• A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

  • By: Mark Twain
  • Narrated by: Nick Offerman
  • Length: 13 hrs and 25 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (7,894 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court  By  cover art

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

By: Mark Twain
Narrated by: Nick Offerman
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $29.95

Buy for $29.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Editorial reviews

Editors Select, September 2017

I didn't think it was possible. Nick Offerman's reading of Tom Sawyer is one of my all-time favorites - a performance that made me fall in love with Twain's classic all over again. But I may actually love his performance here even more. The character of Hank Morgan - a bearish, no-nonsense adherent to practicality and pragmatism - could be seen as a natural predecessor to Ron Swanson (the character Offerman played in Parks and Recreation) as well as the very embodiment of the gumption the actor writes of in his own work. That is to say, this is a character tailor-made for Offerman. Even better is the fact that we get to hear him voice boastful knights and flittery damsels and a villainous Merlin. But mostly, I'm happy to see Offerman quickly becoming the go-to performer and interpreter of Twain's brilliant stories. —Doug, Audible Editor

Publisher's summary

Praise for Nick Offerman narrating Mark Twain:

“Offerman’s Illinois-raised voice and actor’s talent suit him ideally to channel Mark Twain.” (The New York Times Book Review)

“There’s something about his wry Midwestern merriment that aspires to Twainishness.” (Men’s Journal)

“It’s a melding of sardonic voices: Mark Twain, meet Nick Offerman.” (The Wall Street Journal)

With his trademark mirth and boundless charisma, actor Nick Offerman brought the loveable shenanigans of Twain's adolescent hero to life in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Now, in yet another virtuosic performance, the actor proves that despite being separated by a span of over a century, his connection to the author and his work is undeniable and that theirs is a timeless collaboration that should not be missed. Trading in the idyllic banks of Twain's Mississippi for medieval England, Offerman regales listeners with one of American literature's foremost satires and the author's most inventive and darkly funny pieces of fiction.

Hank Morgan is the archetype of modern man in 19th-century New England: adept at his trade as a mechanic, innovative, forward thinking. So when a blow to the head inexplicably sends him back in time 1300 years and places him in Camelot, instead of despair, he feels emboldened by the prospect placed before him and sets out to modernize and improve the lives of his fellow citizens. But, in order to do so, he'll need to contend with brash nobles, superstitious nincompoops, and a conniving, blowhard wizard.

While time travel has become a common trope in storytelling today, in Twain's time it was truly a novel idea; all the more imaginative when you consider how it's used for satirical effect. A thinly veiled critique of the political and social institutions that impede progress and a scathing condemnation of the naiveté that allows them to thrive, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court saw Twain's biting wit and sharp tongue honed to a fine point.

Told primarily through Hank's first-person perspective, Offerman effortlessly captures the Yankee's straightforward, matter-of-fact gruffness. Like Offerman - whose woodworking skills are the stuff of legend - Hank is a natural builder of things and his can-do, by-the-bootstraps spirit finds its vocal foil in Offerman's crisp delivery. But it's in Offerman's ability to convey the myriad characters and absurdities Hank faces that makes this an incomparable listening experience: the flowery embellishments and insane braggadocio of knights; the lilting, feathery sing-song of Clarence; the garrulous, long-winded pomp of the aristocracy; the old, dithering windbag pronouncements of Merlin. Offerman plays each of these with a humor and humanity that Twain himself would have enjoyed.

Public Domain (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

Featured Article: The 25 Best Time Travel Listens to Take You on an Unforgettable Journey


Time travel is one of science fiction's most popular subgenres. Fans are drawn to its infinite possibilities, offering a glimpse into past cultures, societies, and pivotal events while exploring big what if? questions. What if you knew what would happen next in your life? What if you could go back and change history? What if you did change history? With this guide, you're sure to find an exciting audiobook to transport you to the perfect place in another time.

