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Candide (AudioGO Edition)
- Narrated by: Jack Davenport
- Length: 3 hrs and 26 mins
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Publisher's summary
Candide, published simultaneously in five European capitals in 1759, became an instant best seller and is now regarded as one of the key texts of the Enlightenment. Voltaire’s preoccupations with evil and with various kinds of human folly and intolerance found a perfect vehicle in the philosophical tale. A master storyteller, he combined often wildly entertaining action with profoundly serious sense, parodying the traditional chivalric and oriental tales with which his public was more familiar to create a witty allegory of a young man whose optimism gives way to disillusionment after a series of terrible misfortunes.
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Starring Orson Welles, Anges Moorehead, and Ray Collins, The Count of Monte Cristo is a tale of revenge and retribution. Edmond Dantès, a young, energetic sailor, is falsely accused of treason on his wedding day and incarcerated in the forbidding Château d'If. His escape and ultimate revenge on those who wronged him makes this one of the most thrilling stories in French literature, as compelling now as when it was first published in 1846.
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Excellent
- By Stefanie on 05-19-14
By: Orson Welles
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The Story of My Life, Volume 1
- By: Giacomo Casanova
- Narrated by: Peter Wickham
- Length: 47 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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The Story of My Life is the explosive and exhilarating autobiography by the infamous libertine Giacomo Casanova. Intense and scandalous, Casanova's extraordinary adventures take the listener on an incredible voyage across 18th-century Europe - from France to Russia, Poland to Spain and Turkey to Germany, with Venice at their heart. He falls madly in love, has wild flings and delirious orgies, and encounters some of the most brilliant figures of his time, including Catherine the Great, Louis XV and Benjamin Franklin. He holds a verbal dual with Voltaire and finds himself hauled before the court multiple times.
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Extraordinarily interesting
- By Ed Pegg Jr on 10-19-19
By: Giacomo Casanova
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The Betrothed
- By: Alessandro Manzoni
- Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton
- Length: 24 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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After the jealous tyrant Don Rodrigo foils their wedding, young Lombardian peasants Lucia and Lorenzo must separate and flee for their safety. Their difficult path to matrimony takes place against the turbulent backdrop of the Thirty Years War, where lawlessness and exploitation are at their height. Lucia takes refuge in a convent, where she is later abducted and taken on a nightmarish journey to a sinister castle, while Lorenzo goes to Milan, where he witnesses famine, riots, and plague - all evoked through meticulous description and with stunning immediacy.
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Fantastic reading of a great work of literature
- By Pia Crosby on 03-25-19
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The Three Musketeers (AmazonClassics Edition)
- By: Alexandre Dumas, William Robson - translator
- Narrated by: Guy Mott
- Length: 27 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Young nobleman d’Artagnan has arrived in Paris intent on joining the guardians of King Louis XIII. He befriends the regiment’s most formidable musketeers, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, and together they unite in their commitment to uphold justice. Soon, a royal indiscretion thrusts them into an audacious escapade of courtly intrigue, thwarted romance, and daring rescue. But it’s the Machiavellian schemes of a powerful enemy and the wicked seductions of an ingenious female spy that will be their greatest challenges.
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terrible narrator. every comma is a 3 second pause
- By Anonymous User on 09-21-21
By: Alexandre Dumas, and others
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The Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini
- By: Benvenuto Cellini
- Narrated by: Robert Whitfield
- Length: 15 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Master Italian sculptor, goldsmith, and writer Benvenuto Cellini is best remembered for his magnificent autobiography. In this work, which was actually begun in 1558 but not published until 1730, Cellini beautifully chronicles his flamboyant times. He tells of his adventures in Italy and France, and his relations with popes, kings, and fellow artists.
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The problem is with Cellini himself.
- By Leslie Ross on 06-07-10
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Four Arthurian Romances
- By: Chrétien de Troyes
- Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton
- Length: 16 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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The Arthurian Romances by Chrétien de Troyes form the wellspring of the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Stories of knightly valour in the Welsh Marches had existed before the 12th century, but it was the magnificent poetry and imagination of Chrétien, the 12th century French poet and trouvère, which brought alive the great characters of Arthur, his wife Guinevere, Lancelot and others.
