    • Narrated By Jim Dale
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (315)
    Performance
    (151)
    Story
    (153)

    Fly away with Peter Pan to the enchanted island of Neverland! This first chapter book adaptation of the classic novel, originally published in 1911, tells the story of the boy who never grows up. And when they join Peter on his magical island, Wendy and her brothers are in for exciting encounters with mermaids, an Indian princess, and pirates! Let the amazing adventures begin!

    H. says: "This may not be the story you think you remember"

What's Trending in Classics:

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  • 4.8 (1106 ratings)
    The Two Towers: Book Two in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy
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    The Two Towers: Book Two in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy
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    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
    (1106)
    Performance
    (979)
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    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 (979 ratings)
    The Return of the King: Book Three in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy
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    The Return of the King: Book Three in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy
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    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
    (979)
    Performance
    (853)
    Story
    (875)

    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 (135 ratings)
    The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Volume 1: The War of the Ring
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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
    (135)
    Performance
    (61)
    Story
    (62)

    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)
    The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Volume 1: The Treason of Isengard
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    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)
    SmartPass Plus Audio Education Study Guide to Hamlet (Dramatised, Commentary Options)
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    SmartPass Plus Audio Education Study Guide to Hamlet (Dramatised, Commentary Options)
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    • 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)
    SmartPass Plus Audio Education Study Guide to Macbeth (Unabridged, Dramatised, Commentary Options)
    Play SmartPass Plus Audio Education Study Guide to Macbeth (Unabridged, Dramatised, Commentary Options)
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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)
    SmartPass Plus Audio Education Study Guide to Romeo and Juliet (Unabridged, Dramatised, Commentary Options)
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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 (30 ratings)
    A Christmas Carol
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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
    (30)
    Performance
    (26)
    Story
    (26)

    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)
    Master i Margarita [The Master and Margarita]
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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)
    Tales from Shakespeare: The Lambs' Tales
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    Tales from Shakespeare: The Lambs' Tales
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    • 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)
    Captains Courageous
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    Captains Courageous
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    • 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 (4624 ratings)
    The Hobbit
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    The Hobbit
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    The Hobbit

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 8 mins)
    • By J. R. R. Tolkien
    • Narrated By Rob Inglis
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (4624)
    Performance
    (4135)
    Story
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    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!"

Best Sellers

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  • The Great Gatsby
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    • 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
    (436)
    Performance
    (398)
    Story
    (402)

    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"
  • Heart of Darkness: A Signature Performance by Kenneth Branagh
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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
    (774)
    Performance
    (578)
    Story
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    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"
  • The Hobbit
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    The Hobbit
    UNABRIDGED

    The Hobbit

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 8 mins)
    • By J. R. R. Tolkien
    • Narrated By Rob Inglis
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (4624)
    Performance
    (4135)
    Story
    (4184)

    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!"
  • The Great Gatsby
    Play The Great Gatsby
    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
    (1083)
    Performance
    (539)
    Story
    (539)

    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..."
  •  
  • The Fellowship of the Ring: Book One in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
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    The Fellowship of the Ring: Book One in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
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    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
    (1885)
    Performance
    (1658)
    Story
    (1691)

    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!"
  • Jane Eyre [Brilliance Edition]
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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
    (652)
    Performance
    (397)
    Story
    (403)

    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"
  • The Return of the King: Book Three in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy
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    The Return of the King: Book Three in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy
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    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
    (979)
    Performance
    (853)
    Story
    (875)

    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!"
  • The Two Towers: Book Two in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy
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    The Two Towers: Book Two in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy
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    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
    (1106)
    Performance
    (979)
    Story
    (1002)

    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!"
  •  
  • Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: A Signature Performance by Elijah Wood
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    Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: A Signature Performance by Elijah Wood
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    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
    (1535)
    Performance
    (1099)
    Story
    (1076)

    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"
  • The Great Gatsby
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    The Great Gatsby
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    • F. Scott Fitzgerald

    The Great Gatsby

    • UNABRIDGED (4 hrs and 52 mins)
    • By F. Scott Fitzgerald
    • Narrated By Jake Gyllenhaal
    Overall
    (13)
    Performance
    (12)
    Story
    (12)

    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....

