Listen to Top 100 Audiobooks in Classics, British Literature

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Title: The Experiment

Subtitle: The Complete Ghost Stories of M R James

Author: Montague Rhodes James

Narrator: David Collings

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-12-10

Publisher: Andrews UK Ltd

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

This is the unabridged audio recording of M R James' excellent ghost story "The Experiment". Read by David Collings, this is sure to scare and delight in equal measure.

Critic Reviews:

"David Collings reads wonderfully well." (The Observer)

Members Reviews:

Good old fashioned sinister ghost story

Where does The Experiment rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

top 20%

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Experiment?

The graveyard scene

Have you listened to any of David Collingss other performances? How does this one compare?

very well, great building of suspense and horror

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

not that kind of story

Any additional comments?

An excellent combination of superstition and horror.

Not one of M. R. James' best

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes - it's only 15 minutes long!

Would you be willing to try another book from Montague Rhodes James? Why or why not?

Absolutely - I've read pretty much all of his work, but this isn't one of his better ones.

What about David Collingss performance did you like?

Collings has almost the perfect voice for James: well modulated, educated, easy on the ear. The only better narrator I've come across for James was Christoper Lee in the BBC Christmas Ghost Story series (although David Suchet is very good in the Audible recordings), but that's setting a very high benchmark!

Do you think The Experiment needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Odd question - James wrote short stories which were meant to stand alone. You could take this concept and turn it into a much longer novel or a series of stories using the same central idea but that wasn't James' intent.

Any additional comments?

If you're new to M.R. James, start with 'O Whistle and I'll Come To You' or 'A Warning to the Curious' or 'The Mezzotint'.

Great Spooks of Mr M.R.James

Another spooky from Mr M.R.James. Has written so many, the man was a genius. Nice to see the full collection on Audible books. 30 at least.

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Title: An Evening's Entertainment

Subtitle: The Complete Ghost Stories of M R James

Author: Montague Rhodes James

Narrator: David Collings

Format: Unabridged

Length: 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-09-10

Publisher: Andrews UK Ltd

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 14 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

This is the unabridged audio recording of M R James' excellent ghost story "An Evening's Entertainment". Read by David Collings, this is sure to scare and delight in equal measure.

Critic Reviews:

"David Collings reads wonderfully well." (The Observer)

Members Reviews:

Fourteen Gems

The 14 stories in this 6-disc set are some of James's finest: "Canon Alberic's Scrap-book," "Lost Hearts," "Count Magnus," "Number 13," "'O Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad,'" "The Mezzotint," "The Ash-tree," "The Treasure of Abbot Thomas," "A School Story," The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral," "The Rose Garden," The Tractate Middoth," "Casting the Runes," and "Martin's Close." In its review London's Observer notes, "David Collings reads wonderfully well," and so he does: His is a pleasant English accent, not hard on this American's ears (and these stories beg to be read by a Brit). With fine pacing Collings handles the different patois of different classes very nicely and works his mouth around the Latin epigrams and mottoes of which the scholarly James was fond. The narration is conveniently bundled into many tracks (18-28, depending on a story's length), allowing convenient skipping or re-listening. The musical interludes between stories are arranged simply, with sinuous mysteriosos: nothing melodramatic, appropriately eerie, perfect for listening on a wintry night when one is in the mood for a good ghost story. The only downside is the price. I shall review the contents of Volume 2 in my well-thumbed edition of James before I decide to spring for it.

TRUE AWESOME COLLECTION

M. R. James was perhaps the true godfather of writing ghost stories in the late 1800s to the early 1900s. In fact he was the only true classic author in the age of when supernatural and horror classical literature had exploded to a multi-million dollar industry, Mr. James has created more than 37 or even more ghosts stories in his whole life-time plus a few 6 unfinished works and 10 newly discovered unpublished drafts that he never gotten to complete. James has work more of this fictional genre than even Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens, Ambrose Bierce, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, H. P. Lovecraft, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and even Bram Stoker. James' works have been made differently to cause more effectiveness towards the turn of the 20th Century and much of his works are still read throughout the United Kingdom as well as even Canada and even parts of Europe that he put or natured his grisly tales around.