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Ukemi Audio: Doing the Lord’s Work
- By John on 09-29-17
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Father Goriot
- By: Honoré de Balzac
- Narrated by: Bill Homewood
- Length: 12 hrs
- Unabridged
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Impoverished young aristocrat Eugene de Rastignac is determined to climb the social ladder and impress himself on Parisian high society. While staying at the Maison Vauquer, a boarding house in Paris's rue Neuve-Sainte-Genevieve, he encounters Jean-Joachim Goriot, a retired vermicelli maker who has spent his entire fortune supporting his two daughters. The boarders strike up a friendship and Goriot learns of Rastignac's feelings for his daughter Delphine. He begins to see Rastignac as the ideal son-in-law, and the perfect substitute for Delphine's domineering husband. But Rastignac has other opportunities too....
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Astounding performance
- By Laurence Grey on 04-05-21
By: Honoré de Balzac
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Letters from the Earth
- By: Mark Twain
- Narrated by: Carl Reiner
- Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Here we see Twain on a somewhat personal level. Penniless and having just lost his wife and one of his children, Twain turns to writing about God, Christianity, and the many curious natures of man. This collection was so controversial that his daughter prohibited its publication until 52 years after his death.
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A must read for thinking people
- By Charles on 11-28-11
By: Mark Twain
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Candide (AmazonClassics Edition)
- By: Voltaire
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- Length: 3 hrs and 54 mins
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Candide, the illegitimate nephew of a German baron and student of eternal optimist Pangloss, is living a simple and sheltered life in "the best of all possible worlds." But when Candide falls in love with the wrong woman, his uncle's young daughter, he is exiled from the baron's castle and suffers great tragedy and catastrophe, which leaves him disillusioned and questioning the goodness of the universe.
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I never saw or expected anything close to this.
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Voltaire Collection
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Voltaire Collection includes three of Voltaire's most notable works: Micromegas, Candide, and Zadig. François-Marie Arouet, known by his nom de plume Voltaire, was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher famous for his wit.
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Nice compilation
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Candide (Gildan Media Edition)
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Candide, is a French satire written in 1759 by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment. One of the finest satires ever written, this lively tale follows the absurdly melodramatic adventures of the youthful Candide, who is forced into the army, flogged, shipwrecked, betrayed, robbed, separated from his beloved Cunégonde, and tortured by the Inquisition. As Candide witnesses calamity upon calamity, he becomes disillusioned and discovers that all is not always for the best....
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Amusing, a favorite, well read
- By Philo on 02-24-12
By: Voltaire
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Candide, or Optimism
- By: Francois Voltaire, Michael Wood, Theo Cuffe
- Narrated by: Ben Lloyd Hughes
- Length: 4 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Brought up in the household of a powerful Baron, Candide is an open-minded young man whose tutor, Pangloss, has instilled in him the belief that 'all is for the best'. But when his love for the baron's rosy-cheeked daughter is discovered, Candide is cast out to make his own way in the world. And so he and his various companions begin a breathless tour of Europe, South America and Asia, as an outrageous series of disasters befall them - earthquakes, syphilis, a brush with the Inquisition, murder - sorely testing the young hero's optimism.
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A wonderful and witty read
- By Zac Pfaff on 03-11-24
By: Francois Voltaire, and others
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Candide and Zadig
- By: Voltaire
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- Length: 6 hrs and 24 mins
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Overall
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Performance
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These two classic coming-of-age stories by Voltaire parody the romanticism of his day with the ruthless wit that has made him the undisputed master of social commentary.
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The Source of Modern Literature
- By jdk on 09-29-20
By: Voltaire
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Candide [CSA Word]
- By: Voltaire
- Narrated by: Andrew Sachs
- Length: 3 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Candide and his tutor Pangloss travel the globe trying to follow the philosophy "All is for the best in this, the best of all possible worlds". However, they are stung and let down at every turn, being robbed, tortured, and ridiculed, amongst other trials. On hearing about their often disasterous travels, a listener feels unfortunately less than empathetic, and can't help themselves laughing out loud at this very funny account of the trail our optimistic travellers take.