    MATTHEW says: "Just the right reading style"
  • Gulliver's Travels: A Signature Performance by David Hyde Pierce
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    Gulliver's Travels: A Signature Performance by David Hyde Pierce
    UNABRIDGED
    • Jonathan Swift

    Gulliver's Travels: A Signature Performance by David Hyde Pierce

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 52 mins)
    • By Jonathan Swift
    • Narrated By David Hyde Pierce
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (399)
    Performance
    (241)
    Story
    (247)

    A Signature Performance: Four-time Emmy Award winner David Hyde Pierce delivers an air of lovable self-importance in his rendition of the classic social satire that remains as fresh today as the day it was published.

    Lara says: "Timeless Humor"
  • Meditations
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    Meditations
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    • Marcus Aurelius

    Meditations

    • UNABRIDGED (5 hrs and 11 mins)
    • By Marcus Aurelius
    • Narrated By Duncan Steen
    Overall
    (103)
    Performance
    (83)
    Story
    (84)

    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"

New Releases

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  • New Atlantis
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    New Atlantis
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    • Francis Bacon

    New Atlantis

    • UNABRIDGED (1 hr and 43 mins)
    • By Francis Bacon
    • Narrated By Don Hagen
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    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
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    (0)

    The crew of a European ship discovers the utopian island of Bensalem, having gotten lost in the Pacific Ocean somewhere near Peru. The crew spend time learning about the ways of the people of Bensalem, a very chaste group of Christians. The most important part of the island is their university, a state-sponsored scientific institution known as Salomon's House. The narrator is chosen from amongst the crew to get a one-on-one explanation of the way their society works, and he learns about the various buildings and jobs that exist on Bensalem.

  • Rough-Hew Them How We Will
    Play Rough-Hew Them How We Will
    Rough-Hew Them How We Will
    UNABRIDGED
    • P. G. Wodehouse

    Rough-Hew Them How We Will

    • UNABRIDGED (31 mins)
    • By P. G. Wodehouse
    • Narrated By David Ian Davies
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    (0)
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    (0)
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    This short story from Wodehouse’s collection The Man with Two Left Feet was also included in P. G. Wodehouse All Time Greatest Works. Paul Bioelle lives in an attic. By day he makes eighteen shillings a week as a waiter; by night he paints, perfecting his masterpiece so that he might earn his fortune. The money from the painting would go toward achieving his dreams: marriage to Jean Le Brocq and ownership of a little cigar shop on Brixton. For to Paul, achieving those two things would be heaven on Earth.

  • The Grateful Beasts
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    The Grateful Beasts
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    • Andrew Lang

    The Grateful Beasts

    • UNABRIDGED (25 mins)
    • By Andrew Lang
    • Narrated By Tavia Gilbert
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    (0)
    Performance
    (0)
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    (0)

    Ferko, a handsome young man, was born into a very poor family with very wicked brothers. Because the family is so poor, the parents have to send the three brothers away, with only a loaf of bread each. The brothers gang up on Ferko while he is sleeping, stealing his bread and convincing him he consumed it in his sleep. Taking advantage of his starvation, they trick him into allowing them to blind him and break his legs.

  • Moskva i moskvichi [Moscow and Muscovites]
    Play Moskva i moskvichi [Moscow and Muscovites]
    Moskva i moskvichi [Moscow and Muscovites]
    UNABRIDGED
    • Mihail Nikolaevich Zagoskin

    Moskva i moskvichi [Moscow and Muscovites]

    • UNABRIDGED (2 hrs and 59 mins)
    • By Mihail Nikolaevich Zagoskin
    • Narrated By Galina Samojlova
    Overall
    (0)
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    (0)
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    (0)

    Kniga Moskva i moskvichi napisana Mikhailom Nikolayevichem Zagoskinym (1789 - 1852), avtorom izvestnykh istoricheskikh romanov Yuriy Miloslavskiy, Roslavlev, i mnogikh drugikh proizvedeniy. Moskva i moskvichi - eto zhivye i uvlekatel'nye ocherki, rasskazy, sceny «iz domashnej i obschestvennoj moskovskoj zhizni». Please note: This audiobook is in Russian.

  •  
  • The Husband's Story
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    The Husband's Story
    UNABRIDGED
    • Norman Collins

    The Husband's Story

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 32 mins)
    • By Norman Collins
    • Narrated By Matthew Frow
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    (0)
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    (0)
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    This - as only Norman Collins can tell it - is the story of Stanley Pitts, a contracts filing clerk in the Admiralty, a small man - small in stature, small in ambition and achievement, happy in his work, and devoted to his hobby of photography. For Stan himself, his latest failure with the Civil Service Selection Board might not have mattered too much. But it mattered to his wife, Beryl. For Beryl is a social climber....

