Listen to Most Popular Audiobooks in Classics, American Literature

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Title: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Author: Mark Twain

Narrator: Mark F. Smith

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-19-18

Publisher: Paperless

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (or, in more recent editions, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn) is a novel by Mark Twain, first published in the United Kingdom in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885. Commonly named among the Great American Novels, the work is among the first in major American literature to be written throughout in vernacular English, characterized by local color regionalism. It is told in the first person by Huckleberry 'Huck' Finn, the narrator of two other Twain novels, Tom Sawyer Abroad and Tom Sawyer, Detective, and a friend of Tom Sawyer. It is a direct sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

"The book is noted for its colorful description of people and places along the Mississippi River. Set in a Southern antebellum society that had ceased to exist about 20 years before the work was published, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an often scathing satire on entrenched attitudes, particularly racism.

"Perennially popular with readers, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has also been the continued object of study by literary critics since its publication. The book was widely criticized upon release because of its extensive use of coarse language."

[Wikipedia]

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Title: Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All

Author: Allan Gurganus

Narrator: Barbara McCulloh

Format: Unabridged

Length: 49 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-18-18

Publisher: Recorded Books

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Allan Gurganus's Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All became an instant classic upon its publication. Critics and fans alike fell in love with the voice of 99-year-old Confederate widow Lucy Marsden, one of the most entertaining and loquacious heroines in American literature. Lucy married at the turn of the 20th century, when she was 15 and her husband was 50.

If Colonel William Marsden was a veteran of the "War for Southern Independence", Lucy became a "veteran of the veteran" with a unique perspective on Southern history and Southern manhood. Lucy's story encompasses everything from the tragic death of a Confederate boy soldier to the feisty narrator's daily battles in the Home - complete with visits from a mohawk-coiffed candy striper.

Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All is a marvel of narrative showmanship and proof that brilliant, emotional storytelling remains at the heart of great fiction.

Members Reviews:

A Different POV of the times before, during, and after the Civil War

an epic novel, covers some of the territory of GWTW, but from a very liberal peace-loving pov. The main character, the oldest living confederate widow, tells many tales to a young reporter with humor, intelligence, and compassion. The 'sex and violence' is in the form of recollecting the past--a Civil War--a 15-year-old bride--a terrible hunting accident-- so it's not shocking at all, but very honest and earthy. Characters black and white, minor and major are deeply and colorfully drawn--unforgettable.

Compelling

I first read this book when I was 13 or 14 and felt compelled to purchase and read it again. It is about war and love and family, how one can become a veteran of a veteran of war. It is about how tragedy doesn't end when someone dies but how their tragedy can ripple out into other lives, even those that began long after the death.

Anti-War Story

I bit overly long, with passages that were too painful to read. I had to psych myself up for it. It is a good anti war story.

Five Stars

This is such a great read. I still haven't finished it. I'm enjoying it very much though.

Not Your Romantic Fluff!

This book is quite interesting, funny, poignant!

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Title: The Awakening (AmazonClassics Edition)

Author: Kate Chopin

Narrator: Mary Robinette Kowal

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-10-18

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

On vacation in Grand Isle, Louisiana, a married woman falls in love with a charming, attentive young man. The relationship spurs Edna Pontellier to explore her longing for independence and creative fulfillment. It also compels her to defy conventions, rejecting the constraints of marriage and motherhood.

First published in 1899, Kate Chopin's novel drew criticism for its daring portrayal of female infidelity. Rediscovered decades later, it is now lauded for its lyricism, honesty, and astute social commentary. A groundbreaking feminist work and a landmark of modernist literature, The Awakening depicts one woman's journey to define her true self.

Revised edition: Previously published as The Awakening, this edition of The Awakening (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.

Members Reviews:

An actual good classic

I am a 31 year old man, and while I don't think anyone would consider me a "manly man", I'm also far from the type of person people would think would enjoy this book. It's the metamorphosis of a reserved typical (for the time) caterpillar of a woman who grows or "awakens" into a free spirited, ambitious, outspoken, independent woman.