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Why the music?
- By MH on 02-23-17
By: Voltaire
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Candide (AmazonClassics Edition)
- By: Voltaire
- Narrated by: James Langton
- Length: 3 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Candide, the illegitimate nephew of a German baron and student of eternal optimist Pangloss, is living a simple and sheltered life in "the best of all possible worlds." But when Candide falls in love with the wrong woman, his uncle's young daughter, he is exiled from the baron's castle and suffers great tragedy and catastrophe, which leaves him disillusioned and questioning the goodness of the universe.
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I never saw or expected anything close to this.
- By Mossias on 10-07-18
By: Voltaire
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Voltaire Collection
- Micromegas, Candide, and Zadig
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- Narrated by: Arthur Rowan
- Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins
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Overall
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Voltaire Collection includes three of Voltaire's most notable works: Micromegas, Candide, and Zadig. François-Marie Arouet, known by his nom de plume Voltaire, was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher famous for his wit.
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Nice compilation
- By Margaret on 12-18-20
By: Voltaire
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Candide (Gildan Media Edition)
- By: Voltaire
- Narrated by: Don Hagen
- Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Candide, is a French satire written in 1759 by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment. One of the finest satires ever written, this lively tale follows the absurdly melodramatic adventures of the youthful Candide, who is forced into the army, flogged, shipwrecked, betrayed, robbed, separated from his beloved Cunégonde, and tortured by the Inquisition. As Candide witnesses calamity upon calamity, he becomes disillusioned and discovers that all is not always for the best....
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Amusing, a favorite, well read
- By Philo on 02-24-12
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Candide, or Optimism
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Brought up in the household of a powerful Baron, Candide is an open-minded young man whose tutor, Pangloss, has instilled in him the belief that 'all is for the best'. But when his love for the baron's rosy-cheeked daughter is discovered, Candide is cast out to make his own way in the world. And so he and his various companions begin a breathless tour of Europe, South America and Asia, as an outrageous series of disasters befall them - earthquakes, syphilis, a brush with the Inquisition, murder - sorely testing the young hero's optimism.
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A wonderful and witty read
- By Zac Pfaff on 03-11-24
By: Francois Voltaire, and others
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Candide and Zadig
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Overall
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These two classic coming-of-age stories by Voltaire parody the romanticism of his day with the ruthless wit that has made him the undisputed master of social commentary.
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The Source of Modern Literature
- By jdk on 09-29-20
By: Voltaire
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Candide [CSA Word]
- By: Voltaire
- Narrated by: Andrew Sachs
- Length: 3 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Candide and his tutor Pangloss travel the globe trying to follow the philosophy "All is for the best in this, the best of all possible worlds". However, they are stung and let down at every turn, being robbed, tortured, and ridiculed, amongst other trials. On hearing about their often disasterous travels, a listener feels unfortunately less than empathetic, and can't help themselves laughing out loud at this very funny account of the trail our optimistic travellers take.
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Why the music?
- By MH on 02-23-17
By: Voltaire
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The Death of Ivan Ilyich
- By: Leo Tolstoy
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
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Hailed as one of the world’s masterpieces of psychological realism, The Death of Ivan Ilyich is the story of a worldly careerist, a high-court judge who has never given the inevitability of his death so much as a passing thought. But one day death announces itself to him, and to his shocked surprise he is brought face-to-face with his own mortality. How, Tolstoy asks, does an unreflective man confront his one and only moment of truth?
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Elegant, simple, and true
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By: Leo Tolstoy
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Gulliver's Travels: A Signature Performance by David Hyde Pierce
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A Signature Performance: Four-time Emmy Award winner David Hyde Pierce delivers an air of lovable self-importance in his rendition of the classic social satire that remains as fresh today as the day it was published.