The Complete Ghost Stories of M. R. James is the first of two volumes complete and unabridged, each volume features 8 CDs and has a facts and bio towards the author and the reader as well as other facts towards the Ghosts of James' world and imagination. Featuring in this first collection are 14 tales of James' greatest and most pleasing terrors, all perfectly recorded and performed wonderfully by the narrator Sir David Collings.

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Title: The Fenstanton Witch

Subtitle: The Complete Ghost Stories of M R James

Author: Montague Rhodes James

Narrator: David Collings

Format: Unabridged

Length: 23 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-09-10

Publisher: Andrews UK Ltd

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 19 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

This is the unabridged audio recording of M R James' excellent ghost story "The Fenstanton Witch". Read by David Collings, this is sure to scare and delight in equal measure.

Critic Reviews:

"David Collings reads wonderfully well." (The Observer)

Members Reviews:

The Fenstanton Witch - Chilling Story

Would you consider the audio edition of The Fenstanton Witch to be better than the print version?

I loved the audio edition of The Fenstanton Witch. I also loved the print version. I enjoy many of M.R. James ghost stories. The "ghost" are more like "demons" as is the case with The Fenstanton Witch.

What did you like best about this story?

I enjoyed the description of the demon standing over the witch's grave.

Which character as performed by David Collings was your favorite?

My favorite character is the narrator, the author M.R. James, not a character in the story. The story is read by David Collings. T

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

The story gave me the chills. I smiled. I am a fan of M.R. James.

Any additional comments?

The British actor, David Collings is my favorite narrator. He is a wonderful narrator for the M.R. James stories. His voice is not a monotone as some of the professional speakers who sound like commericial spokesmen. His voice is not course and irritating like some others. It is clear and well modulated. He is able to change voices according to which character he is reading. He performs distinctive voices for the different characters. David Collings is able to deftly switch from one voice to another with ease. True, even when the characters are speaking to one another or as a group. This is a remarkable ability.

Truly creepy and sinister

Where does The Fenstanton Witch rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

it's ok

What did you like best about this story?

The graveyard scene

Which character as performed by David Collings was your favourite?

the bat

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

yes quite short and you really want to know what happens

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Title: Wailing Well

Subtitle: The Complete Ghost Stories of M R James

Author: Montague Rhodes James

Narrator: David Collings

Format: Unabridged

Length: 24 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-09-10

Publisher: Andrews UK Ltd

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 17 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

This is the unabridged audio recording of M R James' excellent ghost story "Wailing Well". Read by David Collings, this is sure to scare and delight in equal measure.

Critic Reviews:

"David Collings reads wonderfully well." (The Observer)

Members Reviews:

Wonderful Ghost Story

M.R. James is my favorite ghost story writer of all time, and I have read all his ghost stories over and over, but I never really thought much of this one till I bought this recording of it and listened to it. James first wrote these stories to be read aloud and I think that this one does not really achieve its full effect until you experience it this way. The reader does a great job here; and the story itself, with it's lighthearted start of dry, somewhat macabre British public school humor leaves one totally unprepared for the gradually creeping advance of true horror that builds almost imperceptibly to a magnificently hair-raising climax that NEVER fails to turn my blood to ice and bring a tear to my eye. I think it is one of the best ghost stories ever written, (though persons who are sensitive about children in ghost stories might want to avoid it.) and I highly, HIGHLY recommend this recording of it. Utterly FAB!!!

Really disturbing and sinister

Would you listen to Wailing Well again? Why?

Yes, it never fails to make my flesh creep

What was one of the most memorable moments of Wailing Well?

the battle in the forest

What about David Collingss performance did you like?

so good at revealing only the minimum of information to keep the ending a shock

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

you'll be sorry

Any additional comments?

a great combination of the mundane and the horrible with a little humour thrown in

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Title: A View from a Hill

Subtitle: The Complete Ghost Stories of M R James

Author: Montague Rhodes James

Narrator: David Collings

Format: Unabridged

Length: 43 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-09-10

Publisher: Andrews UK Ltd

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 12 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

This is the unabridged audio recording of M R James' excellent ghost story "A View from a Hill". Read by David Collings, this is sure to scare and delight in equal measure.

