Large Library of Full Greatest Audiobooks in Classics, British Literature Best Sellers

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Title: Persuasion

Author: Jane Austen

Narrator: Anna Massey

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-09-07

Publisher: CSA Word

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

As with all Jane Austen novels, this draws much of its appeal from the author's talent for observation and satire. The snobberies of a genteel world are exposed by its demurely mischievious heroine.

Critic Reviews:

"In this, Jane Austen's last completed work, satire and ridicule take a milder form, and the tone is more grave and tender." (The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature)

"Anna Massey's quietly humorous tones are effective in bringing out...the subtle irony of Persuasion. Austen admirers will savor every word." (The Good Book Guide)

Members Reviews:

It's One Heavy Book

So I just wanted to let others know that this collection is one giant book of all Austen novels combined. You can't tell from the picture, but I was actually expecting (and hoping for) individual books packed in one box like other book collections I have. So I was definitely a bit disappointed when I received this book. And while I am used to reading large books like David McCullough biographies, this compilation is by far the heaviest I have in my possession. I'm not sure I will be able to read this in bed or even hold it up in my arms for any long period of time. So beware. I would have chosen differently if had this information when I was contemplating purchase.

EMMA

A lot of water under the bridge since first reading this book many years ago. I do not know why I liked it so much them...possibly I was blinded by adolescents and want everyone to have a loving mate and played match maker myself thinking also I was above others..shame on me!! This book the second time around was so frustrating I could have screamed in parts. How dare Emma feel so superior in her small town and looked for others to make over in her image. How dare she play match maker with every eligible bachelor and made in the area thinking she knew best. Was she a true friend visiting all the families and offering her solicitations as if she were the queen and it being a big gift to shower her presence with others (all of whom she felt were inferior) on a regular basis.

Glad to have revisited this book and will revisit others but don't think they will be by Jane Austen. My book was downloaded onto my Kindle from Amazon.

Its starts off Emma becoming good friends with a girl named Harriet

Emma Woodhouse is a young girl growing up in a family of wealth and high class. Throughout the story, Emma becomes what some would call a matchmaker. Its starts off Emma becoming good friends with a girl named Harriet. Harriet doesnât know her parents therefore she doesnât have money or a high social ranking. Emma attempts to set her up with two different men and both come crashing down miserably. Emma attempts to help everyone Emma falls in love with a man by the name of Frank Churchill. She thinks they will wed, but later on you find out heâs already secretly engaged to a woman by the name of Jane. Emma is devastated by this but begins to reflect upon her feelings. She ends up confessing her love for her brother in law Mr.Knightley who has been guiding her throughout the story and Harriet marries Mr. Martin.

Jane Austenâs writing style was very witty, short, and sweet. She used clever wording that packs a punch in short sentences. The sentences could be unfinished and have dashed, which was used for emphasis on the urgentness and feeling of the character talking. The mood of the story is somewhat ironic.

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Title: The History of Tom Jones

Author: Henry Fielding

Narrator: Nigel Davenport

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 24 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-08-07

Publisher: CSA Word

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

As childhood and school days segue into adulthood, Tom's affections for a playmate, Sophia, mature, and she seems to reciprocate. But life is never simple. It appears she is intended for the scheming Master Blifil, and complications arise when Tom is duped. In disgrace, he leaves home at age 19 for Bristol and the sea. Sophia too runs away, and the course is set for numerous adventures and misadventures.

Critic Reviews:

"The work is generally regarded as Fielding's greatest." (The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature)

Members Reviews:

Delightful and entertaining

314. The History of Tom Jones: a foundling by Henry Fielding (Novel-Audible/E Book-Fiction) 5* I read along with the Audible of the novel which I found a highly delightful and entertaining experience.

The narrator, Bill Homewood, who performed the audio version of the work was excellent doing the various characters as well as the invisible narrator (author) of the story. The Synopsis is as follows:

A foundling of mysterious parentage brought up by Mr. Allworthy on his country estate, Tom Jones is deeply in love with the seemingly unattainable Sophia Western, the beautiful daughter of the neighboring squireâthough he sometimes succumbs to the charms of the local girls. When Tom is banished to make his own fortune and Sophia follows him to London to escape an arranged marriage, the adventure begins. A vivid Hogarthian panorama of eighteenth-century life, spiced with danger and intrigue, bawdy exuberance and good-natured authorial interjections, Tom Jones is one of the greatest and most ambitious comic novels in English literature.