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Loved every minute
- By Rose on 01-16-11
By: Jonathan Swift
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Candide
- By: Voltaire
- Narrated by: Donal Donnelly
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From the satirical pen of one of France's greatest cynics comes the story of Candide - young, innocent, guileless - who is cast upon the world after Baron Thunder-ten-trockh learns that his lusty daughter, Cunegonde, has tried to seduce the young man. The novel chronicles Candide's adventures with his blindly optimistic tutor, Dr. Pangloss, through any number of disastrous experiences, as they search for the answers to life's perennial questions.
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Voltaire's Classic
- By Tobin on 09-09-04
By: Voltaire
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Candide
- In an American Voice
- By: Voltaire
- Narrated by: Deaver Brown
- Length: 3 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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The legendary ironic insightful classic by Voltaire, considered the greatest artistic genius of his era. Introducing the legendary, best-of-all-possible-worlds Pangloss. A whirlwind trip around the globe with irony, wit, insight, genius, and more at each stop.
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Buyer Beware
- By Harman Benda on 03-17-24
By: Voltaire
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Candide and Zadig
- By: Voltaire
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- Unabridged
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Voltaire's razor-sharp satire on philosophical optimism, Candide, is coupled here with another of the author's most celebrated works, Zadig. Both challenge the moral and philosophical orthodoxies of the day with humor and sly wit, while parodying the clichéd formulas of so many contemporary novels.
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Highly recommended
- By Erez on 10-10-08
By: Voltaire
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Don Quixote
- By: Tobias Smollett - translator, Miguel de Cervantes
- Narrated by: Robert Whitfield
- Length: 36 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Don Quixote, the world's first novel and by far the best-known book in Spanish literature, was originally intended by Cervantes as a satire on traditional popular ballads, yet he also parodied the romances of chivalry. By happy coincidence he produced one of the most entertaining adventure stories of all time and, in Don Quixote and his faithful squire, Sancho Panza, two of the greatest characters in fiction.
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A MUST READ CLASSIC
- By Randall on 04-25-09
By: Tobias Smollett - translator, and others
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Howards End
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- Narrated by: Nadia May
- Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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A vibrant portrait of Edwardian England, Howards End examines personal relationships and conflicting values. The Schlegel sisters, Margaret and Helen, and their brother, Tibby, place their values in civilized living, music, literature, and conversation with their friends. The Wilcoxes, Henry and his children Charles, Paul, and Evie, are concerned with the business side of life and distrust emotions and imagination.
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should not be listed as
- By Josh Mitteldorf on 05-21-04
By: E.M. Forster
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Moby Dick
- By: Herman Melville
- Narrated by: Anthony Heald
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- Unabridged
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The outcast youth Ishmael, succumbing to wanderlust during a dreary New England autumn, signs up for passage aboard a whaling ship. The Pequod sails under the command of the one-legged Captain Ahab, who has set himself on a monomaniacal quest to capture the cunning white whale that robbed him of his leg: Moby-Dick. Capturing life on the sea with robust realism, Melville details the adventures of the colorful crew aboard the ship as Ahab pursues his crusade of revenge, heedless of all cost.
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Gripping despite the minutiae
- By Sarah C on 06-06-08
By: Herman Melville
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Madame Bovary: A Signature Performance by Leelee Sobieski
- By: Gustave Flaubert
- Narrated by: Leelee Sobieski
- Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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A Signature Performance: Leelee Sobieski’s Emma is sultry but vulnerable, offering a sympathetic rendering of the heroine and her plight, allowing the listener to draw his own conclusions about Madame Bovary in this cautionary tale of love, passion, and desperation.
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Never touch your idols: the gilding will stick
- By Darwin8u on 07-25-15
By: Gustave Flaubert
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A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
- By: James Joyce
- Narrated by: Colin Farrell
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
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This quintessential coming-of-age novel describes the early life of Stephen Dedalus. It is set in Ireland during the 19th century, which was a time of emerging Irish nationalism and conservative Catholicism. Highly autobiographical in nature, the work is also notable for its being the first one in which Joyce uses innovative “stream of consciousness” writing style. A Portrait... follows Stephen Dedalus from his babyhood into early adulthood.