Critic Reviews:

"David Collings reads wonderfully well." (The Observer)

Members Reviews:

A Lovely Thrill

I've listened to most every M.R. James story a hundred times and this is no exception. What it lacks in direct chills it makes up for in the intruiging backstory of the premise and the overall prose. James always has a great way of writing dialogue and it's shown when read aloud.

Masterful use of English

There's nothing like visiting olde England with her proper ways and dignified manner. M.R.James is a genius at putting the customs of the academics and through Mr. Collings their "just so" proper linguistics and elocution together with masterful regional dialects woven subtlety with the perfect amount of mystery and gothic spookiness the result is a delightful holiday in horror. Rext

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Title: A Neighbour's Landmark

Subtitle: The Complete Ghost Stories of M R James

Author: Montague Rhodes James

Narrator: David Collings

Format: Unabridged

Length: 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-09-10

Publisher: Andrews UK Ltd

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 19 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

This is the unabridged audio recording of M R James' excellent ghost story "A Neighbour's Landmark". Read by David Collings, this is sure to scare and delight in equal measure.

Critic Reviews:

"David Collings reads wonderfully well." (The Observer)

Members Reviews:

Archtypical Haunting

What did you love best about A Neighbour's Landmark?

James's use of the trial as historical background upon which to draw really brings out verisimilitude; often confusing the line between story and legal fact. This technique captures the essence of James's writing and this story in particular is subtle and frightening.

What about David Collingss performance did you like?

David Colling's is excellent and his performance spare. Well done!

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Title: The Small Bachelor

Author: P. G. Wodehouse

Narrator: Jonathan Cecil

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-02-10

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 9 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

In Prohibition-era America, young George Finch is setting out as an artist - without the encumbrance of a shred of talent. He falls in love with Molly, but Molly's imperious stepmother is having none of it. Poor George doesn't seem to stand a chance.

Members Reviews:

Pure joy and laughter

To me the wonderful stories of P G Wodehouse are the ultimate in "comfort" fiction and always leave me smiling. This particular book is one of my firm favourites.

The concept of a little studio flat on the roof of the apartment block, with a fire escape running down to a convenient speak-easy called "The Purple Chicken", has to abound with comedy complications.

Among the characters are Officer Garroway the policeman poet, Mullett the Butler, George Finch the artist with no talent, kindly J Hamilton Beamish, who makes a successful living by writing all those "How to become...." books and, of course, the beautiful love interest Molly Waddington, with her ghastly mother and downtrodden father, and many other lovely incidental characters that pop in and out at times.

This is a non stop joyful romp of a book and I recommend it gladly.

Small Bachelor, Large Laughs

If there hadnt been a P. G. Wodehouse, where would we be? Im assuming there were authors like P. G. Wodehouse who wrote books that resembled the ones P. G. Wodehouse wrotethe closest one being, perhaps, Thorne Smith. Ive tried reading Topper, but was put off by a sort of simmering cynicism that I sensed lurking at the root of that book. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I just pined for the deft, affable, humane hand of P. G. Wodehouse. Which gets back to my original question: where would we be if there had never been a P. G. Wodehouse?

He is funny without ever being nasty or bitter (even the gentle swipes at A. A. Milne, who attacked Wodehouse for his World War II broadcasts, can raise a benign smile as you leaf through The Mating Season). Certain of his women are horrible, but their creator stands clear of the popular and over-used charge of misogyny. He is romantic without being erotic. And for all the screwball comedy, he can turn around and touch the heart in the most poignant ways (just look at the last sentence of Summer Moonshine).

