The Graduate

De: Charles Webb

Narrado por: Scott Brick

The basis for the acclaimed 1967 film, this novel about a naive college graduate adrift in the shifting social and sexual mores of the 1960s captures with hilarity and insight the alienation of youth and the disillusionment of an era.

When Benjamin Braddock graduates from college and moves back to his parents' house, everyone wants to know what he's going to do with his life. Embittered by the emptiness of his education and indifferent to his grim prospects, Benjamin falls haplessly into an affair with Mrs. Robinson, the relentlessly seductive wife of his father's business partner. It's only when her lovely daughter Elaine comes home to visit that Benjamin, now smitten, thinks he might have found some kind of direction in his life.

But Mrs. Robinson is having none of it. A wondrously fierce and absurd battle of wills ensues, with love and idealism triumphing over the forces of corruption and conformity.

©1994 Anti-Defamation League of B'nai Brith (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Brilliant...sardonic, ludicrously funny." ( New York Times)
"His novel makes you want to laugh and it makes you want to cry." ( Cleveland Plain Dealer)
"A highly gifted and accomplished writer." ( Chicago Tribune)

Movie better

"What ?" I don't know how many times the characters say that but it becomes very annoying. In fact, all of the dialogue is strangely jerky and drown out and so is the delivery. If the reader had performed it organically I think it would have worked out better. Just didn't sound like any conversations I've ever had.

I seldom read a book that was so improved by the movie. In the movie the struggle between the two generations is more apparent and of vital importance within the context of the Baby-boomer generation. I also found myself really disliking the Benjamin in the book. He carries on like a little b**** the whole time. He has few redeeming qualities. And I could never understand why Elian would be in love with him. For the book I'm left with a very strong feeling that the relationship is going to crash and burn. Within a few months one could readily imagine Elian married to Carl after all and Benjamin in boot camp.

Lots of Dialog

This is a fine book. Though, it should be stated that the movie is such a faithful adaptation that even with this first listen of the book, I was able to feel like I was revisiting the story. That said, the narration was solid enough to make it feel like a qualityvaudio drama.

My one big criticism is that the book lacks a lot of description. In a book with so much dialog, some hints on the attitude of the person speaking would have been nice. That did leave substantial room for interpretation on the part of the narrator, though.

“WHAT???”

This book is all over the place. Very strange situations. Also, a protagonist you just want to slap. I dont see how a woman could find an indecisive whiny guy like Ben remotely attractive. The repetitive use of “WHAT?!?” is irksome. His lack of social skill is literally unbearable. I hope the movie is better

The narrator is excellent!

nothing that I can think of because it really is a good strong story and fun to compare to the movie

the movie and book mirror one another well

If you have seen the movie, you will be happy to read this one and find the adaptation was done well.