Listen to Most Popular Audiobooks in Classics, American Literature

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Title: Call It Sleep

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Henry Roth

Narrator: George Guidall

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-10-12

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 74 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Lauded as the most profound novel of Jewish life ever written by an American, Call It Sleep seamlessly weaves together the searing pains and subtle joys of immigrant life in New Yorks Lower East Side. It is the story of David Schearl, a dangerously imaginative little boy who arrives from Eastern Europe in 1907. Shock by shock, he is exposed to the blows - and occasional pleasures - of life in the crowded tenements.

Members Reviews:

Very good. An A1 Story, well written, well read.

loved it. Read the book years ago, glad to see it offered in Audio format!

nothing there

Would you try another book from Henry Roth and/or George Guidall?

No more Henry Roth. Yes to George Guidall as I love his voice.

What was most disappointing about Henry Roths story?

It promised to give me a look into the life of a jewish child immigrant living in New York. It didn"t. The story is full of half thoughts and sentences which I could not understand. More than half of the book is about "Mama, oh, oh, oh".

Which character as performed by George Guidall was your favorite?

The rabbi.

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

No.

Any additional comments?

No.

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Title: White Fang

Author: Jack London

Narrator: William Dufris

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-06-12

Publisher: Mission Audio

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

The adventures in the northern wilderness of a dog who is part wolf and who eventually makes his peace with man.

Members Reviews:

Best narration on the audible site

There are many different versions of White Fang to choose from. After listening to a few of them, I have to say that the one by Mission audio is the best. William Dufris gives each character their own voice. My personal favorite was Grey Beaver. I highly recommend this version.

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Title: The Custom of the Country

Author: Edith Wharton

Narrator: Barbara Caruso

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-23-12

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 112 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

The first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for literature, Edith Wharton stands among the finest writers of early 20th-century America. In The Custom of the Country, Whartons scathing social commentary is on full display through the beautiful and manipulative Undine Spragg. When Undine convinces her nouveau riche parents to move to New York, she quickly injects herself into high society. But even a well-to-do husband isnt enough for Undine, whose overwhelming lust for wealth proves to be her undoing.

Members Reviews:

Cannot recommend a better narrator!

Edith Wharton's novel is deliciously enjoyable, especially if you delight in watching detestable characters crush one another and see people behave more brutishly and vulgarly than you could have expected. By "people" I primarily mean the wonderfully named Undine Spragg, a social climber who bulldozes as many people as she can to attain an ever escaping, ever elusive goal of social grandeur and wealth. Wharton's satiric, witty, whip-smart writing fairly sparkles here, and the entire novel has lighter touch, perhaps because about half of it is in the mind of a buffoon, rather than the plodding Archer of Age of Innocence, for example.

But I really want to write about Barbara Caruso here, who should narrate EVERYTHING. She reads with warmth, humor, wit, and imparts an incredible understanding of each of the characters. I wonder about the difficulty of being a readershe has to play every role, and she does so splendidly. Conflicted characters like Undine, whom one would normally expect to hate, are given depth and conviction. Brava.

Wonderful writer. Wonderful reader.

I would highly recommend this version of "The Custom of the Country." The reader, Barbara Caruso, does a superb job of conveying moods, characters' distinct personalities, etc. without overwhelming the narration or putting herself (her voice/performance) at the center of the experience. Her voice does not distract but adds to the beauty of a great classic.

There is nothing I can say about Wharton's writing that hasn't been said far better by over a hundred years of scholarship already.

What a masterful writer she was! Every paragraph is crafted so magnificently that it makes one feel sorry for our contemporary authors who always use the most obvious words and the most unimaginative phrases to say the most common things--thus *not* elevating them (as Wharton does) out of their everyday drabness. One example for all: I recently listened to "The Handmaid's Tale," and I remember thinking "there is not one single beautiful sentence worth remembering"--it's just only plot (and not a well written one at that). An author like Atwood would write that the characters of her story were afraid of getting fat. Fine. BUT Wharton writes of her character that she "shuddered at the

thought that she might some day deviate from the perpendicular"... heeeheehee :) GENIUS! *That* is great writing.

I highly recommend this fantastic story that captures a certain upper-class (mean) spirit so well to everyone (esp. Americans).

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Title: The Diaries of Adam & Eve: Translated by Mark Twain

Author: Mark Twain

Narrator: Mandy Patinkin, Betty Buckley, Walter Cronkite

Format: Unabridged

Length: 2 hrs and 6 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-17-12

Publisher: Fair Oaks Audio, an imprint of Fair Oaks Press

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 62 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Through his imagined journals of Adam and Eve, Mark Twain wrote what has been called one of the great love stories of all time. Mandy Patinkin and Betty Buckley bring Adam and Eve to life, capturing the expected humor as well as the tender eloquence of Twains most personal, heartfelt writing. In one of his last recordings, Walter Cronkite provides an illuminating commentary on how the author came to reinterpret the Genesis story. This expanded edition, unlike any other version, incorporates previously unpublished passages as well as Mark Twains mislaid final revision of Adams Diary.

Critic Reviews:

The best of the best. (Publishers Weekly)

A treasure. Youll want to listen to this one more than once. (Roanoke Times)

An enchanting re-creation. (National Public Radios All Things Considered)

Members Reviews:

Still the Best Recorded Version

This version of a well-loved classic is the best audio version I've found, despite the fact that it's faithful neither to Twain's original manuscript nor to the well-known theatrical adaptation by David Birney (published by Samuel French). Betty Buckley is amazing as Eve, heartrendingly naive, innocent, guileless and sweet. Mandy Patinkin, fabulous actor that he is, is unfortunately not nearly as good; his delivery is far too slow, almost as if he were attempting to stretch out his lines/audio time. You'll find yourself yearning for an older, more seasoned male voice like Hal Holbrook's.

Perhaps Patinkin IS trying to stretch out his lines, because this adaptation cuts out a lot of his early lines, steals some of his lines and gives them to Eve, and incorporates a lot of unpublished later Eve's Diary material that stretches Eve's parts out longer than his. Whatever the reason, it is annoying. Also, this version leaves out the usual ending material (40 Years Later, and Adam at Eve's Grave), which is a shame.

In addition, the use of a credit on one single hour's worth of entertainment seems excessive.

Great Entertainment from the Garden of Eden

Where does The Diaries of Adam & Eve: Translated by Mark Twain rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

Amoung the best

What other book might you compare The Diaries of Adam & Eve: Translated by Mark Twain to and why?

n/a

Which scene was your favorite?

Eve talking about her observations and the man - woman relationship

Any additional comments?

With Walter Kronkite giving the intro and Mandy Patinkin and Betty Buckley as Adam and Eve this is a splendid, quick moving, insightful, fun listen.

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Title: Poems by Walt Whitman

Author: Walt Whitman

Narrator: Mark Moseley

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-14-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 20 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

A collection of poems written by the revered American poet, essayist, and journalist. Included are selections from this most famous work, Leaves of Grass, as well as Drum Taps and Songs of Parting.

Editorial Reviews:

The great Whitman was a humanist. His writing bridged the gap between transcendentalism and realism. Whitman defined what it means to be a citizen of America in concrete and mythical terms. This particular text was culled together for an English audience. It contains excerpts from Leaves of Grass, but also includes parts of Drum Taps. Additionally, a good portion of this text is devoted to examining and rebutting negative critiques of Whitmans work by British critics. Narrator Mark Moseley patiently and succinctly recites the literary arguments. But Moseleys voice blossoms with love and empathy as he shares Whitmans poetry. Whitmans passionate explanations of personhood, society, and nature are winsomely rendered and thoroughly celebrated by Moseley.

