Discover the Libray of Best Audiobooks in Fiction, Literary

Les Liaisons Dangereuses Audiobook by Choderlos de Laclos

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Choderlos de Laclos) — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 06:30:13 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Les Liaisons Dangereuses Subtitle: Read by the Cast of the Stage Play Author: Choderlos de Laclos Narrator: Dominic West, Janet McTeer, Una Stubbs, Elaine Cassidy, Adjoa Andoh, Edward Holcroft, Morfydd Clark Format: Unabridged Length: 2 hrs and 10 mins Language: English Release date: 01-27-16 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 2379 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: From the sumptuous private drawing rooms of 18th-century Paris to the decadent estates and chateaus of the French countryside, La Marquise de Merteuil and Le Vicomte de Valmont hatch a long-distance plan of vengeance and seduction. Valmont is determined to conquer the famously pious Madame de Tourvel, whose husband is abroad on business. However, Merteuil has other plans. She enlists his involvement in the seduction of a young convent girl, Cécile Volanges, the wife-to-be of the Marquise's former lover. But as they race toward the culmination of their plans, events start to spiral out of control, and they realise that they might not be as in control of their hearts as once they thought. Starring: Madame de Volanges: Adjoa Andoh La Présidente de Tourvel: Elaine Cassidy Cécile Volanges: Morfydd Clark Le Chevalier Danceny: Edward Holcroft Marquise de Merteuil: Janet McTeer Vicomte de Valmont: Dominic West Madame de Rosemond: Una Stubbs. With announcements by Simon Kane. Critic Reviews: This audio production provides a master class in inhabiting character, interpretation of text, and vocal technique. (AudioFile) Members Reviews: Almost better than the movie This was an abridged full-cast performance, in epistolary form, of the play, which is based on the 1782 novel about French aristocrats engaging in recreational adultery and competitive seduction. It's marvelously acted with all the venom and petty viciousness befitting scheming, amoral aristocrats whose only ambition is sex and the ruination of lives. The Marquise de Merteuil (played in the 1988 movie by Glenn Close) is a rich widow who has clawed her way to the top the only way a woman can in her society. Sexually rapacious and (deep down) embittered by the double standards that allow men to boast of their conquests while women have to carefully guard their reputations, she enjoys manipulating people and ruining lives, and enlists a friend of hers, the equally amoral playboy Vicomte de Valmont, to deflower the virginal fiancee (played in the movie by a young Uma Thurman) of a lover who just broke up with her. He has his own conquests in mind, however, and the two of them spar with at first friendly affection as they execute their separate schemes, but the two of them wind up ruining lives, breaking hearts, and eventually, causing more than one death as their rivalry escalates. One might be forgiven for concluding that the moral of the story is that the entire French aristocracy were worthless parasites who deserved the tumbrils soon to come. It's a great story, which I downloaded as an Audible freebie. As much as I enjoyed the 1988 movie, the cast here is perfect. Dangerous Indeed What made the experience of listening to Les Liaisons Dangereuses the most enjoyable? Every performer was stellar. There's a wonderful sense of this being an actual ensemble, which is hardly surprising since this is the cast of the current London revival. What did you like best about this story? The deliciously twisted relationship between the two main characters. Which scene was your favorite? It's hard to chose just one. But the last 1/4 of the book is all captivating. If you could take any character from Les Liaisons Dangereuses out to dinner, who would it be and why? Valmont.

The Sarah Book Audiobook by Scott McClanahan

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Scott McClanahan) — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 03:55:39 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Sarah Book Author: Scott McClanahan Narrator: Scott McClanahan Format: Unabridged Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins Language: English Release date: 06-14-17 Publisher: TalkingBook Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 75 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: The Sarah Book is Scott McClanahan's continuation of the semi-autobiographical portrait he's been writing over the years about his life in West Virginia. This one is his portrait of love. Members Reviews: BEST BOOK YOU'LL READ ALL YEAR So good and perfect and genius and heartbreaking. Holy heck, get this audiobook. Still recovering. Great listen This book makes you feel all the feels. Scott's voice really adds to this. Can't wait to listen to more of his works Truly amazing Do you have any additional comments? You've got to listen to this. So freaking good. Maybe the best audiobook I've ever heard. Favorite book of 2017 Love Scott's delivery. The story is true and dark and crazy as hell. Get this or suffer missing out. Loved it. One of the best audiobooks I've heard in a while. I honestly didn't want it to end. Definitely gonna check out more of this author's work.

The Things We Wish Were True Audiobook by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Marybeth Mayhew Whalen) — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 13:08:22 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Things We Wish Were True Subtitle: A Novel Author: Marybeth Mayhew Whalen Narrator: Taylor Ann Krahn Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins Language: English Release date: 09-01-16 Publisher: Brilliance Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1346 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: In an idyllic small-town neighborhood, a near tragedy triggers a series of dark revelations. From the outside, Sycamore Glen, North Carolina, might look like the perfect all-American neighborhood. But behind the white picket fences lies a web of secrets that reach from house to house. Up and down the streets, neighbors quietly bear the weight of their own pasts - until an accident at the community pool upsets the delicate equilibrium. And when tragic circumstances compel a woman to return to Sycamore Glen after years of self-imposed banishment, the tangle of the neighbors' intertwined lives begins to unravel. During the course of a sweltering summer, long-buried secrets are revealed, and the neighbors learn that it's impossible to really know those closest to us. But is it impossible to love and forgive them? Members Reviews: I hate fake Southern accents The terrible attempt by narrator to talk southern made this almost unbearable to listen to. Enjoyed This is just a story. The story of several people and their lives over one summer. They each tell their own story. I thought the performance was wonderful, the writing very good and character development perfect. It shows that our lives are not perfect, but they're better than we think they are more often than not. great way to pass the time a good read to pass the time with. not very heavy or suspenseful, but charming in its own right. like small town gossip that everyone wants to know about. horrible narration I couldn't finish this book. I wanted to like it but the narration was terrible. if there needs to be a southern accent, please use a narrator that actually has one! the narrator's fake southern accent was too distracting to the story. perhaps I'll try reading it instead. Ho hum Very slow moving story. Once the plot got thicker, it was predictable and anticlimactic. Once I start a book, it pains me not to finish. When I did finish, I wished I had that wasted time back! Don't waste your money!!

The Naked God Audiobook by Peter F. Hamilton

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Peter F. Hamilton) — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 16:42:13 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Naked God Subtitle: Night's Dawn Trilogy, Book 3 Author: Peter F. Hamilton Narrator: John Lee Format: Unabridged Length: 48 hrs and 36 mins Language: English Release date: 07-21-16 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1280 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: The Confederation is starting to collapse politically and economically, allowing the "possessed" to infiltrate more worlds. Quinn Dexter is loose on Earth, destroying the giant arcologies one at a time. As Louise Kavanagh tries to track him down, she manages to acquire some strange and powerful allies whose goal doesn't quite match her own. The campaign to liberate Mortonridge from the possessed degenerates into a horrendous land battle, the kind that hasn't been seen by humankind for 600 years; then some of the protagonists escape in a very unexpected direction. Joshua Calvert and Syrinx fly their starships on a mission to find the Sleeping God, which an alien race believes holds the key to overthrowing the possessed. The Naked God is the brilliant climax to Peter F. Hamilton's awe-inspiring Night's Dawn trilogy. Critic Reviews: "The depth and clarity of the future Hamilton envisions is as complex and involving as they come." ( Publishers Weekly) Members Reviews: Storytelling in a league of its own The Naked God is the final installment of Peter F Hamilton's lengthy Night's Dawn trilogy. With possession by the formerly dead from the beyond seemingly unstoppable as well as Quinn Dexter's invasion of Earth to effect an even greater horror on humanity, things are pretty grim. In addition, Valisk is under attack in another universe, while the Mortonridge liberation and Norfolk are going badly. Joshua Calvert is sent on a mission to find the sleeping god and uncovers another alien species along the way that fills in gaps about the origin of the Taraftca and the Kindt reveal they are not what they seem. The sci-fi elements continue and extend the strange mix of physical and metaphysical. The aliens become more alien, but not in a weird or bizarre way, but just different in both form and behavior. Hamilton also explores the concept of alternative universes with differing "universal" laws. The nature of the beyond is also more fully explored with the notion of a soul taking substance as well as a terrifyingly basis for their return (along with an explanation for the mostly lack of decent souls). The idea for the sleeping god is simply awe-inspiring. Along the way, Hamilton intersperses the grand with the mundane and the banal. With so many intersecting plot lines, the visual of a stage performer spinning multiple plates comes to mind. Each thread is both captivating and cerebrally engaging. John Lee's performance is simply magnificent with the only ding for production quality for the lack of pauses between scene shifts, which are numerous. The multiple characters of both sexes and ages, including children, along with several alien species surely has set a record. Despite its length, a sense of emptiness awaits its conclusion as Hamilton's universe seems more real than reality. It's pity that tale cannot be savored with glass with Norfolk Tears. good but not as good as the first two the first three quarters of the book are good. towards the end of the book however it starts to feel a little rushed and Deus Ex machina. however if you made it this far already it's certainly worth finishing. the narrator is as always fantastic Great characters, great plot, and a fantastic ending. When I started the first of the three books, I was afraid when I got to The Naked God the story would go down hill.

Bastard Out of Carolina Audiobook by Dorothy Allison

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Dorothy Allison) — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 15:41:40 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Bastard Out of Carolina Author: Dorothy Allison Narrator: Elizabeth Evans Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins Language: English Release date: 11-13-12 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 544 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A modern literary classic, now available in a 20th anniversary edition with a new afterword by the author. The publication of Dorothy Allison's Bastard Out of Carolina was a landmark event. The novel's profound portrait of family dynamics in the rural South won the author a National Book Award nomination and launched her into the literary spotlight. Critics have likened Allison to William Faulkner, Flannery O'Connor, and Harper Lee, naming her the first writer of her generation to dramatize the lives and language of poor whites in the South. Since its appearance, the novel has inspired an award-winning film and has been banned from libraries and classrooms, championed by fans, and defended by critics. Greenville County, South Carolina, is a wild, lush place that is home to the Boatwright family - a tight-knit clan of rough-hewn, hard- drinking men who shoot up each other's trucks, and indomitable women who get married young and age too quickly. At the heart of this story is Ruth Anne Boatwright, known simply as Bone, a bastard child who observes the world around her with a mercilessly keen perspective. When her stepfather, Daddy Glen, "cold as death, mean as a snake", becomes increasingly more vicious toward her, Bone finds herself caught in a family triangle that tests the loyalty of her mother, Anney - and leads to a final, harrowing encounter from which there can be no turning back. Members Reviews: Not for the Faint of Heart Where does Bastard Out of Carolina rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far? Well written book but I could not finish. The first time I heard a child's sexual molestation by a step parent graphically described I had to quit the book. That is just me, and has nothing to do with the quality of writing.or, narration. I am certain it happens all the time but I tend to be an ostrich and do not need to hear it. The incident was part of the story and not written in for shock value. Any additional comments? Before you buy, be aware this is at least a part of the story and if squeamish, do not purchase. Brutal, Heartbreaking & Believable I read this book without knowing much about the story. The narrator was amazing. While it was only one narrator, it felt like more. I rank this performance alongside The Help & Matterhorn. Fantastic. It made the story. I don't think I would have been as enthralled with this story if I were reading it. The afterword with this 20th anniversary edition made me feel like there was closure. The last 10 minutes or so were added to the book with the author's thoughts on her book being banned. I would love to be able to write as concisely and eloquently as she did, but I won't even try. This book is violent. It has candid references to sex and sexual slang. The characters have flaws. This is a fantastically crafted story that will make you uncomfortable...but the discomfort will make you hurt that much more for the main character. Beautifully Written, Well Narrated - A piece of literature whose subject matter is extremely difficult. The topic of family abuse should not be avoided as it appears some jurisdictions have dictated. (This reminds the reader of when so many politicians said "we don't have gang problems). Society will gain nothing and lose a lot if it chooses to continue shoving the 'dirty secrets' under the carpet.

Whoreson Audiobook by Donald Goines

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Donald Goines) — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 20:18:05 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Whoreson Subtitle: The Story of a Ghetto Pimp Author: Donald Goines Narrator: Kevin Kenerly Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins Language: English Release date: 12-10-13 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 212 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: From one of the most revolutionary writers of the twentieth century comes the uncensored and gritty novel that inspired today's street lit and hip-hop culture. After my ninth birthday, I began to really understand the meaning of my name. I began to understand just what my mother was doing for a living. There was nothing I could do about it, but even had I been able to, I wouldn't have changed it. Whoreson Jones is the son of a beautiful black prostitute and an unknown white john. As a child, he's looked after by his neighborhood's imposing matriarch, Big Mama, while his mother works. At age twelve, his street education begins when a man named Fast Black schools him in trickology. By thirteen, Whoreson's a cardsharp. By sixteen, his childhood abruptly ends, and he is a full-fledged pimp, cold-blooded and ruthless, battling to understand and live up to his mother's words: "First be a man, then be a pimp." Members Reviews: A surreal look at life Sad story makes you think . people still have the same mind set today Raw and Gritty, but good!!! This was a great book. I listened to it in one setting. I loved it! One of the best authors Every book I read of his bring you into reality and it's so crazy cause his books were wrote in the 70's and what he writes still happens too this day my first book I ever read was black girl lost and I been hooked every since action packed...from beginning to end If you could sum up Whoreson in three words, what would they be? original,smooth,cold What did you like best about this story? the auditor... u feel like u was there and lived it Which character as performed by Kevin Kenerly was your favorite? big momma... held it down & diddnt take no crap from anyone...lol Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting? 4sure 4sure...lol Any additional comments? read the book yourself listen to the audible & read it again... Not for the faint at heart. .. This is some raw stuff. I mean it doesn't get more real or graphic. Real life stuff.

A Wild Sheep Chase Audiobook by Haruki Murakami

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Haruki Murakami) — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 09:19:36 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: A Wild Sheep Chase Subtitle: A Novel Author: Haruki Murakami Narrator: Rupert Degas Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins Language: English Release date: 08-06-13 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 426 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A marvelous hybrid of mythology and mystery, A Wild Sheep Chase is the extraordinary literary thriller that launched Haruki Murakami's international reputation. It begins simply enough: A 20-something advertising executive receives a postcard from a friend, and casually appropriates the image for an insurance company's advertisement. What he doesn't realize is that included in the pastoral scene is a mutant sheep with a star on its back, and in using this photo he has unwittingly captured the attention of a man in black who offers a menacing ultimatum: Find the sheep or face dire consequences. Thus begins a surreal and elaborate quest that takes our hero from the urban haunts of Tokyo to the remote and snowy mountains of northern Japan, where he confronts not only the mythological sheep, but the confines of tradition and the demons deep within himself. Quirky and utterly captivating, A Wild Sheep Chase is Murakami at his astounding best. Critic Reviews: "Murakami is a mythmaker for the millennium, a wiseacre wiseman." (New York Times Book Review) "Marvelously engaging, at turns witty, dry, wicked, even loopy. Reading A Wild Sheep Chase is like spending a splendidly foul weekend with the Four Raymonds - Chandler, Carver, Massey, and Queneau." (Frederick Barthelme) Members Reviews: ...narration like Frank Muller and David Lynch... Murakami is always perfect, I think. At least, I really, really like everything I've ever read by Haruki Murakami. What make this book a little more special was the wonderful narration job by Rupert Degas. His narration is a lot Frank Muller and David Lynch combined, voice quality, like. His different voices are perfect. He doesn't try to add in a Japanese flavor, but rather takes the Japanese settings and locales and interprets the accents to how they might seem if this novel were taking place in America. Like when the narrator of the book goes back to his hometown, the different people in the town have a more country-esque flair to their voices. Too, the way Rupert Degas says the word, "sheep," and the different variations of sheep in this novel is perfect. He buys into this 100 percent and allows us, the readers, to buy in 100 percent, too. His French accents are incredible, also. When the narrator and his girlfriend are dining in the French restaurant in Tokyo, the dude really does a wonderful job with the menu items. And the story is wonderful. If you've never read anything by Haruki Murakami, this is as good as any place to start, I guess. If you have read Murakami before, this is definitely a Haruki Murakami novel. It's 100 percent wonderful and definitely worth buying and reading and listening too. Magic realism just the way I like it from Murakami What did you love best about A Wild Sheep Chase? I downloaded this onto my iPhone from Audible.com for my motorcycle ride from DC to Charleston. First, the length was perfect. Secondly, it is an amazing exploration of magic realism. With Murakami, you never truly know the difference between what is real and what is paranormal. The story is seamless, it's timeless, and while not life-changing in the same way as Wind Up Bird Chronicle, it reminds me of it and made me happy in the same way. Very fulfilling and enjoyable and I am sure I will read it again. Poor Narration Murakami great as always, but the narrator was subpar.

Galapagos Audiobook by Kurt Vonnegut

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Kurt Vonnegut) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 04:41:53 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Galapagos Author: Kurt Vonnegut Narrator: Jonathan Davis Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 1 min Language: English Release date: 08-11-09 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 571 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Galapagos takes the listener back one million years to AD 1986. A simple vacation cruise suddenly becomes an evolutionary journey. Thanks to an apocalypse, a small group of survivors stranded on the Galapagos Islands are about to become the progenitors of a brave, new, totally different human race. Kurt Vonnegut, America's master satirist, looks at our world and shows us all that is sadly, madly awry - and all that is worth saving. As an added bonus, when you purchase our Audible Modern Vanguard production of Kurt Vonnegut's book, you'll also receive an exclusive Jim Atlas interview. This interview where James Atlas interviews Gay Talese about the life and work of Kurt Vonnegut begins as soon as the audiobook ends. Critic Reviews: "Beautiful...provocative, arresting reading." (USA Today) "Vonnegut is a post-modern Mark Twain.... Galapagos is a madcap genealogical adventure." (The New York Times Book Review) "The best Vonnegut novel yet!" (John Irving) Members Reviews: A real mind bender Vonnegut's style is so unique. Flawless clarity, easy to listen to, sometimes albeit slightly repetitive, but that's what makes it so great and a little cynical. Story keeps you very involved and have to pay attention and keep track of a lot of names. I read this book as a young man and just re-listened to it. I am traveling to the Galápagos Islands next year and now will look at it just every so softly different. A good read, if you want something you have to focus to and are open to crazy stories. What can I say... What other book might you compare Galapagos to and why? Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land Any additional comments? Ghost narrator, fascinating setting and witty dialog...all with that obscure Vonnegut way of making you feel like you're watching the burning of Dresden with the author. Love Vonnegut? Listen to this... Kurt Vonnegut was obviously born on another planet, his perspective is so deliciously different. I am very sympathetic to his atheistic world view. He almost heroically presents fiction that tickles my fancy. At the same time, he presents scenarios that are totally grounded in possibility, yanking our minds out of the hum-drum daily grind. If there is a God, Vonnegut must be their favorite creation, he sheds so much light upon the human condition... The survival of the human race is a total bore! "In this era of big brains, anything which can be done will be done -- so hunker down." -- Kurt Vonnegut, Galápagos Trying to stay a couple books ahead of my son as I re-read Vonnegut. I haven't read much since those years between 13 and 18 when I seemed to burn through Vonnegut books again and again. He was one of those few writers I ever read twice (Dickens, Shakespeare, and Hugo are a few others). So, now as an adult I am approaching these books again. God I love this man. I love his hopeful, resigned cynicism about the modern era. He writes as an outsider, but also as a friend -- if that makes any sense. This novel is so brilliant in its simplicity. Kilgore Trout's son Leon Trotsky Trout narrates a tale that covers one million years. He is a ghost, destined to watch humanity crash and be reborn on the Island of Galápagos. That is the basic arc. The almost end of man, and his rebirth.

Deliverance Audiobook by James Dickey

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (James Dickey) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:15:01 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Deliverance Author: James Dickey Narrator: Will Patton Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins Language: English Release date: 10-31-11 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 2760 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Earphones Award Winner (AudioFile Magazine) The smash-hit best seller that inspired the acclaimed 1972 film starring Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox is now available in unabridged audio for the very first time. The setting is the Georgia wilderness, where the state's most remote white-water river awaits. In the thundering froth of that river, in its echoing stone canyons, four men on a canoe trip discover a freedom and exhilaration beyond compare. And then, in a moment of horror, the adventure turns into a struggle for survival as one man becomes a human hunter who is offered his own harrowing deliverance. This classic tale is vividly read by movie and TV star and Audie Award-winning narrator Will Patton. Critic Reviews: 100 Best Novels (The Modern Library) All-Time 100 Novels (Time) "Will Patton's narration is nothing short of haunting. His Southern tone steadily declines from that of a man pondering all that is possible in the world to that of a shattered soul." (AudioFile) Members Reviews: "A river runs through it..." A gazillion years ago, a friend and I were lurking and prowling in used book stores in San Diego. We separated, then when we met up again, my friend asked, 'Did you find anything good?' "A few things," I said. "But I was looking for a copy of 'Deliverance' and didn't find it." "You're not missing anything," he replied. Among everything that's happened in my life since, that remark still stands out as one of the most seriously mistaken. Based on his advice, I sort of stopped looking for it, but when the paper copy and I finally did connect, I was astonished. "Deliverance" is an unqualified masterpiece. Now, I've read it about three times and just finished listening for the first time -- and I tell ya, the audio version is even better than the printed version. I normally listen to audiobooks when I'm doing some sort of mindless task, and many times during "Deliverance" I found that I'd just stopped what I was doing and just stood there, listening. It's totally captivating and consuming. I suppose my friend's mistaken opinion of "Deliverance" was based on the film -- which I've now seen, too. Once. Indeed, the film is brutal and harsh -- scary, in the vicious savagery it depicts. The book stands in stark contrast -- tense? Yes. In fact, I'd be surprised if this book weren't used in writing classes, to demonstrate the proper way to build tension until it becomes almost unbearable. In the first few chapters especially, you just know something awful is going to happen -- you're just waiting for something to explode. And it does, of course -- but in the book, those terrible scenes we remember from the film take up just a few pages. By today's standards, in the book, it's not even especially violent. What does linger in the mind is the poetry of the whole thing -- a river runs through the whole story, with Dickey's marvelous commentary on its almost ethereal beauty, its symbolism as a life force, for good or bad, and the danger it can represent. It's also time for me to issue an apology to narrator Will Patton. The truth is, since listening -- trying to listen -- to several of the James Lee Burke books Patton has narrated, I've avoided any other books listing him as narrator.

Walk Me Home Audiobook by Catherine Ryan Hyde

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Catherine Ryan Hyde) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 01:46:29 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Walk Me Home Author: Catherine Ryan Hyde Narrator: Cristina Panfilio Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins Language: English Release date: 04-23-13 Publisher: Brilliance Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 479 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: From the author of Pay It Forward comes the powerful story of two sisters who just lost their mother - and are walking as fast as they can toward the only family they have left. If 16-year-old Carly and 11-year-old Jen can find Teddy, Carly knows hell save them from foster care...if he can forgive them for their mothers vicious lies about him. But when the starving girls get caught stealing food on a Native American reservation, their journey gets put on hold. And after Jen makes a heartbreaking confession, Carly wonders if theyll ever escape the pain of the past. Set against the backdrop of the American Southwest, Walk Me Home and its resilient heroines will inspire listeners and renew their faith in recovery and redemption. Members Reviews: Outstanding Performance for an Outstanding Story! What made the experience of listening to Walk Me Home the most enjoyable? There were many aspects of this book that I found so enjoyable! Catherine Ryan Hyde's engaging writing meshed so well with narrator Cristina Panfilio voice and performance that I could not wait to listen to this book at every chance I got. Panfilio's presentation of this book was so wonderful that I searched for other audiobooks narrated by her, something I've NEVER done. Her performance also prompted me to write this review, something else I've never done. Excellent pairing of book and narrator! The story itself is the wonderful, character-driven tale of Carly and her journey in becoming a well-adjusted young lady after the sudden death of her mother. Outstanding book. Outstanding audiobook. Highly recommended. -Krystal Hyde writes another great book Catherine Ryan Hyde has written several novels about lost or thrown away children..this is another one. She brings a great deal of heart into her novels and the excellent narration by Cristina Panfilio goes a long way towards making this a wonderfully listenable story. Sad yet heartwarming, 2 sisters try to walk from the 4 corners area to California to find a former boyfriend of their flighty mothers after mom turns up dead. The girls are afraid of being thrown into 'the system' of foster care which is, as usual, made out to be evil. As a foster mom to 7 girls over a period of 15 years I usually am a bit resentful about how kids think we foster moms are heartless money grubbers--that isn't at all the way most foster parents are at all. The older sister is determined to keep her younger sister safe on the road but they run into trouble until they wind up on a small portion of the 'Checkerboard reservation' area..thirsty and hungry. The story goes on from there and is worth your credit if you enjoy this type of novel..I do and have found myself buying Hydes works frequently. Reminiscent of Diane Chamberlain and Jodi Picoult in style and story line. This one is a bit unrealistic . . . Not my favorite of hers. A bit far fetched and not as detailed as it needed to be. Good, but just not great. I was able actually Dolores's Home This was a good book. carkey frustrated me so much I just wanted to shake some sense into her. But I fell in lovecwith her & Jen Great book! Really enjoyed this book. Easy listening , held my attention, very touching story. Strong characters with great life lessons.

The Cider House Rules Audiobook by John Irving

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (John Irving) — Mon, 31 Jan 2005 15:03:07 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Cider House Rules Author: John Irving Narrator: Grover Gardner Format: Unabridged Length: 24 hrs and 11 mins Language: English Release date: 01-31-05 Publisher: HarperAudio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1590 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: From one of America's most beloved and respected writers comes the classic story of Homer Wells, an orphan, and Wilbur Larch, a doctor without children of his own, who develop an extraordinary bond with one another. ©1985 John Irving; (P)1999 HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. Critic Reviews: "Witty, tenderhearted, fervent, and scarifying." (New York Times Book Review) "Gardner understands and conveys the book's sly humor and comprehension of human foibles." (Los Angeles Times) "John Irving's best novel....He is among the very best storytellers." (Philadelphia Inquirer) Members Reviews: Wonderful As often happens in my reading, I am curious of how the title was chosen. Although the Cider House and their rules were significant to this story, the orphanage was much more central to its theme. Regardless, this was wonderful to listen to. I have not read anything of John Irving's before. And if it weren't for the movie getting such high praise, I probably would not have read this one. But I am glad I did. The characters are wonderful. I did not have trouble following who is who despite the large number of people introduced into the tale. The subject sounds a bit more controversial, to be sure, than it is. But it is presented powerfully simple. I am pro-life, but I am also a nurse and need to offer all options. Just because I do not agree with abortion doesn't mean I rule over you. I can only hope there is a place like this one for those who need it. The atrocities presented in this tale are numerous: class differences, prejudices, addictions, harsh realities of life all of them. But they are told in such a way that they are neither repulsive nor shocking. And I did see the movie after listening to this. I am amazed it was rated so high, as it should be banned for desecrating such a wonderful tale. This selection is well worth your time and money. The Very Best I first read this book in 1986, when it first came out. I even saw the movie. Blame it on the passage of time or a bad memory, but all I remembered about it was that I knew I loved it. Engrossing, deep, funny, moving, sad but satisying. John Irving is the best. The very best. Man, can he tell a story. The narrator is perfect. He covers controversial topics, so know what you are getting into before you start it. This is a book you will be thinking about long after it is done and you will so want to talk about it! It has held up to the passage of time well, also. As good as it gets The story "The Cider House Rules" has the potential to go down in history as an all time classic. If my great grandchildren are reading this book along with the works of Charles Dickens and John Steinbeck, I wouldn't be surprised. John Irving is admittedly one of my favorite writers. His ability to tell epic stories about rich, interesting characters is unrivaled in our time. I will never forget the time I spent with Homer, Melony, Dr. Larch, Fuzzy, Candy, and all the others. Though other authors can write wonderfully engrossing books with thick plots and unexpected twists, nobody can match John Irving for introducing you to real people and making you a part of their lives. I've read 5 of J.I.'s works, all of which moved me and made me a fuller person. "The Cider House Rules" was undoubtedly the best. Grover Gardner does a woderful job with his distinctive voice.

Here I Am Audiobook by Jonathan Safran Foer

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Jonathan Safran Foer) — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 08:01:15 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Here I Am Subtitle: A Novel Author: Jonathan Safran Foer Narrator: Ari Fliakos Format: Unabridged Length: 16 hrs and 59 mins Language: English Release date: 09-06-16 Publisher: Macmillan Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1042 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A monumental new audiobook from the best-selling author of Everything Is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. In the book of Genesis, when God calls out, "Abraham!" before ordering him to sacrifice his son, Isaac, Abraham responds, "Here I am". Later, when Isaac calls out, "My father!" before asking him why there is no animal to slaughter, Abraham responds, "Here I am". How do we fulfill our conflicting duties as father, husband, and son; wife and mother; child and adult? Jew and American? How can we claim our own identities when our lives are linked so closely to others'? These are the questions at the heart of Jonathan Safran Foer's first novel in 11 years - a work of extraordinary scope and heartbreaking intimacy. Unfolding over four tumultuous weeks in present-day Washington, DC, Here I Am is the story of a fracturing family in a moment of crisis. As Jacob and Julia Bloch and their three sons are forced to confront the distances between the lives they think they want and the lives they are living, a catastrophic earthquake sets in motion a quickly escalating conflict in the Middle East. At stake is the meaning of home - and the fundamental question of how much aliveness one can bear. Showcasing the same high-energy inventiveness, hilarious irreverence, and emotional urgency that listeners and critics loved in his earlier work, Here I Am is Foer's most searching, hard-hitting, and grandly entertaining novel yet. It not only confirms Foer's stature as a dazzling literary talent but reveals a novelist who has fully come into his own as one of the most important writers in America. Members Reviews: Great book, probably best to read (not listen) it. The narration was great, and the story is really interesting. I'm not sure this is the best book for the audio book format. The author changes place, character and time several times in critical periods of the story. in text, he uses "space" to note the changes. In the audio book format those changes are not always clear, or become clear once you already missed a point. Fabulous, simply fabulous Smart, funny, heartbreaking, people you will remember, fabulous, wanted it to go on and on. Hebrew consultant needed This review is about the narration. While it was clear that Mr Filakos learned how to pronounce some of the Hebrew in this book (priestly blessing), it is glaring that he didn't consult anyone about how to pronounce Noam or minyan as well as others. It would have been easy to do and made the story less believable because an observant Jew who cared about a minyan wouldn't mispronounce it. Wonderful novel marred by imperfect narration Is there anything you would change about this book? I am so disappointed at the narrator choice for this book, which I have long been awaiting. While he is generally a very good narrator, his mispronunciation of nearly every Hebrew or Yiddish word he encounters is so jarring and distracting, I am thinking of returning the audiobook and waiting until I have time to read in print.

After the Fire Audiobook by Henning Mankell, Marlaine Delargy - translator

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Henning Mankell) — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 14:04:00 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: After the Fire Author: Henning Mankell, Marlaine Delargy - translator Narrator: Sean Barrett Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins Language: English Release date: 10-31-17 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 60 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Henning Mankell's last novel about an aging man whose quiet, solitary life on an isolated island off the coast of Sweden is turned upside down when his house catches fire. Fredrik Welin is a former surgeon who retired in disgrace decades earlier to a tiny island on which he is the only resident. He has a daughter he rarely sees, and his mailman, Jansson, is the closest thing he has to a friend and to an adversary. He is perfectly content to live out his days in quiet solitude. One autumn evening, he is startled awake by a blinding light - only to discover that his house is on fire. With the help of Jansson, he escapes the flames just in time wearing two left boots. Dawn reveals that everything he owns is now a smoldering pile of ash, and his house is destroyed - forcing him to move into an abandoned trailer on his island. A local journalist, Lisa Modin, who wants to write a story about the fire, comes into his life. In doing so, she awakens in him something that he thought was long dead. Soon after, his daughter comes to the island with surprising news of her own. Meanwhile, the police suspect Fredrik of arson because he had a sizable insurance claim on his house. When Fredrik is away from the archipelago, another house goes up in flames, and the community realizes they have an arsonist in their midst. After the Fire is an intimate portrait of an elderly recluse who is forced to open himself up to a world he'd left behind. Members Reviews: Most boring book this year The description of the book is far more interesting than the book itself. It is hard to believe that the story of the after math of an old man having his house burn down could possibly be such slow going. This man has three relationships: one with his daughter, one with a neighbor, and one with a new female acquaintance. He manages to have a non-relationship with all of them. The narrator is a liar and a snoop, and a thoroughly unlikable reprobate. This book has only one saving grace. If you suffer from insomnia an use listening to books as a way to relax at bedtime, this book is guaranteed to bore you to sleep. A must read if your a fan . Made so much more poignant by his passing . It was an uplifting read in the end but mournful at times . Just a warning , An interesting view of life, aging and death Those looking for a standard Mankell police procedural may be disappointed with this book, may even find it boring, but it is anything but. I replayed so many sections, that I finally bought the book so that I could read as I listened and then reread. I shall not soon forget Fredrik's transition to 'The place where memory is swallowed up by forgetfulness'. Loved it!

Pale Fire Audiobook by Vladimir Nabokov

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Vladimir Nabokov) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 22:37:15 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Pale Fire Author: Vladimir Nabokov Narrator: Marc Vietor Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins Language: English Release date: 12-23-10 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 284 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A 999 line poem in heroic couplets, divided into 4 cantos, was composed--according to Nabokov's fiction--by John Francis Shade, an obsessively methodical man, during the last 20 days of his life. Critic Reviews: "This centaur-work, half poem, half prose . . . is a creation of perfect beauty, symmetry, strangeness, originality and moral truth. Pretending to be a curio, it cannot disguise the fact that it is one of the great works of art of this century." (Mary McCarthy, The New Republic) "Of all [Nabokov's] inventions, Pale Fire is the wildest, the funniest and the most earnest. It is like nothing on God's earth." (New York Herald Tribune) "A monstrous, witty, intricately entertaining work . . . done with dazzling skill." (Time) Members Reviews: An amazing feat for such a unique novel While I highly recommend this selection, I can only recommend it to those who have read the printed novel first. Nabokov's book consists of a long poem written by John Shade, and a rambling, often hilarious, "commentary" written by Charles Kinbote, self-proclaimed king-in-exile from his beloved country of Zembla. As the commentary refers to specific lines of the 999-line poem, I was curious as to how the producers of the audiobook would handle these two distinct components. I was delighted by the choice to employ two narrators, Robert Blumenfeld for Shade and Marc Vietor for Kinbote. Both are excellent, but Vietor's Kinbote is what makes this audiobook so special. His unidentifiable (slightly Russian) accent and self-assured cockiness bring the exiled king (or plain madman) spring to life. Fans of the book should not feel they are wasting a credit by buying a book they've already read. Listening to Pale Fire will bring a new level of appreciation to Nabokov's brilliant novel. Brilliant, Touching and Fun You have to give this book a chance. It's a little rough to get started but once you catch all the implications, it's a funny and brilliant look at academia and humanity. I laughed out loud at a few lines and then I felt this rather sad pathos start to come over me. It's just a spoof, right? A brilliant spoof, but the book is merely satire and so we shouldn't be disturbed by it. But it is disturbing and it runs a lot deeper than spoof. The feeling you'll experience are real. Even the title... Give it a chance. Buy a hard copy. Try. It's certainly one of the finest assembly of words ever. Quality recording! This audiobook has two well-chosen narrators: one for Shade's poem and another - Vietor, I assume - for the commentary. The poem narrator also reads the opening reference lines to each footnote which breaks up the flow nicely and gives aural cues for each new note. Because of the highly non-linear structure induced by cross-references in the commentary, some may recommend constantly pausing and consulting a hard copy. Pale Fire demands to be reread and further explored in ways which might render the audiobook useless. This was perhaps an opportunity to be more creative with the audiobook indexing, but instead you just get roughly hour-long chunks. Alas, I found my first reading to be fabulously enjoyable, if not entirely illuminating, without such devices (straight-through). Well-read, never dull voicings, 5 stars Be Prepared - dark dark dark The further I get away from this the more I appreciate it.

The Vegetarian Audiobook by Han Kang

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Han Kang) — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 03:09:60 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Vegetarian Subtitle: A Novel Author: Han Kang Narrator: Janet Song, Stephen Park Format: Unabridged Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins Language: English Release date: 02-02-16 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 712 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: The Man Booker International Prize, 2016 A beautiful, unsettling novel in three acts about rebellion and taboo, violence and eroticism, and the twisting metamorphosis of a soul. Before the nightmares began, Yeong-hye and her husband lived an ordinary, controlled life. But the dreams - invasive images of blood and brutality - torture her, driving Yeong-hye to purge her mind and renounce eating meat altogether. It's a small act of independence, but it interrupts her marriage and sets into motion an increasingly grotesque chain of events at home. As her husband, brother-in-law, and sister all fight to reassert their control, Yeong-hye obsessively defends the choice that's become sacred to her. Soon their attempts turn desperate, subjecting first her mind and then her body to ever more intrusive and perverse violations, sending Yeong-hye spiraling into a dangerous, bizarre estrangement, not only from those closest to her but also from herself. Celebrated by critics around the world, The Vegetarian is a darkly allegorical, Kafka-esque tale of power, obsession, and one woman's struggle to break free from the violence both without and within her. Critic Reviews: "This book is both terrifying and terrific." (Lauren Groff, New York Times best-selling author of Fates and Furies) "The Vegetarian is one of the best novels I've read in years. It's incredible, daring, and stunningly moving. I loved it." (Laura van den Berg, author of Find Me) "A complex, terrifying look at how seemingly simple decisions can affect multiple lives.... In a world where women's bodies are constantly under scrutiny, the protagonist's desire to disappear inside of herself feels scarily familiar." (VanityFair.com) Members Reviews: Pronunciation! A remarkable story. The protagonist, the Vegetarian, combines in her character contentment and strength of will belied by her physical condition. It surprised me that the publishers did not listen carefully to the performance of the readers. The male reader needs to take care! In the most compelling moments his pronunciation of BUTTOCK would break the author's spell. Please dear publisher have a listen! Yours Sincerely, Jitu Pasricha Hunger's Artist "She had never lived. Even as a child, as far back as she could remember, she had done nothing but endure." -- Han Kang, The Vegetarian A short novel made up of three inter-related stories of three related family members (a sister/vegetarian, her sister/responsible one, her sister's husband/artist). The stories revolve around dreams, food, existence, art and nature. The book did give hints of an erotic Kafka's A Hunger Artist. No, not erotic, not really, just modern and sensual and transformative. I liked it, but just didn't love it. I thought there were elements of beauty certainly and a strange hallucinogenic quality to it that reminded me a bit of Murakami. The tension around food, art, family, and sex were developed well, but still there just seemed something missing. Accented English is unnecessary I don't understand the reason behind the female voice actor performing with an accent. The story is about a Korean woman who lives in Korea. She would not be speaking with any sort of accent. She is fluent in her own native tongue. This story is not about a Korean woman thinking and speaking in English so don't treat it like that.

The Leftovers Audiobook by Tom Perrotta

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Tom Perrotta) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 04:02:37 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Leftovers Author: Tom Perrotta Narrator: Dennis Boutsikaris Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins Language: English Release date: 08-30-11 Publisher: Macmillan Audio Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 1142 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A new original series from HBO, based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Tom Perrotta. What ifwhoosh, right now, with no explanationa number of us simply vanished? Would some of us collapse? Would others of us go on, one foot in front of the other, as we did before the world turned upside down? Thats what the bewildered citizens of Mapleton, who lost many of their neighbors, friends and lovers in the event known as the Sudden Departure, have to figure out. Because nothing has been the same since it happenednot marriages, not friendships, not even the relationships between parents and children. Kevin Garvey, Mapletons new mayor, wants to speed up the healing process, to bring a sense of renewed hope and purpose to his traumatized community. Kevins own family has fallen apart in the wake of the disaster: his wife, Laurie, has left to join the Guilty Remnant, a homegrown cult whose members take a vow of silence; his son, Tom, is gone, too, dropping out of college to follow a sketchy prophet named Holy Wayne. Only Kevins teenaged daughter, Jill, remains, and shes definitely not the sweet A student she used to be. Kevin wants to help her, but hes distracted by his growing relationship with Nora Durst, a woman who lost her entire family on October 14th and is still reeling from the tragedy, even as she struggles to move beyond it and make a new start. With heart, intelligence and a rare ability to illuminate the struggles inherent in ordinary lives, Tom Perrotta has written a startling, thought-provoking novel about love, connection and loss. Members Reviews: The title is the best part This novel works better in concept than in execution. The idea of "the rapture" as a dark comedy is appealing, but as the author implies in his post-read interview, what starts out as a humorous spoof on the remnant that is "left behind" quickly moves into a story about loss and about dealing with sudden bereavement. It's reads like a comedy of manners gone wrong, and while Perrotta maintains an ironic, amused distance from his various personas, the reader is left with few relatable characters or situations. There are multiple story lines, a structure which works well, but the narrative elements are all viewed from a detached clinical distance. I like the book, especially the title as a parody of the "Left Behind" series, and do recommend it, but Perrotta's signature tone seems to work better when it's not so heavy-handed. The narration is perfect. Boutsikaris' voice is mellow and sonorous, un-accented and without unnecessary drama or extremes of expression. Creative and Fascinating I loved every second of this audiobook. The idea behind it is so creative and new, I never knew what would come next. The rapture was a concept I had never thought much about, but now I can't stop thinking about it. Not that I'm expecting the real thing, but I think there are so many parallels to be made to real life tragedies. Perrotta did a great job exploring how we realistically cope with loss even in the most unrealistic of circumstances. Worth noting that I didn't find it depressing even though it deals with so many heavy topics. Was there a plot?? I listened to the first half thinking that the second half would devope the real storyline, but it never happened. The entire book is a discription on how the sudden departure effected a handfull of people emotionally.

The Lies We Told Audiobook by Diane Chamberlain

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Diane Chamberlain) — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 20:37:21 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Lies We Told Author: Diane Chamberlain Narrator: Johanna Parker Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins Language: English Release date: 01-21-16 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 250 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Maya and Rebecca Ward are both accomplished physicians, but that's where the sisters' similarities end. As teenagers, they witnessed their parents' murder, but it was Rebecca who saved Maya from becoming another of the gunman's victims. The tragedy left Maya cautious and timid, settling for a sedate medical practice with her husband, Adam, while Rebecca became the risk taker. After a devastating hurricane hits the coast of North Carolina, Rebecca and Adam urge Maya to join them in the relief effort. To please her husband, Maya finally agrees. She loses herself in the care and transport of victims, but when her helicopter crashes into raging floodwaters, there appears to be no survivors. Forced to accept that Maya is gone, Rebecca and Adam turn to one another - first for comfort, then in passion - unaware that, miles from civilization, Maya is injured and trapped with strangers she's not certain she can trust. Critic Reviews: "Chamberlain weaves an intensely engaging story of three people with a tragic past, complicated present, and unknown future who must struggle with trust, betrayal, and forgiveness." ( Booklist) Members Reviews: Great! This was an enjoyable read. It took a while to connect with the characters, but once I did I was hooked. Very moving. Couldn't put it down I always love Diane Chamberlains books. I wish a previous reviewer hadn't told me the end since it would have been a huge surprise but I was okay with how it ended. How anyone could say this book was boring, I don't know. I couldn't put it down. It was a bit unbelievable but I really got attached to the characters and love how the story evolved and told us bits of the accident throughout the book and how both sisters found themselves. Sibling rivalry, love, lust, loss, & heartache Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why? Absolutely! This was a great story line with a little something of every emotion for everyone. What other book might you compare The Lies We Told to and why? This had a little feel of Nicholas Spark's stories, in my opinion, except that the love story was more of a secondary focus while the friendship & survival events held the forefront. What about Johanna Parkers performance did you like? I loved her entire performance. I can't think of anyone else who could have done a better job! Any additional comments? Diane Chamberlain is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. This book contained a little sample of every feeling imaginable from love, loss, lust, heartbreak, starting anew, sibling rivalry to murder. The one idea that stuck with me is the thought that we should make our lives in the sand instead of concrete so that anytime we decide to change them, it is easily possible.This book was absolutely enamoring from the storyline to the writing technique. The plot kept me hooked from the very first page and while reading you will be fervently gritting your teeth to see how everything plays out Very Slow Pace Most of the book consists of the two sisters moaning about not revealing their guilty secrets to each other. The story is quite predictable until at least 90% or so, to the point where the reader gets anxious just to get it over with. There are a couple twists and surprises at the end, but they are essentially revealed as an aside, like 'oh, now that has happened so things are different '.

The Penelopiad Audiobook by Margaret Atwood

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Margaret Atwood) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:15:31 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Penelopiad Subtitle: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus Author: Margaret Atwood Narrator: Laural Merlington Format: Unabridged Length: 3 hrs and 21 mins Language: English Release date: 06-30-08 Publisher: Brilliance Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 234 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Left alone for 20 years when Odysseus goes off to fight in the Trojan war after the abduction of Helen, Penelope manages, in the face of scandalous rumours, to maintain the kingdom of Ithaca, bring up her wayward son, and keep over a hundred suitors at bay, simultaneously. When Odysseus finally comes home after enduring hardships, overcoming monsters, and sleeping with goddesses, he kills her suitors and - curiously - 12 of her maids. In a splendid contemporary twist to the ancient story, Margaret Atwood has chosen to give the telling of it to Penelope and to her 12 hanged maids, asking, "What led to the hanging of the maids, and what was Penelope really up to?" In Atwood's dazzling, playful retelling, the story becomes as wise and compassionate as it is haunting, and as wildly entertaining as it is disturbing. With wit and verve, drawing on the storytelling and poetic talent for which she herself is renowned, she gives Penelope new life and reality - and sets out to provide an answer to an ancient mystery. Members Reviews: Atwood- but not at her best Is there anything you would change about this book? Atwood can do no wrong as far as I am concerned. Her genius is such that I'm not sure that she's really one person. Each of her novels belongs to entirely different genres and her voice can be male, female, old, young, and even not entirely human. I suspect that it may one day be revealed that she is in fact the owner of a bizarre novel-producing labour camp that enslaves writers to produce histories, romances, science-fictions and most every other kind of novel. The real question is how she manages to find and keep such a range of incredibly talented authors producing such wonderfully enjoyable tales. Having said this, I found the Penelopiad to be not-her-best work. I love the idea of a feminist retelling of Homer's Greek epic. I think she was true to the style and I have no doubt that someone who knows more than my smidgen of Iliad and Odyssey would enjoy multiple references that passed me by. But this novel failed to mesmerise me in the way every other Atwood novel has done. I admired it and enjoyed it but I wasn't enthralled by it. If this book were a movie would you go see it? I think this would, if anything, make for a better movie than a book. The fantastic gods, the wild adventures - they would really lend themselves to the big screen. Penelopiad Read well but the book seems rather inconsequential. Certainly not the typical Atwood book. More like an exercise of some sort. Well done I thoroughly enjoyed this interesting "take" on the Odyssey. The narration is truly outstanding. A good listen Can't say this is Margaret Atwood at her best, but it's still an enjoyable intelligent Atwood book. Lighter than her usual writing. Has some feministic downfalls, but as a whole, The sarcastic view of the Odyssey makes it a fun listen. (Very good narration) screeching chorus couldn't stand the chorus .awful noise. gave me a head ache. will have to read.

