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World Literature

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Tad Davis

Tad Davis Philadelphia, PA USA Member Since 2005
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  • "Flawed"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    John Lee gives a hearty but flawed performance of "Ulysses." The energy and the humor come through -- this is, after all, one of the funniest books ever written -- but there are quieter moments as well, and these fare badly: Lee delivers everything at a breakneck pace, not so much narrating the book as declaiming it.

    In addition, there are some errors in the production design of the audiobook that detract from its effectiveness. First and foremost, "Ulysses" is full of music, from snatches of song to the quarter-hour tolling of a bell tower. All are rendered in the same straightforward declamatory prose style of the rest of the narration. Second -- and it's possible this is a problem with the Audible rendering rather than the original audiobook -- the episodes all run together without a second's pause between them. Whether you view the book as three long chapters or eighteen separate episodes, there are clear indications of breaks throughout the text, each accompanied by major changes in tone, style, and narrator. Here, the last sentence of one and first sentence of the next seem to be delivered in the same breath.

    It seems to be using a better (more recent) text than the Naxos version. The Naxos version has a number of other flaws as well, but it does a far better job of capturing the music and the rhythm of the narration than Blackstone's offering. If Blackstone were willing to undertake it, a little re-engineering of this title could make a huge difference and might justify a higher rating.

    More

    Ulysses

    • UNABRIDGED (30 hrs)
    • By James Joyce
    • Narrated By John Lee
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (53)
    Performance
    (33)
    Story
    (32)

    Joyce’s experimental masterpiece set a new standard for modernist fiction, pushing the English language past all previous thresholds in its quest to capture a day in the life of an Everyman in turn-of-the-century Dublin. Obliquely borrowing characters and situations from Homer’s Odyssey, Joyce takes us on an internal odyssey along the current of thoughts, impressions, and experiences that make up the adventure of living an average day.

    Tad Davis says: "Flawed"
  • "Built-in study guide"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I purchased this title several months ago on CD and have been hoping for some time that Audible would make it available. It's an unusual version of the Divine Comedy: a fresh translation with a kind of built-in study guide. Brief explanations of most of the allusions in this complex poem are woven into the text. For example, where Dante might refer to "the Eagle," this translation says: "the Eagle, emblem of the Empire."

    There is one drawback to this, and that is that Dante's allusions are not always so clear-cut. The translator has typically chosen a single concrete tag line among the many possible annotations. But this audiobook is an introduction, not a substitute for an intensive study of Dante. It's meant to be an enjoyable and comprehensible audiobook, something that will give you more of the Divine Comedy on a first listen than you can get from most of the others available.

    I've read the Commedia several times in a variety of translations, and despite my familiarity with many of the passages, I found these small additions to the text quite helpful. It's easy when reading the poem to forget who was a Guelph and who was a Ghibelline; this audiobook helps you keep it straight.

    Although I haven't seen the text in print (I'm not sure if it's even available), the translation appears to be prose. The translator has tried to capture some of the poetic energy of the work by making extensive use of alliteration rather than rhyme. Most of the time this works admirably; sometimes it's a strain.

    Grover Gardner, a Virgil among readers, gives his usual sterling narration.

    I would suggest, if you do get this, that you listen to it in small doses. Despite the helpful features of the translation, Dante's poem remains dense with symbol and meaning. There's a lot to take in. Go slow and savor.

    More

    The Divine Comedy

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Dante Alighieri, Herbert A. Kenny (translator)
    • Narrated By Grover Gardner
    Overall
    (24)
    Performance
    (24)
    Story
    (24)

    This unique poetic translation by Herbert A. Kenny, historian and poet, is the first that incorporates the Biblical, theological and historical allusions of the greatest poem im Christendom into the text itself. It can now be appreciated without a glossary or accompanying notes. Listen as the liquid lines take you through the horrors of the "Inferno", the mysteries of "Purgatorio" and the glories of "Paradiso".

    Tad Davis says: "Built-in study guide"
  • "Not the best, but not bad"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I don't think this is the best Aeneid on audiobook -- if you have to choose, get the Charlton Griffin one -- but it's not bad. The translation is wonderful: pithy, hard-hitting, and tough; it's worth having this one to get Fagles' take on Virgil, if nothing else. But the performance, though I liked it, is definitely not to everyone's taste. Simon Callow (or the producer?) decided to do it as if it were a one-man stage show, rather than a studio reading. If you've ever seen Callow doing Charles Dickens, you get the idea: it's a very broad performance.