It is rather brilliant, and there is no lack of shenanigans as we follow Jones through his history and the reader never knows when and where the author will abruptly go off on a tangent, told in a most eloquent manner, end with a flourish and no doubt tossed his quill down and took a bow. I am either taken in by some farce or thoroughly enchanted by this author. As Fielding is rather the loquacious writer this read comes in Audible time at almost 38 hours or roughly 1,000 pages but worth every minute spent on it.

The book itself is five stars!

This is a review of the Oxford Classic Kindle edition.

The book itself is one of the greatest novels ever written; this is maybe the third time I've read it. Fielding is a master of irony, by which I mean genuine irony, not the mean sarcasm that often passes for irony these days. Fielding is never mean-spirited. His irony is generous and his humor is benevolent. His characters are three-dimensional, never all good or all bad. Before reading this, I had been re-reading several Dickens novels, and the contrast is enormous. A Dickens villain is a villain to the core, and his heroes (and especially his heroines) are saints. Tom instead is a young man with many faults, but a great heart. Sophia, his beloved, is a genuinely good person, but she's got a certain fiery spirit, and has her moments of doubt and remorse.

I advise you to read every word of this novel. It's divided into books, and the first chapter of each book is an address to the reader, expounding Fielding's theories on literature and on human nature. An impatient reader might be tempted to skip these, but that would mean missing a lot of worthwhile and enjoyable reading.

I have some quibbles with the Kindle edition. There were some mistakes in the passage from print to pixels, but they were not excessive.

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Title: Oliver Twist

Author: Charles Dickens

Narrator: John Wells

Format: Abridged

Length: 3 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-26-06

Publisher: Hodder Headline Limited

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Through the immortal characters of Oliver, Nancy, Bill Sikes, Fagin, the Artful Dodger and Mr. Bumble, Dickens mercilessly sends up the hypocrisy of 19th century life: the high-minded reformism of the intellectuals and the snobbery of those in power.

If you enjoyed this Charles Dickens classic, then check out

.

(P)1995 Hodder & Stoughton Audiobooks

Members Reviews:

TV and Movies versions were good, but the book is better. . .

One of my co-workers encouraged me to read this since I have only seen the TV/Movie versions. It was a quick read and very enjoyable. Fortunately, the TV/Movie versions weren't too far off the mark. Regardless, there were facets of the story that you would only get through the book, which is why reading the book will always be my favorite option.

BAH! HUMBUG!! "God bless Us, Every One"

A Christmas Carol is a beloved Christmas favorite. Nothing says Christmas like favorite Christmas stories. This timeless tale has been told in many versions. Iâve seen the movie and play but Iâve never read the book. I thought it was about time to finally read this tale.

The illustrations throughout the book were fun to look at. Not common to find illustrations in books today unless they are children stories.

Lots of great quotes come from this story but the most famous is BAH! HUMBUG! followed by:

"God bless Us, Every One!"

Standalone

As great to read vs as to watch as a production.

We've enjoyed many kinds of productions of this classic Scrooge story. The original makes us 'rise to the occasion' - or at least gets us to mentally take the time to step back in that era. Life was so different, so the real factor is (I think) a little richer, than already assembled viewables. Emotional, and the older language adds some incentive to digging into the story.

A must read!

Dickens has always intimidated me. Somehow, I made my way through high school and college without having to read one of his novels. Finally, a few weeks before Christmas, I decided to give this a try when I learned it is relatively short. I figured if it took some work, at least it wouldn't take all that long. I'm sorry I waited so long. It was impossible for me to separate this from the many versions of A Christmas Carol I've seen over the years. I loved it. I enjoyed the glimpse into the time and place of the story. The story and theme are, of course, legendary.

Don't be intimidated. This is a book everyone should read at least once.