The writing is awesome. In the beginning I really didn't care for the plot much but wanted to give it a try because it's considered a classic and was very controversial for the time. For about the first 30% I really wasn't excited to pick it up and read it, but every time I did, I really enjoyed reading it just because of how well it was written. Then the metamorphosis begins, and I really think there's no better word to describe the change that Kate Chopin masterfully (and I've never once used that word) portrayed. And I love reading that old-time English, but a lot of books it's so old that it's barely understandable to me. This was a perfect mix to me. It had me trying to speak like that since I've finished.

All that said, I can easily see why someone would be turned off by the plot (though not angry at it as so many seem to be) since it's very plain and simple. But if you give it a chance, the writing and the beautiful way she makes the character grow and change is well worth whatever problems you have with it.

No Wonder Men Were Horrified by This Book!

Pssstâ.Want to read a book that was so scandalous when it was published that critics vilified it as "morbid, vulgar and disagreeable"? But that's not the worst of it. Those same critics were most horrified by its amoral portrayal of adultery.

Published in 1899, this classic feminist work by Kate Chopin is now considered one of the great American novels, focusing on a woman's sudden blossoming of sexual passion as it conflicts with all the things proper society expects of her. Edna, age 28, is married with two children and living an upper class life in New Orleans with summers spent on Grand Isle. Over the course of six months, she discovers not only the power of lust and love, but also the power within herself to be an independent woman. No wonder men were horrified by this book.

Brilliant. An author before her time

What can I say about Kate Chopin that hasn't already been said more eloquently? Her writing leaps from the pages. Her characters are no mere sketches, but real people with hearts and minds and life.

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Title: The Scarlet Letter (Annotated)

Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne

Narrator: Cori Samuel

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-22-17

Publisher: Paperless

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

The Scarlet Letter: A Romance, an 1850 novel, is a work of historical fiction written by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. The book is considered to be his "masterwork." Set in 17th-century Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony, during the years 1642 to 1649, it tells the story of Hester Prynne, who conceives a daughter through an affair and struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. Throughout the book, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt.

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Title: The Call of the Wild

Author: Jack London

Narrator: Mark F. Smith

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-22-17

Publisher: Paperless

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

The Call of the Wild is a short adventure novel by Jack London published in 1903 and set in Yukon, Canada during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush, when strong sled dogs were in high demand. The central character of the novel is a dog named Buck. The story opens at a ranch in Santa Clara Valley, California, when Buck is stolen from his home and sold into service as a sled dog in Alaska. He becomes progressively feral in the harsh environment, where he is forced to fight to survive and dominate other dogs. By the end, he sheds the veneer of civilization, and relies on primordial instinct and learned experience to emerge as a leader in the wild. London spent almost a year in the Yukon collecting material for the book. The story was serialized in the Saturday Evening Post in the summer of 1903 and was published a month later in book form. The book's great popularity and success made a reputation for London. As early as 1923, the story was adapted to film, and it has since seen several more cinematic adaptations.

Members Reviews:

The nature of the beast

The internet meme about how dogs were wild and fierce, then they saw we had couches? TL;DR: This book is the reverse of that.

Buck is a pampered, favored house pet given the run of the property at all times. He's well cared for and rules his domain. A gambling gardener steals him to pay off a debt, and Buck's easy life is shattered.

He's broken by harsh men, beat into submission to be rebuilt as a strong, tireless sled pulling machine. He runs on a small ration of fish per day, learns the ways of the sled dog, and slowly takes over as leader of the pack. (Vroom vroom!). When he's too tired to continue, he's taken in by another caring man who fights for him and saves him. In the end, he answers the call of the wild and dominates his new domain.

Amazing!

Of you're a dog lover, you'll love this book about survival of the fittest; the power of a dog's determination and love for a kind loving owner . Nick must survive and overcome many obstacles and misgivings and cruelty before he can recognize that life is more than the daily toil. I really enjoyed Jack London's style and ability to tell a powerful story and convey a powerful meaning.