    On the other hand, Aeneas needs a boost. As epic heroes go, he's a pill and a half: dutiful to a fault, self-righteous and self-justifying ("well, I never actually used the word MARRIAGE, did I?"). Virgil takes received wisdom and the Grandeur that was Rome at face value, where Homer delightfully subverts everything he touches.

    More

    The Aeneid

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 31 mins)
    • By Virgil
    • Narrated By Simon Callow
    Overall
    (170)
    Performance
    (53)
    Story
    (49)

    The publication of a new translation by Fagles is a literary event. His translations of both the Iliad and Odyssey have sold hundreds of thousands of copies and have become the standard translations of our era. Now, with this stunning modern verse translation, Fagles has reintroduced Virgil's Aeneid to a whole new generation, and completed the classical triptych at the heart of Western civilization.

    Rob says: "Fagles is best"
  1. Ulysses
  2. The Divine Comedy
  3. The Aeneid
  4. .

A Peek at Jacob's Bookshelf

Helpful
Votes
25
 
Cedar Rapids, IA, United States 11 REVIEWS / 97 ratings Member Since 2011 0 Followers / Following 4
 
Jacob's greatest hits:
  • The Master and Margarita

    "Satisfying Satanic Satire"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    The core of this piece is satire, marking a path of wanton destruction through Moscow as Satan and his delightfully hooligan entourage parade from one scene to another causing chaos and watching the aftermath in the name of...well, why the hell not? There is also a love story as well as retelling of the history of Pontius Pilate.

    Marked with numerous interesting characters, Bulgakov creates a readable if somewhat uneven tale. The title characters are introduced about halfway through the novel and are an attempt to create some sort of deeply affecting love story, that I don't consider all that effective given that it is pretty much the sole aspect of their personality we see is them pining for one another. However, title characters or not they are not there often and rarely without Woland or his minions at their side in order to make things interesting. The satire is effectively humorist and blasts Soviet greed well, but then greed is a very easy thing to parody.

    The most interesting aspect of the novel for me were the moments when we are given a metafiction/history written by The Master. The language is wonderful and the imagery is perfectly evocative and I truly wished I had the option of reading more.

    The narrator, which is quickly becoming the make or break factor of every audiobook I purchase, is, to my mind, remarkable. While the accents are all variously British, they are unique and he endows every character with a certain uniqueness and charisma (or lack thereof if the book should call for it) and should be beloved by all. I can't honestly understand the negative marks throughout the rest of audible. If you want a boring consistent drone of a voice, I think you are better listening to an automation than a legitimate audiobook.

    Additionally, the translation (Michael Karpelson, 2006) is my personal favorite and has the most personality (the others I have read are much more dry in their translation and it shows heavily in the dialogue). This book was left incompletely edited when the author died, not being all that well acquainted with the rest of his work, which would explain some of the issues, but issues or not this book is a delightful read with a solid narrator.

  • The Idiot

    "Salvation under the weight of our own humanity."

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Have you ever wondered what it would be like if a person as selfless and beautiful as the Jesus portrayed in the bible? Someone so in tune with humanity so aware of its horrors and imperfections, yet so wholly consumed by his love of humanity that he would destroy himself just for the chance of allowing you to save yourself?

    That was what Dostoevsky was attempting to do, and by the gods, he did it. The story may not be for everyone, but if you stick with it you will be amazed. This is far and away my favorite Dostoevsky novel, and I have read all of them.

    Considering how difficult it is to find a decent reading of any of Dostoevsky's longer works Robert Whitfield is incredible. Every character has a voice that you can recollect instantly when it hits your ears. He engages the writing and manages to bring life to it even with this dated translation. You will find no better on Audible, and you would do you well to treat your soul to this difficult, but compelling novel.

    The novel itself starts with figures of Christ, the Anti-Christ, and the False Prophet conversing together on a train, and from there things proceed until both Myshkin and Rogozhin stand at opposite ends as Nastassya Filippovna fights between salvation and damnation even as the sins of her humanity where down on her conscience and soul.

