Monkey

By: Wu Ch’êng-ên, Arthur Waley - translator

Narrated by: Kenneth Williams

Considered one of China's great classical novels, Wu Ch'êng-ên's Journey to the West was translated by Arthur Waley in abridged form as Monkey in 1942 and has delighted English readers ever since. It is a riveting adventure story about a priest's quest to obtain holy Buddhist scriptures for the Tang emperor; joining him on this rollicking journey: Sandy, Pigsy, and the mischievous monkey king, Sun Wukong, whose flying cloud and magic cudgel are never far from his infamous deeds. Waley's accessible rendition of Wu Ch'êng-ên's novel has become a classic in its own right: Gods, demons, and disobedient monkey spirits all come alive in this entertaining work.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©1981 Nimbus Records Ltd. (P)2015 Naxos AudioBooks

Didn't want it to end

Great story. Reader was entertaining and enthusiastic. Gave life to each character. Definitely in my top 5 audiobooks collection.

A fascinating epic

Monkey is a great classic for anyone interested in a Chinese novel of an earlier period that gives a greater context to certain aspects of traditional chinese culture

Good story

Love the story, but sometimes it was hard to understand the British accent of the narrator, especially if I was in a noisy environment (like the car)

A Classic

A Classic

This is a special text that has been popular in China for millenia for all its fanciful characters and clever repartee. Arthur Waley's translation is perfect.

Kenneth Williams adds a unique touch with his inimitable narration. His occasional mispronunciation of Chinese names is quite understandable and forgivable.

Great book

this was a very entertaining book to read, the Monkey Kings transformation from nuisance to Buddha is quite a tale.