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Title: Summer

Author: Edith Wharton

Narrator: Grace Conlin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 32 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-09-04

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 112 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Praised for its realism and candor by such writers as Joseph Conrad and Henry James and compared to Flaubert's Madame Bovary, Summer was one of Wharton's personal favorites of all her novels and remains as fresh and relevant today as when it was first written.

Critic Reviews:

"Reader Grace Conlin distinguishes both men's and women's voices easily, using hushed, intimate tones to convey the sweetness of the romance. Yet an ephemeral quality in her delivery casts a shadow of reality on the story and reminds the listener that seasons change." (AudioFile)

Members Reviews:

Excellent first audible purchase!

Grace Conlin is a great reader. At first I thought she was going to be too fast, but her pacing is excellent. She sweeps you right into the story. And this is a concise Wharton tale. Similar tragic tones to her other books. However, some lovely descriptions of New England countryside in the summer. A sad contrast to her heroine. I'm not done yet, about half way, but I find myself looking for excuses to pop in the headphones and listen.

The negative reviews frightened me

but I found the story enchanting, enthralling and somewhat ominously predictable. My first Edith Wharton but I believe I'll try another.

My favorite Wharton book so far

This is the third book of hers I've read. It's the least depressing, which is a good thing in my opinion. E. Wharton wrote beautiful prose and also knew how to tell a fast-paced story. My book club had a very lively discussion about class, gender, marriage, nature, and other interesting issues raised by this book.

More complex than Ethan Frome

This novella may be compared to Ethan Frome in that it is about country people rather than about the wealthy about whom Edith Wharton more commonly wrote. And yet this novel is more complex and emotionally compelling than the more famous work. The tragedy of this young woman's life and her seemingly unavoidable doom is spellbinding.

basic, satisfying Wharton

The central character, Charity Royall, I found unsympathetic, but her troubles are vivid as she faces the traditional moral struggle of virtue vs restraint with convincing small-minded impulsiveness.

Wharton is wise and worldly. Her understanding of the primacy of trivial things in relationships is profound. Charity blunders stupidly through life in a very human way. This is not a great novel like The House of Mirth, but Wharton weaves melodrama out of the stuff of an ordinary life.

The reader is very good, except for the occasional odd pronunciation.

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Title: Life on the Mississippi

Author: Mark Twain

Narrator: Norman Dietz

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-07-99

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 153 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

When Mark Twain was growing up, all he wanted to be was a steamboat man. And so Twain ran away in pursuit of his dream. Life on the mighty river for Twain consisted of paddleboats and history, poker games and gamblers, larger-than-life characters and outlandish festivals like Mardi Gras. Twain recorded it all with his keen eye for detail and biting wit.

(P)1986 by Recorded Books, Inc.

Editorial Reviews:

Over a century before the dime-a-dozen memoirs started popping up on our shelves from people with dubious claims to fame, Mark Twain wrote Life on the Mississippi. At the age of 12, when he was still going by Samuel Clemens, he left school to begin a career of odd jobs until he received his steamboat pilot license. It was this experience going up and down the Mississippi on the steamboat that not only provided the backdrop to these humorous and exciting tales, but also the occupation which gave him his famous pen name. Veteran narrator Norman Dietz gives a performance Twain would be proud of, ensuring the satire and earnestness alike are not lost on any listener.

Members Reviews:

Humorous, poignant, informative, adventurous

The wild man from Hannibal who gave us Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn remembers (and revisits) his home town in this memoir written after he was rich and famous and no longer the kid that in his heart he always remained, at least partly. In making the journey, he tells about the geologic history of the Mississippi, about the geographic effects of the river, about the early days of steamboating on the river and the complexity of the task of moving a boat on a river that changed from hour to hour and day to day and was always ready to grab a boat and its passengers and pull them to muddy death. Any reader who enjoyed Tom and Huck owes it to himself to sample this wonderful story by a man who never wrote a bad sentence, although he was know for using bad language, i.e. profanity, at the drop of a cigar ash. I have listened to the recording twice, have read the book more than two times, and if I take a notion, I will do it again, regardless of the consequences, so little do I value sanity. (That was supposed to be humorous, but I really have listened twice and read twice....and I hope you do too.)

Inaudible!

I honestly think this is a good book depicting the way of life along the mighty Mississippi river, told with Twain's renowned wit and displaying his love for the subject, but unfortunately the horrible sound quality of this recording makes it near inaudible, and impossible to listen to. I gave up about two hours into the book, having understood only about half of what had been said. I'll be damned if I'm going to listen to a 14 hour long audio book, 7 of which consist of incoherent mumbling!

