Ex Libris

Confessions of a Common Reader

By: Anne Fadiman

Narrated by: Suzanne Toren

Length: 4 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Anyone who has ever loved a book will relish this playful, yet deeply literate collection of essays celebrating the joy of reading. From building castles with books as a child, to the trauma of joining her library with her husband's, the author reveals, with much warmth and humor, the intimate details of her lifelong affair with books. For Anne Fadiman, books are not built for function, and certainly not for decoration. They are close personal friends who never fail to delight and amaze. Fadiman gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "reading for pleasure" with her lyrical descriptions of the range of emotions evoked by literary experiences. And being read to is one of the greatest pleasures of all, according to Fadiman. You will understand just what she means as you sit back and enjoy Suzanne Toren's delightful reading.

©1998 Anne Fadiman (P)2004 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"Fadiman's writing...is lively and sparkling with earthy little surprises." (Publishers Weekly)
"Fadiman writes with an appealing warmth and humor." (Library Journal)

Reading IS fun!

This is a book I will listen to again. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Ms. Fadiman's quirky family. I vicariously searched used book stores with her and polled my own reading friends regarding what they would consider to be their "odd shelf." The reader, Suzanne Toren, adds just the right touch of humor and sophistication to make this book a very enjoyable listen! Listening to this book reminded me of the common bonds among readers and at the same time, the uniqueness of our own stories.

A Must for Lovers of the Written Word

This book has long been a favorite of mine, and I was delighted to find it here, not only in a clear and crisp audio format, but also narrated beautifully by a reader who not only clearly understands the wonderful humor of the book, but even proves herself more than up to the challenge of Ms. Fadiman's globe-trotting, century-hopping, sesquipedalian vocabulary. And yes, this was the book that first taught me "Sesquipedalian." Anne Fadiman's joyful tribute to bibliophiles everywhere is as delightful here as it was the first (and second, and third...) time that I read it.

Wishing for more..... or less

Any additional comments?

This book is a collection of essays by an obviously intelligent, well-read writer. For the most part, I found her observations amusing, touching, and completely relatable. However, there were a couple of the essays that had a certain tone of "I'm-so-much-smarter-than-you-are" which took away from the utter enjoyment of the whole book. However, overall, I loved the passion for books and reading that she so powerfully shared and I think all avid-readers will feel somewhat of a kinship in her stories because they too love books.

Proofreader Humor

You must be an inveterate proof reader to like it...Wonderful!! English language lovers preferably!

The narrator does her no favours

The essays are generally excellent. The reading is clear,lively and carefully enunciated, although calling British navy officers “lootenants” clangs as offensively on the ear as a Brit calling an American a “leftenant”would. But my more serious objection is to the reader’s tone. She gives Ms Fadiman a supercilious and self-congratulatory voice which never and must never come across in print. Pleasure, yes, superior self-satisfaction, no.
Still, the essays are worth it.