Listen to Top 100 Audiobooks in Classics, British Literature

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Title: Uncanny Short Stories

Author: B. M. Croker, Gertrude Atherton, William J. Wintle, Henry S. Whitehead, W. C. Morrow, Hugh Walpole, F. Marion Crawford

Narrator: Cathy Dobson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 20 hrs and 27 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-29-16

Publisher: Red Door Audiobooks

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

A spine-chilling collection of creepy, unsettling and unnerving stories.

And over 20 more unsettling tales.

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Title: The Tarn and Other Macabre Stories

Author: Hugh Walpole

Narrator: Roy Macready

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-19-16

Publisher: Spiders' House Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Hugh Walpole is best known for his Herries Chronicle, a saga of four books relating the history of the Herries family and set in the Lake District in the north of England, where Walpole settled in his later life. The Chronicle was extremely popular, as was another series of books for children, the Jeremy trilogy. Many of his novels were in the psychological horror genre.

He also wrote many short stories that were published in several collections. The ones in this recording are: "The Tarn"; "The Silver Mask"; "The Snow"; "The Staircase"; "Tarnhelm"; "The Little Ghost"; "Mrs. Lunt"; "Seashore Macabre"; "The Tiger"; "Field with Five Trees".

Members Reviews:

Tinny sounding at times

The audio book itself isn't bad.. but every so often, the narrator sounds like he's reading out loud in a tunnel.

An underwater tunnel.

It's a shame because his voice is quite nice. He'd do a great Winnie the Pooh.

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Title: Frankenstein

Author: Mary Shelley

Narrator: David Gilmore

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-15-16

Publisher: Spoken Realms

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Think you know the classic story by Mary Shelley? It bears little resemblance to the Hollywood tale told and retold dozens of times for the screen. Veteran narrator David Gilmore takes you on the complete horrifying journey as it was actually penned in 1816. Includes Shelley's backstory of how she was challenged to come up with a riveting tale by her husband while on a vacation.

The haunted conscience of Victor. The family losses. The tragedy of the monster's existence. It's finally all here for you to know and enjoy in all its gothic darkness.

Members Reviews:

and one of the best, and best-written horror stories in literature

If you're reading this review, you only have one question. You're not looking for a book review, you already know it's a classic. You already know this is the most original, and one of the best, and best-written horror stories in literature. You may or may not like the story, but that's a matter of personal taste. A lot of people don't like Shakespeare, but no one questions whether he was a good writer or not. If you don't like the writing style, it's because you aren't familiar with the English of this period. Nearly eighty years before Stoker's "Dracula" ( an idea stolen from Polidori's "The Vampyre", which was an idea stolen from LeFanu's "Carmilla"), this most-original horror masterpiece was born. So, your only question is, "Is this really the uncensored 1818 version? Because I've only seen one other verified version, and it's over twenty dollars in paperback. All the others claiming to be the 1818 version have been disproved." YES, as far as I can tell, it is. The only preface is Shelley's own original. There is no introduction, no commentary or editorial credits whatsoever. There are no illustrations, and the spelling and language have not been edited. Have a good thesaurus handy. So, here it is, the author's original script, no frills, for a bargain price. Which is exactly what I was looking for.

Not what the movies would have you believe...

I never saw an entire Frankenstein film, only fragments here and there, but those left me with an impression that is far from the essence of Mary Shelley's book, Frankenstein. For one, Frankenstein is not even the name of the monster; it is the name of the man, Victor Frankenstein, who created the monster. But that is minor. The true surprise was how many issues relevant to today this book brings up--obligation to family; personal responsibility; fate; how far can science ethically go; does man have a right to create life; what is our responsibility for life we've created--these are a few intriguing questions raised. I enjoyed the book, but better than the book was the discussion I participated in with a group of friends; it was definitely one of the best I've ever been involved in. This is a great book to read with a friend or two who will discuss it with you. I think society would be well served if this novel were required reading, especially in every medical school and science and ethics class. We need to think deeply about these issues, and Frankenstein helps us to do so.

