Get New Releases Audiobooks in Classics, European Literature

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Title: Germinal

Author: Emile Zola

Narrator: Frederick Davidson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-02-06

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 68 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Published in 1885, Germinal helped establish Emile Zola an artist of unsparing candor as the leading figure in the French school of naturalistic fiction. André Gide chose this masterpiece as one of the ten best novels in the French language.

Critic Reviews:

"Few readers of audiobooks can match Frederick Davidson's remarkable skill....He's equal to the task, rendering this complex, yet worthwhile, novel accessible to all listeners." (AudioFile)

Members Reviews:

Welcome

Many have braved the unbelieveble trials that underground mining has put upon those who dare, but for the most part it was a decision made in good faith. Back in the days that Emile Zola wrote of there was no choice. He brings to light in an elequent way the sufferage that was put upon family, friends and even beasts. This is mining at its worst. As a hardrocker with 36 years I can say that it worked. Zola`s Treatise brought about many improvements for the coal miners, and after a fashion, hardrock miners as well. Few books have had so much impact.

Amazing imagery

Zola's book about the struggles of the French working class and the labor movement in the mid-1800's is conscious raising. It reminded me of Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" in it's vivid portrayal of how working people struggled to simply put bread on the table while the bourgeoisie lived in comfort.

The reader gave an excellent performance. As is typical with male readers, he struggles with the female voice. His pronunciation of the French names were superb.

A modern book but over a hundred years old

You may have heard about it in literary history class, but in order to really appreciate it you must read it. This is raw realism, undisguised mud, blood and sweat. People applaud writers like George RR Martin for adopting a "rough" style, but it's not a new invention. More than a hundred years ago writers like Zola turned their backs to the romantic worlds of Dickens and Dumas, got rid of the perfume and make-up, and pushed the reader out into the muck of the real world. This book could have been written yesterday and still be considered great. The fact that it's from the 19'th century makes it brilliant.

The story isn't half bad either. In fact, it's really good.

Good story, uninteresting characters

The book tells a great story in terms of historical descriptions and details. The characters were, unfortunately, uninteresting and two-dimensional. I didn't really care about any of them, and I wasn't moved by what happened to each of them throughout. Fairly disappointing.

An Important Book

I can't decide if I really like this book or not. I certainly like a lot of things about it, especially the ending, but I got bogged down in it. I realize it is a classic and that everyone should read it, but it just got a little strung out for me. I think if I had been alive in the late 19th century I would have loved it, but it isn't as relevant now.

However, I totally sympathize with the plight of the working man of the time. The working conditions were deplorable and wages were so low that a man could not support his family. Not just men, but women and children, and even very old people worked in the coal mines, anyone who was able bodied enough to hold down a job. But even with two, three, or four incomes per household, these families were starving and wearing rags.

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Título: Ana Karenina

Autor: Leo Tolstoy

Narrador: full cast

Formato: Abridged

Duración: 2 hrs and 33 mins

Idioma: Español

Fecha de publicación: 10-18-06

Editor: FonoLibro Inc. (Audiolibros - Audio Libros)

Calificaciones: 3.5 de 5 de 16 votos

Categorías: Classics, European Literature

Resumen del editor:

La novela se desarrolla en la Rusia de los Zares, donde Ana Karenina, una hermosa mujer casada con un poderoso ministro del gobierno ruso, se enamora de un apuesto y rico oficial del ejército, el Conde Vronsky. Buscando la felicidad y desafiando las reglas y normas de la sociedad rusa, Ana Karenina, abandona su esposo e hijo para vivir con su amante, con devastadores resultados.

Viva con este maravilloso audiolibro esta gran historia de amor, la cual levanta controversias y conflictos en la sociedad, familia y amigos, y que termina en un inesperado final.

This audiobook is in Spanish.Este audiolibro es en Espanol.

Reseñas Editoriales:

Ana Karenina is the abridged Spanish-language version of Leo Tolstoys epic literary masterpiece that Fyodor Dostoyevsky called "a flawless work of art" and some critics believe is the greatest novel ever written.

Robustly performed by a full and passionate cast of romantics, and often set to the accompaniment of dramatic music, the listener is swept away to 19th-century Russia and the ultimate tragedy and doomed relationship between Anna Karenina and Count Vronsky.

Please note: this audiobook is performed in Spanish and - at just over 2 hours - is heavily edited from the original sprawling novel.

Opiniones de los miembros:

Good resume

This narration give us a good brief about one of the greatest stories written by Tolstoy. No doubt in recommending.

