-
Gulliver's Travels: A Signature Performance by David Hyde Pierce
- Narrated by: David Hyde Pierce
- Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Classics
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Audible Plus
$7.95 a month
Buy for $24.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Robinson Crusoe
- By: Daniel Defoe
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Widely regarded as the first English novel, Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe is one of the most popular and influential adventure stories of all time. This classic tale of shipwreck and survival on an uninhabited island was an instant success when first published in 1719, and it has inspired countless imitations.
-
-
Fantastic Story and Excellent Narration
- By William on 03-02-11
By: Daniel Defoe
-
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
- By: Jessie L. Weston
- Narrated by: Jack Chekijian
- Length: 2 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the classic tale of a knight from King Arthur's Round Table who makes a dangerous deal with a mysterious visitor. The production is based on Jessie L. Weston's 1900 prose edition of a 14th-century poem.
By: Jessie L. Weston
-
A Passage to India
- By: E. M. Forster
- Narrated by: Sam Dastor
- Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dr. Aziz is a young Muslim physician in the British Indian town of Chandrapore. One evening he comes across an English woman, Mrs. Moore, in the courtyard of a local mosque; she and her younger travelling companion Adela are disappointed by claustrophobic British colonial culture and wish to see something of the 'real' India. But when Aziz kindly offers to take them on a tour of the Marabar caves with his close friend Cyril Fielding, the trip results in a shocking accusation....
-
-
Poor sound quality
- By Rochelle on 01-02-14
By: E. M. Forster
-
Ivanhoe
- By: Walter Scott
- Narrated by: David McCallion
- Length: 17 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ivanhoe is the perfect novel for any listener who loves an action-packed adventure based on the mythology and legends of Medieval times in England. Set in the 12th century, Ivanhoe is the story of a young man who joins up with Richard the Lion Hearted during a dark time where England is split between the Normans and the Saxons, pitting friends and family against each other through the conquering of land and the changing seats of the Royal Family.
-
-
One of Walter Scott’s Best Works!
- By Cindy on 01-14-17
By: Walter Scott
-
Jane Eyre
- By: Charlotte Bronte
- Narrated by: Thandie Newton
- Length: 19 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Following Jane from her childhood as an orphan in Northern England through her experience as a governess at Thornfield Hall, Charlotte Brontë's Gothic classic is an early exploration of women's independence in the mid-19th century and the pervasive societal challenges women had to endure. At Thornfield, Jane meets the complex and mysterious Mr. Rochester, with whom she shares a complicated relationship that ultimately forces her to reconcile the conflicting passions of romantic love and religious piety.
-
-
Thandie Newton is INCREDIBLE!
- By Andrea Frazee on 10-31-16
By: Charlotte Bronte
-
Around the World in 80 Days
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: Patrick Tull
- Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When an eccentric Englishman named Phileas Fogg makes a daring wager that he can circle the globe in just eighty days, it’s the beginning of a breathlessly-paced world tour. With his devoted servant Passepartout at his side, Fogg sets off on an adventurous journey filled with amazing encounters and wild mishaps. Pursued all the way by the bumbling Detective Fix, who believes the two travelers are bank robbers on the run, Fogg and Passepartout must use every means of transportation known to 19th-century man - including a hot-air balloon, a locomotive, and an elephant - to win the bet.
-
-
We Cheered at the End!
- By teammine on 05-09-12
By: Jules Verne
-
Robinson Crusoe
- By: Daniel Defoe
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Widely regarded as the first English novel, Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe is one of the most popular and influential adventure stories of all time. This classic tale of shipwreck and survival on an uninhabited island was an instant success when first published in 1719, and it has inspired countless imitations.
-
-
Fantastic Story and Excellent Narration
- By William on 03-02-11
By: Daniel Defoe
-
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
- By: Jessie L. Weston
- Narrated by: Jack Chekijian
- Length: 2 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the classic tale of a knight from King Arthur's Round Table who makes a dangerous deal with a mysterious visitor. The production is based on Jessie L. Weston's 1900 prose edition of a 14th-century poem.
