Download the New Releases Audiobooks in Fiction, Contemporary

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Title: V for Vendetta

Author: Alan Moore

Narrator: Simon Vance

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-22-06

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 2316 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Imagine a Britain stripped of democracy, a world of the not-too-distant future in which freedom has been surrendered willingly to a totalitarian regime which rose to power by exploiting the people's worst fears and most damning weaknesses.

This is the setting for the parable of Evey, a young woman saved from death by a masked man calling himself V. Beguiling and dangerous, V ignites the fuse of revolution when he urges his fellow citizens to shed the blanket of tyranny and oppression that they have permitted themselves to be cloaked in. While those in power take steps to neutralize the threat, police pursue the mystery of V, unaware of the terrible truth that awaits them. But it is Evey who, with V as her enigmatic guide, sets out on the painful path of deception and self-discovery, deconstruction and re-creation, vindication and vengeance.

Novelization by Steve Moore, based on the graphic novel illustrated by David Lloyd and published by Vertigo/DC Comics. Based on the screenplay written by the Wachowski Brothers.

Members Reviews:

Visceral Vindictive Vicarious Vicissitudes?

Audio: Excellent. Narrator has a British accent, as appropriate for the context of the book, and was easily understood by this American listener. This is a dramatization, and the narrator does "voices in character", but there is no music except at the title introduction of each of the two audio segments. (I personally don't care for music-enhanced dramas in audiobooks)

Content: The audio intro says this book is based on the graphic novel based on the screenplay by the Wachowski Brothers. As such this is a VERY in-depth, fleshed-out and thoughtful portrayal. After listening one would think that the based-ons could easily have been reversed, as this book is not a mere description of a movie, but an insightful exploration of all the themes and issues. My highest kudos to the author for doing so. I had seen the movie previously and look forward to seeing it again, as the book seems faithful to the plot, to my recollection.

As a story, both book and movie have a near-term, futuristic setting with enough mystery, suspense, and action that appeals to my personal tastes. Fascism, anarchy, and "V"engence certainly give it a serious side, with enough references to current day England and several pointed jabs at America to express its opinions. I highly recommend it as a thought-provoking AND entertaining tale.

Excellent

I like a good dystopia. 1984 is my favourite work of fiction and I listen to it several times avery year. This work is not quite at the same standard but is pretty close because it is, sadly, just as plausible as Orwell's vision.

A bit wierd to have a book based on a comic (graphic novel) which was itself based on a film script but it never feels like its derived from anything else. It feels like an original and very well constructed original idea.

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Title: Brother Fish

Author: Bryce Courtenay

Narrator: Humphrey Bower

Format: Unabridged

Length: 31 hrs and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-21-05

Publisher: Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1980 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

From the author of The Power of One comes an inspiring human drama and war story of three lives brought together and changed forever by the extraordinary events of recent history. Inspired by real events, Bryce Courtenay's new novel tells the story of three people from vastly differing backgrounds. All they have in common is a tough beginning in life. Jack McKenzie is a harmonica player, soldier, dreamer, and small-time professional fisherman from a tiny island in Bass Strait. Nicole Lenoir-Jourdan is a strong-willed woman hiding from an ambiguous past in Shanghai. Larger than life, Private Jimmy Oldcorn was once a street kid and leader of a New York gang. Together, they reap a vast and not always legitimate fortune from the sea. Narrated by celebrated, award-winning actor Humphrey Bower.

©2004 Bryce Courtenay; (P)2004 Bolinda Publishing Pty. Ltd.

Members Reviews:

Not Just Another Fish Story - something special

I'm ashamed to confess, but I selected this book because it was Looooong and I figured I'd get my money's worth in using a book credit on it. Well, I did get that, in spades!

"Brother Fish" is a superb read -- the characters are memorable, the dialogue superb, the atmosphere excellent and the reader gets an education in everything from the Korean War to crayfishing, Chinese Warlords, and Russian expatriates. The storytelling is terrific, though the book is long it never falters, the author maintains a pace that keeps the reader engaged for well over thirty hours.

