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The Pole
- Narrated by: Colin Mace
- Length: 3 hrs and 31 mins
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Publisher's summary
An indelible tale of life, love, death, and Chopin—from the Novel Prize–winning author of Disgrace.
Renowned for his sparse yet powerful prose, J. M. Coetzee is unquestionably among the most influential—and provocative—authors of our time. With characteristic insight and a “brittle wit that forces our attention on the common terrors we don’t want to think about” (Ron Charles, Washington Post), Coetzee here challenges us to interrogate our preconceptions not only of love, but of truth itself.
Exacting yet unpredictable, pithy yet complex, Coetzee’s The Pole tells the story of Wittold Walccyzkiecz, a vigorous, extravagantly white-haired pianist and interpreter of Chopin who becomes infatuated with Beatriz, a stylish Spanish patron of the arts, after she helps organize his concert in Barcelona. Although Beatriz, a married woman, is initially unimpressed by Wittold and his “gleaming dentures,” she soon finds herself pursued and ineluctably swept into his world. As the journeyman performer sends her countless letters, extends invitations to travel, and even visits her husband’s summer home in Mallorca, their unlikely relationship blossoms, though only on Beatriz’s terms.
The power struggle between them intensifies, eventually escalating into a fullfledged battle of the sexes. But is it Beatriz who limits their passion by paralyzing her emotions? Or is it Wittold, the old man at his typewriter, trying to force intolife his dream of love? Reinventing the all-encompassing love of the poet Dante for his Beatrice, Coetzee exposes the fundamentally enigmatic nature of romance, showing how a chance meeting between strangers—even “a Pole, a man of seventy, a vigorous seventy,” and a stultified “banker’s wife who occupies her days in good works”—can suddenly change everything.
Reminiscent of James Joyce’s “The Dead” in its exploration of love and loss, The Pole, with lean prose and surprising feints, is a haunting work, evoking the “inexhaustible palette of sensations, from blind love to compassion” (Berna González Harbour, El País) typical of Coetzee’s finest novels.
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This newer edition of the King James Bible published in 1769 is usually preferred by most that read it over the older 1611 version. This 1769 edition is highly sought after due to being more reader/listener friendly than the 1611 since many typos were fixed.... We hope your new audio bible will go everywhere with you and be a blessing for years to come.
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Very Good
- By José de Ribera on 12-17-20
By: King James Bible
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He Who Fights with Monsters 2
- A LitRPG Adventure (He Who Fights with Monsters, Book 2)
- By: Shirtaloon, Travis Deverell
- Narrated by: Heath Miller
- Length: 22 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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But Jason Asano is settling into his new life. Now, a contest draws young elites to the city of Greenstone to compete for a grand prize. Jason must gather a band of companions if he is to stand a chance against the best the world has to offer. While the young adventurers are caught up in competition, the city leaders deal with revelations of betrayal as a vast and terrible enemy is revealed. Although Jason seems uninvolved, he has unknowingly crossed the enemy’s path before.
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Contrary to common reviews
- By Karen on 05-21-21
By: Shirtaloon, and others
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Point Nemo
- By: Jeremy Robinson
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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In the heart of the South Pacific lies Point Nemo, the most desolate and remote place on Earth. At its core is a dead zone, devoid of life, where government agencies crash their obsolete satellites and space stations, confident they won't harm a soul. When the International Space Station suffers a catastrophic failure and plummets through the atmosphere, it's here that Mission Specialist Julie Rohr, an astrobiologist studying living space dust called xylem, finds herself marooned. Julie's only hope for rescue lies in the hands of her estranged father, Dr. Finn Maddern, a renowned mycologist.
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Totally original-totally feasible!
- By Lawrence Tate on 04-10-24
By: Jeremy Robinson
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The Girlfriend
- By: K.L. Slater
- Narrated by: Clare Corbett
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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The doorbell rings, just days after my beloved husband’s sudden death. I don’t recognise the woman on our doorstep, with her blonde highlights, a diamond bracelet identical to my own and a bouncing baby boy in her arms. As I show her inside, I notice her eyes grow wide as she takes in our spacious hallway, and the big squashy sofas that we all used to pile on. She glances at the silver-framed family photos and my little daughter hiding behind my skirts. She looks at me, her blue eyes serious. ‘I’m sorry’ she says. ‘I am your husband’s girlfriend. And this is his son.'
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Uh, what?
- By Karyn Cavanaugh on 02-22-23
By: K.L. Slater
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You Shouldn’t Have Come Here
- By: Jeneva Rose
- Narrated by: Andrew Eiden, Andi Arndt
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Grace Evans, an overworked New Yorker looking for a total escape from her busy life, books an Airbnb on a ranch in the middle of Wyoming. When she arrives at the idyllic getaway, she’s pleased to find that the owner is a handsome man by the name of Calvin Wells—and he’s eager to introduce her to his easygoing way of life. But there are things Grace discovers that she’s not too pleased about: a lack of cell phone service. A missing woman. And a feeling that something isn’t right with the ranch.