By: Jessie L. Weston
-
A Passage to India
- By: E. M. Forster
- Narrated by: Sam Dastor
- Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dr. Aziz is a young Muslim physician in the British Indian town of Chandrapore. One evening he comes across an English woman, Mrs. Moore, in the courtyard of a local mosque; she and her younger travelling companion Adela are disappointed by claustrophobic British colonial culture and wish to see something of the 'real' India. But when Aziz kindly offers to take them on a tour of the Marabar caves with his close friend Cyril Fielding, the trip results in a shocking accusation....
-
-
Poor sound quality
- By Rochelle on 01-02-14
By: E. M. Forster
-
Ivanhoe
- By: Walter Scott
- Narrated by: David McCallion
- Length: 17 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ivanhoe is the perfect novel for any listener who loves an action-packed adventure based on the mythology and legends of Medieval times in England. Set in the 12th century, Ivanhoe is the story of a young man who joins up with Richard the Lion Hearted during a dark time where England is split between the Normans and the Saxons, pitting friends and family against each other through the conquering of land and the changing seats of the Royal Family.
-
-
One of Walter Scott’s Best Works!
- By Cindy on 01-14-17
By: Walter Scott
-
Jane Eyre
- By: Charlotte Bronte
- Narrated by: Thandie Newton
- Length: 19 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Following Jane from her childhood as an orphan in Northern England through her experience as a governess at Thornfield Hall, Charlotte Brontë's Gothic classic is an early exploration of women's independence in the mid-19th century and the pervasive societal challenges women had to endure. At Thornfield, Jane meets the complex and mysterious Mr. Rochester, with whom she shares a complicated relationship that ultimately forces her to reconcile the conflicting passions of romantic love and religious piety.
-
-
Thandie Newton is INCREDIBLE!
- By Andrea Frazee on 10-31-16
By: Charlotte Bronte
-
Around the World in 80 Days
- By: Jules Verne
- Narrated by: Patrick Tull
- Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When an eccentric Englishman named Phileas Fogg makes a daring wager that he can circle the globe in just eighty days, it’s the beginning of a breathlessly-paced world tour. With his devoted servant Passepartout at his side, Fogg sets off on an adventurous journey filled with amazing encounters and wild mishaps. Pursued all the way by the bumbling Detective Fix, who believes the two travelers are bank robbers on the run, Fogg and Passepartout must use every means of transportation known to 19th-century man - including a hot-air balloon, a locomotive, and an elephant - to win the bet.
-
-
We Cheered at the End!
- By teammine on 05-09-12
By: Jules Verne
-
Treasure Island
- By: Robert Louis Stevenson
- Narrated by: Kevin McNally, Roy McMillan
- Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Following the demise of bloodthirsty buccaneer Captain Flint, young Jim Hawkins finds himself with the key to a fortune. For he has discovered a map that will lead him to the fabled Treasure Island. But a host of villains, wild beasts and deadly savages stand between him and the stash of gold. Not to mention the most infamous pirate ever to sail the high seas....
-
-
LOVED IT!
- By Matthew F Ditson on 11-23-19
-
A Tale of Two Cities [Tantor]
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 13 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A Tale of Two Cities is one of Charles Dickens's most exciting novels. Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, it tells the story of a family threatened by the terrible events of the past. Doctor Manette was wrongly imprisoned in the Bastille for 18 years without trial by the aristocratic authorities.
-
-
it's the singer not the song*
- By Maynard on 11-09-13
By: Charles Dickens
-
Paradise Lost
- By: John Milton
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
John Milton's Paradise Lost is one of the greatest epic poems in the English language. It tells the story of the Fall of Man, a tale of immense drama and excitement, of rebellion and treachery, of innocence pitted against corruption, in which God and Satan fight a bitter battle for control of mankind's destiny.
-
-
Solid performance
- By John on 11-19-16
By: John Milton
-
Oliver Twist
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 16 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After escaping from the dark and dismal workhouse where he was born, Oliver finds himself on the mean streets of Victorian-era London and is unwittingly recruited into a scabrous gang of scheming urchins. In this band of petty thieves, Oliver encounters the extraordinary and vibrant characters who have captured audiences' imaginations for more than 150 years.
-
-
Amazing narration!