The writer also does two things that I don't see writers of any caliber achieve with frequency-- the first is that he is able to depict memorable, likable humans without a counterpoint of extreme villainy. The unsavory characters who people this book are, much of the time, given redemptive interactions. I believe it is much harder to create fully realized, truthful characters and keep them interesting without seeding the novel with intriguing villains as counterbalance. What this author has done is seed the novel with intriguing heroic characters. I think he forsook the cheap but heady thrills a great villain can bring to the table for a larger, more truthful look at the human experience and this only heightens the book's success.

Also, the writer creates interesting and authentic male and female characters -- major and minor, and the main female character is no less compelling or heroic than the males, also a treat!

I have one minor quibble with the wrap up of a romance in the end -- but I hate to even mention it because it is only that, a quibble. "Brother Fish" is an extraordinary read, Bravo to the author for gifting us with this novel!

And a Cast of Thousands!

First of all, the narrator is a real artist, replicating all the voices and singing several songs. He can sound like Paul Robeson, a Russian countess, ordinary Australian blokes, ordinary Americans, Orientals of both sexes and every class from royalty to gangsters, and on and on. For long periods, he doesn't forget that he is one of the secondary characters telling a story. This performance is transparent and seamless.

The events of the book will take you from an island off Australia, to the Korean War, all over the Far East, and to rougher parts of the United States. Courtenay's outlook is global.

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Title: Brokeback Mountain

Author: Annie Proulx

Narrator: Campbell Scott

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-01-05

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 953 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Both men work hard, marry, and have kids because that's what cowboys do. But over the course of many years and frequent separations this relationship becomes the most important thing in their lives, and they do anything they can to preserve it.

Critic Reviews:

"Proulx's understanding is at its most remarkable in the astonishing Brokeback Mountain. [She] knows what she could only know...by the infrared that allows a very few writers clear sight in the dark of the imagination." (The New York Times Book Review)

"Brokeback Mountain does some of the best things a story can do. It abolishes the old West cliches, excavates and honors a certain kind of elusive life, then nearly levels you with the emotional weight at its center." (The Boston Sunday Globe)

Members Reviews:

Finally! Someone gets it.

It's great to read a story about two men in love with eachother and not with "Liza" For the first time ever I can associate with a gay character. This story is not about "gay pride" or "AIDS" Its a story that lets you get into the heart and soul of the two men. and what I believe is the heart of most men. scared, and conforming to expectations to hide true feelings, and selves.

Well worth the listen

I was curious about this story, in light of the recent media attention on that movie. I bought it before some quick business travel -- it's length suggesting little investment on my part if it turned out to be disappointing.

What I got was a great story, at a bargain price. It is a little raw at times, and perhaps not for the faint of heart, but the charactors are great and the story was well written.

A poignant and involving listen that will not require a large amount of your time.

Because quitting someone is not that easy...

If you wish to check the full review of this title, google me!! Inkish Kindgoms! (Wordpress)

I have to confess that I have listened to the audiobook twice, read the novella once, and watched the movie three times. I even did an essay comparing the movie and the novella, and if you let me brag a little bit, it all went amazingly good!

I love this novella not only for the love story which made cry my eyes out, but for the strong political discourse that it has. I really like how Proulx transgress the normative by having two gay cow boys in a state that is known for its bigotry and violence against the LGBT community. She does not only transgress and breaks the stereotype of the macho bravado of the typical cowboys, but she unbox the gay characters from the limp-wristed sissy and gay psychopath label.

Unforgettable story

This is a very well read version of a well-written, lean short story. Both the narrator and the author capture the feeling of loneliness and desperate longing for something greatly desired and tragically just out of reach. This is a tale that will fascinate you and haunt you as you think about it for days after you hear it. Highly recommended.

Have both: movie and book

The movie and the book are complementary to each other.