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Title: Catriona

Author: Robert Louis Stevenson

Narrator: Frederick Davidson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 03-23-06

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 38 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Catriona, first published in 1893, is the sequel to Kidnapped and continues the adventures of David Balfour and his friend Alan Breck. Balfour returns to the city in order to defend Breck against false charges in the Appin murder. In so doing, he becomes a pawn in a game between feuding Scottish clans; he also sets eyes on a young woman whose involvement in the same matter becomes as central to his actions as his desire to vindicate his comrade in arms.

(P)1997 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic Reviews:

"Frederick Davidson delivers the text of this nineteenth-century novel with a thoroughly convincing variety of Scottish brogues and English accents." (AudioFile)

Members Reviews:

A treat

This was an unexpected treat. I read "Kidnapped" in high school (and have listened to several audiobook versions since), but I never got around to reading the sequel. It is, in some ways, an even more interesting story than its predecessor.

David Balfour here completes the process of growing up that he began in the highlands of Scotland. "Catriona" shows the final unfolding of the events that began with the Appin murder. In the process, David is kidnapped again, finds friends in unexpected places, and falls in love. His alliances are complicated: there are few complete saints or sinners here, and even his greatest benefactors are motivated more than a little by self-interest. In the process, David demonstrates physical courage, but more importantly he also shows great moral courage.

There's also, unexpectedly, some sexual tension. David never labels it as such, and Stevenson is discreet in the best Victorian manner, but at one point in the book it's clear that's what's going on. At that point, David and Catriona are thrown together in close proximity, but it's not just the frustrations of love that drive David into frightening mood swings, complete with slammed doors and paroxysms of guilt.

Frederick Davidson is an acquired taste, as I've said in other reviews. I acquired the taste a few years ago and can listen to him now with pleasure and even affection; but my first reaction to his unusual voice was dismay. So I understand that this audiobook may not be to everyone's taste. But if you liked "Kidnapped," and you enjoy Stevenson, and you want to find out how things turned out for David, Alan, and the rest of the gang, give this one a try.

A delightful book

It's hard to say what I liked best about this book -- the writing, the story, the narration -- but it was just one of those books that was so enjoyable to listen to sitting in a park by a pond with ducks and geese, that it will always stay in my memory. The story carries one along effortlessly as you get to know the characters and discover their dilemma. A delightful book that will leave you wanting more.

Sequel to Kidnapped

The story is about David Balfour (main character of Kidnapped) further adventures.

This romatic sequel was written in about 1893 (seven years after Kidnapped). This story stands on it's own, and you do NOT need to read Kidnapped to fully enjoy this book.

Be prepared that this story requires more focused listening because of the language used during the period. Be sure to listen to the sample.

The story is narrated by Fredrich Davidson who has many excellent voices.

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Title: The Stories of I.L. Peretz

Author: I.L. Peretz

Narrator: George Guidall, Suzanne Toren

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 24 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-22-05

Publisher: JCC Audio Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 21 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

This collection features the classic tales "If Not Higher", "Bontsche Schvayg", and "Three Gifts", a brand new translation of "All for a Pinch of Snuff", and a wonderful essay on this great writer and his times by Harvard Professor Ruth Wisse, author of The Modern Jewish Canon.

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Title: Crime and Punishment

Author: Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Narrator: Alex Jennings

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-11-05

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 97 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Translated by David McDuff.

Members Reviews:

Absorbing tale

Although full of desriptions of poverty and depression I found this to be quite an absorbing tale. A lot of the book deals with lengthy thoughts and conversations of the characters and sometimes you wonder what the point is. This is one of the classics I missed reading when I was younger and wanted to catch up on and I'm glad I started it. I find myself wanting to return to it after I put it down.

Great Narration

The longest book I have ever read in the shortest time was a 400 page book by W.C. Baer and I read it in one day. But it is wrong to compare a genre novel to a literary monster such as Crime and Punishment, a book that is so real and so scary in some moments (I became a bit paranoid when Raskolnikov murdered the pawnbroker, feeling the axe in my chest, looking around my room for him, checking my doors) that to study it is to study the psychology of most murderers. Yet, it took me 4 tries to stay with the book. I guess it's because the book spends so much time on Raskonikov's mental state but the reader, he gives you so many distinctive voices, does female characters very good and perfected the imagery people develop about these characters concerning how they would sound. I had to buy this because even though I finished the book in eight months (Paradise Lost was an easier read, if that's believable), the intensity of the story give reasons to read again and again. Do not hesitate to buy this. Great.