- By Karen on 12-11-08
By: Charles Dickens
-
The Pilgrim's Progress
- From This World to That Which Is to Come
- By: John Bunyan
- Narrated by: David Shaw-Parker
- Length: 12 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For 300 years, The Pilgrim's Progress has remained perhaps the best-loved and most read of devotional fictions. In plain yet powerful and moving language, Bunyan tells the story of Christian's struggle to attain salvation and the Gates of Heaven. He must pass through the Slough of Despond, ward off the temptations of Vanity Fair, and fight the monstrous Apollyon. In Part II, his wife and children follow the same path, helped and protected by Great-heart, until for them, too, "the trumpets sound on the other side."
-
-
Two books in one! Terrific narration!
- By Adam on 01-16-15
By: John Bunyan
-
A Modest Proposal
- By: Jonathan Swift
- Narrated by: David Stifel
- Length: 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Wickedly narrated by David Stifel, and written in 1729, this satiric essay on how to solve Ireland's chronic poverty is perhaps more shocking today than when it was written. In the 1960s, when Peter O'Toole did a public reading of this piece in Dublin, he very nearly started a riot. Newspapers the following day lambasted O'Toole's "shocking bad taste." Whether shocking satire, or Monty-Pythonesque surrealism, this essay has continually managed to offend people for well over 3 centuries. Enjoy! (and Thank You!)
-
-
Mankind crazy thoughts of years ago
- By Val on 07-03-15
By: Jonathan Swift
-
Gulliver's Travels
- By: Jonathan Swift
- Narrated by: John Tatlock
- Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jonathan Swift's classic novel about the loveable Lemuel Gulliver is one that is taught in high schools around the country, and for good reason. Gulliver, who is a surgeon aboard a ship, thinks that he is about to embark on a run-of-the-mill voyage to different ports. Throughout his journey, however, there are a few events that take place that redirect his ship to unfamiliar islands. Not only are they unfamiliar to him, but they are inhabited by natives who are shaped and sized much differently than he is.
-
-
Great book gets a great narrator a MUST listen
- By Amazon Customer on 07-12-19
By: Jonathan Swift
-
Great Expectations
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
- Length: 18 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the most revered works in English literature, Great Expectations traces the coming of age of a young orphan, Pip, from a boy of shallow aspirations into a man of maturity. From the chilling opening confrontation with an escaped convict to the grand but eerily disheveled estate of bitter old Miss Havisham, all is not what it seems in Dickens’ dark tale of false illusions and thwarted desire.
-
-
Great Performance of a classic!
- By Steven on 08-18-13
By: Charles Dickens
-
The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights
- By: Sir James Knowles
- Narrated by: Eric Brooks
- Length: 11 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
King Arthur was a legendary British leader of the late fifth and early sixth century who, according to the medieval histories and romances, led the defense of the Romano-Celtic British against the Saxon invaders in the early sixth century. This book gives an account of the life of this great legend of all times.
-
-
This was painful!
- By T. Rod on 09-05-14
-
Pride and Prejudice
- By: Jane Austen
- Narrated by: Rosamund Pike
- Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of Jane Austen’s most beloved works, Pride and Prejudice, is vividly brought to life by Academy Award nominee Rosamund Pike ( Gone Girl). In her bright and energetic performance of this British classic, she expertly captures Austen’s signature wit and tone. Her attention to detail, her literary background, and her performance in the 2005 feature film version of the novel provide the perfect foundation from which to convey the story of Elizabeth Bennet, her four sisters, and the inimitable Mr. Darcy.
-
-
Rosamund Pike = Perfection
- By Dylan on 02-07-17
By: Jane Austen
-
Don Quixote
- By: Miguel de Cervantes, John Ormsby (translated by)
- Narrated by: Roy McMillan
- Length: 36 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The most influential work of the entire Spanish literary canon and a founding work of modern Western literature, Don Quixote is also one of the greatest works ever written. Hugely entertaining but also moving at times, this episodic novel is built on the fantasy life of one Alonso Quixano, who lives with his niece and housekeeper in La Mancha. Quixano, obsessed by tales of knight errantry, renames himself ‘Don Quixote’ and with his faithful servant Sancho Panza, goes on a series of quests.