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Bitterly disappointed
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By: James Joyce
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Nicholas Nickleby
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- Unabridged
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The most gorgeously theatrical of all Dickens's novels, Nicholas Nickleby follows the delightful adventures of a hearty young hero in 19th-century England. Nicholas, a gentleman's son fallen upon hard times, must set out to make his way in the world. His journey is accompanied by some of the most swaggering scoundrels and unforgettable eccentrics in Dickens's pantheon.
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Amazing
- By Terie on 07-12-07
By: Charles Dickens
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Madame Bovary
- By: Gustave Flaubert, Gerard Hopkins - translator
- Narrated by: Ronald Pickup
- Length: 15 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Before marrying, Emma Bovary believed she would enter a life of luxury and passion like the sentimental stories she'd read in her novels and magazines. Now married to an ordinary country doctor her life is not the romantic ideal she imagined and seeks an escape through having extra-marital affairs. This devastating spiral into deceit and despair leads to catastrophic consequences. Emma Bovary continues to be enjoyed to this day because of its profound humanity, still as fresh today as when it was first written.
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Fantastic Narrator
- By A. Laprade-velasco on 07-18-10
By: Gustave Flaubert, and others
What listeners say about Candide (AudioGO Edition)
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Robert
- 08-09-12
Guaranteed to keep you smiling if not LOL
This was probably Not what most folks would think about this classic. This book is fraught with one-liners that are just hilarious. And to think that these one-liners came from a philosopher of the 1700’s makes it even more astonishing. A book that has remained essential reading for almost 400 years does not require a review by some amateur from our millennium nor could I do it justice. Suffice it to say that this book can be read by scholars who would find transcendental meanings of the times then and relevance for our times now. But, what makes a great book and what made it particularly appealing for me is that, while it can be completely dissected and analyzed, it can also be just thoroughly enjoyed at face value by anyone.
The performances by Jack Davenport were brilliant. Each character’s voice was distinct, seemingly appropriate and perfectly realized for the character performed. And there were plenty of “characters” alright. There was little of the “he said.... she said” monotony of some other books I have listened to. There were so many renditions by other narrators it was difficult to choose from among them. But again I think I lucked out. I cannot imagine any of the alternative narrators being better than Jack Davenport. Not that I think this book could not be appreciated in print. It certainly can. But Mr. Davenport just made it so much fun and really brought the book to life. I find myself smiling as I write this remembering just how much I laughed out loud.
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82 people found this helpful
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- Mark G. Waller
- 06-02-12
Homers Odyssey meets Hitch-hikers Guide
Would you listen to Candide (AudioGO Edition) again? Why?
Yes - hilarious
Who was your favorite character and why?
Too many to choose
What does Jack Davenport bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Humour....
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
no
Any additional comments?
Great one-liners around every corner
Candide was not at all what I expected..
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29 people found this helpful
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- Phebe
- 01-30-13
Short, punchy, beautifully read
Candide is an easy and delightful classic, great for teens and adults. Jack Davenport's reading is superb -- my favorite is his interpretation of Martin, the pessimist. He brings out the sarcasm of this character very effectively.
A strange coincidence is Voltaire's description of the humorously reduced circumstances of a king of Corsica, which so closely describes Napoleon's exile on Elba that it is necessary to remember that Voltaire died before the French Revolution.
The dispassionate calm of this light work make it an excellent sleep book.The last line, of course, is still quoted everywhere today and the reader delivers it well, a triumphant solution to the puzzle of life.
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28 people found this helpful
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- Electic Chef
- 01-07-13
Clean Slate of a Newborn
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes. I read it many years ago and now that I am older, I was able to reiderate the many things I learned from it. I was a philosphy minor and we were all looking for the "truth" in those days. Many philosphers were busily trying to impress other with their great minds. Voltaire was very bright and was able to present the truth in what seemed a simplistic manner, but was anything but. Isaac Assimov could explain anything to anyone. The mark of true genius, as was Voltaire with his "simpleton" Candide.Candide was a newborn thrust out into the real world, like Dorothy from Kansas. There is so much humor in the names of the people encountered, and the politics of the day are the politics of all days. It's a classic for a reason. It covers all times.
