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Michael

Michael Walnut Creek, CA, United States Member Since 2002

I focus on fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, science, history, politics and read a lot. I try to review everything I read.

HELPFUL VOTES
1509
ratings
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1271
291
FOLLOWERS
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6
  • "Impressive Collection of Shaw"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I hesitated getting a long collection of plays in audio, concerned it might be too dry or boring. This collection of eight Shaw plays was performed wonderfully and was a joy to listen to. It turns out a collection of great plays is a really nice choice for a long drive with the family. These plays are still witty and penetrating. The casting is excellent with different enough voices to allow the characters to be clear. There are a few cases of stage-craft that you lose in audio-only; nevertheless the experience is well worth the time. This was the first collection of audible plays I have ordered, but having enjoyed it so much, I just ordered several more collections from the same theater company.

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    The George Bernard Shaw Collection (Dramatized)

    • ORIGINAL (13 hrs and 3 mins)
    • By George Bernard Shaw
    • Narrated By Shirley Knight, Anne Heche, JoBeth Williams, and others
    Overall
    (27)
    Performance
    (23)
    Story
    (23)

    Eight of George Bernard Shaw's most memorable plays in one splendid collection: Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Arms and the Man, Candida, The Devil’s Disciple, Major Barbara, The Doctor’s Dilemma, Misalliance, and Pygmalion.

    Michael says: "Impressive Collection of Shaw"
  • "A Rare Gem of a Short Story"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Dostoevsky did not write many short stories so this is a rare gem. This is a very, very good short story narrated excellently. It is dark, surprising, touching, and real. A real bargain at a buck (don’t waste a full credit).

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    The Wedding

    • UNABRIDGED (21 mins)
    • By Fyodor Dostoevsky
    • Narrated By Walter Zimmerman
    Overall
    (37)
    Performance
    (14)
    Story
    (15)

    Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky is considered one of the greatest Russian writers. His works have had a profound and lasting effect on 20th-century literature. His psychological penetration into the human soul had, in novels like Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov, a profound influence on the 20th century novel. He also wrote a number of brilliant short stories along these same lines. "The Wedding" is one of his best.

    James says: "Good story"
  • "Better than Play, Opera, or Movie"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    This is an amazing and beautiful book. I had read the play and seen the opera and the movie, and liked them all, but I was still surprised how much I liked this book. This was intense and captivating. The structure of the novel is wonderful, with the end at the beginning (which would have been too intense at the end) then transitioning narrator and the beginning of the story then culminating powerfully. It is quite rare that a novel gets me to cry, but this one sure did (even though I knew the story). Even if you didn't like the play, opera or movie, I would still recommend this wonderful novel. The narration is pretty close to perfect, with multiple actors doing a great job with the challenging and emotional characterizations.

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    Camille: The Lady of the Camellias

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 30 mins)
    • By Alexandre Dumas
    • Narrated By Alyssa Bresnahan, John McDonough, Firdous Bamji
    Overall
    (13)
    Performance
    (12)
    Story
    (12)

    First published in 1848, Camille captivated Paris and has inspired countless adaptations. This classic story of love and loss is based on the author’s real-life affair with courtesan Marie Duplessis. Also known as The Lady of the Camellias, the novel follows the courtesan Marguerite Gautier through her tumultuous love affair with handsome—but middle class—Armand Duval. Before their passionate affair is over, one lover must give up everything.

    Michael says: "Better than Play, Opera, or Movie"
  1. The George Bernard Shaw C...
  2. The Wedding
  3. Camille: The Lady of the ...
  4. .

A Peek at Sherrie Dunford's Bookshelf

Helpful
Votes
371
 
Utah 161 REVIEWS / 248 ratings Member Since 2009 119 Followers / Following 0
 
Sherrie Dunford's greatest hits:
  • 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

    "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

    ". . . 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.

  • Heart of Darkness: A Signature Performance by Kenneth Branagh

    "Dark story, much to ponder"

    Overall
    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!!

Chris Reich

Chris Reich Northern, CA 07-27-09 Member Since 2005

Business Physicist and Astronomer

HELPFUL VOTES
420
ratings
REVIEWS
246
108
FOLLOWERS
FOLLOWING
103
0
  • "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

    More

    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)"

What's Trending in Classics:

  • 4.8 (1109 ratings)
    The Two Towers: Book Two in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy
    Play The Two Towers: Book Two in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

    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
    (1109)
    Performance
    (981)
    Story
    (1004)

    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 (983 ratings)
    The Return of the King: Book Three in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy
    Play The Return of the King: Book Three in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

    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
    (983)
    Performance
    (856)
    Story
    (878)

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

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

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

    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)

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

    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
    Play A Christmas Carol

    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]
    Play Master i Margarita [The Master and Margarita]

    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
    Play Tales from Shakespeare: The Lambs' Tales

    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
    Play Captains Courageous

    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 (4626 ratings)
    The Hobbit
    Play The Hobbit

    The Hobbit

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 8 mins)
    • By J. R. R. Tolkien
    • Narrated By Rob Inglis
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (4626)
    Performance
    (4137)
    Story
    (4186)

    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 (4 hrs and 52 mins)
    • By F. Scott Fitzgerald
    • Narrated By Jake Gyllenhaal
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (449)
    Performance
    (411)
    Story
    (415)

    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
    Play Heart of Darkness: A Signature Performance by Kenneth Branagh

