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connie
connie Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada

trying to see the world with my ears

HELPFUL VOTES
2628
ratings
REVIEWS
1320
386
FOLLOWERS
FOLLOWING
1037
113
  • Frederica

    "not run-of-the mill chick lit"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    This is a delightful mixture of light Austen-like comedy of manners with a dash of P.G. Wodehouse mania. There is no bodice ripping, violence, or sex (but no gritty social realism or insight either,of course) -- just "happily ever after" written (and read) well enough for the listener to suspend disbelief.

    Heyer's books have stood the test of time, while I don't think most chick lit will. If you are in need of distraction, may Heyer be as pleasant a discovery to you as she was to me. I think if you are new to this author (I am a relative newcomer but have zoomed though five novels in the last stress-filled month), then I think either "Frederica" or "Cotilion" is worth a chance download. (But warning, this stuff can be addictive -- when tired or tested, I keep thinking that I will download "just one more...")

    More

    Frederica

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 29 mins)
    • By Georgette Heyer
    • Narrated By Clifford Norgate
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (542)
    Performance
    (249)
    Story
    (252)

    Rich and handsome, the hope of ambitious mothers and despair of his sisters, the Marquis of Alverstoke sees no reason to put himself out for anyone. But when a distant connection applies to him for help, he finds himself far from bored.

    connie says: "not run-of-the mill chick lit"
  • Ragtime

    "too good for words"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Too good for my words, anyway! I downloaded this because it was cheap and I was dimly aware that was supposed to be a good novel (but must confess that I am a Can Lit and Brit Lit fan and not so much interested in Americana - so I didn't approach the listen with great expectations.) I think it one of the most fascinating novels I've ever come across! I can't believe I was given a degree in literature and history without being advised to read this imaginative cross pollination somewhere along the way.

    Doctorow begins by telling us that he is going to "say" us a novel. So -- he is not a professional narrator with stage voices- but in this case author narration works wonderfully. I felt like I was sitting at his feet listening as he invented the tale. I am going to buy a paper copy, and I know that I will listen to the audio again. Though it was written before folks began to think of how a book would "Play" in audio, it is one of the few novels that I will have enjoyed more in audio than paper format I think.

    I am motivated to see Milos Foreman's film version, too, though that seems to represent only a small part of the novel as a whole from what I've read..

    More

    Ragtime

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 52 mins)
    • By E. L. Doctorow
    • Narrated By E. L. Doctorow
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (139)
    Performance
    (62)
    Story
    (61)

    The story opens in 1906 in New Rochelle, New York, at the home of an affluent American family. One lazy Sunday afternoon, the famous escape artist Harry Houdini swerves his car into a telephone pole outside their house. And almost magically, the line between fantasy and historical fact, between real and imaginary characters, disappears.

    connie says: "too good for words"
  • The Chosen

    "truly rates overused "classic..."

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    This listen managed to combine my two favorite types of lit - realistic depiction of another period (especially its social history) and reflection on faith in a troubled world.

    I listened to this shortly after the more contemporary "Foreskin's Lament" and "Disobedience" -- and although I enjoyed those two (each in their own way)-- oh, how I wish I had listened to this first!

    In addition to a beautiful "coming of age" portrait of two young Americans in the WWII/post war era, what a compassionate depiction of Jewish faith coming to terms with modernism! As other reviews point out, the novel portrays universal truths while giving outsiders to the Jewish faith a glimpse of its richness and diversity in the story's specifics. There are enough symbolism and imagery to satisfy a reader/listener without the literary complexity that demands much effort to digest.

    I thank the reviewer who named Potok's follow-up novel, but since that is not on Audible (yet), I think as a follow-up, I will re-listen to Doctorow's "City of God" and hope for a re-release of "The Promise."

    More

    The Chosen

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 41 mins)
    • By Chaim Potok
    • Narrated By Jonathan Davis
    Overall
    (345)
    Performance
    (128)
    Story
    (125)

    Though they've lived their entire lives less than five blocks from each other, Reuven Malter and Danny Saunders exist in very different worlds. Reuven blends easily into both his secular Jewish faith and his typical American teen life, while Danny's conservative Hasidic clothes and appearance make him stick out in any crowd. Their improbable friendship teaches them that the differences separating people through cultures and generations are never as great as they seem.

    Margaret Auld-louie says: "Fascinating story"
  1. Frederica
  2. Ragtime
  3. The Chosen
    4. .