    There are of course, more characters, more events. A Dostoevsky novel could never be otherwise, and by the end of the novel you will see yourself in one of the characters. You have to, the whole of humanity is on display here through the interactions his characters. They are all simultaneously real and unreal. Like Shakespeare, Dostoevsky creates characters that turn their humanity to 11 and engage your very soul with their complexity and utter irrationality.

    Dostoevsky is attempting to show us the truth that Christ offered us: no one can save us, nor can He cannot save, He can only open the door. Only we ourselves can choose to enter that door through which salvation is attainable. It is hard, no, impossible, and Dostoevsky, like the his Christ knew this and the book conveys this understanding with an undeniable beauty. We are evil, we are kind, we are a paradox capable of the most horrendous acts of selfishness and kindness, often within quick succession. This is what it is to be human, and Dostoevsky relishes it and rejects any and all ideas that would take away our free will in deciding how to live our lives.

    You will not feel clean after reading this novel, it will sting, it will pull and eat at you for days after the final words has crept through your headphones and left you in silence. But there is beauty in it. A poetic perfection that makes itself more and more manifest with every listen. Though written in the mid-19th century, we are no different than the world Dostoevsky knew and loved. Buy this or don't, it your choice. Just know that as of right now, you are 650 pages away from growing a soul.

Teddy

Teddy Portmore, Jamaica 05-04-12 Member Since 2011

"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one." - Jojen Reed. #ADanceWithDragons

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  • "A Timeless Depiction Done to Absolu..."

    19 of 20 helpful votes

    Dante did a masterful job here and coupled with the excellent narrative by Grover Gardner this was without a doubt a true joy to listen to.

    The imagery created by Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso was done immensely well. I found Dante's depiction of Inferno (Hell) exceptionally well written and the translation of Herbert Kenny seems to have done it justice. I personally thought that it was the best of the three explained in this prose. I say that not to take away from the impact that Purgatorio (Limbo) and Paradiso (Heaven) created because those two (2) sections were also quite impressively worded and translated. One would think that due to the somewhat specific mention that was made to certain persons, places and cultural idiosyncrasies that was very evident in the book that it would be difficult to follow at times but I found it very easy to follow. It really is quite timeless if you ask me, it should be able to resound quite well if you are interested in any theological writing or if you are simply a fan of expertly written prose of epic proportions. There is nothing I can take away from the writing itself and outside of someone simply disagreeing with the concepts he puts forward I doubt there is anything anyone will be able to take from it.

    There are a number of different versions of this book on the website and I was very concerned by the reviews regarding the narration until I came across this one. I started listening to this title very critical because I was essentially preparing for the worse... but I was surprised... Pleasantly so! The narrator did in fact do the book justice! He keeps the pace well and was able to keep you well enough engrossed in the story.

    Overall, just plain masterful all around. This was time well spent! And most definitely have replay value!

    More

    The Divine Comedy

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Dante Alighieri, Herbert A. Kenny (translator)
    • Narrated By Grover Gardner
    Overall
    (24)
    Performance
    (24)
    Story
    (24)

    This unique poetic translation by Herbert A. Kenny, historian and poet, is the first that incorporates the Biblical, theological and historical allusions of the greatest poem im Christendom into the text itself. It can now be appreciated without a glossary or accompanying notes. Listen as the liquid lines take you through the horrors of the "Inferno", the mysteries of "Purgatorio" and the glories of "Paradiso".

    Tad Davis says: "Built-in study guide"

What's Trending in World Literature:

  • 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.

  • 4.4 (406 ratings)
    The Odyssey
    Play The Odyssey

    The Odyssey

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 26 mins)
    • By Homer (translated by Robert Fagles)
    • Narrated By Ian McKellen
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (406)
    Performance
    (256)
    Story
    (251)

    Rachel says: "Ian McKellen is incredible!"
  • 4.5 (351 ratings)
    Anne of Green Gables
    Play Anne of Green Gables

    Anne of Green Gables

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 2 mins)
    • By Lucy Maud Montgomery
    • Narrated By Shelly Frasier
    Overall
    (351)
    Performance
    (157)
    Story
    (161)

    When Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of Green Gables send for a boy orphan to help them out at their farm, they mistakenly get Anne Shirley, a feisty, independent but warm-hearted 11 year-old girl. Fortunately her sunny nature and quirky imagination win the hearts of her reluctant foster parents and everyone in the community. But not a day goes by without some memorable adventure or prank in the tragicomedy of her life.