Once you read this book, written through the eyes of the hero, Buck, you have to wonder what "man's best friend" really thinks about humans. Great read!

Great symbolism!

This book contains two stories: The call of the Wild and To Build a Fire.

The call of the Wild was a difficult read for me. At one point the animal cruelty was so much I put the book down and vowed never to pick it up. But I did pick it back up and Iâm so glad I did. Londonâs use of symbolism and the way he captures human nature is brilliant.

I loved the philosophy in To Build a Fire, and I found many of the same themes echoed in both stories.

Riveting

Catching up on books I should have read in my youth. It is about a dog named Buck and how he went from a life of comfort and was sold into servitude. He made the best of it and through his adventures grew emotionally and smarter. As with other books, sometimes the author shortened the story instead of completing it. Maybe he got tired of the subplot or ran out of ideas. The last story was not shortened. The viewpoint was from storyteller and not the dog.

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Title: Two Years Before the Mast

Author: Richard Henry Dana

Narrator: David McCallion

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-22-17

Publisher: A.R.N. Publications

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Two Years Before the Mast is an American classic published in 1840. This is the account of Richard Henry Danas two-year adventure as a sailor. Throughout his time sailing around Cape Horn on the brig Pilgrim, Dana kept a diary, and on his return to Massachusetts, he wrote this now-loved classic.

While attending Harvard College, Dana was stricken with measles, which would ultimately have a detrimental effect on his eyesight. Instead of going on a Grand Tour of Europe as most young men did in that era, he decided to work as a sailor, believing the open sea would be good for his health. Born in 1815, Richard Henry Dana was an American lawyer and politician who would become best known for being a champion of the common man.

Members Reviews:

It's called a classic because it is one. Not to be missed.

I can't explain how I lived so long without reading this book, and I certainly regret having been so long in doing so. It is justifiably called a "classic." As a long-ago sailor, I found the descriptions of life at sea on a sailing vessel the answer to any complaints I ever had about my brief career aboard. As a Californian, I was fascinated with Dana's descriptions of the often forbidding coast of the Golden State, and life in that still wild country, and its few primitive cities.. Most importantly, as one who treasures good writing, I was carried along by his perceptive understanding, and vivid pictures of the harsh existence of a clipper's crewman.

A Classic worth reading anytime, and more than once!

This is a classic in American literature, as well as history, including quite a bit of early California history. This should be required reading in California High Schools! I was born and raised in California, loved it's history, and never knew about some of the events portrayed in this book.

The authors experiences and his life afterward are also compelling non-fiction.

Five Stars

Fascinating account of life as a common seaman in the 1830's. Open and honest.

interesting but slow

slow read

Two years roughing it at sea in the 1830's.....

This is the way it was on a merchant ship sailing around the Horn to California from Boston circa 1834-6. Besides getting a vivid picture of life on a sailing ship I also learned a lot about early days in California under Mexican rule. Some 24 years or so later Dana returned to California and writes of the enormous changes he saw - mostly a result of the Gold Rush of '49.

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Title: On the Decay of the Art of Lying

Author: Mark Twain

Narrator: Larry G. Jones

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-11-17

Publisher: Audio Sommelier

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

On the Decay of the Art of Lying is a classic essay penned by Mark Twain in 1880. This narration is performed by Larry G. Jones.

Members Reviews:

Twain's sly wit keeps you laughing

Mark Twain may just be one of the best American writers to have graced my bookshelf. The man's sly wit, topical humor and easy-going manner make me love him more and more with each book I read.

This book is no exception. Tongue firmly in cheek, Twain informs the reader on the art of lying and how to be successful in pursuing it.

If you're a Twain fan, you'll want to read this book. And if you're not, you should read this book and become one!

Even silence is a lie.