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Worst. Ever. NOT a true twist. Juvenile writing and story,
- By Whitney Lahann on 04-29-23
By: Jeneva Rose
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The Narrator
- By: K. L. Slater
- Narrated by: Clare Corbett, Kristin Atherton
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Original Recording
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When the call came it seemed like the answer to my prayers. My career as a voice actor had been over for months and me and my little girl Scarlet were living back at my mum’s place. I felt like a failure professionally—and with Scarlet having problems at school, as a parent as well. So, when I was asked to narrate a new book by disappeared novelist Philippa Roberts I jumped at the chance, even if it meant leaving Scarlet with my ex, Hugo, for a few weeks. Hugo, with his perfect new home and his perfect new girlfriend Saskia. But this isn’t a dream come true. It’s a nightmare.
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Love but it's a production issue!
- By Mary on 09-02-22
By: K. L. Slater
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The Shallows
- By: Holly Craig
- Narrated by: Tamala Shelton
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Emma and Ariella, neighbours in one of Sydney’s most exclusive suburbs, appear to have it all—perfect homes, perfect husbands, perfect lives. But they both know dark secrets lurk beneath the surface and shallow waters can’t hide Ariella’s. Now she has been found murdered. Her daughter filmed the killing. Not knowing what she’s filmed, Emma’s daughter Kiki innocently uploads footage of Ariella’s brutal death. Emma fears the worst—the killer will know what she and Kiki have seen. Their safe suburban lives no longer exist.
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Surprising and refreshing
- By digitalblonde2001 on 04-10-24
By: Holly Craig
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Fingerprints of the Gods
- The Quest Continues
- By: Graham Hancock
- Narrated by: Graham Hancock
- Length: 18 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Fingerprints of the Gods is the revolutionary rewrite of history that has persuaded millions of listeners throughout the world to change their preconceptions about the history behind modern society. An intellectual detective story, this unique history audiobook directs probing questions at orthodox history, presenting disturbing new evidence that historians have tried - but failed - to explain.
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Classic in Historical Mysteries
- By Kelly on 09-05-19
By: Graham Hancock
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I couldn’t get past the first hour.
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Tour de force
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Overly ambitious
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Dear Life
- Stories
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A brilliant new collection of stories from one of the most acclaimed and beloved writers of our time. Alice Munro’s peerless ability to give us the essence of a life in often brief but always spacious and timeless stories is once again everywhere apparent in this brilliant new collection. In story after story, she illumines the moment a life is forever altered by a chance encounter or an action not taken, or by a simple twist of fate that turns a person out of his or her accustomed path and into a new way of being or thinking.
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Not Munro's best
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By: Alice Munro
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The Wolves of Eternity
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- By: Karl Ove Knausgaard, Martin Aitken - translator
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In 1986, twenty-year-old Syvert Løyning returns from the military to his mother’s home in southern Norway. One evening, his dead father comes to him in a dream. Realizing that he doesn’t really know who his father was, Syvert begins to investigate his life and finds clues pointing to the Soviet Union. What he learns changes his past and undermines the entire notion of who he is. But when his mother becomes ill, and he must care for his little brother, Joar, on his own, he no longer has time or space for lofty speculations.
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Writing style was superb.
- By Gary on 01-22-24
By: Karl Ove Knausgaard, and others
What listeners say about The Pole
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Simon Alexander Kennedy
- 10-25-23
Well-read and like most of Coetze’s work hard to put aside
Not sure I really liked the “staccato” presentation, meant to connect us to the music. At times it seemed artificial, almost irritating.
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Performance
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- Jeannie Newstadt
- 02-07-24
A simple yet complex story about lov
In this book Coetzee writes about the enigmatic nature of love,the battle between the sexes,between a vigorous 72 year old man and a younger woman.like all of Coetzee books it is beautifully written and difficult to put down
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- romuald
- 01-12-24
The discrepancies in details spoil the story
It is indeed disheartening when a celebrated author like J.M. Coetzee falls short in accurately portraying a foreign culture,
Creating a character with a name like Wittold Walccyzkiecz does seem like an oversight, reflecting a lack of sensitivity to the linguistic and cultural nuances of Poland. The discrepancies in details such as Chopin's burial place, languages spoken in Poland, and living conditions of word-class pianists can indeed detract from the overall enjoyment of the story. It's surprising that Coetzee did not take the time to cross-check these facts, as a brief consultation with readily available sources like Wikipedia could have provided the necessary accuracy.
Given Coetzee's background as a South African living in Australia, it becomes even more essential for him to approach a narrative set in Poland with thorough research and cultural sensitivity. It's unfortunate that, in this case, such efforts seem lacking.
While Coetzee's imaginative storytelling may have its merits, the frustration stemming from factual inaccuracies and cultural misrepresentations is certainly justified. It serves as a reminder that even acclaimed authors should approach diverse subjects with the diligence and respect they deserve, ensuring a more authentic and enriching reading experience for their audience.
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