A Peek at B.J.'s Bookshelf

Helpful
Votes
416
 
B.J.
Minneapolis, MN, United States 93 REVIEWS / 263 ratings Member Since 2007 218 Followers / Following 14
 
B.J.'s greatest hits:
  • A Breath of Snow and Ashes
    A Breath of Snow and Ashes

    "Another terrific listen."

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    Davina Porter's narration is perfect -- again. She is the voice of Claire for me. When I read the words, I hear Davina Porter. Plus, she handles all the other characters incredibly well, with a superb ability to set them apart and to hold their distinctions from beginning to end and from book to book.


    Once again, I'm at the end of 57 hours of listening and would be just fine if there were more. I marvel at Diana Gabaldon's ability to write with quality and in quantity. If you're a fan, this is one of the most terrific books in the series. If you've not become a fan yet, start at the beginning. The characters are complex and getting the full measure of their lives is one of the most splendid things about this series.

  • Blue at the Mizzen: Aubrey/Maturin Series, Book 20
    Blue at the Mizzen: Aubrey/Maturin Series, Book 20

    "How can this be the end?"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I started listening to this series about two months ago. I expected to enjoy the first book and then move on to other authors and titles. I thought of it as a "guy's book." That's not what happened.

    I was completely sucked into the world that Patrick O'Brian created with Jack Aubrey and Steven Maturin at its core. Over two months time, I've listened to all 20 -- and a number of them I listened to twice. I lived with headphones around my neck.

    Now that I'm at the end, I miss Patrick Tull's voice in my ear. I continue to think about the ways the author created and used these characters. It is simply a masterful piece of writing and the narration is spot on.

    If you're thinking of an Aubrey/Maturin inspired dinner, there's a great cookbook derived from the series called "Lobscouse and Spotted Dog." Perfect for a movie menu to accompany "Master and Commander" or the next movie -- rumored to be based on "Reverse of the Medal."

  • Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
    Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

    "Just so-so"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    While I loved hearing details about this period of time in China, I found the narrator's voice to be incredibly irritating and distracting. This is a book I would have enjoyed more as a read than a listen.

  • Rules of Civility: A Novel
    Rules of Civility: A Novel

    "Really satisfying listen."

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    There's something about this book that reminded me of "Special Topics in Calamity Physics." The literary references don't populate every sentence, but there's certainly a marked respect for the great writers of the past. This is a satisfying listen. Though I've read a ton of historical fiction, I had never really contemplated the life of an "ordinary" woman in late 1930's NYC. As a warning, it might take a few minutes to get used to the narrator. She doesn't add anything to the story, but she stays out of its way and doesn't harm it.

Kathy
Kathy Bedford, TX, United States 08-04-12 Member Since 2007
HELPFUL VOTES
601
ratings
REVIEWS
3605
126
FOLLOWERS
FOLLOWING
131
109
  • The Queen of Bedlam: A Matthew Corbett Novel, Book 2

    "Addicting"

    11 of 11 helpful votes

    This author was new to me (even though he has been writing for years) and I found this series addicting. After I listened to the first one, I had to hear the rest.

    The characters are well developed, the dialogue is wonderful and the humor is so funny and comes out of the blue that I had many REAL laugh-out-loud moments – and a couple of almost-drive-off-the-road moments.
    Absolutely delightful series with wonderful narration.

    More

    The Queen of Bedlam: A Matthew Corbett Novel, Book 2

    • UNABRIDGED (23 hrs and 23 mins)
    • By Robert McCammon
    • Narrated By Edoardo Ballerini
    Overall
    (455)
    Performance
    (404)
    Story
    (398)

    Robert McCammon brings the hero of his previous novel, Matthew Corbett, to 18th-century New York, where a killer wields a bloody and terrifying power over a bustling city carving out its identity - and over Matthew's own uncertain destiny.

    The unsolved murder of a respected doctor has sent ripples of fear throughout a city teeming with life and noise and commerce. Who snuffed out the good man's life with the slash of a blade on a midnight street? The local printmaster has labeled the fiend "the Masker," adding fuel to a volatile mystery...

    Kathy says: "Addicting"

What's Trending in Historical:

Customer Favorites

(More  Customer Favorites)
  • 4.8 (24396 ratings)
    The Help
    Play The Help
    Audiobook
    The Help
    UNABRIDGED
    • Kathryn Stockett

    The Help

    • UNABRIDGED (18 hrs and 19 mins)
    • By Kathryn Stockett
    • Narrated By Jenna Lamia, Bahni Turpin, Octavia Spencer, and others
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (24396)
    Performance
    (11086)
    Story
    (11115)

    Why we think it’s a great listen: The most celebrated performance in all of Audible’s history, The Help has nearly 2,000 5-star reviews from your fellow listeners. We hear the print book’s not bad, either. In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women - mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends - view one another.