The 13th Valley Audiobook by John M. Del Vecchio

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (John M. Del Vecchio) — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 02:18:22 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The 13th Valley Author: John M. Del Vecchio Narrator: Sean Runnette Format: Unabridged Length: 27 hrs and 28 mins Language: English Release date: 03-08-16 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 100 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Finalist for the National Book Award: a work that has served as a literary cornerstone for the Vietnam generation. The 13th Valley follows the terrifying Vietnam combat experiences of James Chelini, a telephone-systems installer who finds himself an infantryman in territory controlled by the North Vietnamese army. Spiraling deeper and deeper into a world of conflict and darkness, this harrowing account of Chelini's plunge and immersion into jungle warfare traces his evolution from a semipacifist to an all-out combat-crazed soldier. The seminal novel on the Vietnam experience, The 13th Valley is a classic that illuminates the war in Southeast Asia like no other book. It is the first title in Del Vecchio's Vietnam War Trilogy, which also includes For the Sake of All Living Things, about the Cambodian holocaust, and Carry Me Home, which addresses the aftermath of war. Members Reviews: One of the classic novels of Vietnam Any additional comments? In "The 13th Valley" John del Vecchio has created a work that is captivating, engrossing, immersive, authentic and heartbreaking. It is an intense account of the members of a company in the 101st Airborne division during an operation in the Central Highlands of Vietnam in August 1970. You learn what the soldiers are thinking, feeling, and dreaming. It is also a disturbing book in many ways. And that is as it should be. One's stand for or against the Vietnam War is immaterial. The reality for the men who served in Vietnam was surviving 365 days and most counted each day assiduously. The book is a detailed and authentic account in the sense that operational aspects of company level combat tactics are related in minute detail. Of course, there's a certain level of violence and gore. After all, it's war. But the author doesn't dwell on that. A lot of the book's realism lies in its exploration of the day-to-day struggles that are, and always have been, the lot of an infantryman in the field. That is, misery in the form of exhaustion, filth, mosquitoes, leaches, searing heat, dust, torrential rain, cold, mud, hunger, thirst, and sleep deprivation. And the seemingly endless hour of mind numbing boredom punctuated by minutes of sheer terror when contact is made. I don't know how many times I've read "The 13th Valley" since it was first published. Probably every three or four years. Each time I read it I learn something new. Listening to the audio book was time well spent. The narrator was excellent. Being familiar with the book, I remembered the location of units at particular points in time, how they moved around, landmarks, etc. I'm also familiar with military-speak, equipment, weapons, etc. Unfortunately, Audible does not make available a supplement with the maps or the glossary found in the printed version. The maps are referenced at the end of chapters as a summary of daily activities and are necessary to get a clear picture of where units are or have been, and how those movements relate to the overall mission. Those not familiar with military jargon and nomenclature may be overwhelmed by the terms thrown around. Not having a downloadable pdf file containing the maps and glossary was disappointing and will cause frustration for some listeners.

Memoria de mis putas tristes [Memory of My Melancholy Whores] Audio Libro

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Gabriel García Márquez) — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 01:20:20 GMT

Escuche este audio libro completo gratis en https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> Título: Memoria de mis putas tristes [Memory of My Melancholy Whores] Autor: Gabriel García Márquez Narrador: Alfonso Ortiz Formato: Unabridged Duración: 2 hrs and 53 mins Idioma: Español Fecha de publicación: 12-15-16 Editor: Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial Calificaciones: 4.5 de 5 de 68 votos Categorías: Fiction, Literary Resumen del editor: El audiolibro de la última novela que escribió García Márquez narrado por Alfonso Ortiz, el actor colombiano que ha dedicado su vida al teatro, al cine y a la televisión.Un viejo periodista decide festejar sus noventa años a lo grande, dándose un regalo que le hará sentir que todavía está vivo: una jovencita virgen, y con ella el principio de una nueva vida a una edad en que la mayoría de los mortales están muertos. En el prostíbulo llega el momento en el que ve a la mujer de espaldas, completamente desnuda. Ese acontecimiento cambia su vida radicalmente. Ahora que conoce a esta jovencita se encuentra a punto de morir, pero no por viejo, sino de amor. Así, Memoria de mis putas tristes cuenta la vida de este anciano solitario, un apasionado de la música clásica, nada aficionado a las mascotas y lleno de manías. Por él sabremos cómo en todas sus aventuras sexuales (que no fueron pocas) siempre dio a cambio algo de dinero, pero nunca imaginó que de ese modo encontraría el verdadero amor.Esta novela de Gabriel García Márquez es una conmovedora reflexión que celebra las alegrías del enamoramiento, las desventuras de la vejez y, ante todo, lo que sucede cuando sexo y amor se juntan para darle un sentido a la existencia. Nos encontramos ante un relato aparentemente sencillo pero cargado de resonancias, una historia narrada con el excepcional estilo y la maestría en el arte de contar de los que solo es capaz el autor colombiano.El año de mis noventa años quise regalarme una noche de amor loco con una adolescente virgen. Me acordé de Rosa Cabarcas, la dueña de una casa clandestina que solía avisar a sus buenos clientes cuando tenía una novedad disponible. Nunca sucumbí a ésa ni a ninguna de sus muchas tentaciones obscenas, pero ella no creía en la pureza de mis principios. También la moral es un asunto de tiempo, decía, con una sonrisa maligna, ya lo verás.El escritor Álvaro Mutis dijo...Memoria de mis putas tristes es una obra maestra. Es un texto magistral, extraordinario. Please note: This audiobook is in Spanish. Opiniones de los miembros: Great book! short story, very real and some heavy vocabulary. it is worthy to read and very well narrated Beautiful!! What a beautiful story.. narrator did a great job telling it, what a pleasure. Definitely recommend it!!

The Blue Castle Audiobook by L. M. Montgomery

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (L. M. Montgomery) — Tue, 23 May 2017 05:60:58 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Blue Castle Author: L. M. Montgomery Narrator: Barbara Barnes Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins Language: English Release date: 05-23-17 Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 90 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: All her life, Valancy Stirling lived on a quiet little street in an ugly little house and never dared to contradict her domineering mother and her unforgiving aunt. At 29, she's never been in love, and her only consolation has been the forbidden books of John Foster and her daydreams of the Blue Castle. Then, one day, she gets a letter and decides that things need to change. For the first time in her life, she does exactly what she wants to and says exactly what she feels. At first, her family thinks she's gone around the bend, but soon, she discovers a surprising new world, full of love and adventures far beyond her most secret dreams. Members Reviews: My favorite L.M. Montgomery story behind Anne I love this story! I bought it the day it came out. The narrator did a marvelous job! It just makes you feel good to listen! Loved this version Barbara Barnes does a great job with this story. This is one of my favorite LMM books, about an almost 30-something heroine breaking away from an unhealthy family to live a life more true to herself. So pleased Barbara Barnes will also be narrating Anne of Ingleside - coming out 10/17/2017. This will finally put all the Anne books on audio - something I've been waiting for since the 1990s. Can't wait! The Blue Castle I have read this book over and over again. Would love to see a movie made from it, but only if it stayed truthful to the book. Love having the audio version. Love the book This author has a way of writing very delightful books. I would definitely recommend to others! My new favorite book! I would highly recommend to everyone! well read by the narrator! montgomery is the best!

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena Audiobook by Anthony Marra

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Anthony Marra) — Tue, 07 May 2013 06:31:10 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: A Constellation of Vital Phenomena Subtitle: A Novel Author: Anthony Marra Narrator: Colette Whitaker Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins Language: English Release date: 05-07-13 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1037 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A resilient doctor risks everything to save the life of a hunted child, in this majestic debut about love, loss, and the unexpected ties that bind us together. In his brilliant, haunting novel, Stegner Fellow and Whiting Award winner Anthony Marra transports us to a snow-covered village in Chechnya, where eight-year-old Havaa watches from the woods as Russian soldiers abduct her father in the middle of the night, accusing him of aiding Chechen rebels. Across the road their lifelong neighbor and family friend Akhmed has also been watching, fearing the worst when the soldiers set fire to Havaas house. But when he finds her hiding in the forest with a strange blue suitcase, he makes a decision that will forever change their lives. He will seek refuge at the abandoned hospital where the sole remaining doctor, Sonja Rabina, treats the wounded. For the talented, tough-minded Sonja, the arrival of Akhmed and Havaa is an unwelcome surprise. Weary and overburdened, she has no desire to take on additional risk and responsibility. And she has a deeply personal reason for caution: Harboring these refugees could easily jeopardize the return of her missing sister. But over the course of five extraordinary days, Sonjas world will shift on its axis and reveal the intricate pattern of connections that weave together the pasts of these three unlikely companions and unexpectedly decides their fate. A story of the transcendent power of love in wartime, A Constellation of Vital Phenomena is a work of sweeping breadth, profound compassion, and lasting significance. Critic Reviews: A Constellation of Vital Phenomenais simply spectacular. Not since Everything is Illuminatedhave I read a first novel so ambitious and fully realized. If this is where Anthony Marra begins his career, I can't imagine how far he will go. Ann Patchett, New York Times bestselling author of State of Wonder and Bel Canto Remarkable and breathtaking, Anthony Marras A Constellation of Vital Phenomena is a spellbinding elegy for an overlooked land engulfed by an oft forgotten war. Set in the all-too-real Chechen conflict, Marra conjures fragile and heartfelt characters whose fates interrogate the very underpinnings of love and sacrifice. Adam Johnson, Pulitzer Prizewinning author of The Orphan Masters Son A complex debut[Marra writes] with elegant details about the physical and emotional destruction of occupation and war. Publishers Weekly (starred review) [An] extraordinary first novel...Marra collapses time, slidingbetween 1996 and 2004 while also detailing events in a future yet to arrive, giving his searing novel aneerie, propheticaura. All of the characters are closely tied together in ways that Marra takes his time revealing, even as he beautifully renders the way we long to connect and the lengths we will go to endure. Booklist (starred review) Marras debut novel places readers in Chechnya during its decade-long conflict with Russia and offers up an authentic, heartbreaking tale of intertwining relationships during wartime.As he shifts in time through the years of the two Chechen wars, Marra confidently weaves those plots together, and several more besides, giving each character a rich backstory that intersects, often years down the line, with the others.[T]he novels tone remains optimistic, and its characters retain vast depths of humanity (and even humor) in spite of their bleak circumstances.

Nineteen Eighty-Four Audiobook by George Orwell

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (George Orwell) — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 04:59:00 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Nineteen Eighty-Four Author: George Orwell Narrator: Andrew Wincott Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins Language: English Release date: 11-05-15 Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 144 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Big Brother is watching you.... 1984 is the year in which it happens. The world is divided into three superstates. In Oceania, the Partys power is absolute. Every action, word, gesture and thought is monitored under the watchful eye of Big Brother and the Thought Police. In the Ministry of Truth, the Partys department for propaganda, Winston Smiths job is to edit the past. Over time, the impulse to escape the machine and live independently takes hold of him and he embarks on a secret and forbidden love affair. As he writes the words DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER, his personal rebellion begins.... George Orwells masterpiece is the definitive dystopian novel and one of the most influential works of the twentieth century. Members Reviews: Great book What made the experience of listening to Nineteen Eighty-Four the most enjoyable? I felt I was with the narrator. Experiencing the pain and horror. Experiencing the thought process. I enjoyed how different the story of this book is. What other book might you compare Nineteen Eighty-Four to and why? None so far. This book is pretty unique. Any additional comments? I had a great experience reading this. Brilliant classic. A timeless classic that's very relevant for our current era of new speak and the like. Faultless narration. Great book and perfect performance I loved the whole performance and the fact that it has the appendix part with new speech. It left me speechless. I highly recommend it A cautionary tale and a great narrator This book is a great way to avoid totalitarianism. The message is simple, don't lie and speak up when you're pushed too far. The narration is fantastic. I'll be looking for more books read by Mr. Wincott. Why did I not read this earlier What made the experience of listening to Nineteen Eighty-Four the most enjoyable? The story is just captivating. Decided to pick it up because it is a classic, and I have never read it, and how I regret that. The story will change, i think, based on your own perception of your life. It is a story that is just complete, and well written. Who was your favorite character and why? Winston Smith. The way he rebels knowing he will (probably) get caught, but not realising the extend of cruelty the system is based on. He works with great enthusiasm in rewriting history, and yet does all he can to resist the impact wanted by the rewriting. Which character as performed by Andrew Wincott was your favorite? O'Brien. He does all the characters really well, but here he really nails it. The fatherly old, evil, man who really believes all his ramblings and believes doublespeak. The dialogue about levitation is incredible, and if you are new to the story look forward to this. Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry? The last reaction of Winston Smith moved me deeply.

A Land More Kind Than Home Audiobook by Wiley Cash

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Wiley Cash) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:03:46 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: A Land More Kind Than Home Author: Wiley Cash Narrator: Nick Sullivan, Lorna Raver, Mark Bramhall Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins Language: English Release date: 04-17-12 Publisher: HarperAudio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 461 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A stunning debut reminiscent of the beloved novels of John Hart and Tom Franklin, A Land More Kind Than Home is a mesmerizing literary thriller about the bond between two brothers and the evil they face in a small western North Carolina town.... For a curious boy like Jess Hall, growing up in Marshall means trouble when your mother catches you spying on grown-ups. Adventurous and precocious, Jess is enormously protective of his older brother, Christopher, a mute whom everyone calls Stump. Though their mother has warned them not to snoop, Stump can't help sneaking a look at something he's not supposed to - an act that will have catastrophic repercussions, shattering both his world and Jess's. It's a wrenching event that thrusts Jess into an adulthood for which he's not prepared. While there is much about the world that still confuses him, he now knows that a new understanding can bring not only a growing danger and evil - but also the possibility of freedom and deliverance as well. Told by three resonant and evocative characters - Jess; Adelaide Lyle, the town midwife and moral conscience; and Clem Barefield, a sheriff with his own painful past - A Land More Kind Than Home is a haunting tale of courage in the face of cruelty and the power of love to overcome the darkness that lives in us all. These are masterful portrayals, written with assurance and truth, and they show us the extraordinary promise of this remarkable first novel. Members Reviews: So good it made me cry! I am not a wuss so I was surprised that the author could make me cry. But he did! What a well-written book. Excellent characters, even though you could have throttled some of them, especially our young hero's mother. The "heavy" was also an interesting character. I loved the way different characters narrated different chapters. This technique of different points of view kept my interest in the story and in the suspense going strong. I was always wondering how the story would end and whether the bad guy would get his due. I will look for more from Wiley Cash. A suspenseful and fresh novel of suspense. An American Tragedy Not since "Night of the Hunter" can I remember a more charismatically evil "preacher" captivating a community and placing innocent children in peril. Two people know the danger in the preacher - the sheriff who has no legal evidence to act, and Adelaide, an elderly woman of the church who has appointed herself protector of the children in the congregation. These two are moral anchors of the community, in their own ways keepng the peace. But then the curiosity of two brothers sets events in motion that gain momentum and become explosive in a matter of only days. Wiley Cash has perfectly captured the language of the region, with a finely tuned ear for genuine dialogue and prose. The characters are complexly gritty, tender, damaged and innocent, Told by three first-person voices, we get an inside look at life in the mountain country of North Carolina, where communities are close knit and closed in, and ruled by tobacco and fundamentalist religion. The three voices - Adelaide, Sheriff Barefield, and Jess Hall, a 10 year old boy terrified at being thrust center stage in the machinations of an adult world he can't understand, are all voiced impeccably by a trio of accomplished narrators.

The Pearl That Broke Its Shell Audiobook by Nadia Hashimi

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Nadia Hashimi) — Tue, 06 May 2014 09:50:14 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Pearl That Broke Its Shell Author: Nadia Hashimi Narrator: Gin Hammond Format: Unabridged Length: 16 hrs and 10 mins Language: English Release date: 05-06-14 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 863 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Afghan American Nadia Hashimi's literary debut is a searing tale of powerlessness, fate, and the freedom to control one's own fate that combines the cultural flavor and emotional resonance of the works of Khaled Hosseini, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Lisa See. In Kabul, 2007, with a drug-addicted father and no brothers, Rahima and her sisters can only sporadically attend school and can rarely leave the house. Their only hope lies in the ancient custom of bacha posh, which allows young Rahima to dress and be treated as a boy until she is of marriageable age. As a son, she can attend school, go to the market, and chaperone her older sisters. But Rahima is not the first in her family to adopt this unusual custom. A century earlier, her great-aunt Shekiba, left orphaned by an epidemic, saved herself and built a new life the same way. Crisscrossing in time, The Pearl That Broke Its Shellinterweaves the tales of these two women separated by a century who share similar destinies. But what will happen once Rahima is of age? Will Shekiba always live as a man? And if Rahima cannot adapt to life as a bride, how will she survive? Members Reviews: Inner View of Hidden Women Another excellent surprise. This started out a little rough for me, but I'm so glad I stuck with it. It is a book with huge scope covering the lives of two women in Afghanistan, this will first make you curious and then begin tugging on your heart strings from a powerful new (old) perspective, that of the imprisoned and disenfranchised women. Shall we not guard or own freedoms with all of our being? In what ways do we need to break out of our shells? Also, this book really brings home the very limited world view that so many trapped women have and why. It's so hard for me to fathom. I'm so thankful for my life, and I'll learn about the issues and exercise my right to vote every single time. I can't help but wonder -- if push came to shove, would we be as brave as these women? Powerful, compelling Powerful, compelling. What a good read. It always grieves me to see how people in other countries are treated and this book as no exception. What these women go through is absolutely horrifying. I have read several books of this type and have to say that I think the author did a great job with this book. She gave a unique perspective by having one of the girls be a bacha posh and then showing her life after that time as well as the lives of others in Afghan. So thankful that I live in the USA and we dont have to face things like this today. A Story you will never forget Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why? Yes I would. This audiobook has so much to offer in terms of engaging the listener and creating images in the mind that stir the heart. What other book might you compare The Pearl That Broke Its Shell to and why? Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Both authors weave multiple stories within the story and show how other cultures live, love, and believe. The social fabrics are so well presented in these two novels yet speak volumes as to the underlying truth. Different from us in America, yet utterly human and with the same emotions and desires. What does Gin Hammond bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book? Well, her narrative style was superlative.

The Sheltering Sky Audiobook by Paul Bowles

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Paul Bowles) — Mon, 07 May 2012 07:28:51 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Sheltering Sky Author: Paul Bowles Narrator: Jennifer Connelly Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins Language: English Release date: 05-07-12 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 533 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: The Sheltering Sky is a landmark of 20th-century literature, a novel of existential despair that examines the limits of humanity when it touches the unfathomable emptiness of the desert. Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind, Requiem for a Dream) gives masterful voice to this American classic. This fascinating story follows three American travelers, a married couple and their friend, as they find themselves adrift in the cities and deserts of North Africa after World War II. Along the walkabout, their ignorance of the dangers that surround them peels back the veneer of their lives. The authors life as an expatriate in the North African nation of Morocco informed his rendering of the desert, which itself is a cruel, unforgiving character in the novel. Paul Bowles writing is so extraordinary, so special, Ms. Connelly said. The landscapes are magical, the characters are questioning so much its haunting in a very beautiful way. Members Reviews: A Teacup Full of Sand on the Highest Dune Because this is one of the novels released in Audible's *A-List Collection*, I'll begin with the perfect match-up of this novel to narrator, Jennifer Connelly. Flaw Less. With an hypnotic voice, Miss Connelly brings the voice of author Bowles alive. If you are familiar with the ex-pat author and composer, you might even hear his attitude in Connelly's reading. I've listened only to 3 books from the A-List Collection, but all have been solid pairings of novel and narrator. Connelly was sublime. I was simply - seduced, from the introductory beat of exotic tribal drums. As the novel progressed, I did not like these nihilistic snoots, Kit and Port, so self-absorbed that they don't wait for night to fall--rather they wait for the *night to come to them*, but I was mesmerized by them. Tired of Paris, Rome, wishing to escape anywhere touched by the war (WWII), Kit and Port stuff their trunks and cross the Atlantic to the N. African desert. They sit on the terrace of a desert cafe where the "air has no movement", surrounded by Arabs in fezes in shades of red, they in their European clothes, "in the manner of people who had all the time in the world for everything." Kit finds a piece of rabbit fur in her rabbit soup after swallowing a spoonful, after devouring a bowl of noodles Port notices the floating bodies of weevils, they suffer illness (and worse)...I had no sympathy for these inhumane people, but I was fascinated -- to quote Bowles quoting Kafka..."From a certain point onward there is no longer any turning back; that is the point that must be reached." Kit and Port Moresby (MOREsby surely couldn't be coincidental), are not the antagonists of this story -- it is the Sahara, and the solitude that ignores station, caste, or status . As Bowles goes on to drive these two further into the desert the story becomes bizarre, to say the least, but these mysteries should remain until you discover them for yourself. A bit similar to Hemmingway's band of ex-pats in Paris from The Sun Also Rises; and there is no escaping the obvious...this is Existentialism, very reminiscent of Camus' The Stranger.

Ill Will Audiobook by Dan Chaon

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Dan Chaon) — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 07:31:25 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Ill Will Subtitle: A Novel Author: Dan Chaon Narrator: full cast, Edoardo Ballerini, Ari Fliakos, Michael Crouch Format: Unabridged Length: 14 hrs and 57 mins Language: English Release date: 03-07-17 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 265 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Two sensational unsolved crimes - one in the past, another in the present - are linked by one man's memory and self-deception in this chilling novel of literary suspense from National Book Award finalist Dan Chaon. "We are always telling a story to ourselves, about ourselves." This is one of the little mantras Dustin Tillman likes to share with his patients, and it's meant to be reassuring. But what if that story is a lie? A psychologist in suburban Cleveland, Dustin is drifting through his 40s when he hears the news: His adopted brother, Rusty, is being released from prison. Thirty years ago Rusty received a life sentence for the massacre of Dustin's parents, aunt, and uncle. The trial came to epitomize the 1980s hysteria over Satanic cults; despite the lack of physical evidence, the jury believed the outlandish accusations Dustin and his cousin made against Rusty. Now, after DNA analysis has overturned the conviction, Dustin braces for a reckoning. Meanwhile, one of Dustin's patients has been plying him with stories of the drowning deaths of a string of drunk college boys. At first Dustin dismisses his patient's suggestions that a serial killer is at work as paranoid thinking, but as the two embark on an amateur investigation, Dustin starts to believe that there's more to the deaths than coincidence. Soon he becomes obsessed, crossing all professional boundaries - and putting his own family in harm's way. From one of today's most renowned practitioners of literary suspense, Ill Will is an intimate thriller about the failures of memory and the perils of self-deception. In Dan Chaon's nimble, chilling prose, the past looms over the present, turning each into a haunted place. Members Reviews: Not for those who like rosy things This is a very dark book which accounts for the disparate reviews. If you like uplifting stories of triumph over adversity, this is not for you. If you like brilliant writing and unusual characters, give it a try. It is totally unexpected and I am already listening to another one by the same author (equally dark...Mr. Chaon is not a happy man). Yes, the ending could have been different, but I didn't find it as jarring as some of the other reviewers. In fact, it almost had to be so. And the performances are stellar. Ballerini has always been one of my favorite narrators but all of the others do a great job as well. A Certain Kind This is a certain kind of book for a certain kind of person. It's going to divide people. To read it is to take a chance. If you are going to take that chance, don't spoil it by reading tons of reviews. Just dive in. No resolution. Nothing gets resolved. The writer purposefully leaves almost all questions unanswered. Fantastic narration. Really good writing, too. Enjoyed every sentence I love Don Chaon's tragic, yet darkly humorous books and short stories. His similes and metaphors are the best. Tense A great story. Well written and very well read. The readers did a great job.

The Swans of Fifth Avenue Audiobook by Melanie Benjamin

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Melanie Benjamin) — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 01:14:48 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Swans of Fifth Avenue Subtitle: A Novel Author: Melanie Benjamin Narrator: Cassandra Campbell, Paul Boehmer Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 45 mins Language: English Release date: 01-26-16 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1086 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: The New York Times best-selling author of The Aviator's Wife returns with a triumphant new novel about New York's "Swans" of the 1950s - and the scandalous, headline-making, and enthralling friendship between literary legend Truman Capote and peerless socialite Babe Paley. Of all the glamorous stars of New York high society, none blazes brighter than Babe Paley. Her flawless face regularly graces the pages of Vogue, and she is celebrated and adored for her ineffable style and exquisite taste, especially among her friends - the alluring socialite Swans Slim Keith, C. Z. Guest, Gloria Guinness, and Pamela Churchill. By all appearances, Babe has it all: money, beauty, glamour, jewels, influential friends, a prestigious husband, and gorgeous homes. But beneath this elegantly composed exterior dwells a passionate woman - a woman desperately longing for true love and connection. Enter Truman Capote. This diminutive, golden-haired genius with a larger-than-life personality explodes onto the scene, setting Babe and her circle of Swans aflutter. Through Babe, Truman gains an unlikely entrée into the enviable lives of Manhattan's elite along with unparalleled access to the scandal and gossip of Babe's powerful circle. Sure of the loyalty of the man she calls "True Heart", Babe never imagines the destruction Truman will leave in his wake. But once a storyteller, always a storyteller - even when the stories aren't his to tell. Truman's fame is at its peak when such notable celebrities as Frank and Mia Sinatra, Lauren Bacall, and Rose Kennedy converge on his glittering Black and White Ball. But all too soon, he'll ignite a literary scandal whose repercussions echo through the years. The Swans of Fifth Avenue will seduce and startle listeners as it opens the door onto one of America's most sumptuous eras. Critic Reviews: "The strange and fascinating relationship between Truman Capote and his 'swans' is wonderfully reimagined in this engrossing novel. It's a credit to Benjamin that we end up caring so much for these women of power, grace, and beauty - and for Capote, too." (Sara Gruen, New York Times best-selling author of Water for Elephants) "Benjamin convincingly portrays a large cast of colorful historical figures while crafting a compelling, gossipy narrative with rich emotional depth." (Library Journal) "A deliciously spiky novel of love and betrayal." (Alex George, author of A Good American) Members Reviews: If You Are Of Certain Age, You'll Enjoy This At first I thought that the narrators emulating Truman Capote's voice and inflections would be grating but as it turns out, that actually added positively to the reading and listening. Caasandra Campbell and Paul Boehmer did a great job. The down side is, if you're under say, the age of 55, you probably won't get a grip on the character that Capote truly was merely by hearing the narrators' really good impersonations of his persona via voice. I might be wrong, but I believe that you almost have to have had a somewhat vague impression of him from that time period to really understand and get into this book. Ms. Benjamin did a super job in painting the characters and overall, the book is a really good listen. Wanted to give 4-1/2 stars.

The Kitchen God's Wife Audiobook by Amy Tan

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Amy Tan) — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 05:01:59 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Kitchen God's Wife Author: Amy Tan Narrator: Gwendoline Yeo Format: Unabridged Length: 14 hrs and 18 mins Language: English Release date: 07-27-16 Publisher: Phoenix Books Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 128 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Winnie and Helen have kept each other's worst secrets for more than 50 years. Now, because she believes she is dying, Helen wants to expose all that has been concealed, when she decides to celebrate the Chinese New Year by unburdening herself of everybody's hidden truths - her own and Winnie's, as well as the dreadful news that Winnie's daughter, Pearl, has been keeping from her mother. So begins a series of comic misunderstandings and heartbreaking realizations about luck, loss, and trust, about the things a mother cannot tell a daughter, the secrets a daughter keeps, and the miraculous resiliency of love. Critic Reviews: "Remarkable...mesmerizing...compelling.... An entire world unfolds in a Tolstoyan tide of event and detail." (New York Times) Members Reviews: Narration unintentionally funny The story is great and I always enjoy it. The narration is generally quite good. Some of the characters have a distinct California accent. In 1930's China : D. Also, Aunt Du speaks in a way that sounds -just- like monks doing Gregorian chants. Made me smile every time I heard it! ending gets me every time... this is a great story and I get tears in my eyes everytime I reach the end. Holds your attention through out A great story. Riveting. Narrator does well except for "Peanut" in her "Valley Girl" style voice and the other snobbish characters, and the elderly aunt in the sing song style voice. Those voices were annoying and distracting. I read this years ago I read this years ago and listened to this on my commute. I loved it and can't wait to listen to this again. well done. Fabulous story, questionable narration How did the narrator detract from the book? I love Amy Tang's wonderful books, and while we all create characters "voices" in our heads, I have learned to give audio book narrators a chance to inhabit the characters. Sadly, this was not possible with Gwendoline Yeo's strange reading. A pivotal character, Auntie Du, was described as having a "sing-song" voice. The narrator chose to do a strange atonal reading that was so annoying and distracting that it rendered important plot points unintelligible. It was aptly described by another reviewer as "Gregorian chants". The modern drawling California "Valley" accents felt jarring and out of place for young Chinese women in the 1930s.

Tell the Wolves Im Home Audiobook by Carol Rifka Brunt

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Carol Rifka Brunt) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 18:09:55 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Tell the Wolves Im Home Subtitle: A Novel Author: Carol Rifka Brunt Narrator: Amy Rubinate Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 46 mins Language: English Release date: 08-07-12 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1609 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: In this striking literary debut, Carol Rifka Brunt unfolds a moving story of love, grief, and renewal as two lonely people become the unlikeliest of friends and find that sometimes you dont know youve lost someone until youve found them. 1987. Theres only one person who has ever truly understood fourteen-year-old June Elbus, and thats her uncle, the renowned painter Finn Weiss. Shy at school and distant from her older sister, June can only be herself in Finns company; he is her godfather, confidant, and best friend. So when he dies, far too young, of a mysterious illness her mother can barely speak about, Junes world is turned upside down. But Finns death brings a surprise acquaintance into Junes life - someone who will help her to heal and to question what she thinks she knows about Finn, her family, and even her own heart. At Finns funeral, June notices a strange man lingering just beyond the crowd. A few days later, she receives a package in the mail. Inside is a beautiful teapot she recognizes from Finns apartment and a note from Toby, the stranger, asking for an opportunity to meet. As the two begin to spend time together, June realizes shes not the only one who misses Finn, and if she can bring herself to trust this unexpected friend, he just might be the one she needs the most. An emotionally charged coming-of-age novel,Tell the Wolves Im Homeis a tender story of love lost and found, an unforgettable portrait of the way compassion can make us whole again. Carol Rifka Brunts work has appeared in several literary journals, including the North American Review and the Sun. In 2006 she was one of three fiction writers who received a New Writing Ventures Award, and in 2007 she received a generous Arts Council England grant to write Tell the Wolves Im Home, her first novel. Originally from New York, she currently lives in England with her husband and three children. Critic Reviews: A gorgeously evocative novel about love, loss, and the ragged mysteries of the human heart, all filtered through the achingly real voice of a remarkable young heroine. How can you not fall in love with a book that shows you how hope can make a difference? (Caroline Leavitt, New York Timesbestselling author) Tell the Wolves Im Homeis a charming, sure-handed, and deeply sympathetic debut. Brunt writes about family, adolescence, and the human heart with great candor, insight, and pathos. (Jonathan Evison, New York Timesbestselling author) Tremendously movingBrunt strikes a difficult balance, imbuing June with the disarming candor of a child and the melancholy wisdom of a heart-scarred adult. ( Wall Street Journal) Members Reviews: story of a selfish awful family of people this is a tough book to rate and review. i found most of the main characters so selfish and self consumed, it was hard to feel any genuine empathy or sympathy for them. both sisters at the heart of the story were horrid girls. i kept trying to convince myself they weren't so bad...that they were just teenagers...but i just couldn't excuse their behavior. i think that parts of the story, the study of human behavior and misinformation at the beginning of the AIDS crisis, were quite interesting. i was too young when this story took place to know that this is how people reacted to someone with AIDS. it made me sad.

Journey to the End of the Night Audiobook by Louis-Ferdinand Celine

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Louis-Ferdinand Celine) — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 07:55:52 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Journey to the End of the Night Author: Louis-Ferdinand Celine Narrator: David Colacci Format: Unabridged Length: 19 hrs and 35 mins Language: English Release date: 08-23-16 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 72 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Louis-Ferdinand Celine's revulsion and anger at what he considered the idiocy and hypocrisy of society explodes from nearly every minute of this novel. Filled with slang and obscenities and written in raw, colloquial language, Journey to the End of the Night is a literary symphony of violence, cruelty, and obscene nihilism. This book shocked most critics when it was first published in France in 1932, but quickly became a success with the public in Europe, and later in America, where it was first published by New Directions in 1952. The story of the improbable, yet convincingly described travels of the petit-bourgeois (and largely autobiographical) antihero, Bardamu, from the trenches of World War I, to the African jungle, to New York and Detroit, and finally to life as a failed doctor in Paris, takes the listeners by the scruff and hurtles them toward the novel's inevitable, sad conclusion. Critic Reviews: "Céline showed me that it was possible to convey things that had heretofore seemed inaccessible. " ( New York Times) Members Reviews: Classic of Modernist Literature Here's a book I never thought I'd see in audio format. I'm glad it's available. Surprisingly, Celine's idiosyncratic, explosive prose style sounds good when rendered aloud by David Colacci, who reads the text with the expressiveness appropriate to Celine's highly distinct voice. If you aren't familiar with Celine, and you're interested in literary outlaws like Burroughs, Genet, or Henry Miller, do yourself a favor and get acquainted with Journey to the End of the Night. It's a landmark novel in 20th Century literary modernism. My first Celine I'm going to be reading the rest of his novels. I made several bookmarks throughout this read because there were phrases and ideas I never want to forget. At times I was reminded of Bukowski and Kerouac but the author having probably inspired those two, certainly has a voice all his own. Hysterical Sarcastic, hysterical, black and beautifully insightful and narrated. I cannot imagine this book in a different, better voice. Miserable Ride with Cynic Supreme "A cynic can chill and dishearten with a single word." Ralph Waldo Emerson From Journey to the End of the Night: The sadness of the world has different ways of getting to people, but it seems to succeed almost every time. **** I cannot refrain from doubting that there exist any genuine realizations of our deepest character except war and illness, those two infinities of nightmare. This 1932 novel follows the wayfarings of French antihero Ferdinand Bardamu in and after World War I through war-ravaged Europe, the African jungles and post-World War I New York City and Detroit, then back to France where he became an unsuccessful medical doctor after setting up a practice in a poverty-stricken Paris suburb. Celine's impetus to writing this book largely came from the trauma he suffered while serving in World War I. Celine was a continual and consistent cynic who no doubt loathed what he viewed as a society full of hypocrisy and folly. The gloomy narrative is replete with vulgar slang, sardonic jocosity, incessant agonies and pessimism, with heavy use of exaggerations and ellipses to reflect the flow of Bardamu's dialogue.

The Complete Patrick Melrose Novels Audiobook by Edward St. Aubyn

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Edward St. Aubyn) — Tue, 05 May 2015 16:50:41 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Complete Patrick Melrose Novels Subtitle: Never Mind, Bad News, Some Hope, Mother's Milk, and At Last Author: Edward St. Aubyn Narrator: Alex Jennings Format: Unabridged Length: 27 hrs Language: English Release date: 05-05-15 Publisher: Macmillan Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 123 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Edward St. Aubyn has penned one of the most acclaimed series of the decade with the Patrick Melrose Novels. Now you can listen to all five novels in one volume: Never Mind, Bad News, Mother's Milk, Some Hope, and At Last. By turns harrowing and hilarious, this ambitious novel cycle dissects the English upper class. Edward St. Aubyn offers his listener the often darkly funny and self-loathing world of privilege as we follow Patrick Melrose's story of abuse, addiction, and recovery from the age of five into early middle age. The Patrick Melrose novels comprise a modern masterpiece by one of "the most brilliant English novelists of his generation" (Alan Hollinghurst). The Patrick Melrose Novels as read by Alex Jennings were nominated for a 2015 Audie Award in Literary Fiction. Members Reviews: beautifully, brilliantly wrought I may have to write a much more lengthy and insightful review to capture the ways I love, admire and appreciate this book. But since there's no time for that right now, I would say this book is for anyone who loves language and wit, the thrill, empathy and occasional horror of interior monologues from diverse and well-drawn characters, the slow unfolding of a story from many perspectives, and a frequent urge to write down what feels like profound truths imparted along the way. The performance was perfect as well - Mr Jennings used distinct voices to bring each character to life. Highly recommended! A Moat Surrounding Both British Nobility and Abuse I wasn't intrigued enough until I saw this series of novels had been collected in one volume. I'm glad I read this semi-autobiographical pentalogy, published between 1992 and 2011, which delighted me in its subtle shaming of modern-day British aristocracy (in a way only a defiant member can) as much as it troubled in its expert examination of the enduring destruction of child abuse (both physical and mental). Just to provide a short synopsis of each of the 5 novels herein (in order of publication): NEVER MIND: Set in a mountain village in southeast France at the summer home of the protagonist Patrick when he was 5 years old. His dreadfully cruel father and meek alcoholic mother host several guests at a dinner party. Includes an incident of the lewd abuse of Patrick. BAD NEWS: Patrick is now a 25-year-old heroin abuser in New York City to retrieve the ashes of his father over a 24-hour period. Includes probably the most accurate depiction of the mindset of a active drug addict I've ever read. SOME HOPE: Set back in England a few years later, prior to and at a society party, also takes place over a single day. Patrick is trying to stay clean and shares his secret with his best friend. A mordant observation of the haughty, shallow and cruel nature of the British upper crust. Queen Elizabeth's sister, Prince Margaret, plays a large and largely unflattering role. MOTHER'S MILK: This novel, unlike the first 3 and the last, all of which are set on a single day, occurs over several years. It's almost as long as the first 3 combined. Patrick's 2 sons are born. For most of it, he's a self-centered cad, drunk and on pain pills. His mother has given away most of Patrick's legacy to a spiritual guide (like Tolle'). AT LAST: Patrick's mom's funeral. St.

The Handmaid's Tale Audiobook by Margaret Atwood, Valerie Martin - essay

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Margaret Atwood) — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 23:07:50 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Handmaid's Tale Subtitle: Special Edition Author: Margaret Atwood, Valerie Martin - essay Narrator: Claire Danes, Ray Porter, Margaret Atwood, Tim Gerard Reynolds, full cast Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins Language: English Release date: 04-04-17 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 236 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: "Are there any questions?" The final line in Margaret Atwood's modern classic, The Handmaid's Tale, has teased and perplexed fans since the book's original release more than 30 years ago. Now, in this Audible Original production, listeners get some of the answers they've waited so long to hear. Featuring an all-new interview with Professor Piexoto, written by Atwood and performed by a full cast, The Handmaid's Tale: Special Edition is a must-listen for both fans and newcomers alike. Emmy Award winner Claire Danes (Homeland, Temple Grandin) gives a stirring performance of this classic in speculative fiction, where the message (and the warning) is now more timely than ever. In addition to rich sound design that honors the audio origins of Atwood's classic, the special edition also includes a brand-new afterword from the author and an essay written by author Valerie Martin (Mary Reilly, Property). After a violent coup in the United States overthrows the Constitution and ushers in a new government regime, the Republic of Gilead imposes subservient roles on all women. Offred, now a Handmaid tasked with the singular role of procreation in the childless household of the enigmatic Commander and his bitter wife, can remember a time when she lived with her husband and daughter and had a job, before she lost everything, even her own name. Despite the danger, Offred learns to navigate the intimate secrets of those who control her every move, risking her life for mere glimpses of her former freedom, and records her story for future listeners. Whether you're a fan of the original novel or someone who has recently discovered it, The Handmaid's Tale: Special Edition will shock, impress, and satisfy all those who listen. Members Reviews: Amazing read. Absolutely love the way this story was written, although I don't feel satisfied with the abrupt ending of offred's story. I don't know why there are so many reviews asking about why there is music throughout, it is a vital part of the story when you get to the ending. Definitely recommend! Silly scratchy musical transitions Wonderful story with excellent narrative performance. That said, what is with the ridiculous scratchy music transitions at the beginning of section chapters? The sounds bear no reference to the plot and are irrelevant. The sound engineers didn't give any breathing time between these scrunch scratches and the narrative either making the production appear amateur. Great book Claire Danes is a great narrator. I really enjoyed listening to her. What in earth is with the music between chapters? It was terrible and takes you out of the story. Loved it, but one thing irked me Clair Danes is a master narrator. I was drawn in to the story. Made to believe I could actually be hearing a firsthand account. The one thing that bothered me was the chapter Intros. The solemn reading of the chapter number often followed by the audible click of a cassette player to play a brief clip of music, and another click to stop the music. It feels jarring. Unpolished without being purposeful.

Purity Audiobook by Jonathan Franzen

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Jonathan Franzen) — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 14:27:38 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Purity Subtitle: A Novel Author: Jonathan Franzen Narrator: Robert Petkoff, Jenna Lamia, Dylan Baker Format: Unabridged Length: 25 hrs Language: English Release date: 09-01-15 Publisher: Macmillan Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1707 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A magnum opus for our morally complex times from the author of Freedom. Young Pip Tyler doesn't know who she is. She knows that her real name is Purity, that she's saddled with $130,000 in student debt, that she's squatting with anarchists in Oakland, and that her relationship with her mother - her only family - is hazardous. But she doesn't have a clue who her father is, why her mother chose to live as a recluse with an invented name, or how she'll ever have a normal life. Enter the Germans. A glancing encounter with a German peace activist leads Pip to an internship in South America with The Sunlight Project, an organization that traffics in all the secrets of the world - including, Pip hopes, the secret of her origins. TSP is the brainchild of Andreas Wolf, a charismatic provocateur who rose to fame in the chaos following the fall of the Berlin Wall. Now on the lam in Bolivia, Andreas is drawn to Pip for reasons she doesn't understand, and the intensity of her response to him upends her conventional ideas of right and wrong. Purity is a grand story of youthful idealism, extreme fidelity, and murder. The author of The Corrections and Freedom has imagined a world of vividly original characters - Californians and East Germans, good parents and bad parents, journalists and leakers - and he follows their intertwining paths through landscapes as contemporary as the omnipresent Internet and as ancient as the war between the sexes. Purity is the most daring and penetrating book yet by one of the major writers of our time. This audiobook includes a bonus conversation with the author. Critic Reviews: "In short, the book is a dream for any narrator who is itching to demonstrate his or her acting range, as Jenna Lamia, Dylan Baker, and Robert Petkoff handily do. Their performances are uniformly engaging and engrossing; together, they make the listening time fly by. Anyone weighing the potential return on investment of reading all 587 pages can safely turn the heavy lifting over to them." ( AudioFile) Members Reviews: Art that entertains but but does not edify Clever but not profound. Prurient but not sensual. Sex without love. Love Without sex. Mothers without daughters; daughters without fathers. Obsession without inspiration. Questions with no answers. Answers without epiphanies. Facts devoid of truth. In sum: art that entertains but does not edify. Glad I listened; equally glad it's over. Purity is no Corrections. I loved The Corrections and will go back to it again and again. I loved the wit, the neurotic, yet self-aware characters. This novel is different. Far more complex, and an amazing intellectual achievement. I am glad I engaged with the book for this reason. But it is dark, and despite Franzen's assertion that it is a comic novel, it is nearly devoid of wit. It is totally charmless, and I grew increasingly depressed during the time I was listening. The characters are nearly all sick unhappy people who had terrible mothers and absent fathers (therefore, they cannot be whole). Further, he just gets women wrong. It's been said repeatedly about Franzen, and it's true. It is astonishingly arrogant for a male author to embody the mind of a young woman to this degree with such male gusto. It is utterly unimaginative that his conclusion is that woman want to give themselves sexually, always, to the most powerful man in the room. We just don't.

The Talented Mr. Ripley Audiobook by Patricia Highsmith

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Patricia Highsmith) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:47:08 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Talented Mr. Ripley Author: Patricia Highsmith Narrator: Kevin Kenerly Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins Language: English Release date: 01-24-12 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1868 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Since his debut in 1955, Tom Ripley has evolved into the ultimate bad boy sociopath, influencing countless novelists and filmmakers. In this first novel, we are introduced to suave, handsome Tom Ripley: a young striver, newly arrived in the heady world of Manhattan in the 1950s. A product of a broken home, branded a "sissy" by his dismissive Aunt Dottie, Ripley becomes enamored of the moneyed world of his new friend, Dickie Greenleaf. This fondness turns obsessive when Ripley is sent to Italy to bring back his libertine pal, but he grows enraged by Dickie's ambivalent feelings for Marge, a charming American dilettante. A dark reworking of Henry James's The Ambassadors, The Talented Mr. Ripleyimmortalized in the 1998 film starring Matt Damon, Jude Law, and Gywneth Paltrowis an unforgettable introduction to this debonair confidence man, whose talent for self-invention and calculated murder is chronicled in four subsequent novels. Critic Reviews: "One of the great crime novels of the 20th century, Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley is a blend of the narrative subtlety of Henry James and the self-reflexive irony of Vladimir Nabokov. Like the best modernist fiction, Ripley works on two levels. First, it is the story of a young man, Tom Ripley, whose nihilistic tendencies lead him on a deadly passage across Europe. On another level, the novel is a commentary on fictionmaking and techniques of narrative persuasion. Like Humbert Humbert, Tom Ripley seduces readers into empathizing with him even as his actions defy all moral standards." (Amazon.com review) "[Highsmith] has created a world of her own - a world claustrophobic and irrational which we enter each time with a sense of personal danger." (Graham Greene) "One of our greatest modernist writers." (Gore Vidal) Members Reviews: Stands up beautifully after almost 60 years I saw the film when it came out about 15 years ago, but had not realized that the book was the first of a series until Audible advertised it that way. I bought the first and am so happy that I did. Patricia Highsmith's prose is flawless, her storytelling and character development without peer. The narrator, Kevin Kenerly, does a remarkable job, even elegantly mispronouncing the words that Tom mispronounces in his head. His voice is fluid, naive and arrogant - all perfect for this genteel madman. I'm definitely going to continue with the series. Highsmith had an astonishing gift for accurate portrayal of a sociopath, even while psychiatry was struggling with a medical definition. The book is so classic, as it exists within our lives of motorcars and airplanes and telephones, and yet so far removed. Could Tom Ripley have gotten away with anything had there been computers, DNA, Interpol? Fax machines? Video cameras? Cell phones? I'm so pleased that Audible is including such classics in its library. A high-wire, high-risk, high-reward masterpiece Highsmith is amazing. She alludes to Henry James, plays with a Nabokovian style, throws in James Cain's dialogue, and blends it all with a Camus-like modern existentialism. Face it, pretenders, The Talented Mr. Ripley is an amazing psychological crime novel. This is one of those books which should be used as evidence to highlight the case that some of the best literature of the 20th Century came out of genre fiction. The novel is high-wire, high-risk, high-reward masterpiece.

