The Giver

By: Lois Lowry

Narrated by: Ron Rifkin

Length: 4 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

December is the time of the annual Ceremony at which each twelve-year-old receives a life assignment determined by the Elders. Jonas watches his friend Fiona named Caretaker of the Old and his cheerful pal Asher labeled the Assistant Director of Recreation. But Jonas has been chosen for something special. When his selection leads him to an unnamed man, the man called only the Giver, he begins to sense the dark secrets that underlie the fragile perfection of his world.

Told with deceptive simplicity, this is the provocative story of a boy who experiences something incredible and undertakes something impossible. In the telling it questions every value we have taken for granted and reexamines our most deeply held beliefs.

©1993 Lois Lowry (P)1993 Random House, Inc., Listening Library, An Imprint Of Random House Audio Publishing Group

Critic reviews

Newbery Medal Winner, 1994

"This is a compelling prospect for family listening. Initially Rifkin's voice seems too regional to portray the characters of this utopian/dystopian world, but he convincingly conveys the anticipation of the coming-of-age ceremony of Jonas and his friends. As the meaning of Jonas’ selection as “Receiver of Memory” unfolds, Rifkin’s characterizations become more powerful. Although the story drives the presentation, Rifkin’s juxtaposition of the young boy and the old Giver has tremendous effect. His voice for the Giver becomes increasingly weary and strained while Jonas' gains strength. Sharing this audiobook in a family or a classroom offers a valuable opportunity to respond to and discuss Lowry’s moving novel." (AudioFile magazine)

"A powerful and provocative novel." (The New York Times)
"Lowry is once again in top form...unwinding a tale fit for the most adventurous readers." (Publishers Weekly)
"The author makes real abstract concepts, such as the meaning of a life in which there are virtually no choices to be made and no experiences with deep feelings. This tightly plotted story and its believable characters will stay with readers for a long time." (School Library Journal)

AWESOME BOOK!!!

I liked when the giver said, and this really supprised me, that Rosemary was his daugter.

you can hold the music

What did you like best about The Giver? What did you like least?

Fantastic story and well read performance. The music played as he is reading the end of every chapter is distracting and a bit annoying. Still enjoyed the overall reading and the story is a classic.

Fabulous the Giver keeps Giving

What made the experience of listening to The Giver the most enjoyable?

It was an amazing story very well told and narrated.

What did you like best about this story?

That is gave a great description on what everything seemed to be so you could almost feel like you were there.

Have you listened to any of Ron Rifkin’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

NO its awesome

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When the baby was released. It was just so emotional for me.... They had no knowledge of what they were doing.

background music

the music in the background is awkwardly placed where you can't hear the narrarator when I comes on

Disappointing ending

Such a brilliant idea but the author couldn't seem to take it to a useful conclusion.

Please read this book.

Please read this book. It started out slow but then it got intense fast. All I can say without spoiling it is read it for your self!

Absent a denouement..oh right, a series….

Dystopian future, parents who cheerful euthanize newborns…this is not a pleasant book and I would choose the "youth fiction" audience for it carefully and only after I'd read it. I was perturbed about the lack of a denouement and then I realized it was a series. I still don't think that excuses just ending with a hopeful sentence or two. Well written for sure and well narrated but didn't sit well with me. I guess this book is the grandmother of the Hunger Games books.

Amazing Book

Would you listen to The Giver again? Why?

I would listen to "The Giver" again because it reminds me that we as beings take for granted the ability to be different... to percieve... to feel... Sameness would be absolutely boring as a lifestyle...

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Giver?

The most memorable moment was when Jonas watched a release.

What does Ron Rifkin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He brings in all the intricate detail in the emotions with the vocal pitches that made it even more intense as you listened through the book.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely!!!

Audio production is great

The narrator was excellent. The music really added to the production. I have read this book before without the audio. This audio production made the book much more enjoyable.

Would have been a solid 5

Would have been a solid 5 stars if not for the truly messed up ending