Where to Listen to Audiobooks in Classics, British Literature Popular Authors

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Title: The Very Best of Geoffrey Chaucer

Author: Geoffrey Chaucer

Narrator: Cecil Trouncer, J. B. Bessinger

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-22-10

Publisher: Saland Publishing

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Cecil Trouncer and J. B. Bessinger Jr. read a selection of Chaucer's work, including 'To Rosamond', 'The Pardoner's Tale', and 'The Wife of Bath's Tale'.

Members Reviews:

Chaucer

It's hard to find readings in Middle English, so these are wonderful. The quality of the recordings is a bit disappointing as there is a lot of noise in it.

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Title: Sir John Gielgud

Author: William Shakespeare, William Morris

Narrator: John Gielgud

Format: Abridged

Length: 1 hr and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-17-10

Publisher: Saland Publishing

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

A celebration of one of the world's best loved actors, Sir John Gielgud. Here you can hear him perform his classic roles and read some of his favourite poetry.

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Title: Sherlock Holmes: Murder Beyond the Mountains, and The Book of Tobit

Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Narrator: Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud

Format: Original Recording

Length: 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-15-10

Publisher: Saland Publishing

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud presents more tales of Sherlock Holmes

Members Reviews:

My Goodness "HOLMES GETS WED"

Old Sherlock from around 30/40's. Nice to have in my Sherlock Holmes Collection ( I own every single Holmes on Audio so far) These two Sherlock & Watson are not to everybody's taste (the old organ frightens me to bits each time somethings bad happens ) but these are the original recordings & should be treasured as part of the Holmes history. Good fun & frolics old style.

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Title: Imperial Palace (Dramatised)

Author: Arnold Bennett, James Hilton

Narrator: NBC Theater

Format: Abridged

Length: 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-18-10

Publisher: Saland Publishing

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Published in 1930, the year before Bennett's death, this novel follows the daily workings of a hotel modelled on the Savoy Hotel in London. The central character, Evelyn Orcham, is the director of the hotel. Also included is a recording of James Hilton talking about Arnold Bennett.

Members Reviews:

Poor audio quality

This audible title is very scratchy to the ear. Technically not a good production.

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Title: The Mayor of Casterbridge (Dramatised)

Author: Thomas Hardy

Narrator: NBC University Theatre

Format: Original Recording

Length: 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-18-10

Publisher: Saland Publishing

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), subtitled "The Life and Death of a Man of Character", is a tragic novel by British author Thomas Hardy. It is set in the fictional town of Casterbridge (based on the town of Dorchester in Dorset). This dramatic performance is by the NBC University Theatre.

Members Reviews:

Maybe if I read it voluntarily...

Had to read this for my English class, and it was easier to slog through than P&P, but not by much. These kind of literary "masterpieces" do amaze me with their complexity, but they force a style of reading that is the antithesis of enjoyable: slow, meticulous, and constantly searching for big ideas. I personally enjoy Crime and Punishment more, placing this at a rather distant second for my required readings so far.

Selfcenteredness

A tale of how one person can impact so many lives through selfcenteredness. This classic novel is difficult to put down. A must read.

A Tragic Mayor

To my surprise, I found the book riveting. The characters are extremely vivid, and Hardy pulls off a tragic novel about a hero who is probably most memorable because of his flaws. Michael Henchard is, in many respects, contemptible, but in others, always honorable - a contradiction in terms, and like a true tragic hero, larger than life - noble but with an immoderate disposition. Thankfully, I read this on Kindle because there were many, many words I was unfamiliar with, and having a dictionary at hand was an enormous advantage. The story is engaging, moving, and quite wonderful in my opinion.

GREAT Edition!!

This 1964 Heritage Club Edition is a treasure! The hardcover is appropriately decorated with motiffs of Casterbridge. The wood engravings by Agnes Miller Parker are wonderful and unique! Of course, the story reads like a tragedy - Henchard is certainly his own worst enemy. On the other hand, Thomas Hardy's prose is certainly wonderful reading, unlike many 20th century so-called literary authors. Hardy's descriptive analyses of places and characters are exquisite, including the historical aspect of the English countryside near Casterbridge. The secondary characters are varied, some solid and some weak in spirit. Henchard seems to use them all to his detriment and the detriment of others. Elizabeth-Jane and Farfrae give the story balance and in the end are winners despite Henchard's downward spiral.