What did you like best about this story?
The interjection of humor and irony.
Which scene was your favorite?
No one stands out. Naive Candide went from one impossible situation to another without a break.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Nope. Smiled a lot. I am over 50. One learns or dies by then.
Any additional comments?
Read this if you are young to learn. If you are older to reaffirm.
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20 people found this helpful
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- Sarah
- 02-27-13
amusing and witty
this classic is amusing and witty, and the droll performance sets exactly the right tone for it. there were definitely some snigger-inducing moments. after a couple of hours it became a bit much of a muchness. there's only so much insanely unlikely misfortune (and the inevitable complaining and sighing the comes with it) that one can stand. happily, the punchline at the end was very satisfying, so I came away feeling quite content with the story.
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17 people found this helpful
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- Rebecca
- 03-31-13
An Absolute Gem
Candide, a naïve young man, follows the philosophy of optimism - "all is for the best" as his travels bring him and the other characters all sorts of horrible events and devastation (war, rape, slavery, earthquakes, religious persecution, murder).
In the end, he realizes life is constantly either anxiety or the lethargy of boredom and that life is best if we follow the advice "We must cultivate our garden" to try to rid ourselves of boredom, vice and need.
Very enjoyable, and the narration by Jack Davenport was fabulous.
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14 people found this helpful
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- Bonnie
- 11-24-12
I read this in school many years ago
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Very much so, listening to the book for me was much better than reading it. The narrator, really made me understand the situations and characters much better than when I read it.
Which scene was your favorite?
When Candide realizes that the world is really made up of hypocrites, cheaters, fanatics, and insanity of religion.
Any additional comments?
When I read this book in school it just didn't get the way this audio version has. It really expresses Voltaire's views of religion, had the human condition that make religion flourish and manipulate man kind. A very simple book that show haw humanity even 250 years later has not changed much.
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11 people found this helpful
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- Nothing really matters
- 06-13-15
A classic of black humour
If you are a true believer and easily scandalised, this book’s not for you. If you are a fan of the irreverent, though, and would like to read an example of top-quality, vintage, black humour then it is.
The action is fast-paced and extreme. The jibes are well-aimed and funny. The writing is excellent and the narration in this version is top-notch.
Candide is Voltaire’s the most widely read work and, though relatively short, is considered a classic of Western literature. It undoubtedly inspired many authors of black humour that followed including, more recently, Joseph Heller and Kurt Vonnegut. (Personally, I wonder if it didn’t also inspire some of the Monty Python troupe, directly or indirectly.)
[SPOILER ALERT] In the story Candide, the main character, goes from happy-go-lucky optimist to, well, probably a realist. Through a series of funny, terrible, outrageous, and/or shocking --but strangely credible-- events, Candide comes to doubt the teachings of the tutor, Pangloss. He asserts consistently that all is for the best, no matter how bad things seem. Pangloss asserts this even after he is killed. Along the way, government, religion, the wealthy, the learned, etc. are all rightfully and amusingly skewered. Yea!
I highly recommend this book if you have a skeptical nature and/or an iconoclastic bent. Though published in 1759, this classic is still funny and enjoyable today.
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- Jami
- 05-10-16
This Classic Did Not Disappoint
I approached this book with some trepidation, because I generally don't do well with either classics or satire; this is a combination of both genres. After having this sit on my to read audio shelf for some time, I decided to take the plunge. Surprise! I actually enjoyed this one and it made me laugh. The characters were fun and the adventures amusing for the most part. It is interesting to note that this was written hundreds of years ago, and yet some of the stereotypes that existed then (i.e., Jews swindling others out of wealth) are still around today.
I can see why this book is considered a classic. It is a short, fun read and not at all painful to get through, as some of the other classics have been. The narration was also good, and added to the enjoyment of the story.
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- Lance L.
- 05-25-15
Never Thought I Would Read It...Glad I Did
Everyone should read this book several times in a lifetime. It was not as useful to me as it might have been when I read it for the first time at age seventy. The first reading should be no later than high school.
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