Another classic worth your time

Early into Frankenstein, I might have given it 3 stars because of its old-fashioned language and letter-writing format. I was not interested in Walton's whining to his sister Margaret about loneliness and friendship.

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Title: The Poor Clare

Author: Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell

Narrator: Derek Perkins

Format: Unabridged

Length: 2 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-30-15

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Originally written for Charles Dickens' Household Words magazine, The Poor Clare is a dark, gothic short novel of thwarted love and a family curse that vividly illustrates the social tensions of Victorian England. The intentional killing of a woman's dog unleashes a torrent of rage. In her desire for revenge, the woman curses the dog's killer: All that the murderer loves most, he will lose. This haunting tale brilliantly demonstrates Elizabeth Gaskell's understanding of the tensions between Catholics and Protestants and the harsh realities of class society.

Members Reviews:

Great book

Elizabeth Gaskell is the greatest.

Another perfect denouement from Elizabeth Gaskell!

I read The Poor Clare in a book of Gaskell's short works entitle Gothic Stories. The first chapter is very long and full of background which is truly extraneous to the main story. All authors of the nineteenth century were paid by the word and The Poor Clare, like much of Gaskell's work, was first published in a magazine. But we are introduced to a cast of characters and a plot in this first chapter which are essential to the story. The start of the second chapter may be my favorite part of the book because the narrator of the novel chooses NOW to introduce himself! He then goes on to explain his whole life to us from birth to the present day. This account of his life appears to be completely unrelated to anything in the very long first chapter. This second chapter introduces us to a completely new set of characters and a new plot which appears to be unrelated to the first chapter. I LOVE IT! Of course, the plots do intersect before the end of this second long chapter. Its in the second chapter that the supernatural element steps in. Its not a ghost story, but I don't think that I should give away what it is. The genesis of the evil is a curse and one of the morals from this book is that the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children. That is a strong theme of this wonderful short novel and the ending is superb, a perfect denouement which is why we liked North and South so much. Three cheers for Elizabeth Gaskell! Ps. History buffs like myself will love the account in this book of a rebellion in Antwerp against the Austrian army of occupation.

Not Gaskell's best

As I read the story, I kept wondering if there had been a mistake: Was I really reading Elizabeth Gaskell's work? Had her book title accidentally been placed on some other novelette? (The title of the story only makes sense at the end.)

Where most of Gaskell's plots utilize natural means to move the story, this one is anchored in the supernatural. There is a copious amount of backstory before the reader arrives at an explanation that employs no little amount of religious mysticism. I'd liken the story's resolution to a scene from Les Miserables for all of its pathos. I suppose it will please some readers, but I was disappointed.

Unusual work

A short story which was an unexpected surprise in the subject matter written by Mrs. Gaskill. In this tale it is written about curses, witchcraft, exorcism just to touch on the subject matter. I can't say it was one of her best works but it was unusual and interesting.

Two Stars

Not one of Gaskell's best but an interesting and unusual potrayal of English post-Reformation Catholicism. With demons.

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Title: British Classic Short Stories

Author: Hugh Walpole, Thomas Hardy, Virginia Woolf, D. H. Lawrence, John Galsworthy, Richard Middleton, Eleanor Smith

Narrator: Cathy Dobson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 22 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-16-15

Publisher: Red Door Audiobooks

Ratings: 1.5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

A rich and varied collection of classic short stories by British writers:

Plus over 25 more great short story classics.

Members Reviews:

narration completely detracts. couldn't finish it.

narration is awful and completely detracts from some good stories. very disappointed. I should have returned this book straight away.

Some good, others not so interesting.

I enjoyed some of the stories in this collection, but found myself being lulled to sleep by the narrator's unvaried and rather sing-song voice. I feel that another narrator could have done more justice to these classic short stories. Cathy Dobson does, however, succeed in voicing the various characters

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Title: Quality

Author: John Galsworthy

Narrator: Cathy Dobson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-16-15

Publisher: Red Door Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

John Galsworthy (1867-1933) was an English playwright and novelist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1932.

'Quality' is a poignant tale of a master boot maker whose quest for perfection leads to his own tragic downfall.