    Jan says: "What a great surprise!"
  • 4.8 (17 ratings)
    The Snow Goose (BBC Radio 4: Classic Serial)
    Play The Snow Goose (BBC Radio 4: Classic Serial)
    RadioTvProgram
    The Snow Goose (BBC Radio 4: Classic Serial)
    ORIGINAL
    • Paul Gallico

    The Snow Goose (BBC Radio 4: Classic Serial)

    • ORIGINAL (57 mins)
    • By Paul Gallico
    • Narrated By Steve Mackintosh, Georgia Groome, Deborah Findlay, and others
    Overall
    (17)
    Performance
    (14)
    Story
    (15)

    A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Paul Gallico’s The Snow Goose by Nick Warburton, starring Steven Mackintosh.

    When Open Book asked various authors to champion a favourite neglected classic on the programme, Michael Morpurgo chose The Snow Goose - perhaps no surprise, with his own story 'War Horse' depicting a friendship between a boy and his horse which takes them both into the horror of World War I.

    Elizabeth says: "The Book is better"
  • 4.5 (10849 ratings)
    The Pillars of the Earth
    Play The Pillars of the Earth
    Audiobook
    The Pillars of the Earth
    UNABRIDGED

    The Pillars of the Earth

    • UNABRIDGED (40 hrs and 54 mins)
    • By Ken Follett
    • Narrated By John Lee
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (10849)
    Performance
    (3313)
    Story
    (3325)

    Why we think it’s a great listen: Got 40 hours to kill? You’ll find the time when you start listening to Lee’s take on Follett’s epic – and widely celebrated – novel of 12th-century England. The Pillars of the Earth tells the story of Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, a devout and resourceful monk driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has known...of Tom, the mason who becomes his architect - a man divided in his soul...and of the beautiful, elusive Lady Aliena, haunted by a secret shame....

    Joseph says: "Good historical setting, but loose story."
  • 4.3 (11522 ratings)
    Water for Elephants
    Play Water for Elephants
    Audiobook
    Water for Elephants
    UNABRIDGED
    • Sara Gruen

    Water for Elephants

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 26 mins)
    • By Sara Gruen
    • Narrated By David LeDoux, John Randolph Jones
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (11522)
    Performance
    (4063)
    Story
    (4106)

    Why we think it’s a great listen: Some books are meant to be read; others are meant to be heard – Water for Elephants falls into the second group, and is one of the best examples we have of how a powerful performance enhances a great story. Nonagenarian Jacob Jankowski reflects back on his wild and wondrous days with a circus. It's the Depression Era and Jacob, finding himself parentless and penniless, joins the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth.

    Cindy says: "Great Narration!!"
  •  
  • 4.5 (7615 ratings)
    World Without End
    Play World Without End
    Audiobook
    World Without End
    UNABRIDGED

    World Without End

    • UNABRIDGED (45 hrs and 38 mins)
    • By Ken Follett
    • Narrated By John Lee
    Overall
    (7615)
    Performance
    (2103)
    Story
    (2128)

    In 1989 Ken Follett astonished the literary world with The Pillars of the Earth, set in 12th-century England. Readers and listeners ever since have hoped for a sequel. At last, here it is. Although the two novels may be listened to in any order, World Without End also takes place in Kingsbridge, two centuries after the townspeople finished building their exquisite Gothic cathedral. The cathedral is again at the center of a web of love and hate, greed and pride, ambition and revenge.

    Laura says: "Repetitive, but still enjoyable"
  • 4.5 (6661 ratings)
    Dragonfly in Amber
    Play Dragonfly in Amber
    Audiobook
    Dragonfly in Amber
    UNABRIDGED

    Dragonfly in Amber

    • UNABRIDGED (39 hrs and 28 mins)
    • By Diana Gabaldon
    • Narrated By Davina Porter
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (6661)
    Performance
    (3433)
    Story
    (3455)

    New York Times best-selling author Diana Gabaldon enchanted scores of fans with Outlander, her electrifying historical saga set in 18th-century Scotland. Now this sequel sweeps listeners back into the past as Claire relates more of her perilous sojourn there with her Scottish warrior husband, James Fraser. Twenty years after her strange journey back in time, Claire has returned to Scotland with her daughter, determined to share with her the secret she has harbored since her time travel.

