![The Hippopotamus | [Stephen Fry]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51SXtkEATFL._SL175_.jpg "The Hippopotamus | [Stephen Fry]")
The Hippopotamus
- UNABRIDGED
- by
- Narrated by
-
Your Likes make Audible better!
'Likes' are shared on Facebook and Audible.com. We use your 'likes' to improve Audible.com for all our listeners.
You can turn off Audible.com sharing from your Account Details page.
OK
- Regular Price :$22.78Special Offer: Learn how to get this for $7.49 !
-
Average Customer Rating
-
-
LENGTH9 hrs and 1 min
-
RELEASE DATE09-02-10
-
AUDIO FORMATS
-
Program TypeAudiobook
-
PUBLISHER
People who bought this also bought...
Publisher's Summary
Ted Wallace is an old, sour, womanising, cantankerous, whisky-sodden beast of a failed poet and drama critic, but he has his faults too. Fired from his newspaper, months behind on his alimony payments, and disgusted with a world that undervalues him, Ted seeks a few months repose and free drink at Swafford Hall, the country mansion of his old friend Lord Logan.
But strange things have been going on at Swafford. Miracles. Healings. Phenomena beyond the comprehension of a mud-caked hippopotamus like Ted....
©1994 Stephen Fry (P)1994 Random House Audio
What Members Say
-
"Sensitivity, profanity, bestiality - its all here!"
What made the experience of listening to The Hippopotamus the most enjoyable?I could listen to Stephen Fry narrate a set of Ikea instructions, so it is not a surprise that his delivery and pace are just perfect here. He is able to change his voice very very subtly to convey information about each character - a slight accent for the character Michael, for example, and a slight softening for Jane. His narration makes the quite unlikeable Ted, quite loveable by the end.
What did you like best about this story?I loved the character development and the way the story moved along. It is quite slow and the beginning as we are told about Ted's mission. However this allows us to get to know Ted well. In the beginning his profanity and sexism are quite shocking and seem very dated. However by the middle of the book the swearing seems as much a part of him as breathing. The book downloaded into 2 parts and they felt like very different books. The first set the scene and the second contains all the action. The ending was a complete surprise to me. I also like the insights that Ted gives about art and poetry and his own disappointment in his fading creativity.
Have you listened to any of Stephen Fry’s other performances before? How does this one compare?I listened to his biography.
If you could take any character from The Hippopotamus out to dinner, who would it be and why?Michael. He is a true modern entrepreneur but his past and early life make him quite mysterious.
Any additional comments?If you can get past the profanity and, of course, the sexual references, you are in for a treat. Ted turns out to be very sweet, sensitive and shrewd. The novel leaves the reader with lots to think about.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful -
"Very good, clever and original story"
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?Yes. Well written and clever with superb story telling
What other book might you compare The Hippopotamus to and why?Dunno, but it definatly has a very Fry-esque stamp on it.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful