High Society

By: Ben Elton

Narrated by: Greg Wagland

Length: 11 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's Summary

The war on drugs has been lost but for want of the courage to face the fact that the whole world is rapidly becoming one vast criminal network. From pop stars and princes to crack whores and street kids. From the Groucho Club toilets to the poppy fields of Afghanistan, we are all partners in crime.

High Society is a story, or rather a collection of interconnected stories, that takes the listener on a hilarious, heart-breaking, and terrifying journey through the kaleidoscope world that the law has created and from which the law offers no protection.

©2002 Ben Elton (P)2009 Random House Audio

Ben brilliant as always

If you like Ben, you'll love it. Never a dull moment - witty, entertaining and fast moving as always, fantastic characters, topical , brilliant multi-layered plot. He nails the whole celebrity/rock star/politcal/human traffic culture - yes, all of them. Gritty and hiliarious. Loved it.

Thought-provoking, entertaining & funny

I would recommend this audiobook 100%. It's the first time I've read or listened to a Ben Elton novel and it made me think, was very entertaining and funny, and the narration was pitch perfect. 5 stars.

Meh

I usually love Ben Elton's book but definitely not this one. It was boring, depressing, and the characters were unlikable. To make matters worse, the narrator had a very strong accent that was difficult to understand and he spoke in quick bursts with after pauses. I also didn't understand some of the local street vocabulary specific to Brits. It was a chore to finish. 2.75 stars for story and narration.

The ending was terrible

I really enjoyed most of the book until the end. I have been depressed for two days. I think that it was unnecessarily harsh. And the premise for the harsh ending was rather flimsy.

All Around Amazing!

Ben Elton is by far my favorite author and this is one of, if not my favorite books of his. The narrator, Greg Wagland, gets a 10 of 10 for his performance as he truly enhanced the color of this story. I would highly recommend this audible to anyone!

Love this one

This is by far my favourite Ben Elton book, a great and very true look at modern life if a bill to legalise all drugs were to be established and what that would mean for all the people involved.
I love all the characters and the way in which they all entwine as paths cross seen from different perspectives and through the different classes of New Labour's Britain.
From Hilarious stories to sickening acts and more, the book takes you on a journey through UK Drug culture from the Homeless and Prostitutes of London, The Drug Dealers and Currpt officials through the working class to the A List Celebs, Government employees and MP's and the Upper Class and of course the Police.
A top read/listen not to be missed!

Great story - with great narration

I really good story. I am a big fan of Ben Elton, his style of writing works well for me and keeps me hooked. The narration by Greg Wagland was also very good. The speed of the narration was good, keeping you on the edge of your seat for most of the book, and there were times I wanted him to read faster. The ability to use whispersync with this book meant I could read it (my preferred option) or move to audible in the car or shower. Definitely a bonus. A great purchase, and one I will listen to again and again.

Thought provoking read

How many ways can you look at the effects of drugs on British society? Ben Elton takes a dozen or so victims and associated story lines, as they all are in one way or another, eventually coming to the conclusion that there's not much to be done about it all. It's hard to feel much sympathy for the characters until a small ray of hope appears towards the end. I'm glad he managed to inject hope into the story as it would have been a very bleak read. A good book for someone who has no idea how the drug and criminal classes operate in the UK.

Utterly brilliant!

This is a book that will challenge your views and take you on a rollercoaster ride through the lives of very recognisable types of people. It is written with the sharp wit expected from Ben Elton, showing the depth and complexity of the characters and how their lives are intertwined. Beautifully read in a way that brings those characters to life and makes you care about them. Hard hitting and hard to put down.

Thought provoking spotlight on drug question.

Very cleverly written thought provoking story surrounding the theme of drug legalisation and consequences of today's criminalisation of drugs and users in today's society. Very enjoyable interconnected stories.

Makes you think

Don’t let the rough language put you off. This book has a story to tell.

Brilliant Concept

Loved this book when I read it and was glad to hear it on Audible. The narration was excellent and didn't detract from the story as I remembered it.

excellent

Ben Elton at his brilliant best. Very difficult to put down once you've started reading.

Free Peter Paget! Get his bill into law

We really could do with the Peter Paget bill. Found it gripping, looked forward, in a busy life, to the next opportunity to continue listening to the next twist of awkward complications Ben has given to his intrinsic characters. Throughly entertaining. The legalisation of drugs suggests crime statistics would be reduced.

Thought inspiring!

Very enjoyable & thought provoking.
I hope a lot of people read this & it paves the way to a better future.

My only niggle is nothing to do with the story, more the format of the audiobook. I'd rather it be divided into more chapters to re-listen to sections. It still gets 5 stars though.