An essay of which the main point is: lying is universal, we all do it and it occurs everyday. Twain advocates however for "judicious", practiced and graceful lying. Lying meant to pacify peoples hearts and not soil yourself in their eyes by espousing the 'brutal truth' is the key, otherwise you're doing an injustice to both yourself and he you're telling the "truth" to. Sparing people's feelings, raising their heavy hearts and lightening their sorrows... that's the tact behind a good, well timed / placed lie. A very humanitarian effort, if you will.

I personally advocate for the latter - I'm a 'brutal truth' kind of person. However, even I know when to differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate times to lie. Also, contrary to many held opinion - to remain silent about something has great potential to be a lie.

Realistically morally unrelenting.

Twain has delivered hard truths about lies in this gem of an essay. His humor and ruthless honesty may leave one with unnecessary pretense feeling naked and afraid as it were when discussing the practicalities of lying in everyday life, and the impracticalities of unnecessarily ruthless honesty. The irony of his story is only matched by its wit and is certainly rivaled by its wisdom. His core message is founded on what has been called "street smarts" before: the sense of when to tell a judicious white lie. His advice on the matter will no doubt prove timeless.

Typical Twain

This is classic Mark Twain. Turning words into clever hooks that sink deep into our consciousness and pull us on a joyous journey. We may find ourselves days, weeks later, pondering how those thoughts got there. Read and enjoy the ride.

Thought provoking.

This book would be great for someone who is excessively blunt in their opinions of others. I think it does a good job of hi-lighting how others can inflict more pain with their version of honesty than a kinder person would with their version of honesty. Emotions, feelings, and observations in general are so subjective, that you can choose to see others in a way that always paints them positively no matter who they are and what defects they posses. You can only see the good if you want to.

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Title: Dandelion Wine

Author: Ray Bradbury

Narrator: David Aaron Baker

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-08-17

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Ray Bradbury's moving recollection of a vanished golden era remains one of his most enchanting novels. Dandelion Wine stands out in the Bradbury literary canon as the author's most deeply personal work, a semi-autobiographical recollection of a magical small-town summer in 1928.

Twelve-year-old Douglas Spaulding knows Green Town, Illinois, is as vast and deep as the whole wide world that lies beyond the city limits. It is a pair of brand-new tennis shoes, the first harvest of dandelions for Grandfather's renowned intoxicant, the distant clang of the trolley's bell on a hazy afternoon. It is yesteryear and tomorrow blended into an unforgettable always.

But as young Douglas is about to discover, summer can be more than the repetition of established rituals whose mystical power holds time at bay. It can be a best friend moving away, a human time machine who can transport you back to the Civil War, or a sideshow automaton able to glimpse the bittersweet future. Come and savor Ray Bradbury's priceless distillation of all that is eternal about boyhood and summer.

Members Reviews:

Five Stars

I loved this book, but I was the only one in my book club who did.

wonderful copy

The format of this edition is WONDERFUL! The size makes is so easy to hold- the paper quality is the best, print type great! I bought all Bradbury titles that were available.

Ray Bradbury is America's premier 20th century sci-fi writer- however he best writes of the inner workings of humankind. Dandelion Wine gives the reader a glimpse of Bradbury's later works. This book is the quintessential summer read- he perfectly captures the freedom that being young in summertime brings. This coming of age book presents the gamut of emotions that human's posses and the age that this is discovered. The relationship between Douglas and Tom is a perfect piece of growing up as brothers as they encounter the world of small town America, Greentown, in the freedom of summer.

quit reading

not for me

I Made A Mistake By Not Reading This Before

I love Bradbury and have loved his writing since the mid-60s. But Dandelion Wine never appealed to me. No rockets, no Martians, no dinosaurs, no tattoos magically come to life. It's just another coming of age story. But I looked inside and read the first section, in which Douglas acts as a symphony conductor in the upstairs window of his grandparents house waking Green Town early on the first morning of summer. I was hooked. Yes, it's just a coming of age story, but one in the hands of a writer with the soul of a poet. If, like me, you've ignored this work, do yourself a favor and read this. It's inspired me to visit some of Bradbury's works I've missed along the way.