    Daniel says: "Finally! The unabridged version is here!"
  • 4.3 (6448 ratings)
    Fall of Giants: The Century Trilogy, Book 1
    Play Fall of Giants: The Century Trilogy, Book 1
    Audiobook
    Fall of Giants: The Century Trilogy, Book 1
    UNABRIDGED

    Fall of Giants: The Century Trilogy, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (30 hrs and 41 mins)
    • By Ken Follett
    • Narrated By John Lee
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (6448)
    Performance
    (3295)
    Story
    (3274)

    Ken Follett's World Without End was a global phenomenon, a work of grand historical sweep beloved by millions of readers and acclaimed by critics. Fall of Giants is his magnificent new historical epic. The first novel in The Century Trilogy, it follows the fates of five interrelated families - American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh - as they move through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women's suffrage.

    Louis says: "Loved it and learned alot."
  • 4.6 (5679 ratings)
    Voyager
    Play Voyager
    Audiobook
    Voyager
    UNABRIDGED

    Voyager

    • UNABRIDGED (43 hrs and 51 mins)
    • By Diana Gabaldon
    • Narrated By Davina Porter
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (5679)
    Performance
    (2969)
    Story
    (2935)

    Set in the intriguing Scotland of 200 years ago, the third installment in the romantic adventures of Jamie and Claire is as compelling as the first. Now that Claire knows Jamie survived the slaughter at Culloden, she is faced with the most difficult decision of her life. She aches to travel back through time again to find the love of her life, but, in order to do that, she must leave their daughter behind.

    Kathy says: "Hurry up! I want them all!"
  •  
  • 4.3 (5358 ratings)
    The Kitchen House: A Novel
    Play The Kitchen House: A Novel
    Audiobook
    The Kitchen House: A Novel
    UNABRIDGED
    • Kathleen Grissom

    The Kitchen House: A Novel

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 55 mins)
    • By Kathleen Grissom
    • Narrated By Orlagh Cassidy, Bahni Turpin
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (5358)
    Performance
    (3456)
    Story
    (3443)

    Orphaned while onboard ship from Ireland, seven-year-old Lavinia arrives on the steps of a tobacco plantation where she is to live and work with the slaves of the kitchen house. Under the care of Belle, the master's illegitimate daughter, Lavinia becomes deeply bonded to her adopted family, though she is set apart from them by her white skin. Eventually, Lavinia is accepted into the world of the big house, where the master is absent and the mistress battles opium addiction.

    B.J. says: "Good, but with reservations"
  • 4.3 (3446 ratings)
    Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War
    Play Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War
    Audiobook
    Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War
    UNABRIDGED
    • Karl Marlantes

    Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War

    • UNABRIDGED (21 hrs and 10 mins)
    • By Karl Marlantes
    • Narrated By Bronson Pinchot
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (3446)
    Performance
    (1675)
    Story
    (1676)

    Why we think it’s a great listen: A performance so poignant, we gave Bronson Pinchot (yes, Balki from Perfect Strangers) our inaugural Narrator of the Year award.... In the monsoon season of 1968-69 at a fire support base called Matterhorn, located in the remote mountains of Vietnam, a young and ambitious Marine lieutenant wants to command a company to further his civilian political ambitions. But two people stand in his way.

    Zachary says: "Matterhorn"
  • 4.3 (3140 ratings)
    Winter of the World: The Century Trilogy, Book 2
    Play Winter of the World: The Century Trilogy, Book 2
    Audiobook
    Winter of the World: The Century Trilogy, Book 2
    UNABRIDGED

    Winter of the World: The Century Trilogy, Book 2

    • UNABRIDGED (31 hrs and 48 mins)
    • By Ken Follett
    • Narrated By John Lee
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (3140)
    Performance
    (2585)
    Story
    (2588)

    Winter of the World picks up right where the first book left off, as its five interrelated families - American, German, Russian, English, Welsh - enter a time of enormous social, political, and economic turmoil, beginning with the rise of the Third Reich, through the Spanish Civil War and the great dramas of World War II, up to the explosions of the American and Soviet atomic bombs. As always with Ken Follett, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion.

    Dave says: "Great book but DON'T BUY - AUDIBLE VERSION SKIPS"
  • 4.4 (2704 ratings)
    The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
    Play The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
    Audiobook
    The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
    UNABRIDGED
    • Mary Ann Shaffer , Annie Barrows

    The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 6 mins)
    • By Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows
    • Narrated By Paul Baymer, Susan Dewidan, Roselyn Landor, and others
    Overall
    (2704)
    Performance
    (913)
    Story
    (915)

    Why we think it’s a great listen: The best book club you’ve never heard of – but will be eager to join, courtesy of a full cast of true characters. January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she's never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb....

