We are currently making improvements to the Audible site. In an effort to enhance the accessibility experience for our customers, we have created a page to more easily navigate the new experience, available at the web address www.audible.com/access.

Special Offer - Download and Listen to a Best Seller for $7.49

Classics

Your Likes make Audible better!

'Likes' are shared on Facebook and Audible.com. We use your 'likes' to improve Audible.com for all our listeners.

You can turn off Audible.com sharing from your Account Details page.

OK

View All 6073 Classics Titles >>

"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.

More
The Canterbury Tales

UNABRIDGED (20 hrs and 49 mins)

By Geoffrey Chaucer

Narrated By Martin Jarvis, Jay Carnes, Ray Porter, and others

Overall
(258)
Performance
(132)
Story
(137)

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"
"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.

More
Odyssey: The Story of Odysseus

UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 27 mins)

By Homer

Narrated By Anthony Heald

Overall
(99)
Performance
(44)
Story
(43)

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"
"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).

More
Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus

UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 21 mins)

By Mary Shelley

Narrated By Simon Vance

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(252)
Performance
(181)
Story
(189)

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"

A Peek at Melinda's Bookshelf

Melinda's greatest hits:

The Woman in White

"Logical approach to a riveting mystery"

Overall
Performance
Story

An intricate knot tied with precision, and untangled with logic and grace. To begin with there is a mystery, and Collins lays it out with attention to every twist as the story continues to be told by the various narrators. The characters are as vivid as those created by other 19th century writers: Dickens, the Bronte sisters, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Edgar Allan Poe--Frederick Fairlie with his imagined maladies is good comedy, and Sir Percival and Count Fosco, in comparison make Heathcliff almost look respectable.

Victorian in description, dialogue, and politics--the strong female character doesn't escape punishment for her straying from the social constricts of the time...she pays for her female resourcefulness and failure to swoon, by being endowed, by the author, with masculine features, including a mustache. Today's editors would likely trim the 25 hours to 12, but in spite of the length and the diversity of plots, the story stays on track and doesn't drag; it's worth the Effort. The narration is a theatrical treat. Fear not the classic; dig in and enjoy.
Dracula [Audible Edition]

"The Curtain Falls...Applause, Applause, Bravo"

Overall
Performance
Story

Hearing the final words, "Audible hopes you enjoyed.." it's hard to resist vigorously clapping your hands together and jumping to your feet to whoop out a "Bravo!" While it looks like some reviewers are more familiar with the particulars of each narrator, I must be less fussy; I thought it was a perfect cast that produced a dark gothic atmosphere that Stoker would call worthy of this masterpiece.

The story is longer than I thought it would be, the flowery speech style of the Victorian era no doubt adding to the length of the journals/diaries of each articulate character, that comprise the tale -- a style that, if you are unprepared for, may be too verbose to your liking (but authentic to the time--think Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, Oscar Wilde, William Butler Yeats). Where one during that period might say:
"Dear Madam, by God, your neck! May perhaps I suggest more wreaths of the garlic flowers to be festooned around your lovely neck to prohibit a further attack from this most vile blood-sucking fiendish creature of the night which has befallen upon you most unfairly, dear sweet lady?"
We today, 100 years later, might say:
"Huh, vampire bite. Want some garlic (was he sparkly)?"
You can see how this could take up some pages. But the profuse Victorian vernacular combined with the fine reading puts you in the necessary frame of mind -- where a dark red-eyed character in a cape could creep around a deteriorating castle, summon wolves from the fog, and morph into a bat flapping against a pane of glass. (It was a little amusing listening to the breathy and fragile Lucy and Mina...considering the time frame in which this was written. While Stoker had them helplessly swooning away, across the pond, Susan B. Anthony was gathering her own minions.)
Bram Stoker truly affected history with this book -- Audible's production was a great homage to a literary icon as well as a fun engaging production, well worth the purchase.
The Kiss and The Duel and Other Stories

"Brilliant"

Overall
Performance
Story

With simple words and and simple storylines there is such magnificence and brilliance; there is magic in Chekhov's writing. Where Tolstoy was complex and so serious--Chekhov is lighter and even humorous, pointing out the foibles in our characters, our human tendencies to manipulate morality to fit our desires. Short stories that are easy to get through and so very worth any reader's time.
The Zahir

"Divertissement"

Overall
Performance
Story

Only if you are looking for some heady philosophical writing by a remarkable Spanish writer and poet. Worth the $1.95 just for 20 min. of listening to the language used so creatively and beautifully (read by the ever fabtastick Guidall). A Zahir is an object or person that has the ability to create obsession in the person who sees it. In this case, a coin that sends the storyteller tripping into train of thought ramblings, obsessive dreams, and madness. I've been wanting to read Borges and have bought several of the short stories offered by Audio for those in-between-book moments, and detox reads. Maybe one day I'll understand their weighty existential meaning.

"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.

