• The Virginian

  • By: Owen Wister
  • Narrated by: Jack Garrett
  • Length: 16 hrs and 7 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (481 ratings)

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The Virginian  By  cover art

The Virginian

By: Owen Wister
Narrated by: Jack Garrett
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Editorial reviews

Stoic cowboys, villainous gamblers, and kindhearted damsels are some of the Wild West archetypes that originated in Owen Wister’s 1902 novel, The Virginian, which has been adapted into TV and film by several directors, including Cecil B. DeMille.

The Virginian is a lanky cowboy working at a ranch in Medicine Bow, Wyoming. Throughout the story he clashes with the crooked Trampas and romances a lovely schoolteacher, Molly Stark Wood. Wister’s story depicts the harshness of the western frontier in elegant, slightly formal language.

Jack Garrett does justice to the book’s Wild West setting with his gravelly drawl and a range of character voices.

Publisher's summary

Originally published in 1902, Owen Wister’s The Virginian pre-dates the classic novels of Zane Grey and Max Brand and is considered by many to be the original Western. Dedicated to Wister’s friend and fellow outdoorsman Theodore Roosevelt, this timeless tale almost single-handedly established the cowboy archetype in literature. A quiet, noble foreman of a Wyoming cattle ranch in the 1870s, the Virginian falls for pretty schoolteacher Molly Wood. But when a rival suitor challenges his honor, the Virginian struggles to make his beloved Molly understand the harsh justice of the West.

©2006 George Vecsey (P)2006 Recorded Books, LLC

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What listeners say about The Virginian

Average customer ratings
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This is such a great book and such a good reader.

Well worth the 20 plus hours. A journey back in time yet timeless and witty.

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1 person found this helpful

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A favorite...

The Virginian is one of my favorite stories of all time! The narration is good too.

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Great story

Really love this book got into the story The narration was great and it characters were built up well

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Best Western Book

This was recommended by a friend! It did not disappoint! Everything you could want in a good book. I’ll be reading it again soon.

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Really good book!

I've been listening to some classics interspersed with other books recently. This one was available at a special low price so I picked it up. Boy, have I been surprised! It has a good story and the narration is one of the best I've heard.

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4 people found this helpful

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Loved it!👍🏻

I liked this book immensely! Too bad the story doesn't keep on. I highly recommend this book!

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A well balanced and interesting western

Although some characters were a little too flat, the Virginian himself was a greatly intriguing character and listening to his monologues were entertaining.

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Cannot get enough...

The story ends and you are ready for it to begin again. Virtue, love, integrity, friendship...action, drama, intensity...I do not know what is missing.

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3 people found this helpful

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A Rip-roaring Adventure

The Virginian is now one of my top ten favourite books. It made me laugh, and it made me think, and it is the first and definitive book of the cowboy genre. This is a brilliant look at regional prejudice; the development of the western persona; women's roles in 19th century America, macho culture, and vigilante justice. There's so much to ponder in this entertaining read. Exquisite writing, gripping and funny stories; provocative conflicts -- there's so much to like about this book.

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One of the best western stories!

Truly one of the best western stories ever wrote. It makes you feel like you are in the Wyoming territory. The narration was excellent.

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