    Kent says: "MUCH better than I ever expected! Give it a try!"

Best Sellers

(More Historical Best Sellers) All Historical Best Sellers
  • The Help
    Play The Help
    The Help
    UNABRIDGED
    • Kathryn Stockett

    The Help

    • UNABRIDGED (18 hrs and 19 mins)
    • By Kathryn Stockett
    • Narrated By Jenna Lamia, Bahni Turpin, Octavia Spencer, and others
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (24396)
    Performance
    (11086)
    Story
    (11115)

    Why we think it’s a great listen: The most celebrated performance in all of Audible’s history, The Help has nearly 2,000 5-star reviews from your fellow listeners. We hear the print book’s not bad, either. In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women - mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends - view one another.

    Jan says: "What a great surprise!"
  • Winter of the World: The Century Trilogy, Book 2
    Play Winter of the World: The Century Trilogy, Book 2
    Winter of the World: The Century Trilogy, Book 2
    UNABRIDGED

    Winter of the World: The Century Trilogy, Book 2

    • UNABRIDGED (31 hrs and 48 mins)
    • By Ken Follett
    • Narrated By John Lee
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (3140)
    Performance
    (2585)
    Story
    (2588)

    Winter of the World picks up right where the first book left off, as its five interrelated families - American, German, Russian, English, Welsh - enter a time of enormous social, political, and economic turmoil, beginning with the rise of the Third Reich, through the Spanish Civil War and the great dramas of World War II, up to the explosions of the American and Soviet atomic bombs. As always with Ken Follett, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion.

    Dave says: "Great book but DON'T BUY - AUDIBLE VERSION SKIPS"
  • Dragonfly in Amber
    Play Dragonfly in Amber
    Dragonfly in Amber
    UNABRIDGED

    Dragonfly in Amber

    • UNABRIDGED (39 hrs and 28 mins)
    • By Diana Gabaldon
    • Narrated By Davina Porter
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (6661)
    Performance
    (3433)
    Story
    (3455)

    New York Times best-selling author Diana Gabaldon enchanted scores of fans with Outlander, her electrifying historical saga set in 18th-century Scotland. Now this sequel sweeps listeners back into the past as Claire relates more of her perilous sojourn there with her Scottish warrior husband, James Fraser. Twenty years after her strange journey back in time, Claire has returned to Scotland with her daughter, determined to share with her the secret she has harbored since her time travel.

    Daniel says: "Finally! The unabridged version is here!"
  • The Kitchen House: A Novel
    Play The Kitchen House: A Novel
    The Kitchen House: A Novel
    UNABRIDGED
    • Kathleen Grissom

    The Kitchen House: A Novel

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 55 mins)
    • By Kathleen Grissom
    • Narrated By Orlagh Cassidy, Bahni Turpin
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (5358)
    Performance
    (3456)
    Story
    (3443)

    Orphaned while onboard ship from Ireland, seven-year-old Lavinia arrives on the steps of a tobacco plantation where she is to live and work with the slaves of the kitchen house. Under the care of Belle, the master's illegitimate daughter, Lavinia becomes deeply bonded to her adopted family, though she is set apart from them by her white skin. Eventually, Lavinia is accepted into the world of the big house, where the master is absent and the mistress battles opium addiction.

    B.J. says: "Good, but with reservations"
  •  
  • Fall of Giants: The Century Trilogy, Book 1
    Play Fall of Giants: The Century Trilogy, Book 1
    Fall of Giants: The Century Trilogy, Book 1
    UNABRIDGED

    Fall of Giants: The Century Trilogy, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (30 hrs and 41 mins)
    • By Ken Follett
    • Narrated By John Lee
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (6448)
    Performance
    (3295)
    Story
    (3274)

    Ken Follett's World Without End was a global phenomenon, a work of grand historical sweep beloved by millions of readers and acclaimed by critics. Fall of Giants is his magnificent new historical epic. The first novel in The Century Trilogy, it follows the fates of five interrelated families - American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh - as they move through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women's suffrage.