More
Peter Pan

UNABRIDGED (5 hrs and 16 mins)

By J.M. Barrie

Narrated By Jim Dale

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(316)
Performance
(152)
Story
(154)

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:

Be the first to like something in Classics!

Customer Favorites

(More Customer Favorites)

4.8 (1136 ratings)

http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Freco%2F006158%2Fbk_reco_006158_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF10
Audiobook

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)

http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Freco%2F006157%2Fbk_reco_006157_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF13
Audiobook

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)

http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fhcuk%2F000157%2Fbk_hcuk_000157_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF17
Audiobook

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)

http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fhcuk%2F000155%2Fbk_hcuk_000155_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF21
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)

http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fspas%2F000041%2Fbk_spas_000041_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF23
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)

http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fspas%2F000017%2Fbk_spas_000017_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF24
Audiobook

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)

http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fspas%2F000018%2Fbk_spas_000018_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF26
Audiobook

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)

http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fhove%2F000778%2Fbk_hove_000778_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF28
Audiobook

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)

http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fzaot%2F000010%2Fbk_zaot_000010_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF30
Audiobook

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)

http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fpauk%2F000143%2Fbk_pauk_000143_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF32
Audiobook

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)

http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Freco%2F004668%2Fbk_reco_004668_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF34
Audiobook

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 (4688 ratings)

http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Freco%2F006155%2Fbk_reco_006155_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF35
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
(4688)
Performance
(4188)
Story
(4239)

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

(More Classics Best Sellers) All Classics Best Sellers

http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fadbl%2F010679%2Fbk_adbl_010679_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF0
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"
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fadbl%2F002553%2Fbk_adbl_002553_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF1
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"
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Freco%2F006155%2Fbk_reco_006155_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF2
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
(4688)
Performance
(4188)
Story
(4239)

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!"
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Freco%2F006156%2Fbk_reco_006156_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF3
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!"
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Freco%2F006158%2Fbk_reco_006158_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF4
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!"
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fharp%2F000930%2Fbk_harp_000930_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF5
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..."
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fadbl%2F002340%2Fbk_adbl_002340_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF6
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"
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fbrll%2F000908%2Fbk_brll_000908_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF7
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"
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Freco%2F006157%2Fbk_reco_006157_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF11
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!"
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fnaxo%2F000629%2Fbk_naxo_000629_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF14
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"
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fblak%2F002897%2Fbk_blak_002897_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF16
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"
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fblak%2F003531%2Fbk_blak_003531_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF19
I, Claudius

UNABRIDGED
- Robert Graves
I, Claudius

UNABRIDGED (16 hrs and 57 mins)

By Robert Graves

Narrated By Frederick Davidson

Overall
(115)
Performance
(73)
Story
(72)

Physically weak and afflicted with stuttering, Claudius is initially despised and dismissed as an idiot. Shunted to the background of imperial affairs by his embarrassed royal family, he becomes a scholar and historian, while palace intrigues and murders surround him. Observing these dramas from beyond the public eye, Claudius escapes the cruelties inflicted on the rest of the royal family by its own members and survives to become emperor of Rome in A.D. 41.
Robert says: "An..An..Ancient Rome comes to life, brilliantly"

New Releases

(More Classics New Releases) All Classics New Releases

http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fredd%2F000147%2Fbk_redd_000147_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF8
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.
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Facx0%2F007200%2Fbk_acx0_007200_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF9
The Trachinian Tragedy: Women of Trachis

UNABRIDGED
- Sophocles
The Trachinian Tragedy: Women of Trachis

UNABRIDGED (1 hr and 19 mins)

By Sophocles

Narrated By Jack Nolan

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

In The Trachinian Tragedy, better known as the Women of Trachis, the wife of Herakles, Deianeira, finds she has a rival in the house for her husband's affection. The consequences of her counteraction are incredible. In this faithful translation, F. L. Light attempts to write as good a play in English as the original in Greek. F. L. Light has also translated Antigone of Sophocles.
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fgdan%2F000962%2Fbk_gdan_000962_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF12
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.
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Ftrlk%2F000152%2Fbk_trlk_000152_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF15
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.
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Facx0%2F007110%2Fbk_acx0_007110_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF18
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.
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fredd%2F000145%2Fbk_redd_000145_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF20
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.
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Facx0%2F007085%2Fbk_acx0_007085_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF22
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....?
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fbbcw%2F006991%2Fbk_bbcw_006991_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF25
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.
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Facx0%2F007101%2Fbk_acx0_007101_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF27
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?
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Facx0%2F007076%2Fbk_acx0_007076_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF29
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.
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fbbcw%2F006989%2Fbk_bbcw_006989_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF31
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.
http%3A%2F%2Fsamples.audible.com%2Fbk%2Fredd%2F000146%2Fbk_redd_000146_sample.mp3+flashcontent0RY787GQ1XDJ2AGVMAEF33
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.

More Classics Categories

View All 6073 Classics Titles >>