-
The Elixir of Life
- Narrated by: Paul Spera
- Length: 53 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
The Elixir of Life
Buy for $3.67
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Unknown Masterpiece
- By: Honoré de Balzac
- Narrated by: Katie Haigh
- Length: 1 hr and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 27
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 22
"The unknown masterpiece", or "Le chef-d'œuvre inconnu", is a story by the French author Honoré de Balzac. This short text was of tremendous importance in the world of art, for it holds a groundbreaking reflection about artistic creation: what does completion or failure mean, and how is it that technique does not guarantee either. Paul Cézanne famously said "I am Frenhofer", identifying with the old master around which the story revolves. Pablo Picasso himself was absolutely fascinated by the text, so much that he had his studio moved in the Parisian street named in the story; there, he painted his own masterpiece, Guernica.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
overpriced but an excellent book
- By T on 02-01-18
By: Honoré de Balzac
-
Sarrasine
- By: Honoré De Balzac
- Narrated by: John Lang
- Length: 1 hr and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 10
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 10
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 10
"Sarrasine" (1830) is a novella by Honoré de Balzac, part of his Comédie Humaine. The stage is set around midnight during a ball, the narrator is sitting at a window. There is an unknown old man around the house, whom the family was oddly devoted to, and who frightened and intrigued the partygoers. When the man sits next to the narrator's guest, Beatrix Rochefide, she touches him, and the narrator rushes her out of the room. The narrator knows who the man is and says he will tell her his story the next evening.
By: Honoré De Balzac
-
Eugénie Grandet
- By: Honoré de Balzac
- Narrated by: Jonathan Fried
- Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 55
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 45
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 45
Hailed as the father of the naturalist novel, French author and playwright Honoré de Balzac left a legacy of treasured literary works that include Père Goriot and Cousin Bette. The daughter of a wealthy but miserly man, Eugénie Grandet falls in love with her penniless cousin, Charles. The two plan to marry, but at the behest of her father, Charles must first go overseas to make his fortune. Returning years later, Charles calls off the engagement, leaving Eugénie heartbroken and vengeful.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Unpleasant people
- By Tad Davis on 06-08-14
By: Honoré de Balzac
-
The Other Wise Man
- By: Henry van Dyke
- Length: 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 59
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 49
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 49
You know the story of the Three Wise Men of the East, and how they traveled from far away to offer their gifts at the manger-cradle in Bethlehem. But have you ever heard the story of the Other Wise Man? This one-hour audiobook contains the complete text of Henry van Dyke's original story, artfully brought to life by a colorful cast of characters under the direction of David Nevland.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Classic story/w horrible narration & dramatization
- By Linda on 11-25-12
By: Henry van Dyke
-
Jane Eyre
- By: Charlotte Brontë
- Narrated by: Thandiwe Newton
- Length: 19 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 20,006
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 18,289
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 18,209
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Perfect!!
- By Amazon Customer on 04-21-16
By: Charlotte Brontë
-
The Name of the Rose
- By: Umberto Eco, William Weaver - translator
- Narrated by: Sean Barrett, Neville Jason, Nicholas Rowe
- Length: 21 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,605
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,332
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,334
The year is 1327. Franciscans in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville arrives to investigate. But his delicate mission is suddenly overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths that take place in seven days and nights of apocalyptic terror. Brother William turns detective, and a uniquely deft one at that. His tools are the logic of Aristotle, the theology of Aquinas, the empirical insights of Roger Bacon-- all sharpened to a glistening edge by his wry humor and ferocious curiosity.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The meaning of the mystery & mystery of meaning
- By Ryan on 02-14-14
By: Umberto Eco, and others
-
The Unknown Masterpiece
- By: Honoré de Balzac
- Narrated by: Katie Haigh
- Length: 1 hr and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 27
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 22
"The unknown masterpiece", or "Le chef-d'œuvre inconnu", is a story by the French author Honoré de Balzac. This short text was of tremendous importance in the world of art, for it holds a groundbreaking reflection about artistic creation: what does completion or failure mean, and how is it that technique does not guarantee either. Paul Cézanne famously said "I am Frenhofer", identifying with the old master around which the story revolves. Pablo Picasso himself was absolutely fascinated by the text, so much that he had his studio moved in the Parisian street named in the story; there, he painted his own masterpiece, Guernica.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
overpriced but an excellent book
- By T on 02-01-18
By: Honoré de Balzac
-
Sarrasine
- By: Honoré De Balzac
- Narrated by: John Lang
- Length: 1 hr and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 10
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 10
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 10
"Sarrasine" (1830) is a novella by Honoré de Balzac, part of his Comédie Humaine. The stage is set around midnight during a ball, the narrator is sitting at a window. There is an unknown old man around the house, whom the family was oddly devoted to, and who frightened and intrigued the partygoers. When the man sits next to the narrator's guest, Beatrix Rochefide, she touches him, and the narrator rushes her out of the room. The narrator knows who the man is and says he will tell her his story the next evening.