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Title: A Home at the End of the World

Author: Michael Cunningham

Narrator: Colin Farrell, Dallas Roberts, Jennifer Van Dyck, Blair Brown

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-29-05

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 228 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Michael Cunningham's celebrated novel is the story of two boyhood friends: Jonathan, lonely, introspective, and unsure of himself; and Bobby, hip, dark, and inarticulate. In New York after college, Bobby moves in with Jonathan and his roommate, Clare, a veteran of the city's erotic wars. Bobby and Clare fall in love, scuttling the plans of Jonathan, who is gay, to father Clare's child. Then, when Clare and Bobby have a baby, the three move to a small house upstate to raise "their" child together and create a new kind of family.

A Home at the End of the World masterfully depicts the charged, fragile relationships of urban life today.

©1990 Michael Cunningham (P)2004 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC

Critic Reviews:

"Although some listeners will wish they could soak up this absorbing story all in one sitting, the narrators' well-paced readings force the listener to sit back and appreciate the intricacy and skill of Cunningham's exquisite prose." (Publishers Weekly) "Lyrical...memorable and accomplished" (The New York Times Book Review)

Members Reviews:

This book did stuff to my heart.

There are books you dont like, books you like, books you love & then there are the books you fall completely in love with. The latter is where Id place this book for me. Never have I come across a book so realistic yet captivating. I can see these characters so clearly in my mind. I can believe everything thats happening. Jonathan, Bobby, & Claire present an unconventional way of living that just felt so real to me. This book will not be for everyone but, you know, I kind of love that about it. The story stays strong from its beginning to its beautiful ending.

The audiobook itself is amazing. Read so perfectly by the four narrators.

Great book, excellent recording.

I was happily surprised to see that Colin Farrell and Dallas Roberts (from the cast of the movie version) were tapped to read the parts of Bobby and Jonathan. I think Farrell was great, but Dallas Roberts was exceptional. This is one of the first audio books I have purchased from this website, and I have enjoyed it so much that I have gone back to it three times, even before some other books that I have purchased.

ended too soon

I loved these characters. They draw the listener in and they become real. Cunningham received raves for The Hours, but this story and these characters are much more accessible and endearing.

Writing well is not enough...

I got almost annoyed with author of the book. He writes beautifully, but the plot is unconvincing and the three main characters are excessively self-absorbed in contemplating their unhappiness and , more generally, the unavoidable misery of the human condition. There is no room for real passion, hope, and engagement. It is all grey and hopeless.

My last book of Michael Cunningham !

Flaw in the recording?

A bit more than two and a half hours in, something odd happens. Every time before that, when the narrator changes there is a heading telling us the new narrator's name. But then, suddenly, the narration shifts from the mother to one of the boys, and we seem to have jumped ahead ten or so years. It's as though the recording is missing one of the CD's.

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Title: Last Light

Subtitle: Restoration, Book 1

Author: Terri Blackstock

Narrator: Dick Hill

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-28-05

Publisher: Zondervan

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 455 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

But keeping it alive will require extraordinary measures. Yesterday's world is gone. All Deni and her family have left is each other and their neighbors. Their little community will either stand or fall together. But they're only beginning to realize that, and trust doesn't come easily.

Particularly when one of them is a killer.

Best-selling suspense author Terri Blackstock weaves a masterful what-if novel in which global catastrophe reveals the darkness in human hearts and lights the way to restoration for a self-centered world.

Members Reviews:

A thought provoking,Christian based novel

I was really moved by the plot of this novel.Could I live without all the luxuries of my life? I think that Terri Blackstock has introduced a book series that,for me, can help me address that question.Her characters are not super human but just ordinary people faced with a crisis of global magnitude.As far as her pushing Christian values on others,I did not see it that way.I saw her as a writer bringing Christian values and principles into her characters lives at a time when I believe that I would have also done if I were in the same situation.I believe that Terri Blackstock did a very good job and can't wait to start the rest of this series.I have listened to "The Cape Refuge series" and loved that one too.So I hope that this series is just as good.