    David says: "Magical"
  • 4.3 (312 ratings)
    Anna Karenina
    Play Anna Karenina

    Anna Karenina

    • UNABRIDGED (38 hrs and 5 mins)
    • By Leo Tolstoy
    • Narrated By David Horovitch
    Overall
    (312)
    Performance
    (133)
    Story
    (133)

    Anna Karenina seems to have everything - beauty, wealth, popularity and an adored son. But she feels that her life is empty until the moment she encounters the impetuous officer Count Vronsky.

    Marcus says: "Beautiful story, amazing narration"
  •  
  • 4.4 (99 ratings)
    Les Miserables
    Play Les Miserables

    Les Miserables

    • ABRIDGED (33 hrs and 19 mins)
    • By Victor Hugo
    • Narrated By Walter Covell
    Overall
    (99)
    Performance
    (27)
    Story
    (29)

    Les Miserables is set in the Parisian underworld. The protagonist, Jean Valjean, is sentenced to prison for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread. After his release, Valjean plans to rob monseigneur Myriel, a saint-like bishop, but cancels his plan. However, he forfeits his parole by committing a minor crime, and for this crime Valjean is haunted by the police inspector Javert. Valjean eventually reforms and becomes a successful businessman, benefactor, and mayor of a northern town.

    Leslie says: "astounding"
  • 4.3 (97 ratings)
    Treasure Island
    Play Treasure Island

    Treasure Island

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 13 mins)
    • By Robert Louis Stevenson
    • Narrated By Michael Page
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (97)
    Performance
    (82)
    Story
    (82)

    The narrator of this timeless adventure story is the lad, Jim Hawkins, whose mother keeps the Admiral Benbow, an inn on the west coast of England in the 18th century. An old buccaneer takes up residence at the inn. He has in his sea chest a map to the hiding place of Captain Flint's treasure. A gang of cutthroats are determined to get his treasure map, and - led by the sinister, blind pirate, Pew - descend on the inn.

    Michele says: "Always a pleasure"
  • 4.3 (87 ratings)
    Tolstoy: The Death of Ivan Ilyich & Master and Man
    Play Tolstoy: The Death of Ivan Ilyich & Master and Man

    Tolstoy: The Death of Ivan Ilyich & Master and Man

    • UNABRIDGED (4 hrs and 12 mins)
    • By Leo Tolstoy
    • Narrated By Simon Vance
    Overall
    (87)
    Performance
    (25)
    Story
    (27)

    In these two famous short novels, Leo Tolstoy takes readers to the brink of despair. At the end of life, worldly ambition offers no consolation for the spiritually empty soul, but Tolstoy is the master of themes and redemption. He turns his morbid topic into hope, leading toward spiritual awakening. Tolstoy offers his readers a lifetime of perspective on death.

    Laurie says: "Perfect blend of material and performer..."
  • 4.3 (81 ratings)
    Collected Fictions
    Play Collected Fictions

    Collected Fictions

    • HIGHLIGHTS (5 hrs and 17 mins)
    • By Jorge Luis Borges, Andrew Hurley (translator)
    • Narrated By George Guidall
    Overall
    (81)
    Performance
    (47)
    Story
    (48)

    From his 1935 debut with "The Universal History of Iniquity", through his immensely influential collections Ficciones and The Aleph, these enigmatic, elaborate, imaginative inventions display Borges' talent for turning fiction on its head by playing with form and genre and toying with language.

    Darwin8u says: "Highlights of Collected Fictions = Uncollected"
  •  
  • 4.3 (73 ratings)
    Molloy
    Play Molloy

    Molloy

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 29 mins)
    • By Samuel Beckett
    • Narrated By Sean Barrett, Dermot Crowley
    Overall
    (73)
    Performance
    (25)
    Story
    (24)

    Written initially in French, later translated by the author into English, Molloy is the first book in Dublin-born Samuel Beckett's trilogy. It was published shortly after WWII and marked a new, mature writing style, which was to dominate the remainder of his working life. Molloy is less a novel than a set of two monologues narrated by Molloy and his pursuer, Moran.

