Persuasion

By: Jane Austen

Narrated by: Nadia May

Length: 8 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

The last novel completed by Jane Austen before she died at 41, Persuasion is often thought to be the story of the author's own lost love. Sir Walter Elliot of Kellynch Hall has three daughters: Elizabeth, who shares his haughty vanity and, at 28 has found no one good enough to marry; Mary, who has, with some condescension, married the son of the local squire; and admirable Anne, who "was nobody with either father or sister".

This is the story of a second chance, the reawakening of love between Anne Elliot and Captain Frederick Wentworth, whom eight years earlier she had been persuaded not to marry, due to his lowly station in life. Wentworth returns from the Napoleonic Wars with prize money and the social acceptability of naval rank. He is now an eligible suitor acceptable to Anne's snobbish father and his circle, and Anne discovers the continuing strength of her love for him. The happy ending is a contrast to the real outcome of Austen's own romantic aspirations.

(P)2000 Blackstone Audio Inc.

A Novel Set in Interesting Times

I always enjoy Nadia May. She does such fine job with those wonderful comic Austen characters. This story was set in and around Bath which as you may recall was the place where Miss Austen received and accepted her only known marriage proposal. Then the very next morning, forced her kinsman to drive her pell mell all the way back to Bath to take back her yes. That had to be the ultimate AAM (Austen Awkward Moment).

The Austens were a navy family with at least two Captains (later Admirals) so Miss Austen could write with some first-hand knowledge of sailors and general maritime matters, from conversations in the parlor and letters from the four points of the compass. Oh yes, Miss Austen's fine naval fervor and patriotism on display in Persuasion was perhaps not so wonderful since the husband of a close relative was guillotined by the French. Persuasion is set in a period of worldwide famines, dislocations and turmoil caused by several centuries of global cooling during the Little Ice Age. The results are in the history books ranging from the destruction of the Vikings to the fall of empires including the French Revolution. In the words of that Chinese proverb, Miss Austen lived and wrote in interesting times. She didn't write of war and political intrigues but her characters are foils of these great events.

Excellent

"Persuasion" is the often overlooked jewel of Austen's books, in this listener/reader's humble opinion, so it was a pleasure to to hear this wonderful story told. Nadia May does an excellent job narrating, really bringing these richly-drawn characters to life.

If you've only ever seen the movie versions or heard/read the abridged version, this is not to be missed.

Persuasion well done

I really enjoyed this audiobook. The reader is great and it is a classic

Great audible presentation...

Would you listen to Persuasion again? Why?

If I wanted to listen to Persuasion again, I would definitely listen to this version again. The narrator is superb and the book is my favorite Austen novel. I do thing that some books are better read than listened to, and this is one, but as an audiobook, this version is perfect!

What did you like best about this story?

I just love the older, less attractive heroine getting her chance at last. It's a romantic story and there are always those arch little remarks Austen chucks here and there that you read and then go

Which character ??? as performed by Nadia May ??? was your favorite?

I never thought of them as separate roles, but different people speaking at any given time. You lose sight of the fact that it's one narrator inhabiting all the characters as they're all such individuals.

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

No, it's more a cozy, comfortable pleasure than a rock-your-world type book. It's a perfect book for a long, boring drive or a quiet listen when you want to sit and knit and drink a cup of tea.

Good performance

Nice performance of a pleasant but insubstantial story. The story builds then fizzles out, puff.

Wonderful characters

Nadia May is my second-favorite reader of Jane Austen after Flo Gibson. Both have an uncanny ability to render the sometimes riotously funny characters in Austen's work; and this one, even with its somewhat autumnal glow, is no exception. (It may seem strange to speak of Jane Austen's characters as riotously funny, but in my estimation Anne Elliot's father and sisters fall into this category; and Admiral Croft gets off a few good lines as well.)

The sound quality of this recording is significantly better than that of Flo Gibson's reading, also available here.

The Best

The fabulous Nadia May brings Austen's characters to life with her nuanced reading. This is the version to buy. Delicious!

Great story and PERFECT narrator

This is one of my favorite stories by Jane Austen. And to have it read by one of my fav narrator is so wonderful!
Her voice does need a bit of get use to. But her abilities to make each characters come to life, and do it so well, well, that's priceless!
My first read by this narrator was for Pride and Prejudice. Her enactment of Mrs. Bennett was the best I have heard from any Jane Austen readers.
I <3 Nadia May~!

one of my favorites

I'm a long time Jane Austen fan and loved Nadia May as the narrator of Persuassion. When I read the book previously I'd imagined a younger voice for the narrator, but Nadia May's understanding of the characters and pace of a story made it easy to move past her not matching my imagined narrator. This is now the second performance I've heard from Nadia May, Til We Have Faces being the first, and she was perfect in both.

I'm sure I'll listen to this performance again at some point in the future.

Austen’s Last and Brilliant Novel

Along with many wiser than I,I think Jane Austen is the best novelist ever. Her incisive comprehension of psychology and personality types is astounding, along with her brutally honest and witty mind depiction of human foibles.