Excellent

Mark Twain's Life on the Mississipi is excellent, one of his best works. It contains a nice blend of humor and a picture of a part of early American life. Some of the previous reviewers commented negatively on the recording quality, which kept me from getting this book up to now but I finally decided to go for it anyway. To tell the truth I can't find anything wrong with the recording quality so I'm not sure why the other reviewers complained, plus the narrator has a very clear voice and one which seems to capture my mental image of Twain.

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Title: Main Street

Author: Sinclair Lewis

Narrator: Barbara Caruso

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-03-99

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 125 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Widely hailed as a milestone in American literature, Sinclair Lewis'

Main Street vividly describes a country on the verge of massive change, with traditional values being threatened by progress. The novel's heroine, Carol Milford, is a highly educated, ambitious woman who plans to join a newly enlightened society. But after marrying a small-town doctor, she finds herself trapped in the role of a dutiful wife. Carol's desires for social change conflict with the security of her comfortable married life, as she struggles to understand the cost of conformity...and rebellion. As relevant today as it was upon its 1920 publication,

Main Street is both a masterful piece of writing and a fascinating microcosm of America's social evolution.

Critic Reviews:

"A most searching and excellent piece of work; a feather in the cap of literature." (John Galsworthy)

Members Reviews:

Delightful reading of an excellent book

When downloading this book, I was unsure which reading to choose. First I noticed that this reading is about 2 hours longer than the other one, meaning that the other recording was read at a much faster clip. I listened to the audio samples and decided this was the superior choice. I was not disappointed. Ms. Caruso is a fantastic storyteller. I have noticed that even excellent male readers sometimes annoy with their falsetto "female" voices, but Ms. Caruso does an excellent job with the men in this story, while of course doing a wonderful Carol. She brings the 85-year-old dialog to life with a delightful, graceful rhythm that flows as naturally as if it were written last year. I wish she had narrated more books that interested me. Maybe I'll check out "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" just for her.

As for the book itself, I was surprised by just how relevant Mr. Lewis's depiction of life in 1910s Gopher Prairie remains today. We really have not changed much as a nation. Or perhaps we've circled back around. The story of Carol chafing against the small town that thinks the world of itself (and thinks rather little of the world) is poingnant, personal and well-told, while people and attitudes of Gopher Prairie are clearly recognizable in our current national characer. Listen to this book and realize that America exists in the struggle between Carol and Gopher Prairie. Indeed, America is the struggle between Carol and Gopher Prairie. In 2005, as in the 1910s, GP has the upper hand. At other times the Carols of America have, and at some point they will again. But one without the other would not truly be America.

I highly recommend this Audiobook as a wonderful reading of one of the Great American Novels.

Great Classic Well Narrated

This great classic by Sinclair Lewis is a mix of well drawn characters that both touches your heart and engages your mind. Although its fame lies in its depiction of the provincialism of Midwest attitudes, it far surpasses this narrow view of the book. It touches on our humanity. This also happens to be an oustanding narration with excellent audio clarity. Outstanding classic by one of America's leading literary lights.

Worth the price

I first purchased a less expensive audible version of this book and - try as I might - I simply couldn't get into the narrator's rendition of the classic.

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Title: The Marvelous Land of Oz

Subtitle: Wizard of Oz, Book 2, Special Annotated Edition

Author: L Frank Baum

Narrator: Ron Knowles

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-18-09

Publisher: RP Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 69 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

In this sequel to the original book, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman are back with a boy named Tip as well as a host of new characters, including Mr. H. M. Woggle-Bug, Princess Ozma of Oz, Dr. Nikidik, and Old Mombi. When the Scarecrow, now the ruler of the Emerald City, is driven out by General Jinjur and her all-girl army, his friends--the Tin Woodman, a boy named Tip, and Jack Pumpkinhead--try to restore peace. Dorothy isn't in this story, though she is mentioned frequently by her friends.

Members Reviews:

Holy long intro, Batman!

Any additional comments?

Almost 28 minutes of introduction to a kid's story? My son kept telling me he didn't like this book very much. I pooh poohed him, until I sat to listen - WOW! No wonder he got bored. And what's more annoying, the first chapter and the intro are all mushed up into the first section. Can't skip it! Have to 30sec forward until the end of the {Charlie Brown Peanuts teacher voice}. That was a PITA. For everyone else, the story is great just start about 27:30 to get right into it.

Excellent edition of an excellent story

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I thoroughly enjoyed this production. It's well done and well voiced. The narrator did a terrific job with the voicing of the characters in the book. The annotations at the beginning are nicely done and add to the experience. Overall I thought it was one of the better performances I've listened to in all the years I've been listening to books on audio.

