Invisible Man

A Novel

By: Ralph Ellison

Narrated by: Joe Morton

Length: 18 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best novels of all time

Ralph Elllison's Invisible Man is a monumental novel, one that can well be called an epic of modern American Negro life. It is a strange story, in which many extraordinary things happen, some of them shocking and brutal, some of them pitiful and touching—yet always with elements of comedy and irony and burlesque that appear in unexpected places. It is a book that has a great deal to say and which is destined to have a great deal said about it.

After a brief prologue, the story begins with a terrifying experience of the hero's high school days, moves quickly to the campus of a Southern Negro college and then to New York's Harlem, where most of the action takes place. The many people that the hero meets in the course of his wanderings are remarkably various, complex and significant. With them he becomes involved in an amazing series of adventures, in which he is sometimes befriended but more often deceived and betrayed—as much by himself and his own illusions as by the duplicity of the blindness of others.

Invisible Man is not only a great triumph of storytelling and characterization; it is a profound and uncompromising interpretation of the Negro's anomalous position in American society.

©1952 Ralph Ellison (P)2010 Random House

Powerful!

Powerful & well written Abook!! & may I bashfully add, I'm in love with Joe Morton .. You can read to me anytime!.. LOL 😜

Narration is superb!

Joe MORTON is stunning as narrator of this National Book Award winning title. The book is an examination of finding one's identity and knowing it's a lifelong endeavor- one which we cannot refuse-

Amazing Narration

Joe Morton was captivating. In many parts the story dragged on too long but the many voices and energy Morton gave to the story kept me listening. Amazing talent.

The story overall was enlightening however since the era it was written in seemed timely withe storys era it have insight about the state of racial affairs then.

A Remarkable American Novel

This remarkable novel has rightly been called one of the finest works of fiction of the 20th Century. On many levels, it explores many of the black issues of the early 20th Century, including its connection with black nationalism, Marxism as well as the fallout from Booker T. Washington’s infamous Atlanta Compromise. It does so through the eyes of a brilliant, educated, eloquent and astoundingly observant man who brings us from college in the South to his wonder, acclaim and ultimate disillusionment with the many forces in Harlem in New York City. It is a story that moves from student to leader to keen observer of the myriad forces driving the black people’s experiences of poverty and racism in a growing, dystopian black America in the early 20th Century. The narrator’s use of English is astounding, beautiful and at many times lyrical. His observations are woven into many experiences that exhibit the best of the English language in novel form. This is one of the best American novels ever written, deservedly winner of the United States National Book Award for fiction. I also highly recommend the Audible version superbly read by the remarkable actor Joe Morton.

Awesome read

Absolutely loved it. The narrator was phenomenal. I perched several other titles that listed Joe Morton as narrator.

Glad I pushed through

I have to admit, I almost gave up several times during this long, challenging listen. The narration was excellent, and that helped tremendously, but the content required more of me than expected. I am glad I finished. This is an important historical novel and gave me greater insight to the plight of African Americans during this time period, and unfortunately to some present day.

brilliant narration.

this can be a difficult book, I got the audio book because it was a slow read but I stayed for the brilliant narration!!!

Best Narration Ever!

My headline is no exaggeration - this is the absolute best reading of a novel I have ever heard. Joe Morton's range is incredible: this novel has a huge cast of characters, and he gives each one a distinctive voice and personality. The amount of accents and regional dialects he performs is impressive, and he does all of them flawlessly. But even had he read in his normal voice - or at least his normal professional voice - this still would be the best narration I've ever heard. He is a natural storyteller, and I think this will be the definitive reading of this classic. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

excellent reading of a classic

I would recommend this to anyone who has never read the book as well as to those who have read it years ago and want to hear it read again

Exceptional top of the line , A book to remember

book full of wisdom and just a story to listen and learn from the deeper meaning