By: Honoré De Balzac
-
Eugénie Grandet
- By: Honoré de Balzac
- Narrated by: Jonathan Fried
- Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 55
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 45
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 45
Hailed as the father of the naturalist novel, French author and playwright Honoré de Balzac left a legacy of treasured literary works that include Père Goriot and Cousin Bette. The daughter of a wealthy but miserly man, Eugénie Grandet falls in love with her penniless cousin, Charles. The two plan to marry, but at the behest of her father, Charles must first go overseas to make his fortune. Returning years later, Charles calls off the engagement, leaving Eugénie heartbroken and vengeful.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Unpleasant people
- By Tad Davis on 06-08-14
By: Honoré de Balzac
-
The Other Wise Man
- By: Henry van Dyke
- Length: 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 59
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 49
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 49
You know the story of the Three Wise Men of the East, and how they traveled from far away to offer their gifts at the manger-cradle in Bethlehem. But have you ever heard the story of the Other Wise Man? This one-hour audiobook contains the complete text of Henry van Dyke's original story, artfully brought to life by a colorful cast of characters under the direction of David Nevland.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Classic story/w horrible narration & dramatization
- By Linda on 11-25-12
By: Henry van Dyke
-
Jane Eyre
- By: Charlotte Brontë
- Narrated by: Thandiwe Newton
- Length: 19 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 20,006
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 18,289
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 18,209
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Perfect!!
- By Amazon Customer on 04-21-16
By: Charlotte Brontë
-
The Name of the Rose
- By: Umberto Eco, William Weaver - translator
- Narrated by: Sean Barrett, Neville Jason, Nicholas Rowe
- Length: 21 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,605
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,332
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,334
The year is 1327. Franciscans in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville arrives to investigate. But his delicate mission is suddenly overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths that take place in seven days and nights of apocalyptic terror. Brother William turns detective, and a uniquely deft one at that. His tools are the logic of Aristotle, the theology of Aquinas, the empirical insights of Roger Bacon-- all sharpened to a glistening edge by his wry humor and ferocious curiosity.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The meaning of the mystery & mystery of meaning
- By Ryan on 02-14-14
By: Umberto Eco, and others
-
The Scarlet Letter
- By: Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Narrated by: Kate Petrie
- Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,438
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,248
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,246
One of the most important novels in classic literature, Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter tackles the subject of adultery, with the notorious Hester Prynne at the forefront of the scandal in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In the beginning of the novel, Hester is serving time in prison for having a child out of wedlock and is forced to wear a scarlet A on her clothing at all times, so she cannot run from her sin no matter where she goes.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
missing the introductory???