    Gene says: "Nauseating, boring, hilarious, and magnificent"
  • 4.5 (56 ratings)
    Anne of Green Gables
    Play Anne of Green Gables

    Anne of Green Gables

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 29 mins)
    • By Lucy Maud Montgomery
    • Narrated By Arika Escalona
    Overall
    (56)
    Performance
    (32)
    Story
    (32)

    When Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of Green Gables, Prince Edward Island, send for a boy orphan to help them out at the farm, they are in no way prepared for the error that will change their lives. The mistake takes the shape of Anne Shirley, a redheaded 11-year-old girl who can talk anyone under the table. Fortunately, her sunny nature and quirky imagination quickly win over her reluctant foster parents. Anne's feisty spirit soon draws many friends - and much trouble - her way.

    Shakya says: "Great story, classic I have always loved"
  • 4.6 (49 ratings)
    Tom Jones, Volume 3
    Play Tom Jones, Volume 3

    Tom Jones, Volume 3

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 11 mins)
    • By Henry Fielding
    • Narrated By Charlton Griffin
    Overall
    (49)
    Performance
    (13)
    Story
    (14)

    Tom Jones is greatly admired not only for the meticulous craft with which it was written, but also for its humor, objectivity and penetrating psychological depth. It is without a doubt one of the great contributions to the English novel, and as such will always maintain a place of honor in world literature. Through the minute examination of the motives of his characters, Henry Fielding revealed many universal truths about human nature.

    James says: "Story was slow and long, but ended well!"
  • 4.6 (48 ratings)
    Tom Jones, Volume 2
    Play Tom Jones, Volume 2

    Tom Jones, Volume 2

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 53 mins)
    • By Henry Fielding
    • Narrated By Charlton Griffin
    Overall
    (48)
    Performance
    (12)
    Story
    (13)

    Volume 2 continues our story by picking up with the flight of Sophia from her father, Squire Western, and continues the journey of Tom as he ponders his future on the road to London. In a series of tightly constructed plot twists and turns, Tom and Sophia end up at the same inn, unbeknownst to one another. Meanwhile, a plethora of new characters are introduced.

  • The Odyssey
    Play The Odyssey

    The Odyssey

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 26 mins)
    • By Homer (translated by Robert Fagles)
    • Narrated By Ian McKellen
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (406)
    Performance
    (256)
    Story
    (251)

    Rachel says: "Ian McKellen is incredible!"
  • Anna Karenina
    Play Anna Karenina

    Anna Karenina

    • UNABRIDGED (38 hrs and 5 mins)
    • By Leo Tolstoy
    • Narrated By David Horovitch
    Overall
    (312)
    Performance
    (133)
    Story
    (133)

    Anna Karenina seems to have everything - beauty, wealth, popularity and an adored son. But she feels that her life is empty until the moment she encounters the impetuous officer Count Vronsky.

    Marcus says: "Beautiful story, amazing narration"
  • The Divine Comedy
    Play The Divine Comedy

    The Divine Comedy

    • UNABRIDGED (17 hrs and 13 mins)
    • By Dante Alighieri, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (translator)
    • Narrated By Charlton Griffin
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (112)
    Performance
    (42)
    Story
    (40)

    Dante's Divine Comedy is considered to be not only the most important epic poem in Italian literature, but also one of the greatest poems ever written. It consists of 100 cantos, and (after an introductory canto) they are divided into three sections. Each section is 33 cantos in length, and they describe how Dante and a guide travel through Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso.

    Larry says: "Not for listening."
  • The Idiot
    Play The Idiot

    The Idiot

    • UNABRIDGED (22 hrs and 33 mins)
    • By Fyodor Dostoevsky
    • Narrated By Robert Whitfield
    Overall
    (284)
    Performance
    (87)
    Story
    (89)

    Prince Myshkin, is thrust into the heart of a society more concerned with wealth, power, and sexual conquest than the ideals of Christianity. Myshkin soon finds himself at the center of a violent love triangle in which a notorious woman and a beautiful young girl become rivals for his affections. Extortion, scandal, and murder follow, testing the wreckage left by human misery to find "man in man."