Classic I Know

I have tried this one before and was distracted within the first five chapters but with the advise of a colleague I am going to attempt this one again. I am late 30's and sometimes have a tough time focusing for long spans of time unless the story is captivating from the get go, you have to appreciate writing for the sake of verb-age and description to get into this. So, because it is a classic and I think the classics should be read - I'll give it another go but not looking forward to it despite the wonderful reviews. Hated Pride and Prejudice too - just depends on personal taste I suppose. Loved The Divine Comedy....

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Title: Vanity Fair

Author: William Thackeray

Narrator: Edward Petherbridge

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-08-06

Publisher: CSA Word

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Vanity Fair is a satirical masterpiece, a sweeping panorama of early 19th-century English life. Thackeray's much-celebrated novel has been dramatized for television, radio, and most recently for film starring Reese Witherspoon and Romola Garai. It follows the fortunes of the virtuous Amelia Sedley and the infamous Becky Sharp. Becky is one of literature's most important and controversial female characters; born into the lower classes, she must rely on her wit, guile, and sexuality to master Regency society. And neither friendship nor trust can abate Becky's desire to climb London's social ladder and satisfy her own ends.

(P)2005 CSA Telltapes Ltd

Members Reviews:

Thackeray's Vanity Fair: The Victorian Society

When I read the book I got the impression that I was given a unique oportunity to look at the Victorian society and recognise the things that were both good and bad about it. The novel is "without a hero", as Thackeray proclaims, but it is about the life and development of two women Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley. By comparing and contrasting the two of them, Thackeray manages to show his readers that society in the Victorian Era influenced the development of the character of his heros, but not to the point of actually making them what they turn out to be. It is a wonderful book, full of insight and ever so true for our own time as well. If you want to know many truths about the Victorians and their lives, that's the book to read... You will, undoubtedly, enjoy the experience

Thackery is more than happy to offer several pages of explanation and further clarification

Where most authors would make a statement, and perhaps give a paragraph or two of explanation, Thackery is more than happy to offer several pages of explanation and further clarification. The word usage is perhaps more flowery than modern writing, but the characters are interesting. Becky Sharp would nowadays be either written up as a success story or have enough money to bury the unflattering past. Vanity Fair makes the point that this was a bad time to be without money, for both men and women alike.

Good read prior to watching the movie

This book is a social commentary on the life in the early 1800s. Society's rules are rigid and social climbers are not looked upon with favor. Poverty is deemed a personal fault as well as a social stigma. Becky Sharp is a clever girl who gets her way but ultimately gets ground down by society. She proves herself to be more than a schemer but is not able to achieve the socal status she craves.

Her friend Amelia, as clueless as she can be is ultimately saved from a life of unhappiness through Becky's intervention. Lots of subplots, deviousness, snobbishness, manipulation etc. Life hasn't changed too much. Money is still power, however in those days the upper class could live a long time on credit and their name. Thackeray is none too subtle as to his contempt for social classes and the power they have over the lower classes. I recommend this and then see the movie with Reese Witherspoon.

Favorite Victorian Novel

I wish there was an inexhaustable reserve of Victorian novels like this one but of course there comes a point when you've read them all. This ranks in my top 20 favorite novels of all time. Seems to me if I remember correctly a bit of a twist ending. Compelling characters and great story.

Great story

A very interesting tale. Sometimes long winded.

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Title: A Christmas Carol

Author: Charles Dickens

Narrator: Martin Jarvis

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 23 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-22-06

Publisher: CSA Word

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

The very popular Christmas story given the full Martin Jarvis brilliant treatment. A whole new and accessible angle on an old favourite!

(P)1994 CSA Telltapes Ltd.

Members Reviews:

Martin Jarvis and Dickens at there very best

The combination of Charles Dickens and Martin Jarvis is an example of the Audio book at its best ,no more need be said

A classic beautifully read

Martin Jarvis does an excellent job of reading this story. Like the best narrators, it seems like he is telling you the tale from memory rather than reading from the page. If you have a long journey to make over Christmas then this is the perfect length to put you in the holiday mood. I loved it.

A Christmas Carol. read by Martin Jarvis.