- By Savannah on 05-20-20
-
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
- By: James Joyce
- Narrated by: Colin Farrell
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,669
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,470
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1,460
This quintessential coming-of-age novel describes the early life of Stephen Dedalus. It is set in Ireland during the 19th century, which was a time of emerging Irish nationalism and conservative Catholicism. Highly autobiographical in nature, the work is also notable for its being the first one in which Joyce uses innovative “stream of consciousness” writing style. A Portrait... follows Stephen Dedalus from his babyhood into early adulthood.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Bitterly disappointed
- By James on 01-29-19
By: James Joyce
-
The Picture of Dorian Gray
- By: Oscar Wilde
- Narrated by: Russell Tovey
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 7,413
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 6,556
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6,524
A disturbing tale of a young man's uncanny ability to remain both young and beautiful while descending into a life of heartless debauchery, The Picture of Dorian Gray was considered proof of both Wilde's genius and his perversion. Oscar Wilde's scandalous best seller of 1891 was one of the most damning pieces of evidence used against him in the trial that brought about his downfall.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
A twisted tale of vanity and poisonous people
- By Shantastic on 10-02-19
By: Oscar Wilde
-
Les Miserables
- By: Victor Hugo
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 57 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,233
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,552
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,565
Set in the Parisian underworld and plotted like a detective story, Les Miserables follows Jean Valjean, originally an honest peasant, who has been imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's starving family. A hardened criminal upon his release, he eventually reforms, becoming a successful industrialist and town mayor. Despite this, he is haunted by an impulsive former crime and is pursued relentlessly by the police inspector Javert.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
one happy insomniac
- By Kathryn on 01-27-05
By: Victor Hugo
-
Collected Stories
- By: Oscar Wilde
- Narrated by: Frank Muller
- Length: 4 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 142
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 126
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 125
Whether it's a 300-year-old ghost who's scared out of his wits, a tenderhearted statue with a mission of mercy, or the suave Lord Savile who cannot commit a crime, the characters in these stories by witty Oscar Wilde make the tales priceless delights. Absurd, ironic, poignant, or scathing, these small gems of the storyteller's art are sure to become favorites. This collection, narrated by Frank Muller, includes "Lord Arthur Savile's Crime," "The Model Millionaire," "The Nightingale and the Rose," and more.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Very Poor Recording
- By Anne in State College on 09-09-07
By: Oscar Wilde
-
Ben-Hur
- A Tale of the Christ
- By: Lew Wallace
- Narrated by: Todd McLaren
- Length: 23 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,107
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 998
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,001
A classic of faith, fortitude, and inspiration, this faithful New Testament tale combines the events of the life of Jesus with grand historical spectacle in the exciting story of Judah of the House of Hur, a man who finds extraordinary redemption for himself and his family. Judah Ben-Hur lives as a rich Jewish prince and merchant in Jerusalem at the beginning of the first century. His old friend, Messala, arrives as commanding officer of the Roman legions.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Not Like the Movie
- By Paul Z. on 01-31-12
By: Lew Wallace
-
The Ruby in Her Navel
- By: Barry Unsworth
- Narrated by: Andrew Sachs
- Length: 12 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 40
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 37
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 37
Thurstan, a young Norman and would-be Knight at the Court of King Roger in Palermo, has been in love since boyhood with Lady Alicia, now returned a widow from the Holy Land. Thurstan soon finds himself caught in a tangle of plots.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Well-Earned Five Stars for this Gem
- By Ilana on 12-11-14
By: Barry Unsworth
-
The Raven
- By: Edgar Allen Poe
- Narrated by: Don Aday
- Length: 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 126
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 101
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 102
Edgar Allen Poe's masterful poem, The Raven, is a strange and haunting story of lost love. It tells of a distraught young man who, while lamenting the loss of his lover, Lenore, is visited by a talking raven, adding a supernatural element to an already mysterious experience. The story traces the man's slow, sorrowful descent into madness. This edition of The Raven includes historical information about the author and the story.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Enjoyed the Story
- By Danielle Keath on 05-23-19
By: Edgar Allen Poe
-
My Name Is Red
- By: Orhan Pamuk, Erdag Goknar - translator
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 20 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 555
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 414
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 418
At once a fiendishly devious mystery, a beguiling love story, and a brilliant symposium on the power of art, My Name Is Red is a transporting tale set amid the splendor and religious intrigue of 16th-century Istanbul, from one of the most prominent contemporary Turkish writers.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Complex and interesting
- By Kathleen on 05-13-10
By: Orhan Pamuk, and others
-
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
- By: Victor Hugo
- Narrated by: Bill Homewood
- Length: 22 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 562
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 517
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 518
In the grotesque bell-ringer Quasimodo, Victor Hugo created one of the most vivid characters in classic fiction. Quasimodo's doomed love for the beautiful gypsy girl Esmeralda is an example of the traditional love theme of beauty and the beast. Yet, set against the massive background of Notre Dame de Paris and interwoven with the sacred and secular life of medieval France, it takes on a larger perspective.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
More than I bargained for...