If it does nothing else it will get you thinking

I have listened, to "Last Light" and having been with out electricity for over three weeks after the hurricanes that hit Fla., I felt much the same way that these characters felt. And believe me after the first week my family was on each other's nerves. Just knowing the electricity would soon be back on was all that got us through.

And as I was looking for a good Christian author, it felt good to read this book and then recommend this book to others, with out saying, just ignore the few bad parts. Thanks Terry for this book.

And as for bringing Christ into the Book, It made me stop and take a good long look at my own life.

To see where I stand with God, myself. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books by this author.

Really makes you think!

What made the experience of listening to Last Light the most enjoyable?

The story. It brought a lot of things to mind considering the state of our country.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The father because of his strong faith in the Lord.

What about Dick Hills performance did you like?

All of it.

If you could take any character from Last Light out to dinner, who would it be and why?

The parents.

Any additional comments?

Terri Blackstock has never let me down. Her books are wonderful.

Interesting End Times Scenario

I thought this was a good story, although I would have enjoyed a little more depth. The major characters were reasonably believable, and the basic premise was a new take on an old theme. As I listened, I found myself taking stock of my own possessions and wanting to lay in a stock of canned goods. I thought the reading was fine, and don't understand the gulping noise some others have commented about. I listened for it and never quite caught it. Overall, a good listen. I will be getting the rest of the series.

Liked it.

I enjoyed this book, even though I really wanted to choke one particular character(no spoilers). I think many of us would be whinny and unappreciative, when put in similar circumstances.

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Title: A Common Life

Subtitle: The Wedding Story

Author: Jan Karon

Narrator: Dana Ivey

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 43 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-05-05

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 376 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Mitford's Lord's Chapel seats barely two hundred souls, yet millions of Jan Karon's fans will be there for the most joyful event in years: the wedding of Father Tim Kavanagh and Cynthia Coppersmith. Here at last is A Common Life, and the long-awaited answers to these deeply probing questions: Will Father Tim fall apart when he takes his vows? Will Cynthia make it to the church on time? Who'll arrange the flowers and bake the wedding cake? And will Uncle Billy's prayers for a great joke be answered in time for the reception?

All the beloved Mitford characters will be there: Dooley Barlowe, Miss Sadie and Louella, Emma Newland, the mayor; in short, everybody who's anybody in the little town with the big heart.

A Common Life is the perfect gift for Mother's Day, Father's Day, anniversaries, and for a bride or groom to give to his or her beloved. In truth, it's perfect for anyone who believes in laughter, relies on hope, and celebrates love.

Members Reviews:

Disappointed in narrator

I love all the Mitford books, have listened to all of them several times, and the only reason why I didn't give this a full 5 stars was because of the narrator. I love John McDonough's narration and his realization of the characters, and really felt the lack in this narration by Dana Ivey. I wish I had realized this version was not narrated by John McDonough before I bought it.

What a disappointment- wish I'd given this a pass!

Any additional comments?

I'm afraid the new narrator, Dana Ivey, for this book in the series just wasn't up to the task. John McDonough has narrated all the Mitford books until now and has done a masterful job. In my mind he is Father Tim and all the characters in Mitford sparkle in his voice. In this book the story felt disjointed, the characters not themselves and the reading was flat, lifeless and horribly one dimensional. I think the timing was just off-- lacking pauses and inflection and phrasing usually provided by the narrator.

Also be aware the book feels like it was written as an afterthought. It is listed as coming after A New Song (1999) but that isn't where the story fits. I think it should be before Out to Canaan (1997). I don't want to be a plot spoiler--so I won't elaborate--but be aware that if you want the story in order the list is wrong. But--to me--it's more than just being out of order, more than a really poor narration, the whole thing just isn't up to Karon's lovely collection of books.

Disappointed in this book.

What would have made A Common Life better?

This book should have come earlier in the series and the narrator of this book sucked. Her voice was annoying and didn't fit the characters at all. Not like the earlier books at all.

Has A Common Life turned you off from other books in this genre?