Where does A Christmas Carol rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

A favourite but not my number one favourite.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Scrooge. I love the way he changes with each Ghost.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Where Scrooge realises that he is the body under the sheet.

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

It's a real feel good story to watch Scrooge become a better human being as the story unfolds.

Any additional comments?

Martin Jarvis is one of my favourite audio readers, especially when he reads Dickens as he has a natural affinity for exactly interpreting the characters.

A Captivating Performance

Another excellent reading by Martin Jarvis. He may not be to everyone's taste, but for me this is the definitive audio version.

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Title: Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Author: Thomas Hardy

Narrator: Peter Firth

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-01-05

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Against the lovely background of the English countryside, Thomas Hardy sets his tale of seduction and betrayal as Tess, his beautiful heroine, speeds to her destruction.

Lusted after by one man, set on a pedestal by another, Thomas Hardy's lovely heroine Tess is betrayed by both. Full of images of light and shade, Tess of the D'Urbervilles makes splendid listening in a tale that is both passionate and tender.

Members Reviews:

A brilliant production

Eleanor Bron excels in this reading of 'Tess'. I have been a fan of Hardy and, in particular of this novel which I consider to be his second best. Eleanor Bron's reading is remarkable - she manages to depict the purity of Tess' spirit and the pressures on her. Her accent is brilliant. I would recommend this to lovers of Hardy and to all who like a really well constructed novel. This recording also gains by the fact that it is unabridged.

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Title: Silas Marner

Author: George Eliot

Narrator: Hannah Gordon

Format: Abridged

Length: 3 hrs and 8 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-01-05

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

First published in 1861, this simple but moving story of loss and redemption, and of the transforming power of love, remains the most popular of George Eliot's novels.

Members Reviews:

"Hope for the Hopeless . . ."

This was a fine story and novel, almost a novella as it is not lengthy. This is a story about a weaver and the weaving trade in days gone by.

It is a story about a steady personality (the protagonist) who overcomes devastating adversity and personal cruelty under small favourable circumstances which are both unpredictable for the reader and could be true to life. This novel, could be based on a true story for its detail and convincing authenticity of trade and character development. The storyline lent itself well to being dramatized with Sir Ben Kingsley playing "Silas"

in the 1980's BBC production which adheres well to the intention expressed in the novel by George Eliot

The paperback by George Elliot makes a fine gift for a young person starting life.

not just for high school students

Most of my friends read Silas Marner in high school English and still shudder, but my high school marched to a different drummer (or none) and I had never read it. No one would pretend that it is one of George Eilot's masterpieces -- it's no Middlemarch, not by a long shot. But even in its much smaller way, it has all the germs of her intelligence, literary style, and human compassion, even when tainted by a certain predictability and triteness of plot. It also has Eliot's greatest weakness, which is that she seems to lose interest in the central situation she creates once it has been fully developed, and as in many of her (greater) books, rushes to the end once it is in sight.

Still, no person who wishes to be thought literate in English literature should not have read Silas Marner. For whatever shortcomings it may have, it's a page turner by a literary master.

It's a classic!

I very much enjoyed this classic book. I was never required to read it in school, so had no preconceived opinion about it. It was a sad tale with a happy ending of the "and they lived happily ever after type." The only reasoning I rated it 4 stars instead of 5 is because of all the detail. Like a lot of classics, there was so much detail that I neither wanted nor understood. For the most part, I just skimmed over it. Nevertheless, I found it a good story, well worth the time to read.

Sorry I didn't read it earlier

I was supposed to read this book in 9th grade but didn't. Fudged my way through. Now, fifty-four years later, I regret not doing my assignments. Eliot accurately captures the lifestyle and culture of 19th century rural England. She also clearly demonstrates the unconscious loss a hoarder and a loner sustains. Is there a moral here? Perhaps more of a reminder to us of where gold really lies.

An outstanding story.

This is a fabulous story. I have read it many times in a regular edition. This edition is very large with small print. It is like a large sheet of paper. I bought it for my granddaughter and she still has not read the book due to the size I imagine. Sad for her and for me.