- By 1DrummingAddict on 07-18-15
By: Victor Hugo
-
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Tales of Terror
- By: Robert Louis Stevenson
- Narrated by: Michael Kitchen
- Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 199
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 162
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 161
This dark psychological fantasy is more than a moral tale. It is also a product of its time, drawing on contemporary theories of class, evolution and criminality, and the secret lives behind Victorian propriety, to create a unique form of urban Gothic.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
The Dark Human Heart
- By Jefferson on 01-30-11
-
Oscar Wilde's The Canterville Ghost
- By: Oscar Wilde, Gareth Tilley - dramatizer
- Narrated by: Jerry Robbins, J.T. Turner, The Colonial Radio Players, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 142
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 124
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 123
Meet the Otis family: Mister and Missus, and their four children - Washington; the twins called Stars and Stripes; and their daughter, Virginia. They've just moved from America and into the English country manor of Canterville Chase. Though rumors persist that the house is haunted, the Otis' have none of it, and set about making the house their own. Then come the mysterious clanking chains and the bloodstains on the floor, and soon even the Otis family must come face to face with that most feared of creatures - The Canterville Ghost. But will the Ghost be able to survive his encounters with the erstwhile Americans?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Funny Stuff !!
- By Michele Fitzgerald on 04-26-13
By: Oscar Wilde, and others
Publisher's summary
"The Elixir of Life" is a fantastic tale by the French novelist and writer Honoré de Balzac in which he gives a satirical version of the legend of Don Juan. This early short story was originally published in 1830; like all the pieces of Balzac’s "Comédie Humaine", it is considered a stand-alone piece of literature.
The spoiled son of a Spanish nobleman, Don Juan Belvidero cannot wait for the moment to claim the family wealth and title for himself. His father calls to his death-bed to inform him that he is in possession of a magic, death-defying potion. If the son will only rub the liquid on his dead body, the father will come back to life. Don Juan assures his father that he will resurrect him, but will he keep his promise or betray the old man?
Honoré de Balzac's keen observation of detail, subtle psychology and unfiltered representation of society gave him his place as one of the founders and great masters of realism in European literature with his magnum opus, "La Comédie Humaine" ("The Human Comedy"). His characters are complex, morally ambiguous and utterly real.
More from the same
Related to this topic
-
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
- By: Victor Hugo
- Narrated by: Bill Homewood
- Length: 22 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 562
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 517
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 518
In the grotesque bell-ringer Quasimodo, Victor Hugo created one of the most vivid characters in classic fiction. Quasimodo's doomed love for the beautiful gypsy girl Esmeralda is an example of the traditional love theme of beauty and the beast. Yet, set against the massive background of Notre Dame de Paris and interwoven with the sacred and secular life of medieval France, it takes on a larger perspective.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
More than I bargained for...
- By 1DrummingAddict on 07-18-15
By: Victor Hugo
-
The Scarlet Letter
- By: Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Narrated by: Kate Petrie
- Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,438
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,248
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,246
One of the most important novels in classic literature, Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter tackles the subject of adultery, with the notorious Hester Prynne at the forefront of the scandal in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In the beginning of the novel, Hester is serving time in prison for having a child out of wedlock and is forced to wear a scarlet A on her clothing at all times, so she cannot run from her sin no matter where she goes.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
missing the introductory???
- By Savannah on 05-20-20
-
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Tales of Terror
- By: Robert Louis Stevenson
- Narrated by: Michael Kitchen
- Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 199
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 162
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 161
This dark psychological fantasy is more than a moral tale. It is also a product of its time, drawing on contemporary theories of class, evolution and criminality, and the secret lives behind Victorian propriety, to create a unique form of urban Gothic.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
The Dark Human Heart
- By Jefferson on 01-30-11
-
Oscar Wilde's The Canterville Ghost
- By: Oscar Wilde, Gareth Tilley - dramatizer
- Narrated by: Jerry Robbins, J.T. Turner, The Colonial Radio Players, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 142
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 124
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 123
Meet the Otis family: Mister and Missus, and their four children - Washington; the twins called Stars and Stripes; and their daughter, Virginia. They've just moved from America and into the English country manor of Canterville Chase. Though rumors persist that the house is haunted, the Otis' have none of it, and set about making the house their own. Then come the mysterious clanking chains and the bloodstains on the floor, and soon even the Otis family must come face to face with that most feared of creatures - The Canterville Ghost. But will the Ghost be able to survive his encounters with the erstwhile Americans?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Funny Stuff !!
