• The Beach

  • By: Alex Garland
  • Narrated by: Alfie Allen
  • Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (34 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Beach  By  cover art

The Beach

By: Alex Garland
Narrated by: Alfie Allen
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.98

Buy for $15.98

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.

Publisher's summary

The classic story of paradise found - and lost.

Richard lands in East Asia in search of an earthly utopia. In Thailand he is given a map promising an unknown island, a secluded beach - and a new way of life.

What Richard finds when he gets there is breathtaking: more extraordinary, more frightening than his wildest dreams. But how long can paradise survive here on Earth? And what lengths will Richard go to in order to save it?

©1996 Alex Garland (P)2016 Penguin Audio

More from the same

What listeners say about The Beach

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    22
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    22
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    15
  • 4 Stars
    9
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1

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

Must read before you die

Alex Garland paints the journey of a young man in search of a form of paradise. The main character dances off of the pages and haunts the reader/listener long after travelling with him on his journey. The world Garland creates is authentic to the point that one gets trapped in it for a short while and wonders if Garland isn't merely retelling a personal experience. The element of surrealism and the exploration of the main character's subconscious is as fantastical as it is disturbing. "The Beach" is an investigation of a young man's conscious, self-identified 'want' and the uncomfortable discovery of his subconscious 'need'. Garland's work is captivating to say the least.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

Loved the English

All in all an extremely well written book. Didn't care about the characters that much, but I loved the book for the witty language.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!