    Louis says: "Loved it and learned alot."
  • The Pillars of the Earth
    Play The Pillars of the Earth
    The Pillars of the Earth
    UNABRIDGED

    The Pillars of the Earth

    • UNABRIDGED (40 hrs and 54 mins)
    • By Ken Follett
    • Narrated By John Lee
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (10849)
    Performance
    (3313)
    Story
    (3325)

    Why we think it’s a great listen: Got 40 hours to kill? You’ll find the time when you start listening to Lee’s take on Follett’s epic – and widely celebrated – novel of 12th-century England. The Pillars of the Earth tells the story of Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, a devout and resourceful monk driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has known...of Tom, the mason who becomes his architect - a man divided in his soul...and of the beautiful, elusive Lady Aliena, haunted by a secret shame....

    Joseph says: "Good historical setting, but loose story."
  • Life After Life: A Novel
    Play Life After Life: A Novel
    Life After Life: A Novel
    UNABRIDGED
    • Kate Atkinson

    Life After Life: A Novel

    • UNABRIDGED (15 hrs and 34 mins)
    • By Kate Atkinson
    • Narrated By Fenella Woolgar
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (255)
    Performance
    (229)
    Story
    (227)

    On a cold and snowy night in 1910, Ursula Todd is born to an English banker and his wife. She dies before she can draw her first breath. On that same cold and snowy night, Ursula Todd is born, lets out a lusty wail, and embarks upon a life that will be, to say the least, unusual. For as she grows, she also dies, repeatedly, in a variety of ways, while the young century marches on towards its second cataclysmic world war.

    Diane says: "Life after life after life after life after life.."
  • The Book Thief
    Play The Book Thief
    The Book Thief
    UNABRIDGED
    • Markus Zusak

    The Book Thief

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 56 mins)
    • By Markus Zusak
    • Narrated By Allan Corduner
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (2660)
    Performance
    (1289)
    Story
    (1289)

    It's just a small story really, about, among other things, a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak's groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can't resist: books.

    Sandra says: "Will steal you!"
  •  
  • Gone with the Wind
    Play Gone with the Wind
    Gone with the Wind
    UNABRIDGED
    • Margaret Mitchell

    Gone with the Wind

    • UNABRIDGED (49 hrs and 7 mins)
    • By Margaret Mitchell
    • Narrated By Linda Stephens
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (2329)
    Performance
    (1369)
    Story
    (1389)

    Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Literature, Margaret Mitchell's great novel of the South is one of the most popular books ever written. Within six months of its publication in 1936, Gone With the Wind had sold a million copies. To date, it has been translated into 25 languages, and more than 28 million copies have been sold. Here are the characters that have become symbols of passion and desire....

    Bethann says: "Fabulous!"
  • Wolf Hall
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    Wolf Hall
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    Wolf Hall

    • UNABRIDGED (24 hrs and 19 mins)
    • By Hilary Mantel
    • Narrated By Simon Slater
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1428)
    Performance
    (760)
    Story
    (756)

    Winner of the prestigious Man Booker prize for fiction. In the ruthless arena of King Henry VIII's court, only one man dares to gamble his life to win the king's favor and ascend to the heights of political powerEngland in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years, and marry Anne Boleyn.

    S. Marie says: "A unique perspective of history"
  • Voyager
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    Voyager
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    Voyager

    • UNABRIDGED (43 hrs and 51 mins)
    • By Diana Gabaldon
    • Narrated By Davina Porter
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (5679)
    Performance
    (2969)
    Story
    (2935)

    Set in the intriguing Scotland of 200 years ago, the third installment in the romantic adventures of Jamie and Claire is as compelling as the first. Now that Claire knows Jamie survived the slaughter at Culloden, she is faced with the most difficult decision of her life. She aches to travel back through time again to find the love of her life, but, in order to do that, she must leave their daughter behind.

    Kathy says: "Hurry up! I want them all!"
  • Paris: The Novel
    Play Paris: The Novel
    Paris: The Novel
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    • Edward Rutherfurd

    Paris: The Novel

    • UNABRIDGED (38 hrs and 23 mins)
    • By Edward Rutherfurd
    • Narrated By Jean Gilpin
    Overall
    (59)
    Performance
    (51)
    Story
    (49)

    Internationally best-selling author Edward Rutherfurd has enchanted millions of readers with his sweeping, multigenerational dramas that illuminate the great achievements and travails throughout history. In this breathtaking saga of love, war, art, and intrigue, Rutherfurd has set his sights on the most magnificent city in the world: Paris. Moving back and forth in time across centuries, the story unfolds through intimate and vivid tales of self-discovery, divided loyalties, passion, and long-kept secrets of characters both fictional and real, all set against the backdrop of the glorious city.

    Kathi says: "Rutherfurd's "Paris"--C'est très bien!"