- By Michele Fitzgerald on 04-26-13
By: Oscar Wilde, and others
-
Phantastes
- By: George MacDonald
- Narrated by: Brad Powers
- Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 196
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 179
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 175
A young man named Anodos experiences dream like adventures in Fairy Land, where he meets tree spirits, endures the presence of the overwhelming shadow, journeys to the palace of the fairy queen, and searches for the spirit of the earth. The story conveys a profound sadness and a poignant longing for death.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
THIS IS LIBRIVOX'S FREE RECORDING
- By C. M. W. on 12-24-18
By: George MacDonald
-
The Bondwoman's Narrative
- By: Hannah Crafts, edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr.
- Narrated by: Anna Deavere Smith
- Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 191
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 107
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 108
An unprecedented historical and literary event, this tale written in the 1850s is the only known novel by a female African American slave, and quite possibly the first novel written by a black woman anywhere. A work recently uncovered by renowned scholar and professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., it is a stirring tale of "passing" and the adventures of a young slave as she makes her way to freedom.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Poor reading of an important book
- By Hilary on 11-15-04
By: Hannah Crafts, and others
-
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
- By: Victor Hugo
- Narrated by: Bill Homewood
- Length: 22 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 562
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 517
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 518
In the grotesque bell-ringer Quasimodo, Victor Hugo created one of the most vivid characters in classic fiction. Quasimodo's doomed love for the beautiful gypsy girl Esmeralda is an example of the traditional love theme of beauty and the beast. Yet, set against the massive background of Notre Dame de Paris and interwoven with the sacred and secular life of medieval France, it takes on a larger perspective.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
More than I bargained for...
- By 1DrummingAddict on 07-18-15
By: Victor Hugo
-
The Scarlet Letter
- By: Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Narrated by: Kate Petrie
- Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,438
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,248
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,246
One of the most important novels in classic literature, Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter tackles the subject of adultery, with the notorious Hester Prynne at the forefront of the scandal in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In the beginning of the novel, Hester is serving time in prison for having a child out of wedlock and is forced to wear a scarlet A on her clothing at all times, so she cannot run from her sin no matter where she goes.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
missing the introductory???
- By Savannah on 05-20-20
-
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Tales of Terror
- By: Robert Louis Stevenson
- Narrated by: Michael Kitchen
- Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 199
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 162
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 161
This dark psychological fantasy is more than a moral tale. It is also a product of its time, drawing on contemporary theories of class, evolution and criminality, and the secret lives behind Victorian propriety, to create a unique form of urban Gothic.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
The Dark Human Heart
- By Jefferson on 01-30-11
-
Oscar Wilde's The Canterville Ghost
- By: Oscar Wilde, Gareth Tilley - dramatizer
- Narrated by: Jerry Robbins, J.T. Turner, The Colonial Radio Players, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 142
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 124
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 123
Meet the Otis family: Mister and Missus, and their four children - Washington; the twins called Stars and Stripes; and their daughter, Virginia. They've just moved from America and into the English country manor of Canterville Chase. Though rumors persist that the house is haunted, the Otis' have none of it, and set about making the house their own. Then come the mysterious clanking chains and the bloodstains on the floor, and soon even the Otis family must come face to face with that most feared of creatures - The Canterville Ghost. But will the Ghost be able to survive his encounters with the erstwhile Americans?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Funny Stuff !!