  • Vintage Reading: From Plato to Bradbury: A Personal Tour of Some of the World's Best Books
    Play Vintage Reading: From Plato to Bradbury: A Personal Tour of Some of the World's Best Books
    Vintage Reading: From Plato to Bradbury: A Personal Tour of Some of the World's Best Books
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    • Robert Kanigel

    Vintage Reading: From Plato to Bradbury: A Personal Tour of Some of the World's Best Books

    • UNABRIDGED (6 hrs and 55 mins)
    • By Robert Kanigel
    • Narrated By Denise Washington Blomberg
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    (0)
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    (0)
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    A friendly literary companion, Kanigel shares the books he loves best. Vintage Reading is like those samples that seduce you into tasting because Kanigel’s enthusiastic eclecticism makes it clear that a good listener is really someone ready to venture between the covers, and Kanigel’s mini-forays between those covers seem cozy not intimidating. The antidote to Cliff’s Notes, Vintage Reading’s unpretentious appetite for literature will inspire listeners young and old to new adventures and, most importantly, a confidence in themselves.

  • The Garden
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    The Garden
    UNABRIDGED
    • L. A. G. Strong

    The Garden

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 15 mins)
    • By L. A. G. Strong
    • Narrated By Derek Perkins
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    (0)
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    (0)
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    The Garden is set in Dublin in the early years of the 20th century. Dermot, whose family has settled in England, returns for his summers from English Public School to visit his grandfather, and develops affection for the city. During the course of the novel, war breaks out, bringing an end to the Edwardian summer for a whole generation....

  • Anna
    Play Anna
    Anna
    UNABRIDGED
    • Norman Collins

    Anna

    • UNABRIDGED (18 hrs and 55 mins)
    • By Norman Collins
    • Narrated By Tatyana Yassukovich
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    (0)
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    Anna is the story of a woman and an era. Against the background of France and Germany at the time of the Franco-Prussian war of 1870, Norman Collins tells with great brilliance the story of Anna, a beautiful woman. Born in Rhineland, when she was 19 she fell in love with a French cousin whom she followed to Paris on the eve of the outbreak of war. When he was killed by her compatriots she found herself in besieged Paris, destitute, alone, and a German.

  •  
  • The Purloined Letter
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    The Purloined Letter
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    • Edgar Allan Poe

    The Purloined Letter

    • UNABRIDGED (41 mins)
    • By Edgar Allan Poe
    • Narrated By Cathy Dobson
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    When a letter of great significance is stolen from the royal palace in Paris, the prefect of police is at great pains to discover its whereabouts. The identity of the thief is known, but try as the detectives will, they are unable to pinpoint the hiding place where the incriminating letter is secreted. When the Prefect approaches Dupin for his advice on the matter, the latter sees the solution immediately. An insight from which he is able to profit handsomely. Poe at his most ingenious!

  • The Impregnable Women
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    The Impregnable Women
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    • Eric Linklater

    The Impregnable Women

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 11 mins)
    • By Eric Linklater
    • Narrated By John Lee
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    (0)
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    (0)
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    The Next Great War begins, and soon all Europe is involved. The war lasts a year - and then the women, robbed of husbands and sweethearts and sons, grow doubtful of the benefits of military policy, and begin to think that victory will come too late to do them any good. But what can they do? A remedy was discovered by Aristophanes about 2,350 years ago. It is re-discovered and reapplied. And it is again successful.

  • Our New House
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    Our New House
    UNABRIDGED
    • Bram Stoker

    Our New House

    • UNABRIDGED (22 mins)
    • By Bram Stoker
    • Narrated By James Langton
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    When a young couple moves into their new home, they are taken aback by the strange behavior of their new landlord. While at first he bid them to do all of the fixing-up the home needed on their own, he quickly changed his tune and was persistent in his attempts to help them tackle some of the rooms himself. The source of his desire to help lies in the fact that the old tenant may have hidden a fortune within the walls - a fortune that winds up belonging to the young couple after all!

  • The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: CliffsNotes
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    The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: CliffsNotes
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    • James L. Roberts

    The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: CliffsNotes

    • UNABRIDGED (2 hrs and 34 mins)
    • By James L. Roberts
    • Narrated By Nick Podehl
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    The CliffsNotes study guide on Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer supplements the original literary work, giving you background information about the author, an introduction to the work, a graphical character map, critical commentaries, expanded glossaries, and a comprehensive index, all for you to use as an educational tool that will allow you to better understand the work.