Five Stars

thank you

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Title: Life on the Mississippi

Author: Mark Twain

Narrator: Stephen L. Vernon

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-06-17

Publisher: A. R. N. Publications

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 10 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

The mighty Mississippi River is the backdrop for this charming and adventurous tale. Samuel Clemens, who is better known as Mark Twain, began his Mississippi adventure as a riverboat captain and decided to pen a journal, recording the Mark Twain classic, Life on the Mississippi. Twain writes of the history of the river and relates his own adventures and misadventures as he seeks his fortune.

During Mark Twains time on the Mississippi, not only was he inspired to write Life on the Mississippi, but his experiences would also motivate one of his greatest novels of all time, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Life on the Mississippi is a first-hand account of river travel during the American pre-Civil War era and one of Twains finest works.

Members Reviews:

Mark Twain at his very best. Twain's knowledge and love of the Mississippi combined ...

Mark Twain at his very best. Twain's knowledge and love of the Mississippi combined with his writing style make Life on the Mississippi come alive. Here is where Twain shines. He takes you in and Takes you on an unforgettable journey. Just fantastic!

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Title: The Age of Innocence (AmazonClassics Edition)

Author: Edith Wharton

Narrator: Dick Hill

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-21-17

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Revised edition: Previously published as The Age of Innocence, this edition of The Age of Innocence (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.

Members Reviews:

A Wharton Masterpiece

THE AGE OF INNOCENCE

Although this is a love story on many levels, The Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton, is, also, a documentary of a culture- in this case, the elite rich society of New York in 19th century America- who buries its own dreams and deepest desires behind the greater need to be accepted and approved by oneâs own âreference group.â The book hinges on the words people are âchained to separate destinies,â and proceeds to illustrate how this is true of rich and poor alike.

This star-crossed love story centers on a love triangle. Rebelling against a long-time, smothering tradition, a young, idealistic man, Newland

Archer, marries his loving and sweet-natured-but, boring and traditional- wife, May, under pressure from friends and family. The complication comes when he falls head over heels in love with his wifeâs cousin, the Countess Ellen Olinska, who has recently come home. To the disapproval and shock of her family and New York society she has deserted her husband, a rich, albeit unsavory French Count.

The Countess is a beautiful Bohemian âoutcastâ central to the story because she dares to have the courage to reject that which is destructive to her true nature, making her misunderstood by her family and friends. However, her integrity, compassion, and joie de vivre make her a sympathetic and irresistible character to all who know her, especially the men, who fall under the spell of her charms and are depicted as being in a much better positon to flout the chains of society in contrast to the women of the time.

Archer loves the Countess Olenska because she possesses the attributes he most wants himself, and she is a metaphor for freedom of choice in that she defies the expectations of her sex and the confines of society in exchange for being true to her own ideas of integrity and proper behavior.

A heart-wrenching story of unrequited love, it depicts the forces that band together to bring the protagonists to heel and keep them chained to separate destinies. Their personal desires are squelched by family and friends in the name of dutiful honor and expectations amidst the rigid judgment and hypocrisy of their unyielding, self-righteous social class.

Edith Wharton was a master at evoking the social mores and confines of the society she grew up in, and is often a society that she seems to condemn for its snobbery and hypocrisy.

Even though the book depicts New Yorkâs upper crust of the 19th century, it is âeverymanâs story,â because itâs a reminder to us all that, although we can exist in a world to which we may not want to belong, our choice to remain there may come at the steep and personal price of dream walking through life. This story is so beautifully written and is evocative of human nature which demands that men and women put duty, honor, and pride above all else regardless of individual liberty and personal happiness.

In the concluding pages, the reader has an epiphany that one comes to terms with the sweet fragileness of our memories by consciously choosing to reject choices that may expose and destroy perceived perfection in order to maintain the dream of what might have been. So, it is with Archer.