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Title: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Author: Oscar Wilde

Narrator: Simon Callow

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 46 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-01-05

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Condemned as immoral when it was first published in 1890, Oscar Wilde's tale of the beautiful young man who "sold himself to the devil for a pretty face" follows the fortunes of Dorian Gray when his prayer for eternal youth as he contemplates his newly finished portrait is answered. Dorian falls under the corrupting influence of Lord Henry Wotton, who urges him to "be always searching for new sensations", and, relieved of any consequences of his actions, knowing that he will remain untainted while the portrait bears the burden of his excesses, he descends into brutality and even murder. Eventually, haunted by his own decadence and determined to redeem himself, Dorian realises that his only hope lies in destroying the portrait.

(P)1993 HarperCollins UK

Critic Reviews:

"Simon Callow's reading is amusing and poignant." (Sunday Telegraph)

Members Reviews:

Beautiful Book

What I liked:

It was very well written, the narrative and characters were very interesting with right amount of details. Makes you reflect on how to live your life and how your choices can affect it.

What I didnât like:

The book starts with great philosophical content. However the middle of the book drags out a little too much. I kept waiting for the big moral of the story but it didnât really have an end that wraps things up, the moral happens through the book and is left for reader to question things as they develop by themselves. I didnât really care for the jump in time and how major details were omitted by author.

I

Good book, I didn't like it much though

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a heart breaking story of the effects of selfishness and narcissism. I am not a huge fan of literature that utilizes characters that are all wit and no substance. I feel that is the way with most of the characters in this book. Lord Henry is one-dimensional and his personality consists of nothing more than witty ways of saying the same thing over and over. Dorian Gray shows hints of complexity throughout the book, but his choices, not to mention his total lack of making decisions based on what he thinks rather than other people, force him into the one-dimensional corner as well. I liked the overall story and appreciated the message that although Dorian Gray could escape the corporeal negatives his actions would have caused that the mental trauma is what got to him. I feel that it is well written with a good story. I dock a star because I just don't like the non-stop witty and empty characters.

Classic Lit for a Literature Lover

So far as Classic literature goes, Dorian Gray is very readable. It's fairly slow to start (one of the drawbacks of reading on a Kindle is that it's very easy to glance at the bottom of the page and think "hey, I'm 30% of the way through the novel and the plot is only just now getting started") and if you're at all familiar with the premise, you have a pretty good idea of where the story's going. However, since the specific plotpoints in this book are less widely known than a lot of other Classics, there's still room for tension, surprise, and engagement.

Not for people with short attention spans

Unfortunately, I was disappointed with this book. I wanted to read this book so I can say I read at least one 'classic' as an adult.

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Title: Vanity Fair

Author: William Thackeray

Narrator: Miriam Margolyes

Format: Abridged

Length: 3 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-01-05

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Set against the background of the Napoleonic wars, Vanity Fair follows the contrasting fortunes of two young women, Amelia Sedley and Becky Sharp, who go out into the world together, but whose lives take very different courses. The sensitive Amelia begins with every social advantage and the prospect of a good marriage, but war and sudden drastic decline in her family's circumstances dash all her hopes; while Becky, a drawing master's daughter with only her wits to rely on, embarks on a campaign to launch herself into society, marries Rawdon Crawley, an aristocratic rake, on an impulse, and begins a giddy social whirl on "nothing a year" and an ocean of debt. Thackeray's "novel without a hero" is a lively satirical journey through English society, exposing greed, snobbery, and pretension.

© William Thackeray; (P)1994 HarperCollins UK

Members Reviews:

Thackeray's Vanity Fair: The Victorian Society

When I read the book I got the impression that I was given a unique oportunity to look at the Victorian society and recognise the things that were both good and bad about it. The novel is "without a hero", as Thackeray proclaims, but it is about the life and development of two women Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley. By comparing and contrasting the two of them, Thackeray manages to show his readers that society in the Victorian Era influenced the development of the character of his heros, but not to the point of actually making them what they turn out to be. It is a wonderful book, full of insight and ever so true for our own time as well. If you want to know many truths about the Victorians and their lives, that's the book to read... You will, undoubtedly, enjoy the experience

Thackery is more than happy to offer several pages of explanation and further clarification

Where most authors would make a statement, and perhaps give a paragraph or two of explanation, Thackery is more than happy to offer several pages of explanation and further clarification. The word usage is perhaps more flowery than modern writing, but the characters are interesting. Becky Sharp would nowadays be either written up as a success story or have enough money to bury the unflattering past. Vanity Fair makes the point that this was a bad time to be without money, for both men and women alike.