-
-
More than funny
- By Colin on 08-21-11
By: Miguel de Cervantes, and others
-
The Time Machine
- By: H.G. Wells
- Narrated by: John Banks
- Length: 3 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When a Victorian scientist propels himself into the year 802,701 AD, he is initially delighted to find that suffering has been replaced by beauty, contentment and peace. Entranced at first by the Eloi, an elfin species descended from man, he soon realises that this beautiful people are simply remnants of a once-great culture - now weak and childishly afraid of the dark. But they have every reason to be afraid: in deep tunnels beneath their paradise lurks another race descended from humanity - the sinister Morlocks.
-
-
John Banks
- By Anonymous User on 04-12-19
By: H.G. Wells
Publisher's Summary
Four-time Emmy Award winner David Hyde Pierce is famous for playing the lovably self-important Dr. Niles Crane in the hit TV series Frasier. Now, he brings the same wit and charming arrogance to his Signature Classics performance of Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels.
More than just a mock travel book and fabulous adventure, Gulliver’s Travels is a character study and social satire that skewers politics, science, religion, philosophy, and pretentiousness with a bite and resonance that remains as fresh today as the day it was published. Maybe that’s why it hasn’t been out of print in nearly 300 years.
Set sail with David Hyde Pierce for a smart, fun, new Gulliver’s Travels experience that’s unlike any other. And stay tuned for more one-of-a-kind performances from actors Leelee Sobiesky, Casey Affleck, Tim Curry, and more, only from Audible Signature Classics.
Listen to more Audible Signature Classics.
Critic Reviews
More from the same
What listeners say about Gulliver's Travels: A Signature Performance by David Hyde Pierce
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Joel D Offenberg
- 01-29-11
Wonderfully Done!
The book is a classic (more than just the 'Lilliput' story that gets turned into cartoons or comic movies every so often)...social commentary and satire disguised as a traditional travelogue. David Hyde Pierce is a brilliant narrator and excellent for this piece.
20 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Rose
- 01-16-11
Loved every minute
Gulliver's Travels has been a classic but somewhat overlooked read for many years, perhaps because of its supposed complexity. Still, it is an incredbly imaginative series of voyages and adventures to strange and wonderful places (a matter of opinion of course), and the superb writing and imagination on display in this Swift Classic can not be denied.
Jonathan Swift's masterful descriptions of distant island lands, their inhabitants, strange customs, and Gulliver's perceptions and treatment in each place is extaordinary. Yet, not to be ignored are the underlying political and moral aspects which are woven throughtout the text, and in some cases, existant in today's politics and, surprisingly, our society. In many ways futuristic, Jonathan Swift proves a master of imagination and human behavior.
Equally outstanding; and handled deftly, is Mr. Pierce's interpretive reading of the text. Performed with an English accent, and with undeniable superlative vocal skill, Mr. Pierce ushers us through each new voyage with such ease and understanding, that one wonders if Swift weren't whispering direction in his ear. What can understandably be a complex and confusing read, is made entertaining and easily pictured in the mind's eye of the reader when put in Mr. Pierce's very talented hands. I can imagine no one better to have narrated such a grand selection as Gulliver's Travels.
30 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Evan
- 02-12-13
A true Classic
So well read. Its like being there. I was so zoned out into it that I was surprised little people were not next to me.
14 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Walter A.
- 04-24-11
Great reading of a great book
I had forgotten how much I liked this book. Everyone is familiar with Book I - Lilliput. A few know Book II -Bbrobidgnag. Things get even more interesting in Book III, with its classic satire on abstruse scholarship. Book IV is the best of all. David Hyde Pierce could not be bettered as a reader.
14 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Shane
- 03-31-13
A Timeless Tale For Children and Adults
Would you consider the audio edition of Gulliver's Travels: A Signature Performance by David Hyde Pierce to be better than the print version?
I usually prefer a printed version for the books I read for a class.But when I began to read Gulliver's Travels for a class, I realized that it would most likely be amazing on audiobook, and I was right! Immediately my pronunciations and comprehension of this book increased.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Gulliver's Travels: A Signature Performance by David Hyde Pierce?
As a child I remember reading condensed and sensitized versions of this story, and now as an adult, I began to see more of the true story. Every time a somewhat inappropriate part came on, I was shocked into laughter. Don't get me wrong, the full version is still very appropriate for children in my opinion, but it creates a more enjoyable experience for more mature audiences as well.
Any additional comments?