The Angels' Share Audiobook by J. R. Ward

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (J. R. Ward) — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 16:35:02 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Angels' Share Subtitle: A Bourbon Kings Novel Author: J. R. Ward Narrator: Alexander Cendese Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins Language: English Release date: 07-26-16 Publisher: Penguin Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1140 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Number-one New York Times best-selling author J. R. Ward delivers the second novel in her Bourbon Kings series - a sweeping saga of a Southern dynasty struggling to maintain a façade of privilege and prosperity while secrets and indiscretions threaten its very foundation.... In Charlemont, Kentucky, the Bradford family is the crème de la crème of high society - just like their exclusive brand of bourbon. And their complicated lives and vast estate are run by a discrete staff who inevitably become embroiled in their affairs. This is especially true now, when the apparent suicide of the family patriarch is starting to look more and more like murder.... No one is above suspicion - especially the eldest Bradford son, Edward. The bad blood between him and his father is known far and wide, and he is aware that he could be named a suspect. As the investigation into the death intensifies, he keeps himself busy at the bottom of a bottle - as well as with his former horse trainer's daughter. Meanwhile the family's financial future lies in the perfectly manicured hands of a business rival, a woman who wants Edward all to herself. Everything has consequences; everybody has secrets. And few can be trusted. Then, at the very brink of the family's demise, someone thought lost to them forever returns to the fold. Maxwell Bradford has come home. But is he a savior...or the worst of all the sinners? Members Reviews: this was one of her books I just couldn't do JUST couldn't get into it. I read the first book, but this book was just not for me. Waste of money The story was bad. The performance of woman's voices was horrible. I'm ashamed I got both books. Once I start a book/series I have to finish don't follow my footsteps. Soap Opera for sure Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not? Maybe and only if I knew they were a fan of 80's style soap operas and never ending drama. Not the typical JR Ward novel for sure. What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting? I had a "Gone Girl" moment, where I decided I didn't really like most of the people in this story. She doesn't do very much to make them like able and if so, not for long. I wanted to strangle Jen/Gin and her louse of a husband. What despicable people. Her attempt to make her even slightly likable, fell flat on me. Least interesting was the mom finally coming out of her room. I expected more from her being in attendance, yet I yawned. What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike? The male voices were done best, with the exception of the Banker. That was just horrible. He sounded like Nacho Libre. She needs more than one narrator, there are two many characters and at many times, I had to rewind to make sure I knew who was talking, because outside of Nacho Libre, the men sounded the same. Not a fan of the female voices either. Again, I recommend he get some help next time. Was The Angels' Share worth the listening time? Yes, fairly so. Any additional comments? Not the typical. JR Ward story (i.e. BDB and the crazy Fallen Angels). I may read the next edition, but for sure will not pre-order. I may just wait until the library has it. Soap Operas annoy me somewhat, so I don't want to pay to continue the series.

Heart Spring Mountain Audiobook by Robin MacArthur

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Robin MacArthur) — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 11:00:11 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Heart Spring Mountain Subtitle: A Novel Author: Robin MacArthur Narrator: Suzanne Elise Freeman Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins Language: English Release date: 01-09-18 Publisher: Harper Audio Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 4 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: In this evocative first novel, a young woman returns to her rural Vermont hometown in the wake of a devastating storm to search for her missing mother and unravel a powerful family secret. It's August 2011, and Tropical Storm Irene has just wreaked havoc on Vermont, flooding rivers and destroying homes. One thousand miles away - while tending bar in New Orleans - Vale receives a call and is told that her mother, Bonnie, has disappeared. Despite a years-long estrangement from Bonnie, Vale drops everything and returns home to look for her. Though the hometown Vale comes back to is not the one she left eight years earlier, she finds herself falling back into the lives of the family she thought she'd long since left behind. As Vale begins her search, the narrative opens up and pitches back and forth in time to follow three generations of women - a farming widow, a back-to-the-land dreamer, and an owl-loving hermit - as they seek love, bear children, and absorb losses. All the while, Vale's search has her unwittingly careening toward a family origin secret more stunning than she ever imagined. Written with a striking sense of place, Heart Spring Mountain is an arresting novel about returning home, finding hope in the dark, and the power of the land - and the stories it harbors - to connect and to heal. It's also an absorbing exploration of the small fractures that can make families break - and the lasting ties that bind them together. Members Reviews: A wonderful story. A map to home. The story in my memory. Love and longing. Hope and sorrow. This is a story of resurrection. .. Family Secrets Come to Light in this Emotional, Multi-Generational Tale Set in Rural Vermont Returning home in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene, August of 2011, a young woman named Vale leaves her job at a bar in New Orleans to search for, and hopefully find, her mother Bonnie, who has not been seen since the storm. They havenât seen each other in years, Vale canât even remember the last time she had spoken to Bonnie, and yet when she hears that her mother is missing she doesnât hesitate to pack what few things she has and head to Vermont. Her hometown, although she canât remember what it feels like to be there. And then she arrives, and sees bits and pieces of her old life, the places she used to frequent, some changed with the destruction brought by the storm, some unearthed by the storm. The people, sheâd left them behind long ago, and yet there is this strong pull she feels when she begins to visit the family still there. The memories flood through her as time passes, each day it seems another thing she finds takes her back along the trails of her life there, all their lives. The people she loved, those that loved her back, those that couldnât love her in the way she could recognize as love, or even as their best effort at love. And when she returns to Heart Spring Mountain, she is drawn to her family more as she discovers stories she never knew about them, and we are able to hear from other family members in different times that offer enlightening insights into gaps in the family lore that Vale grew up with. These women have their own perspectives, their own stories to tell over the years, from the 1950âs to 2011, the year of Tropical Storm Irene.

How to Build a Girl Audiobook by Caitlin Moran

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Caitlin Moran) — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 11:13:50 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: How to Build a Girl Author: Caitlin Moran Narrator: Louise Brealey Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins Language: English Release date: 09-23-14 Publisher: HarperAudio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 514 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: What do you do in your teenage years when you realize what your parents taught you wasn't enough? You must go out and find books and poetry and pop songs and bad heroes - and build yourself. It's 1990. Johanna Morrigan, 14, has shamed herself so badly on local TV that she decides that there's no point in being Johanna anymore and reinvents herself as Dolly Wilde - fast-talking, hard-drinking gothic hero and full-time Lady Sex Adventurer. She will save her poverty-stricken Bohemian family by becoming a writer - like Jo in Little Women, or the Brontës - but without the dying-young bit. By 16, she's smoking cigarettes, getting drunk, and working for a music paper. She's writing pornographic letters to rock stars, having all the kinds of sex with all the kinds of men, and eviscerating bands in reviews of 600 words or less. But what happens when Johanna realizes she's built Dolly with a fatal flaw? Is a box full of records, a wall full of posters, and a head full of paperbacks enough to build a girl after all? Imagine The Bell Jar - written by Rizzo from Grease. How to Build a Girl is a funny, poignant, and heartbreakingly evocative story of self-discovery and invention, as only Caitlin Moran could tell it. Members Reviews: Get This Book! I loved this book. "How to Build a Girl" has it all. The character development, the relationship development, and the pace of the story are perfectly done. The main character Dolly/Johanna is beautifully developed. I was completely invested in her, in every decision she made, and in everything she did. I rooted for her and cringed and held my breath and laughed out loud a lot. The surprising, and best part of this book is how much I laughed, the writing is clever and really funny. As Johanna/Dolly developed I thought that the story would get more serious, as most funny movies go, they aren't funny by the end because all the problems get ironed out. But Moran's writing was so good, it was consistently interesting and clever right up until the end. The ending was great, really great, and worthy of the rest of the book and how the characters were developed. The couple things I would say as a review: 1. I wished it was longer. A couple moments felt overly edited, I'd wanted more color, description, follow-up that weren't there. 2. This is a very Rated R book. I was never offended, but I certainly gasped and cringed more than once. This book is gritty and raw and naughty which is part of what makes it great. The narrator was great, she seemed perfect for the part, her accents and voices were perfect. I highly recommend this book. One great quote made it worthwhile I did not feel compelled by this book until one long passage towards the end about cynicism , which basically made all the hours of listening worthwhile. Very much so. Here is an excerpt; " it is a million times easier to be cynical and wield a sword, then it is to be open-hearted and stand there, holding a balloon and a birthday cake, with the infinite potential to look foolish . I havent yet learned the simplest and most important thing of all: the world is difficult, and we are all breakable. So just be kind. " Excellent performance and great book This book is a slow burn- I didn't love it at first but the character grew on me in a big way.

The Paying Guests Audiobook by Sarah Waters

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Sarah Waters) — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 15:20:08 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Paying Guests Author: Sarah Waters Narrator: Juliet Stevenson Format: Unabridged Length: 21 hrs and 28 mins Language: English Release date: 09-16-14 Publisher: Penguin Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 2322 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: From the best-selling author of The Little Stranger, an enthralling novel about a widow and her daughter who take a young couple into their home in 1920s London. It is 1922, and London is tense. Ex-servicemen are disillusioned; the out-of-work and the hungry are demanding change. And in South London, in a genteel Camberwell villa, a large silent house now bereft of brothers, husband, and even servants, life is about to be transformed, as impoverished widow Mrs. Wray and her spinster daughter, Frances, are obliged to take in lodgers. With the arrival of Lilian and Leonard Barber, a modern young couple of the "clerk class", the routines of the house will be shaken up in unexpected ways. Little do the Wrays know just how profoundly their new tenants will alter the course of Frances' life - or, as passions mount and frustration gathers, how far-reaching, and how devastating, the disturbances will be. Short-listed for the Man Booker Prize three times, Sarah Waters has earned a reputation as one of our greatest writers of historical fiction, and here she has delivered again. A love story, a tension-filled crime story, and a beautifully atmospheric portrait of a fascinating time and place, The Paying Guests is Sarah Waters' finest achievement yet. Members Reviews: Tedious I had to write my thoughts as a balance to all the rave reviews for this work. Those reviews are the reason I kept trying to get through 'The Paying Guests' In the end, it wasn't worth the time or the credit. This is a slow, interior moral drama. It takes 8 hours to get to the pivotal conflict and the next five hours are all hand wringing. I will say that Juliet Stevenson is phenomenal in her narration. But the plot was one dimensional, thin and plodding. Difference of Opinion Because I am a klutz with crutches, I've had to "stay off that foot", so I've read enough print novels to blister my thumbs and listened to less audiobooks lately. Once I could navigate the 3 floors to my computer, I decided to review only a few of those novels, and that The Paying Guests would be first--with apologies to several GR friends that recommended the book to me. With multiple 5* ratings, an author that "has earned a reputation as one of our greatest writers of historical fiction," as well as earned a 3-time Man Booker Shortlist seat, this one has a *triple-dog-dare-you* not to find the novel magical. Well; I didn't, and I take umbrage at novels that sell themselves as one thing, when they textualize something quite different. This is not historical fiction, not, not, not. There is more feel for post WWI London in the summary than in the novel; there is no sense of the politics of 1920's London, the social atmosphere, the changing economics as Britain began its decline as a world power and women rose to a position of more social power. What Waters did was a trending tactic...take a timely social issue from today and place it in the context of another era in history. I did not say immerse it, because this *issue* sits atop 1920 London like a drop of oil on water. She did not blend in any facts or knowledge that expand on that London. The paying Guests is simply (and more accurately) a lesbian love affair. The lovers are dressed in costume and dropped in London -- there's your hx. Change the costumes...change the historical time...voila! another *historical* novel.

Everything Is Illuminated Audiobook by Jonathan Safran Foer

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Jonathan Safran Foer) — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 08:10:26 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Everything Is Illuminated Author: Jonathan Safran Foer Narrator: Jeff Woodman, Scott Shina Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins Language: English Release date: 03-04-05 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 1144 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Jonathan is a Jewish college student searching Europe for the one person he believes can explain his roots. Alex, a lover of all things American and unsurpassed butcher of the English language, is his lovable Ukrainian guide. On their quixotic quest, the two young men look for Augustine, a woman who might have saved Jonathan's grandfather from the Nazis. As past and present merge, hysterically funny moments collide with great tragedy, and an unforgettable story of one family's extraordinary history unfolds. Critic Reviews: "An impressive, original debut." (Publishers Weekly) "Nearly everything about this remarkable book is illuminated....Although there's plenty of lyrical acrobatics here, with exquisite magic realism intermingling with Alex's uproarious narration, it's the emotional depth of the characters that stands out." (Booklist) "Read it, and you'll feel altered, chastened -- seared in the fire of something new." (The Washington Post) Members Reviews: What a brilliantly original work! This is a bold, complex and original novel filled with black humor and clever prose.The writer presents us with two interlocking stories: the first deals with a very amusing correspondance between Jonathan Safran Foer and his Ukranian translator (who is a kind of Borat type character with his atrocious but hilarious misuse of the English language). The second story is a mystical epic depicting the life and ultimate destruction by the Nazis of a Jewish shtetl in the Ukraine where the writer's ancestors lived. The humor, clever prose and perfect use of two narrators to depict the different voices and accents make it a thoroughly enjoyable audiobook. A word of warning: it took me a while to get used to the quick paced, multi layered style and at first I found myself having to relisten to certain parts to make sure I'd understood (particularly the magical happenings in the shtetl). So be sure to give this book a sufficient chance - when I did I thoroughly enjoyed it. Superb We first saw the movie which was excellent but in spite of this, the book was recommended by my son as it is very different from the cinema version. The movie has been "cleaned up" in terms of language and much of the writer's polyphonic style simply didn't show up. The book keeps all of the themes going at the same time - working from the present and working from the past and meeting in the nazi decimation of Jewish life in the Ukraine. Very powerful - yet Foer keeps an always, ever-slight humor embellishing the work. The two narrators are simply fantasic and it makes the "reading" even easier to formulate pictures in one's mind. Highly recommended. Original format, playfully done Excuse the alliteration, but this book has heart, history, and histerical moments. It is one of those books that leave me feeling like a different person. This is told by two narrators-- the actual author and his Ukranian guide, both of whom take turns writing the story. An exciting element is that we also get to hear their letters to each other discussing the writing of the story. Malapropisms abound from the Ukranian, sometimes to an irritating degree, reminding me why Balky from 80's tv didn't stay famous long.

How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia Audiobook by Mohsin Hamid

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Mohsin Hamid) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 07:21:43 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia Author: Mohsin Hamid Narrator: Mohsin Hamid Format: Unabridged Length: 4 hrs and 34 mins Language: English Release date: 03-05-13 Publisher: Penguin Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 796 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: From the internationally best-selling author of The Reluctant Fundamentalist, the boldly imagined tale of a poor boy's quest for wealth and love. His first two novels established Mohsin Hamid as a radically inventive storyteller with his finger on the world's pulse. How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia meets that reputation - and exceeds it. The astonishing and riveting tale of a man's journey from impoverished rural boy to corporate tycoon, it steals its shape from the business self-help books devoured by ambitious youths all over "rising Asia". It follows its nameless hero to the sprawling metropolis where he begins to amass an empire built on that most fluid, and increasingly scarce, of goods: water. Yet his heart remains set on something else, on the pretty girl whose star rises along with his, their paths crossing and recrossing, a lifelong affair sparked and snuffed and sparked again by the forces that careen their fates along. How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia is a striking slice of contemporary life at a time of crushing upheaval. Romantic without being sentimental, political without being didactic, and spiritual without being religious, it brings an unflinching gaze to the violence and hope it depicts. And it creates two unforgettable characters who find moments of transcendent intimacy in the midst of shattering change. Members Reviews: Beautiful writing and clever conceits Would you listen to How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia again? Why? This is an amazing book from an incredible writer. Beautiful imagery. Hamid captures in a subtle reference what other writers spend pages trying to say. I loved this book. The title is misleading, I loved this quick read. I loved this book, which has a sensationalist misleading title. You'd think it was a business book. Really, it's a well crafted "first person" fiction book. It's the human story of a boy starting in a slum in India, struggling with the challenges of achievement, love, conflict and death. The author writes the book as if you are the lead character, giving it a very unique quality that I've never experienced in a book before. This book evoked an emotional response from me on more than one occasion, by the end I was tearing up...not out of sadness though. It made me laugh out loud a few times. Highly recommend it. You can finish it in a weekend. Just Didn't Grab Me As its title suggests, this book works within the frame of a self help or "how to" book. Each chapter is headed with a rule (e.g., "Don't Fall in Love"), and the narrator uses imperatives, addressed to "you," as is typical of the genre. One of the effects of addressing the reader in this manner is to deliberately distance the speaker from the subject of his story, but this is clearly a very personal story of a man rising from abject poverty to wealth and of a woman (known only as "the pretty girl" well into her fifties) whose life intersects with his. So how does one become filthy rich in rising Asia? Through one form of corruption or another: hustling, stealing, prostituting, threatening, payback, demeaning, disloyalty, submission to those even more corrupt than oneself, etc. It's a life shadowed by sadness and anxiety, even when one's efforts succeed.

Fire Sermon Audiobook by Jamie Quatro

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Jamie Quatro) — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 01:47:37 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Fire Sermon Subtitle: A Novel Author: Jamie Quatro Narrator: Christine Marshall Format: Unabridged Length: 4 hrs and 2 mins Language: English Release date: 01-09-18 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 7 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Jamie Quatro's remarkable first book of stories I Want to Show You More published to spectacular reviews, announcing her arrival to American letters as "a writer of great originality" (New York Times Book Review). Now, with her debut novel, Fire Sermon, Quatro delivers a startlingly original portrait of an obsession and the complexities of a marriage. Married 20 years to Thomas and living in Nashville with their two children, Maggie is drawn ineluctably into a passionate affair while still fiercely committed to her husband and family. What begins as a platonic intellectual and spiritual exchange between writer Maggie and poet James, gradually transforms into an emotional and erotically-charged bond that challenges Maggie's sense of loyalty and morality, drawing her deeper into the darkness of desire. Using an array of narrative techniques and written in spare, elegant prose, Jamie Quatro gives us a compelling account of one woman's emotional, psychological, physical, and spiritual yearnings - unveiling the impulses and contradictions that reside in us all. Fire Sermon is an unflinchingly honest and formally daring debut novel from a writer of enormous talent. Members Reviews: Tearing down the intellectual scaffolding Jamie Quatro is a fine writer and the last 50 pages of this book were so elegantly written that I wished the entire book had lived up to this promise. But like writers before her, Jamie Quatro strives to align an understanding and devotion to God with a so-called sinful extramarital affair. For this non-believer, it did not work. Maggie is married to Thomas, an imperfect man and father of her two children, who strives and often succeeds in being a good husband. Somewhere along the line, she begins a platonic relationship with James, a formalist poet, who writes about âthe apocalyptic suffering created by a market economy.â If that werenât insufferable enough, both of them seem to view what is portrayed as an intimate and sensual affair through the lends of classic Catholicism. The problem is that the theological overlay competes with the hot passion we, as readers, are supposed to experience through Maggieâs need to have unmet desires met. It is evident that these two are platonic soulmates but true lovers? It didnât quite come across. And, for those of us who are non-believers, the emphasis on the intellectual denied the big question at the heart of religion: Did Christ in fact, exist in the way it was reported by acolytes 400 years after his death? It becomes increasingly obvious that Maggie is playing mind games to deceive herself and perhaps the reader, about her real needs. Granted, she is in desperate need of religious dialogue. While her exchanges with James are intriguing to read, they seemed head games as opposed to ultimate physical/emotional loveâa forced conflation of theology with passion. But oh, the last part. when Maggie is able to state in a clear-eyed manner, âI admit to using my religious beliefs to manipulate, resisting temptation as a means of feeding my own desire.â Or this: âYou will say I am condoning sin.

Descent Audiobook by Tim Johnston

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Tim Johnston) — Tue, 06 Jan 2015 15:39:30 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Descent Author: Tim Johnston Narrator: R.C. Bray, Xe Sands Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins Language: English Release date: 01-06-15 Publisher: HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1103 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: From the day Caitlin vanishes the lives of her family members are irrevocably altered, each assuming blame for that day's tragic events. As the initial days of hope are replaced by weeks of anxiety and despair, they find themselves increasingly isolated, each wondering: Is she still alive? Will we ever know what happened? Pursuing every angle and refusing to surrender the belief that his daughter is still alive, Caitlin's father struggles through the mountainous terrain, prodding both his son and the local authorities to keep up the search. It is through a most unlikely source, however, that they finally find an answer, in a climax that is stunning in both its execution and resolution. Written with precision and elegance, Johnston captures characters' emotions, divergent thoughts, and moments of bleak loneliness as they search for answers. Descent is both a taut and gripping thriller and a work of outstanding literary merit, a combination of great story and beautiful writing that is certain to garner comparisons with the work of such bestselling writers as Cormac McCarthy and Dennis Lehane. Members Reviews: Disappointing Descent After reading many raving reviews about this mystery, I gave it a listen. Unfortunately, I found the story to be maddeningly slow. It reminded me of watching a bad television mystery; predictable and lacking any character depth. I wanted to like this book but, from start to finish, it lacked in development of the characters, lacked in developing the investigative inquiry, and just, overall, lacked imagination. I do not recommend. Not your Average "Girl Goes Missing" Story Would you consider the audio edition of Descent to be better than the print version? I would like a physical copy of the story to review some great quotes, but the audio version would definitely be my primary recommendation because of the exceptional performances. Who was your favorite character and why? Grant and Shawn ("Dudley") were wonderful characters...unique perspective in that it followed the father/son dynamic and their coping mechanisms. What about Xe Sands and R.C. Bray s performance did you like? There is a female and male narrator, but the male narrator (R.C Bray) stole the show. His deep, rich voice was perfect for reflecting hope and despair, and scary in it's power to demonstrate barely veiled rage. Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you? I have many favorite scenes in this book, but the ones that gave me chills I can't discuss due to spoilers. Any additional comments? I was heavily invested in this book and give it a wholehearted 5 stars. The story was exceptional from beginning to end and I want to push it into many reader's hands. The story is a difficult one, so save it for a time when you can be mentally engrossed in it. If you have experienced recent loss or a similar traumatic situation, this might not be for you. Otherwise, this is storytelling at it's best. Descent is not to be missed! Even a Monkey Knows the Value of a Stick A familys Rocky Mountain family vacation turns tragic when their high school graduate daughter is kidnapped. Do yourself a favor and not allow yourself to read any reviews that want to give you a book report review giving any additional information that what I wrote above. This literary thriller is written by an extremely talented author.

La ladrona de libros Audio Libro por Markus Zusak

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Markus Zusak) — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 02:21:11 GMT

Escuche este audio libro completo gratis en https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> Título: La ladrona de libros Autor: Markus Zusak Narrador: Mercè Montalà Formato: Unabridged Duración: 14 hrs and 7 mins Idioma: Español Fecha de publicación: 06-20-14 Editor: Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial Calificaciones: 4.5 de 5 de 198 votos Categorías: Fiction, Literary Resumen del editor: Érase una vez un pueblo donde las noches eras largas y la muerte contaba su propia historia...En el pueblo vivía una niña que quería leer, un hombre que tocaba el acordeón y un joven judío que escribía cuentos hermosos para escapar del horror de la guerra. Al cabo de un tiempo, la niña se convirtió en una ladrona que robaba libros y regalaba palabras. Con estas palabras se escribió una historia hermosa y cruel que ahora ya es una novela inovidable. Please note: This audiobook is in Spanish. Crítica Comentarios: "La ladrona de libros deslumbra por sus extraordinarios personajes, su capacidad de emocionar sin clichés y, ante todo, por su omnipresente refl exión sobre el valor de las palabras." (Ricard Ruiz Garzón, El Periódico de Catalunya) "Cuenta una historia en la que los libros se convierten en tesoros. Un sentimiento como este es indiscutible." (The New York Times) Opiniones de los miembros: Novela emocionante, la disfruté muchisimo. La recomiendo, es muy bueno el relato y la voz muy transmite las emociones de los protagonistas. Sensacional!!!! Uno de los mejores libros que he leído. La historia es muy buena así como la estructura. Esta cargado de una exquisita descripción de cada situación que permite imaginar cada pulgada de la escena. Las ganas de llegar al final se mezclan con el deseo de que la historia continue. Muy buena historia Muy buen libro, la narración en español me costó al principio (soy chileno) pero logras acostumbrarte. Muy bien escrito Una historia un tanto romántica con una narradora poco usual. La historia presenta personajes muy bien logrados y consistentes en una época muy conocida y estudiada. La Alemania Nazi desde el punto de vista de niños alemanes qué no comprenden completamente las razones de lo qué sucede. Un libro para leer, entretenerse y estudiarlo para comprender lo qué impulsa al corazón humano. Silencio entre capítulos Me gustó, pero hace falta más tiempo de silencio entre capítulos, o una mejor distinción entre estos.

Obsession Audiobook by Amanda Robson

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Amanda Robson) — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 21:10:47 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Obsession Author: Amanda Robson Narrator: Stephanie Racine, Helen Keeley, Thomas Judd, Rich Keeble Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins Language: English Release date: 06-01-17 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 50 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Two couples. A doctor's surgery. A deadly obsession. Who's telling the truth? 'Who else would you go for, if you could? Give me a name, someone you quite like.' He shrugs his shoulders. A jawline held tight. 'I quite like Jenni. What about you?' I don't reply. Carly and Rob, Jenni and Craig. Two couples, four friends. Betraying each other. Wanting each other. All of them have access to prescription drugs through the medical practice where they work, and all of them are fighting their own demons. But can any of them be trusted? And when the lies begin, can they ever be silenced? Critic Reviews: "I absolutely loved it and raced through it. Thrilling, unputdownable, a fabulous rollercoaster of a read - I was obsessed by this book." (B. A. Paris, author of Behind Closed Doors and The Breakdown) "Obsession is a welcome addition to the domestic noir bookshelf. Robson explores marriage, jealousy and lust with brutal clarity, making for a taut thriller full of page-turning suspense." (Emma Flint, author of Little Deaths) "Amanda Robson has some devastating turns of phrase up her sleeve and she expertly injects menace into the domestic. It was clear from the very first chapter that this was going to a dark and disturbing journey." (Holly Seddon, author of Try Not to Breathe) Members Reviews: Worldwind ... Wow! This one takes you for a ride. Once you are onboard, you ride it out until the very end. In the end, you're left wondering if the ride was worth taking ... Just one more white lie.... I really enjoyed this book!! It was awesome, very different from a lot of thrillers I've read but very good none the less. Only thing was I'd wanted to know more about what had really happened, not quite enough detail into who what when where how that last tragic event truly unfolded!! You are kinda left to yourself to maybe figure that out ...anxious to read more from this author. never-ending story Why, oh why didn't they just unfriend Jenny. That drove me crazy. Book was ok. Good read This story was very interesting a physiological emotionale drama into the minds of everyday folks who are never grateful and happy for what they already have. Your old time religion Got about 1/2 way through this book and I got sick of the good/bad girl crud. Of course good girl is a sympathetic character while bad girl is decidedly a character you are supposed to see as flawed. Its bad girls fault good girls husband cheats cause she is just to sexy and he cant resist oh and good girls husband cant help thinking of good girl while hes having sex with bad girl. I dont think so, the sex scenes are well done and the ones with bad girl and good girls husband make it obvious he is not thinking of his sainted wife. And of course good girl about God constantly. While bad girl asks questions like If God is so kind, why is he so unkind. Religious propaganda disguised as work of popular fiction. This had to be written be a devout catholic who watches a lot of porn. Slut shaming abounds. Even the bad girl aunt, the black sheep in good girls family, is the black sheep because of the way she is with men. And the poor men they just can not help themselves. Excuse me while I vomit. Heres a news flash, its not 1955.

Less Than Zero Audiobook by Bret Easton Ellis

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Bret Easton Ellis) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:33:16 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Less Than Zero Author: Bret Easton Ellis Narrator: Christian Rummel Format: Unabridged Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins Language: English Release date: 08-11-09 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 314 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Set in Los Angeles in the early 1980s, this coolly mesmerizing novel is a raw, powerful portrait of a lost generation who have experienced sex, drugs, and disaffection at too early an age, in a world shaped by casual nihilism, passivity, and too much money a place devoid of feeling or hope. Clay comes home for Christmas vacation from his Eastern college and re-enters a landscape of limitless privilege and absolute moral entropy, where everyone drives Porsches, dines at Spago, and snorts mountains of cocaine. He tries to renew feelings for his girlfriend, Blair, and for his best friend from high school, Julian, who is careering into hustling and heroin. Clay's holiday turns into a dizzying spiral of desperation that takes him through the relentless parties in glitzy mansions, seedy bars, and underground rock clubs, and also into the seamy world of L.A. after dark. As an added bonus, when you purchase our Audible Modern Vanguard production of Bret Easton Ellis' book, you'll also get an exclusive Jim Atlas interview that begins when the audiobook ends. Editorial Reviews: The oft-referenced Los Angeles billboard in Bret Easton Ellis' novel Less Than Zero reads simply: Disappear Here. While that normally evokes a sunny, beach bum getaway in beautiful southern California, it's the disappearance of any moral grounding and individuality that become the true meaning behind the phrase. Clay, a young college student home for winter break in the early 1980s, is our guide to the lifestyles of the rich and truly screwed-up, where everyone wears the best clothes, drives the newest cars, and parties all the time, but has nothing to show for it. Drugs and alcohol flow freely. Conversations mostly revolve around party plans and petty gossip. Teenagers don't know where their jet-setting parents are and don't seem to care about anything or anyone. Clay passively partakes in everything around him; he's barely noticeable as a character despite his status as the narrator. He doesn't judge his friends when they lead him into dangerous lifestyles, but he also doesn't fully join in. Clay rekindles a physical affair with his loving ex-girlfriend Blair but insists they're no longer together, allowing him the freedom to sleep with other girls and boys. He's vaguely aware of the moral unwinding of those closest to him, but is unwilling to stop it and is actually intrigued enough to watch it all happen. This is a bleak world without a shining beacon of hope. Ellis tips his hand at what he thinks are some of the causes: the superficiality of Hollywood and Los Angeles in general, the massive amounts of wealth afforded to the teens, the lack of any decent parenting, a world where people do what they want simply because they can without any consequence. But you'd be hard pressed to find a critical voice in the tone of the storytelling. This is what separates Less Than Zero from other cautionary coming-of-age tales. Clay witnesses a society facing moral collapse and there are ample descriptions about how the characters are affected. Still, outside of any superficial comments, Clay isn't really critical of this kind of moral decomposition and the author allows the world around Clay to exist without a contradictory note. The restraint Ellis shows in revealing the meanings and themes of the novel are in stark contrast to the Twitter-like detail of Clay's horrifying winter break.

A Redbird Christmas Audiobook by Fannie Flagg

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Fannie Flagg) — Thu, 11 Nov 2004 03:14:17 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: A Redbird Christmas Author: Fannie Flagg Narrator: Fannie Flagg Format: Unabridged Length: 5 hrs and 35 mins Language: English Release date: 11-11-04 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 591 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Deep in the southernmost part of Alabama, along the banks of a lazy winding river, lies the sleepy little community known as Lost River, a place that time itself seems to have forgotten. After a startling diagnosis from his doctor, Oswald T. Campbell leaves behind the cold and damp of the oncoming Chicago winter to spend what he believes will be his last Christmas in the warm and welcoming town of Lost River. There he meets the postman who delivers mail by boat, the store owner who nurses a broken heart, the ladies of the Mystic Order of the Royal Polka Dots Secret Society, who do clandestine good works. And he meets a little redbird named Jack, who is at the center of this tale of a magical Christmas when something so amazing happened that those who witnessed it have never forgotten it. Once you experience the wonder, you too will never forget A Redbird Christmas. Critic Reviews: "Flagg makes this down-home story about good neighbors and the power of love sparkle with wit and humor....Flagg is a gifted storyteller who knows how to tug at readers' heartstrings, winding up her satisfying holiday tale with the requisite Christmas miracle." (Publishers Weekly) Members Reviews: Quintessential Fannie Flagg. A Red Bird Christmas is a Christmas tale for those who still have the spirit of wonder and awe. Even jaded demeanors will be softened by the experience of A Red Bird Christmas. When you listen to A Red Bird Christmas, expect a miracle because you get one -- a big one and several others for good measure. The author reads the story in her own personal and intimate style. It is warm. It is homey. It is a story of miracles, love and redemption. The characters are real and special. They are people you know or wished you knew. It is story for the season. We all long, just a little, to be in Lost River. After reading the story, Ms. Flagg talks about her own growing up, small towns and how she incorporates people she has known into her characters. This added a special insight into how Red Bird Christmas came about. I found it to be an edifying addition to the production. This is an excellently produced audio book. A sad bittersweet story Any additional comments? I really like the way Fannie Flagg turns a phrase. She is down to earth and tells it like it is with zero mincing around. She is what I would call wistfully funny, almost ploddingly so. Over all the story was a good one but be aware that it really isn't a Christmas story. Christmas is a small part of the book--but it really tracks the seasons in the life of a community of people in southern Alabama. Don't get this book thinking it will be a funny, warm, holiday season listen. It just isn't. In fact it was so sad and forlorn in spots that for some listeners it might add to seasonal depressed feelings. So--if you are prone to that experience put it aside and read it another time of year. The message is a good one, very life affirming while encompassing the good, the bad, and the ugly. A+++ to Fannie Flagg!! I?ve been a fan of Fannie Flagg?s writing since Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Caf?. Fannie really knows how to pull you into the story immediately and keep you there. She makes you laugh, cry and leaves you longing for more!! It?s another down home southern family story with a Christmas twist that you will absolutely LOVE! Just one warning, once you finish listening you will feel like you left your family behind.

All Those Things We Never Said Audiobook by Marc Levy, Chris Murray - translator

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Marc Levy) — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 17:18:35 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: All Those Things We Never Said Author: Marc Levy, Chris Murray - translator Narrator: Amy McFadden Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 49 mins Language: English Release date: 11-14-17 Publisher: Brilliance Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 26 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: From international bestselling author Marc Levy, the most widely read writer in France today, comes an unusual and charming love story that reunites a father and daughter, and past and present, in the most unexpected ways. Days before her wedding, Julia Walsh is blindsided twice: once by the sudden death of her estranged father...and again when he appears on her doorstep after his funeral, ready to make amends, right his past mistakes, and prevent her from making new ones. Surprised, to say the least, Julia reluctantly agrees to turn what should have been her honeymoon into a spontaneous road trip with her father to make up for lost time. But when an astonishing secret is revealed about a past relationship, their trip becomes a whirlwind journey of rediscovery that takes them from Montreal to Paris to Berlin and back home again, where Julia learns that even the smallest gestures she might have taken for granted have the power to change her life forever. Revised edition: Previously published as Toutes ces choses qu'on ne s'est pas dites, this edition of All Those Things We Never Said includes editorial revisions. Members Reviews: OK book. Fabulous narration.. I loved this book and I hated it. I loved the story of Julia and he father Anthony. And I loved Thomas, her first love. And Stanley, her best friend. I even liked Adam, her fiancé. What I didnt like was after all she went through trying to find Thomas (she thought he was dead) after 18 years apart, then finding him in Berlin, then going to bed with him, then leaving him and going back to New York to try to straighten out her life with Adam, I thought was totally ridiculous. I think if you eliminated all the italics in the book it would have been a 5 star. BUT there was just too much time spent on Julia and her two friends driving from Paris to Berlin and all the checkpoints they went through and a long drawn out story of what happened at each point, just pages and pages of unnecessary crap. It made the story longer but it kept me skimming a lot, just to get back to something that had to do with the real story. So, Anthonys funeral was held the same day Julia was supposed to marry Adam so the wedding was cancelled. The next day Julia got a crate and a robotic form of her father was inside the crate and a remote to turn him on. Thats where the story really started, not with an 18 year old Julia gallivanting across Europe to see the Berlin Wall come down. However, by the end of the book you never really knew if Anthony was a robot or her real father playing a trick on her. While she was gone his crate was opened and he stepped out and went to his car and took off, never to be seen or heard from again. Total bummer. I must say, there were some long narratives by Anthony that were well done and very poignant. They were very believable when it came to him talking to Julia, saying all the things hed never said and giving her some excellent advice. It was sad that Julia was pretty nasty to her robot-dad through almost the whole book though. There was a slight sex scene but nothing too descriptive, and a few swear words. As to the narration: Amy McFadden was simply awesome. Her voices, her laughter, her crying, everything was as it should be when narrating a book. Lately she's been a hit or miss with me but this time she was a real hit. Ten Stars Worthy. As a parent, as a daughter, as a spouse - this book hit on every one.

Adultery Audiobook by Paulo Coelho, Margaret Jull Costa (translator), Zoë Perry (translator)

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Paulo Coelho) — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 08:13:34 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Adultery Subtitle: A Novel Author: Paulo Coelho, Margaret Jull Costa (translator), Zoë Perry (translator) Narrator: Susan Denaker Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins Language: English Release date: 08-19-14 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 379 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: In the latest novel from number-one best-selling author Paulo Coelho, a woman attempts to overcome midlife ennui by rediscovering herself in a passionate relationship with a man who had been a friend in her youth. A woman in her 30s begins to question the routine and predictability of her days. In everybody's eyes, she has a perfect life: happy marriage, children, and a career. Yet what she feels is an enormous apathy. All that changes when she encounters a successful politician who had, years earlier, been her high school boyfriend. As she rediscovers the passion missing from her life, she will face a life-altering choice. Members Reviews: a not uncommon vacation in hell It is not uncommon for couples who have been married for about ten years to fall into a routine revolving around caring for children and building careers that can easily ignore their inner needs. Only a few years ago life seemed like a great adventure, filled with possibility. Now it seems like a trap that threatens to swallow you up and spit you out. There is a sense of desperation that drives one to do incredibly stupid things. My profession brings me into contact with many people who have been in this situation and struggled with this experience. Coelho book Adultery is an exploration of this vacation in hell. The focus is on the inner turmoil and the adultery itself is inly one expression of the protagonists struggle. The author does a good job of building the complexity of his main characters and allowing the reader/listener to enter into their perspectives. Stupid and desperate behavior is the hallmark of this experience and the author conveys this quite well. My frustration with the book was that the protagonist tended to show more insight at times than people in this situation can muster. It was as if Coelho voice and experience began to show through and the protagonist grew transparent for a few paragraphs, especially in the last few pages of the book. The narrator did a good job of interpreting the book. She was irritating in the beginning with the deliberateness and plodding rate of her reading but this was the part of the story where the protagonist is struggling to maintain control of a world that is spinning out of control. The narrator helped the listener to enter into the experience at a visceral level. Disappointing & Depressing!!! Any additional comments? This book was very disappointing. The main character was very entitled, spoiled and negative. I went through the entire book hoping there would be a point that things would around, however I grew to like it less and less as it progressed. It made me feel so down the entire time I read it. This was my least favorite audiobook that I have ever listened to. Book was OK, audiobook not so much I read the first half of the book on Kindle, and I had some audible credits to use up so I decided to get the audio companion. I think the narrator was way over the top, even pretending to cry and inflecting far more emotion than I got from the text not in a good way. As far as the story goes, I didn't connect with the main character. She seems to be cheating out of boredom, but develops an obsession over a guy who makes it pretty clear he isn't interested in her for anything other than sex.

Wives and Daughters Audiobook by Elizabeth Gaskell

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Elizabeth Gaskell) — Fri, 17 Jun 2005 17:42:13 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Wives and Daughters Author: Elizabeth Gaskell Narrator: Nadia May Format: Unabridged Length: 25 hrs and 39 mins Language: English Release date: 06-17-05 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 396 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Set in English society before the 1832 Reform Bill, Wives and Daughters centers on the story of youthful Molly Gibson, brought up from childhood by her father. When he remarries, a new stepsister enters Molly's quiet life, the loveable, but worldly and troubling, Cynthia. The narrative traces the development of the two girls into womanhood within the gossiping and watchful society of Hollingford. (P)2002 Blackstone Audiobooks. Originally published in England between 1864 and 1866. Members Reviews: It's not about the ending! This was long and lovely,--a British accent is crisp and clear; Nadia May has that and more. The story is of Molly Gibson, a nineteenth century middleclass teenager, an admirable if slightly insipid heroine, her wonderful father--a country doctor, her magnetic stepsister Cynthia and Mrs. Gibson, the stepmother who is as close to innocuous evil as Ms Gaskell can bring herself, and various other characters of differing classes who live nearby and help make this book a 19th century soap opera. Don't be off put by the fact that the author, Elizabeth Gaskell, a contemporary of Austin and the Brontes, died just before finishing this classic. The afterword addresses the lack of an ending. We are given what we are told was the author's intent to have happy closure for the characters who most deserved it. It was a lovely voyage and that it ended just short of its destination did not make it much less enjoyable. It has taken me nearly half a century to discover why classics are such great audio treats, not so different from the well written books of today, but missing the compulsory sex and vulgarities. This novel ensures that I will look for more Audible classics to savour. What a wonderful story and listen I love this book. I love to listen to the story. It pulls me into the story and the lives of these people. The author is witty, and some of Dr. Gibson's statements are worth the price of the book. The BBC adaptation (also wonderful) made me realize that Mrs. Gibson is really a ditzy person who speaks without thinking. Listening with that in mind really brings forward the satire. A true unknown classic. Great timeless story! What did you love best about Wives and Daughters? I loved the characters' complexity. What did you like best about this story? Gaskell kept my interest by interweaving so many different scenes and personalities. Which scene was your favorite? Although I did not admire her personality, my favorite scenes involved Mrs. Gibson portraying herself as one person while her words and actions showed her to be something completely different. Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting? Yes, but impossible at 25 hours. I did not want the story to end. Any additional comments? This book makes me want to go back to reading 19th century fiction. I loved this book! If you are looking for adventure and swift plot, this is not for you. If, however, you are looking for great characters and like English country stories, you will have a wonderful time with this one. The characters are a little like those in Trollope's Barsetshire novels, but they are more realistic - Cynthia is a great charachter, flawed, loving and fabulous.

If on a Winter's Night a Traveler Audiobook by Italo Calvino

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Italo Calvino) — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 11:38:28 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: If on a Winter's Night a Traveler Author: Italo Calvino Narrator: Jefferson Mays Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins Language: English Release date: 07-31-17 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 28 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Italo Calvino imagines a novel capable of endless mutations in this intricately crafted story about writing and readers. If on a Winter's Night a Traveler turns out to be not one novel but 10, each with a different plot, style, ambience, and author, and each interrupted at a moment of suspense. Together they form a labyrinth of literatures, known and unknown, alive and extinct, through which two readers, a male and a female, pursue both the story lines that intrigue them and one another. Members Reviews: Unreal! An amazing reading for an amazing tale! I feel unworthy writing a review for this. I'm sorry my words will be the first you see before you start, since the book you're about to listen to is otherworldly, and I don't want to taint your experience with an appraisal from a random person whose opinion you have no way of trusting. Still, for what it's worth, this is an incredible book; and I'm truthfully quite jealous of you, since you're about to experience it for the first time! An experience hard to find! Objectively beautiful! Here we have great naration accompanied with clean audio. There are no chips or qirks in the production. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has given me a new perspective on writing. The 4th wall is abducted to offer an intimate point of view of the novelist. The book explores the uncreated "idea" of the story. This is not a casual read and if you reader, are prepared to strain your brain, it's right here, the book that you've been looking for.

The Book of Unknown Americans Audiobook by Cristina Henríquez

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Cristina Henríquez) — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 14:09:36 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Book of Unknown Americans Subtitle: A Novel Author: Cristina Henríquez Narrator: Various Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins Language: English Release date: 06-03-14 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 509 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A boy and a girl who fall in love. Two families whose hopes collide with destiny. An extraordinary novel that offers a resonant new definition of what it means to be American. Arturo and Alma Rivera have lived their whole lives in Mexico. One day, their beautiful fifteen-year-old daughter, Maribel, sustains a terrible injury, one that casts doubt on whether shell ever be the same. And so, leaving all they have behind, the Riveras come to America with a single dream: that in this country of great opportunity and resources, Maribel can get better. When Mayor Toro, whose family is from Panama, sees Maribel in a Dollar Tree store, it is love at first sight. Its also the beginning of a friendship between the Rivera and Toro families, whose web of guilt and love and responsibility is at this novels core. Woven into their stories are the testimonials of men and women who have come to the United States from all over Latin America. Their journeys and their voices will inspire you, surprise you, and break your heart. Suspenseful, wry and immediate, rich in spirit and humanity, The Book of Unknown Americans is a work of rare force and originality. Critic Reviews: A triumph of storytelling. Henríquez pulls us into the lives of her characters with such mastery that we hang on to them just as fiercely as they hang on to one another and their dreams. This passionate, powerful novel will stay with you long after youve turned the final page. (Ben Fountain, author of Billy Lynns Long Halftime Walk) Members Reviews: The Book of Re-Opening my Heart I wasn't expecting much from this book, especially not a trip down memory lane. I love that it helped remind me of stories from my past. It helped me remember why I have such a heart for immigrants. It humanized the current politics and taught me things I didn't know. It was interesting to me that the setting was not Texas. I kept being surprised that Delaware was the location but I think that was a good thing as it gives a fresh look. It was hard for me to read, because I kept waiting for the axe to drop, but in the end I couldn't put it down. The sweetest story to me was that of Alma and Arturo, the couple that moves in order to help their daughter get better from a brain injury. Theirs is just an unadulterated pure love for each other and for their daughter. There are other stories mixed in, and I actually liked this, it gave me a break from the story that I knew was going to be difficult every step of the way. The name of the book comes from one of those stories and by the time it is delivered, you know how true it is. First time I've actually wept at the end of a book in a long, long time. I love my country but we are so screwed up. One favorite quote, from Arturo: "I'll tell them what I love about this country." Beautiful look at the Immigrant experience What made the experience of listening to The Book of Unknown Americans the most enjoyable? I loved this look into the lives of several Latin American immigrants to the United States. It is primarily about two families, with stories of friends and neighbors adding depth and complexity to their tale. Someone described it as "teen lit", but I disagree; it addresses universal themes of identity, belonging, finding home, and expectations.