No

Would you be willing to try another one of Dana Iveys performances?

NO

Any additional comments?

They need to stay with the same person narrating the series. The first 5 books in the series were a true delight; this one, not so much. Would never have listened to any of the other books in the series had this been the first one I listened to.

I LOVE the Mitford Series! I often listen and read

I LOVE the Mitford Series! I often listen and read these books and over again. it is so much like going home.

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Title: 44 Scotland Street

Author: Alexander McCall Smith

Narrator: Robert Ian Mackenzie

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 52 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-17-05

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 1225 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

When Pat rents a room in Edinburgh, she acquires some interesting neighbors, including a pushy Stockbridge mother and her talented, sax-playing, 5-year-old son. Pat's job at an art gallery hardly keeps her busy, until she suspects one painting in the collection may be an undiscovered work from a Scottish master. As Pat handles the mystery of the painting, she and the people surrounding her confront issues of trust, love, and loss.

Chalk up another winner for McCall Smith, whose endlessly entertaining and perceptive novel is filled with delightfully authentic sketches of all the archetypes of Edinburgh society.

Critic Reviews:

"Readers needn't possess plaid clothes or a brogue to savor this wise, witty send-up of Edinburgh rogues." (Booklist)

"The possibility of romance, the ongoing ups and downs of the large, well-drawn cast of characters, the intricate plot, and the way Smith nimbly jumps from situation to situation and POV to POV...works beautifully." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Smith's answer to Maupin

This book is a fun listen, and it is literally Smith's take on Maupin's Tales of City, but set in his beloved Edinburgh. It seems that many who have adored the Mma Ramotswe series can't get into anything else Smith has done, previously or subsequently. It's understandable, since the Botwana books are masterpieces. However, Smith is one of the best storytellers of our time, and it is unfortunate to always compare his other books (such as this one) to the Ladies' Detective Agency tales and then find them lacking. This story is full of all of the humanity, thoughtfulness and warm humor that his other stories have had. I can't wait for more of the serial.

oddly absorbing and addicitive

I didn't expect to like this, don't know why I downloaded it, and had it in my library for a year before I even tried to listen. Once I started, I finished it within 48 hrs, sneeking on my iPod at every chance.

McCall Smith gives us wisdom masked in simple, curious tales of characters like those found in any coffee shop - inside Scotland or out- improbable but believable once inside the story.

The tales were first serialized in a newspaper - in the introduction McCall Smith reminds that Dickens spun most of his tales in that manner - but 44 Scotand put me in mind more of Trollope.

This is another example of a good read made better in audio by excellent narrration.

It's all about character!

It took me a little longer to warm up to this new series by one of my favorite authors, but in the end it was added to my list of 'got to get the next book in the series' list. Alexander McCall Smith has a real talent for creating characters that you 'feel' you know. In this series he captures idiosyncratic characteristics that are recognizable and presents them is a light and amusing way.

By the way the audiobook has the added advantage of Scottish ascent.

McCall Smith a must read author!

When I first began listening to 44 scotland street I found it a wee bit confusing and hard to follow. There are several voices and many characters which is different from the other McCall Smith titles in his other series' I have listened to. As I persisted; and got to know the different characters I found it as highly addictive as all his works.

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Title: Miss Julia's School of Beauty

Author: Ann B. Ross

Narrator: Cynthia Darlow

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 03-30-05

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 151 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Hazel Marie, former lover of Miss Julia's late husband, needs assitance in staging a beauty contest to determine who will reign as Miss Abbot County Sheriff's Department. Enter Miss Julia. She has plenty of advice for the contestants about maintaining their poise, showcasing their charm, and perfecting their stage presence. But as she does her best to help the women, Miss Julia is forced to face concerns over her complicated relationship with her gentleman friend, Sam.

Refreshing and comical, Miss Julia's School of Beauty is another good-natured gem from Ann B. Ross.