If there had never been a P. G. Wodehouse, we wouldnt have books like Summer Moonshine. Or The Mating Season. Or The Small Bachelor. Ill use a word I often use when discussing Wodehouse: romp. Small Bachelor is definitely that, made even more enjoyable by Jonathan Cecils wonderful performance. Of course, he has plenty to work with here.

J Hamilton Beamish, efficiency expert and author of a seemingly endless series of helpful booklets, is pompous but essentially likeable.

George Finch, his friend and the eponymous bachelor of the title, is a talentless artist and a shy lover with whom you sympathize from page one.

Mullet, his man, is an ex-con who has given up his former ways and given his heart to Fanny Welch, his pickpocket fiancée.

Molly Waddington is cuddly, which is all we can reasonably ask of any heroine.

Her father, Sigsbee H., is a downtrodden middle-aged married male, a stock Wodehouse character whom he always manages to make fresh in every new incarnation (this time by giving him a mania for the fiction and films of the Great American West).

Mollys stepmother is also a standard Wodehouse type, the domineering, social climbing female who gets her long overdue comeuppance.

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Title: Two Doctors

Subtitle: The Complete Ghost Stories of M R James

Author: Montague Rhodes James

Narrator: David Collings

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-21-10

Publisher: Andrews UK Limited

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 13 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

This an the unabridged audio recording of M R James' excellent ghost story "Two Doctors". Read by David Collings, this is sure to scare and delight in equal measure.

Critic Reviews:

"David Collings reads wonderfully well." (The Observer)

Members Reviews:

Sinister and disturbing

What did you like best about Two Doctors? What did you like least?

Made me uncomfortable , some very weird imagery

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Most: The document-based story telling

Least: The ending

What about David Collingss performance did you like?

Very creepy

Do you think Two Doctors needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

no,

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Title: The Uncommon Prayer Book

Subtitle: The Complete Ghost Stories of M R James

Author: Montague Rhodes James

Narrator: David Collings

Format: Unabridged

Length: 33 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-21-10

Publisher: Andrews UK Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 17 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

This is an unabridged audio recording of M R James' excellent ghost story "The Uncommon Prayer Book". Read by David Collings, this is sure to scare and delight in equal measure.

Critic Reviews:

"David Collings reads wonderfully well." (The Observer)

Members Reviews:

CREEPY

Creepy near the end but not one of my favourite M R James and I like a quite a lot of his works. This maybe one I need to listen to a few times then it might grow on me, like one of MRJs creepy vines.

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Title: After Dark in the Playing Fields

Subtitle: The Complete Ghost Stories of M R James

Author: Montague Rhodes James

Narrator: David Collings

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-21-10

Publisher: Andrews UK Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 10 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

This is an unabridged audio recording of M R James' excellent ghost story "After Dark in the Playing Fields". Read by David Collings, this is sure to scare and delight in equal measure.

Critic Reviews:

"David Collings reads wonderfully well." (The Observer)

Members Reviews:

Worth a second listen

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

It is enjoyable and atmospheric, giving a picture of what might be happening in school playing fields 'after dark'.

What did you like best about this story?

The character of the owl.

Have you listened to any of David Collingss other performances? How does this one compare?

Excellent as always

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

To begin with it made me confused, I had to listen a couple of times to understand it better.

Any additional comments?

There is a lot unspoken in this ghost story, much is left to the imagination.

Disappointing...

What disappointed you about After Dark in the Playing Fields?

I bought this and a number of others by the same author hoping for some good old fashioned spooky stories. This was the shortest and therefore a taster.. Can you achieve an atmospheric spooky story in 9 minutes ? .... I think "No" is the answer. I only hope that the longer stories are much better than this. Fortunately 9 minutes is not too much time to waste....

Would you ever listen to anything by Montague Rhodes James again?

Yes - I have bought a few in a 40% discount sale, and will give a longer, better known story a chance...

What didnt you like about David Collingss performance?

Nothing. I can hear that the narrator is skilled, and look forward to a more realistic tale.

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

I didn't realise owls could talk......

Any additional comments?

Thank-you for your refund policy Audible. Even if I had only lost about 50p I would have felt disappointed. I only hope the others are better.....