- By Michele Fitzgerald on 04-26-13
By: Oscar Wilde, and others
-
Phantastes
- By: George MacDonald
- Narrated by: Brad Powers
- Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 196
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 179
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 175
A young man named Anodos experiences dream like adventures in Fairy Land, where he meets tree spirits, endures the presence of the overwhelming shadow, journeys to the palace of the fairy queen, and searches for the spirit of the earth. The story conveys a profound sadness and a poignant longing for death.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
THIS IS LIBRIVOX'S FREE RECORDING
- By C. M. W. on 12-24-18
By: George MacDonald
-
The Bondwoman's Narrative
- By: Hannah Crafts, edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr.
- Narrated by: Anna Deavere Smith
- Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 191
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 107
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 108
An unprecedented historical and literary event, this tale written in the 1850s is the only known novel by a female African American slave, and quite possibly the first novel written by a black woman anywhere. A work recently uncovered by renowned scholar and professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., it is a stirring tale of "passing" and the adventures of a young slave as she makes her way to freedom.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Poor reading of an important book
- By Hilary on 11-15-04
By: Hannah Crafts, and others
-
Doug Bradley's Spinechillers Audio Books, Volume 1
- Classic Horror Stories
- By: Charles Dickens, H. P. Lovecraft, Saki, and others
- Narrated by: Doug Bradley
- Length: 2 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 92
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 86
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 84
This volume features William F Harvey's original undead hand story "The Beast with Five Fingers" that sparked many movies including Sam Raimi's "The Evil Dead". Poe's classic "The Tell Tale Heart" is joined by Lovecraft's creepy tale of alienation "The Outsider", and a chilling Dickens ghost story "The Signalman".
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent stories and wonderful performance
- By Gavin Lees on 10-12-18
By: Charles Dickens, and others
-
Eugene Onegin
- A Novel in Verse
- By: Alexander Pushkin, James E. Falen - translator
- Narrated by: Raphael Corkhill
- Length: 4 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 142
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 124
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 124
Eugene Onegin is the master work of the poet whom Russians regard as the fountainhead of their literature. Set in 1820s imperial Russia, Pushkin's novel in verse follows the emotions and destiny of three men - Onegin the bored fop, Lensky the minor elegiast, and a stylized Pushkin himself - and the fates and affections of three women - Tatyana the provincial beauty, her sister Olga, and Pushkin's mercurial Muse.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Pushkin and Falen are brilliant, Corkhill not bad
- By Jabba on 05-17-15
By: Alexander Pushkin, and others
-
Against Nature (Against the Grain)
- By: Joris-Karl Huysmans
- Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton
- Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 91
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 81
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 81
Against Nature was one of the most shocking French novels of the 19th century. When it was published in 1884, it thrilled the aesthetes, the poets, and the intellectuals of Europe on both sides of the Channel (notably Oscar Wilde) because for all its lofty tone, it had, as its core, an unbridled decadence, and it was this same character that challenged, even horrified, established bourgeois society.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An excellent reading of the Decadent classic
- By Mark Hedden on 06-13-17
-
Les Miserables
- By: Victor Hugo
- Narrated by: David Case
- Length: 12 hrs and 25 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 78
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 49
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 51
Les Misérables emphasizes the three major predicaments of the 19th century, each symbolized by a major character: Jean Valjean represents the degradation of man in the proletariat, Fantine represents the subjection of women through hunger, and Cosette represents the atrophy of the child by darkness.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
TOO Abridged, Read Only if You Won't Read More
- By Syd Young on 02-03-14
By: Victor Hugo
-
The Oscar Wilde Collection
- By: Oscar Wilde
- Narrated by: James Marsters, Jacqueline Bisset, Alfred Molina, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 395
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 352
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 351
Four classic comedies from one of the wittiest playwrights in Western literature: Lady Windermere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband, and The Importance of Being Earnest, all featuring star-studded casts with the likes of Jacqueline Bisset, Miriam Margolyes, James Marsters, Alfred Molina, Roger Rees, Yeardley Smith, Eric Stoltz, and many more. This audio also includes a chilling dramatization of Wilde's sole novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good Collection
- By Anniebligh on 03-31-12
By: Oscar Wilde
-
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
- By: James Joyce
- Narrated by: Colin Farrell
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,669
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,470
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1,460