Members Reviews:

Sound

Bad sound in some parts. Why does it happen? I would like to know why.

Amazon Ripoff

What disappointed you about Poems by Walt Whitman?

I bought the audible version and then went to my cloud to download the audiobook so I could listen to it but it wasnt there. Guess I got ripped off.

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Title: Captain Blood

Author: Raphael Sabatini

Narrator: B. J. Harrison

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-07-12

Publisher: B.J. Harrison

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 71 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Doctor. Scholar. Soldier. Peter Blood has been all these. But when he is exiled and sold unjustly into slavery, he finds there is another title he must own - Pirate. Now a man without a country, he wreaks his revenge upon the Spanish Main as a buccaneer. The only thing that saves him from absolute dissolution is the love he still harbors for Miss Arabella Bishop. Now, he is forced to balance the dictates of his conscience with his natural genius for piracy.

Members Reviews:

Absolutely enthralling!

If you could sum up Captain Blood in three words, what would they be?

Intriguing, exciting, strength

What did you like best about this story?

It never stops - the story always moves forward! The narrarator was incredible!!! He really did a great job!!

Have you listened to any of B. J. Harrisons other performances before? How does this one compare?

No but I plan on looking him up and getting more of his work. He is great!!!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

My favorite chapter is "Thief and Pirate". It moved me and was so well written

Any additional comments?

I highly recommend this book- should be a must read for all!!

Rather entertaining

This was a good story, not great. It felt like pirates of the Caribbean sort of. It was the kind of story where you know what's going to happen but it's still entertaining to listen to. The narration is great. I love the accents that guy does. He's pretty good at them. I'm glad I listened to this book.

wonderful

nonstop from beginning to end a masterpiece of a story in immense detail....I almost passed it up thank god I didn't...

Swashbuckling defined!

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Yes. I love pursuits and escapes. Blood fleeing alone in desperation would have been good but he's always with friends.

What other book might you compare Captain Blood to and why?

Treasure Island. Pirates, gold, murder etc.

What about B. J. Harrisons performance did you like?

He's good at fake accents. British , Irish , Spanish

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No.

Any additional comments?

Great value at $3.95!

great adventure novel

loved it great characters great performance. my new favorite adventure classic. captain blood is my new favorite hero

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Title: Heart of Darkness

Author: Joseph Conrad

Narrator: B.J. Harrison

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-17-12

Publisher: B.J. Harrison

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 47 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

A weary pilgrimage amongst hints for nightmares. This is how Marlowe describes his journey into the Belgian Congo. And while Europeans go mad, Corporations turn tyrannous, and the legend of a great Ivory hunter is dangled before him, Marlowe observes everything with a keen eye, as we journey with him, into the Heart of Darkness. This audiobook also includes another short story featuring Marlowe, "Youth".

Members Reviews:

Narration not good.

I really enjoyed listening to "Kidnapped" with B.J. Harrison as narrator. I don't know what happened here. I found that his voice did not match the characters, and often he would hush to a whisper for no reason.I could not finish it. Maybe one day I'll get this book by another narrator.

Mesmerizing

Great narration, it draws you in. Hardest part is not listening to the whole thing in one sitting.

Confusing Diction

The word choice is so deep and confusing, it's hard to understand what is going on. Absolutely hated this book.

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Title: The Rough Riders

Author: Theodore Roosevelt

Narrator: Brian Troxell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-25-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 67 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Along with Colonel Leonard Wood, Theodore Roosevelt instigated the founding of the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry in 1898 at the beginning of the Spanish-American War. Nicknamed the Rough Riders by journalists, the Cavalry engaged in several battles. This is Roosevelts best-selling account of one of the most fascinating regiments in American military history.

