augustine

Bits and pieces of this book have been leaked out and I really thought long and hard about using a credit to buy it. I am happy that I did. If you are a teacher, a geek, an Apple lover, an ex hippy, a Dylan fan, or just a person who appreciates quality, then this is a must read.

As everything else that Steve Jobs did, he picked the best biographer that he could have gotten. Walter Isaacson has done the biographies of Kissinger, Einstein, Ben Franklin and he is professional in every sense of the word. This is not a PR hack job. This is the real thing, on par with the biography of Winston Churchill by David Manchester.

The reading could be better, but is by no means poor. As the audio versions of the Churchill biographies have shown, a good Audible biography should incorporate the voices of the characters. The reader makes no attempt to sound like Jobs. It probably doesn't matter to most listeners, since the story takes on a forceful momentum as the history of Steve Jobs and Apple computer unfolds.

Having read Hollinghurst' "The Line of Beauty", I was prepared for the homosexual themes of this book. If that bothers you, then I would stay away from this audible listen.

I was not however prepared for the sketchiness of the novel. It is done by a master writer, but do not expect a story that reveals itself in any sort of traditional way. What emerges is the broken bits of a life and of the lives that are touched by the poet character.

Much like life itself, expect a mash up of events, desultory memories and skeletons best left in closets. A masterful work and reading.

Beneath the tranquil story of a young lady and her maturation into womanhood, lies an insightful social critique of the time. With its patriarchal social mores, the women in this novel hover over the bigger issues of gender inequities, seemingly unawares that they exist. Jane Austen keeps her steady gaze on proceedings.

What can be said about Juliet Stevenson's reading? It's perfectly nuanced and voiced, with all of the characters given the best performance possible.

Highly recommended to any one, whether you are an Austen fan or a newbie looking for the perfect novel describing life in England in the early 1800's.

The Good Soldier is a well told story of a man who discovers a deception. The deception is revealed in a layered manner, realistic in its treatment of its characters. It is very similar in style to Lawrence Durrell, although it is far more accessible than the Alexandria Quartet.
The Good Soldier is not for everyone; certainly not for someone looking for passive listening entertainment.