This timeless story was one of the more enjoyable listens I have had. The narrator does a great job of using his voice to create a visual of the locations but the time period as well. I would most likely not listen to this again, simply because of the length and lack of the action that I prefer in a book. As for recommending this book, I would only suggest it to someone with a very patient love of classics.
27 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- LG Girl
- 02-01-11
Timeless Humor
Timeless humor made me laugh out loud (rather awkward at the gym).
The quality of the recording was great. David Hyde Pierce made a great reader.
21 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Roland
- 02-14-14
Good listen, try it!
Would you listen to Gulliver's Travels: A Signature Performance by David Hyde Pierce again? Why?
Yes! It's a fresh view of an otherwise difficult read. I've found that listening to books written before 1900 has made the stories come alive. English language prose from about 1700-1900 is often formal and very wordy to modern readers; it generally puts me off. The written form of Gulliver's Travels is especially like that. Jonathon Swift's phonetic spelling of foreign names and places reads awful. His overly polite and courtly speech is tiresome in print; it always bogged me down so that I missed the thrust of the story.
Ah, but spoken by Mr. Pierce the book comes alive. It is easy to hear the subtle sarcasm buried in the superficial formalities, to appreciate the satire embedded in nearly unpronounceable (but not to the narrator) names.The rendition becomes a delight to listen to and to remember. At work, I often see the same Swift characters, behaving the same way.
Which character – as performed by David Hyde Pierce – was your favorite?
Why, Gulliver himself. How could one forget the scene in Lilliput (inhabitants very small but very self important) where the towering giant Gulliver, suddenly awakened from his night's sleep, strides over the town to pluck the queen trapped in her burning palace, then saves the palace from certain destruction by the only means available, pissing on the fire....the only water available....then enduring the rage and enmity of the queen, who orders the palace torn down and Gulliver's death to pay for such an outrageous act. Why wasn't this scene in the Disney version? Recanting this still makes me laugh out loud.
Any additional comments?
Do yourself a favor, try LISTENING to Treasure Island, Huckleberry Finn, any Washington Irving stories, Jack London stories; you'll be amazed by how good they are.
20 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 01-14-13
Great Performance, Clever Work
Would you listen to Gulliver's Travels: A Signature Performance by David Hyde Pierce again? Why?
David Hyde Pierce is hilarious. I feel like his rendition of the written work adds so much that a reader may not pick up on their own initially. Also, it's easy to picture him in the role so if you're driving when you listen to this (like I was) it doesn't take a whole lot of focus to visualize the character since he is already so recognizable. Witty, honest, and hilarious.
Who was your favorite character and why?
I'll be honest, I'm only about halfway through but so far his "little nurse" is my favorite; the little girl who takes care of him in the land of the giants. I could so easily picture a sweet little girl taking such loving, but absented-minded care of a little wanderer.
Which scene was your favorite?
This book was clearly written in a time before television or other such easy entertainment modes. Such books seem so much more ornate in description and detail. So some parts went a bit slow at times. The specific dimensions given for different structures in town could become tedious. Even with that disclaimer, my favorite parts were in his description of cultures. For example, in Lilliput, he goes in detail about how children are raised, gender roles in society, and other cultural specifics. I find this fascinating to think he is comparing it to England at the time. The history nerd in me takes parts like this and builds an entire world around, the one he is describing and the one he is comparing it to.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
I still have a few hours left to listen to! I'm just over halfway so I feel like I can't speak to this question just yet.
Any additional comments?
I listened to this book while driving by myself on an extended road trip. I am a frequent audio book listener and have come to be much better at absorbing details by listening alone, rather than needing to read it before it truly sinks in. I found this book to be so detailed at times that I missed parts because I zoned out. I replayed parts and had to back up occasionally. I feel like this book would be hard to listen to with a group of travelers because each would miss different parts that enhance the overall story due to the nature of the writing. Share it with friends, but after you've listened to it at your own pace!
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Rickapolis
- 02-25-11
Great book for the road
There's a reason that books remain in print this long. They continue to relate to the 'modern' reader. In whatever age the 'modern' reader may be living. I laughed out loud frequently, and was a little surprised at the, er, 'earthy' humor. Being striped naked and laid between the breats of the giant women of Brobdingnag is racier than I thought would have been allowed. But then the book WAS originally published in secret. David Hyde Pierce does an outstanding job of narrating as well. Top notch. A very strong 'recommend'.
