Cry, the Beloved Country

By: Alan Paton

Narrated by: Michael York

Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

This is the most distinguished novel that has come out of South Africa in the 20th century, and it is one of the most important novels that has appeared anywhere in modern times. Cry, the Beloved Country is in some ways a sad book; it is an indictment of a social system that drives native races into resentment and crime; it is a story of Fate, as inevitable, as relentless, as anything of Thomas Hardy's. Beautifully wrought with high poetic compassion, Cry, the Beloved Country is more than just a story, it is a profound experience of the human spirit. And beyond the intense and insoluble personal tragedy, it is the story of the beautiful and tragic land of South Africa, its landscape, its people, and its bitter racial ferment and unrest.

Public Domain (P)1993 Blackstone Audiobooks

A Good Classic is Timeless

What a great audio book. The narrator is fabulous but it is the material - the book itself - that is so timely and timeless. I am just starting to work in Mozambique over the last four years in a small NGO and my travel always take me through South Africa. This book is just as timely now as then, I'm sure. I see the hopes and the fears of both white and black very evident in so much of what once was colonial Africa and now the struggling-to-emerge modern Africa. It is still as portrayed in this classic work.

We have adopted a little Mozambican daughter who has come to the US to grow up with us in America. This book will go into a growing collection of works that I will one day share with her as she grows older to help her understand what was, what is, and what is possible in her world.

Moving - A Great Read!

Simply a great book. The story is moving and universal -- all can understand. I don't know South African accents...but, it doesn't really matter. The book could have been read by an American and still tell its story. Don't pass this up.

The Narrator Made a Great Book Unforgetable

Any additional comments?

This has been one of the most moving audible experiences I have ever had. I am sure that Cry, the Beloved Country was on my high school reading list for extra credit. I may have even read it or started to. I have no memory of it.
On the page, the simple, quiet Zulu way of speaking must have looked boring to these inexperienced eyes. It is told from the point of view of a rural father in search of his son gone to the big city in the era of South African apartheid. I probably could not relate at all at 17. What a revelation it has been to me now. I now appreciate the artistry of the writing, the clarity of feeling, the heartbreak of all involved. It is a masterpiece brought to life by Michael York beyond anything my mind could have created, even now, left to it's own devices.

Beautiful story, but the narrator needs to do a bit of work

My bugbear was the narrator's pronunciation of Zulu and Afrikaans words as well as his attempts at the South African accent. He didn't use an accent for the Black characters, so I don't understand why he tried - unsuccessfully - for the Afrikaans characters. And words like 'veld', 'Xhosa', 'Ixopo': rather focus on getting those right than the bad accents. It's quite distracting.

what a book

Where does Cry, the Beloved Country rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of the best book I every listened to or read. The depth of the characters and the understanding and feeling their pain is something that the narrator does so well.

What other book might you compare Cry, the Beloved Country to and why?

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mystry- due to understanding the suffering of people and journey of life

What about Michael York’s performance did you like?

The ability to portray the pain and suffering of the characters

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

the book made me sad because I could understand the suffering of the father and family

A classic, must-read

What more can possibly be said about this book? It's a seminal and critical book about South Africa. It's amazingly contemporary although clearly the ground rules in South Africa have changed. I highly recommend this book. The narration by Michael York was quite good but, I found the English accent a bit distracting. Are there no South African actors who could narrate?

Preferable to Read: Too Hard to Stay Focused

I liked this book far better when I read it years ago. I didn't care for Michael York's narration at all--it changed the tone of the book and his accents were distracting. Other times, his rhythmic reading sent my mind wandering and it was hard to keep pulling myself back in.

Absolutely beautiful

This book is so eloquently written. Wow! I love how it is written almost directly translating from the mother tongue. A very true reality of South Africa... such sadness. The Narrator was excellent.

A masterpiece

I have read (listened to) this moving story three times and am left each time with sadness and hope. The main character is beautifully drawn and easy to relate to as a parent. These are good people trapped in a bad culture.

Worth listening!

Initially, it was hard to follow the characters but worth the effort to learn the lingo and absorb the story through to the end. Wonderful book.