Good read prior to watching the movie

This book is a social commentary on the life in the early 1800s. Society's rules are rigid and social climbers are not looked upon with favor. Poverty is deemed a personal fault as well as a social stigma. Becky Sharp is a clever girl who gets her way but ultimately gets ground down by society. She proves herself to be more than a schemer but is not able to achieve the socal status she craves.

Her friend Amelia, as clueless as she can be is ultimately saved from a life of unhappiness through Becky's intervention. Lots of subplots, deviousness, snobbishness, manipulation etc. Life hasn't changed too much. Money is still power, however in those days the upper class could live a long time on credit and their name. Thackeray is none too subtle as to his contempt for social classes and the power they have over the lower classes. I recommend this and then see the movie with Reese Witherspoon.

Favorite Victorian Novel

I wish there was an inexhaustable reserve of Victorian novels like this one but of course there comes a point when you've read them all.

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Title: Far From the Madding Crowd

Author: Thomas Hardy

Narrator: Martin Shaw

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-01-05

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

An immediate success when it was first published in 1874, Thomas Hardy's "pastoral tale" of the wilful and capricious Bathsheba Everdene, her three suitors, the faithful shepherd Gabriel Oak, the lonely widower Farmer Boldwood, and the dashing but faithless Sergeant Troy, and the tragic consequence of her eventual choice remains one of the most enduring and popular English novels.

© Thomas Hardy; (P)1989 HarperCollins UK

Members Reviews:

The Genius of Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy considered himself a poet primarily and the novelist part was mostly spurred on by the desire to eat and pay the bills. I suspect that some people may disagree with me, but his poetry is not what he is remembered for.

Hardy's fiction, for the most part, falls under the category of romance that is fleshed out with elements of the class struggle, social values, complex character development,and an understanding of English country life. His writing is detailed, descriptive, and has a poetic narrative that grabs the reader's attention and just won't let go.

Hardy's novels usually take place in Wessex, a fictional region in England based on his own place of birth Dorset. Far From The Madding Crowd centers on farmer/land owner Bathsheba Everdene and the three men who vie for her attentions. It unrolls as a long and interesting soap opera that takes the heroine through the ups and downs of life, with an adequate amount of sexual tension, frustration, heatbreak, and missed opportunities while playing out any number of subplots before coming to any resolutions. The resounding sub theme throughout are the series of strange occurrences that alter the destinies of Bathsheba and her three very different suitors.

I have probably read this novel 5 or 6 times since my first reading as a teenager. Its themes resonated with me during that first reading and continue to do so with each subsequent reading. This is an exciting book and one that is very easy to read.

A word buffet.

I chose Far From The Madding Crowd (always thought it was "Maddening"!) because I saw a preview for the movie soon to be released and it looked intriguing. I was not disappointed. However, if you do not like literature that is rich and wordy, you will not like this book. I loved Hardy's writing more than the story itself. The characters were fairly predictable in their development, but that did not make the book less enjoyable. I am usually a fast reader but slowed my pace to really enjoy Hardy's writing.

Wonderful story

An absolutely wonderful story that was such a delight to read. The author's has given all his characters such distinct personalities, from the protagonists Gabriel Oat who is staunch, Bathsheba Everdene vain, wishy-washy at times even pitiful to all the towns folk. The story itself has some tragedy, twists and turns and some harrowing times with bits of humor sprinkled in. This is one of the books due to be released this year as a movie, Since most movie screen plays are "based" on the literary work it will be interesting to see how it is translated to the silver screen. I would highly recommend this to everyone,, even though written in 1874 it's a brilliant work of literature,

Thoroughly enjoyable read - Now that I've read will see the films

It was slow going at first because it took me a while to get into the rhythm of the dialect.