    Victoria says: "good audio"
  •  
  • Les Miserables
    Play Les Miserables

    Les Miserables

    • UNABRIDGED (57 hrs and 51 mins)
    • By Victor Hugo
    • Narrated By Frederick Davidson
    Overall
    (927)
    Performance
    (350)
    Story
    (355)

    Set in the Parisian underworld and plotted like a detective story, Les Miserables follows Jean Valjean, originally an honest peasant, who has been imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's starving family. A hardened criminal upon his release, he eventually reforms, becoming a successful industrialist and town mayor. Despite this, he is haunted by an impulsive former crime and is pursued relentlessly by the police inspector Javert.

    Kathryn says: "one happy insomniac"
  • Anne of Green Gables
    Play Anne of Green Gables

    Anne of Green Gables

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 2 mins)
    • By Lucy Maud Montgomery
    • Narrated By Shelly Frasier
    Overall
    (351)
    Performance
    (157)
    Story
    (161)

    When Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of Green Gables send for a boy orphan to help them out at their farm, they mistakenly get Anne Shirley, a feisty, independent but warm-hearted 11 year-old girl. Fortunately her sunny nature and quirky imagination win the hearts of her reluctant foster parents and everyone in the community. But not a day goes by without some memorable adventure or prank in the tragicomedy of her life.

    David says: "Magical"
  • Kidnapped
    Play Kidnapped

    Kidnapped

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 43 mins)
    • By Robert Louis Stevenson
    • Narrated By Michael Page
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (19)
    Performance
    (6)
    Story
    (5)

    Set in the aftermath of the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, Kidnapped sustains a gripping narrative. It is told by David Balfour, a young Whig and Lowlander, who is tracked by his miserly uncle, survives attempted murder, kidnap and shipwreck and, in the company of Alan Breck, a Jacobite, escapes through the Highlands.

  • Crime and Punishment (Recorded Books Edition)
    Play Crime and Punishment (Recorded Books Edition)

    Crime and Punishment (Recorded Books Edition)

    • UNABRIDGED (25 hrs and 5 mins)
    • By Fyodor Dostoevsky
    • Narrated By George Guidall
    Overall
    (1203)
    Performance
    (426)
    Story
    (426)

    Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment is universally regarded as one of literature's finest achievements, as the great Russian novelist explores the inner workings of a troubled intellectual. Raskolnikov, a nihilistic young man in the midst of a spiritual crisis, makes the fateful decision to murder a cruel pawnbroker, justifying his actions by relying on science and reason, and creating his own morality system. Dehumanized yet sympathetic, exhausted yet hopeful, Raskolnikov represents the best and worst elements of modern intellectualism. The aftermath of his crime and Petrovich's murder investigation result in an utterly compelling, truly unforgettable cat-and-mouse game. This stunning dramatization of Dostoevsky's magnum opus brings the slums of St. Petersburg and the demons of Raskolnikov's tortured mind vividly to life.

    Walter says: "the unconscious made conscious"
  •  
  • The Prince: The Strategy of Machiavelli
    Play The Prince: The Strategy of Machiavelli

    The Prince: The Strategy of Machiavelli

    • UNABRIDGED (3 hrs and 47 mins)
    • By Niccolò Machiavelli
    • Narrated By Peter Batchelor
    Overall
    (93)
    Performance
    (71)
    Story
    (67)

    Perhaps one of the most influential and controversial books in history, Machiavelli’s The Prince raises issues that are still debated centuries after its publication. The theories he developed in The Prince were derived from his observation of the successes and failures of the ruling class. The Prince was designed as a practical guide for newly appointed rulers and is required reading for all persons in a position of authority who strive for grandeur in business and politics.

    auther says: "Good book but at times difficult to understand"
  • Inferno: From The Divine Comedy
    Play Inferno: From The Divine Comedy

    Inferno: From The Divine Comedy

    • UNABRIDGED (4 hrs and 10 mins)
    • By Dante Alighieri, Benedict Flynn (translator)
    • Narrated By Heathcote Williams
    Overall
    (21)
    Performance
    (20)
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    (18)

    "Abandon all hope you who enter here." ("Lasciate ogne speranza voi ch’intrate.") Dante’s Hell is one of the most remarkable visions in Western literature. An allegory for his and future ages, it is, at the same time, an account of terrifying realism. Passing under a lintel emblazoned with these frightening words, the poet is led down into the depths by Virgil and shown those doomed to suffer eternal torment for vices exhibited and sins committed on earth.