Editor's Pick

Enduring and delightful
"A hilarious classic writer that needs no introduction. A hilarious pop culture icon that needs no introduction. Mark Twain and Nick Offerman are my perfect pairing."
Catherine H., Audible Editor

What listeners say about A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5,100
  • 4 Stars
    1,772
  • 3 Stars
    729
  • 2 Stars
    181
  • 1 Stars
    112
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    6,031
  • 4 Stars
    816
  • 3 Stars
    269
  • 2 Stars
    81
  • 1 Stars
    57
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4,403
  • 4 Stars
    1,654
  • 3 Stars
    848
  • 2 Stars
    220
  • 1 Stars
    108

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Mark Twain and Nick Offerman are a perfect match

The narration is perfect for the wit and sarcasm throughout this classic. The book is timeless and still great fun. I hope Nick Offerman reads more of Twain's novels.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

67 people found this helpful

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

Never knew...

...anything about Mark Twain, except Tom and Huck. I laughed and laughed at the tremendous wit of Twain and narration of Mr. Offerman. What a treat.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

53 people found this helpful

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

I would give Nick Offerman 10 stars if I could

This book is Timeless. It is hard to believe that Mark Twain wrote this in 1889. It is all about capitalism, fraud, the effect of the church, and the ever present con artist. It may take place with the language and gallantry of the knights of the round table but it could be happening today. That is what makes him such a powerful writer. And to have it delivered by Nick Offerman just makes it MAGIC!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

49 people found this helpful

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

Excellent Production

It has been over thirty years since I last read Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. The story is just as I remembered, though I had forgotten some details. Of course a 43 year old sees things missed by his 13 year old self. This is a masterpiece by the great American master. How can you make Twain even better? Add Nick Offerman as the reader. Offerman is brilliant. I’m sad I can only give five stars.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

34 people found this helpful

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

Nobody is better suited to reading this book

Nick Offerman is the perfect voice for this classic story. Wonderfully done. The best audio book I’ve listened to. The characters were well-performed, clear and distinct, and it was read in a comfortable and familiar way.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

25 people found this helpful

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

Mark Twain + Nick Offerman = Auditory Mirth

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is a literary treasure as it stands alone. When combined with Mr. Offerman's scotch-smooth rendition, its value only increases. It is as if Mark Twain used his protagonist's time traveling ability to pen a novel knowing the exact person for it to be read by 125 years later.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

24 people found this helpful

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

So funny

Such a funny book, Nick Offerman was the perfect choice. Without a doubt he is the boss

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

23 people found this helpful

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

White Indians

This is a good story, one of Twain's best. Offerman is a great comedian and I loved him on Parks And Rec. But the two together should not Twain. Off has a deadpan delivery that works well in his comedy, but is awful for reading an exciting adventure such as this. This book has comedy, but not in the Off style. A lot of his fans love him and are giving him five stars, but don't believe it.

HE INFORMED ME HE WAS A PAGE, GO LONG, I SAID, YOU AIN'T MORE THAN A PARAGRAPH

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

18 people found this helpful

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

Sir Nick Offerman is the Boss

It wasn’t long into this tale before I began imagining Nick Offerman himself as the main protagonist. In those intentional gaps in character development authors often leave for the reader to determine, such as unspoken mannerisms or physical characteristics, I unconsciously filled in with the mustachioed presence of the narrator. This complemented the work well. If this acting thing does not work out for the noted woodworker turned thespian, then he may just yet have a future in recounting the works of Mr. Twain.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

18 people found this helpful

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

Very dry delivery

I like Mark Twain's writing as a rule, and this story is somewhat interesting in premise if very slow (might have been the delivery). From a story perspective I think it's that we only really know what the protagonist is thinking and most of the other characters are extremely one dimensional.
From a narration standpoint, maybe I should have known going in to an Offerman reading, but this ended up being just way too slow and dry for me. I forced my way through a few chapters but it just never picked up. I don't think this is how Hank would actually sound. I think he was a man with fire in him and this was the wrong direction to take the read. I couldn't finish.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

17 people found this helpful