    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
    (775)
    Performance
    (579)
    Story
    (579)

    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
    Play The Hobbit

    The Hobbit

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 8 mins)
    • By J. R. R. Tolkien
    • Narrated By Rob Inglis
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (4626)
    Performance
    (4137)
    Story
    (4186)

    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 Fellowship of the Ring: Book One in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
    Play The Fellowship of the Ring: Book One in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

    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
    (1889)
    Performance
    (1660)
    Story
    (1693)

    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]
    Play Jane Eyre [Brilliance Edition]

    Jane Eyre [Brilliance Edition]

    • UNABRIDGED (17 hrs and 21 mins)
    • By Charlotte Bronte
    • Narrated By Susan Ericksen
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (653)
    Performance
    (397)
    Story
    (404)

    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 Great Gatsby
    Play The Great Gatsby

    The Great Gatsby

    • UNABRIDGED (5 hrs and 44 mins)
    • By F. Scott Fitzgerald
    • Narrated By Tim Robbins
    Overall
    (1084)
    Performance
    (540)
    Story
    (540)

    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..."
  • Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: A Signature Performance by Elijah Wood
    Play Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: A Signature Performance by Elijah Wood

    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
    (1537)
    Performance
    (1100)
    Story
    (1077)

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

    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
    (983)
    Performance
    (856)
    Story
    (878)

    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!"
  •  
  • Gulliver's Travels: A Signature Performance by David Hyde Pierce
    Play Gulliver's Travels: A Signature Performance by David Hyde Pierce

    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"
  • 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
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    (981)
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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!"
  • The Great Gatsby
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    The Great Gatsby

    • UNABRIDGED (4 hrs and 52 mins)
    • By F. Scott Fitzgerald
    • Narrated By Jake Gyllenhaal
    Overall
    (13)
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    (12)
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    (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"
  • Dracula [Audible Edition]
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    Dracula [Audible Edition]

    • UNABRIDGED (15 hrs and 28 mins)
    • By Bram Stoker
    • Narrated By Alan Cumming, Tim Curry, Simon Vance, and others
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1143)
    Performance
    (1038)
    Story
    (1048)

    The modern audience hasn't had a chance to truly appreciate the unknowing dread that readers would have felt when reading Bram Stoker's original 1897 manuscript. Most modern productions employ campiness or sound effects to try to bring back that gothic tension, but we've tried something different. By returning to Stoker's original storytelling structure - a series of letters and journal entries voiced by Jonathan Harker, Dr. Van Helsing, and other characters - with an all-star cast of narrators, we've sought to recapture its originally intended horror and power.

    N. Houghton says: "Gothic Horror Never Sounded So Good"
  • The Best War Stories Ever Told: Best Stories Ever Told
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    The Best War Stories Ever Told: Best Stories Ever Told

    • UNABRIDGED (29 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By UNKNOWN
    • Narrated By Narrated by Bob Hennessey
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    From Julius Caesar to the King James Bible, from modern masters like Theodore Roosevelt and Stephen Crane, this thought-provoking and compelling collection captures the variety and depth of feeling inspired by war, from the devastating to the uplifting.

  • The Black Soul
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    The Black Soul

    • UNABRIDGED (5 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Liam O'Flaherty
    • Narrated By John Lee
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    Intense, compelling, beautifully descriptive - as Wuthering Heights is to the Yorkshire moors, so The Black Soul is to the Aran Islands. The sea roars dismally round the shores of Inverara. A stranger takes a room on the island. Here lives a couple whose married years have been joyless, until the presence of the stranger unleashes their passions.... For as spring softens the wild beauty of Inverara, the stranger becomes conscious of the dark-haired Mary - how summer makes her shiver with life. He is the first man she has ever loved, and she thrills with sexual awakening.

  • El Arte de la Guerra [The Art of War] (Spanish Edition)
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    El Arte de la Guerra [The Art of War] (Spanish Edition)

    • UNABRIDGED (1 hr and 7 mins)
    • By Sun Tzu
    • Narrated By Caroline Simone, Luis Fernando Hernandez
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    Esta obra es importante no porque sus reflexiones sean una invitacion a practicar la guerra, sino porque para Sun Tzu la guerra es algo mas que la simple fuerza bruta y la irracionalidad de la destruccion. Se trata del arte de evitar los conflictos; requiere de una sabiduria mayor, pero sobre todo, exige de nuestra parte una gran sensibilidad para detectar cuales son las exigencias que nos demanda la armonia universal. Please Note: This audiobook is in Spanish.

  • New Atlantis
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    New Atlantis

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

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  • Rough-Hew Them How We Will
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    Rough-Hew Them How We Will

    • UNABRIDGED (31 mins)
    • By P. G. Wodehouse
    • Narrated By David Ian Davies
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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

    • UNABRIDGED (25 mins)
    • By Andrew Lang
    • Narrated By Tavia Gilbert
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    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]
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    Moskva i moskvichi [Moscow and Muscovites]

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

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

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  • The Garden
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    The Garden

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 15 mins)
    • By L. A. G. Strong
    • Narrated By Derek Perkins
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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
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    Anna

    • UNABRIDGED (18 hrs and 55 mins)
    • By Norman Collins
    • Narrated By Tatyana Yassukovich
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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

    • 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 Husband's Story
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    The Husband's Story

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 32 mins)
    • By Norman Collins
    • Narrated By Matthew Frow
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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....