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Title: A Christmas Carol

Author: Charles Dickens

Narrator: George Taylor, Patricia Horner

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-10-15

Publisher: Narration by George

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Narration by George announces a new production of the timeless classic tale of restoration and renewal by Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol. Come listen to our take on Ebenezer Scrooge, all the Christmas Ghosts - past, present, and future - and the characters who have helped to shape the life of Scrooge up until this Christmas Eve. Hear the sounds of the countryside and city as the specters of Christmas show Scrooge his history and consequences. Trish Horner assists with female voices. A fun tale with a great message.

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: Stories for Winter Evenings

Author: Hugh Walpole, W. F. Harvey, Mary E. Braddon, W. C. Morrow, Thomas Hardy, D. H. Lawrence, Edith Wharton

Narrator: Cathy Dobson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 21 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-30-15

Publisher: Red Door Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

A haunting collection of strange and macabre short stories, ideal for listening to around the fire on a cold winter evening....

Plus many more macabre gothic tales....

Members Reviews:

good

loved the stories, had to get used to narrator, she was very good on most of the stories

Good story horrible narrator

A wonderful collection. stories could be hit or miss as in any collection of this kind but generally pretty good. narrator was highly unpleasant, with distracting, affected, and hissing delivery. hard to listen to her for more than 15 minutes and annoyance with her voice distracted from the stories.

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Title: A Handful of Dust

Author: Evelyn Waugh

Narrator: Andrew Sachs

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-05-15

Publisher: Hachette Audio UK

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

After seven years of marriage, the beautiful Lady Brenda Last has grown bored with life at Hetton Abbey, the Gothic mansion that is the pride and joy of her husband, Tony. She drifts into an affair with the shallow socialite John Beaver and forsakes Tony for the Belgravia set.

In a novel that combines tragedy, comedy, and savage irony, Evelyn Waugh indelibly captures the irresponsible mood of the "crazy and sterile generation" between the wars.

Members Reviews:

Scenes from a marriage

The sad and bitter tale of a man who, like Job, has everything he cares about taken away from him. Tony Last is the English squire through and through but his very name sounds the doom of his dynasty. Waugh uses his own experience as a cuckold to show the inexorable triumph of the new, commercial England over the older, subtler ways of life rooted in the great country houses and their estates. Andrew Sachs renders an already restrained tale with just the right amount of buttoned-up tension, making the most of the rare moments of black humour. Tony's grieving scenes after his great tragedy pierce the heart with their hopeless irony, as we know full well his wife will not care a jot. Waugh has few greater moments than this.

Shatteringly brilliant.

What did you like most about A Handful of Dust?

The way the story takes you by surprise. What seems like another lively and witty portrait of the Bright Young Things turns into something bleak and grave.

What did you like best about this story?

The writing is quite beautiful. Waugh at his best, in my opinion.

What about Andrew Sachss performance did you like?

Andrew Sachs' performance is absolutely outstanding. The depth (and where needed - airiness) and nuance he gives each character, his timing and his reading of the text is both enlightening and moving.

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

Be careful what you wish for!

Any additional comments?

My favourite audibook so far!

Superb

Waugh's lacerating tragi-comedy of 30's society and a genteel marriage falling apart is brilliantly read by Andrew Sachs.

A Handful of Dust

Brilliantly read by Andrew Sachs, he reads so clearly and with feeling. Interesting story with a twist at the end

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Title: Officers and Gentlemen

Author: Evelyn Waugh

Narrator: Christian Rodska

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-05-15

Publisher: Hachette Audio UK

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Undergoing training on the Isle of Mugg, Guy Crouchback is now attached to a commando unit where the ministry whisky flows freely and HM Forces have to show proper respect to the Laird. But the comedy of Mugg is followed by the bitterness of Crete: the indignity of withdrawal or surrender.

Members Reviews:

exceptional reading

exceptional rendition of the second book of evelyn waugh's trilogy emphasising the humour and pathos within the story.

Brilliant narration of a superb story.

said it all but must make fifteen words, nine ten eleven twelve thirteen fourteen fifteen

Brilliant

Brilliantly written by the complete 20th century master of the novel and perfectly read by narrator that brings each of the characters alive