15 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- J. Ward
- 10-08-14
more annoying with each chapter
What does David Hyde Pierce bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
David Hyde Pierce does a terrific job bringing the opinions of the narrator to life. His performance was great.
Any additional comments?
I just didn't enjoy the story much, so it was a chore to finish the book. Thank goodness for the narration of David Hyde Pierce, which brought some fun to the listening.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall

- Ruth
- 02-13-11
Lively and unusual
I chose this audiobook because I took advantage of the 'free first chapter' offer and then couldn't resist getting the rest. I had read a child's version of Gulliver's Travels when I was about seven, and although I enjoyed it at the time, I've often wondered what the original is like.
And it's great! Most people know about Lilliput etc, but the rest makes for just as compulsive listening - if not more so. It was both funny, clever and thought provoking. It is obvious that the book makes many political points which will be most meaningful to those with the appropriate historical knowledge (which I don't really have), but even so I found the humour and sharpness in it very effective and, interestingly, several of the comments seemed pertinent to our laws/politicians etc today!
I thought it was superbly read, even though the English accent as portrayed by an American was slightly odd at times. But that didn't matter at all as it was read in such a lively and spirited manner. And his mastery of the many, many nonsense names made me want to laugh/cheer out loud! If you do choose this book, make sure you stick it to the end as the reading of the last section is brilliant. Full marks, I really enjoyed it.
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 02-06-15
Simply brilliant.
David Hyde Pierce brings this famous title alive with his narration. Hard to believe this was written so many years ago. As relevant now as it ever was. It should be required reading for everyone.
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- D. Jackson
- 12-22-14
great stuff well read
David Hp has the perfect voice for this story. An elegant sneer that keeps the story rolling.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Fitz
- 01-26-15
DHP's accent is a distraction
What would have made Gulliver's Travels: A Signature Performance by David Hyde Pierce better?
The performance would be much improved by David Hyde Pierce *not* adopting a faux English accent. For one thing the accent he tries to emulate is what I would call "Oxford English", which is not really appropriate for Swift (nor for Gulliver, who is meant to hail from Nottingham). And for another I'm afraid the quite frequent interpolation of a somewhat different accent (Yorkshire?) into occasional syllables means the performance just gets in the way of the text. I enjoy Mr. Pierce as a character actor but someone should disabuse him of the notion that he can carry an extended pastiche like this for very long. I gave up after 2 chapters.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Gulliver's Travels: A Signature Performance by David Hyde Pierce?
Didn't get far enough to have an opinion.
How did the narrator detract from the book?
The shaky attempt at an English accent makes the listening experience hard work.
12 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- JBW
- 07-08-15
Excellent Novel - essential reading for all
Excellent Novel - essential reading for all
Very well narrated - a true classic
Most enjoyable
JBW
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall

- Cliff
- 01-23-13
A True Classic
Evocatively written. The style and reader are beautifully matched. So much more to it than an old book for kids - which is what I have always thought it was.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall

- Clare
- 10-21-12
Highly enjoyable
Really enjoyed this reading. 'Niles Crane' makes an excellent narrator, although his fake posh English accent sometimes slips up. Had never read the story of Gulliver before, and think that listening to it probably added an edge to the irony and veiled sarcasm which reading may not have. Thoroughly recommended
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Michael
- 04-23-18
Great book
This book essentially plays out as a personal diary over a handful of adventures.
Do note this book is more a political commentary than anything else, it uses the medium of the strange people and how they are different from ourselves to criticize and occasionally praise our society.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Andrew
- 08-23-20
Thah was hard work
This book felt like a chore and, when I thought it had ended, I was only half way through.
The narrator was ideal for the book, but the narrative is tortuously aged and the story is bizarre without holding any intrigue or underlying plot (appreciating that this was meant to be satire).
In essence, Gulliver repeatedly left his family, travelled, met fantastically strange people whom he described in excessive detail and went home.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Andy
- 09-20-18
Great performance by "Niles"
A sign of a good actor is if you completely forget a character they're famous for portraying. This was definitely the case here.
The story can be a bit grating. Swift is so obsequious to the monarchy it's sometimes a bit cringeworthy, but I suppose that was the kind of author that received publication 300 years ago.
1 person found this helpful