Strange and bizarre

This was a strange book. The style is told from the first person and the main character has serious mental issues...but I guess that is the point of the book. This was good book but a little hard to follow at times due to the Russian names. This is a serious read about the subject of murder, the mind and the personal anguish of the main character. Not light listening.

Almost Wish I'd Gotten the Full Version

This abridged version was a very good listen. The story is timeless, yet gives an interesting view of 19th century St. Petersburg. The narrator did a great job, although his British accent (made Cockney for the rougher characters) was a bit disconcerting for this American reading a book about Russians.

It makes me wonder what the other 20 hours in the full version contained, and whether it would have been worth it. But then again, my short attention span has never made it past the beginning of a Dostoevsky novel, so I probably made the right choice.

Worth Every Minute

Obviously, the audiobook is a little long for most in today's fast-paced world. But, I found the depth and detailed descriptions of the hearts and thoughts of the key characters surprizingly enjoyable. The reader was very good, and he added depth to the story by the way he portrayed the various personalities with slight variations of speech. I would highly recommend this book for a good, long, enjoyable listen. If you lose track of the characters, just catch up by reviewing what's going on using one of the many available 'cliff notes' online.

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Title: Nana

Author: Emile Zola

Narrator: Walter Zimmerman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 18 hrs and 42 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-07-05

Publisher: Jimcin Recordings

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 86 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Zola's novels were attacked and even banned for their frankness and sordid detail, causing quite a bit of controversy in their day, with their strong emphasis on the unpleasant and unglamorous side of life. The underbelly of 19th century life was a theme for several of its authors, notably Dickens in English. Because of its film versions (which are considerably toned down) and its controversial subject matter, Nana is Zola's best known novel. It is the story of a prostitute in Paris just before the Franco-Prussian War of 1870.

Editorial Reviews:

Emile Zola was a master of naturalism, a 19th-century literary movement that used realism to show how people are affected by class and other social conditions. His novel Nana was derived from this approach and was a cultural phenomenon when first published, in 1880.

The product of Paris slums, Nana Coupeau goes from a young prostitute to a showgirl. All the while, she seduces men and eventually destroys them. Throughout the story, Zola asks whether Nana is a cold-blooded user of these men or the one being exploited.

Walter Zimmermans mid-Atlantic English and dry delivery, similar to a radio news anchor, suits this anthropological study of a woman of "ill repute".

Members Reviews:

A classic

It's a pity people who are just trolling for a page turner sometimes rent books they can't handle. Perhaps the bad reviewers of this book should stick to bestsellers. This is a magnificent book and extremely well read. It may not be to everyone's taste but it is fascinating and intricate. Besides giving you a slice of Second Empire Paris and its night life, it has characters you care about, and makes you want to know what happens next, which are my two measures of a good story.

No no

What a disappointment. The narrator is reading the book, and not acting. there is no change in his inflections or accents as he changes characters and I nearly fell asleep several times. Yawn. I gave up after chapter 5 so this is not a reflection on the book, only upon this presentation.

Tedious

This title is a poor choice as an audio book. Zola's tedious and precise language is not very suitable to be heard, and the reader's monotone voice makes this a dull, unenjoyable title.

I wish...

I wish that I had read the two extant reviews before I purchased this. I fully agree with their assessments. Or, just as wise--I wish that I had sampled the audio before. He really does read much too slowly and monotonously. Because of this disappointing audiobook I now always try a sample before buying. I really love Zola and was so looking forward to this. I gave it two tries of less than an hour before ditching. But i do recommend Germinal in audiobook.

icky

I didn't enjoy this book on so many levels. The characters are the most unsympathetic lot you could ever have the bad fortune to spend 18 hours with. I couldn't decide if their conduct reminded me more of the impulse control of preschoolers, the backbiting and cattiness of middle school, or the predatory social interactions of a frat party--maybe all of the above, with sex for sale added in. The novel doesn't have the semblance of a plot until about a third of the way in, which makes the first third very slow going, especially since it introduces a plethora of characters that is takes a long time to sort out.

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Titre: Les liaisons dangereuses

Auteur: Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

Narrateur: Ludmilla Mikael, Didier Sandre

Format: Unabridged

Durée: 11 hrs and 50 mins

Langue: Français

Date de publication: 02-10-05

Éditeur: Frémeaux & Associés

Evaluation: 5 sur 5 sur 7 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Résumé de l'éditeur:

Dès leur parution en 1782, Les liaisons dangereuses connaissent un engouement, une vogue qui ne se dément pas. Bonheur des mots, passion d'une intrigue conduite comme un drame classique, Les liaisons conduisent dans les méandres du cœur humain, pétri d'amour et de vanité, mais aussi au sein d'une société marquée du double sceau de la frivolité et de la destruction.