New Releases

(More Historical New Releases) All Historical New Releases
  • Restoration
    Play Restoration
    Restoration
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    • Rose Tremain

    Restoration

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs)
    • By Rose Tremain
    • Narrated By Paul Daneman
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    From Rose Tremain comes the Booker Prize short-listed novel that “restored the historical novel to its rightful place of honor” (New York Times). Robert Merivel, son of a glove maker and an aspiring physician, finds his fortunes transformed when he is given a position at the court of King Charles II. Merivel slips easily into a life of luxury and idleness, enthusiastically enjoying the women and wine of the vibrant Restoration age. But when he’s called on to serve the king in an unusual role, he transgresses the one law he is forbidden to break and is brutally cast out from his newfound paradise.

  • Röd Måne [Red Moon]
    Play Röd Måne [Red Moon]
    Röd Måne [Red Moon]
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    • Elisabet Nemert

    Röd Måne [Red Moon]

    • UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 36 mins)
    • By Elisabet Nemert
    • Narrated By Anna Maria Käll
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    Häxprocesser, kärlek och maktkamp i 1600-talets SverigeMånen lyser flammande röd den frostiga höstnatt i nådens år 1626 när läkekvinnan Ingrid Ingemarsdotter rider mot sitt hem, gården Näs nära Skokloster i Uppland. Röd måne är ett djävulstecken, ett lockrop från den onde själv som då kallar de sina till sig. När månen är röd håller man sig inomhus om man är rädd om sin själs salighet.

  • A Place of Greater Safety
    Play A Place of Greater Safety
    A Place of Greater Safety
    UNABRIDGED
    • Hilary Mantel

    A Place of Greater Safety

    • UNABRIDGED (33 hrs and 52 mins)
    • By Hilary Mantel
    • Narrated By Jonathan Keeble
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    (0)
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    It is 1789, and three young provincials have come to Paris to make their way. Georges-Jacques Danton, an ambitious young lawyer, is energetic, pragmatic, debt-ridden - and hugely but erotically ugly. Maximilien Robespierre, also a lawyer, is slight, diligent, and terrified of violence. His dearest friend, Camille Desmoulins, is a conspirator and pamphleteer of genius. A charming gadfly, erratic and untrustworthy, bisexual and beautiful, Camille is obsessed by one woman and engaged to marry another, her daughter.

  • Pray for Us Sinners
    Play Pray for Us Sinners
    Pray for Us Sinners
    UNABRIDGED
    • Patrick Taylor

    Pray for Us Sinners

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 56 mins)
    • By Patrick Taylor
    • Narrated By John Keating
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    (0)
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    (0)
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    A British Army bomb-disposal expert goes undercover to try to identify the source of the bombs being used by the Provisional Irish Republican Army in Pray for Us Sinners, a thrilling novel by New York Times best seller Patrick Taylor. In Belfast in 1973 the Troubles are raging. Two Ulstermen. Two sides. On one, British Army bomb-disposal officer Marcus Richardson; on the other, Davy MacCutcheon, Provisional IRA armourer who has been constructing bombs since his teens. Both men are committed to their causes until events shatter their beliefs, leaving each with a crisis of faith and an overpowering need to get out - but with honour.

  •  
  • Instructions for a Heatwave
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    Instructions for a Heatwave
    UNABRIDGED
    • Maggie O'Farrell

    Instructions for a Heatwave

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 11 mins)
    • By Maggie O'Farrell
    • Narrated By John Lee
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    (0)
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    (0)
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    Gretta Riordan wakes on a stultifying July morning to find that her husband of forty years has gone to get the paper and vanished, cleaning out his bank account along the way. Gretta’s three grown children converge on their parents’ home for the first time in years: Michael Francis, a history teacher whose marriage is failing; Monica, with two stepdaughters who despise her and a blighted past that has driven away the younger sister she once adored; and Aoife, the youngest, now living in Manhattan, a smart, immensely resourceful young woman who has arranged her entire life to conceal a devastating secret.

  • Love Like Gatsby
    Play Love Like Gatsby
    Love Like Gatsby
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    • Alexia Wells

    Love Like Gatsby

    • UNABRIDGED (1 hr)
    • By Alexia Wells
    • Narrated By Lila Fallon
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    It is the Roaring Twenties and Monica Woodard bobs her hair and raises the hem of her dresses, but she doesn't feel liberated. The last lavish party of the season at aloof tycoon Jared Fitzgerald's "Mansion on the Rock," an event not to be missed, is that night. Reluctantl,y Monica agrees to go along with friends to crash it.