This review is not in any way a descriptive review of the book's story line. However, there are hopes that your interest has been peeked and that you will give this book a complete reading. Also, there are DVD's of this story which can be accessed on Amazon. This writer watched a DVD initially and then read the book. After doing so I believe that reading the book first would be a better choice.

The two edged sword

We see Henchard's pride and stubbornness, and the amazing results he encounters. Hardy portrays a scene with four characters, each with their own agenda. One can easily visualize the humor and tension, as two rivals attempt to be competitive and civilized.

I enjoy Hardy's style as he makes a sweeping statement, and by deft strokes fine tunes the scene. Definitely a bittersweet story.

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Title: The Man Who Was Thursday

Author: G. K. Chesterton

Narrator: Orson Welles

Format: Abridged

Length: 52 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-13-10

Publisher: Saland Publishing

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

In a surreal turn-of-the-century London, Gabriel Syme, a poet, is recruited to a secret anti-anarchist taskforce at Scotland Yard. Lucian Gregory, an anarchist poet, is the only poet in Saffron Park, until he loses his temper in an argument over the purpose of poetry with Gabriel Syme, who takes the opposite view.

After some time, the frustrated Gregory finds Syme and leads him to a local anarchist meeting-place to prove that he is a true anarchist. Instead of the anarchist Gregory getting elected, the officer Syme uses his wits and is elected as the local representative to the worldwide Central Council of Anarchists. The Council consists of seven men, each using the name of a day of the week as a code name; Syme is given the name of Thursday. In his efforts to thwart the council's intentions, however, he discovers that five of the other six members are also undercover detectives; each was just as mysteriously employed and assigned to defeat the Council of Days.

They all soon find out that they are fighting each other and not real anarchists; such was the mastermind plan of the genius Sunday. In a dizzying and surreal conclusion, the six champions of order and former anarchist ring-leaders chase down the disturbing and whimsical Sunday, the man who calls himself "The Peace of God".

Members Reviews:

Twist and turns.

There is a a wild adventure that takes place. You keep reading to see how it turns out. You think you are reading a London period piece only, then it takes you on a philosophical ride that you don't see coming in the beginning chapters. It is a engaging page turner.

An epic battle. A mystery. And much much more. I shall be thinking about this story for a long time. So many levels of meaning.

Beginning with local political intrigue, its scope soon expands to cosmic intrigue. Question after question. Surprise after surprise. Triumph after triumph.

Something a bit different from 1908

This is sub-titled: A Nightmare. Gabriel Syme is a Police detective and poet who infiltrates a meeting of anarchists,joins becoming member code name "Thursday. This is written in 1908 when the anarchists were a movement.

The cynic in me thought that they can't have been much of anarchists if they were having organised meetings but there you go.

He soon finds out that no one is who they appear to be. Many scenarios later there is a confrontation with the head anarchist ,Sunday, and all is found to be well proving that goodness will prevail in a wicked world.

The clue is in the sub-title, its a feat of imagination where Chesterton goes with his characters but once its apparent what is happening it takes a bit long to come to a conclusion in my opinion. This is not a Father Brown story by any stretch, very different.

If you enjoy the metaphysical give this a go, its short and won't take too much of your time.

The Man Who Was Thursday

4stars. I would have given 5 as the book kept my interest all along, but it ended so abruptly, and I didn't really understand the ending.

you'll love this book

If you want a story that just keeps opening more and more doors on the road of nightmares, you'll love this book. It's very well written and every twist takes the reader further into the nightmare in a totally believable way. I enjoyed reading the book very much and highly recommend it.

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Title: The Compleat Angler

Author: Izaak Walton

Narrator: Alex Warner

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-04-10

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

The Complete Angler has been in print for over 350 years. Just a how-to book on fishing would not have created such a popular work. Walton's comments on how to catch and prepare numerous varieties of fish create a pleasant leisure read for any fisherman. His anecdotes are as fresh and contemporary today as they were in his century.

Editorial Reviews:

Before there was Norman McLean's A River Runs Through It, there was Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler. The subtitle of Walton's classic 17th-century "discourse" on fish and fishing is "The Contemplative Man's Recreation", and for good reason. At turns mirthful, lofty, poetic, and didactic, Angler is a marvelous mixture of instruction manual, dialogue, and work of art.