What did you like best about this story?

The performance is what's best about this one. Baum wrote an excellent story and in this it is excellently voiced.

What does Ron Knowles bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

The narrator made this experience. His voice is warm and one you want to listen to. To me, it felt like L Frank Baum himself was reading the book. I loved that!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It is, and I did. Oz is magical and I couldn't wait to visit again.

Any additional comments?

I'm glad I bought this and I'm glad I picked this edition. Out of all the samples I tried, this is the one I liked the best. I recommend this for anyone who wants to experience what it might be like to have Mr. Baum himself read the Oz story to you.

Poorly produced

This audiobook was very frustrating for myself and especially my kids as the first 27 minutes is endless droning about each of the books in the series (complete with spoilers). Unfortunately, chapter 1 of the audiobook includes these 27 minutes followed by about 7 minutes of the first chapter of the actual book - with no marker in between. So, it took a very long time to find the actual start. Also, the narrator, in my opinion, is not very good.

the story is wonderful the reader sucks.

Would you try another book from L Frank Baum and/or Ron Knowles?

Ron Knowles obviously doesn't ever read to children because he reads as though he were reading the telephone book

What did you like best about this story?

Frank L Baum is a genius - no matter what. So, all the stories are marvelous.

What didnt you like about Ron Knowless performance?

He never takes his time over a scene or a character. Everything is spoken in the same rigid voice that would be better suited to reading an insurance policy.

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Title: The Great Gatsby

Author: Francis Scott Fitzgerald

Narrator: Alan Munro

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 42 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-19-12

Publisher: Trout Lake Media

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

When F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby in the early 1920s, the American Dream was already on the skids. Originally based on the idea that the pursuit of happiness involves not only material success, but moral and spiritual growth, the dream had, by Fitzgerald's time, become increasingly focused on money and pleasure - a phenomenon with which the high-living writer was all too familiar.

Members Reviews:

Great book but the reader spoils it

What made the experience of listening to The Great Gatsby the most enjoyable?

The classic story!

What aspect of Alan Munros performance might you have changed?

The entire demeanor characters aren't distinguishable enough and the pace of speech is clumsy and gapped.

Any additional comments?

Great story but the Shatner-esque speech of the reader takes me out of the story

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Title: Uncle Tom's Cabin

Author: Harriet Beecher Stowe

Narrator: Liza Ross

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-01-00

Publisher: Naxos AudioBooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 44 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

This intensely dramatic and moving novel has remained a best-selling classic since it was first published in 1852. The slaves Eliza and George make a desperate bid to escape to Canada, while Uncle Tom is sold to two successive and very different owners. Abraham Lincoln himself acknowledged the role played by this seminal text in the Civil War, the aim of which was (in part) to emancipate the slaves of the southern states.

Members Reviews:

Stowe's contribution to History

Josiah Henson was the man who's slave live forms the basis of this book. This book influenced many people to take a stand against "the peculiar institution" and served to give humanity to the slave himself. Anyone interested in reading a book that changed the face of this country should read Uncle Tom's Cabin. Prior to that however a quick google search of the author will give the reader perspective! Because it is a period piece it can be difficult to cherish, or even finish, without understanding the background of the writer and why she wrote it.

Everyone should read/listen to this one

A true classic--a must read for any American. Makes the slavery issues of the precivil war era personal and tangible Great narration.

Great book, way better than I expected.

What made the experience of listening to Uncle Tom's Cabin the most enjoyable?

The story was excellent, I was worried about reading slave narratives in my American Literature class. I thought they would be written poorly given the stereotype of uneducated slaves, however the opposite is true. We read five different slave narratives in class and they were all written very well. Actually they were easier to read and understand than many of the other novels we read for class. This book was great, I'm very glad that I read it!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Uncle Tom

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The reader was fine, the audio quality was low.

Any additional comments?

Read it.

Great Book even after a hundred and sixtey years.

Without a doubt one of the best books I have ever had the the honor of listening to. Its sad we allowed the establishment of slavery to exist as long as we did. Those who were evil got what they deserved.

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Title: The Prince and the Pauper

Author: Mark Twain

Narrator: Dick Hill

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-02-11

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 29 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper is a timeless tale of switched identities. After the young Prince Edward VI of England and a peasant boy switch places, the "little king" tries to escape from a world in which he must beg for food, sleep with rodents, face ridicule, and avoid assassination.