    Laurel says: "The Best Inferno So Far"
  • The Master and Margarita
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    The Master and Margarita

    • UNABRIDGED (16 hrs and 51 mins)
    • By Mikhail Bulgakov
    • Narrated By Julian Rhind-Tutt
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    Story
    (159)

    The Devil comes to Moscow, but he isn't all bad; Pontius Pilate sentences a charismatic leader to his death, but yearns for redemption; and a writer tries to destroy his greatest tale, but discovers that manuscripts don't burn. Multi-layered and entrancing, blending sharp satire with glorious fantasy, The Master and Margarita is ceaselessly inventive and profoundly moving. In its imaginative freedom and raising of eternal human concerns, it is one of the world's great novels.

    Darwin8u says: "COMPLETE acid trip of a novel!"
  • The Book of Five Rings
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    The Book of Five Rings

    • UNABRIDGED (2 hrs and 42 mins)
    • By Miyamoto Musashi, William Scott Wilson (translator)
    • Narrated By Scott Brick
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (132)
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    (87)
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    Setting down his thoughts on swordplay, on winning, and on spirituality, legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi intended this modest work as a guide for his immediate disciples and future generations of samurai. He had little idea he was penning a masterpiece that would be eagerly devoured by people in all walks of life centuries after his death.

    Peter says: "The way of all things."
  • The Sphinx Without a Secret
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    The Sphinx Without a Secret

    • UNABRIDGED (13 mins)
    • By Oscar Wilde
    • Narrated By Cathy Dobson
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    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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • The Black Tulip
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    The Black Tulip

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 59 mins)
    • By Alexandre Dumas
    • Narrated By Jonathan Fried
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    Famous for classic adventure novels such as The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas is one of the most popular French authors of all time. Set in the Netherlands during the 17th century, The Black Tulip follows young bourgeoisie Cornelius van Baerle as he attempts to claim the prize set by the city of Haarlem for growing the rare black tulip. On the cusp of victory, Cornelius is instead tossed into prison, where he meets the prison guard’s daughter and begins a relationship that may eventually lead to his rescue.

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  • Nada the Lily
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    Nada the Lily

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 46 mins)
    • By H. Rider Haggard
    • Narrated By William Boyde
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    "For I will call you by the name that for fifty years has been honoured by every tribe between Zambesi and Cape Agulbas,—I greet you! Sompseu, my father, I have written a book that tells of men and matters of which you know the most of any who still look upon the light; therefore, I set your name within that book and, such as it is, I offer it to you. If you knew not Chaka, you and he have seen the same suns shine, you knew his brother Panda and his captains, and perhaps even that very Mopo who tells this tale, his servant"....

  • The Nose
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    The Nose

    • UNABRIDGED (1 hr and 7 mins)
    • By Nikolai Gogol
    • Narrated By Cathy Dobson
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    Nikolai Gogol (1809-1852) was a pre-eminent Ukrainian-born story writer. He is particularly famous for those stories which veer in the direction of surrealism and the grotesque. "The Nose" is a classic example of this genre. The story opens with the barber, Ivan Yakovlevitch at breakfast. Things take an odd turn when Yakovlevitch finds a disembodied nose hidden in his bread roll. Yakovlevitch is at pains to rid himself as quickly as he can of the nose, which he recognizes as belonging to one of his clients, Major Kovalev.

  • The Lifted Curtain & My Conversion
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    The Lifted Curtain & My Conversion

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 41 mins)
    • By Honore Gabriel Riquettieau, H Nelson
    • Narrated By Veronika Hyks
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    The Lifted Curtain and My Conversion are two short erotic classics written by the colourful, aristocratic political fire-brand, esteemed author, and renowned libertine the Comte Gabrel Honore Riquetti de Mirabeau, who spent much of his young adult life in prison at the behest of this father, who disapproved of his son's licentious behaviour. During one particular stretch, Mirabeau decided to put pen to paper, to while away the time and to make the separation from his then paramour more bearable.