Radio Free Vermont Audiobook by Bill McKibben

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Bill McKibben) — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 07:57:45 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Radio Free Vermont Subtitle: A Fable of Resistance Author: Bill McKibben Narrator: Danny Campbell Format: Unabridged Length: 5 hrs and 53 mins Language: English Release date: 11-07-17 Publisher: Penguin Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 25 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: "I hope no one secedes, but I also hope that Americans figure out creative ways to resist injustice and create communities where everybody counts. We've got a long history of resistance in Vermont, and this book is testimony to that fact." (Bernie Sanders) A book that's also the beginning of a movement, Bill McKibben's debut novel Radio Free Vermont follows a band of Vermont patriots who decide that their state might be better off as its own republic. As the host of Radio Free Vermont - "underground, underpowered, and underfoot" - 72-year-old Vern Barclay is currently broadcasting from an "undisclosed and double-secret location". With the help of a young computer prodigy named Perry Alterson, Vern uses his radio show to advocate for a simple yet radical idea: an independent Vermont, one where the state secedes from the United States and operates under a free local economy. But for now, he and his radio show must remain untraceable, because in addition to being a lifelong Vermonter and concerned citizen, Vern Barclay is also a fugitive from the law. In Radio Free Vermont, Bill McKibben entertains and expands upon an idea that's become more popular than ever - seceding from the United States. Along with Vern and Perry, McKibben imagines an eccentric group of activists who carry out their own version of guerilla warfare, which includes dismissing local middle school children early in honor of Ethan Allen Day and hijacking a Coors Light truck and replacing the stock with local brew. Witty, biting, and terrifyingly timely, Radio Free Vermont is Bill McKibben's fictional response to the burgeoning resistance movement. Members Reviews: Small is Best without the BIG ego... Vermont proves it with their Town Meetings and mutually respectful dialogues for making decisions. A parable for modern times - that means, as with all fables, any time. Peaceful, fun ways to RESIST! whatever you choose to resist. Couldn't 'put it down'. It was read in two days - unusual for me, and well worth it. Excellent listen. Well done Bill... Enjoyed it thoroughly. I feel as though I need to visit Vermont very soon.

La casa en Mango Street Audio Libro por Sandra Cisneros

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Sandra Cisneros) — Fri, 02 Sep 2005 08:45:55 GMT

Escuche este audio libro completo gratis en https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> Título: La casa en Mango Street Autor: Sandra Cisneros Narrador: Liliana Valenzuela Formato: Unabridged Duración: 2 hrs and 18 mins Idioma: Español Fecha de publicación: 09-02-05 Editor: Random House Audio Calificaciones: 4 de 5 de 66 votos Categorías: Fiction, Literary Resumen del editor: A veces desgarrador, a veces intensamente alegre, La Casa en Mango Street relata la historia de Esperanza Cordero, en cuyo barrio conviven realidades crueles y una belleza severa. Esperanza no quiere pertenecer, ni a su barrio ni a las bajas expectativas que el mundo le ofrece. La historia de Esperanza es la de una joven intentando alcanzar su propio poder e inventar sup propio futuro. Opiniones de los miembros: Un libro lleno de Esperanza The character Esperanza delightfully intrigues you with her reminisces of lives on Mango Street. Captivating from beginning to the end. I did not like the story Would you try another book from Sandra Cisneros and/or Liliana Valenzuela? Not by the author, yes for the narrator What was most disappointing about Sandra Cisneross story? I did not get the point if there is one Did Liliana Valenzuela do a good job differentiating all the characters? How? Yes buy changing the accent What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment? Disappointment

Suttree Audiobook by Cormac McCarthy

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Cormac McCarthy) — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 00:10:22 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Suttree Author: Cormac McCarthy Narrator: Richard Poe Format: Unabridged Length: 20 hrs and 21 mins Language: English Release date: 08-03-12 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 830 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: No discussion of great modern authors is complete without mention of Cormac McCarthy, whose rare and blazing talent makes his every work a true literary event. A grand addition to the American literary canon, Suttree introduces readers to Cornelius Suttree, a man who abandons his affluent family to live among a dissolute array of vagabonds along the Tennessee river. ©1979 Cormac McCarthy (P)2012 Recorded Books Critic Reviews: Suttree contains a humor that is Faulknerian and a freakish imaginative flair reminiscent of Flannery OConnor. (Times Literary Supplement, London) Members Reviews: Challenging Read/Listen, Narrator Outstanding Where does Suttree rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far? Very near the top. I've long been a Cormac McCarthy fan, and this was a challenging book, but well worth the effort and trips to the dictionary. Richard Poe does so much to bring the characters to life, each with a unique and wonderfully authentic Southern accent. Who was your favorite character and why? Gene Harrogate because I also love watermelons. You have to read the book to understand. Which scene was your favorite? Too many to choose from--t's a very episodic book--full of interesting, quirky scenes. If you could take any character from Suttree out to dinner, who would it be and why? Suttree. He would be a fascinating conversationalist, I'd love to find out what the problem he had with his father was, and he could probably use a good meal. Any additional comments? If you are willing to give it the attention you need to, this book will repay your efforts in ways you can't begin to imagine. The world of 1950s Knoxville comes to life and the characters flourish with the voice acting of Richard Poe in ways I didn't think possible. Southern accents are easy to get wrong, often becoming cartoonish or all sounding alike. Poe was able to infuse all of the characters with a life and voice of their own. Brilliant. The River of Sewers, Stars, Life, and Death In another time and place Cornelius "Buddy" Suttree might have been a fisher of men, but in 1951 Knoxville he's a fisher of carp and catfish caught in the cloacal Tennessee River, into which the city dwellers dump sewage, condoms, corpses, and garbage. Suttree, living alone on a ramshackle houseboat, has attended university and is intelligent, generous, and loyal, and yet he wants nothing to do with his mainstream family and especially with his elite father and prefers to live among social outcasts--alcoholic derelicts, homeless old timers, blind beggars, colorful catamites, profane prostitutes, smiling brawlers, crazed prophets, and even a moonlight melonmounter--all without any regard to skin color, being on good terms with everyone from "white trash" to African and Native Americans, all of whom possess an appeal, integrity, and savor missing from "normal" white society. Apart from his family, the only people who repulse him are policemen. Suttree often passively accompanies his rowdy friends on drunken binges that end with vomit and blackout if not with violence and robbery. More than once he thinks something like, "My life is ghastly," but he seems unable to do anything constructive with it. Despite that character sketch, Cormac McCarthy's novel Suttree (1979) is not only bleak and unpleasant; it is also beautiful, vibrant, and meaningful. It is also very funny, unlike The Road.

Himself Audiobook by Jess Kidd

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Jess Kidd) — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 00:19:20 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Himself Subtitle: A Novel Author: Jess Kidd Narrator: Aiden Kelly Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins Language: English Release date: 03-14-17 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 90 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Having been abandoned on the steps of an orphanage as an infant, lovable car thief and Dublin charmer Mahony assumed all his life that his mother had simply given him up. But when he receives an anonymous note suggesting that foul play may have led to his mother's disappearance, he sees only one option: to return to the rural Irish village where he was born and find out what really happened 26 years ago. From the moment he sets foot in Mulderrig, Mahony's presence turns the village upside down. His uncannily familiar face and outsider ways cause a stir among the locals, who receive him with a mixture of excitement (the women), curiosity (the men), and suspicion (the pious). Determined to uncover the truth about what happened to his mother, Mahony solicits the help of brash anarchist and retired theater actress Mrs. Cauley. This improbable duo concocts an ingenious plan to get the town talking about the day Mahony's mother disappeared and are aided and abetted by a cast of eccentric characters, both living and dead. Himself is a simmering mixture - a blend of the natural everyday and the supernatural, folklore and mystery, and a healthy dose of quintessentially Irish humor. The result is a darkly comic crime story in the tradition of a classic Irish trickster tale, complete with a twisting and turning plot, a small town rife with secrets, and an infectious love of language and storytelling that is a hallmark of the finest Irish writers. Members Reviews: Fantastic Incredible book, lyrically written. Told like a story passed down like a myth from a trusted grandmother. The Irish narration makes me want to cross the sea and begin a new life. Pain, friendship, discovery and growth are all explored like a new doctor picking through an infected wound, but shot through with colour and life and poetry. Highly recommended! A good story well told I found the combination of mystery and just a bit of magical thinking very refreshing. The narration was superb. Masterful narration of a clever story Jess Kidd has written a very funny, very colorful mystery set in a small town in County Mayo on the west coast of Ireland. Mahony is a 26-year-old man living in Dublin who was raised in an orphanage there. He receives a clue about his birth parents, and heads to Mulderrig to try to unravel the mystery. The story alternates between the present (1976) and the time of his birth (1950 and earlier). The characters are brilliant, with Mrs Cauley, a geriatric actress masterminding the investigation. The cast includes many ghosts who also populate the village alongside the living. Jess Kidd's dialogue captures the lyrical slang of Ireland (often a bit salty, so don't get your bollix in a twist!) and her constant similes had me laughing out loud. I do have to say that the story gets to be almost overwhelming about 3/4 of the way through the book and I found myself often skipping back a minute or two to make sure I didn't miss something. There is an incredible amount of action and many characters involved in it. As a warning, there are several gruesome descriptions of killings throughout the story: while this book has much humor throughout, it is a dark mystery at its core. This story is brilliantly brought to life by Aiden Kelly's narration.

A Pale View of Hills Audiobook by Kazuo Ishiguro

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Kazuo Ishiguro) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 00:12:60 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: A Pale View of Hills Author: Kazuo Ishiguro Narrator: Roe Kendall Format: Unabridged Length: 5 hrs and 59 mins Language: English Release date: 08-14-12 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 67 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: The story of Etsuko, a Japanese woman now living alone in England, dwelling on the recent suicide of her daughter. In a story where past and present confuse, she relives scenes of Japan's devastation in the wake of World War II. Members Reviews: Delicate prose - intense book Any additional comments? This is not the type of book that can generate a juicy recommendation. The prose in this book is very delicate, never mentioning the tragedie in Nagasaki directly. The protagonist in this story (who is also the narrator) doesn't relate to her own experience directly, but only as a listener to her family at the time, and by watching a close friends attempt to move to 'America'. Layer by Layer, it creats an intense picture. The author (through this story) carefully tells a story about the old Japanese way, which trigered a lot of emotions in me. (as a non Japenese reader) and another emotional stroy about parental choices. The narrator did a very good job. Narration vs performance I am only part way through listening to this novel--and I have to say that I find the narrator's performance of the voices of the difference characters extremely distracting to the point of being annoying, and I may have to resort to reading the book. The voice is OK when the narration is in the first person, but the voices she uses for the father and for Sachiko are overdone. I have had this experience to a certain extent in other audio books, in fact by calling the narration a "performance" it implies that the listener wants an audio performance as if it were a play, rather than having someone simply read the words. I like to be able to form my own interpretation of the characters based on the words of the author, and narrations like this one make that very hard to do. Perhaps audio version of books could be differentiated between having them "read" and having them "performed." Moments of shocking possibilities in tedious read I wanted to love this early novel of our latest winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. I can see that the writing is extraordinary. The various interpretations seem brilliant. Unfortunately, however, I struggled with boredom during long sequences, particularly those having to do with Agata-San. It's possible that the unpleasant voice used by the narrator for this one character was a factor. Otherwise, I thought her performance was excellent. A Rich Tapestry.... Ishiguro delicately weaves a story with present tense narrative and flashbacks, bringing the grief of a suicide alongside the ravages of WWII. A great addition to Japanese literature.

If the Creek Don't Rise Audiobook by Leah Weiss

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Leah Weiss) — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 15:33:45 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: If the Creek Don't Rise Author: Leah Weiss Narrator: Tom Stechschulte, Kate Forbes Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins Language: English Release date: 08-22-17 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 55 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A strikingly sincere portrait of a town and its buried secrets from an outstanding new voice in southern fiction. In a North Carolina mountain town filled with moonshine and rotten husbands, Sadie Blue is only the latest girl to face a dead-end future at the mercy of a dangerous drunk. She's been married to Roy Tupkin for 15 days, and she knows now that she should have listened to the folks who said he was trouble. But when a stranger sweeps in and knocks the world off-kilter for everyone in town, Sadie begins to think there might be more to life than being Roy's wife. As stark and magnificent as Appalachia itself, If the Creek Don't Rise is a bold and beautifully layered debut about a dusty, desperate town finding the inner strength it needs to outrun its demons. The folks of Baines Creek will take you deep into the mountains with heart, honesty, and homegrown grit. Members Reviews: Multiple character narrative. This was a first person narrative by multiple characters (at least 8) that didn't follow much of an overall story line, but instead gave a telling of life in the backwoods of the Appalachian mountains. It was quite dreary most of the way through but had interesting characters that kept me going. Backwoods Life Excellent narration of an Appalachian backwoods community struggling through daily life. Switching characters and narrators, whose stories of the goings on overlap, lead the reader into different perspectives, and motives of the characters. Not all stories are finished, but the ending left me satisfied. My book club will have some good discussions over this one. Fantastic narration I liked the story line, but really loved the spoken word. Each persons personality came through so clear with the inflection and drawl of their voice. From Sadie to Billy to Kate to Birdy....all wonderfully performed! Strong Female Characters Overcoming Bad Decisions There are multiple interesting and eccentric characters in this story. The part I liked the best were the female friendships lending strength and giving courage in subtle ways. Sadie is a character whose decisions make you angry but also compassionate about the mess she creates for herself. The female characters have uncommon fortitude. They are contrasted by the town spinsters who are mean spirited busy bodies. The story offers a look at many types of discrimination against people who are different but offer substantial value to the people in their lives. I really liked it and was attentive throughout the reading. Hard to stop once you start. I chose this book because it was recommended by Kathleen Grissom. It was so good I will continue to trust her. Ms Grissom is a good writer, who knows another good writer when she reads one. Thank you for this debut.

The Spire Audiobook by William Golding

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (William Golding) — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 11:00:34 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Spire Author: William Golding Narrator: Benedict Cumberbatch Format: Unabridged Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins Language: English Release date: 09-04-14 Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 171 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Dean Jocelin has a vision: that God has chosen him to erect a great spire on his cathedral. His mason anxiously advises against it, for the old cathedral was built without foundations. Nevertheless, the spire rises octagon upon octagon, pinnacle by pinnacle, until the stone pillars shriek and the ground beneath it swims. Its shadow falls ever darker on the world below, and on Dean Jocelin in particular. From the author of Lord of the Flies, The Spire is a dark and powerful portrait of one man's will, and the folly that he creates. Members Reviews: Power through for a deep exam. of a man's psyche Where does The Spire rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far? This is a complicated book. I'm not sure it lends itself all that well to an audio version. But I'm still new to audio books, and find I like them best when I can be a tad bit distracted when listening to them. This is a not a book to digest while being distracted. It requires full attention. What did you like best about this story? I enjoyed the many levels this story exists on. It is a story, told from one (increasingly crazy) man about his desires, actions, and motivations. What about Benedict Cumberbatchs performance did you like? I read this book as I listened, so I noticed he occasionally took small liberties. Jocelyn spoke with more contractions! So if you are a purist, know that. But the voices he infused the characters with were fantastic. A relentless exploration of vanity Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why? I am unsure if I would recommend this audiobook. This book might be better consumed ocularly via Kindle or (gasp) old-fashioned book. The story is predictable and I found the characters somewhat unremarkable - surprising for Mr. Golding. However, the writing was superb as usual. I think reading it would allow more appreciation of the language without relying upon attention-grabbing characters. That being said, Mr. Cumberbatch does a FANTASTIC job of narrating. I loved his voices, and his voice in general. Self torture This book wasnt for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more? Anyone who wants to punish themselves. Would you ever listen to anything by William Golding again? Yes...I would listen to Lore of the Flies as I have read that . What does Benedict Cumberbatch bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book? I would not have been able to endure this had he not performed...and this was a great performance. What character would you cut from The Spire? The main one. Twisty and dark Twisty and dark story with a building sense of doom. Wonderfully read by Benedict Cumberbatch, who employs a wide range of voices and creates the dean's character brilliantly. The Spire Inspires Captivating story. The writing was exquisite-- practically poetry. Cumberbatch used his talents of creating accents to the fullest. Fabulous book!

My Struggle, Book 1 Audiobook by Karl Ove Knausgaard

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Karl Ove Knausgaard) — Wed, 24 Dec 2014 19:43:55 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: My Struggle, Book 1 Author: Karl Ove Knausgaard Narrator: Edoardo Ballerini Format: Unabridged Length: 16 hrs and 10 mins Language: English Release date: 12-24-14 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 515 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: My Struggle: Book One introduces American listeners to the audacious, addictive, and profoundly surprising international literary sensation that is the provocative and brilliant six-volume autobiographical novel by Karl Ove Knausgaard. It has already been anointed a Proustian masterpiece and is the rare work of dazzling literary originality that is intensely, irresistibly readable. Unafraid of the big issues - death, love, art, fear - and yet committed to the intimate details of life as it is lived, My Struggle is an essential work of contemporary literature. Members Reviews: A Perfect Reading for This Book Any additional comments? I havent anything brilliant to add to the question of whether this Volume 1--and the five volumes to follow--is some masterpiece or not. Its evident that one either finds Knausgaards long stories and direct prose compellingor one cant stand them at all. No middle ground. Personally, I found the first volume great--life stories oddly both familiar and yet entirely new--and surprisingly witty and even laugh-out-loud comic in spots. But I know a lot of people are driven mad by the admittedly slow pace. The frequent critical comparisons with Proust arent all that far off. But I mainly wanted to post a review to be sure that anyone tempted by the book itself isnt put off by the previous negative reviews of Eduardo Ballerinis reading, which I found just about perfect for the material. It can be laconic at times (to use a word that gets an analysis in this volume) but has a good pace and perfectly catches the books tone. Its great that Ballerini seems to read at least the next two volumes. Anatomy of the Disease of the Self Have you listened to any of Edoardo Ballerinis other performances before? How does this one compare? He's really a brilliant narrator. He has a subtle and insistent voice, reading efficiently and quickly without losing clarity. A real champ. Any additional comments? Ive heard such hype around this Norwegian Proust, that I finally had to make time to read it. At least two friends I respect very much have been raving about him, and theyve encouraged me in my fits and starts through it. I suppose I can see the appeal. On the one hand, Knausgaard writes with wonderful precision. When he takes in a scene, we take it in. He is a master at switching from one sense to another. Some scenes come to us visually with a range of details lining up into a full picture. Others come emotionally, where he recognizes and probes a feeling that hovers over some memory. Still others are rooted in sound, and we often get catalogues of the music he was enjoying (or attempting to play) at one time or another. That variety of representation shows real skill, and it keeps this from bogging down. On top of that, he writes from a philosophical perspective. Like Proust, he seems to sense that something in his experience holds the key to understanding who he was and, through that, who he is. And underlying all of that is the implicit promise that his discovery will help us readers make our own discovery. Unlike Proust, he has the machinery of 20th century philosophy to contend with. Things dont always represent what we expect them to represent; some of our certainties are no longer certain but rather evocative of a cultural past that threatens to mock us. As he puts it in a meditation about looking at paintings of angels halfway through this, the great and the good were dubious entities.

Another Country Audiobook by James Baldwin

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (James Baldwin) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:30:46 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Another Country Author: James Baldwin Narrator: Dion Graham Format: Unabridged Length: 16 hrs and 18 mins Language: English Release date: 02-01-09 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 333 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: First published in 1962, this is an emotionally intense novel of love, hatred, race, and liberal America in the 1960s, taking on the then-taboo themes of interracial couples, bisexuality, and extramarital affairs. Set in Greenwich Village, Harlem, and France, Another Country tells the story of the suicide of jazz-musician Rufus Scott and the friends who search for an understanding of his life and death, discovering uncomfortable truths about themselves along the way. Another Country is a work that is as powerful today as it was 40 years ago - and expertly narrated by Dion Graham. ©1990 Gloria Baldwin Karefa-Smart; (P)2008 BBC Audiobooks America Members Reviews: Powerful and sad In this novel Baldwin presents a realistic portrait of artistic young people in New York in the early 1960s. The most compelling character, the tormented black musician Rufus, is alive for only the first portion of the book, yet he casts his shadow over everything. Baldwin shows how even well-meaning whites who try to create friendship or love across the racial barrier often have no idea of the emotional sorrow they are up against or the further sorrow they may inadvertently cause. This novel also explores the conflicts that can arise among a group of struggling artists when one of their number becomes successful. As well, the novel includes some frank but well-written sex scenes, including homosexual encounters. Some may find this novel overly dark and full of conflict. Certainly, it is not a light or cheerful book, but it is an important work. Don't Expect Sweetness and Light I first read this book in the early 70s at the behest of a friend who was trying to explain what it was like to be black and gay. I was overwhelmed by the beauty, the delicacy and the anger of Baldwin's words. I knew I would never forget how much pain and loneliness was part of that life. Baldwin's people were well delineated, but the plot was missing an ending. Hearing this book now, instead of reading, made the book as fresh as the first time I read it. Despite any faults inherent in the novel, I still recommend this book and looking past those faults into the heart of a nab who he felt he didn't belong. Tragic, beautifully tragic with a touch of hope Where does Another Country rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far? Another Country ranks as the best James Baldwin audiobook I have listened to so far. It felt like Baldwin was speaking directly to me. He was ahead of his time and hos book is still relevant with its discussions on race, sex, and identity. The freshness of his prose was like jazz to me ears. What other book might you compare Another Country to and why? Other books I compared Another Country to are Baldwin's Go Tell It On the Mountain and Giovanni's Room. Baldwin's jazzy writing style in Another Country rocked and rattled me. Of the three books, I found this to be the most relevant and accessible to me because of the questions the characters struggled with. Which scene was your favorite? Rufus Scott's slow descent into suicide when he jumped off the George Washington Bridge riveted me because Baldwin made me feel his pain and isolation. I have been there myself. Rufus' death early in the book sets off a chain of events that impacted his family and friends who had to deal with the aftermath.

The Burgess Boys Audiobook by Elizabeth Strout

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Elizabeth Strout) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 04:27:39 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Burgess Boys Subtitle: A Novel Author: Elizabeth Strout Narrator: Cassandra Campbell Format: Unabridged Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins Language: English Release date: 03-26-13 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 1091 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Haunted by the freak accident that killed their father when they were children, Jim and Bob Burgess escaped from their Maine hometown of Shirley Falls for New York City as soon as they possibly could. Jim, a sleek, successful corporate lawyer, has belittled his bighearted brother their whole lives, and Bob, a Legal Aid attorney who idolizes Jim, has always taken it in stride. But their long-standing dynamic is upended when their sister, Susan - the Burgess sibling who stayed behind - urgently calls them home. Her lonely teenage son, Zach, has gotten himself into a world of trouble, and Susan desperately needs their help. And so the Burgess brothers return to the landscape of their childhood, where the long-buried tensions that have shaped and shadowed their relationship begin to surface in unexpected ways that will change them forever. With a rare combination of brilliant storytelling, exquisite prose, and remarkable insight into character, Elizabeth Strout has brought to life two deeply human protagonists whose struggles and triumphs will resonate with listeners long after the ausiobook is over. Tender, tough-minded, loving, and deeply illuminating about the ties that bind us to family and home, The Burgess Boys is Elizabeth Strouts newest and perhaps most astonishing work of literary art. Editorial Reviews: Editors Select, March 2013 - Jim and Bob Burgess escaped their Maine hometown just as soon as they couldbut now their nephews antics have brought them back home where theyre forced to relive the accident that killed their father and deal with the (not-so-pretty) realities of their relationships. Elizabeth Strout won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her last book, Olive Kitteridge, which I loved, so my expectations were high for this new novel. Similar to Olive, the protagonists here arent necessarily likeable, but the character studies are so insightful, so raw and real, you cant help but be drawn in especially with Cassandra Campbell at the helm. Critic Reviews: "Deeply human... Though loneliness and loss haunt these pages, Strout also supplies gentle humor and a nourishing dose of hope. (Booklist) Members Reviews: Loved, loved, loved it! I wish I could read about Olive again for the first time and I am not sure there will ever be a book like that one,but Elizabeth Strout is a great storyteller and the Burgess Boys is another great example of her artistry. She has an affectionate way of drawing her characters that gives you an understanding and appreciation for them that is slowly woven into the story line. Se is a master and I was sorry when this story ended but look forward to her expertise in whatever she sets out to do in the future. Some Secrets Shouldn't be Kept With apologies to Shakespeare, "some men are born sad and some men have sadness thrust upon them." Bob Burgess is one of the latter. Years ago, a freak car accident with toddler Bob in the front seat claimed the life of Bob's father. Modern psychology sometimes distinguishes guilt from shame this way: Guilt says, "What I did was bad " and Shame says "Who I am is bad." Bob could be the poster child for what happens when blame hardens into shame which results in a life that never really gets off the ground.

Del amor y otros demonios [Love and Other Demons] Audio Libro por Gabriel García Márquez

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Gabriel García Márquez) — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 17:48:26 GMT

Escuche este audio libro completo gratis en https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> Título: Del amor y otros demonios [Love and Other Demons] Autor: Gabriel García Márquez Narrador: Carlos Manuel Vesga Formato: Unabridged Duración: 4 hrs and 10 mins Idioma: Español Fecha de publicación: 12-15-16 Editor: Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial Calificaciones: 4.5 de 5 de 42 votos Categorías: Fiction, Literary Resumen del editor: La inspiración para escribir este libro le llegó a García Márquez con una insólita noticia que tuvo que cubrir como periodista. El 26 de octubre de 1949 el reportero Gabriel García Márquez fue enviado al antiguo convento de Santa Clara, que iba a ser demolido para edificar sobre él un hotel de cinco estrellas, a presenciar el vaciado de las criptas funerarias y a cubrir la noticia. Se exhumaron los restos de un virrey del Perú y su amante secreta, un obispo, varias abadesas, un bachiller de artes y una marquesa. Pero la sorpresa saltó al destapar la tercera hornacina del altar mayor: se desparramó una cabellera de color cobre, de veintidós metros y once centímetros de largo, perteneciente a una niña. En la lápida a penas se leía el hombre: Sierva María de Todos los Ángeles. "Mi abuela me contaba de niño la leyenda de una marquesita de doce años cuya cabellera le arrastraba como una cola de novia, que había muerto del mal de rabia por el mordisco de un perro, y era venerada en los pueblos del Caribe por sus muchos milagros. La idea de que esa tumba pudiera ser la suya fue mi noticia de aquel día, y el origen de este libro." Gabriel García Márquez A.S. Byatt dijo... "Una proeza brillante y conmovedora." Please note: This audiobook is in Spanish. Opiniones de los miembros: Mágica y rara Como siempre los personajes de García Márquez son extraordinarios, mágicos y trágicos, parte de una historia que dice mucho de la Latinoamérica colonial. Realismo mágico puro. El narrador es excelente. Buena historia y excelente narracion Where does Del amor y otros demonios [Love and Other Demons] rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far? Como es de esperarse, buena historia. What does Carlos Manuel Vesga bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book? El narrador tiene una voz que pareciera estar echa con el fin de narrar historias de Marquez. He escuchado varios leidos por Vesga; una delicia! Meeting a old friend with his language I have read this book in 1995 in Italian, and I became fan of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. He is my preferred author for fiction books, and "Del Amor y Otros Demonios" is one of his best ones. It starts good, and gets better and better ending in a sort of poetry in prose. In Spanish, it is difficult to understand, but it adds the beautiful musicality of the original language. Interesting and well read, but not Marquez best. Interesting and well read, but not Marquez best novel. I would advise to start with Cien anos de soledad or Cronica de una muerte anunciada. Narrator kills Márquez The reading is not only fast. It goes with a speed of light, like a reading contest. OK, Spaniards speak faster than the rest of the human race. But this narration takes away all the joy of listening to a magical, lullaby-like novel full of tiny and important details. Mr. Vesga killed already 'Doce cuentos pelegrinos' and now fastened up. Please, Penguin, MAKE HIM REDUNDANT!!!!!!!!!!!

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves Audiobook by Karen Joy Fowler

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Karen Joy Fowler) — Thu, 30 May 2013 14:12:47 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves Author: Karen Joy Fowler Narrator: Orlagh Cassidy Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins Language: English Release date: 05-30-13 Publisher: Penguin Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1351 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: From the New York Times-best-selling author of The Jane Austen Book Club, the story of an American family, middle class in middle America, ordinary in every way but one. But that exception is the beating heart of this extraordinary novel. Meet the Cooke family: Mother and Dad, brother Lowell, sister Fern, and our narrator, Rosemary, who begins her story in the middle. She has her reasons. "I spent the first eighteen years of my life defined by this one fact: that I was raised with a chimpanzee," she tells us. "It's never going to be the first thing I share with someone. I tell you Fern was a chimp and already you aren't thinking of her as my sister. But until Fern's expulsion, I'd scarcely known a moment alone. She was my twin, my funhouse mirror, my whirlwind other half, and I loved her as a sister." Rosemary was not yet six when Fern was removed. Over the years, she's managed to block a lot of memories. She's smart, vulnerable, innocent, and culpable. With some guile, she guides us through the darkness, penetrating secrets and unearthing memories, leading us deeper into the mystery she has dangled before us from the start. Stripping off the protective masks that have hidden truths too painful to acknowledge, in the end, "Rosemary" truly is for remembrance. Critic Reviews: Cassidy's performance offers an electric combination of understatement and highly charged emotions. (AudioFile) "You may find yourself on a beach or by a pool or just with some surplus time . . . Use it to read this goddamn book. (Gawker) "A novel so readably juicy and surreptitiously smart, it deserves all the attention it can get . . . [Its] fresh diction and madcap plot bend the tone toward comedy, but it never mislays its solemn raison dêtre. Monkeyshines aside, this is a story of Everyfamily in which loss engraves relationships, truth is a soulful stalker and coming-of-age means facing down the mirror, recognizing the shape-shifting notion of self." (New York Times Book Review) Members Reviews: This was totally worth the credit. The title, "We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves," sums the book up perfectly. This story is about a family being broken apart in the most unusual way. The story is narrated by Rosemary, and her view of how this tragedy affected herself and the other members of the family. Fowler is able to write this story as if the story had happened to her, as if she were Rosemary. I checked more than once to make sure that this wasn't a memoir because she made it seem so believable from the 1st person narrative. I don't want to reveal much more of the story because I think it might be more enjoyable the less the reader knows about it to begin with. This is a beautiful and sad story, one that pulled at my heartstrings. The book does start off in a strange place, in the middle of the story, but don't let that put you off because it doesn't take long for her to go back to the beginning of all that happened. I also really appreciated the ending. Book endings can be funny business sometimes and I feel that this one was just about right. This story resonated with me and is one of my better reads/listens of the year. I would have no problem recommending it to anyone. Impressive Not familiar with Karen Joy Fowler, I found the beginning to be unimpressive.

Empire Falls Audiobook by Richard Russo

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Richard Russo) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:49:57 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Empire Falls Author: Richard Russo Narrator: Ron McLarty Format: Unabridged Length: 20 hrs and 31 mins Language: English Release date: 10-11-11 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 557 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Pulitzer Prize, Fiction, 2002 Richard Russo - from his first novel, Mohawk, to his most recent, Straight Man - has demonstrated a peerless affinity for the human tragicomedy, and with this stunning new novel he extends even further his claims on the small-town, blue-collar heart of the country. Dexter County, Maine, and specifically the town of Empire Falls, has seen better days, and for decades, in fact, only a succession from bad to worse. One by one, its logging and textile enterprises have gone belly-up, and the once vast holdings of the Whiting clan (presided over by the last scions widow) now mostly amount to decrepit real estate. The working classes, meanwhile, continue to eke out whatever meager promise isnt already boarded up. Miles Roby gazes over this ruined kingdom from the Empire Grill, an opportunity of his youth that has become the albatross of his daily and future life. Called back from college and set to work by family obligations - his mother ailing, his father a loose cannon - Miles never left home again. Even so, his own obligations are manifold: a pending divorce; a troubled younger brother; and, not least, a peculiar partnership in the failing grill with none other than Mrs. Whiting. All of these, though, are offset by his daughter, Tick, whom he guides gently and proudly through the tribulations of adolescence. A decent man encircled by history and dreams, by echoing churches and abandoned mills, by the comforts and feuds provided by lifelong friends and neighbors, Miles is also a patient, knowing guide to the rich, hardscrabble nature of Empire Falls: fathers and sons and daughters, living and dead, rich and poor alike. Shot through with the mysteries of generations and the shattering visitations of the nation at large, it is a social novel of panoramic ambition, yet at the same time achingly personal. In the end, Empire Falls reveals our worst and best instincts, both our most appalling nightmares and our simplest hopes, with all the vision, grace and humanity of truly epic storytelling. Critic Reviews: "In a warmhearted novel of sweeping scope.... Russo follows up his rollicking academic satire, Straight Man (1997), with a return to the blue-collar melieu featured in his first three novels and once again shows an unerring sense of the rhythms of small-town life, balancing his irreverent, mocking humor with unending empathy for his characters and their foibles" (Booklist) Members Reviews: Hugely Enjoyable This is one of those books that holds your interest because you grow to care about the characters and just can't wait to find out what happens to them. The reader does a marvelous job. I took it from the car to the house and back to the car and I wish it had gone on longer. Pulitzer Prize well deserved Every book written by Richard Russo have been excellent. About simple everyday life, and folks we all recognize, yet every phrase turns your head. Lives of quiet desperation When Thoreau observed that the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation he may have just passed through Empire Falls and visited the Empire Grill. The inhabitants of this economically depressed town live with the unlikely hope that something good might happen to restore prosperity and jobs that had evaporated with the closing of the mills years before.

The Dining Car Audiobook by Eric Peterson

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Eric Peterson) — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 00:01:58 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Dining Car Author: Eric Peterson Narrator: Graham Hamilton Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins Language: English Release date: 01-18-18 Publisher: Author's Republic Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 5 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Winner, 2017 Benjamin Franklin Gold Award for Popular Fiction - Independent Book Publishers Association, April 7, 2017 In his second novel, author Eric Peterson dishes up a riotous spectacle of self-absorbed chefs, backstabbing politicians, and devious publishing magnates, set against a backdrop of haute cuisine, presidential politics, and an endless supply of top-shelf liquor and wine. Fresh from a public humiliation and in search of his true calling, former college football star Jack Marshall enlists as bartender and steward aboard Horace Button's vintage private railroad car, the "Pioneer Mother", which is transporting the legendary food writer and social critic across the country in opulent style. Decked out in a white jacket, mixing perfect cocktails, Jack is immersed in a style of living - and dining - he'd assumed was extinct. While striving to appease the eccentric, finicky Horace and Wanda, the Pioneer Mother's enigmatic chef, Jack falls under the spell of Giselle Lebeau, a gorgeous celebrity chef whose designs on him test his self-control and his loyalty. But when tragedy rocks Horace's insulated white-linen world, Jack must take charge of a simmering stew of quirky yet powerful personalities - all while staying in Wanda's good graces and keeping an eye on their newest passenger. A story of service, serendipity, and second chances, The Dining Car is more than delectable - it's a marvelous, exuberant work of fiction. Members Reviews: Great Story, Fantastic Narration! What made the experience of listening to The Dining Car the most enjoyable? Interesting story filled with an array of colorful, well-developed characters, excellent writing, and lots of humor, all brought wonderfully to life by Graham Hamilton's narration. He nails each and every character--and there are many--with an impressive plethora of voices and accents and compels the listener to keep on listening.

Americanah Audiobook by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:17:39 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Americanah Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Narrator: Adjoa Andoh Format: Unabridged Length: 17 hrs and 28 mins Language: English Release date: 04-11-13 Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 460 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Longlisted Baileys Womens Prize 2014 As teenagers, Ifemelu and Obinze fall in love in a Nigeria under military dictatorship. The self-assured Ifemelu departs for America, where Obinze hopes to join her, but post-9/11 America will not let him in, and he plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London. Fifteen years later, after so long apart and so many changes, will they find the courage to meet again, face to face? Critic Reviews: "Andoh's rich voice and distinct characters and rhythm keep the listener engrossed.... Andoh has fun adopting a mocking lilt for Ifemelu's snarky blog entries.... [and] a more serious tone brings authenticity to the heartbreak of Obinze's London experience." (AudioFile) Members Reviews: Provocative and occasionally maddening I found this novel fun and memorable, sharing many of the traits of its principal character Ifemelu. She's an engaging but highly flawed person who seems to pass her days judging the people around her, telling folks shes only just met about their own experiences, even saying Thats a lie to someone she disagrees with. Yet she cannot bear that other people should occasionally judge her. She thinks she sees The World As It Truly Is, while everyone else merely grasps at shadows, bound up in their own biases and limited perspectives. She perceives racism everywhere around her--except in Nigeria where, we learn, theres no racism, merely prejudice. She begrudges other people their privileges while blind to her own. Ifemelu spends much of her time casting a disapproving eye at othersMalian hair braiders, white American carpet cleaners, Haitian poets, Asian beauty parlor managers, white American girls with cornrows, francophone Africans, crass fellow Nigerians, Black American activists, and anyone more honest than herself. Reading the Ifemelu chapters I began to feel swamped by a gentle but persistent tide of negativity. Where was the beauty in humanity? Where was the love? But the love was there for Obinze, Ifemelu's romantic foil, who as a character is less contradictory and less fully formed than she. He is primarily a site for desire (namely the desire to emigrate to America), and someone to whom unfortunate things happen. The novel's American characters, irrespective of their race, struck me as entitled, child-like, and conspicuously unaware of themselves, while its protagonists Ifemelu and Obinze seem to have keen senses of who they are and what they want. As for the audio performance, narrating "Americanah" could only be a huge challenge given its characters' array of accentsNigerian, British, and American, of course, but also French, Ethiopian, Angolan, Malian, Kenyan, etc. Anglo-Ghanaian actress Adjoah Andoh performs Adichies third-person narration in a clipped, upper class British accent such as one hears on the BBC. Her rendering of Nigerian and British characters accents sounds, to my American ear, convincing and delightfully varied, but the dialect she uses for the novels American characters (male or female, black or white) is monochromatic and nasal, such that most Americans (and even Nigerians who've spent time in America) come off sounding like Fran Drescher. Whether or not this was intentional, it lessened my listening enjoyment. While Ms.

Forrest Gump Audiobook by Winston Groom

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Winston Groom) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 07:46:35 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Forrest Gump Author: Winston Groom Narrator: Mark Hammer Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins Language: English Release date: 04-08-11 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 462 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: "Bein' a idiot is no box of chocolates," but "at least I ain't led no hum-drum life," says Forrest Gump, the lovable, surprisingly savvy hero of this wonderful comic tale. When the University of Alabama's football team drafts Forrest and makes him a star, that's only the beginning! He flunks out - and goes on to be a Vietnam war hero, a world-class Ping-Pong player, a wrestler, and a business tycoon. He compares battle scars with Lyndon Johnson, discovers the truth about Richard Nixon, and suffers the ups and downs of true love. Now, Forrest Gump's telling all - in a madcap, screwball romp through three decades of the American landscape. It's Gump's amazing travels...and you've got to hear them to believe them. Critic Reviews: "Part Candide, part Huck Finn and a whole lot of Andy Griffith, [Gump] makes his case in a voice all his own.George Plimpton A wacky and funny nuthouse of a book." (Los Angeles Times) "Broad satire with serious resonances...Gump's adventures are both hilarious and bawdy....This picaresque tale will set you guffawing." (New Woman) "A Huckleberry Finn-type odyssey, complete with the humor-tempered irony and insight of Mark Twain. A rollicking satire, milking laughs from our sacred cows...As much fun as a box of chocolates, but far less fattening." (Pittsburgh Press) Members Reviews: A Storytelling Masterpiece Words fail to describe just how rich this story is. Mark Hammer does an AMAZING job bringing to life the story of Forrest. First thing is first. Put aside ANY notion you may have about this after seeing the movie, whether good OR bad. The movie is VERY loosely based on the book. The similarities are few and far between, and as much as I love the movie, I love the book even more. I went through every emotion possible as I listen to the grand comedy and grand tragedy that is the life of Forrest. I'd often find myself literally laughing out loud at some of the things said and done in the book...that often come out of NOWHERE! A few minutes later I'd find myself feeling very sad at yet another twist of fate. From his interaction with Bear Bryant to being launched into space with a monkey..this book has it all and quite a lot more. Though I wanted it to keep going after it ended, I was left with a very satisfied feeling when it was completed. Again, Mark Hammer is BRILLIANT as narrator..brilliant! I consider this a 'must read' for anyone who calls themself a fan of storytelling and even classic literature. I'd give it 10 stars if I could...maybe more. A wonderful story, perfectly narrated As many of the movie viewers know, Forest is a completely lovable character. I have not seen the movie but you can't help but like a guy that starts by telling you, "It's not easy bein' an Idiot." What great humility. I enjoyed following Forest on his journey through his life, from the Nut School, to the being the football star and on to the war. You will enjoy this book as it is full of humanity and compassion as he always tries to do the right thing Loved the film, disappointed in the book. What disappointed you about Forrest Gump? Honestly, it reads like a Curious George book. While it has it's funny moments, there really isn't any emotional depth to this book. It just drifts along with Forrest ending up in stranger and stranger situations.

Junky Audiobook by William S. Burroughs

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (William S. Burroughs) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 08:06:19 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Junky Author: William S. Burroughs Narrator: Andrew Garman, Mark Nelson, T. Rider Smith Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins Language: English Release date: 03-13-13 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 140 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Burroughs' first novel, a largely autobiographical account of the constant cycle of drug dependency, cures, and relapses, remains the most unflinching, unsentimental account of addiction ever written. Through time spent kicking and time spent dealing, through junk sickness and a sanatorium, Junky is a field report from the American post-war drug underground. It has influenced generations of writers with its raw, sparse and unapologetic tone. Members Reviews: I've read it twice and listened to it once Any additional comments? It's an American classic. If you consider yourself well-read this really should be on your list. A playful yet serious read What would have made Junky better? Nothing would of made this story better. The way that the narrators spoke was kind of fun and lightened the fact that the book was about addiction which made it not such a serious read about drugs but still a good read. If youve listened to books by William S. Burroughs before, how does this one compare? I have never read one of his books before. You didnt love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities? It was just a little light of a book for me...I like books that are more in depth and graphic and specific. Love this book First off, I hate Naked Lunch. Maybe the worst book I've ever read. Burroughs is one of those writers you feel like you're supposed to like, then you read Naked Lunch and decide for yourself its all academic snob hype and nothing more. Junky is a different beast altogether. Junky is very blunt, very well-written. It transports you back in time very easily to the 1950's. It falls into line with On the Road, but to me is the darker, brooding kid brother. Narration on this is great. If you hated Naked Lunch, give this a shot (in the arm). a great book that audible has killed. Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why? anybody that can put their hands on this book will learn something about a world next door What was one of the most memorable moments of Junky? that i paid for it, downloaded it but never got it. Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting? yes, if i only could figure out how to get it from audible Any additional comments? I am a Mac-usaer, but for the time being I use a PC. I bought 20 credits, but only got hold of 4. Audible has failed totally as the confusion on the webpage is a killing bore. I gave up. Goodbye.

Jet Audiobook by Jay Crownover

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Jay Crownover) — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 17:57:03 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Jet Subtitle: A Marked Men Novel Author: Jay Crownover Narrator: Callie Dalton, Cal Wembly Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins Language: English Release date: 11-19-13 Publisher: HarperAudio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 701 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: With his tight leather pants and a sharp edge that makes him dangerous, Jet Keller is every girl's rock and roll fantasy. But Ayden Cross is done walking on the wild side with bad boys. She doesn't want to give in to the heat she sees in Jet's dark, haunted eyes. She's afraid of getting burned from the sparks of their spontaneous combustion, even as his touch sets her on fire. Jet can't resist the Southern Belle with mile-long legs in cowboy boots who defies his every expectation. Yet the closer he feels to Ayden, the less he seems to know her. While he iss tempted to get under her skin and undo her in every way, he knows firsthand what happens to two people with very different ideas about relationships. Will the blaze burn into an enduring love...or will it consume their dreams and turn them to ashes? Don't miss the latest bad boy in Jay Crownover's unforgettable New Adult series. Members Reviews: A delightfully yummy novel Entertaining, full of angst and some yummy sexy times, Jet is a nice addition to the Marked Man Series. The story is told in first person dual POVs.I really liked the first book in this series,Ruleand had high hopes thatJetwould be just as good. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. It was good just not better than the first book in the series. The problem wasn't Jet, I adored him. In fact, I loved everything about Jet. He was sexy, charismatic, and delicious. On the outside he is this rockstar with all the known stereotypes, but on the inside he is genuine, sweet, and overall a great person. I loved him every bit as much as Rule... The problem was Ayden. It took me a little longer to connect with her character. In time, she won me over. The story picks up a year later after Jet so nicely turns down Ayden when she tries to pretty much offer herself to him. Ironically, they end up becoming roommates & friends! We find out there is more to Ayden. She was hiding from her past. Raised in a small town in Kentucky by a mother who had a revolving door of men coming in and out of their trailer, Ayden lived up to the trailer trash label that had been placed on their family. Most of what she did was to keep her brother out of more trouble than what he was already in. So when a high school chemistry teacher saw potential in Ayden, he helped her fill out applications and get her to Denver to college. Ayden did everything she could to make sure that she lived her new life to deserve the second chance that she got. She attends Denver University, determined to live a completely different life from the one she ran from in Kentucky. She knows she wants a stable career and safe relationship. Trying to convince herself that shes different from the girl she was in Kentucky, hiding all of her secrets from her closest friends. Her plan never included to fall for the sexy, talented, panty-melting bad boy. Jet is the lead singer in a local metal band, runs his own studio, and is dealing with family issues. He too wasnt expecting that one girl could change his entire view on love & relationships. Ayden and Jet have different goals for their life but cannot deny the attraction towards each other no matter how much they fight it. So, they decide to jump in to a friends with benefits type of relationship. And whoa baby is it hot! Jet would sing to her in bed while playing his guitar.