Entendre Les liaisons dangereuses, c'est plonger dans l'univers obscur des âmes avec, pour seul guide, son libre arbitre. Il faut faire table rase de tous préjugés, moraux ou idéologiques, et être prêt à frôler, jusqu'à l'ivresse, la perte...

Une lecture en forme de marche horlogère - tout est en place pour l'exquise mécanique. Ludmilla Mikael, en très élégante mais implacable Mme de Merteuil, engage la pique acérée de sa plume avec le Vicomte de Valmont. Ce dernier, par la voix de Didier Sandre, réplique pas à pas. Il y a du duel, sous les froissements de la soie, il y a des claquements affreux dans le bruissement des parquets. Chaudes, allantes, mais déterminées comme une tactique militaire, comme un chef d'œuvre de maîtrise, les réponses de Valmont esquissent la fascinante gestuelle d'un classicisme parfait. Mais ce ballet-là qui est celui du désir, est celui de la mort aussi.

L'auteur

naît en 1741, dans une famille de la petite noblesse.

Capitaine d'artillerie à la carrière honorable, il ne se fait remarquer que par sa participation à l'élaboration du "boulet creux" (obus). Il épouse en 1786 Marie-Soulange Duperré, dont il a un fils en 1784. Son chef d'oeuvre:

, qui met en scène des aristocrates libertins, fait scandale lors de sa parution, mais Choderlos de Laclos a aussi écrit des texte plus conventionnels: traités de stratégie militaire, essais, poésie...

A la Révolution, Laclos, s'inscrit au Club des Jacobins en 1790, et est nommé commissaire du pouvoir exécutif en 1792. Sous la Terreur, il est incarcéré à deux reprises, et libéré le 1er décembre 1794. La chute de Robespierre le sauve de l'échafaud. Laclos participe à la victoire de Valmy, puis au coup d'État du 18 Brumaire. En 1800, il est nommé général de brigade dans l'artillerie, par décision de Napoléon Bonaparte, puis commandant de l'artillerie de l'armée d'observation, en Italie, où il meurt en 1803.

© Frémeaux & Associés - Groupe Frémeaux Colombini S.A., 2001

(P) Frémeaux & Associés - Groupe Frémeaux Colombini S.A., 2001

Revues par les critiques:

Ils en ont dit...

"Laclos révéla les rêves de son temps en leur donnant vie.

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Titre: Notre-Dame de Paris

Auteur: Victor Hugo

Narrateur: André Dussollier

Format: Abridged

Durée: 4 hrs and 22 mins

Langue: Français

Date de publication: 11-22-04

Éditeur: Frémeaux & Associés

Evaluation: 5 sur 5 sur 3 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Résumé de l'éditeur:

L'action de Notre-Dame de Paris, qui comprend onze livres, débute le 6 janvier 1482. Elle s'étend sur six mois et se termine en juillet. En ce jour de l'épiphanie, dans la grande salle du palais de justice, se joue le Bon jugement de madame la Vierge, un mystère dont l'auteur n'est autre que le poète Pierre Gringoire. Mais la représentation est interrompue afin de permettre l'élection du pape des fous à la manière flamande, c'est-à-dire au moyen d'un concours de grimaces. Cette année-là, c'est Quasimodo, le sonneur de Notre-Dame, difforme, bossu et sourd qui emporte le titre.

D'autres distractions font concurrence au mystère de Gringoire. Sur la place de Grève une jeune égyptienne, la Esmeralda, chante, danse et envoûte la foule avec des tours diaboliques qu'elle exécute en compagnie de sa chèvre blanche aux cornes dorées, Djali. Soudain, arrive l'archidiacre de Notre-Dame. Il dépouille Quasimodo des attributs ecclésiastiques dont l'a revêtu la consécration populaire. Le père Gringoire, dépité parce que le public boude son œuvre se met à suivre Esmeralda, la danseuse des rues. Brusquement, la jeune fille se fait attaquer. C'est Quasimodo qui tente de l'enlever. Gringoire essaie de s'interposer, mais il est précipité sur le pavé. Sans l'intervention du capitaine Phoebus de Châteaupers, la jeune bohémienne était perdue. Ce dernier fait arrêter Quasimodo par ses archers. Pendant ce temps Gringoire, qui s'est égaré dans le Paris nocturne de la cour des miracles, est condamné par le roi des truands Clopin Trouillefou, à la pendaison. C'est alors que survient Esmeralda : elle accepte, selon les coutumes des truands, d'épouser le poète pour lui sauver la vie.