The audiobook requires a classic British voice, and Alex Warner delivers with a pitch-perfect performance. His noble accent seems to emerge from centuries past, and a listener has never heard a more genteel voice discuss frogs and worms with utter earnestness.

Critic Reviews:

First published in 1653, Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler celebrates the art and spirit of fishing in prose and verse. Walton infused his work with anecdotes and commentaries on catching and preparing everything from carp to trout, chub to pike. This modern Ecco Press edition is enhanced with a new introduction by Thomas McGuane and illustrations by Arthur Rackham. The Compleat Angler is as fresh and relevant today as it was two and a half centuries ago. The Compleat Angler continues to be "must" reading for every new generation of fishermen (and fisher women!) who have ever picked up a pole, line and lure to set forth on one of human kind's oldest pastimes -- fishing. (Midwest Book Review)

Members Reviews:

Feels only slightly better than those cheaply Barnes & Noble classics sold for ...

Well done, clean text version. Only minus is the paper quality. Feels only slightly better than those cheaply Barnes & Noble classics sold for around ~$10.

In Defense of Contemplation

"We'l rejoice with my brother _Peter_ and his friend, tell tales, or sing Ballads, or make a Catch, or find some harmless sport to content us, and pass away a little time without offence to God or man."

-- Izaak Walton, _The Compleat Angler_

Izaak Walton (1593-1683), ironmonger, biographer, and fisherman may be said to have been a man who valued the contemplative over the active life. In today's world of hustle and bustle and time clocks, there is something to be said for a man like Walton, who knows how to take it slow and easy. His masterpiece, _The Compleat Angler_ (begun 1653), is in part a practical guide to fishing. For many years, it could be found in fishermen's creels.

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Title: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Author: Oscar Wilde

Narrator: Don Hagen

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-29-10

Publisher: Gildan Media, LLC

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

With a dreamlike story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty, Oscar Wilde brings his enormous gifts for sparkling prose and astute social observation to The Picture of Dorian Gray.

After the artist Basil Hallward paints his portrait, Dorian Gray frivolously wishes that the picture change, yet he remain the same. Allured by his perverted friend, Henry Wotton, Gray jumps into a life of depravity and sin. With each sin Dorian commits, the painting of him grows increasingly hideous, showing him what is happening to his soul.

Taking the listener in and out of London drawing rooms through a life of sex, lies, murder, and crime, this melodrama about moral corruption has been horrifying and enchanting readers for more than 100 years.

Contact me for any questions: [email protected]

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Title: A Tale of Two Cities

Author: Charles Dickens

Narrator: Tom Baker

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-17-09

Publisher: Audio Holdings, LLC

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 17 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Set against the bloody background of the French Revolution, this is perhaps Dickens' most famous work. Doctor Manette, his devoted daughter Lucie, and the young French aristocrat Charles Darnay are memorable characters. Above all the others rises the reckless Sidney Carton, whose selfless love makes him one of literature's great heroes.

(P)2009 Audio Holdings, LLC

Members Reviews:

Brilliantly read by Tom Baker

You wouldn't think anything could make this classic any better, but Tom Baker's narration is exquisite. I hope he can be persuaded to read more Dickens.

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Title: The Turn of the Screw

Subtitle: Young Adult Classics

Author: Henry James

Narrator: Emma Fielding, Dermot Kerrigan

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-14-09

Publisher: Naxos Audiobooks

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Classics, British Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Released in our new Young Adult Classics format, Henry James's classic ghost story is a masterpiece of the supernatural. The tale is taken from the diary of a governess, who describes her mounting sense of paranoia at the relationship between her two wards and the ghostly figures that haunt the estate.

Menacing, ambiguous and haunted by a pervading sense of evil, The Turn of the Screw is one of the most powerful and enduring tales of the 19th century. Emma Fielding gives a compelling reading of a story in which nothing is certain, and madness lurks around every corner.

Members Reviews:

ZZZZZzzz....

IDK if it's me or if this book was really that bad. Number one: I kept falling asleep during the reading of this book. It wasn't very interesting at all. The end was the worst part. Maybe it was the narrator or just the way the book was written. I kept getting confused and had to start the whole thing over at least three times. Ive never had this problem with any of the books Ive listened to with Audible.