Play It As It Lays Audiobook by Joan Didion

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Joan Didion) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 22:18:59 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Play It As It Lays Author: Joan Didion Narrator: Lauren Fortgang Format: Unabridged Length: 3 hrs and 50 mins Language: English Release date: 03-27-13 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 169 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A ruthless dissection of American life in the late 1960s, Play It As It Lays captures the mood of an entire generation, the ennui of contemporary society reflected in spare prose that blisters and haunts the listener. Set in a place beyond good and evil-literally in Hollywood, Las Vegas, and the barren wastes of the Mojave Desert, but figuratively in the landscape of an arid soul - it remains more than three decades after its original publication a profoundly disturbing novel, riveting in its exploration of a woman and a society in crisis and stunning in the still-startling intensity of its prose. Critic Reviews: "There hasn't been another American writer of Joan Didion's quality since Nathanel West.... A terrifying book." (John Leonard, The New York Times) "Simple, restrained, intelligent, well-structured, witty, irresistibly relentless, forthright in diction, and untainted by the sensational, Play It As It Lays is a book of outstanding literary quality." ( Library Journal) "[A] scathing novel, distilling venom in tiny drops, revealing devastation in a sneer and fear in a handful of atomic dust." (J. R. Frakes, Book World) Members Reviews: a bit existential and good the episodic structure made me think of Kosinski and there is something a little Hemingway-ish about it. It is a quick listen, a tapestry type effect that builds together and not everything is explained away. life is messy and some people get a little lost and the main woman, Mariah, has lost her footing. there are a lot of bits that you have to add up for yourself and the whole mosaic is puzzling, a little of the nature vs. nurture thing maybe, and the user atmosphere of relationships, and the disconnected bonds of relationships. interesting. Snakes and cracks everywhere "I was raised to believe that what came in on the next roll would always be better than what when out on the last. I no longer believe that." - Joan Didion, Play It As It Lays Warning: This book is not to be read if suicidal, heavily medicated, driving, pregnant, or if you ever dream of walking out, alone, into the Nevada desert and not coming back. This book is pure existential peril. I remember when I was four being specifically afraid of our church's bathroom. I remember thinking the church was hallowed ground. Protected by some benign force. Nothing could get me in the church. I was safe. But I'd sit alone, in a stall, in the bathroom, and look at the white tile, white grout, and see the dark drain on the floor. I'd imagine all the terror that existed under the Church. The snakes that were waiting to crawl through the drain. The devil waiting to pull me into the unsanctified, unhallowed, shit-filled sewers. Yeah, this book made me think of that empty feeling, that feeling that even in safe places there were gaps, snakes, sewers, and darkness. This book also reminds me a bit of a combination of The Great Gatsby (but told by Daisy in California in the 1960s) and Less Than Zero (but told by Blair and Julian's parents). Actually, hell, the book could be F. Scott and Zelda in the 1960s. Anyway, I get a weird F. Scott and Bret Easton Ellis vibe, with perhaps just a little of Cormac McCarthy's cold Western, existential dread thrown in for flavor. It is one of those novels that is near perfect and also a razor blade under your tongue.

The Wicked Girls Audiobook by Alex Marwood

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Alex Marwood) — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 08:43:25 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Wicked Girls Author: Alex Marwood Narrator: Anna Bentinck Format: Unabridged Length: 14 hrs and 11 mins Language: English Release date: 08-06-13 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 2884 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: On a fateful summer morning in 1986, two 11-year-old girls meet for the first time. By the end of the day, they will both be charged with murder. Twenty-five years later, journalist Kirsty Lindsay is reporting on a series of sickening attacks on young female tourists in a seaside vacation town when her investigation leads her to interview carnival cleaner Amber Gordon. For Kirsty and Amber, it's the first time they've seen each other since that dark day so many years ago. Now with new, vastly different lives - and unknowing families to protect - will they really be able to keep their wicked secret hidden? Gripping and fast-paced, with an ending that will stay with you long after you've listened to it, The Wicked Girls will appeal to fans of the Academy Awardnominated film Heavenly Creatures and the novels of Rosamund Lupton and Chevy Stevens. Members Reviews: Really my rating is 4 1/2 stars. Where does The Wicked Girls rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far? Top 5 Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How? Yes. The main characters are complex and original. They are exciting and unpredictable. However, there are a few predictable scenes, but just enough to make the plot understandable. Which scene was your favorite? Most of the novels I like fall flat at the end, but I though this one had a perfect falling action and ending. Who was the most memorable character of The Wicked Girls and why? Leading Character: Amber, because she is one of kind, but in a believable way. Supporting Character: Jackie, because we all have known a "Jackie" in our life Any additional comments? I don't usually write reviews, but I wanted to take the time to review this book, because I was unsure about buying it at first.....not a well known author....not a ton of great reviews...but I was so pleasantly surprised that it was one of those books that I could not stop listening to...so I have to spread the word! Engrossing from beginning to end Would you listen to The Wicked Girls again? Why? Yes. I don't like listening to audiobooks twice but theses characters were given such realistic motivations and personalities that I'm sure a second listen would reveal a few more details. What did you like best about this story? To me, the book was about the nuances of what makes a person good and/or evil and the characterizations illustrated those very clearly. Narrator was top notch too. Each character had their own distinct way of speaking and she went from one to the other flawlessly which could have easily gone sideways given all the different vernaculars and intonations. Which character as performed by Anna Bentinck was your favorite? Jackie [I think that was her name]. I hated this character but from the performance, I got a clear picture of who she was and who she wanted to be but wasn't. This character used a lot of slang and again is one of the characters that could have been over done but Bentnick did it with restraint. Who was the most memorable character of The Wicked Girls and why? Amber. She's a better woman than I'd have been. Any additional comments? Highly recommended. I had to pace myself and not listen to it in one sitting.

The Robber Bride Audiobook by Margaret Atwood

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Margaret Atwood) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 03:06:10 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Robber Bride Author: Margaret Atwood Narrator: Bernadette Dunne Format: Unabridged Length: 20 hrs and 12 mins Language: English Release date: 08-03-11 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 361 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Margaret Atwood's The Robber Bride is inspired by "The Robber Bridegroom", a wonderfully grisly tale from the Brothers Grimm in which an evil groom lures three maidens into his lair and devours them, one by one. But in her version, Atwood brilliantly recasts the monster as Zenia, a villainess of demonic proportions, and sets her loose in the lives of three friends: Tony, Charis, and Roz. All three "have lost men, spirit, money, and time to their old college acquaintance, Zenia. At various times, and in various emotional disguises, Zenia has insinuated her way into their lives and practically demolished them. To Tony, who almost lost her husband and jeopardized her academic career, Zenia is "a lurking enemy commando". To Roz, who did lose her husband and almost her magazine, Zenia is "a cold and treacherous bitch". To Charis, who lost a boyfriend, quarts of vegetable juice, and some pet chickens, Zenia is a kind of zombie, maybe "soulless" (Lorrie Moore, New York Times Book Review). In love and war, illusion and deceit, Zenia's subterranean malevolence takes us deep into her enemies' pasts. Critic Reviews: "Moving amid these three women, touching up their portraits with one perfect detail after another, conjuring Zenia from their memories and tears, Atwood is in her glory. What a treasure she is, and what a fine new book she has written" (Newsweek) Members Reviews: Captivating Story with Great Narration Margaret Atwood is my favorite author, and I was not disappointed with this book. I found the story interesting and unique, with great character development. I loved the voice and style of the narrator--she was perfect for the voices of all three main characters. Surprisingly enjoyable What made the experience of listening to The Robber Bride the most enjoyable? I went outside of my comfort zone with this book. It was turned into a Lifetime movie, definitely not my thing. But it was so much fun! I really cared about the characters and could not wait to hear more as their individual mysteries unraveled. Who was your favorite character and why? All three protagonists were wonderful in their own way. Have you listened to any of Bernadette Dunnes other performances before? How does this one compare? I have not heard Ms. Dunne read before, but I really enjoyed her. I forgot I was listening to a single person, but she wasn't over the top. Pretty flawless. Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting? Absolutely, I was antisocial during this story. I had my ear phones in all the time. if you Like Margaret Atwood, this is a must listen Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why? great story and fascinating characters Who was your favorite character and why? Xenia, who was mysterious and impacted the lives of all in this story What about Bernadette Dunnes performance did you like? convincing depiction of different characters BORED with her own novel? It started off strong but ended with a well-written whimper. The prose was strong, the characters were interesting, but in the end it just seemed a little too predictable a tad too structured. By the concluding sentence, it almost felt as if Atwood was bored with her own novel. the best This was my favorite out Atwood's books so far. her character development is off the charts.

The Pleasure of Pain Audiobook by Shameek Speight

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Shameek Speight) — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 22:37:33 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Pleasure of Pain Author: Shameek Speight Narrator: Mr. Gates Format: Unabridged Length: 3 hrs and 46 mins Language: English Release date: 11-12-13 Publisher: True Glory Publications Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 153 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: In this twisted tale you will be introduced to Tess, Iris, Vanessa, Ebony and Bless who find out that The Pleasure of Pain is a true testament that we always want what we shouldn't have. Tess is a strong determined business woman by the day and queen of the streets by night. She will stop at nothing to get the life she wants for herself and her three best friends along with her man, even if it means breaking old bonds and creating lifetime enemies. What she doesn't realize is in the game of cut- throat there are no rules. Bless emerges on the scene after being recently released from prison only to find that things are not the way they were before he got locked up. The worst part is the person he has to fight is the person he least expected would betray him. He is out for blood and hell bent on destroying anyone who gets in his way. Iris is secretly in love with Tess, but plays the friend card in order to get closer to her. She knows that Tess is in love with another man, however that doesn't stop her from plotting to get Tess' heart. Vanessa and Ebony are sisters who share the same father and they happen to be Tess' top lieutenants. Their loyalty and love run deep for Tess and has never been questioned until now... With pleasure there is always a little pain as Tess and her girlfriends will soon find out. Will they break under pressure or will they show why women rule the world? Members Reviews: Where to start? Where to start? I liked the narrators voice. The sex scenes (which take place in every single chapter) read like a porno. I don't need that in every chapter. I started skipping them. The details of these scenes were not needed, and they had me rolling my eyes. Especially that one horrible scene. When I purchased this book, I thought a woman wrote it (I thought Shameek was a woman's name). As I listened to the sex scenes, I told my husband that it sounded like a man wrote it, and it turns out I was right. It shouldnt be obvious that a man wrote a sex scene. The story leaves you with a cliffhanger, so I want to know what happens with the rest of the story. But because of those porn scenes, Ima have to pass. Awesome Male Narrator enjoyed it but the female voices did not fit the characters. The male voice was on point, he was awesome Great Story I loved it from the beginning to the end, and now is ready for part 2 OMG! I start listening to this book and couldn't stop until I finished, my heart raced on some parts and I cried on some parts, truly an exciting book, can't wait to start on part 2! can go wrong with Mr Gates I typically enjoyed most books where mr. Gates is the narrator he makes them pop. the author did a good job of mixing together Hood love betrayal violence and Street Justice to make an entertaining story. I will say that it was evident pretty early on which character was going to be a problem child.

Under the Volcano Audiobook by Malcolm Lowry

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Malcolm Lowry) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:60:36 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Under the Volcano Subtitle: A Novel Author: Malcolm Lowry Narrator: John Lee Format: Unabridged Length: 14 hrs and 49 mins Language: English Release date: 04-14-09 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 184 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: On the Day of the Dead, in 1938, Geoffrey Firmin, an alcoholic and ruined man, is fatefully living out his last day, drowning himself in mescal while his former wife and half-brother look on, powerless to help him. The events of this one day unfold against a backdrop unforgettable for its evocation of a Mexico at once magical and diabolical. ©1947 Peter Matson; (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Critic Reviews: "The book obviously belongs with the most original and creative novels of our time." (Alfred Kazin) "One of the towering novels of [the twentieth] century." (New York Times) "[Lowry's] masterpiece...has a claim to being regarded as one of the ten most consequential works of fiction produced in this century...." (Los Angeles Times) Members Reviews: Excellent...but not for everyone I loved this story of a day-long drunken binge told from 3 different viewpoints, but I know that not everyone liked it (ask my book club)...but I thought it was classic. It gets tough in some places, but I found Under the Volcano to be a wonderful tale in a vast desert of somewhat underwhelming books. 5 stars for writing and 5 stars for narration. Meh I'm sure this book is a classic but it sure didn't feel like one when listening to it. The narration was droopy, inarticulate and lacked variety between the characters. The storytelling itself is best absorbed when reading the novel. It was very apparent one chapter into this book that it was going to be confusing, troubling and overall not that enjoyable. Save yourself the listen. Buy the book instead. Great book, slightly flawed narration It took me awhile to warm up to this book. For the first hour or two I seriously considered quitting it but I'm glad I didn't. It gets more and more beautiful and more tragic with every chapter. The symbolism and metaphors build on themselves and the descriptions flow smoothly into plot. The literary references (the ones I actually caught) are fun and add another layer of meaning to the story. By the end I was sitting in my driveway long after arriving home entranced with the story. Stick out the beginning, it's worth it! The narration was great except that the Lee's Spanish pronunciation leaves a *lot* to be desired. Understanding the bits that are in Spanish isn't key to understanding the book but I found it distracting to hear the pretty blatant mistakes. Other than that though, it's a really, really well-done production. There sure is a lot of symbolism I don't know if there's any way to express my disappointment with this book that doesn't involve spoilers, so I'll start with what I liked about it. Lowry does an awesome job of delineating his characters. Their attitudes and feelings are completely understandable and realistic. Lowry's use of imagery, motifs, and symbolism are masterful. He builds his story layer by layer with rising intensity right up to the end. The story that he tells--of a man bent on destroying himself--is compelling in an existential sort of way. So why, when all is said and done, do I feel less than satisfied with the book as a whole? That is a question I suppose I will be pondering for a long time. Great Prose, Too much drunk guy This is the story of one day, the Day of the Dead, of a British drunk in Mexico.

Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery Audiobook by Jenny Colgan

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Jenny Colgan) — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 09:39:34 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery Subtitle: Little Beach Street Bakery Series, Book 2 Author: Jenny Colgan Narrator: Alison Larkin Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins Language: English Release date: 03-22-16 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 113 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A thriving bakery. A lighthouse to call home. A handsome beekeeper. A pet puffin. These are the things that Polly Waterford can call her own. This is the beautiful life she leads on a tiny island off the southern coast of England. But clouds are gathering on the horizon. A stranger threatens to ruin Polly's business. Her beloved boyfriend seems to be leading a secret life. And the arrival of a newcomer - a bereft widow desperately searching for a fresh start - forces Polly to reconsider the choices she's made, even as she tries to help her new friend through grief. Unpredictable and unforgettable, this delightful novel will make you laugh, cry, and long for a lighthouse of your own. Members Reviews: not as good as the first in the series Lacking the novelty of the first book in the series, this one was good but not special. I also preferred the narrator for the previous book. In the end, I was glad to continue the stories of the beach street characters. Not loving the narration Yes the American accents are horrid. But they were in the first book of the series too. In the first book the American accents were all completely the same even though one was a standard American accent and one was a Southern one. And they all sounded like a easy weird version of Clint Eastwood, even tho they'd be youngish men. In this book the thing that's bothering me the most is the probable mispronunciation of Huckle's brother's name. Which I assume is DuBois and would either be pronounce du-bwah, or du-boyz, and she pronounces it du-bows which is driving me ca-razy. So it is ruining a sweet story but what are you going to do.... Lovely story A lovely sequel to The Little Beach Street Bakery. same memorable characters in new situations plus a new villain. perfect summer reading! Different Narrator Beware if you listened to the first book...this is not the same narrator. I was extremely disappointed to find the quality of the narration lacking. The character voices in the first book were distinctive and well done. This narrator did a horrible job especially with the characters of Huck and Rubin who are supposed to have a Southern US accent. At times the different accents weren't even the same. I loved listening to the first book, and I was excited to hear more of the story. It was painful to even try to listen to the second audio book, and it really took away from the story. I Absolutely love Jenny Colgen!!! Jenny Colgen does it again. I laughed, cried, and even found myself screaming out loud at the characters and some of the bonehead things they did. At times was sitting on the edge of my seat, dying to find out what happens next.

Welcome to the Monkey House Audiobook by Kurt Vonnegut

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Kurt Vonnegut) — Tue, 23 May 2006 19:08:40 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Welcome to the Monkey House Author: Kurt Vonnegut Narrator: David Strathairn, Maria Tucci, Bill Irwin, Tony Roberts, Dylan Baker Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 28 mins Language: English Release date: 05-23-06 Publisher: HarperAudio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 500 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Welcome to the Monkey House is a collection of Kurt Vonnegut's shorter works. Originally printed in publications as diverse as The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and The Atlantic Monthly, what these superb stories share is Vonnegut's audacious sense of humor and extraordinary range of creative vision. Members Reviews: Classic Vonnegut I had read this collection of stories in high school and loved it. When I saw it came out in audio, I snapped it up. It's even better than I remembered it. This collection has it all: from quirky romance to thought-provoking sci-fi to biting (and sometimes hilarious) political satire. This collection also includes one of the most disturbing short stories I've ever read: the haunting war tale "All the King's Horses". All stories are well read, by a collection of very capable narrators. Typically Vonnegut ... I found this collection of stories to be both mismatched and bizarre, and enjoyed them thoroughly. If you are looking for Chicken Soup for your Soul ... look elsewhere. If you are looking for a strange collection of short stories that will make think about them hours after listening, then this is for you. Light reading pleasure Kurt Vonnegut?s Welcome to the Monkey House is a collection of short stories. Some of the stories are dated material and stories that might require knowledge of current events from the 1960?s to fully understand. This is not the norm for most of the stories. The stories subjects range from science fiction to American humor. I found many of the stories to be delightful, imaginative and laugh out loud funny. This audio book is a good family travel book that can be enjoyed by many listeners but some of the stories may not be appropriate for children under the age of 13 due to subject matter. Great intro to Vonnegut In my mind, Kurt Vonnegut is the writerly equivalent to an eccentric, sarcastic, but kindly old uncle, the one you can always count on to take the stuffing out of your more puffed-up, less agile-minded relatives at family Christmas parties, while giving you a sly wink. In an important way, he was a voice for America in the 1950s and 60s, both a counterpoint to and a commenter on "mainstream" attitudes. He could do zaniness, anger, sorrow, and gentleness equally well. This collection is a fine intro to what made the man great. A few stories fall a little flat, and a few feel dated, but most still resonate in one way or another. In style, they range from memoir to science fiction to allegory to absurd satire to"straight" fiction, which make them interesting as a prismatic breakdown of the eccentric, eclectic voice Vonnegut uses in his longer works. My own favorite story was a poignant piece about a half-black German orphan who encounters a unit of black American GIs in post-WWII Europe, and the friendship he forms with a particular soldier. One of the best authors [FULL STOP] Vonnegut was one of the best authors this country every produced. This collection of short stories does not disappoint. My favorite stories within have to be Welcome to the Monkey House and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. Tony Roberts is the best of the group of narrators, but they are all great story tellers. Worth the money/credit

Transit Audiobook by Rachel Cusk

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Rachel Cusk) — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 10:46:29 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Transit Author: Rachel Cusk Narrator: Kate Reading Format: Unabridged Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins Language: English Release date: 09-19-17 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 8 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: The stunning second novel of a trilogy that began with Outline, one of The New York Times Book Review's 10 best books of 2015. In the wake of her family's collapse, a writer and her two young sons move to London. The process of this upheaval is the catalyst for a number of transitions - personal, moral, artistic, and practical - as she endeavors to construct a new reality for herself and her children. In the city, she is made to confront aspects of living that she has, until now, avoided, and to consider questions of vulnerability and power, death and renewal, in what becomes her struggle to reattach herself to, and believe in, life. Filtered through the impersonal gaze of its keenly intelligent protagonist, Transit sees Rachel Cusk delve deeper into the themes first raised in her critically acclaimed novel Outline and offers up a penetrating and moving reflection on childhood and fate, the value of suffering, the moral problems of personal responsibility, and the mystery of change. In this second book of a precise, short, yet epic, cycle, Cusk describes the most elemental experiences, the liminal qualities of life. She captures with unsettling restraint and honesty the longing to both inhabit and flee one's life, and the wrenching ambivalence animating our desire to feel real. Members Reviews: Disconnected and pointless I am baffled why this was nominated for any kind of award, we 'read' it for book group and were in 100% agreement that it was just tedious. The weird first person/third person narrative style created distance and disconnection and the stories went nowhere and seemed pointless. Within one of the stories a 'writer' made a scathing comment about other writers needing to write about extremes to please readers, which might suggest the author has a principled belief that 'good writing' should focus on the everyday and not attempt to engage the reader. Well she succeeded for me. Oh and this goes for both the first two books in the series - won't bother with the third.

The Windfall Audiobook by Diksha Basu

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Diksha Basu) — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 18:49:20 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Windfall Subtitle: A Novel Author: Diksha Basu Narrator: Soneela Nankani Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins Language: English Release date: 06-27-17 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 96 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A heartfelt comedy of manners, Diksha Basu's debut novel unfolds the story of a family discovering what it means to "make it" in modern India. For the past 30 years, Mr. and Mrs. Jha's lives have been defined by cramped spaces, cut corners, gossipy neighbors, and the small dramas of stolen yoga pants and stale marriages. They thought they'd settled comfortably into their golden years, pleased with their son's acceptance into an American business school. But then Mr. Jha comes into an enormous and unexpected sum of money and moves his wife from their housing complex in East Delhi to the super-rich side of town, where he becomes eager to fit in as a man of status: skinny ties, hired guards, shoe-polishing machines, and all. The move sets off a chain of events that rock their neighbors, their marriage, and their son, who is struggling to keep a lid on his romantic dilemmas and slipping grades, and brings unintended consequences, ultimately forcing the Jha family to reckon with what really matters. Hilarious and wise, The Windfall illuminates with warmth and charm the precariousness of social status, the fragility of pride, and, above all, the human drive to build and share a home. Even the rich, it turns out, need to belong somewhere. Critic Reviews: "Basu's debut novel is a funny, deceptively light treatment of money and manners in modern-day Delhi." (Kirkus) "In her debut novel, Basu sprinkles her send-up of social mobility in modern India with gentle indulgence for her characters, presenting the foibles of the Jhas with humanity and humor." (Booklist) "This is a delightful comedy of manners with a lot of heart...the novel's universal theme and very entertaining story should appeal to a wide variety of readers." (Library Journal) Members Reviews: A Struggle I've struggled through 4 hours of listening so far and find that I can't continue. I'm throwing in the towel on this book. I guess I am not the target audience as I just don't find the story funny. To me, the characters are presented from a distance--at arms length--so that it is difficult to feel connected to them. Without that important link the story seems shallow and becomes boring. I also wonder if a different narrator could have changed the tone and saved the book for me? Really it could have been set anywhere in the world--place doesn't seem to matter. It's mostly about wealth--money, money, money. Ugh. Excellent book, sprinkled woth humor This is a delightful book of a famuly in Delhi, India, who ju9upon sudden richea. The family moves from a lower middle class section of town to the rich upper class neighborhood of Gurgpan. Ms. Basu highlights the emotional struggle in this move, highlighting the human elements with poise and grace. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Masterful narration by Ms Nankani. Fun and easy listen This is a domestic comedy taking place in India and the U.S. The book explores themes such as what community really means, high parental hopes for the next generation to be successful and the pressure that brings, and how money and status can change us. There are many laugh out loud moments, and the characters are all likable in their own ways. The father, Anil, is my favorite.

Home Is the Sailor Audiobook by Patrick Taylor

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Patrick Taylor) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 03:13:11 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Home Is the Sailor Subtitle: An Irish Country Doctor Story Author: Patrick Taylor Narrator: John Keating Format: Unabridged Length: 1 hr and 59 mins Language: English Release date: 03-05-13 Publisher: Macmillan Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 299 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Fans of Patrick Taylors best-selling Irish Country novels know Dr. Fingal Flahertie OReilly as the irascible senior partner of a general practice in the colourful Irish village of Ballybucklebo. But there was a time, shortly after arriving in Ballybucklebo, that Dr. O'Reilly was not widely accepted by the villagers. This touching short story tell of how O'Reilly, with a little help, began to overcome their objections. Whether you're visiting for the first time, or you're a long-time resident, you'll enjoy this fun glimpse into life in Patrick Taylor's village of Ballybucklebo. Members Reviews: Too short! Patrick Taylor is always a pleasure. John Keating did a great job with all the characters. A delight to listen to. Thumbs Up Ya gotta love this series, especially if you have even a drop of Irish blood. Short but needed What did you love best about Home Is the Sailor? It provided a little more background Any additional comments? At first I thought oh a short after thought, but I was wrong. I would purchase this again to add more background for the series. Thank you for writing this. Love this series I love the characters in this series. Taylor does a great job of making the stories come alive. I think I am in Bally Buckle Bo when I listen. John jesting is a fabulous reader. I love the series. Great to get some back ground. Have listened to the first few in the series. It's great to get back ground on where Fingal came from and how his early days in town were.

No Longer Human Audiobook by Osamu Dazai

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Osamu Dazai) — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 00:38:32 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: No Longer Human Author: Osamu Dazai Narrator: David Shih Format: Unabridged Length: 4 hrs and 13 mins Language: English Release date: 12-20-16 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 33 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Portraying himself as a failure, the protagonist of Osamu Dazai's No Longer Human narrates a seemingly normal life, even while he feels himself incapable of understanding human beings. Oba Yozo's attempts to reconcile himself to the world around him begin in early childhood, continue through high school, where he becomes a "clown" to mask his alienation, and eventually lead to a failed suicide attempt as an adult. Without sentimentality, he records the casual cruelties of life and its fleeting moments of human connection and tenderness. Critic Reviews: "The novel has a timeless quality: The struggle of the individual to fit into a normalizing society remains just as relevant today as it was at the time of writing." (The Japan Times) Members Reviews: Reassuring in its bare-boned humanity My girlfriend (who is French) gave this to me in book form for my birthday, and then I realized that Audible recently added it so I secretly listened to it instead. I joke with her a lot about her French philosophical perspectives, you know 'laissez-faire', 'je ne sais pas' type stuff. And she talks a lot about the cultural differences between France and the States, especially when it comes to socializing. She refers to the social scene in the States as "The Masquerade", which I feel is pretty accurate. Anyway! I should have expected this book would make some sort of Albert Camus-esque social commentary, but since it's from a Japanese author I didn't immediately jump to that conclusion. But it boy o boy is it similar, just like the other reviewer mentioned. I think it really works in its own way though. Osamu Dazai gives his character a nagging need that is compelling and drives both the conflict and the unnerving ennui-imbued voice throughout. There is something reassuring about getting inside the head of someone so troubled about their social identity. The struggle is intensely, intimately relateable, and that I think, is what great writing is about. It helps ease some of the larger existential anxiety, because you get the feeling that you aren't the only one. There is a good amount of misogyny in this book though. While it is framed in the perspective of an admittedly perverted and "broken" young man, it still toes a line. Also, as a Japanese book, translated into English and narrated by what sounds like an American, you can't really ask for a better performance. If Camus was Japanese If you could sum up No Longer Human in three words, what would they be? Camus in Japan What other book might you compare No Longer Human to and why? The Stranger. Our protagonist feels disconnected from humanity, leading him down a path of self destruction If you could take any character from No Longer Human out to dinner, who would it be and why? UGH... none... I'd be afraid of being hit up for a heavy bar tab... or worse. Any additional comments? It's a punch in the gut that you are glad you received. Like Trainspotting, this is not something for when you are depressed.

Jazz Audiobook by Toni Morrison

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Toni Morrison) — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 18:08:11 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Jazz Author: Toni Morrison Narrator: Toni Morrison Format: Abridged Length: 3 hrs Language: English Release date: 03-10-15 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 82 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: In the winter of 1926, when everybody everywhere sees nothing but good things ahead, Joe Trace, middle-aged door-to-door salesman of Cleopatra beauty products, shoots his teenage lover to death. At the funeral, Joe's wife, Violet, attacks the girl's corpse. This passionate, profound story of love and obsession brings us back and forth in time, as a narrative is assembled from the emotions, hopes, fears, and deep realities of black urban life. Critic Reviews: "[A] masterpiece.... She has moved from strength to strength until she has reached the distinction of being beyond comparison." ( Entertainment Weekly) "As rich in themes and poetic images as her Pulitzer Prize - winning Beloved. ...Morrison conjures up the hand of slavery on Harlem's jazz generation. The more you listen, the more you crave to hear." ( Glamour) "Lyrically brooding.... One accepts the characters of Jazz as generalized figures moving rhythmically in the narrator's mind." ( The New York Times) Members Reviews: The audio is not the same as the book Any additional comments? I like to read and listen to the story at the same time. This is the first time that I couldn't do that. For me was disappointing no the story but the fact that the autor cut some passages in the book. Why does the audiobook skips lines of the story I was using this audio book and the reader would skip pages and it would be very confusing to follow up. Abridged What disappointed you about Jazz? This is an Abridged version of the book. The author is a master, and nothing in the book is superfluous. It's unfortunate that the audiobook is not more clearly marked as being abridged. I will be returning it. Wonderful story wonderfully told Five stars for this Morrison novel that hints at the agony of disheveled lives and paints a picture of coping that is at once horrifying but terribly beautiful . A man gets away with murder. Yet in this time and place USA 1926 how many murders are committed daily? Who pays for the destruction wrought by poverty, racism, ignorance, individual and institutional? Morrison does not pontificate but merely raises the questions with her characters' lives and their behavior . Toni Morrison! Toni Morrison reading her own novel is amazing. This story is complex and definitely a must read.

The Seduction of Water Audiobook by Carol Goodman

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Carol Goodman) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:29:39 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Seduction of Water Author: Carol Goodman Narrator: Christine Marshall Format: Unabridged Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins Language: English Release date: 10-15-08 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 103 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: The piece recounts an eerie Irish fairy tale her mother used to tell her at bedtime - and nestled inside is the sad story of her mother's death, a strange, untimely end in a fire 30 years ago. When Iris returns to the remote Hotel Equinox in the Catskills, the place where she grew up, to write her mother's biography and search for her mother's missing manuscript, she unravels a haunting mystery that threatens to envelope her. Critic Reviews: "Mystery, folklore, a thoroughly modern romance, a strong sense of place and a winning combination of erudition and accessibility make this...a treat." (Publishers Weekly) Members Reviews: Disapointing This book seemed to have great promise, but never really followed through. There was no character development and as a result, instead of being caught up by the story, I felt like I was on the outside looking in, always waiting for something to happen. It was confusing in parts and I struggled to finish. Great listen but abrupt ending! I really enjoyed this book all the way til I got to the end. It was somewhat suspenseful without expecting murder or anything bad. But, I was disappointed in the end. I felt like it just ended without being sure what the outcome was for some of the characters. That was the only disappointment. Okay The Seduction of Water lacked any true seduction. It was not the worst book I have listened to by far, but not one I would listen too again. It was predictable and just left you wanting. Could have been a truely good story, but it falls flat. Okay if you just want something to listen to. I'd wait until it was on sale to purchase or just find something else if I had to do it over again. At the end of the novel, I just felt disappointed. Characters were flat and never really cared about them. I kept waiting for the bad guy to pull off a mask and say, "I'd of gotten away with it too if it weren't for those pesky kids!" Story could have been edited better. Not a bad story. Found they could have shorten it. Started to lose interest near the end as a result. Narration was o-kay. Charming, complex, almost Literary Densely interwoven with leitmotifs, fantasy and fairytale allusions, character and plot echoing archetype and rich language, this book only disappoints toward the end, when it settles down into a thriller/mystery plot tie up. Over all an enticing and delightful listen.

God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater Audiobook by Kurt Vonnegut

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Kurt Vonnegut) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:09:51 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater Author: Kurt Vonnegut Narrator: Eric Michael Summerer Format: Unabridged Length: 5 hrs and 29 mins Language: English Release date: 08-11-09 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1184 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Eliot Rosewater, a drunk volunteer fireman and president of the fabulously rich Rosewater Foundation, is about to attempt a noble experiment with human nature, with a little help from writer Kilgore Trout. The result is Kurt Vonnegut's funniest satire, an etched-in-acid portrayal of the greed, hypocrisy, and follies of the flesh we are all heir to. As an added bonus, when you purchase our Audible Modern Vanguard production of Kurt Vonnegut's book, you'll also receive an exclusive Jim Atlas interview. This interview where James Atlas interviews Gay Talese about the life and work of Kurt Vonnegut begins as soon as the audiobook ends. Critic Reviews: "[Vonnegut] at his wildest best!" ( The New York Times Book Review) Members Reviews: Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth. ... It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you've got about a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies God damn it, you've got to be kind." I've only got two big rules with my two babies. # 1 be happy, # 2 be kind. Everything else is negotable, babies. It appears that Kurt Vonnegut independently arrived at the same conclusion. 'God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater' happens to be a fairly straight-forward novel about money and charity and kindness and sanity. Vonnegut's novel (subtitled 'Pearls before Swine') is about the Rosewater family and how they invest their efforts into a foundation as a means of keeping the government from taxing their money. The problem is Eliot Rosewater (the protagonist) ends up not caring much about money and being infinitely charitable and kind. This obviously is a form of insanity that either needs to be exploited (by lawyers) or protected (by family). In some ways, in its heart, it reminds me of a simplified, satirized version of Dostoevsky's 'the Idiot'. When people are good, selfless, and caring in a world like the one we all live in, they must be stupid or a little nuts. They certainly aren't likely to survive. A Story About Money If you could sum up God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater in three words, what would they be? The Money Shot What was one of the most memorable moments of God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater? Vonnegut has so many classic situations in his stories, that not only make you laugh but cry at the same time so its tough. But I would say when Rosewater comes to a moment of clarity at the end of the novel it really pulls the story together in a profound way. You may not like his response, but you must admit that it solidifies his narrative. Which character as performed by Eric Michael Summerer was your favorite? Rosewater. The images of him living day to day in squalor but being so happy and helping others was well done. "How Can We Help You"....terrific. Who was the most memorable character of God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater and why? The woman who called Rosewater up every day was my favorite for some reason. She was the average person who struggles to deal with life, the fact that Rosewater took time for her sums up the treatise of the novel. The everyday contains magical qualities that can never be overlooked, being kind to people is always a good investment. Any additional comments? Its almost impossible to review Vonnegut, who is my view is the most over looked and under rated American novelist ever.

Summary, Analysis & Review of Amor Towles's A Gentleman in Moscow by Instaread Audiobook

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Instaread) — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 09:46:31 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Summary, Analysis & Review of Amor Towles's A Gentleman in Moscow by Instaread Author: Instaread Narrator: Dwight Equitz Format: Unabridged Length: 28 mins Language: English Release date: 11-09-16 Publisher: Instaread Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 34 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles is the story of a Russian aristocrat-turned-waiter who lives 32 years of his life under house arrest at the Hotel Metropol in Moscow. Set in post-revolutionary Russia, the novel follows its protagonist, Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov, as he develops new friendships, family, and loves, all while confined within the walls of the Metropol. In 1922, in the wake of the Russian Revolution, Rostov, originally a gentleman from Russia's Nizhny Novgorod province, is deemed a threat to the Communist Party and sentenced to house arrest at the hotel where he has been living in luxury. The party is suspicious of Count Rostov, who left Russia after the tsar's execution in 1918, but returned four years later. What saves Rostov from being executed is a single poem published in 1913 espousing revolutionary ideals, to which he claims authorship. Please note: This is a summary, analysis & review of the book and not the original book. Members Reviews: Good summary Nice and succinct. Just what I need. Will look at other Instaread summaries. This is my first. Errors There are several mistakes in the summary and the character reviews regarding actions taken and beliefs held. What about?...
I have now listened to A Gentleman in Moscow twice and suspect I will revisit it again and again in the future. This review and analysis was good but I don't believe he and I viewed the protagonist in the same way. Although we both saw the good in him, I saw him as one who had learned young to except his surroundings...before and after the revolution. He is gifted in his ability to make friends- Mishka during University years, his handler at the Metropole, etc. etc. The revolution did not change him. He is the adaptable to life and thus is free.

Iris & Lily: Book One Audiobook by Julie Scipioni, Angela Scipioni

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Julie Scipioni) — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 05:14:24 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Iris & Lily: Book One Author: Julie Scipioni, Angela Scipioni Narrator: Angela Scipioni, Julie Scipioni Format: Unabridged Length: 19 hrs and 47 mins Language: English Release date: 10-09-17 Publisher: Scipioni Enterprises Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 6 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: In Book One, Iris and Lily are the lovably ingenuous youngest daughters in a family of 14, starving for attention as they struggle to survive in the chaotic Capotosti household. The explosive rage of Carlo, their hot-blooded father; the submissiveness of Betty, their overwhelmed mother; the abuse meted out by half a dozen domineering brothers; the inaccessible ken of their older sisters; all join forces to make the home a minefield of emotional pitfalls for the two neglected girls, whose natural exuberance is squelched by the fear of punishment and the dictates of Catholicism. As Iris and Lily scrape their way through puberty to adolescence, outside forces begin driving a wedge between them. The favoritism of an aunt, the shame of sexual abuse, the socioeconomic shifts and eruption of the women's movement of the '70s become the catalysts that lead to the disintegration of what little security was once offered by their family. Desperate for love, Iris and Lily naively take refuge in marriages that push them worlds apart, altering their relationship as sisters dramatically. Told in alternating chapters in the voices of the two protagonists, sprinkled with episodes of comedy and tragedy that will make you laugh and cry, this is the story of every woman who has memories of what it is like to be a little girl, then a young woman on the cusp of adulthood, filled with hope and expectations. Iris & Lily: Book One is the first in a three-volume series. Members Reviews: This book draws you in and it makes you want more of the story I saw that this book had good reviews but it did take ma a while to become engrossed in it but I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed book 1 and I cant wait to read book 2. It brought back so many memories from my life that included everything from popular music to cologne fragrances that you dont hear about anymore. I highly recommend this book if you want a trip down memory lane with two very interesting young ladies.

The Human Stain Audiobook by Phillip Roth

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Phillip Roth) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 08:18:32 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Human Stain Author: Phillip Roth Narrator: Dennis Boutsikaris Format: Unabridged Length: 13 hrs and 10 mins Language: English Release date: 08-17-12 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 705 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: It is 1998, the year in which America is whipped into a frenzy of prurience by the impeachment of a president, and in a small New England town, an aging classics professor, Coleman Silk, is forced to retire when his colleagues decree that he is a racist. The charge is a lie, but the real truth about Silk would have astonished even his most virulent accuser. Coleman Silk has a secret, one which has been kept for 50 years from his wife, his four children, his colleagues, and his friends, including the writer Nathan Zuckerman. It is Zuckerman who stumbles upon Silk's secret and sets out to reconstruct the unknown biography of this eminent, upright man, esteemed as an educator for nearly all his life, and to understand how this ingeniously contrived life came unraveled. And to understand also how Silk's astonishing private history is, in the words of The Wall Street Journal, "magnificently" interwoven with "the larger public history of modern America." As an added bonus, when you purchase our Audible Modern Vanguard production of Philip Roth's book, you'll also receive an exclusive Jim Atlas interview. This interview where James Atlas interviews Judith Thurman about the life and work of Philip Roth begins as soon as the audiobook ends. Editorial Reviews: Listening to The Human Stain completely transformed my assessment of Philip Roth's recent novels. The last decade has featured several stunning, dark mediations on death and aging like Everyman, The Humbling, and Exit Ghost. Parts of The Human Stain drift into the same, brooding territory. But the audio version of this novel reminded me that Roth has not lost his pitch-black sense of humor. He still loves being the literary lightening rod, a role he's relished ever since the 1969 release of his still-shocking book, Portnoy's Complaint. Larry David, Woody Allen, Richard Lewis, and Lewis Black should be required by law to write royalty checks to Roth. Dennis Boutsikaris' performance of The Human Stain captures this frantic, stand-up comedian side of Roth. His precise, sometimes-shrill tone perfectly matches the worst-case scenarios imagined by Roth and the maniacal monologues produced by such incidents or sometimes merely the thought of such incidents taking place. Roth remains one of the best complainers on the plant. Nobody knows how to go off on something or someone like a well-written Roth character. But what elevates The Human Stain from being a sitcom about a disgraced college professor to a modern masterpiece is the genuine affection Roth feels for his characters. Professor Coleman Silk could have easily been a punchline in the hands of a less-skilled writer. Same goes for Silk's nemesis, Professor Delphine Roux, or the two great passions of Silk's life: his All-American sweetheart Steena Palsson and Faunia Farley, an illiterate janitor at Athena College, an idyllic New England institution where Silk taught for decades before uttering a single, misinterpreted word. Luckily, Roth and his fictional alter ego, Nathan Zuckerman, who narrates the novel, clearly love these flawed characters. Roth's not alone. Americans love learning about the seamier sides of people's lives. Roth intuitively understands this tabloid-like obsession. That's why he wisely revolves the plot of The Human Stain around a shocking secret Silk has been harboring for over five decades.

While You Were Mine Audiobook by Ann Howard Creel

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Ann Howard Creel) — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 03:38:51 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: While You Were Mine Author: Ann Howard Creel Narrator: Carly Robins Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins Language: English Release date: 04-01-16 Publisher: Brilliance Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 211 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Everything she loved could so easily be lost. The end of World War II should have brought joy to Gwen Mullen. But on V-J Day, her worst fear is realized. As celebrating crowds gather in Times Square, a soldier appears on her doorstep to claim Mary, the baby abandoned to Gwen one year earlier. Suddenly Gwen is on the verge of losing the child she has nurtured and loves dearly. With no legal claim to Mary, Gwen begins to teach Lieutenant John McKee how to care for his child, knowing that he will ultimately take Mary away. What starts as a contentious relationship, however, turns into something more, and Gwen must open her heart to learn that love means taking chances. While You Were Mine paints a vivid portrait of 1940s New York and tells an enchanting tale of the nature of love and trust. Members Reviews: I couldn't finish this one..uggh Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not? I would NOT recommend this book to anyone. I was dying of boredom. I made it about half way through the book. I might try to finish it later. Normally, I would not write a review without finishing but here's what I've found: 1) Like Creel's last book, we have another female in a tight spot with a "baby" situation. Again, she has a friend with man troubles. Again, her love interest is initially presented as a desperate, pitiable, but respectable man. I feel like it's just another version of "The Magic of Ordinary Days" 2) The idea of the story, the basic plot, sounds great "on paper" but the telling of the story is poorly executed. There is nothing driving the story forward, no reason behind why the characters do what they do. For example, I was excited to see what made Gwen finally decide to confess her feelings to John and the answer was...nothing. Like MANY other times in the book Gwen goes back and forth about her feelings, then this time she just decides do it it with no real REASON for her decision. I was surprised and felt let down by the author. 3) The author approaches the telling of this story too much like a history lesson. It's clear she's done her research and history is an important part to this story. However, it should be just that--a story, not a history lesson. She gives LOADS of excellent descriptions of the events and circumstances--but again, we are not here to have someone give lovely flowery descriptions of the beach scene on Coney Island. We are here for a really good story. She needs to use her descriptions to support the story. Instead, she lets the story get lost in the background of all the mundane events. I think if the author works on her storytelling she could be a good author but right now she is simply describer of events and environments. I felt like I was reading a diary instead of a book. 4) This is not my favorite narrator. She does a good job with inflection but her voice sounds robotic and her male voices all sound nasal. It's kind of hard to enjoy what SHOULD be a romance with this kind of narration.

The Door Audiobook by Magda Szabó, Len Rix - translator

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Magda Szabó) — Wed, 28 Dec 2016 23:22:11 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Door Author: Magda Szabó, Len Rix - translator Narrator: Siân Thomas Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins Language: English Release date: 12-28-16 Publisher: Naxos AudioBooks Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 86 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Intense, brilliant and moving, The Door is a compelling story about the relationship between two women of opposing backgrounds and personalities: one, an intellectual and writer; the other, her housekeeper, a mysterious, elderly woman who sets her own rules and abjures religion, education, pretense and any kind of authority. Beneath this hardened exterior of Emerence lies a painful story that must be concealed. One of Hungary's best-known writers, Magda Szabo' here explores themes of love, loyalty, pride and privacy, and the barriers and secrets that govern them. Members Reviews: Challenging, but an engrossing, literary work. A total immersion in a unique relationship between two women of a different age, class and experience. Superbly nuanced absences are the real descriptors of what marks out this friendship or dependence. Negative behavior, competitiveness, jealousy and misunderstandings abound but essentially, both women help the other move through their lives. Behind every successful woman is an excellent housekeeper. And behind every human struggle, it is made beautifully clear, is dust. The subtle shading in of the extraordinary disturbances that shook Hungary to the core are masterly. A tour de force overall. Siân Thomas is a "find." Great voice actor. Excellent A book about love, selfishness--perhaps even cruelty, and friendship. Gripping. So powerful I had to stop at times to regain my bearings. Excellent narrator.