  • Garden of Stones
    Play Garden of Stones
    Garden of Stones
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    • Sophie Littlefield

    Garden of Stones

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Sophie Littlefield
    • Narrated By Emily Woo Zeller
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
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    Lucy Takeda is just 14 years old, living in Los Angeles, when the bombs rain down on Pearl Harbor. Within weeks, she and her mother, Miyako, are ripped from their home, rounded up - along with thousands of other innocent Japanese Americans - and taken to the Manzanar prison camp. Corruption and abuse creep into every corner of Manzanar, eventually ensnaring beautiful, vulnerable Miyako. Ruined and unwilling to surrender her daughter to the same fate, Miyako soon breaks. Her final act of desperation will stay with Lucy forever... and spur her to sins of her own.

  • EMPEROR: The Blood of Gods, Book 5 (Unabridged)
    Play EMPEROR: The Blood of Gods, Book 5 (Unabridged)
    EMPEROR: The Blood of Gods, Book 5 (Unabridged)
    UNABRIDGED
    • Conn Iggulden

    EMPEROR: The Blood of Gods, Book 5 (Unabridged)

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 54 mins)
    • By Conn Iggulden
    • Narrated By Michael Healy
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    Julius Caesar has been assassinated. A nation is in mourning. Revenge will be bloody... Rome's great hero has been brutally murdered by his most trusted allies. While these self-appointed Liberatores seek refuge in the senate, they have underestimated one man: Caesar's adopted son Octavian, a man whose name will echo through history as Augustus Caesar. Uniting with his great rival Mark Antony, Octavian will stop at nothing to seek retribution and avenge his father's death.

  •  
  • Claudia, Wife of Pontius Pilate: A Novel
    Play Claudia, Wife of Pontius Pilate: A Novel
    Claudia, Wife of Pontius Pilate: A Novel
    UNABRIDGED
    • Diana Wallis Taylor

    Claudia, Wife of Pontius Pilate: A Novel

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 24 mins)
    • By Diana Wallis Taylor
    • Narrated By Rebecca Gallagher
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    Claudia is adrift - until she meets Lucius Pontius Pilate and becomes his wife. When Pilate is appointed Prefect of the troublesome territory of Judea, Claudia does what she has always done: she makes the best of it. But unrest is brewing on the outskirts of the Roman Empire, and Claudia will soon find herself and her beloved husband embroiled in controversy and rebellion. Might she find peace and rest in the teaching of the mysterious Jewish Rabbi everyone seems to be talking about?

  • Upon a Midnight Dream
    Play Upon a Midnight Dream
    Upon a Midnight Dream
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    • Rachel Van Dyken

    Upon a Midnight Dream

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 6 mins)
    • By Rachel Van Dyken
    • Narrated By Seth Michael Donsky
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    (0)
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    "I release you..." were the last words Rosalind remembered before her world went black. Stefan, the future duke of Montmouth, no doubt thought his words were welcomed but he couldn't have been more wrong. Oh, he was handsome as a pagan Norse god, but that was unimportant when her life as well as those of her family hung in the balance. With less than six weeks left, Rosalind has stopped believing in the fairy tale, the prince on the white horse, and the stolen kiss that would awaken her from her worst nightmares. Resigned to her fate, she waits for the inevitable curse to run its course.

  • The Lorimer Legacy
    Play The Lorimer Legacy
    The Lorimer Legacy
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    The Lorimer Legacy

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Anne Melville
    • Narrated By Claire Carroll
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    Although Margaret Lorimer has made her own way as a doctor, she does not at all approve of the ambitions of her beautiful young ward, Alexa. Being an opera singer is considered a disreputable career for a young lady. But Alexa has inherited a superb voice from her Italian mother, and is determined to have her way, even if it means travelling abroad. And she has also inherited a legacy from the father she never knew - a legacy which will bring her no happiness. The Lorimer Legacy is the un-pausable second volume in the Lorimer series.

  • The Secret Sense of Wildflower
    Play The Secret Sense of Wildflower
    The Secret Sense of Wildflower
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    • Susan Gabriel

    The Secret Sense of Wildflower

    • UNABRIDGED (6 hrs and 2 mins)
    • By Susan Gabriel
    • Narrated By Susan Gabriel
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    Set in 1940s Appalachia, The Secret Sense of Wildflower tells the story of Louisa May "Wildflower" McAllister, whose life has been shaped around the recent death of her beloved father in a sawmill accident. While her mother hardens in her grief, Wildflower and her three sisters must cope with their loss themselves, as well as with the demands of daily survival.