Critic Reviews:

"The Miss Julia series is an audiophile's dream; the novels seem to have been created just for audio." (The Denver Post)

Members Reviews:

Fun Story

As always, Miss Julia takes us for a fun tride twisting this way and that with all the great regular characters and quirkie plots. I can always count on Julia Springer and gang to keep me interested and smiling.

Can't Finish It

I know there are probably many people out there who won't agree with me, but I found this book incredibly annoying and the plot line silly. The reader's Southern accent made my skin crawl (and being from Georgia, that takes alot), and I found the plot line about Miss Julia's marriage to be unrealistic - I felt like the character was completely from the 50's, but set in present day (and to me, not in an entertaining way). I've been trying for a month to listen to the whole thing and still have over half of the book to go. I seem to always find an excuse not to listen to this book/reader - I have a new CD that I like, or the dog needs attention, or the toilet needs cleaning...

Try it if you want to, but I would definitely recommend listening to the preview first to see if you can stand the bad Southern accents. I wouldn't recommend this book though.

Married at last!!!!

This is one of my favorites in the series. Miss Julia and her "extended family" have become a part of my life....seriously!! Love you Ann Ross. You absolutely may not retire....ever!!

A little too hard to believe, but fun

In Miss Julias School of Beauty by Ann B. Ross, Miss Julia has just returned from her honeymoon after eloping with her former lawyer, Sam, to the dismay of others in her town upset at not being invited to a large wedding. Then, a friend tells Miss Julia that the tabloids are reporting that country music star Sonny Sutton had discovered that his marriage at a wedding chapel in Dollywood was not legal because the preacher did not have legal authority to perform weddings. Miss Julia begins to fear that perhaps her own marriage might not be legal either, and she might have been living in sin! So she kicks Sam out of her bedroom, while terrified that someone in her community might learn her deep, dark secret. So Sam goes on the road to find out the truth behind their marriage.

In the meantime, the sheriffs department, in an effort to raise money for a second dog for their K-9 squad, decides to hold a beauty pageant. Hazel Marie, the former longtime mistress of Miss Julias first husband and mother of his son, Little Lloyd, gets involved as organizer of the event, along with Edda May, who seems to be chasing after Sam and makes Miss Julia very jealous. So Miss Julia gets busy helping with the pageant too.

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Title: Snobs

Author: Julian Fellowes

Narrator: Richard Morant

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-31-05

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 528 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

In a tale that mixes contemporary Jane Austen with the brilliant social commentary of Gosford Park, Julian Fellowes chronicles Edith's rise and fall with twists and turns aplenty. Through the eyes of his narrator, a journeyman actor who manages to negotiate the choppy waters of snobbery and excess as he moves between the upper and middle classes, in Snobs Fellowes gives us a delicious comedy of manners to rival Oscar Wilde at his wittiest.

Critic Reviews:

"Mr. Fellowes knows his turf well." (Dominick Dunne)

"Provocative, titillating, and seductive." (The Spectator)

"Sparklingly rompish....As long as this world does still exist, Fellowes is a delectable guide to its absurdities." (Sunday Times [London])

Members Reviews:

A Fantastic Beach Read!

Sounding much like his commentary for his Academy Award nominated film, "Gosford Park," this catty, witty, bitchy novel makes the perfect amusement for a long summer day. Don't let the title fool you, this book is full of lovable characters, most of whom are finely drawn, so much so that one feels that the character is someone real and one who has lived a life of love and disappointment. This is not an indictment of "Snobs," but a loving portrait of a "certain class of people," each of of whom it would be a true treat to meet.

The story follows Edith, a woman who does not marry for love, but for money and position. After a rather short period of time, she discovers that she has made a bad bargain, and leaves. Why she leaves, and with whom, and what her life becomes, makes a charming and sometimes moving story. What will happen to Edith after this defection? That would ruin the plot, but the journey is more than worthwhile.

This book is well worth listening too in its unabridged version. You wouldn't want to miss one razor sharp notation of someone's character, or appearance, or tone.

The best fun I've had in quite some time!