The Space Between Us Audiobook by Thrity Umrigar

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Thrity Umrigar) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 09:36:53 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Space Between Us Author: Thrity Umrigar Narrator: Purva Bedi Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 23 mins Language: English Release date: 02-14-13 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 174 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Best-selling author Thrity Umrigar won the Nieman Fellowship and earned a finalist spot for the PEN/Beyond Margins award with The Space Between Us. Set in modern-day India, this evocative novel follows upper-middle-class Parsi housewife Sera Dubash and 65-year-old illiterate household worker Bhima as they make their way through life. Though separated by their stations in life, the two women share bonds of womanhood that prove far stronger than the divisions of class or culture. Members Reviews: A Story that stays with you The story of Bhima and her granddaughter Maya is s searing one. Having been forced to go from tiny but respectable apartment to the slums, Bhima continually tries to keep moving forward. It is hard to review The Space Between Us without giving the story away. I'll just say I recommend this to readers who can take a trip through a difficult and twisting story. I am still chewing on the ending and will go back and listen to that part again. Excellent narrator. Extraordinary What did you like best about this story? The depiction of characters that at first glance ... vastly different. Yet, this author so exquisitely wove this tale that ultimately revealed how alike we are no matter our geography, social class or race. What does Purva Bedi bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book? Beautiful voice, sensitive and nuanced performance ... brilliantly done Any additional comments? This is such a beautiful story ... the characters truly come to life. In my top 3 of audible books. Predictable, Melodramatic I really expected to enjoy this book but was disappointed by the predictable storyline which became obvious very early on. I normally love hearing Indian accents but I found the narrator to be overly dramatic . The idea of juxtaposing the lives of a wealthy woman with a poor servant was interesting but all of the characters seemed to be flat and one dimensional. I found the ending to be unbelievable. Sad tale This story is so sad and depressing I almost stopped reading it several times but held to the hope of some lighter ending. Not inspiring to me but very informative on class society in modern day India. Excellent narration. I was reading and listening at different times, and the narration enhanced the book for me.

Darkness at Noon Audiobook by Arthur Koestler

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Arthur Koestler) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:06:23 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Darkness at Noon Author: Arthur Koestler Narrator: Frank Muller Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins Language: English Release date: 11-18-09 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 318 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A fictional portrayal of an aging revolutionary, this novel is a powerful commentary on the nightmare politics of the troubled 20th century. Born in Hungary in 1905, a defector from the Communist Party in 1938, and then arrested in both Spain and France for his political views, Arthur Koestler writes from a wealth of personal experience. Frank Muller's narrative expertise is perfect for this haunting work. Rubashov's personal agony becomes Muller's as he presents Koestler's relevant and important questions. Critic Reviews: "A remarkable book, a grimly fascinating interpretation of the logic of the Russian Revolution...a tense and subtly intellectualized drama." ( Times Literary Supplement) Members Reviews: Disturbing Commentary This is the Audible edition of Arthur Koestler's 1940 novel "Darkness at Noon." It was suggested to me that I look up KIoestler on the Web and read about him for context. That took a few minutes and gave the book more gravity for me at least. Essentially, Koestler relates what it was like to live under Stalanism. If you are looking for dramatic story and high tension in the narrative, you will be disappointed. If you are open to understanding the era and circumstances almost in a philosophical sense this book is for you. Koestler was an influence on the writing of George Orwell of 1984 fame. The reading of Frank Muller is very good and appropriate to the content. Literature as the living memory of nations DaN is not a book depicting only Stalins purges, as it is commonly described. Its also about the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century. Since revolution must begin with atheism, it is no wonder that militant atheism was aimed at eradicating Christian values, the concepts of good and evil, stamping on time-honoured traditions, casting off the ethical ballast of humanity. In order to create a new man, free from scruples and morality, you must first destroy the foundations, free them from obligations, cut the umbilical cord and make their mind a blank sheet. Then you can fill them with the new dogmas and distorted propaganda slogans. This is a quote from DaN. When the existence of the Church is threatened, she is released from the commandments of morality. With unity as the end, the use of every means is sanctified, even cunning, treachery, violence, simony, prison, death. For all order is for the sake of the community, and the individual must be sacrificed to the common good. And by the common good revolutionaries mean justifying atrocities to quench their thirst for power and establish the collective dictatorship over the independent mind. Having usurped power, the Nomenklatura can let the populace die of starvation while living off the fat of the land. Revolutions have no moral philosophy. Revolutionaries have no scruples. Rubashov, the imprisoned protagonist of the book, had been a staunch Communist almost all his life. For forty years he had lived strictly in accordance with the vows of his order, the Party. He had held to the rules of logical calculation. He had burnt the remains of the old, illogical morality from his consciousness with the acid of reason. Rubashov had tried to build the socialist utopia. Perhaps at first he had believed in the communist future and expressed fidelity to the principles of the Communist International. But eventually he became corrupted by the revolution. Rubashov was arrested and tried for crimes he had never committed.

The Big Rock Candy Mountain Audiobook by Wallace Stegner

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Wallace Stegner) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:46:16 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Big Rock Candy Mountain Author: Wallace Stegner Narrator: Mark Bramhall Format: Unabridged Length: 25 hrs and 41 mins Language: English Release date: 01-13-10 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1042 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Bo Mason, his wife, and his two boys live a transient life of poverty and despair. Drifting from town to town and from state to state, the violent, ruthless Bo seeks his fortune in the hotel business, in new farmland, and, eventually, in illegal rum-running throughout the treacherous back roads of the American Northwest. Based largely on his own childhood, Stegner has created a masterful, harrowing saga of a family trying to survive during the lean years of the early 20th century. It is the conflict between the hardscrabble existence and Bo's pursuit of the frontier myth and of the American dream that gives the book such resonance and power. Critic Reviews: "Stegner has felt the spell of mountain and prairie, of drought, flood, and blizzard....a harrowing saga." - (New York Times) "Stands out beautifully and unforgettably." (New Yorker) Members Reviews: deeply moving rollercoaster ride i could not stop listening to this book and devoured it in less than three days. at the end i felt a little angry at the professors who let me get out of more than one American Novel class without reading anything by Stegner. i was looking for a book about the west and found this great book. Though i have often seen Stegner s books at used bookstores, i never picked one up. at the ripe old age of 51 i am thrilled to have discovered him. i have to say, this writing, this wise writing, makes Hemingway look like an adolescent. Some of the themes in the book, marriage, ambition, fidelity, integrity (and the lack thereof) are obvious and hit you over the head. Other themes are so subtle and so magically delivered, i had the feeling a spell had been cast. In general, you follow two people who are in love with each other, and who have ideas about life that could not be more different. As they travel from one dream to another the landscape changes. From city to country to city, small towns, big cities, it is America growing up. One of the most fascinating themes in the book is change, and as you follow these characters you slowly realize how important the ability to change will be to their destiny. Four main characters, and i fell hard for each one of them. i cannot remember when i read a book that made me tell so many people they must read it. The Best Ever I have over 200 books in my audible library and this book and narrator are the best of the best. PLEASE GET THIS BOOK !! You won't be sorry. Sometimes after reading Sparks or Roberts or others, one forgets what truly incredible writing can do to the heart and soul. Stegner, with this book, makes one hunger for more of a deep and meaty, wonderfully written story. I lived this novel while listening to it. It will just take you over. And Mark Bramhall replaces Will Patton as my favorite narrator. He is perfect for this book. If you want a book and narration that will make you smile, cry, and be furious, and is lyrical and sweet as well, this is the book for you. Fantastic from beginning to end Hard to put down, I grew so attached to the characters I hated to see the story end. Would highly recommend this one. Best i have read in years! Mark Bramhall also does a great job. I will read more by both this author and narrator. Most compelling & fascinating autobiography Yes, I KNOW "Big Rock..." is fiction.

Everybody's Son Audiobook by Thrity Umrigar

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Thrity Umrigar) — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 20:02:11 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Everybody's Son Subtitle: A Novel Author: Thrity Umrigar Narrator: Josh Bloomberg Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 37 mins Language: English Release date: 06-06-17 Publisher: Harper Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 80 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: The best-selling, critically acclaimed author of The Space Between Us and The World We Found deftly explores issues of race, class, privilege, and power and asks us to consider uncomfortable moral questions in this probing, ambitious, emotionally wrenching novel of two families - one black, one white. During a terrible heat wave in 1991 - the worst in a decade - 10-year-old Anton has been locked in an apartment in the projects, alone, for seven days, without air conditioning or a fan. With no electricity, the refrigerator and lights do not work. Hot, hungry, and desperate, Anton shatters a window and climbs out. Cutting his leg on the broken glass, he is covered in blood when the police find him. Juanita, his mother, is discovered in a crack house less than three blocks away, nearly unconscious and half-naked. When she comes to, she repeatedly asks for her baby boy. She never meant to leave Anton - she went out for a quick hit and was headed right back, until her drug dealer raped her and kept her high. Though the bond between mother and son is extremely strong, Anton is placed with child services while Juanita goes to jail. The Harvard-educated son of a US senator, Judge David Coleman is a scion of northeastern white privilege. Desperate to have a child in the house again after the tragic death of his teenage son, David uses his power and connections to keep his new foster son, Anton, with him and his wife, Delores - actions that will have devastating consequences in the years to come. Following in his adopted family's footsteps, Anton, too, rises within the establishment. But when he discovers the truth about his life, his birth mother, and his adopted parents, this man of the law must come to terms with the moral complexities of crimes committed by the people he loves most. Members Reviews: Engaging and insightful This novel is engaging, believable, and thought-provoking. I've lived in the North and South, lost a son, then raised another woman's son of a race different than my husband's and mine. I am intrigued at how well the author developed this story without living a similar experience. Her insight is commendable. Burned through this story of biracial adoption Compelling story about the complexities of race, class and family that are front and center in the news today. Biracial families and families with adopted children may find new insights in belonging, resilience and privilege. Beautiful book. This is a story about being human, the love of parents, the beauty of children and how important context is in life. Story of a boy's maturity into manhood "Know Thyself " is a journey and a destination as revealed by Anton 's story Riveting! Thrity Umrigar captured the reality of race relations in our society with this one... A little disappointed because usually enjoy Josh Bloomberg. His attempt at African American dialect was implausible at best. Narration kept me from giving 5 stars.

Being There Audiobook by Jerzy Kosinski

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Jerzy Kosinski) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 07:20:05 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Being There Author: Jerzy Kosinski Narrator: Dustin Hoffman Format: Unabridged Length: 2 hrs and 51 mins Language: English Release date: 06-13-12 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1504 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Earphones Award Winner (AudioFile Magazine) Audie Award Nominee, Best Solo Narration, 2013 Jerzy Kosinskis clever parable of a naive man thrust into the modern world is more pointed now than ever. Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman (Rain Man, The Graduate), perhaps best known for his portrayals of vulnerable characters and antiheroes, gives an understated and exemplary performance of this satiric look at the unreality of American media culture. Chance, the enigmatic gardener, becomes Chauncey Gardiner after getting hit by a limo belonging to a Wall Street tycoon. The whirlwind that follows brings Chance to his new status of political policy advisor and possible vice presidential candidate. His garden-variety political responses, inspired by television, become heralded as visionary, and he is soon a media icon due to his unknown background and vague, yet appealing, conversational nature. Being There was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film, starring Peter Sellers as Chance, in 1979. Critic Reviews: "Dustin Hoffman's performance of this spare and provocative novel is a revelation. The story is surreal (though certainly not difficult and certainly highly amusing); to deliver it, what is needed is not pacing or vocal pyrotechnics but a thorough, thoughtful understanding of the text and the restraint to perform only exactly what is there." (AudioFile) Members Reviews: Darkly Funny Chance is a simple-minded man who has always lived in the same house, where he's always taken care of the garden. He's never learned to read and write and never set food outside the grounds of the house, not even to see a doctor. But his life is turned upside down when the "old man"the owner of the housevery sick in his very old age, passes away without making any provisions for Chance. Indeed, as far as the insurance company is concerned, Chance doesn't exist at all and might never have lived in the house, since there's not a scrap of paper mentioning him or his role in the household. What Chance does have is a thorough understanding of the world based on the countless hours he has watched television, as well as a very good set of clothes which fit him to perfection and which had once belonged to the old man, so that when he steps out onto the street with his bespoke (to another man) suit and elegant valise and meets with an accident with a chauffeur-driven limousine, he is immediately taken in by the passenger of the car, a Mrs. Rand, and brought to her home to be attended by her ailing husband's doctor who is often there on house calls. The husband, Mr. Rand, when he asks Chance about himself, mistakes our hero's reply and understands that his name is Chauncey Gardiner, whom he assumes to be a successful and very astute businessman based not only on his clothes, but on the remarkably wise observations Chance makes, wherein speaking only of what he knowswhich is limited to the realm of gardeninghis remarks are taken as being incredibly clever and profound. Before he knows it, Chance is introduced to the President of the USA (a close friend of the Rands) and becomes the man of the hour. I had seen the movie version when I was just a young girl, where Chance was famously interpreted by Peter Sellers, and I remember the story and the acting making a strong impression on me. So when I saw this newly released (and inexpensive) audio version interpreted by none other than Dustin Hoffman, I pounced on it.

Girl in Translation Audiobook by Jean Kwok

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Jean Kwok) — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:04:32 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Girl in Translation Author: Jean Kwok Narrator: Grayce Wey Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins Language: English Release date: 05-25-10 Publisher: Penguin Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1079 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Introducing a fresh, exciting Chinese-American voice, an inspiring debut about an immigrant girl forced to choose between two worlds and two futures. Through Kimberly's story, author Jean Kwok, who also emigrated from Hong Kong as a young girl, brings to the page the lives of countless immigrants who are caught between the pressure to succeed in America, their duty to their family, and their own personal desires, exposing a world that we rarely hear about. Written in an indelible voice that dramatizes the tensions of an immigrant girl growing up between two cultures, surrounded by a language and world only half understood, Girl in Translation is an unforgettable and classic novel of an American immigrant--a moving tale of hardship and triumph, heartbreak and love, and all that gets lost in translation. Editorial Reviews: In this touching and insightful debut novel from Jean Kwok, 11-year-old Kimberly Chang makes us proud to call her a fellow American. Grace Weys narration effortlessly carries the abrupt scene changes that are a natural part of the life of an immigrant child. Wey takes us from the grassy prep school where Kimberly spends her days to the loud, hot factory where she works every evening with her mother fabric fibers sticking to her sweaty body, hours of homework ahead of her. When Kimberly is in Chinatown, Kwok translates for us but loosely enough to retain the vivid metaphors of the original language. When Matt, another Chinese boy who works at the factory, invites Kimberly and her mother for an outing to see the Liberty Goddess, Mrs. Chang says, Now I wouldnt want to be a lightbulb. Kimberly explains, Her joke, that she would be there as a chaperone stopping the lovers from kissing because of her presence, like a lightbulb in a darkened room made public my private hope: that Matts invitation might actually be a date. The metaphor itself is so descriptive, and the fact that Kimberly has to translate even for us as listeners reminds us that this young woman gracefully leads a double life. Much like Chinese characters, where the white space in between the brush strokes holds as much meaning as the bold, black lines, Weys precise delivery leaves room for Kimberlys often unspoken, but deeply felt emotions. Kwok and Wey take us on a ride with Kimberly on Matts bike we can feel the wind on her face and Matts strong back against her chest. But just as abruptly as we shift from Kimberlys white world to her Chinese world, Weys voice betrays the tragic sound of Kimberlys heart shutting off. Too much is at stake. Girl in Translation is a stunning debut novel that will inspire respect and admiration for families who come to this country to start new lives especially children. The first line of Kwoks debut novel is meant to describe our heroine. I was born with a talent. But this line just as aptly describes the author who also came to this country as a child. Girl in Translation shows the promise of our great country and just what many are willing to give up for iteven true love. Members Reviews: Precious An amazing read!!! The author draws us into the heartaches and triumphs of a Chinese American girl growing up in America. Through her life we learn much about the Chinese culture and get a peek into what it is like to grow up in this land. The narration is wonderful and you can almost see the young girl in your mind's eye. The characters are well developed and very believeable.

Once minutos [Eleven Minutes] Audio Libro por Paulo Coelho

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Paulo Coelho) — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 20:39:19 GMT

Escuche este audio libro completo gratis en https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> Título: Once minutos [Eleven Minutes] Autor: Paulo Coelho Narrador: Catalina Muñoz Formato: Unabridged Duración: 7 hrs and 19 mins Idioma: Español Fecha de publicación: 03-27-15 Editor: Sant Jordi Asociados Calificaciones: 4.5 de 5 de 130 votos Categorías: Fiction, Literary Resumen del editor: Maria es de un pueblo al norte de Brasil. Todavía adolescente, viaja a Río de Janeiro, donde conoce a un empresario que le ofrece un buen trabajo en Ginebra. Allí, Maria sueña con encontrar fama y fortuna, pero acabará ejerciendo la prostitución. El aprendizaje que extraerá de sus duras experiencias modificará para siempre su actitud ante sí misma y ante la vida. Once minutos es una novela que habla del amor, esa palabra tan gastada cuya esencia es maltratada cotidianamente por las acciones humanas. Es un libro que explora la naturaleza del sexo y del amor, la intensa y difícil relación entre cuerpo y alma, y cómo alcanzar la perfecta unión entre ambos. Once minutos ofrece al lector una experiencia inigualable de lectura y reflexión. Please note: This audiobook is in Spanish. Opiniones de los miembros: Muy bueno! La historia es bien cambiante. A veces no sabemos porque estas mujeres llegan a la prostitución fue bueno conocer la historia de una de ella. Excelente, siempre un genio para la escritura. Un excelente libro, la narración del mismo co excelente calidad de narración y auditiva también Me ganó otra vez! He vuelto a amar a Paulo Coelho! definitivamente! No lo creía posible después de Verónica Decide Morir y El Demonio y la Srta. Prim, ninguno igualó a El Alquimista, que sigue siendo mi libro favorito de toda la vida. Sin embargo, este, valió la pena. No me dejo ningun sabor en mi boca Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not? Paulo Coello no ha sido nunca un escritor favorito para mi, pero siempre trato de ver que es lo que los lectores le encuentran que es tan bien calificado. Es un libro que le pasa uno facil, no puedo decir que perdi mi tiempo, pero tampoco que lo aproveche. What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting? La forma que una prostituta mira el amor. What about Catalina Muñozs performance did you like? Catalina Muñoz tiene una vos bonita Was Once minutos [Eleven Minutes] worth the listening time? Si si tienes curisidad hacia los libros de Coello, yo la tengo, pero hasta el momento no he encontrado uno que realmente me guste Any additional comments? Si Audiobooks ofrece este libro barato, se puedo comprar, pero no pierdas tu credito en el. Yo lo compre en rebaja, por eso no me importa mucho. Lee el de Mario Vargasllosa, este escritor si es increible y las Aventuras de una niña mala vale la pena Once minutos a cambio de toda una vida. Así se llama la novela y se justifica. Al principio no entendía porque se llamaba once minutos, pero después queda claro a lo largo de la novela. Once minutos dura en promedio una relación sexual (a veces, muchas veces menos) y a cambio de ese tiempo se entrega a cambio toda la vida. Esta es la historia de una niña brasileña, que después fue adolescente y luego mujer, mujer de la vida, el que nunca fue su sueño, casi nunca lo es, pero en que se va cayendo casi sin querer, justificándose, y así pasa el tiempo. Quizá más de alguno año alguna verá reflejada su vida en esta novela, que no es más que la historia de una vida, como muchas y quizá todas muy semejantes.

The Postman Always Rings Twice Audiobook by James M. Cain

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (James M. Cain) — Wed, 06 Apr 2005 20:56:56 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Postman Always Rings Twice Author: James M. Cain Narrator: Stanley Tucci Format: Unabridged Length: 2 hrs and 49 mins Language: English Release date: 04-06-05 Publisher: HarperAudio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 201 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: First published in 1934 and banned in Boston for its explosive mixture of violence and eroticism, The Postman Always Rings Twice is a classic of the roman noir. It established James M. Cain as a major novelist with an unsparing vision of America's bleak underside, and was acknowledged by Albert Camus as the model for The Stranger. Critic Reviews: "A good, swift, violent story." (Dashiell Hammett) Members Reviews: Tucci's performance of "Postman" is exquisite! I have long been a huge fan of James M. Cain, having read several times his best novels: The Postman Always Rings Twice; Double Indemnity; and Mildred Pierce. Stanley Tucci's reading of The Postman Always Rings Twice was absolutely terrific! His intonations, accents, emphases, pauses--every aspect of his performance is spot on, as he catches subtle nuances that a less sensitive reader might easily miss. I cannot overemphasize how satisfying this audio version of Cain's classic novel is. First-rate, in every way. Cain always good It's hard to go wrong with this one. good narration. great noir/existential story. a classic and another that i can return to and enjoy many times. Cain is great and look forward to newly discovered Waitress. Wow! I was amazed at how brief, but packed this book was...I had heard about it for years, but never read it..Sparse, evocative, brutal and heart-wrenching...Stanley Gucci gave a no-nonsense, expert reading..no frills, straight to the bone...Noir at it's best...I'll be reading the rest of McCain... LOVE I chose this book because I had to read it for class. I didn't know I would really fall in love with the story. Stanley Tucci is such an amazing actor that when I saw he was narrating I instantly got excited. 100% overall. The Postman Always Rings Twice This is another book or movie I have not read or seen, respectively. Since it was short, I took it out of my usual turn of reading and read it. I was surprised by the content. I look forward to seeing the movie on TCM.

The Silver Star Audiobook by Jeannette Walls

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Jeannette Walls) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 21:18:56 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Silver Star Subtitle: A Novel Author: Jeannette Walls Narrator: Jeannette Walls Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins Language: English Release date: 06-11-13 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 543 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: From one of the best-selling memoirists of all time, a stunning and heartbreaking novel about an intrepid girl who challenges the injustice of the adult world - a triumph of imagination and storytelling. It is 1970. "Bean" Holladay is 12 and her sister, Liz, is 15 when their artistic mother, Charlotte, a woman who flees every place shes ever lived at the first sign of trouble," takes off to find herself." She leaves her girls enough money for food to last a month or two. But when Bean gets home from school one day and sees a police car outside the house, she and Liz board a bus from California to Virginia, where their widowed Uncle Tinsley lives in the decaying antebellum mansion thats been in the family for generations. An impetuous optimist, Bean discovers who her father was and learns many stories about why their mother left Virginia in the first place. Money is tight, so Liz and Bean start babysitting and doing office work for Jerry Maddox, foreman of the mill in town, a big man who bullies workers, tenants, and his wife. Bean adores her whip-smart older sister, inventor of word games, reader of Edgar Allan Poe, non-conformist. But when school starts in the fall, its Bean who easily adjusts and makes friends, and Liz who becomes increasingly withdrawn. And then something happens to Liz in the car with Maddox. The author of The Glass Castle, hyper-alert to abuse of adult power, has written a gorgeous, riveting, heartbreaking novel about triumph over adversity and about people who find a way to love the world despite its flaws and injustices. Members Reviews: Disappointed :( I really had high hopes for this novel since Jeannette Walls' The Glass Castle is one of my all-time favorite books. But I was disappointed with this one. The story was quite elementaryI really feel the target audience may have been young teens, but it was not marketed that way. If you havent read or listened to The Glass Castle yet, that is the book I am happy to recommend Disappointing I wanted to love this book. I treasured Glass Castles and have recommended it to a dozen people. I was very excited that she came out with a fictional story. All the characters, landscape, and situations were set up for this to be a great book. I kept waiting for it to get started. With each new situation, or each new person met, I thought "oh,ok, this is going to be the meat of the story," yet it never happened. Then I thought, "that's ok, this is just a 'slice-of-life' story," but for a successful story like that, you need to know the character enough to care what they had for breakfast, and the depth just wasn't there in this book. There were so many really great characters in this story that Walls gave glimpses of. The older sister, the uncle, the cousin, and her black girlfriend were all promising, and interesting, and I wanted to know more about them, but Walls just scratches the surface and leaves you wanting more. Unfortunately, I was left wanting on all of the characters and possible story lines, which makes this story feel like an empty shell. I still gave it three stars because it is promising and because I did love the characters even from a distance. The complexity of the older sister and the way she dealt with heartache made me want to read an entire novel just about her.

Games of State Audiobook by Tom Clancy, Steve Pieczenik, Jeff Rovin

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Tom Clancy) — Tue, 31 May 2011 03:29:19 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Games of State Subtitle: Tom Clancy's Op-Center #3 Author: Tom Clancy, Steve Pieczenik, Jeff Rovin Narrator: Michael Kramer Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 42 mins Language: English Release date: 05-31-11 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 259 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: In the newly unified Germany, old horrors are reborn. It is the beginning of Chaos Days, a time when neo-Nazi groups gather to spread violence and resurrect dead dreams. But this year Germany isn't the only target. Plans are afoot to destabilize Europe and cause turmoil throughout the United States. Paul Hood and his team, already in Germany to buy technology for the new Regional Op-Center, become entangled in the crisis. They uncover a shocking force behind the chaos - a group that uses cutting-edge technology to promote hate and to influence world events. A powerful profile of America's defense, intelligence, and crisis management technology, Tom Clancy's Op-Center is the creation of Tom Clancy and Steve Pieczenik. Members Reviews: oh my God this is probably the worst story I've ev this is incredible Tom Clancy just got raped he's detail was so overdrawn so incredibly overdrawn and it's almost impossible to listen to narration was good it wasn't fair but my just Not worthy of being called a Clancy novel I understand creative license and freedom, but this story was simply ridiculous. A man in a wheelchair going for miles through the forest of Germany to rescue a damsel in distress all while being chased by neo-Natzi's with guns; really?!?!?! start beginning is hard to follow at the start if you dont pay attention close enough Awful I was very disappointed in this Tom Clancy book. It was very confusing. It just did not meet up to my expiration. Clancy is crying in his grave. Poorly written, with gross inaccuracies. Nowhere near a Clancy standard. Waste of time and money. I couldn't wait for it to be over. Clancy is crying in his grave and the publisher should be ashamed.

Julie of the Wolves Audiobook by Jean Craighead George

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Jean Craighead George) — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 06:40:24 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Julie of the Wolves Author: Jean Craighead George Narrator: Christina Moore Format: Unabridged Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins Language: English Release date: 12-04-14 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 112 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Miyax had been lost without food for many sleeps on the North Slope of Alaska. The barren slope stretches for three hundred miles from the Brooks Range to the Arctic Ocean, and for more than eight hundred miles from the Chukchi to the Beaufort Sea. Winds scream across it, and the view in every direction is exactly the same. Somewhere in this cosmos was Miyax; and the very life in her body, its spark and warmth, depended upon these wolves for survival. And she was not so sure they would help. - from Julie of the Wolves. When Miyax walks out onto the frozen Alaskan tundra, she hopes she is leaving problems at home far behind. Raised in the ancient Eskimo ways, Miyax knows how to take care of herself. But as bitter Arctic winds efface the surface of food, she begins to fear for her life, and turns to a pack of wild wolves for help. Amaroq, the leader of the pack, eventually accepts Miyax as one of his own defenseless cubs, protecting her from danger and saving portions of the daily kill for her. But as Miyax makes her way nearer to civilization, her life with the wolves, as well as all that she has come to learn about herself, are challenged as never before. Members Reviews: Adventure Good adventure I really liked it because it had a lot of good story plots and it is a good book for people who like adventure books like when people are running and they are finding them self in a good family and yeah its a really good book. Great story of humans relationship to nature Though rather depressing at times, this story illustrates the transition of humanity from a harmonious part of nature to the fragmented disconnected species we have become through the eyes of a wise beyond her years Eskimo girl with a difficult past and uncertain future! Heavy on wolf behavior and cross species communication as well as commentary at the state of our 20th century culture. Beautiful Female Narration Female narrator was superb and a good choice, gentle, warm, and fierce, like Miyax (Julie). loved the detailed info about life on the tundra! loved the story. the information and details about how to live on the top of the world was awesome. Beautiful story of the Eskimo culture All young people should read this story of the richness of life a young girl experienced as she connected to nature, wolves and and her Eskimo heritage.

Misspent Youth Audiobook by Peter F. Hamilton

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Peter F. Hamilton) — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 11:03:39 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Misspent Youth Author: Peter F. Hamilton Narrator: Steven Crossley Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins Language: English Release date: 01-05-16 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 293 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: It's 2040. After decades of research, scientists of the European Union believe that they have at last conquered humankind's most pernicious foe: old age. For the first time, technology holds out the promise of not merely slowing the aging process but actually reversing it. The first subject for treatment is 78-year-old philanthropist Jeff Baker. After 18 months in a rejuvenation tank, Jeff emerges looking like a 20-year-old. And the change is more than skin deep. From his hair cells down to his DNA, Jeff is 20 - with a breadth of life experience. But while possessing the wisdom of a septuagenarian at age 20 is one thing, raging testosterone is another, as Jeff soon discovers. Suddenly his oldest friends seem, well, old. Jeff's trophy wife looks better than she ever did. His teenage son, Tim, is more like a younger brother. And Tim's nubile girlfriend is a conquest too tempting to resist. Jeff's rejuvenated libido wreaks havoc on the lives of his friends and family, straining his relationship with Tim to the breaking point. It's as if youth is a drug, and Jeff is wasted on it. But if so, it's an addiction he has no interest in kicking. Members Reviews: Meh Is there anything you would change about this book? The book. It's barely a Commonwealth book, very soap opera-ish. What could Peter F. Hamilton have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you? I was hoping for something with a larger scale. What does Steven Crossley bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book? Great characterizations the make the characters more interesting. Could you see Misspent Youth being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be? Heavens no. If you enjoy sex, drugs, and drunk teens . . . I like Hamilton's other books and thought this would be good background for the other stories in the series, but it proved to be a lot of sex and getting high. It is basically about an 80(?) year old man who gets the rejuvenated body of a 25 year old and then cannot control himself. He even takes his son's girlfriend. That is the point I stopped the book. I found it depressing. A house-keeping prequel to the Commonwealth saga To describe this book in one word, when compared to the rest of the series, that word is, sadly, "boring." The story details the family life and father son relationship of the first recipient of the rejuvenation treatment common throughout the rest of the series. But, in this book, there is no space travel, no gates, no aliens, no SI. It's just a brilliant scientist, his family and a snapshot of the world politics of the days leading to what will eventually become the Commonwealth stories. If you love the series, you can skip this one without losing any sleep that you've missed out. If you feel a sort of historian's devotion to know all the details of Hamilton's Commonwealth series, by all means, give it a go. Personally, the story did very little for me. It lacked all of the excitement and adventure of the other books and existed largely as a character study of an elderly man given another shot at youth. Another great story If you could sum up Misspent Youth in three words, what would they be? This is not a typical space operas in PFH style, but this is a great story about love, life, family and friendship.

The Pilot's Wife Audiobook by Anita Shreve

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Anita Shreve) — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 18:11:35 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Pilot's Wife Subtitle: A Novel Author: Anita Shreve Narrator: Melanie Griffith Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 48 mins Language: English Release date: 10-01-13 Publisher: Hachette Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 140 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Until now, Kathryn Lyons's life has been peaceful if unextraordinary: a satisfying job teaching high school in the New England mill town of her childhood; a picture-perfect home by the ocean; a precocious, independent-minded fifteen-year-old daughter; and a happy marriage whose occasional dull passages she attributes to the unavoidable deadening of time. As a pilot's wife, Kathryn has learned to expect both intense exhilaration and long periods alone - but nothing has prepared her for the late-night knock that lets her know her husband has died in a crash. As Kathryn struggles with her grief, she descends into a maelstrom of publicity stirred up by the modern hunger for the details of tragedy. Even before the plane is located in waters off the Irish coast, the relentless scrutiny of her husband's life begins to bring a bizarre personal mystery into focus. Could there be any truth to the increasingly disturbing rumors that he had a secret life? Members Reviews: Riveting I found this book riveting and didn't eat or much else 'till I finished it! The quality of the reader's voice was unbelievable, the way it changed so completely when Mattie was speaking, for example. DJM Good story, could have been "more"? I did enjoy this book, but it seems like there could have been more depth of detail, a longer suspense-building. And why oh why Melanie Griffith? Great person, S_L_O_W reader. Sped up to 1.25 was perfect. Sorry but narrator is horrible Having trouble following story,due to narration. finding myself back going back often to figure out she's having a flash back... I am looking forward to watching the dvd after I finish and our book club discussion. Boring and Pointless From he start I found this book without excitement. I didn't really care for the characters. I didn't relate to them as they did not react as I would react and can't imagine others doing as they did. The musings of this woman seemed totally unrelated to the story being told. Their reactions and interactions between the characters were odd. Was Kathryn going to fall in love with Robert? No spoiler alert here: she didn't. Yet she invited him into the bathroom to gaze over her naked body? What was that about? Kathryn's relationship with her daughter was typical on so many levels, and not on others. The daughter reveals she became sexually active at 14 and it's almost a yawner for Kathryn. I couldn't tell when Kathryn was angry, sad, or happy. There was no passion. From the news of her husband's death to the story of how it happened there is little evidence of emotion in the story. The narration was well done in differentiating between characters. But there was little to work with here. I have read other books by Shreve. Some I liked, others not so much. I don't think I will try any others. I don't get her style. narration a little lackluster Would you try another book from Anita Shreve and/or Melanie Griffith? Maybe. I had trouble getting into and paying attention to this book because of it's detail overload! I felt like the story was never going to move along because so much time was spent on describing things in almost mind numbing detail. I had trouble following the story because Melanie does not change her voice for different characters.

The New York Trilogy Audiobook by Paul Auster

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Paul Auster) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:21:42 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The New York Trilogy Author: Paul Auster Narrator: Joe Barrett Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins Language: English Release date: 08-11-09 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 383 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Paul Auster's brilliant debut novels, City of Glass, Ghosts, and The Locked Room brought him international acclaim for his creation of a new genre, mixing elements of the standard detective fiction and postmodern fiction. City of Glass combines dark, Kafka-like humor with all the suspense of a Hitchcock film as a writer of detective stories becomes embroiled in a complex and puzzling series of events, beginning with a call from a stranger in the middle of the night asking for the author - Paul Auster - himself. Ghosts, the second volume of this interconnected trilogy, introduces Blue, a private detective hired to watch a man named Black, who, as he becomes intermeshed into a haunting and claustrophobic game of hide-and-seek, is lured into the very trap he has created. The final volume, The Locked Room, also begins with a mystery, told this time in first-person narrative. The nameless hero journeys into the unknown as he attempts to reconstruct the past, which he has experienced almost as a dream. Together these three fictions lead the reader on adventures that expand the mind as they entertain. As an added bonus, when you purchase our Audible Modern Vanguard production of Paul Auster's book, you'll also get an exclusive Jim Atlas interview that begins when the audiobook ends. Critic Reviews: "Auster harnesses the inquiring spirit any reader brings to a mystery, redirecting it from the grubby search for a wrongdoer to the more rarified search for the self." (New York Times Book Review) "Eminently readable and mysterious.... Auster has added some new dimensions to modern literature and - more importantly even - to our perspectives on the planet." (Boston Globe) "By turning the mystery novel inside out, Auster may have initiated a whole new round of storytelling." (The Village Voice) Members Reviews: The best audiobook I've heard I don't blindly scatter 5 star reviews around, but this audiobook gets top marks. I'd heard people talk about this book for years, but never read it. Not everyone was complimentary, but even the detractors conceded that it had a certain elusive narrative quality that set it apart. I finally bought the audiobook about 18 months ago, and have just listened again to the whole thing, for the 3rd time now. Art, including literature, and including audiobooks, is totally subjective -- it barely needs saying. So there is no criticism or sneering from me towards anyone who doesn't enjoy this audiobook, and/or this story. But I must say that for me, an audiobook fan, New York Trilogy is the best. The narrative, weaving through reality and delusion, is both thrilling and disturbing, and so evocative of hidden corners of our our own lives. The clincher though is the magnificent narration. I say without hesitation that the world-weary tones of Joe Barrett turns from a very good book into a magnificent audiobook. Perhaps more interesting than important REVIEW 1: City of Glass An interesting PoMo novella. Auster's first novel/second book/first of his 'New York Trilogy', 'City of Glass' is simultaneously a detective novel, an exploration of the author/narrative dynamic, and a treatise on language.

Inherent Vice Audiobook by Thomas Pynchon

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Thomas Pynchon) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:19:49 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Inherent Vice Author: Thomas Pynchon Narrator: Ron McLarty Format: Unabridged Length: 14 hrs and 31 mins Language: English Release date: 08-04-09 Publisher: Penguin Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 785 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Private eye Doc Sportello comes, occasionally, out of a marijuana haze to watch the end of an era as free love slips away and paranoia creeps in with the L.A. fog. It's been awhile since Doc has seen his ex-girlfriend. Suddenly, out of nowhere, she shows up with a story about a plot to kidnap a billionaire land developer whom she just happens to be in love with. Easy for her to say. It's the tail end of the psychedelic sixties in L.A., and Doc knows that "love" is another of those words going around at the moment, like "trip" or "groovy", except that this one usually leads to trouble. Despite that, he soon finds himself drawn into a bizarre tangle of motives and passions whose cast of characters includes surfers, hustlers, dopers and rockers, a murderous loan shark, a tenor sax player working undercover, an ex-con with a swastika tattoo and a fondness for Ethel Merman, and a mysterious entity known as the Golden Fang, which may only be a tax dodge set up by some dentists.... Editorial Reviews: This book is a classic Pynchon novel except that it's completely accessible, unlike his actual classic, Gravity's Rainbow. Rolling Stone's Rob Sheffield titled his review of Inherent Vice "The Bigger Lebowski", and this is absolutely the truth, convincingly supported by the fact that Ron McLarty's voice work here could easily be mistaken for Jeff Bridges. Pynchon's hippie hero is Larry "Doc" Sportello, a private dick whose skills of detection are not so much hard-boiled as drug-addled. McLarty's low, gritty tones are a perfect fit for Doc's pot-smoked antics in this filmic noir. When Sportello's ex-girlfriend turns to him for help in anticipation of her billionaire boyfriend's future kidnapping, things quickly and naturally get complicated in the winter of 1970. Let's just say it involves a motley crew of surfers, strippers, junkies, scammers, hippies, and loonies, a shady posse known as the Golden Fang that are either mafioso or dentists, 20 kilos of heroin, and a coffin full of funny money with Nixon's face on it. Of course, the Sherlock Holmes to Doc's Watson and also the perpetual rain on his parade is straight-laced cop cowboy Bigfoot Bjornsen. Bigfoot and Doc's fundamentally different worldviews put them in constant conflict on the same case, leaning on one another while stepping on each other's toes. McLarty doesn't miss a beat in his portrayal of their hilarious and timeless debate between authoritarianism and communalism. There are trademark Pynchon motifs throughout the story that devotees of the author will be glad to see. The Southern California setting is where Pynchon is at his very best, and his deep knowledge of music is definitely in evidence. McLarty is even forced to sing several surf rock tunes, which he does with surprising alacrity. There is the author's usual consideration of race wars and imperialism, where McLarty does convincing Hispanic and Asia-Pacific accents of various kinds common to the region. There is the extensive set of acronyms and anagrams, where McLarty somehow manages not to laugh while referring to things like the hippy-busting cop squad known as "P-DIDdies", short for "Public Disorder Intelligence Division". This is Pynchon at his most readable, and he sticks to driving the plot with relatively few digressions.

The Crying of Lot 49 Audiobook by Thomas Pynchon

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Thomas Pynchon) — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 21:07:09 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Crying of Lot 49 Author: Thomas Pynchon Narrator: George Wilson Format: Unabridged Length: 6 hrs and 15 mins Language: English Release date: 07-11-07 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 398 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Calling Thomas Pynchon a "virtuoso with prose", the Chicago Tribune compares his work to James Joyce's Ulysses. Pynchon, winner of the National Book Award, has shocked, enthralled, and delighted fans for more than 40 years with his satire and wit. Critic Reviews: "The comedy crackles, the puns pop, the satire explodes." (The New York Times) Members Reviews: Good book, Average recording The book itself is a modern classic that I thoroughly enjoyed. Pynchon's style, while quirky and oddball, is rich and enjoyable. For the uninitiated Pynchon reader, TLC49 is a great start before delving into his longer more complex works. The book is fairly well read. However, my biggest hang-up is with the recording itself. From the start, the myriad nasal whistles, throat gurgling and other extraneous noises had me distracted and, by the end, raw with annoyance. Not sure if I should blame the narrator or the recording engineer. Anyway I found that listening in a place with ambient noise made the recorded distractions more tolerable. If not for this drawback, I would have given the rating another star. The source of all the pomo lit I've loved What about George Wilsons performance did you like? The narrator's performance was solid. Didn't overly color the text, which is good, but it did seem a bit too passion-less. Any additional comments? I love Haruki Murakami's A WILD SHEEP CHASE, Umberto Eco's FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM, and Tom Robbins's EVEN COWGIRLS GET THE BLUES and STILL LIFE WITH WOODPECKER. Now I realize they all can trace their DNA back to this novel. The conspiracy theory. The metaphysical detective story ... or the post-modernist style of wrapping a hidden history or a social commentary within the wrapper of a genre novel. Beginnings of Genius I recently rediscovered Pynchon after a brief brush with him in collrege and am in awe of his singularly American genius. This complex, layered, immensely intellectual, wildly wacky, symbolic and ultimately spiritual novella was written in the mid 60's. Way ahead of its time, its scary clairvoyant glimpse into the culture-to-be is classic Pynchon-to-be. In "Crying" we see the genesis of genius and a completely original mind not to be missed by anyone who loves literature. I'm on my 6th reading (listening) of this book and each time I appreciate it more. I like the narration even though other reviews have been negative about it. It's a tough book to read, and I feel this narrator does it justice. Great novel, terrible performance. The Crying of Lot 49 remains one of my favorite contemporary novels, but I cannot recommend the audiobook due to Mr. Wilson poor performance as the narrator. He reads like a machine, betraying absolutely no feeling for the work, basic sentance structure, or standard cadence of the English language. I admit that Mr. Pynchon's phrasing is often a bit odd, but Mr. Wilson seems to make no attempt to properly understand or present the more difficult (difficult, but not impossible) passages. Even when reading snippets of poetry or song lyrics, Mr. Wilson fails to demonstrate any sense of rhythm or meter, and manages in one case to deliver a rhyming couplet without the rhyme. I would pass on this one, especially if you have not yet read the book. Thomas Pynchon is not for everyone, but Mr.

Child of God Audiobook by Cormac McCarthy

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Cormac McCarthy) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 04:10:35 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Child of God Author: Cormac McCarthy Narrator: Tom Stechschulte Format: Unabridged Length: 3 hrs and 41 mins Language: English Release date: 11-27-12 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 521 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: In this taut, chilling audiobook, Lester Ballard - a violent, dispossessed man falsely accused of rape - haunts the hill country of East Tennessee when he is released from jail. While telling his story, Cormac McCarthy depicts the most sordid aspects of life with dignity, humor, and characteristic lyrical brilliance. Members Reviews: SUZIE IS A SICK DOG 360 DEGREE SON OF A BITCH, MEANS A SON OF A BITCH ANY WAY YOU LOOK AT THEM. If you have not read McCarthy before, know he is a master with the English language. Listening to the way he puts words together is enough to make this book or any book he writes interesting. I would not suggest this be your first McCarthy though, as this goes way out to left field. All The Pretty Horses, is probably the best place to start. THIS GAVE HIM THE FIDGITS. DO THE LEST PART WRONG AND YOU MIGHT AS WELL DO IT ALL WRONG. Part one is an interesting look at a part of society few of us run into. I'D EXPECT you don't talk like these guys.It's the GOD DAMNEST. Super warning, part two involves Necrophilia. I don't mean it's mentioned in passing. This book goes into great detail and on several occasions. The normal person will probably not appreciate it. As the book continues, it just gets worse and worse. Fans of J.A. Konrath will not be rattled, but the average person will. I gave the story four stars and was on the verge of five, but I am weird and like stuff that is different, just for the sake of different. It is amazing to me that such a good writer would write something like this. This is usually something written by an upcoming writer trying to shock his readers and make a name for himself. Fans of Matt Shaw will like this. I NEVER KNOWED Tom Stechschulte is one excellent narrator. He is going to the top of my list, up there with Ray Porter and Dick Hill. And HE has sent me here? Look, I've read a lot of Cormac McCarthy and this is definitely not your Mother's McCarthy. I think this novel was the final pupa-state before McCarthy emerged as an absolute dark monster of fiction and heir to Faulkner's as ambassador to the strange malevolence of America's soul. It wasn't as absurdly redeeming as 'Suttrre' or as coldly beautiful as 'Blood Meridian', but had the surreal shock and awe of both. His themes of isolation, perversity, depravity and violence make you feel like climbing into bed with Hannibal Lector or Jame Gumb for warmth and spiritual succor. A great novel, just not a novel that everyone should read. Wander into the dark, damp cave of this McCarthy novel at your own risk. Soaring description of base depravity Any additional comments? I rarely take the time to recommend an audio book, but it this case I must. Cormac McCarthy's usual grimness is elevated to art not just by his majestic writing but by the spot-on narration. I cannot imagine that reading this could have even half the impact of listening to it. Go listen. Pure Evil, Beautifully Written As often is the case, Cormac McCarthy takes a subject on with pure evil intent and actions. Lester Ballard is the worst kind of human animal. A pure psychopath with a twangy good ole boy voice, Lester commits the most heinous and depraved acts imaginable. And despite this dark subject, Cormac spins it with gifted prose that cannot be mistaken for any other author. I just love this guy's writing. Cormac McCarthy is just odd.