Meanwhile, the peasant, who is now the prince, dreads exposure and possible execution - while members of the Court believe he has gone mad. As a result of the swap, both boys learn that social class, like so much of life, is determined by chance and random circumstance.

Originally published in 1881, The Prince and the Pauper is one of Twain's earliest social satires. With his caustic wit and biting irony, he satirizes the power of the monarchy, unjust laws and barbaric punishments, superstitions, and religious intolerance. Although usually viewed as a child's story, The Prince and the Pauper offers adults critical insight into a people and time period not really all that different from our own.

Members Reviews:

Very engagibg story

The family enjoyed the story very much during our trip to Florida and back. The narrator is very good but difficult to understand at times due to his accent and the older English of much of the dialog.

Education of a Prince

Dick Hill does a superb job in narration and bringing the characters to full vigor. Twain's language is a little clunky. I would place this story on the same level as "Tom Sawyer." This novel should be studied by all in middle school.

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Title: Billy Budd

Author: Herman Melville

Narrator: Christopher Timothy

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-19-12

Publisher: The Copyright Group

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Billy Budd, Sailor is a classic confrontation between good and evil, and the story of an innocent young man unable to defend himself against a wrongful accusation.

Members Reviews:

This classic deserves a terrific narrator and Timothy nails it!

I wish Timothy would do more classics, especially those where different English dialects are needed

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Title: The Bishop's Wife

Author: Robert Nathan

Narrator: Stephen R. Thorne

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-01-13

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 9 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

This classic tale is the inspiration behind the beloved Christmas film of the same name starring Cary Grant and Loretta Young.

Bishop Henry Brougham desperately wants to build a great cathedral for his overcrowded parish. The problem is he doesn't know how he will find a capable archdeacon to help fund the project. But that's not his only problem. Though his beautiful wife Julia fulfills her marital duties, there is no passion between them. When the bishop prays for help, it comes in the form of Michael, a handsome, golden-haired angel who takes the position of archdeacon. Michael exudes love, which draws new and unexpected emotions from Julia. However, Michael's limitless capacity for love is stifled by his mortal duties of manipulating money from wealthy and religious patrons.

With the holidays approaching, the bishop senses the mutual attraction between Julia and Michael. Will the purity of a divine love lure Julia away, or will her sense of marital duty prevail?

Members Reviews:

Angel from heaven boring as...

This is a rare instance in which the movie is better than the book. FAR FAR better.

The characters in this book are stilted and repressed and barely in love, if at all.

It's a tragedy really.

The reader is average but the material wasn't the best to work with

Disappointing that it wasn't anything like one of my most beloved films.

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Title: The Mysterious Stranger and Other Stories

Author: Mark Twain

Narrator: William Fortier

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-31-11

Publisher: Trout Lake Media

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

The Mysterious Stranger is Mark Twains final novel. It was worked on periodically from roughly 1890 up until 1910. The body of work is a serious social commentary by Twain addressing his ideas of the Moral Sense and the "damned human race". The story tells of the adventures of Satan, the sinless nephew of the biblical Satan, in an Austrian village in the Middle Ages. Classic storytelling. A very interesting side of Twains writings. The recording also contains the short stories "A Fable, The McWilliamses And The Burglar Alarm, Hunting The Decietful Turkey.

Members Reviews:

Learn basic pronounciation before you perform

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

The book is a classic and worth the time, but the reader cannot pronounce basic words.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Mysterious Stranger and Other Stories?

The thin line between good and evil, and how most evil is done by men, not devils.

Would you be willing to try another one of William Fortier???s performances?

No. He can't pronounce basic words. He should spend time with a good pronouncing dictionary before trying to read a book.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

My reaction was mostly pique at the reader, and trying to guess what word he *really* meant.

Any additional comments?

Any Twain is good, but I'd try a different reader.

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What disappointed you about The Mysterious Stranger and Other Stories?

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What was most disappointing about Mark Twains story?

nothing

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of William Fortier?

nothing

What character would you cut from The Mysterious Stranger and Other Stories?

nothing

Any additional comments?

nothing

Should have accepted the other reviews.

What would have made The Mysterious Stranger and Other Stories better?

A completely different story.

What could Mark Twain have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

A completely different story.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Taken a different job.

You didnt love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The addition of other short stories at the end.

Great story, terribly read

Love this story and it's perspective on human morality. Sadly it's being read by someone who mumbles, slurs, has very little understanding of the English language and mispronounces even the simplest of words. I can barely understand what he's saying some of the time. He does make an effort to create a different voice for each character, so I've given him a star for effort, but I feel that he gets Satan's voice all wrong!

Great story, badly cast.