The Sorrows of Young Werther

By: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Narrated by: Jim Donaldson

Length: 5 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

The Sorrows of Young Werther was Goethe's first major success, turning him from an unknown into a celebrated author practically overnight. Napoleon Bonaparte considered it one of the great works of European literature. He thought so highly of it that he wrote a soliloquy in Goethe's style in his youth and carried Werther with him on his campaigning to Egypt. It also started the phenomenon known as the "Werther-Fieber" ("Werther Fever") which caused young men throughout Europe to dress in the clothing style described for Werther in the novel.

Werther made Goethe one of the first international literary celebrities. Towards the end of his life, a personal visit to Weimar became crucial to any young man's tour of Europe. Werther was an important novel of the Sturm und Drang period in German literature, and influenced the later Romantic literary movement.

Public Domain (P)2012 Trout Lake Media

Historically Interesting but no Faust

This was an interesting and a very influential example of Storm & Stress proto-romanticism and of early Goethe. The narration was also very good, but I did not find this work as timeless or moving as Faust or later classical romantic novels. I found the characters and situations quite overdone, like an eighteenth century soap opera. If you like flawed and tragic romantic heroes perhaps you will enjoy this story. I really liked the brief Ossian poems near the end. I am glad I listened to this, but only for the literary, cultural and historical aspects.

Believe the hype

For a meditative, melancholy book that inspired copycat suicides in its heyday -- nearly two an a half centuries ago -- this book absolutely holds up.

Literature and art of all kinds in this vein risk coming off as petulant, whiny, and -- in modern parlance -- "emo"; but this book avoids those pitfalls and achieves -- and maintains -- an insightful, touching, and brilliant narrative.

Timeless and heartbreakingly relatable.

passion and sorrow

Poor Young Werther emulates the irrational yet passionate in this tale that brings you back a couple of hundred years. Goethe depicts the comfortable life of a likeable Werther, who once falls in love, cannot be satisfied by anything else. I enjoyed the story and the format of this book very much. The narration as well as short interludes between entries were nice and gave a somber yet sweet dramatic effect.

I got this only because I visited Goethe's house in Weimar.

So, this book was mentioned in the tour. Goethe and Schiller made Weimar its World Heritage renown and gave Germany a literary heritage. I'm glad I listened to it, but won't give it a second hearing. I keep thinking of what some critic called Holden Caulfield of Catcher in the Rye--a "tiresome adolescent.." Granted, Werther is an important, older adolescent who provokes some psychological analysis. The book is worth a listen for history buffs.

Good story, terrible narrator

I would recommend this book, but definitely not post break up or if you are feeling depressed or suicidal. Get a different version though. The narrator ruined this audiobook with his fake german accent. He sounded like a bad Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonator.

More Jolly Than Melancholy

This is a hilarious and impassioned reading by Jim Donaldson, but one that is more likely to make you laugh than weep.

This reminds me of an ex-boyfriend...or two

Girls, how many times have you had this, or a similar, conversation?

Him: But, why?
You: Because, I just don't like you that way.
Him: But how do you know? You haven't even given me a chance.

This is usually followed by begging and pleading, late night phone calls "just to hear your voice" and random flowers showing up at your doorstep. It would seem that boys haven't changed much in a couple hundred years. Or maybe it's just me and I shouldn't have dated all those moody artists in college.

The above is the basic story in this book. It was written in 1774 by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. This book was an artistic expression of his own life. He had become infatuated with a woman named Charlotte, who rejected him and married someone else. The Sorrows of Young Wether is an epistolary novel, written in letters, all from the main character, Werther, to his good friend, Wilhelm. The letters read like a diary, becoming increasingly disturbed as Wether's hopes of winning over Charlotte become more remote.

Jim Donaldson is a great narrator. His performance becomes more and more emotional as the book progresses, following along with the characters moods, until he sounds like he's a crying, blubbering mess. He makes you really see the emotions. But it is somewhat uncomfortable to listen to.

Over-the-top narration

Great book but the narration and its style are excessively dramatic, it took me out of the story a couple times

I enjoyed it!

When you hear that Napoleen read it no less than 7 times, you have to read this!
It did not let me down

Weak translation, Terrible Narration

I have read this book 4 or 5 times, and the Boylan translation is simply inferior, making it less fun to read, more wood and chunky in narration, and less poetic overall (though I thought the Ossian bit was okay). Get the Hulse translation.
The narrator Donaldson's voice is quite friendly and grandfatherly. It is a terrible match for this book--a young, passionate character--and it really wrecks the story. The accents are very poor and the extra voices cartoonish. Mismatched reader and a poor performance.
I also find it dishonest when Audible sells public domain pieces without the translator named.