Surprise

I expected light fluffy reading but was really surprised to find the level of ironic insight in this book. It was extremely well written...not heavy, but certainly no formula romance. The reader was great, the characters well drawn and sympathetic. A very enjoyable read.

Poor Little Rich British Folk

I have to say I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this bookeven though I feel kind of guilty that I did. The heroes in Fellowes novel are the people who, poor they, were attempting to live out their aristocratic existence and would have done so, undisturbed, if they, alas, had not been bothered by those pathetic arrivistes. Like, for example, the quite-wealthy girl who married a guy she wasnt really in love with in an attempt to belong to that World. How dare she! On the other hand, the unabashedly snobbish matriarch is portrayed with almost love. Fellowes is a product of his upbringing and quite proud of it. Still, the book is a joy to listen to. The characters are all quite human. The wit is biting. Richard Morant, as the reader, is pitch perfect -- I have, in fact, downloaded another book by another author that he has also read. (Unfortunately, I went straight from "Snobs" to Past Imperfect, Mr. Fellowes' other novel, and it is as much of a failure as Snobs is a success.

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Title: The Sunday Philosophy Club

Subtitle: An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery

Author: Alexander McCall Smith

Narrator: Davina Porter

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-06-04

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 630 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Isabel Dalhousie is a philosopher by training, and an amateur sleuth by choice. When a young man falls from a balcony to his death, Isabel's curiosity is aroused. She does not believe the fall was an accident, and she is determined to root out the truth. With a little help from some friends (her housekeeper, her niece, and her niece's rather attractive ex-boyfriend), Isabel plunges into the shady business community of Edinburgh to find some answers.

With its distinctive characters and captivating suspense, The Sunday Philosophy Club further cements McCall Smith's status as one of today's most imaginative and enjoyable authors.

Critic Reviews:

"A world of kindness, gentility and creature comforts...the literary equivalent of herbal tea and a cozy fire." (The New York Times)

"Utterly enchanting....It is impossible to come away from an Alexander McCall Smith 'mystery' novel without a smile on the lips and warm fuzzies in the heart." (Chicago Sun-Times)

Members Reviews:

Not Number One Ladies Detective Agency!

This is a well-narrated, gentle tale told in very good prose but, if the SETTING of Number One Ladies Detective Agency is important to you as it is to me, you may not enjoy "The Sunday Philosophy Club" as much. The humourous obsevations on human nature are similar, however.

I thought I would like a tale of a Scottish academic/sleuth more since I love British literary "campus comedies," but I did not.

If you are tempted to try this series, though, then the audio format might be more pleasing than print due to the pleasant narration that suited the text very well.

As another reviewer said, this listen left a smile on my face, but for me, I'm not sure it was worth the time and download.

Wee bit of puzzlement

I have been thoughly enjoying Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies series; when suddenly I ran out of books. Decided to try The first in the Philosophy Club series. Again in the style of what I have seen of this author, far more a drama than a real mystery. More a wee bit of puzzlement than an edge of your seat who done it. However that said, I have found all Smiths' titles so far to have fabulous character development and a comfortably easy listening flow that keeps me wanting more. I very much enjoyed the narrator of this title - and if readers choose this audio for no other reason than that; I highly recomend this audio version over the hard copy!

The Sunday Philosophy Club (Unabridged)

It was a delightful book and beautifully narrated. Isabel Dalhousie is a charming character and great observer of her environment; a younger Ms. Marple (Agatha Christie). As the editor of Applied Ethics, her character is always striving for the bigger questions than what appear to be at hand. The plot was carried down many avenues that all came together at the end.

Charming

I have recently finished the #1 Ladies Detective Agency series and I was looking forward to starting this series. Isabel Dalhausie is as charming and engaging a character as Mma. Ramotswe in the #1 Ladies Detective Agency books. This narrator has done such a good job creating specific and distinct characters with her voice. I love her accent and she adds so much to the story.

What does he do now?

I read The Number One Ladies Detective Agency and I was hooked. I read the next and the next and the next.