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Letter from an Unknown Woman  By  cover art

Letter from an Unknown Woman

By: Stefan Zweig
Narrated by: Heather Wood,K. Anderson Yancy
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Publisher's summary

"To you, who have never known me."

Immediately following the death of her young son, distraught and heartbroken, a woman sends a heart-wrenching letter to the only man she has ever loved, chronicling their love affair, opening with, "To you, who have never known me."

Letter from an Unknown Woman is a masterful work by Stefan Zweig who is perhaps one of the most widely translated authors in the world.

©2014 K. Anderson Yancy (P)2014 K. Anderson Yancy

What listeners say about Letter from an Unknown Woman

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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  • DK
  • 09-19-15

Tough 2 Hear With Background Music & Sound Effects


I found this story to be compelling but the side of sound effects and background music overwhelming. It is unfortunate as I wanted to hear the book but it was lost in a lot of noise.


The narration was good, when I could hear it. K. Anderson Yancy sent me an email before I listened explaining the type of performance I should expect (think of families gathered round the radio in the 30's, listening to stories and shows-before the advent of TV.) Perhaps if things were a bit quieter [except the narration] I'd have enjoyed it more.

Notes: no warning here.

*I received this book in exchange for my review. Thank you for reading it and if you found it helpful, would you please select yes immediately following this text. Thank you.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Innovative vs. Amateur...

What would have made Letter from an Unknown Woman better?

I suppose, as one of the other reviews mentioned, it should be thought of as an old radio drama, but for me the sound effects where cloying. Yes, I know what footsteps sound like. Yes, I can imaging what it sounds like when a door opens. In fact I prefer to imagine, which is why I'm listing to a book and not watching a movie. The volume of the effects was also too high, and didn't seem consistent.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

The story is the story. Some might like it, some might not. Not exactly my thing, but an interesting idea for a short story.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narration was... committed, consistent, and valiant, but overdone. Radio drama is a good description.

What character would you cut from Letter from an Unknown Woman?

Not a realistic option for this story.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

TRAGICALLY BEAUTIFUL!!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

If they liked the classics and tragic love stories...then absolutely yes!!!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Letter from an Unknown Woman?

I will remember all of this short story!

What does Heather Wood and K. Anderson Yancy bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She was incredible..I give her a 5+..but the production was a little over the top, so I gave the performance a 4...the production was not necessary...Heather could have carried this all on her own!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Oh my...this would be a brilliant film....a winner indeed!

Any additional comments?

** I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **

This was a beautifully written and narrated tragic tale of unrequited love...a young girl becomes obsessed with a man in her building and through out the years takes every chance meeting and stays close to him..they have a love affair of sorts, but he is a ladies man and never keeps her close to him or even remembers her...she has a son by him, and loses him..this death devastates her and everything comes out in a letter and she dies...Nowadays her behavior would be considered stalking...lol Beautiful and well worth a listen!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

If I could give it 10 stars I certainly wood

The best audiobook I have ever heard, narrated in the most fantastic way. I generally dislike love stories, but I bought this book because of the author. It certainly is a love story, but a very extraordinary one. It is psychological and takes place in a historical environment. It is also in some ways very modern and takes up issues such as gender equality and class differences. Made my brain and imagination spin. I LOVE this book and recommend it warmly - hope you will love it too.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Unusual story from a forgotten era

Stefan Zweig's peculiar tale of unrequited love (or a stalker's fantasy thereof) is told in this audiobook as a "sonic movie," painted with sound effects and music to set the tone of the era.

While the narration is at times overwrought, I mainly attribute this to Zweig's overwrought writing style. The action of this story happens predominantly inside the female letter writer's head, and thus is given to melodrama. The female narrator, Heather Wood, give us these lines with passion, occasionally moving to tears, stuttering words (and occasionally mispronouncing them as well) as a distraught, lovesick woman might.

The story is a strange one, however, not least because the writer of the letter is truly an Unknown Woman -- we learn a bit about her life, but never her name. Indeed, her lover is equally unknown; we only observe him through her obsessed eyes, scarcely learning more about him than the fact that he is a writer.

Ultimately, is this a tale of unrequited love? Of the selfishness and thoughtlessness of writers? Or of the insanity of a woman who believes she is in love?

You'll have to listen and decide for yourself.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

So powerful

As a hopeless romantic myself, the depth of this story is immaculate. How much the woman cares about this man, but never telling him is something that heals something inside of me, while also breaking my heart. And the performance by the narrator is so incredible I think I cried

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

OTT

This production is way over the top, and the continuos background music is just irritating.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Short & Deep

It is a short story that tales of love and the feelings that are woman feels.

The audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Love this story

Great story and even greater performance by Heather Wood and K. Anderson Yancy.

I was provided an audiobook at no charge by the author, narrator and/or publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review via audiobookblast dot com.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

good book

"I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast dot com.”
i really enjoyed this book

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