L'auteur

Poète, romancier, auteur de théâtre, critique, journaliste, historien,

est sans conteste l'un des géants de la littérature française. Pourtant les critiques à son égard ne manquent pas. André Gide lorsqu'on lui demandait quel était le plus grand poète français, répondait, mi-admiratif, mi-ironique : "Victor Hugo, hélas". Quant à Cocteau il n'hésitait pas, lui non plus, à se moquer : "Victor Hugo était un fou qui se prenait pour Victor Hugo". Il faut dire que l'auteur des

et des

a allié à la fois ambition, longévité, puissance de travail et génie, ce qui ne pouvait que concourir à ce mélange de fascination et d'irritation qu'il suscite encore aujourd'hui.

Le narrateur

passe son enfance près de Thonon-les-Bains. Il débute au théâtre à l'école à dix ans. Après son bac, il obtient deux licences de lettres modernes et une maîtrise. A 23 ans, il gagne Paris et suit les cours d'Art Dramatique, puis entre au Conservatoire dont il ressort avec un premier prix, en 1972. François Truffaut le remarque et le fait tourner dans son premier film.

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Title: Purgatory from The Divine Comedy

Author: Dante Alighieri

Narrator: Heathcote Williams

Format: Abridged

Length: 3 hrs and 57 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-26-00

Publisher: Naxos AudioBooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 47 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Purgatory is the second part of Dante's The Divine Comedy. The listener finds the Poet, with his guide Virgil, ascending the terraces of the Mount of Purgatory inhabited by those doing penance to expiate their sins on earth. There are the proud - forced to circle their terrace for eons bent double in humility; the slothful running around crying out examples of zeal and sloth; while the lustful are purged by fire.

(P)1998 NAXOS AudioBooks Ltd.; ©1998 NAXOS AudioBooks Ltd.

Editorial Reviews:

Heathcote Williams enters into this new translation of Dante's masterpiece with almost as much enthusiasm as did Dante himself. Whether the souls Dante meets in the Inferno are tortured by cold, fire, their own fingernails, or just longing, Williams manages to make their pain come to life. His narration is so dramatic and so individualized that it feels more like a full-cast production than a solo narration, especially with the accompanying music, which both sets the mood and provides transitions. A short biography of Dante read by John Shrapnel accompanies the production. Shrapnel's voice is full of sympathy over Dante's exile, but his primary quality as a narrator is intense clarity; he handles complex political explanations smoothly and seems at ease with the Italian.

Members Reviews:

hands down the best reading of Dante.

heathcote williams and this free vers translation make the best audiobook of this, the finest spiritual poem ever written,Dantes the Devine Comedy..You will be in awe while listening to this book....

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Title: The Count of Monte Cristo

Author: Alexandre Dumas

Narrator: Bill Homewood

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-26-00

Publisher: Naxos AudioBooks

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 33 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

The Count of Monte Cristo is a tale of revenge and retribution. Edmond Dantes, a young, energetic sailor, is falsely accused of treason on his wedding day and incarcerated in the forbidding Chateau d'If prison. His escape and ultimate revenge on those who wronged him makes this one of the most thrilling stories in French literature, as compelling now as when it was first published in 1846.

Editorial Reviews:

Dumas's sweeping adventure tale of the wrongly imprisoned Edmond Dantés, his transformation into the Count of Monte Cristo, and the long and elaborate course of his revenge on his enemies could certainly be a challenge for audiobook listeners. The intricate plot and dozens of characters require 52 hours in this unabridged production. Fans of the novel will likely appreciate the care taken in the creation of this ambitious production. The recording is crisp and clean, narrator Bill Homewood's pace matches the action well, and the volume is consistent throughout. Homewood invests each character with personality and heart, and throughout the tale his narration remains clear, forceful, and committed.

Members Reviews:

The Count of Monte Cristo

Excellent production and Bill Homewood is fantastic. Highly recommended.

Get the unabridged version

Note even as good as the cliff notes. Despite valiant narrative efforts, it is just too short. This version captures none of the grandeur, sweetness, scale, or depth of the book. Get the unabridged version.