Editorial Reviews:

In Rough Riders, Theodore Roosevelt recounts the exploits of the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry during the Spanish-American War. Filled with men ranging from Ivy League athletes to glee club singers and Texas rangers, the Cavalry - nicknamed the "Rough Riders" by journalists - engaged in several famous battles under Roosevelt's leadership. The Rough Riders' most legendary deeds were at the Battle of San Juan Hill, and narrator Brian Troxell's energetic performance matches the excitement of Roosevelt's descriptions.

Members Reviews:

Not sure what I was expecting

Would you try another book from Theodore Roosevelt and/or Brian Troxell?

Yes

Would you recommend The Rough Riders to your friends? Why or why not?

I had heard great things about this book, but found it merely interesting. I'm not sure why other readers were so enamoured.

What does Brian Troxell bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

Very much enjoyed Troxell's narration.

Could you see The Rough Riders being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Yes - no comment

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Title: How to Tell a Story and Other Essays

Author: Mark Twain

Narrator: Brian Troxell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 47 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-24-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 149 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

American writer Samuel Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain, has given us some literary gems with Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn and his travel adventures in 19th-century Europe and to Australia and New Zealand. In How to Tell a Story and Other Essays, Twain discusses the telling of stories, rather than providing more stories. Humor, Twain says, is American while comic is English and witty is French. He follows this typically brilliant essay with examples of storytelling and some intriguing experiences of "mental telegraphy".

Editorial Reviews:

One of America's most renowned storytellers, Mark Twain was not stingy with sharing his techniques. In the audiobook How to Tell a Story and Other Essays, Twain delves primarily into how to tell humorous (as opposed to comic or witty) stories, that most difficult of narrative genres.

Voice talent Brian Troxell tells stories like "The Golden Arm" and "The Wounded Soldier" almost as successfully as Twain might have done, while simultaneously delivering Twain's instructions as he proceeds. In other words, Troxell both pauses and ensures that the listener notes the pauses. "The Golden Arm", which sounds like a campfire story supplemented with stage directions, is written in so-called Negro dialect, and is much easier to hear than to read.

Members Reviews:

Does not disappoint! Very funny!

Both the storytelling of Mr. Clemens and the reading of Mr. Troxell make this a laugh-out-loud and very fast 47 minutes! Doubtless Mark Twain is one of history's most comic geniuses!

Great Stuff!!

Would you listen to How to Tell a Story and Other Essays again? Why?

Yes! Timeless and counter-intuitive wisdom from an American Treasure.

What was one of the most memorable moments of How to Tell a Story and Other Essays?

The title essay was very interesting. I had never considered joke telling in this way.

Which scene was your favorite?

NA

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

NA

Any additional comments?

NA

nothing beats the down to earth Twain

I only wish it was longer! Narration was excellent, Mr. Troxell brought Twain's words to life!

Not impressed at all

I learned very little from this essay except one good joke. To be honest, I don' think this essay is worth the time to listen to or the money spent on it. Never the less, I did and I accept what little I got from it.

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Title: The Defence of Duffer's Drift

Subtitle: and The Battle of Booby's Bluffs by Major Single List

Author: Ernest Dunlop Swinton

Narrator: John Lee

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-31-11

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 26 votes

Genres: Classics, American Literature

Publisher's Summary:

First published in 1907, The Defense of Duffer's Drift is a classic essay on small unit tactics based on author Ernest Dunlop Swinton's experiences in the Boer War in South Africa.

Members Reviews:

journey from inexperienced to competent leader

What did you like most about The Defence of Duffer's Drift?

I took a chance with this book. I am interested in historic conflicts and it intrigued me as from the title it was obviously tongue in cheek. I enjoyed the way the character changed as he gained more experience. in reality there must have been a lot of officers whose only experience was in the classroom.

What about John Lees performance did you like?

I thought that the narration was good and brought the characters to life.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

It was interesting when the characters began to really understand the part that everyone had in the conflict and they realised the importance of communication and cooperation with the other units.

Any additional comments?

As I said I took a chance with this book as I thought that it might be too repetitive but it was surprisingly enjoyable.