  • Colonial Latin American Literature: A Very Short Introduction 
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    Colonial Latin American Literature: A Very Short Introduction 

    • UNABRIDGED (4 hrs and 30 mins)
    • By Rolena Adorno
    • Narrated By Chris Carwithen
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    A vivid account of the literary culture of the Spanish-speaking Americas from the time of Columbus to Latin American Independence, this Very Short Introduction explores the origins of Latin American literature in Spanish and tells the story of how Spanish literary language developed and flourished in the New World. A leading scholar of colonial Latin American literature, Rolena Adorno examines the writings that debated the justice of the Spanish conquests, described the novelties of New World nature, and more.

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  • Sevastopol Sketches (Sevastopolskie rasskazy)
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    Sevastopol Sketches (Sevastopolskie rasskazy)

    • UNABRIDGED (5 hrs and 45 mins)
    • By Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy
    • Narrated By Oleg Fedoro
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    Eti ocherki, poluchivshie po tradicii nazvanie “Sevastopol'skie rasskazy”, smelo ob'edinili dokument, reportazh i syuzhetnoe povestvovanie; oni proizveli ogromnoe vpechatlenie na russkoe obschestvo. Vojna predstala v nih bezobraznoj krovavoj bojnej, protivnoj chelovecheskoj prirode. Zaklyuchitel'nye slova odnogo iz ocherkov, chto edinstvennym ego geroem yavlyaetsya pravda, stali devizom vsej dal'nejshej literaturnoj deyatel'nosti pisatelya.

  • La Promesa
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    La Promesa

    • UNABRIDGED (22 mins)
    • By Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer
    • Narrated By Emilio Pastor
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    Margarita llora porque su amado, el que ella cree ser el escudero del Conde Gómara, va a la guerra a luchar contra los moros de Sevilla. Margarita al día siguiente va a ver partir a la tropa, y cae desmayada, al ver que el Conde de Gomara es su amante Pedro, el que ella creía simple escudero. Al volver de la guerra el Conde, taciturno y pensativo se encuentra a un juglar que le canta un romance, que cuenta la historia de una joven enamorada de un falso escudero que en realidad era un Conde.

  • The Tale of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich (Povest' o tom, kak possorilsya Ivan Ivanovich s Ivanom Nikiforovichem)
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    The Tale of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich (Povest' o tom, kak possorilsya Ivan Ivanovich s Ivanom Nikiforovichem)

    • UNABRIDGED (2 hrs and 20 mins)
    • By Nikolaj Vasil'evich Gogol
    • Narrated By Dmitrij Savin
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    Predstavlenaya audiokniga odno iz luchshih rannih proizvedenij velikogo mastera slova - blistatel'naya komediya Povest' o tom, kak possorilsya Ivan Ivanovich s Ivanom Nikiforovichem. “Dva pochtennyh muzha, chest' i ukrashenie Mirgoroda, possorilis' mezhdu soboyu! i za chto? za vzdor”. Za to, chto odin nazval drugogo gusakom. Besposchadnaya satira na bezdel'nyh i glupyh pomeschikov i voobsche na lyudej vysokomernyh i pustyh.

  • Oscar Wilde's The Canterville Ghost
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    Oscar Wilde's The Canterville Ghost

    • ORIGINAL (1 hr and 37 mins)
    • By Oscar Wilde, Gareth Tilley (dramatized by)
    • Narrated By Jerry Robbins, J.T. Turner, The Colonial Radio Players, and others
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    Meet the Otis family: Mister and Missus, and their four children - Washington; the twins called Stars and Stripes; and their daughter, Virginia. They've just moved from America and into the English country manor of Canterville Chase. Though rumors persist that the house is haunted, the Otis' have none of it, and set about making the house their own. Then come the mysterious clanking chains and the bloodstains on the floor, and soon even the Otis family must come face to face with that most feared of creatures - The Canterville Ghost. But will the Ghost be able to survive his encounters with the erstwhile Americans?

    Michele says: "Funny Stuff !!"