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Heart of Darkness
- Narrated by: Michael M. Thompson
- Length: 4 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release date: 12-16-99
- Language: English
- Publisher: Recorded Books
Regular price: $17.47
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Great Performance of a classic!
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The Time Machine
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The science fiction classic that coined the term "time machine" and is generally credited with the popularization of the concept of time travel. A must listen for any fan of science fiction!
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Random Pauses in Speech. (Captain Kirk narrates)
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Mrs. Dalloway
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Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 125
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Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, details a day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway in post-World War I England. Clarissa visits London in the morning, getting ready to host a party that evening. The nice day reminds her of her youth and makes her wonder about her choice of husband; she married the reliable Richard Dalloway instead of the enigmatic and demanding Peter Walsh, and she "had not the option" to be with Sally Seton for whom she felt strongly.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Delightful
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Gulliver's Travels: A Signature Performance by David Hyde Pierce
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A Signature Performance: Four-time Emmy Award winner David Hyde Pierce delivers an air of lovable self-importance in his rendition of the classic social satire that remains as fresh today as the day it was published.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Loved every minute
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Jane Eyre follows the emotions and experiences of eponymous Jane Eyre, her growth to adulthood, and her love for Mr. Rochester, the byronic master of Thornfield Hall. The novel contains elements of social criticism, with a strong sense of morality at its core, but is nonetheless a novel many consider ahead of its time given the individualistic character of Jane and the novel's exploration of sexuality, religion, and proto-feminism.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful story, wonderfully narrated
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Treasure Island
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Clear the decks for one of the greatest swashbuckling stories ever told. Masterfully crafted, Treasure Island is a stunning yarn of piracy on the fiery tropic seas, an unforgettable tale of treachery that embroils a host of legendary swashbucklers, from honest young Jim Hawkins to sinister, two-timing Israel Hands, to evil incarnate, blind Pew.
Editorial Reviews
Michael Thompson's performance of this 1902 classic demonstrates subtlety and power. His voice is sonorous and his inflections are convincing. Thompson's narration captures the brooding nature of Conrad's protagonist. We follow Marlow up the Congo River as he discovers the nuances of the trading business, and the mystery of Kurtz, a legendary Ivory trader who he meets far up the river. The inhabitants of the region show a godlike reverence towards Kurtz, and Marlow must decide whether he feels respect, horror, or pity for the man and the imperialistic machine that drives him. Heart of Darkness is Joseph Conrad's masterpiece. It exposes infernal truths about the human existence.
Publisher's Summary
The place is the Belgian Congo, "darkest Africa" of the late 19th century. The narrator, Marlow, describes his experiences running a river steamer for the Company and the cruel colonial exploitation that was practiced. Marlow goes into the jungle in search of the mysterious and powerful white trader Kurtz, hoping to find answers and explanations in that shadowy figure's character for the evil surrounding him.Film director Francis Ford Coppola based his Vietnam epic Apocalypse Now on this classic story.
What members say
Average Customer Ratings
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3.5 out of 5 stars
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Jenn
- 08-05-17
Pay attention!
Heart of Darkness is a celebration of words and phrases. It less about the melody and more about the voice of each instrument played perfectly. I suppose it is like a Grateful Dead concert: the instrument is celebrated not the melody.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Adam F
- 07-04-16
A classic made better by a good performance
I read this book for a literature class and didn't really understand it but after picking it up here I found that I could follow it better. I thought Thompson did a great job with the narration, I didn't have any problems understanding him. I'd recommend this version over some of the others offered.
It is a book that you need to concentrate on or it's easy to get lost and because of that I had to listen to sections over again to understand them but it wasn't particularly long so that wasn't much of an issue.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tim
- United States
- 03-25-14
Rotten Dead Hippos
I really think that "Heart of Darkness" is like a memoir for this author. Joseph Conrad was in the British Merchants Navy and worked his way up to captain. While serving, he traveled into the African Congo and maybe he got his inspiration for the book and maybe Marlow's madness is some kind of symbolism from Conrad's past. Many readers label him as an racist because he depicts on the Black in a disregardful manner, but I don't think that is the right message that Conrad was trying to express.
If you do your research on this author, you will realize the he was a Polish descent and didn't adopt his new language until later in life. I really think that he took many of his experience and put it in the "Heart of Darkness." For example, the smell of rotten dead hippos could be a symbolism of death or danger, because hippos usually sense danger in the river and feel threaten by other prey.
I wasn't a literature major in school, but even I know that this book goes much deeper than it's title. It makes you want to read it more than once to reveal something else. Maybe it's a story of nature vs. nurture, or fight for the fittest. Whatever it might be, it will take me a while to get to the point of the book. I just think that Conrad was brilliant in all levels at writing this book.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
- Rodger
- West Memphis, AR, United States
- 09-03-10
What the?
I know this is supposed to be a classic but it just never got off the ground. I really only bought it because some fellow students said it was a great book and I should definitely read it. They must have read it for a class that had a really good teacher. Just about the time I thought it was about to finally get started and things were going to pick up, it was over!. I really don't get it. I never got Apocalypse Now either. Except for Robert Duvall. I will absolutely be willing to listen to anyone willing to point out what I missed. But after the first pass I would have to say skip it.
2 of 5 people found this review helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
- Terry
- Old Orchard Beach, ME, USA
- 10-04-07
better
on the third time that I downloaded this book it finally came in so that I could understand it. If you are getting this because of "Apocalyspe Now" don't bother. interesting but not great.
1 of 4 people found this review helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
- Frank
- San Francisco, CA, USA
- 07-19-04
Disappointing
I am honestly not sure if it was the book itself or the reader, but I struggled to stay awake every time I listened to this. What started out as interest fueled by enjoying "Apocalypse Now" soon turned into a relentless struggle against sleepiness.
1 of 6 people found this review helpful