This quintessential coming-of-age novel describes the early life of Stephen Dedalus. It is set in Ireland during the 19th century, which was a time of emerging Irish nationalism and conservative Catholicism. Highly autobiographical in nature, the work is also notable for its being the first one in which Joyce uses innovative “stream of consciousness” writing style. A Portrait... follows Stephen Dedalus from his babyhood into early adulthood.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Bitterly disappointed
- By James on 01-29-19
By: James Joyce
-
Ben-Hur
- A Tale of the Christ
- By: Lew Wallace
- Narrated by: Todd McLaren
- Length: 23 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,107
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 998
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,001
A classic of faith, fortitude, and inspiration, this faithful New Testament tale combines the events of the life of Jesus with grand historical spectacle in the exciting story of Judah of the House of Hur, a man who finds extraordinary redemption for himself and his family. Judah Ben-Hur lives as a rich Jewish prince and merchant in Jerusalem at the beginning of the first century. His old friend, Messala, arrives as commanding officer of the Roman legions.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Not Like the Movie
- By Paul Z. on 01-31-12
By: Lew Wallace
-
The Masque of the Red Death
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: David Ian Davies
- Length: 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 55
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 45
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 46
Prince Prospero invites several dozen of the local nobility to his castle for protection against an oncoming plague, the Red Death. Prospero orders his guests to attend a masked ball and, amidst a general atmosphere of debauchery and depravity, notices the entry of a mysterious hooded stranger dressed all in red.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
mediocre
- By Krystal on 10-20-17
By: Edgar Allan Poe
-
The Vampyre
- By: John Polidori
- Narrated by: B.J. Harrison
- Length: 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 254
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 230
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 228
Young, impressionable Aubrey is fascinated by the enigmatic Lord Ruthven, and accompanies him on a tour to Europe. But Aubrey develops a growing distaste for Lord Ruthven’s sinister and grotesque conduct - especially as it concerns human blood. This novella, penned during that tempestuous night in Switzerland amongst such notables as Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, and Mary Shelley, served as the great inspiration for Bram Stoker to create Dracula.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Kicking it oldschool
- By Rebecca on 08-13-12
By: John Polidori
-
The Scarlet Pimpernel
- By: Emmuska Orczy
- Narrated by: Harriet Stevens
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 23
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 21
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 19
Rumor has it that the Scarlet Pimpernel has super powers which aid him in evading capture along with his team of men. The Scarlet Pimpernel lives a double life, one as an English aristocrat, wealthy, and popular among society's elite, and another at night when he becomes a superhero and master of disguise to the French nobles he has vowed to save. To others, such as the revolutionists, he is something darker, and dangerous - a vigilante who must be captured and stopped at once.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
The story is delightful, the reader is not
- By KBsMomma on 04-01-22
By: Emmuska Orczy
-
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
- By: Samuel Taylor Coleridge
- Narrated by: B.J. Harrison
- Length: 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 344
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 301
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 299
A bird of good omen is murdered. A fickle crew is punished by supernatural, spectral beings. A skeletal ship is sighted moving against the wind and tide. The figure of Death along with a singular, gruesome companion man the fiendish craft. And as they draw closer, it becomes clear that the two play at dice for the soul of the ancient mariner. The result is nothing short of cataclysmic.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A classic well read
- By Gary on 08-08-16
-
The Sorrows of Young Werther
- By: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- Narrated by: Leighton Pugh
- Length: 4 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 150
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 129
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 129
Werther, a sensitive young artist, finds himself in Wahlheim, a quiet, attractive village in Germany where he seeks solace from the turmoils of love. It is a young spring, and he hopes that arcadian solitude will prove a genial balm to his mind. But his romantic tendency rules otherwise, and he falls in love with Charlotte - Lotte - even though he knows she is affianced to another.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great performance for a classical story.
- By Brandon Shaw on 09-15-17
Love Books? You'll Love Audible.
Transform your day
Replace endless scrolling with endless listening. Chores can be fun.
Listen everywhere
Download titles to listen offline, wherever you are in the world.
Carry your entire Library
Your stories go where you go. Audiobooks don’t weigh a thing.
Listen and learn
Discover stories that can change your mind, your well-being, and your life.
Reach your reading goals
You can’t turn pages while you drive—but you can press play.
Find your niche
WIth thousands of titles to explore, there’s something for everyone.