Grendel Audiobook by John Gardner

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (John Gardner) — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 08:15:43 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Grendel Author: John Gardner Narrator: George Guidall Format: Unabridged Length: 5 hrs and 30 mins Language: English Release date: 07-11-07 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 278 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: In Gardner's version of the epic, instead of lauding the helmeted hero, Beowulf, the spotlight shines on Grendel, a beast whose grotesque body and blood thirst condemn him to the life of an outlaw. Grendel is a horrible monster who greedily gobbles up warriors in the Danish mead hall guarded by Beowulf. But within Grendel lurks a soul that delights in dark humor, dramatic pirouettes, and pranks. Both young adult and adult listeners will revel in this powerful complement to a classic tale. George Guidall's narration captures a surreal landscape that shimmers on the other side of the original epic's heroic mirror. What we see is that there's a little bit of Grendel living is each of us. Critic Reviews: "George Guidall masterfully impersonates the grumbling momma's boy with deliciously sly humor and mock-tragic grandeur. Without ever striking a false note, he maintains throughout such a perfect balance of crudity and poetry that we laugh, cringe and weep all at once." (AudioFile) Members Reviews: Unselfconscious, powerful narration. I love this book. I've read it several times in print. I never would have listened to it for fear that the narrator wouldn't be able to measure up to Grendel's "voice" my imagination -- the way you might hesitate to see the film version of a favorite novel -- but in the end I wound up buying the audio version so that my son could listen to it as we commuted. And in the end, I loved it so much that here I am, writing a review. This novel is ultimately cognitive as well as sensory and emotional, and it is full of subtleties, but don't expect any restrained, intellectualized treatment of Grendel's thoughts and words here. George Guidall doesn't hold back; he goes for it in a way that feels raw and real. It is a true talent to manage so much intense emotion -- this narrator only sounds histrionic when Grendel does. I often find "monsters" at least as human as the rest of us, and at least as able to show us the complexities and contradictions of the human state. If monsters appeal to you, don't miss this audiobook. If on the other hand you usually prefer human heroes and villains, but find yourself in the mood for something unusual, moving, comical, and tragic, consider this. The monster's point of view This is a retelling of the Beowulf epic from Grendel's point of view. Grendel, as represented by Gardner, is an interesting character -- sometimes petulant and childish, sometimes witty and droll, sometimes a raging monster, sometimes an earnest seeker of enlightenment. There are parts that become a bit tedious (Grendel whines A LOT), but it's certainly a new way to look at the ancient tale, and Gardner, who was a noted literary author, does not even try to mimic the style of the original. The narration by George Guidall was good; I especially liked the dragon. The Monster's Point of View... George Guidall's interpretation of Grendel provides superb narration of the darker side (the monster's point of view) of the classic epic Beowulf. To be enjoyed by age appropriate younger readers (Grade 8 and up) as well as adults! Interesting view point. Anyone who made it through Beowulf can appreciate another point of view. As we have learned from books like "Wicked", there is always another side of the story besides the hero's. Narration was ok.

Dawn (Unabriged) Audiobook by Elie Wiesel

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Elie Wiesel) — Mon, 08 May 2006 09:05:59 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Dawn (Unabriged) Author: Elie Wiesel Narrator: George Guidall Format: Unabridged Length: 2 hrs and 55 mins Language: English Release date: 05-08-06 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 291 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: With the coming of dawn is the coming of death for a captured English officer in British-controlled Palestine. Elisha, a young Israeli freedom fighter, is his executioner. Ordered to kill the officer in reprisal for Britain's execution of a Jewish prisoner, Elisha thinks about his past, a sorrowful memory of the nightmare of Nazi death camps. As the only surviving member of his family, he dreamt of a wonderful future in his promised homeland. But instead, he finds himself closer to committing heartless murder with the approach of daylight. Dawn presents a haunting glimpse into the soul of one man and a budding nation. Originally published in 1960 by Editions du Seuil, France, as L'Aube; ©1961, 2006 Elie Wiesel; Translation renewed ©1989 Elie Wiesel; (P)2006 Recorded Books, LLC. Members Reviews: Better that DAY - but not as good as NIGHT. This was a book I purchased because I liked his first book NIGHT. This is nothing like NIGHT - has a different character - the story line is OK - but not what NIGHT was.... It's a short read - and George Guidall is spectacular as always.. An interesting, short novel. An interesting, short read/listen, from the perspective of a soon to be executioner. The inner struggle that took place within Elijah kept you on the edge throughout. I love Elie Wiesel's writing and George Guidall does a superb job narrating. Very good !! loved it from begin to end Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why? yes, it tell a true story about a real persons struggle. What did you like best about this story? I loved the ending because it really shows progres. Which scene was your favorite? when he first knew he had to kill a guy the next day. The waiting was great Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you? well none really but i reallllllly enjoyed it

War Dances Audiobook by Sherman Alexie

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Sherman Alexie) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:48:60 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: War Dances Author: Sherman Alexie Narrator: Sherman Alexie Format: Unabridged Length: 4 hrs and 44 mins Language: English Release date: 01-01-10 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 233 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: National Book Award winner and New York Times best-selling author Sherman Alexie infuses his writing with biting wit and poignant insight. As a 41-year-old man confronts his own mortality in this collection's title story, he recalls his Spokane Indian father's chilling death from alcoholism and diabetes. Another tale features an eccentric salesman pursuing a married woman from airport to airport. And then there's the film editor who sees nothing wrong with altering footage to fit preconceived views - until he becomes the target of media distortion. Critic Reviews: "This is a spirited, provocative array of tragic comedies." (Publishers Weekly) Members Reviews: Incredible talent Sherman Alexie really has something that hits home with me - even though we've never met I feel like I know him. I guess part of it is that he writes about my world - where I grew up and where I've lived throughout my adult years - small town Eastern Washington - the reservation, Spokane, Seattle...... Local preference aside, he is truly an amazing talent and has the ability to create characters that are so real and complete. His narration is fantastic - I'd love to hear him narrate the works of other authors. This is a group of short stories - each one a little world within itself that will transport you into the mind of the men he portrays so expertly. Another powerful and beautiful Alexie collection Beautiful oration capturing the realities of the human experience. This collection includes both short stories and poetry. Too random for me An interesting mix of stories and styles, poems, and narration deliveries. The narration didn't really work for me. I usually prefer author, or awesome non author narration. Often Mr. Alexie performed up to that level that only the author can be expected to reach. At times, either because of his delivery or someone's production choices, it is tough to keep track of what is going on: Is this a new story? A poem in the middle a story? What? I would recommend this work be read. If you enjoy the written work, which you probably will, and want to enjoy the work again later, then this audio version narrated by the author would likely be an excellent choice. Excellent story telling, both subject and narration I have read several of Sherman Alexie's books now, half by audio book. I think i may have first heard about his work after seeing the movie Smoke Signals--still a favorite of mine. Even in his full length stories he tells his stories in vignettes, chapters or woven together short stories. I liked this short story collection, each as mesmerizing as the one before. Cannot beat Sherman's voice either. fucking incredible incredible incredible incredible incredible incredible incredible incredible incredible incredible incredible incredible incredible incredible incredible incredible incredible incredible incredible , amazon review bot requires 7 unique words, fuck amazon

Life of Pi Audiobook by Yann Martel

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Yann Martel) — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 14:16:38 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Life of Pi Author: Yann Martel Narrator: Sanjeev Bhaskar Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins Language: English Release date: 06-01-17 Publisher: Canongate Books Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 11 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: One boy, one boat, one tiger.... British comedian, actor and broadcaster Sanjeev Bhaskar, OBE performs this brilliant edition of a work of fiction that is loved by fans around the world. After the tragic sinking of a cargo ship, a solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild, blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a 16 year-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a zebra (with a broken leg), a female orangutan - and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger. The scene is set for an extraordinary adventure. Members Reviews: great production and narration i enjoyed this production very much, at first i found all the religious stuff a bit on the nose but its a great story Well read. Very different from the film. So intere interesting even though I have seen the film. Major elements are the same of course, but much much more detail and additional subject matter. Read this book Now one of my favourite books. Extrodinarily original story, beautifully creative and moving. Exceptionally narrated. Thank you Finally a Narrator worth listening to. I've wanted to listen to this book ever since the movie came out as the books are always better. But previously the only option was not someone I could listen to for an entire book. Thank you for finally making this happen. While watching the film I was hoping maybe someone like Irrfan Khan would narrate it one day Enter Sanjeev Bhaskar like a breath of fresh air. What a huge difference he makes, delivering all the dialogue with beautiful accents for each character. Great books deserve great narrators. If you ever wanted to listen to this but were put off by the previous narrator then listen to it now. It took me less than 2 days to get through this book as I couldn't stop, I just wanted to listen for one more chapter.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle Audiobook by David Wroblewski

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (David Wroblewski) — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 10:35:34 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle Author: David Wroblewski Narrator: Richard Poe Format: Unabridged Length: 21 hrs and 39 mins Language: English Release date: 08-13-13 Publisher: HarperAudio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 297 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: The extraordinary debut novel that became a modern classic. Born mute, speaking only in sign, Edgar Sawtelle leads an idyllic life with his parents on their farm in remote northern Wisconsin. For generations, the Sawtelles have raised and trained a fictional breed of dog whose remarkable gift for companionship is epitomized by Almondine, Edgar's lifelong friend and ally. Edgar seems poised to carry on his family's traditions, but when catastrophe strikes, he finds his once-peaceful home engulfed in turmoil. Forced to flee into the vast wilderness lying beyond the Sawtelle farm, Edgar comes of age in the wild, fighting for his survival and that of the three yearling dogs who accompany him, until the day he is forced to choose between leaving forever or returning home to confront the mysteries he has left unsolved. Filled with breathtaking scenes, the elemental north woods, the sweep of seasons, an iconic American barn, a fateful vision rendered in the falling rain. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is a meditation on the limits of language and what lies beyond, a brilliantly inventive retelling of an ancient story, and an epic tale of devotion, betrayal, and courage in the American heartland. Members Reviews: Incomplete Why bother writing a story if you can't put a plausible ending on it? Weak, weak ending. Almost a waste of time. Lots of potential but fell WAY short Worth Every Penny! In a nutshell....this is a book you have to experience to gain a unique perspective on the trials and triumphs of a very special boy. Edgar's life was was extraordinary as was that of his furry friends, most notably Almondine, and the author did a great job of painting a verbal picture of their worlds. The narrator also gets a big shout out for bringing all of the characters to life in their own distinctive ways. Great book, great narrator....well worth the cost and time spent listening to it. Devastatingly Dark Story I gave up on this one when it became clear that poor Edgar and his mama couldn't get a break. Wroblewski is a powerful writer, but his imagination is dark and mythic in a way that got just too heavy for my somewhat fragile psyche during a hugely snowy Maine winter. I got the book out of the library, power-read through what I *thought* would be the dark part, and then discovered that Wroblewski was going to make the rest of the book dark. . . . so I let myself off the hook. It's a hugely sprawling book with lots of echoes and overtones of myths, archetypes, Dante, etc. etc., but it's way too devastating for my daily commute. Wroblewski cuts no one a break in this story--no one, including any reader foolish enough to become connected to any of his characters. Great story, horrible ending. This book was a great read. I absolutely loved the story, but the issue came with the ending. I thought the ending was a illogical ending. It doesn't give any closure, just ends. Very abrupt. The only positive is that you have absolutely no idea what is to come until 10 pages left in the book. All in all I would recommend this book, just expect a poor ending. Double the stars heck triple them This is one of the finest pieces of modern literature I've had the honor of reading / listening. Poignant captivating mesmerizing important meaningful depressing moving enhancing painful. Astute observer of human behavior and a velvety profound understanding of canine perception and loyalty.

Drown Audiobook by Junot Diaz

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Junot Diaz) — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 19:08:22 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Drown Author: Junot Diaz Narrator: Jonathan Davis Format: Unabridged Length: 5 hrs and 8 mins Language: English Release date: 09-07-07 Publisher: Penguin Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 277 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: With 10 stories that move from the barrios of the Dominican Republic to the struggling urban communities of New Jersey, Junot Diaz makes his remarkable debut. Diaz's work is unflinching and strong, and these stories crackle with an electric sense of discovery. He evokes a world in which fathers are gone, mothers fight with grim determination for their families and themselves, and the next generation inherits the casual cruelty, devastating ambivalence, and knowing humor of lives circumscribed by poverty and uncertainty. In Drown, Diaz has harnessed the rhythms of anger and release, frustration and joy, to indelible effect. ©2007 Junot Diaz; (P)2007 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc. Critic Reviews: "Keep your eye on Diaz." (Booklist) "[A] stunning collection of stories...by an eloquent and original writer." (San Francisco Chronicle) Members Reviews: Latino literature at its best! the collection of short stories can be viewed as an overall story of the narrator in different time periods OR short stories that intertwine with each other in a context of living in a Dominican community. Junot's use of not translating or even italicizing the Spanish words is referenced in the beginning quote from Gustavo Perez Firmat. If you are monolingual and are interested in the US Latino experience, Diaz poignantly gives you an East Coast view. Be sure to have google translator handy if you want to get a better understanding of the Spanish words used in the stories. This is what makes Latino literature unique!!!! Sometimes repetative, always misogynistic Junot Diaz is a talented writer with a lot of powerful stories to tell. His writing is best when he writes from the heart, which is about half of the stories. The other half feel distant and false--the fake "poor/urban" accent the narrator takes on in some stories only makes it worse. All his stories are riddled with misogyny, not just in his characters but in his own narration. All in all, worth reading but often frustrating. True Story? This book details the trials and tribulations of immigrants from the Dominican Republic. Life is never easy, and they just barely manage to keep noses above water. It also characterizes really terrible behavior of men to their women. The culture they bring with them is truly misogynous; it will not be enjoyable for women to read. There does not seem to be any plot, other than that of daily survival. Jumbled mess This book was in dreadful need of a good editor and it didn't find one. It uses Spanish words not familiar to many, without explanation, the plot shifts arbitrarily and the narratives are contradictory from one chapter to the next. It has some redeeming qualities as a sociocultural exploration but i can't recommend it.

Women Audiobook by Charles Bukowski

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Charles Bukowski) — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 12:28:32 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Women Subtitle: A Novel Author: Charles Bukowski Narrator: Christian Baskous Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins Language: English Release date: 08-13-13 Publisher: HarperAudio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 351 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Low-life writer and unrepentant alcoholic Henry Chinaski was born to survive. After decades of slacking off at low-paying dead-end jobs, blowing his cash on booze and women, and scrimping by in flea-bitten apartments, Chinaski sees his poetic star rising at last. Now, at 50, he is reveling in his sudden rock-star life, running 300 hangovers a year, and maintaining a sex life that would cripple Casanova. With all of Bukowski's trademark humor and gritty, dark honesty, this 1978 follow-up to Post Office and Factotum is an uncompromising account of life on the edge. Critic Reviews: "One of those writers whom each new reader discovers with a transgressive thrill." ( New Yorker) "A laureate of American low life" ( Time) "The ultimate Bukowski novel, packed with hilarious episodes." ( Uncut) Members Reviews: Don't start your Bukowski journey here I'm so thrilled that Audible finally has Bukowski. Dreams DO come true. Now, they just need to put about 20 more of his books on here. Where is "Love is a Dog From Hell?" Anyway... about Women. I think you have to already be a fan of Bukowski to enjoy this. It's typical of his work. Entertaining romps around California with booze and women. This would be a better book if it was half as long. Ironically, the book itself feels like some of the passages where Bukowski is having marathon episodes with some of these women and can't...um finish. I like the book because I already like Bukowski. But if you're breaking into him, start with Hot Water Music or Ham on Rye please. Not black and white Any additional comments? I think if I read this when I was much younger, I might have found it a bit rebellious and exciting. All the sex, drugs and... rock 'n roll poetry. But I just found that one sexual encounter after another got a bit repetitive and sometimes boring. Yet there was something alluring about it also, and it dipped in and out of places that had a lot more depth than some old drunk fucking yet another notch on a bed post. The protagonist, Henry Chinaski is a womanising drunk. I know Im supposed be repelled by him, but hes one of those enigmas; a character who is repulsive yet also possesses an odd magnetic charm. Theres a gritty honesty, an acerbic wit, and a couldnt-give-a-fuck-what-anyone-else-thinks approach to life that I cant help admiring and envying in people like this. His attitude to women is also a bit of an enigma. I think it would be too easy to look at how Chinaski treats women, and dismiss him as a misogynist. And going by some reviews, many have. But thats too black and white. How can you call someone a woman hater who also so clearly LOVES women emphatically. Good / bad. Black / white. Evil / goodness. Its somewhere in that grey area that lie truly interesting characters. And I think thats what makes Women an interesting read even if it did get quite repetitive in places. As for the narrator. It was a perfect tone. This guy spends the whole book sounding hungover and grumpy. crudo, directo, sin pretenciones, muy bueno crudo, directo, sin rodeos, sin pretenciones. las relaciones desde el punto de vista de bukowski. divertido y familiar. a resaltar la excelente narrativa y sincronia con el personaje. The Thrills of a New Challange Nobody lays it out in front of you as clearly as Bukowsi. So many of his observations and depictions of how men and different types of women interact are very accurate.

The Afterlives Audiobook by Thomas Pierce

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Thomas Pierce) — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 00:30:59 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Afterlives Subtitle: A Novel Author: Thomas Pierce Narrator: Kirsten Potter, Thomas Pierce Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins Language: English Release date: 01-09-18 Publisher: Penguin Audio Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 5 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: "Ridiculously good" (The New York Times) author Thomas Pierce's debut novel is a funny, poignant love story that answers the question: What happens after we die? (Lots of stuff, it turns out). Jim Byrd died. Technically. For a few minutes. The diagnosis: heart attack at age 30. Revived with no memory of any tunnels, lights, or angels, Jim wonders what - if anything - awaits us on the other side. Then a ghost shows up. Maybe. Jim and his new wife, Annie, find themselves tangling with holograms, psychics, messages from the beyond, and a machine that connects the living and the dead. As Jim and Annie journey through history and fumble through faith, they confront the specter of loss that looms for anyone who dares to fall in love. Funny, fiercely original, and gracefully moving, The Afterlives will haunt you. In a good way. Members Reviews: I didn't get it This wasn't necessarily a bad book, but it wasn't for me. In my opinion, it's an excellent example of a "literary fiction" book being lauded for attempting to do something that genre fiction accomplishes more effectively---this book danced around the edges of an interesting idea but then didn't go anywhere with it. I was genuinely disappointed by how it fell flat emotionally for me. There were lots of minor characters popping up in nonlinear ways that never felt completely justified, and I wasn't engaged enough with the overall concept to care much about what happened to them. After reading reviews, I was hoping for a book in the category of "The Book of Speculation" by Erika Swyler and "Every Anxious Wave" by Mo Daviau. If you're feeling unsatisfied by this book, I'd recommend checking those two out. Starts off strong... ...and gets weaker with every passing chapter, ending on, "Well, I guess 3 stars overall because at least I wasn't ever bored." I was immediately engaged in the story, the questions the novel raises, the tone, and the narrator of the story (Jim)--though the audible narrator was really good too. Right away, tone-wise it "felt" like Sourdough by Robin Sloan or This Was Not the Plan by Christina Alger. But as it went on I cared less and less what happened to Jim and the other main character, in part because of the flashbacks that inform the ghost story part of the book. These flashbacks seem plunked in at random, and worse are told both in the present tense and past tense. When a story is told in the past tense (this one is), flashbacks in the present tense are extremely distracting. And doing flashbacks in both present and past tense? What was the point of that? Additionally, there is one section of flashbacks that cover the span of 90 years. Oh, here's a paragraph in the 50s, followed by one in the present, here's one in the 70s, here's one in the 50s...and so on. It felt confusing and pointless. The other reason I became less interested was when Jim and Annie go to find this particular "thing," and think they have indeed found it, I didn't see why they would believe they found it. I read a lot of sci fi, so I know an author can make sense of a concept to the reader, but this author...I'm not really sure if he cared about that. He just cared that his characters found what they were looking for.

The Interestings Audiobook by Meg Wolitzer

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Meg Wolitzer) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 06:40:45 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Interestings Author: Meg Wolitzer Narrator: Jen Tullock Format: Unabridged Length: 15 hrs and 41 mins Language: English Release date: 04-09-13 Publisher: Penguin Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 2063 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: From best-selling author Meg Wolitzer a dazzling, panoramic novel about what becomes of early talent, and the roles that art, money, and even envy can play in close friendships. The summer that Nixon resigns, six teenagers at a summer camp for the arts become inseparable. Decades later the bond remains powerful, but so much else has changed. In The Interestings, Wolitzer follows these characters from the height of youth through middle age, as their talents, fortunes, and degrees of satisfaction diverge. The kind of creativity that is rewarded at age 15 is not always enough to propel someone through life at age 30; not everyone can sustain, in adulthood, what seemed so special in adolescence. Jules Jacobson, an aspiring comic actress, eventually resigns herself to a more practical occupation and lifestyle. Her friend Jonah, a gifted musician, stops playing the guitar and becomes an engineer. But Ethan and Ash, Juless now-married best friends, become shockingly successful - true to their initial artistic dreams, with the wealth and access that allow those dreams to keep expanding. The friendships endure and even prosper, but also underscore the differences in their fates, in what their talents have become and the shapes their lives have taken. Wide in scope, ambitious, and populated by complex characters who come together and apart in a changing New York City, The Interestings explores the meaning of talent; the nature of envy; the roles of class, art, money, and power; and how all of it can shift and tilt precipitously over the course of a friendship and a life. Members Reviews: Top Listen for 2013 - A+++ one of the best books i've read this year. definitely on my top five for 2013 (so far). like other reviewers, i cannot believe that i haven't heard of meg wolitzer before. she's written a ton of books, and if they are anywhere close to as good as this one was, i'm excited that i've discovered a "new" writer so that i can go back and read all of her work. this book was so realistic. it was the story of six teenagers who meet at art camp and it follows their lives through the years into their 50s. the narrator shifts between three of them, but is mainly told by Julia dubbed early on "Jules". she's such a tender and relatable character. she's welcomed into this group of "interestings" -- without fully understanding why. she feels they are the apex of coolness and style, and that she's somewhat unworthy. from her first time in their "inner circle" (in the teepee of art camp) through the last page we see of them together, she's got doubts and questions...lack of confidence...and insecurities as to why and how she belongs. the story is told over the years, jumping back and forth from past to present to somewhere in the middle..and seamlessly unfolds this story of friendship, marriage, success, failure and love. Jen Tullock was, to me, the perfect narrator. she embodied Jules perfectly - but also played Ash, Ethan, Jonah, Dennis so well. She even gave ancillary characters their own perfect spin, voice and piece of the puzzle. I loved her reading of this book. Needs a better title, but a good read (listen) I debated a lot on my rating with this book. Lots of pre-release hype means that expectations are high, but this book did not totally satisfy me.

Motherless Brooklyn Audiobook by Jonathan Lethem

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Jonathan Lethem) — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 13:41:35 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Motherless Brooklyn Author: Jonathan Lethem Narrator: Geoffrey Cantor Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins Language: English Release date: 01-21-14 Publisher: HarperAudio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 263 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: National Book Critics Circle, Fiction, 2000 From America's most inventive novelist, Jonathan Lethem, comes this compelling and compulsive riff on the classic detective novel. Lionel Essrog is Brooklyn's very own Human Freakshow, an orphan whose Tourettic impulses drive him to bark, count, and rip apart language in startling and original ways. Together with three veterans of the St. Vincent's Home for Boys, he works for small-time mobster Frank Minna's limo service cum detective agency. Life without Frank, the charismatic King of Brooklyn, would be unimaginable. When Frank is fatally stabbed, Lionel's world is suddenly turned upside-down, and this outcast who has trouble even conversing attempts to untangle the threads of the case, while trying to keep the words straight in his head. A compulsively involving and totally captivating homage to the classic detective tale. Members Reviews: You're Not the Only Freak Show in Town! This is the story of a private detective who has Tourettes syndrome who is obsessed with trying to figure out who killed his boss. Its mystery novel, but the mystery really takes the backseat to Lionel, a hilarious heartbreak of a protagonist, and one of the most intriguing characters Ive come across: Lionel Essrog. At least, thats how I remembered it. Motherless Brooklyn is a novel Id read probably a decade ago. It won the National Book Critics Award, and ever since I started listening to audiobooks, it was one Id been looking forward to hearing. And now its FINALLY available to download. So, was it worth the wait? Without a doubt, yes. As a character, Lionel is still unique. (Just look at that name. Lionel Essrog.) And with that set up, you really have to give Lethem serious credit for that. He couldve made this a stupid joke, but he works hard to get underneath Lionels skin, and show us the man behind the tics. At the same time, he mines the funny the tics Lionel gets obsessed with EAT ME BAILEY are, well, funny. Lethem is probably one of my favorite contemporary writers. His prose has a rhythm to it, his characters are quirky perfections, his dialogue is razor sharp and layered. Hes also one of the few authors who can make me burst out laughing while Im reading him. On the page, it all moves and flows with perfection. Unfortunately, I dont feel like it always has that same smoothness to it in audio. Its not choppy, exactly. Its just not as smooth. I dont know how much of that is due to Cantors narration (which is generally solid), or with the transition of prose to audio. I can imagine some mystery fans being disappointed that the climax is bigger or louder or more shocking. Well, they can Eat Bailey too. I didnt remember how the mystery panned out at all, and while the unraveling of the mystery is quiet, we get some incredible scenes, locations, and characters that more than make up for it. Geoffrey Cantor does disaffected New Yorker with ease, and manages to convey both the humor and heartbreak behind Lionels condition. Hell be describing New York one moment and START SHOUTING the next. Its a good narration, even if Cantor doesnt quite match Lionels voice in my head. Its really nice that at long last Motherless Brooklyn is out digitally.

South of the Border, West of the Sun Audiobook by Haruki Murakami

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Haruki Murakami) — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 15:33:32 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: South of the Border, West of the Sun Subtitle: A Novel Author: Haruki Murakami Narrator: Eric Loren Format: Unabridged Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins Language: English Release date: 10-08-13 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 306 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: In South of the Border, West of the Sun, the simple arc of a man's life - with its attendant rhythms of success and disappointment - becomes the exquisite literary terrain of Haruki Murakami's most haunting work. Born in 1951 in an affluent Tokyo suburb, Hajime - beginning in Japanese - has arrived at middle age wanting for almost nothing. The postwar years have brought him a fine marriage, two daughters, and an enviable career as the proprietor of two jazz clubs. Yet a nagging sense of inauthenticity about his success threatens Hajime's happiness. And a boyhood memory of a wise, lonely girl named Shimamoto clouds his heart. When Shimamoto shows up one rainy night, now a breathtaking beauty with a secret from which she is unable to escape, the fault lines of doubt in Hajime's quotidian existence begin to give way. And the details of stolen moments past and present - a Nat King Cole melody, a face pressed against a window, a handful of ashes drifting downriver to the sea - threaten to undo him completely. Rich, mysterious, quietly dazzling, South of the Border, West of the Sun is Haruki Murakami's wisest and most compelling fiction. Members Reviews: A River of Unmindfulness "...the river of Unmindfulness, whose water no vessel can hold; of this they were all obliged to drink a certain quantity, and those who were not saved by wisdom drank more than was necessary; and each one as he drank forgot all things." - Plato (***1/2) This was not my favorite Murakami, but it was still good, solid (OK, maybe no Murakami novel should be described as anything close to solid) second-shelf Murakami. It felt like a mystical combination of Descartes + Proust. His themes of love, memory, forgetting, the past, reality, etc., were all better developed in some of his other novels ('Kafka on the Shore', 'Wind-Up Bird Chronicle', etc). Still, there was something haunting and beautiful about the novel. For me, it was a story about the seductive and supernatural/surreal qualities of the past. It is, at heart, a dark love story where a man essentially becomes the lover to (and haunted by) the memory of his childhood sweetheart. The overlooked gem This was unavailable in audio for many years. I am happy to see they've finally released it. I've read four Murakami novels and most of the short story collections. I don't think this book is as popular as 'Wind up Bird' and some of the others, but in my own opinion this is his best work. Wind Up Bird and Kafka are paced very slow with chapters and chapters of stuff that is intereting to read, but overall does not contribute to the story. This book is slim, to the point. Wistful romance of the only-child. It is very haunting without trying too hard. I've read the other Murakami novels once, but this book I've read at least five times. I am surprised it is not as popular as his other books. If you already like Murakami, I think you will like this. If you're new to Murakami, I can't think of a better novel to start with. Not many metaphors in this book, but it's good Like "Sputnik Sweetheart", among Murakami's books, this is a "lighter" but very good one, I think.

Suite Francaise Audiobook by Irene Nemirovsky

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Irene Nemirovsky) — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 17:22:51 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Suite Francaise Author: Irene Nemirovsky Narrator: Daniel Oreskes, Barbara Rosenblat Format: Unabridged Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins Language: English Release date: 07-16-13 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 139 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: By the early 1940s, when Ukrainian-born Irène Némirovsky began working on what would become Suite Française - the first two parts of a planned five-part novel - she was already a highly successful writer living in Paris. But she was also a Jew, and in 1942 she was arrested and deported to Auschwitz: a month later she was dead at the age of 39. Two years earlier, living in a small village in central France - where she, her husband, and their two small daughters had fled in a vain attempt to elude the Nazis - she'd begun her novel, a luminous portrayal of a human drama in which she herself would become a victim. When she was arrested, she had completed two parts of the epic, the handwritten manuscripts of which were hidden in a suitcase that her daughters would take with them into hiding and eventually into freedom. Sixty-four years later, at long last, we can read and hear Némirovsky's literary masterpiece. The first part, "A Storm in June," opens in the chaos of the massive 1940 exodus from Paris on the eve of the Nazi invasion, during which several families and individuals are thrown together under circumstances beyond their control. They share nothing but the harsh demands of survival, but soon, all together, they will be forced to face the awful exigencies of physical and emotional displacement, and the annihilation of the world they know. In the second part, "Dolce," we enter the increasingly complex life of a German-occupied provincial village. Coexisting uneasily with the soldiers billeted among them, the villagers cope as best they can. Some choose resistance, others collaboration, and as their community is transformed by these acts, their lives reveal nothing less than the very essence of humanity. Suite Française is a singularly piercing evocation - at once subtle and severe, deeply compassionate and fiercely ironic - of life and death in occupied France, and a brilliant, profoundly moving work of art. Critic Reviews: "Extraordinary.... A work of Proustian scope and delicacy, by turns funny and deeply moving, that captures a civilization in its most revealing moment: that of its undoing." (Time) "What is so remarkable about Suite Française, apart from its artistic merit, is that it survived at all and has, at last, become available for us to read.... [It] is an extraordinary work, an astonishing blend of fiction and fact, history and storytelling." (Houston Chronicle) "A tour de force of narrative distillation, using a handful of people to represent a multitude. Némirovskys shifts in tone and pace... are mesmerizing.... She wrote what may be the first work of fiction about what we now call World War II. She also wrote, for all to read at last, some of the greatest, most humane and inclusive fiction that conflict has produced." (The New York Times Book Review) Members Reviews: One word: Epic This book exceeded all expectations. You will not be disappointed with this title. Everyone should experience this book for a multitude of reasons. This is one of the best books I have ever encountered. suite francaise very good book. a really good book about about a dark time in human history. Disappointing I found this novel disappointing. I was hoping it would be better than the film, but unusually this is a case of the film being better than the book. Exquisite My words cannot express how wonderful this book is.

So Long, See You Tomorrow Audiobook by William Maxwell

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (William Maxwell) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 08:11:02 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: So Long, See You Tomorrow Author: William Maxwell Narrator: William Maxwell Format: Unabridged Length: 6 hrs and 2 mins Language: English Release date: 02-03-11 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 113 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: On an Illinois farm in the 1920s, a man is murdered, and in the same moment the tenous friendship between two lonely boys comes to an end. In telling their interconnected stories, American Book Award-winner William delivers a masterfully restrained and magically evocative meditation on the past. Critic Reviews: "A small, perfect novel." (Washington Post Book World) Members Reviews: A Jewel So Long, See You Tomorrow is always on my list of "books you would want if you were stranded on a desert island." Mr. Maxwell tells a story like no one else I know, with language so clean, almost spare, and yet so perfectly evocative. wonderful the part of the story which was from the dogs perspective tore at my heart. an amazing skillful writer. Awful I am an avid reader who simply cannot see the attraction in this book. It is terribly dull. The reading is awful, like some old guy about to deliver a recolection and then it wanders all over the place. Worse, the audio book starts with a rather sappy 1 and a half hour interview with the author. Normally when I don't care for a book I can at least understand how some people might like it. Not this. Best summary? Terribly dull. Sublime I was initially resistant to William Maxwell reading his own book. It seemed narcissistic to me. Then 40 minutes in, I was so hooked. This is a gorgeous telling of an intimate story. I love this book and his narrating broke my heart wide open. Get. A Most Vehement Flame "jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame" Solomon 8:6, King James Bible This short novel about a 1921 murder-suicide in a small Illinois farming town mesmerized me. Written as the recollection of the narrator's friendship with another 14-year-old and his reconstruction of events from newspaper accounts fifty years on after he cannot shake a lingering memory of the last time he saw his friend, whose father killed his mother's lover and then himself. The book is a timeless depiction of the human condition marred by matters of the heart, steeped in imagery of the moors of marital moral dilemmas as neighbors fall in love, she an abused and unhappy mom and he who married young and longs for love, as the author meticulously imagines how the marital betrayals metastasize into a cuckolded husband's mania, the isolation of their son (his friend), the estrangement of her married lover's children, and even the broken heart of the boy's/family's dog. What particularly haunts the narrator though is an event magnified in his mind in a later brief encounter with the friend, after which the friend disappeared from his life. A raw, jarring novel I highly recommend.

The House Girl Audiobook by Tara Conklin

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Tara Conklin) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 01:46:14 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The House Girl Subtitle: A Novel Author: Tara Conklin Narrator: Bahni Turpin Format: Unabridged Length: 14 hrs and 46 mins Language: English Release date: 02-12-13 Publisher: HarperAudio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 642 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Two remarkable women, separated by more than a century, whose lives unexpectedly intertwine.... The year is 2004: Lina Sparrow is an ambitious young lawyer working on a historic class-action lawsuit seeking reparations for the descendants of American slaves. The year is 1852: Josephine is a 17-year-old house slave who tends to the mistress of a Virginia tobacco farm - an aspiring artist named Lu Anne Bell. It is through her father, renowned artist Oscar Sparrow, that Lina discovers a controversy rocking the art world: Art historians now suspect that the revered paintings of Lu Anne Bell, an antebellum artist known for her humanizing portraits of the slaves who worked her Virginia tobacco farm, were actually the work of her house slave, Josephine. A descendant of Josephine's would be the perfect face for the lawsuit - if Lina can find one. But nothing is known about Josephine's fate following Lu Anne Bell's death in 1852. In piecing together Josephine's story, Lina embarks on a journey that will lead her to question her own life, including the full story of her mother's mysterious death 20 years before. Alternating between antebellum Virginia and modern-day New York, this searing tale of art and history, love, and secrets explores what it means to repair a wrong, and asks whether truth can be more important than justice. Members Reviews: Disappointing This book looked really great from the summary I read before I purchased it. And in a lot of ways it was a pretty good book. It's just that I had to keep suspending my disbelief so often that I finally got tired of doing it. But let me be clear, I am not complaining about the writing. While I thought this book was well written it could have definitely used some professional editing to keep the plot from drifting off into implausibility so often. Had this not been basically such a good book (interesting plot line, good writing) I could have shrugged this book off and I would not now be going to all the trouble of writing a long review to critique it. The story of the slave Josephine Bell was the most interesting to me. I thought the parts of the book relating to her life very poignant and probably basically true to life. But even here I had to quibble with the fact that she was so educated and had so much opportunity to spend time not to mention access to art supplies that she was able to produce the body of work that was apparently floating around in the 21st century. At first I wondered at some of the risks she took but then I realized at the end she was only 17 years old and at that age one does not consider risks as carefully as a say, a 27 year old would have. I was able to suspend mild mild disbelief while reading her portion of the book ecause it was a very good story line. Lina came across as even more unbelievable. She didn't fit the type one would expect to have even been hired at a high powered NY law firm that specializes in corporate litigation. The amount of the damages being sued for also struck me as highly unlikely. No one, especially the Government is going to sit still for a suit asking for that kind of damages without pulling some major strings to stifle it and the fact the author had all the attorney's sitting around with sugar plumbs dancing in their heads just did not work for me. High powered corporate lawyers ought to have a firmer grasp on reality than the ones in this book did.

The Great Passage Audiobook by Shion Miura, Juliet Winters Carpenter - translator

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Shion Miura) — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 15:49:38 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Great Passage Author: Shion Miura, Juliet Winters Carpenter - translator Narrator: Brian Nishii Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins Language: English Release date: 06-01-17 Publisher: Brilliance Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 50 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A charmingly warm and hopeful story of love, friendship, and the power of human connection. Award-winning Japanese author Shion Miura's novel is a reminder that a life dedicated to passion is a life well lived. Inspired as a boy by the multiple meanings to be found for a single word in the dictionary, Kohei Araki is devoted to the notion that a dictionary is a boat to carry us across the sea of words. But after thirty-seven years creating them at Gembu Books, it's time for him to retire and find his replacement. He discovers a kindred spirit in Mitsuya Majime - a young, disheveled square peg with a penchant for collecting antiquarian books and a background in linguistics - whom he swipes from his company's sales department. Led by his new mentor and joined by an energetic, if reluctant, new recruit and an elder linguistics scholar, Majime is tasked with a career-defining accomplishment: completing The Great Passage, a comprehensive 2,900-page tome of the Japanese language. On his journey, Majime discovers friendship, romance, and an incredible dedication to his work, inspired by the bond that connects us all: words. Critic Reviews: "Brian Nishii is the perfect narrator for this audiobook... The book's translation combined with Nishii's narration makes the story sound and feel Japanese - there's a subtle choppiness, and certain word choices and phrases aren't what native English speakers would say - and it's all entirely fitting and charming....a unique and fascinating listen." (AudioFile) Members Reviews: A Fun, Light Novel It's not going to change the world. The characters are pretty much stock characters -- the nerd, the guy who thinks he's much cooler than he is, the beauty who sees beyond beauty (and thus, hope this isn't a SPOILER, falls for the nerd). The goal isn't that important. Creating a physical dictionary in the internet age? And yet, if you love words and reading, this is a worthwhile, but not a profound, listen. Think of this as dessert, rather than a meal with all major food groups represented. Interesting read about another culture What did you like best about The Great Passage? What did you like least? Cultural study bestIt seemed long and drawn out. What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting? The descriptions of how the characters thought. Nice people to know about. What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike? He did a good job with interpreting a foreign thinking. Was The Great Passage worth the listening time? Only because I was doing something else. Lost in translation What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you? This just didn't work out, mostly due to lost in translation, It would have help if I had a background in Japanese language. The novel seam not to go anywhere interesting for me and I just wanted it to end. So, i stopped listening. The Great Passage I enjoyed the narrator's voice and his ability to give each character their own personality. I found the book a little bit slow, but am glad I finished it.

The Dead Audiobook by James Joyce

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (James Joyce) — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 08:50:23 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Dead Author: James Joyce Narrator: Michael Orenstein Format: Unabridged Length: 1 hr and 25 mins Language: English Release date: 08-28-13 Publisher: Trout Lake Media Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 105 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Often cited as the best work of short fiction ever written, Joyce's elegant story details a New Year's Eve gathering in Dublin that is so evocative and beautiful that it prompts the protagonist's wife to make a shocking revelation to her husband - closing the story with an emotionally powerful epiphany that is unsurpassed in modern literature."The Dead" is the final short story in Joyce's 1914 collection Dubliners. It is the longest story in the collection and widely considered to be one of the greatest short stories in the English language. Members Reviews: It's Joyce well read Uncertain of Joyce? Well, don't be Uncertain of the narrator? Rest easy Slow to develop but with a powerful punch at the end, this is True Art Not manipulative but manifest Great short listen - tension builds at the end! Nice short read - nice introduction to James Joyce without taking on one of the longer books. Tension really builds and I could not stop listening at the end. The reader's Irish accent adds something but I found it a bit hard to understand sometimes. Holistic, Hypnotic Look at the Past and Present The Dead is likely the most poignant and holistic look in literature at the ends of roads in our lives, lost loves and expectations (our personal myths of the perfect life, which for many are shattered along the way). Joyce's prose here is hypnotic. I had read this before, but I thought I'd have another go on audio. While I think it's probably worth the price, I'd suggest the print edition if you haven't read it. The narrator laid the Irish brogue on too thick for my taste. Not the best Narrator What made the experience of listening to The Dead the most enjoyable? I did not finish listening to this. I found the narration was not nuanced and so stopped listening. What was one of the most memorable moments of The Dead? The description of the supper table. What three words best describe Michael Orensteins voice? I'm not sure. Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting? Yes.

Goodbye, Columbus Audiobook by Philip Roth

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Philip Roth) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:38:23 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Goodbye, Columbus Subtitle: And Five Short Stories Author: Philip Roth Narrator: John Rubinstein Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins Language: English Release date: 09-15-09 Publisher: Phoenix Books Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 107 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Neil Klugman and pretty, spirited Brenda Patimkin - he of poor Newark, she of suburban Short Hills - meet one summer and dive into an affair that is as much about social class and suspicion as it is about love. The novella, the first book published by Philip Roth, explores issues of both class and Jewish assimilation into American culture. It won the National Book Award in 1960. ©1993 Phillip Roth; (P)2009 Phoenix Critic Reviews: "A masterpiece." (Newsweek) "Unlike those of us who come howling into the world, blind and bare, Mr. Roth appears with nails, hair, teeth, speaking coherently. He is skilled, witty, energetic and performs like a virtuoso." (Saul Bellow) "Superior, startling, incandescently alive." (The New Yorker) Members Reviews: Wasn't what I remember I had fond memories reading this book in high school. For a while now I've wanted to go back and re-read it (err listen) partly to relive some of those feelings but also to remember why it had an impact on me in the first place. I really don't recall many books l from high school impact me, but this one did... I think. But I just didn't like it the second time around. There were moments I had some emotion: I suspect my good memories were mostly around the passion that Neil and Brenda have as I recall being in a difficult relationship then. But otherwise it just didn't hit me like it did. Or maybe I just don't remember right. I'm old now. Love begins and Assimilation The winner of the 1960 National Book Award, the title story GOODBYE, COLUMBUS is of the end of love, discovered. It's actually a novella accompanied by 5 nice short stories. The novella is well worth the admission price, a tale of young love between two 20-somethings blending issues of the heart, class and the sexual mores at mid-20th century. It also explores differences among Jews as well as Jewish *assimilation* in the 50's. I can't even believe how bad this is I have read most of Philip Roth's books (my favorites are the Zuckerman books) and I had this one sitting around in my library for a long time. I listened to it yesterday up to the point where the stories started. Then I threw the book in my garbage can. Goodbye Columbus is just an insipid little story about a loser who can't get with the girls. And I need to mention how horribly it is read.... This John Rubinstein guy does a Jewish voice serviceably, but that's it. The protagonist isn't well done nor are the many female voices. This guy must be friends with Philip Roth or something because I seriously do not know how else he got the job. Maybe the director was deaf? That is the only reasonable explanation I can come up with. Great listen, except for the final story The last story in this collection is the comically bad. Extremely overwritten. He describes every single detail of a scene before anything actually happens. Worst of all is the narrator. He actually slows down and faintly whispers when the characters get excited and talk loudly. And the story is from the perspective of an American, juxtaposed with a German Jew, but the whole thing is narrated with a thick accent. Clearly no thought was put into it. Also, it's very long. Even longer than this rant about how awful it is.

Remy Audiobook by Katy Evans

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Katy Evans) — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:36:24 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Remy Author: Katy Evans Narrator: Sebastian York Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 1 min Language: English Release date: 11-26-13 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1002 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: New York Times best-selling author Katy Evans expands upon the intense love story begun in Real - this time from Remington "Riptide" Tate's point of view. Underground fighter Remington Tate is a mystery, even to himself. His mind is dark and light, complex and enlightening. At times his actions and moods are carefully measured, and at others, they spin out of control. Through it all, there's been one constant: wanting, needing, loving, and protecting Brooke Dumas. This is his story; from the first moment he laid eyes on her and knew, without a doubt, she would be the realest thing he's ever had to fight for. Members Reviews: Wow! Wow! Wow! Soooo worth the wait! Can I have a Remy? Suggest listening to the first two books. Sebastian York nails it. He is also blessed with the worlds sexiest voice. Katy Evans please write more for us. Should you get this listen, yes, yes, yes! Couldn't wait to hear this story from Remy POV... Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why? this book focused on real life problems, struggles and solution. how the power of true love and commitment can beat any odds in the end!! What did you like best about this story? This book made me laugh, cry and completely fall in love with Remy and Brooke all over again!! it was amazing to hear it from his POV, it help you to understand some of the confusion in REAL and MINE, with the problems they faced ( won't say what they might be because it give a lot away). this book is a must read!!! cant wait for the rest of this series!! Which character as performed by Sebastian York was your favorite? Remy is my favorite character in this book. he struggle on a daily basic, but his love for Brooke gives him strength and hope to continue to fight. Who was the most memorable character of Remy and why? I cant answer why Remy is so memorable without giving away to much of the plot twists and secrets. You have to read to find out. TRUST ME YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. READ " REAL" AND "MINE" FIRST TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS BOOK.. REAL AND MINE ARE IN BROOKE'S POV, EXPLAIN EVRYTHING IN MORE DETAIL SO YOU WONT BE LOST OH MY REMY!!! AND BROOKE, AND RACER!!! This book is proof that Katy Evans is one smart lady who really thinks of her fans. This book is pure indulgence for fans of the REAL series. If you have been captivated by the love between Remy and Brooke then this book is for you!!! You get to experience books 1 & 2 through Remy's POV. I was always so curious to see what Remy was thinking during certain parts, like when he goes "black," when he first sets eyes on Brooke, when he found out he was going to be a father, etc. Wow! This book did not disappoint..it showcased our gorgeous, favorite, alpha fighter in his purest form with his primal desire and need for Brooke that just sweeps you away with romance, lust, beauty and a love that makes you swoon because it's so intense. Racer (Brooke & Remy's baby) was the dearest addition to the team. And, seeing Remy as a daddy.Awe!!!! Just precious & hot & amazing! I sometimes wondered how it was that Remy had such a large capacity for love and how Brooke fit perfectly in his heart, and I think it stems from his suffering. Since he was 13 years of age he was abandoned by his parents in a mental institution due to his rapid cycling. All Remy had were the songs that comforted him.

Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.? Audiobook by Gina Pera

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Gina Pera) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:01:15 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.? Subtitle: Stopping the Roller Coaster When Someone You Love Has Attention Deficit Disorder Author: Gina Pera Narrator: Pam Ward Format: Unabridged Length: 14 hrs and 59 mins Language: English Release date: 11-28-11 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 101 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.? is a meticulously researched, comprehensive guide to recognizing and dealing with Adult ADHD, offering a message of hope for the millions of people whose lives this disorder has impacted. Critic Reviews: "Insightful, helpful, witty, and very practical. This book can change your life." (Daniel G. Amen, M.D., author of Change Your Brain, Change Your Life) Members Reviews: The best book I've read on the subject yet! [{ "id" : 60, "type" : "Overall", "typeString" : "overall", "question" : "Would you try another book from Gina Pera and/or Pam Ward?", "answer" : "Absolutely." }, { "id" : 25, "type" : "Story", "typeString" : "story", "question" : "What could Gina Pera have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you? ", "answer" : "As with all audio books, a pdf downloadable reference would be nice." }, { "id" : 46, "type" : "Performance", "typeString" : "performance", "question" : "What didnt you like about Pam Wards performance?", "answer" : "Pam is one of the best narrator's out there as she is clear to understand, uses appropriate intonation at the right times and keeps the material interesting and moving." }, { "id" : 95, "type" : "Genre", "typeString" : "genre", "question" : "If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.??", "answer" : "" }, { "id" : -1, "type" : "Misc", "typeString" : "misc", "question" : "Any additional comments?", "answer" : "I've know for about 6 years that I have ADD. However, until now, I have never really understood the true significance of ADD throughout my life and the impact on others. Gina's book has helped me see that ADD is likely a significant piece if not the smoking gun underneath years and years of anxiety, depression, poor performance, great performance, outbursts, confusion, lack of direction. low self esteem, great ideas (according to me) and, well, you know the list. It's clear I haven't always been treating the appropriate issue. Thank you Gina for all the research and effort it took to produce your book and thank you for providing a little clarity to a rather unfocused mind. Wow, what a difference it would have made 40 some years ago when us 40+ somethings were in grade school! A must read for those with ADD, think they might have ADD or are living with someone who has ADD. " } ] Negative VENT. Not helpful. The author succeeds in normalizing the struggles, but does so in a vent sort of way. I can see it causing more disconnect in an already struggling relationship. There are lots of good books and therapists out there. Keep searching. Hallowell and Orlov are helpful and real. Not What I Expected: Descriptions Versus Solutions Based upon the title and description, I was expecting to learn more practical steps on how to manage ADD and behaviors with relationships.

The Association of Small Bombs Audiobook by Karan Mahajan

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Karan Mahajan) — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 19:01:56 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Association of Small Bombs Author: Karan Mahajan Narrator: Neil Shah Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins Language: English Release date: 03-22-16 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 470 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: The Association of Small Bombs is an expansive and deeply humane novel that is at once groundbreaking in empathy, dazzling in acuity, and ambitious in scope. When brothers Tushar and Nakul Khurana, two Delhi schoolboys, pick up their family's television at a repair shop with their friend, Mansoor Ahmed, one day in 1996, disaster strikes without warning. A bomb - one of the many "small" bombs that go off seemingly unheralded across the world - detonates in the Delhi marketplace, instantly claiming the lives of the Khurana boys, to the devastation of their parents. Mansoor survives, bearing the physical and psychological effects of the bomb. After a brief stint at a university in America, Mansoor returns to Delhi, where his life becomes entangled with the mysterious and charismatic Ayub, a fearless young activist whose own allegiances and beliefs are more malleable than Mansoor could imagine. Woven into the story of the Khuranas and the Ahmeds is the gripping tale of Shockie, a Kashmiri bomb maker who has forsaken his own life for the independence of his homeland. Karan Mahajan writes brilliantly about the effects of terrorism on victims and perpetrators, proving himself to be one of the most provocative and dynamic novelists of his generation. Members Reviews: A tragedy of manners What does Neil Shah bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book? He is an excellent reader, just the right amount of personalization of the various characters, and flawless pronunciation. Any additional comments? For about the first half of the book it was a kind of comedy of manners for terrorists and their victims, with a lot about the foibles of the all-too-human characters. The book becomes, I would say, progressively dark as the ramifications of destructiveness are played out: parent who, having lost their children, cannot find their way back to life. Young men who experience oppression as Muslims in India, as well as other losses, who lose their way and then their lives. Others who are ruined by the brutal and capricious state. The author explores all this with great sensitivity to his characters. The author is also a fine writer, with many interesting metaphors (which I wish I had written down), but who also maintains a good pace in his story. Things do decidedly not come right in the end, but the book is not a complete downer either. In addition to the humor of human frailty, there is the author's compassion that keeps the lights on throughout. Amazing novel, exceptionally performed This book was astonishing, and its narrator is outstanding, performing a wide range of voices and accents with distinction. Point of View Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why? Absolutely. This is an amazing story that expands our understanding of the different forces at work in our world today and which influence all of our lfves. What did you like best about this story? The author explores uncharted territory in today's fiction. The story was a sensitive and bold look at the so called "terrorists" who have become the scapegoat for the social, political, and economic ills of our world. Which character as performed by Neil Shah was your favorite? The boy who is injured in the terrorist attack is the most accessible character in the novel. Who was the most memorable character of The Association of Small Bombs and why? Each character is well developed and memorable.

Telegraph Avenue Audiobook by Michael Chabon

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Michael Chabon) — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 04:12:39 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Telegraph Avenue Subtitle: A Novel Author: Michael Chabon Narrator: Clarke Peters Format: Unabridged Length: 18 hrs and 42 mins Language: English Release date: 09-11-12 Publisher: HarperAudio Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 456 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: As the summer of 2004 draws to a close, Archy Stallings and Nat Jaffe are still hanging in there - longtime friends, bandmates, and co-regents of Brokeland Records, a kingdom of used vinyl located in the borderlands of Berkeley and Oakland. Their wives, Gwen Shanks and Aviva Roth-Jaffe, are the Berkeley Birth Partners, a pair of semi-legendary midwives who have welcomed, between them, more than a thousand newly minted citizens into the dented utopia at whose heart - half tavern, half temple - stands Brokeland Records. When ex-NFL quarterback Gibson Goode, the fifth-richest black man in the United States, announces plans to build his latest Dogpile megastore on a nearby stretch of Telegraph Avenue, Nat and Archy fear it means certain doom for their vulnerable little enterprise. Meanwhile, Aviva and Gwen also find themselves caught up in a battle for their professional existence, one that tests the limits of their friendship. Adding another layer of complication to the couples' already tangled lives is the surprise appearance of Titus Joyner, the teenage son Archy has never acknowledged and the love of 15-year-old Julius Jaffe's life. Members Reviews: Music Lover's Delight Michael Chabon is an author whose reputation certainly precedes him, and I don't know how I've managed to go this long without digging in to his work. Certainly, there is a nagging concern that what you've heard or read is hype, and that the actual experience is going to be a letdown. This is not the case here. Telegraph Avenue is everything I want in a novel and more. It's a deep and thoughful reflection on the relationships between blacks and whites, the intermeshing of cultures, of gentrification and urban renewal. It's a detailed and insightful memoir of a time and a place, populated with a rich tapestry of characters who are fully drawn and completely believable. There's a compelling story that spins an intricate web around you and makes you care about what happens; that involves you in a complex set of relationships between people and their community and the conflicts between their personal histories, their aspirations, their families, and their limitations. Local politics, social responsibility, Black Panthers, kung fu, environmentalism, aging blaxploitation stars, midwifery, the impossibility of being 14 years old -- it's all there. And music. Telegraph Avenue pulses with music, both in the many references that become a soundtrack running in your head and in the detailed, lively descriptions of the incredible conflagration of funk, soul, R&B, rock and roll and jazz that bubbled up out of the American cultural melting pot beginning in the Sixties and continuing to this day. If you don't know what a CTI release was, go do some listening. It will add a layer of depth to the experience of this book that is priceless. Chabon delivers extremely realistic dialog that includes plenty of street slang and Clarke Peters handles the narration of the audiobook with superb attention to the personalities and characterizations. He gives a believable and authentic voice to a wide cast of characters that includes everything from a 14 year old gay white kid to a nonagenarian Chinese woman, and delivers the narrative in a style that is deeply sensitive to cultural and political connotations.

Fortune Smiles Audiobook by Adam Johnson

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Adam Johnson) — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 23:23:27 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Fortune Smiles Subtitle: Stories Author: Adam Johnson Narrator: W. Morgan Sheppard, Johnathan McClain, Cassandra Campbell, Dominic Hoffman, Will Damron, Greg Chun Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins Language: English Release date: 08-18-15 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 308 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for his acclaimed novel about North Korea, The Orphan Master's Son, Adam Johnson is one of America's most provocative and powerful authors. Critics have compared him to Kurt Vonnegut, David Mitchell, and George Saunders, but Johnson's new book will only further his reputation as one of our most original writers. Subtly surreal, darkly comic, both hilarious and heartbreaking, Fortune Smiles is a major collection of stories that gives voice to the perspectives we don't often hear while offering something rare in fiction: a new way of looking at the world. In six masterful stories, Johnson delves deep into love and loss, natural disasters, the influence of technology, and how the political shapes the personal. "Nirvana", which won the prestigious Sunday Times short story prize, portrays a programmer, whose wife has a rare disease, finding solace in a digital simulacrum of the president of the United States. In "Hurricanes Anonymous" - first included in the Best American Short Stories anthology - a young man searches for the mother of his son in a Louisiana devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. "George Orwell Was a Friend of Mine" follows a former warden of a Stasi prison in East Germany who vehemently denies his past, even as pieces of it are delivered in packages to his door. And in the unforgettable title story, Johnson returns to his signature subject, North Korea, depicting two defectors from Pyongyang who are trying to adapt to their new lives in Seoul, while one cannot forget the woman he left behind. Unnerving, riveting, and written with a timeless quality, these stories confirm Johnson as one of America's greatest writers and an indispensable guide to our new century. Critic Reviews: "How do you follow a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel? For Johnson, the answer is a story collection, and the tales are hefty and memorable...." (Publishers Weekly starred review) "Tragedy is always close to the surface in Johnson's work - with tragicomic layerings.... Bittersweet, elegant, full of hard-won wisdom: this is no ordinary book, either." (Kirkus Reviews starred review) Members Reviews: Half Full or Half Empty How can you explain why something resonated in you and bounced off someone else? Just look at the two reviews that appear here for this book right now, 5:30 p.m. MST 10/28/15 "Darwin" and "Unhappy Sirius Camper". A 5* and a1*; it couldn't be more disparate. I am aligned completely with Darwin's opinion of this book (and have to thank him for a glowing review that compelled me to get this) . It MUST be a case of how you see the glass. For the Unhappy guy/gal this is a half empty, for me it is absolutely overflowing. Author Adam Johnson captures the fragility of *us*, and shows that we are, as Whitman wrote, "Multitudes." Johnson gives us a collection of 6 stories, the final "Fortune Smiles," a return to his 2013 Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Orphan Master's Son. In these few stories (far too few IMO) Johnson reaches deep into the situations and lives of People, pushes illness, death, jealousy, mourning, hope, even pornography and pedophilia, into the background and lets these wretched aching souls speak beyond words and judgements.

An Irish Country Wedding Audiobook by Patrick Taylor

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Patrick Taylor) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 17:45:39 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: An Irish Country Wedding Subtitle: Irish Country, Book 7 Author: Patrick Taylor Narrator: John Keating Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 49 mins Language: English Release date: 10-16-12 Publisher: Macmillan Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 436 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Love is in the air in the colourful Ulster village of Ballybucklebo, where Dr. Fingal Flahertie OReilly has finally proposed to the darling of his youth, Kitty OHallorhan. Theres a wedding to be planned, but before OReilly can make it to the altar, he and his young colleague, Barry Laverty, M.B., must deal with the usual round of eccentric patientsand crises both large and small. Being a G.P. in a place like Ballybucklebo often means more than simply splinting broken bones and tending to aches and pains. It can also mean helping a struggling young couple acquire their first home, clearing the name of a cat accused of preying on a neighbors prize pigeons, and encouraging a bright working-class girl who dreams of someday becoming a doctor herself. And, if youre Barry Laverty, still smarting from a painful breakup, there might even be a chance for a new romance with a lovely school teacher, if her passionate political convictions dont get in the way. Much has changed in Ballybucklebo, and bigger changes are in store, but the lives and practices of these Irish country doctors remain as captivating and irresistible as ever. Members Reviews: Wonderful Story, Fabulous Narrator I've purchased most of the books in this series and am always amazed at how entertaining the series can be. Theses are wonderful, wholesome, charming and at times funny stories about life in a small village in Ireland as seen through the eyes of it's two doctors. The narrater made the stories come alive. His Irish brogue was perfect and at the same time understandable. A Lovely Heart Warming Story What did you love best about An Irish Country Wedding? As always these books are heart warming. Finally Dr. O'Reilly is married and the prospects look good for Kinky. What did you like best about this story? The entire story line, the characterizations, as you listen you can actually picture them in all in your mind. What does John Keating bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book? The wonderful Irish accent he brings to the reading of the story. Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you? The last chapter as Barry reminisces about his year spent in Ballybucklebeau. I hope this is not the last book. Any additional comments? I certainly hope this is not the last book. Pure delight Didn't want this book to end. But please don't read it without first reading the others in the series. Delightful narrator, lovely Irish accents (I didn't realise how many Australian expressions were from the many Irish settlers). Humane, friendly, heartwarming. Medically informed. Escaping into the small village of Ballybucklebo where people genuinely care for each other. Wonderful characters. Highly recommended. I really like this series! I have read all of the Irish Country series, and have enjoyed each one. No, they are not great literature, but each one makes you feel like you are right there in this little Northern Ireland town in the 1960's. As I have spent several weeks right in that area, and know how beautiful and delightful a place it is, I feel like I've gone back for a visit each time I read another installment. Taylor makes the characters believable and it is also interesting to see where medicine was at that time, compared to now.

2666 [Spanish Edition] Audio Libro por Roberto Bolaño

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Roberto Bolaño) — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 12:15:18 GMT

Escuche este audio libro completo gratis en https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> Título: 2666 [Spanish Edition] Autor: Roberto Bolaño Narrador: Pedro Sánchez, Gerardo Prat, Humberto Amor, Roberto Medina, Alejandro Vargas-Lugo Formato: Unabridged Duración: 45 hrs and 36 mins Idioma: Español Fecha de publicación: 04-27-17 Editor: Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial Calificaciones: 4.5 de 5 de 33 votos Categorías: Fiction, Literary Resumen del editor: Publicada meses después de la muerte de Bolaño, 2666 ha sido unánimemente aclamada por la crítica internacional y por los lectores, y es considerada una obra sin igual en la literatura contemporánea. La ciudad mexicana de Santa Teresa - trasunto de Ciudad Juarez - atrae como un imán a los protagonistas. Cuatro críticos literarios europeos viajan hasta Sonora tras las huellas del escritor desaparecido Benno von Archimboldi, cuya vida se refiere en la parte final de la novela. Allí conocerán a Amalfitano, el profesor universitario chileno que, junto con su hija, se establece en la ciudad, a la que también llegará el periodista estadounidense Oscar Fate para retransmitir un combate de boxeo. Pero el corazón del relato se encuentra en La parte de los crímenes donde, con la precisión de un bisturí, Bolaño narra los asesinatos de mujeres cometidos en Santa Teresa y las infructuosas investigaciones de la policía. En el epicentro del Mal, nada puede parar el horror.Con una fuerza arrolladora, en 2666 Bolaño crea una obra magistral que rompe con todas las tendencias literarias conocidas y abre el camino a seguir por la narrativa del siglo XXI. Violencia e historia se entretejen con temas recurrentes en la obra del autor: la literatura, la búsqueda y la crónica de la realidad. 2666 fue galardonada con los premios Ciudad de Barcelona, Salambó, National Critics Circle Award y Altazor, calificada como uno de los mejores libros de 2008 por The New York Times y elegida por 81 críticos y escritores de España y Latinoamérica como uno de los mejores libros en lengua castellana de los últimos 25 años. Please note: This audiobook is in Spanish. Crítica Comentarios: "El relato más admirable del último cuarto de siglo. Quizá también lo sea del inmediatamente anterior y es muy posible que lo haya de ser del siguiente." (José-Carlos Mainer, Babelia) "Una obra de un poder y una complejidad arrolladores. Un alegato final digno de un maestro." (The Boston Globe) "La creación más audaz de Bolaño. Es valiente de una forma que pocas obras lo son: elimina de golpe la brecha entre lo divertido y lo solemne." (Henry Hitchings, Financial Times) "2666: la consagración del horror contemporáneo. La literatura en estado puro." (Fernando Rodríguez Lafuente) "Su obra más importante y una de las más grandes de la literatura contemporánea en lengua castellana." (J. A. Masoliver Ródenas, La Vanguardia) "Mezcla de géneros y de influencias a priori incompatibles, de mundos, historias y geografías radicalmente diferentes, 2666 es la novela total, sin principio ni fin, el lugar de todos los vértigos y todas las paradojas...donde se funden presente y pasado, la esperanza y la desesperanza y donde lo verdadero y lo falso se acercan tanto que llegan a confundir." (Le Magazine Littéraire) "Una obra de monumentalidad póstuma." (Darío Villanueva) Opiniones de los miembros: La totalidad en letras Un libro fuera de lo común, el tiempo invertido será remunerado con la increíble habilidad de Sr.

The Gone-Away World Audiobook by Nick Harkaway

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Nick Harkaway) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:11:21 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Gone-Away World Author: Nick Harkaway Narrator: Kirby Heyborne Format: Unabridged Length: 24 hrs and 27 mins Language: English Release date: 09-16-08 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 503 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: There couldn't be a fire along the Jorgmund Pipe. It was the last thing the world needed. But there it was, burning bright on national television. The Pipe was what kept the Livable Zone safe from the bandits, monsters, and nightmares the Go-Away War had left in its wake. The fire was a very big problem. Enter Gonzo Lubitsch and his friends, the Haulage & HazMat Emergency Civil Freebooting Company, a team of master troubleshooters who roll into action when things get particularly hot. They helped build the Pipe. Now they have to preserve it - and save humanity yet again. But this job is not all it seems. It will touch more closely on Gonzo's life - and that of his best friend - than either of them can imagine. And it will decide the fate of the Gone-Away World. Equal parts raucous adventure, comic odyssey, geek nirvana, and ultra-cool epic, The Gone-Away World is a story of - among other things - love, pirates, mimes, greed, and ninjas. But it is also the story of a world, not unlike our own, in desperate need of heroes - however unlikely they may seem. Members Reviews: Exhaustively witty, but unsatisfying The Goneaway World is a novel that aspires to be a whole bunch of things at once. It's a breathless adventure story, with pirates, ninjas, mad scientists, and covert military units. It's a coming-of-age story about a young man and his best friend. It's a sardonic satire, criticizing the excesses of capitalism and militarism in a Kurt Vonnegut-like style. It's a post-apocalypse story. It's an absurd, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy-style romp, complete with a crack unit of mimes. It's a metaphysical tale about how "real" the things in our mind are. You'll either find this book delightfully witty or self-indulgent and exhausting. I leaned a little more in the latter direction. On one hand, I admired how clever and inventive Harkaway is, his effortless talent at satirizing human foibles and turning even the most mundane scenario into a madcap adventure (or the most exotic into something perfectly routine). On the other hand, the story careers around the map so wildly, I found it hard to care about any of the characters or what was happening. Even Gonzo, whom the protagonist is obsessed with (for reasons that become apparent later), is about as interesting as a video game character's user manual bio -- e.g. "Gonzo: a manly, cool-under-pressure guy with Polish parents and a stubborn streak." I eventually got bored with the story and all the tone switches, and stopped listening before I got to the final chapters, even though I'm sure there was an exceedingly clever ninja/pirate/mercenary/corporate honcho/mime battle I missed out on. Don't get me wrong, I think Nick Harkaway is a smart guy with an impressive imagination. But he really needed the firm hand of a good editor here, who might have stopped him from running with arms waving after every butterfly that flitted past, and gotten him to have focused more on the novel as a whole. Still, other readers might enjoy the unrestrained zaniness more than I did. Doctor Who or Terry Pratchett fans, take note. Lots of dry British humor here. i am a worm genetiscist. Just kidding. I have to agree that I enjoyed the book and it's action. The depth of theme isn't radical or stunning, but it's clearly about acceptance, tolerance and change. But forget that, there's mutants. Fire.

The Heirs Audiobook by Susan Rieger

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Susan Rieger) — Tue, 23 May 2017 01:00:38 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Heirs Subtitle: A Novel Author: Susan Rieger Narrator: Kimberly Farr Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins Language: English Release date: 05-23-17 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 227 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Brilliantly wrought, incisive, and stirring, The Heirs tells the story of an upper-crust Manhattan family coming undone after the death of their patriarch. Six months after Rupert Falkes dies, leaving a grieving widow and five adult sons, an unknown woman sues his estate, claiming she had two sons by him. The Falkes brothers are pitched into turmoil, at once missing their father and feeling betrayed by him. In disconcerting contrast, their mother, Eleanor, is cool and calm, showing preternatural composure. Eleanor and Rupert had made an admirable life together - Eleanor with her sly wit and generosity, Rupert with his ambition and English charm - and they were proud of their handsome, talented sons: Harry, a brash law professor; Will, a savvy Hollywood agent; Sam, an astute doctor and scientific researcher; Jack, a jazz trumpet prodigy; Tom, a public-spirited federal prosecutor. The brothers see their identity and success as inextricably tied to family loyalty - a loyalty they always believed their father shared. Struggling to reclaim their identity, the brothers find Eleanor's sympathy toward the woman and her sons confounding. Widowhood has let her cast off the rigid propriety of her stifling upbringing, and the brothers begin to question whether they knew either of their parents at all. A riveting portrait of a family, told with compassion, insight, and wit, The Heirs wrestles with the tangled nature of inheritance and legacy for one unforgettable patrician New York family. Moving seamlessly through a constellation of rich, arresting voices, The Heirs is a tale out of Edith Wharton for the 21st century. Critic Reviews: "Brilliantly constructed and flawlessly written...an emotional and satisfying story of how a complicated family and their outliers handle life's most pivotal moments." ( Library Journal) "[An] assured novel of family, money, and secrets, reminiscent in theme and tone of Edith Wharton...just in time for poolside reading, this elegant novel wears its intelligence lightly." ( Kirkus) "Rieger wrestles perceptively with difficult questions and...shines incrementally increasing light on the Falkes' extended web of familial and emotional ties, sucking the reader into the tangle of emotions and conflicting interests...a tense, introspective account of looking for truth, and instead finding peace." ( Publishers Weekly) Members Reviews: Rich, complex, and charming This novel has one of the most interesting structures I've run across for some time. It begins with the death of Rupert Falkes, a rich Manhattan attorney. Falkes leaves behind his wife Eleanor and five sons as well as a substantial amount of money for everyone in the family. Shortly after the funeral Eleanor receives a letter from a woman claiming that Rupert also left two other sons she knew nothing about and had provided an income for them for many years. All she has to offer for proof is a photo of herself with someone who may or may not be Rupert. It it true or is it larceny? The book looks at the reactions of the widow and sons in dealing with this new perspective on Rupert's life as it also carves away mysteries about Rupert's life. Rupert is a wonderfully complex character. Born in England and abandoned at birth Rupert is raised in a religious boys home. He's so loved by the reverend running the home that Rupert is the only boy with whom he shares his last name.

Reservoir 13 Audiobook by Jon McGregor

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Jon McGregor) — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 02:01:20 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Reservoir 13 Author: Jon McGregor Narrator: Matt Bates Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 48 mins Language: English Release date: 10-03-17 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 21 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: In midwinter in an English village, a teenage girl has gone missing and everyone is called upon to join the search. The villagers fan out across the moors as the police set up roadblocks, and a crowd of news reporters descends on what is usually a place of peace. Meanwhile, there is work that must still be done: cows milked, fences repaired, stone cut, pints poured, beds made, sermons written, a pantomime rehearsed. As the seasons unfold and the search for the missing girl goes on, there are those who leave the village and those who are pulled back; those who come together and those who break apart. There are births and deaths, secrets kept and exposed, livelihoods made and lost, small kindnesses, and unanticipated betrayals. An extraordinary novel of cumulative power and grace, Reservoir 13 explores the rhythms of the natural world and the repeated human gift for violence, unfolding over 13 years as the aftershocks of a tragedy refuse to subside. Members Reviews: This is not a mystery! This book may not be what you are expecting. The book begins with the disappearance of a young girl but she is rarely mentioned after the first chapter and then only in an oblique manner. The story is really about the inhabitants of a small village in the peak district and takes place over a 13 year period starting from the young girl's disappearance.The young girl and her parents are visitors to the village leaving the villagers to care about the lost girl, but there is never a sense that their lives are forever changed by the incident. The novel follows the seasonal and yearly changes of individual villagers over the next 13 years. I enjoyed it more on the second listen through when I focused on the rhythm of the seasons and village life and put away my expectation of a good mystery. And for those readers who like resolutions to a story, I'd recommend a different book. People like this book? Are there one thousand words of dialogue in this book? This wasn't poetry, it just rambled.

Old Filth Audiobook by Jane Gardam

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Jane Gardam) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 09:15:56 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Old Filth Author: Jane Gardam Narrator: Graeme Malcom Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins Language: English Release date: 01-04-11 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 727 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: FILTH is a lawyer with a practice in the Far East. A few remember that his nickname stands for Failed In London Try Hong Kong. But Old Filth is not as pompous as people imagine, and his past contains many secrets and dark hiding places. Editorial Reviews: Meet Edward Feathers, also known as Sir Edward, Teddy, Fevvers, or Old Filth. Filth is an acronym nickname that stands for Failed In London Try Hong Kong, to describe lawyers who werent successful in England and found easier success in the Far East. Now back in England, the death of his wife causes Edward to reexamine the events and people of his childhood and how they shaped him. Old Filth, composed and wealthy, initially appears to have had a soft life. As Gardam explores his past, the reader sees instead a painful childhood that teaches him toughness, a life of hard luck and tragedy that reveals a surprisingly complex and fascinating character, and a grown man struggling to understand his own identity. The author weaves in and out of time and space and changes perspectives, a style that is both riveting and calls for a deft narrator. Graeme Malcolm and his posh British accent bring Old Filth to life, complete with his occasional stammer. A prolific and versatile narrator, Malcolm has performed everything from childrens books (Kate DiCamillos The Tale of Despereaux) to a John Lennon biography. He shifts easily among locations and perspectives, and captures Old Filths bewilderment, as a person who never quite fits in his place or time, with poignancy and humor. Jane Gardam, a venerated author who has won the Whitbread Award and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, completely captures a world gone by, when men still changed their shirts before dinner and England was an empire. Inspired by Rudyard Kiplings life as a Raj Orphan a British citizen born in the Empire, raised by surrogate parents, then torn from his loved ones to be schooled in England Gardam explores themes of love, loss, home, and family with crisp yet moving prose. The more emotional scenes are told without heavy-handed sentimentality and are all the more effective and haunting for it. Old Filth is a must-listen for Anglophiles, listeners who enjoy memorable characters, and a perfect choice for book clubs. (Check out a companion book, The Man in the Wooden Hat, also performed by Malcolm, that tells Filths wifes story.) Jane Gardam and Graeme Malcolm combine their talents for an exquisite listen. Members Reviews: A Great Read, matched by a Great Reader This beautifully written, elliptically told story is matched by a narrator of great skill and discretion -- rather like Filth himself, a lawyer who became rich by disappearing into his work, whose colleagues, finding him unknowable, assume there's nothing to know. There is, it turns out, a lot to know about Edward Feathers, all of it dramatic, human-scaled and utterly satisfying. Gardam tells his story with delicacy, wit and empathy for both Filth and the reader. (Filth experiences a torturous childhood, a topic I personally find almost unendurable in a book. Gardam covers it intelligently, without sensation or prurience). Especially wonderful are the secondary characters, drawn with almost Dickensian verve and particularity. ALL the characters are surprising and sharply drawn. A rare five-star review I had put this one off as everywhere I turned folks raved about the book. Finally, I decided to see for myself what all the hype was about.

Mischling Audiobook by Affinity Konar

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Affinity Konar) — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 02:10:59 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Mischling Author: Affinity Konar Narrator: Vanessa Johansson Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins Language: English Release date: 09-06-16 Publisher: Hachette Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 445 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: "One of the most harrowing, powerful, and imaginative books of the year" (Anthony Doerr), about twin sisters fighting to survive the evils of World War II. Pearl is in charge of the sad, the good, the past. Stasha must care for the funny, the future, the bad. It's 1944 when the twin sisters arrive at Auschwitz with their mother and grandfather. In their benighted new world, Pearl and Stasha Zagorski take refuge in their identical natures, comforting themselves with the private language and shared games of their childhood. As part of the experimental population of twins known as Mengele's Zoo, the girls experience privileges and horrors unknown to others, and they find themselves changed, stripped of the personalities they once shared, their identities altered by the burdens of guilt and pain. That winter, at a concert orchestrated by Mengele, Pearl disappears. Stasha grieves for her twin but clings to the possibility that Pearl remains alive. When the camp is liberated by the Red Army, she and her companion, Feliks - a boy bent on vengeance for his own lost twin - travel through Poland's devastation. Undeterred by injury, starvation, and the chaos around them, motivated by equal parts danger and hope, they encounter hostile villagers, Jewish resistance fighters, and fellow refugees, their quest enabled by the notion that Mengele may be captured and brought to justice within the ruins of the Warsaw Zoo. As the young survivors discover what has become of the world, they must try to imagine a future within it. A superbly crafted story, told in a voice as exquisite as it is boundlessly original, Mischling defies every expectation, traversing one of the darkest moments in human history to show us the way toward ethereal beauty, moral reckoning, and soaring hope. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio. Critic Reviews: "Mischling is a phenomenal book - harrowing and heartbreaking, intimate and epic - and Affinity Konar is a wise and compassionate writer with talent in spades. An achingly beautiful novel that will stay with me for a long, long time." (Molly Antopol, author of The UnAmericans) "This novel, haunted by history and the unknowable power of family, is made bearable - indeed, necessary - by the spectacle of a literary imagination that observes no limits. Konar has produced a tremendously unsettled work of art." (Ben Marcus, author of The Flame Alphabet) "Affinity Konar's Mischling is a tale of courage, courageously told - spare and beautiful, riveting and heartrending. Half of me wanted to linger over every page, the other half insisted I race ahead. It's a case of extraordinary storytelling from first page to transcendent last." (David Wroblewski, author of the New York Times best seller The Story of Edgar Sawtelle) Members Reviews: Beautiful, horrible, brilliant! Words fail. This was a beautiful terrible story of horror and hope, of love and loss, of the best and the absolute worse of humanity. I wept and was overwhelmed, but couldn't stop listening. The author wrote this book with such care and balance. I highly suggest reading (or listening to) it. The narration on Audible was absolutely perfect. Moving The author takes us on a journey through Auschwitz and Mengela's zoo. The people who did and didn't survive.

Still Life with Bread Crumbs Audiobook by Anna Quindlen

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Anna Quindlen) — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 04:20:57 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Still Life with Bread Crumbs Subtitle: A Novel Author: Anna Quindlen Narrator: Carrington MacDuffie Format: Unabridged Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins Language: English Release date: 01-28-14 Publisher: Brilliance Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1095 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A superb love story from the number-one New York Times best-selling author Anna Quindlen Still Life with Bread Crumbs begins with an imagined gunshot and ends with a new tin roof. Between the two is a wry and knowing portrait of Rebecca Winter, a photographer whose work made her an unlikely heroine for many women. Her career is now descendent, her bank balance shaky, and she has fled the city for the middle of nowhere. There she discovers, in a tree stand with a roofer named Jim Bates, that what she sees through a camera lens is not all there is to life. Brilliantly written, powerfully observed, Still Life with Bread Crumbs is a deeply moving and often very funny story of unexpected love, and a stunningly crafted journey into the life of a woman, her heart, her mind, her days, as she discovers that life is a story with many levels, a story that is longer and more exciting than she ever imagined. Critic Reviews: "Carrington MacDuffie's rich voice is a perfect match for Quindlen's exquisite story.... [her] natural style and subtle character voices add even more charm to the story, keeping the listener engaged from start to finish." (AudioFile) Members Reviews: A Gentrified Harlequin This book got an unqualified rave in the New York Times Book Review. I was led to expect a wry, tough-minded, light-hearted, clear-eyed look at the plight of a single, sixty-year-old artist and her world. Not so! Stuffed with clunky stereotypes, improbable coincidences and dubious epiphanies, this book gives "chick lit" its reputation for triviality. Our heroine, Rebecca, is tall and effortlessly slender, like any romance novel heroine, except much more tastefully dressed -- black everything, straight un-dyed hair and no makeup, which I suppose is meant to signal her stature as a serious artist. (This is the first wrong note: If Nora Ephron taught us anything, it's that sixty for women is nothing if not relentless grooming). It has been twenty years since her divorce, but she chews over this old failure endlessly, with no apparent insight: her ex-husband is portrayed in terms so exclusively negative I half-expected him to start twirling a pair of mustachios. The village in which she finds herself has an equally manichean populace: one is either good and simple (the baker) or cruel and incompetent (the baker's husband). Our heroine's love interest is a rough-hewn, straight-talking man's man, who spends an awful lot of time setting a good example and threatening the folks who won't follow it. Lest you excuse him as just the male counterpart of Rebecca, acquiring the habit of warning kids off his lawn, he's much much younger than she. And an environmentalist. And, true to the romance genre, he has a Secret Sorrow, which provides the pivot on which this creaky tale balances. So careless is the plot that at one point I thought perhaps Rebecca was going to be revealed, thrillingly, as not an artist, but a dimwit: she writes a crucial letter to her love, but never sends it, because she does not know his address. Though she HAS been to his house, which is just down the road. And he's been faithfully plowing her drive all winter. The author has some good descriptions of the domestic woes of a young mother, and has a sharp eye for the customs and citizens of high culture: I found myself wishing Rebecca would stay in this world and fight for her work.

Sixty Stories Audiobook by Donald Barthelme

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Donald Barthelme) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:39:12 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Sixty Stories Author: Donald Barthelme Narrator: Dennis Holland Format: Unabridged Length: 16 hrs and 11 mins Language: English Release date: 08-11-09 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 56 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: With these audacious and murderously witty stories, Donald Barthelme threw the preoccupations of our time into the literary equivalent of a Cuisinart and served up a gorgeous salad of American culture, high and low. Here are the urban upheavals reimagined as frontier myth; travelogues through countries that might have been created by Kafka; cryptic dialogues that bore down to the bedrock of our longings, dreams, and angsts. Like all of Barthelme's work, the 60 stories collected in this volume are triumphs of language and perception, at once unsettling and irresistible. As an added bonus, when you purchase our Audible Modern Vanguard production of Donald Barthelme's book, you'll also receive an exclusive Jim Atlas interview. This interview where James Atlas interviews Tracy Daugherty about the life and work of Donald Barthelme begins as soon as the audiobook ends. Editorial Reviews: Donald Barthelme's Sixty Stories is a collection of some of his greatest work from the 1960s and 1970s. Each of these pieces is raucous, absurd, incisive, and beautiful; each represents not only a story, but the re-imagination of the story as a form. And in each, as writer David Gates points out in the introduction, Barthelme manages to "restore freshness to a much handled language" It's difficult to know when to take Barthelme's characters seriously, and narrator Dennis Holland appears to delight in this ambiguity as he portrays a staggering slew of characters with an equally wide array of accents and tones. Holland's versatility as a narrator is particularly apparent in dialogue-rich stories like "Daumier", where he shifts flawlessly between characters as unalike as Celeste and Mr. Hawkins a young French au-pair and an old Western cowboy who are, themselves, a figment of the narrator-writer's imagination. However playfully Mr. Holland portrays his characters, and despite their sometimes tenuous existence even as entities of fiction, his narration manages to always treat them with humanity and respect. If Barthelme's humor is at times obscured by the bizarreness of his narratives, Mr. Holland's excellent sense of timing casts it wittily into relief. In Holland's hands, stories like "The Death of Edward Lear", in which an aging, self-described "nonsense writer and landscape painter" invites acquaintances to his bedside to witness the moment of his death, are likely to elicit outright laughter where silent reading might have brought on a slow smile. In other places, such as "The Balloon", Holland's narration is subtle, allowing Barthelme's brilliant, stunning language to create for the listener a world both alien and familiar. Throughout the whole range of these stories, Holland's narration is cheerful, even amused a characteristic that underlies the sometimes biting incisiveness of Barthelme's characters and scenes. Though Barthelme's loose narrative structure can sometimes be challenging to follow without the help of the physical page (it would be ideal to read along as you listen), this collection feels truly brought to life by Dennis Holland's gifted narration. Sixty Stories is a delightful, vibrant listen. Critic Reviews: "Donald Barthelme may have influenced the short story in his time as much as Hemingway and O'Hara did in theirs.

The High Mountains of Portugal Audiobook by Yann Martel

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Yann Martel) — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 06:25:20 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The High Mountains of Portugal Subtitle: A Novel Author: Yann Martel Narrator: Mark Bramhall Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins Language: English Release date: 02-02-16 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 592 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: The author of the best-selling Life of Pi returns to the storytelling power and luminous wisdom of his master novel. In Lisbon in 1904, a young man named Tomás discovers an old journal. It hints at the existence of an extraordinary artifact that - if he can find it - would redefine history. Traveling in one of Europe's earliest automobiles, he sets out in search of this strange treasure. Thirty-five years later, a Portuguese pathologist devoted to the murder mysteries of Agatha Christie finds himself at the center of a mystery of his own and drawn into the consequences of Tomás' quest. Fifty years on, a Canadian senator takes refuge in his ancestral village in Northern Portugal, grieving the loss of his beloved wife. But he arrives with an unusual companion: a chimpanzee. And there the century-old quest will come to an unexpected conclusion. Filled with tenderness, humor, and endless surprise, The High Mountains of Portugal - part quest, part ghost story, part contemporary fable - offers a haunting exploration of great love and great loss, asking questions about faith and lack of faith that are at the heart of all of Yann Martel's novels. Critic Reviews: "Narrator Mark Bramhall delivers a confident performance of Yann Martel's exploration of faith and personal tragedy.... Bramhall is achingly convincing as the grief-stricken Tomás." (AudioFile) Members Reviews: Surreal Onion This book earns 5 stars because, like the proverbial onion, it has layers and layers to ponder for months to come. It's a surreal journey, over generations, that make you think about faith, loss, "progress" and extinction. I particularly enjoyed the funny little connections from past to future, the best example being walking backwards. It's not a spoiler, but the practice of walking backwards is just one of the many fairy tale like elements in this book that make you consider that even when you want to resist moving forward, it's inevitable. Rich & Lyrical - with way Too Much Religion. This book is beautifully written. The style is complex, nuanced, musical. It is lovely to listen to. I was enchanted by Tómas and all of Part 1. But then I came to Part II and the religious lecture that went on and on and on. My ability to follow the mystery of the story, and get to know these new characters was completely lost. I found my mind drifting away from the story and onto real life. I rewound and tried again -- three times! Then I hit fast forward hoping to find story again that would captivate and charm me. It never happened. I was halfway into a book and no longer interested. Here is the odd thing. Some of my favorite books are written by John Irving who uses religion throughout. His characters are sometimes zealots, sometimes heathens and always affected by the themes of Christianity. What is the difference? For me, Irving always feels like he uses religion to build character development. He is sometime reverent but usually irreverent. This book felt more like a sermon and left me feeling as though the author had an agenda. So how do I rate it? Two stars -- if I were rating Part 1 I would give it 4, but I could only give Part 2 1 and that would be generous. I came down to an average of 2. Now, as to Mark Bramhall's performance? It was outstanding! I loved his interpretation of the words.

Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground Audiobook by Grant L. Voth

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Grant L. Voth) — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 20:55:54 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground Author: Grant L. Voth Format: Unabridged Length: 31 mins Language: English Release date: 10-01-07 Publisher: The Great Courses Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Unappreciated in its own day, Notes from Underground serves as an excellent introduction to Dostoevsky's later novels. Through his unnamed narrator, the Russian novelist voiced the desire to rebel against the increasingly mass-produced culture of modern life. ©2007 The Great Courses (P)2007 The Great Courses

The God of Small Things Audiobook by Arundhati Roy

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Arundhati Roy) — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 23:16:45 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The God of Small Things Author: Arundhati Roy Narrator: Aysha Kala Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins Language: English Release date: 12-15-16 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 37 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Winner of the 1997 Booker Prize. The richly exotic story of the childhood the twins Esthappen and Rahel craft for themselves amongst India's vats of banana jam and mountains of peppercorns. Here, perhaps, is the greatest Indian novel by a woman. Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things is an astonishingly rich, fertile novel, teeming with life, colour, heart-stopping language, wry comedy and a hint of magical realism. Set against a background of political turbulence in Kerala, Southern India, The God of Small Things tells the story of twins Esthappen and Rahel. Amongst the vats of banana jam and heaps of peppercorns in their grandmother's factory, they try to craft a childhood for themselves amidst what constitutes their family - their lonely, lovely mother; their beloved uncle Chacko (pickle baron, radical Marxist and bottom pincher); and their avowed enemy, Baby Kochamma (ex-nun and incumbent grand-aunt). Critic Reviews: "Richly deserving the rapturous praise it has received on both sides of the Atlantic. The God of Small Things achieves a genuine tragic resonance. It is, indeed, a masterpiece." (Observer) "The God of Small Things genuinely is a masterpiece, utterly exceptional in every way, and there can be little doubt that posterity will place it very near the top of any shortlist of Indian novels published this century." (William Dalyrmple, Harpers and Queen) "The quality of Ms. Roy's narration is so extraordinary - at once so morally strenuous and so imaginatively supple - that the reader remains enthralled all the way through to its agonizing finish...it evokes in the reader a feeling of gratitude and wonderment." (The New York Times) Members Reviews: Beautiful, moving story; Kala is sublime This story had me engrossed from the start, and it was moving, beautifully written, and touches the heart. Though this story took place in India, it could have been set in many other places where there are taboos, social strata, and a class society - which means, almost anywhere. What was unique to India, was of course, the atmosphere, the landscape, the color, often quite dreary, and Roy depicted this beautifully. The narrator, Aysha Kala was just sublime. Her voice is sweet and calming, she handles the delicate and difficult parts with sensitivity and delicacy. She also does a wonderful job of speaking in Indian English when called for, but I would not want to see her typecast for Indian stories (or parts), alone. She is too versatile for that. She did a great job with other accents, her natural accent is lovely, and she did a fairly credible job with an American accent. Id love to hear much more from Kala, and hope that since she is quite young I have a lot to look forward to. Aysha - I hope you read this! Kudos to you! Beautiful listening experience More than a story, this impressionistic word painting captures the unfolding of events and conveys history as lived by the two children and their mother, protagonists. Amazing delivery of imagery and especially of the way that children are affected by grown-ups. Great narration. fantastic narration. loved it. the story made me aware of the racial discrimination we still face within our own countrymen no matter where you live. it is an insight of the small things we do but never admit. Captivating, magical It has been a long wait.

84, Charing Cross Road Audiobook by Helene Hanff

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Helene Hanff) — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 22:09:27 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: 84, Charing Cross Road Author: Helene Hanff Narrator: John Franklyn-Robbins, Barbara Rosenblat Format: Unabridged Length: 1 hr and 55 mins Language: English Release date: 03-06-17 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 70 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: When Helene Hanff makes an innocent inquiry about the possibility of purchasing hard-to-find books through Marks and Co., Booksellers, she begins a 20-year love affair with Frank Doel, the proper English bookseller who answers her letter and sends along her first order in the fall of 1949. They are two very unlikely correspondents: she a cranky Jewish New Yorker who writes TV scripts and lives in a messy apartment on East 95th Street; he a determinedly courteous middle-class Englishman who sends her beautifully bound and often obscure antiquarian books from the shop he manages on Charing Cross Road in London. The letters, written between 1949 and 1969, capture the period and pay tribute to the special kind of reader who treasures a well-worn classic. Members Reviews: Sweet I had put this book off, for reasons unknown. It was on three different suggestion lists for light hearted enjoyable reads. I concur, those are the right lists for this book. The irony is Ive been awake with with pregnant lady insomnia. I have listened to this entire sweet book in one long go and can now go back to sleep with a smile. A True Story About How Books Connect People I am not a regular reader of collections of letters, but I fell under the spell 84 Charring Cross Road almost immediately. This is a beautiful and true story, told through correspondence, of the love of books, and their power to draw readers together. 84 Charring Cross Road revels in the way books can connect people, even across an ocean, and even if those people have never met. I have always loved this story. This audio version does it proud. Thank you for your care and a wonderful performance.

The Greek Myths Audiobook by Robert Graves

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Robert Graves) — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 08:56:40 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Greek Myths Author: Robert Graves Narrator: Matt Bates Format: Unabridged Length: 19 hrs and 55 mins Language: English Release date: 09-10-13 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 58 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Including many of the greatest stories ever told - the labours of Hercules, the voyage of the Argonauts, Theseus and the minotaur, Midas and his golden touch, the Trojan War and Odysseus's journey home - Robert Graves's superb and comprehensive retelling of the Greek myths for a modern audience has been regarded for over fifty years as the definitive version. With a novelist's skill and a poet's eye, Graves draws on the entire canon of ancient literature, bringing together all the elements of every myth into one epic and unforgettable story. Ideal for the first-time reader, it is equally valuable for anyone seeking an authoritative and detailed account of the gods, heroes and extraordinary events that provide the bedrock of Western literature. The result is a classic among classics, a treasure trove of extraordinary tales and a masterful work of literature in its own right. Robert von Ranke Graves (24 July 1895 7 December 1985) was an English poet and novelist, scholar, translator and writer of antiquity, specialising in Classical Greece and Rome. During his long life he produced more than 140 works. Graves's translations and innovative analysis and interpretations of the Greek myths, the memoir of his early life, Good-bye to all That, and his speculative study of poetic inspiration, The White Goddess, have never been out of print. Graves earned his living by writing popular historical novels, including I, Claudius (for which he was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize), King Jesus, The Golden Fleece and Count Belisarius. He was elected Professor of Poetry at Oxford in 1961 and made an honorary fellow of St Johns College, Oxford, in 1971. Members Reviews: A Definitive Collection of Myth (in all variants) When reading greek myths it is important to remember that there were no orthodoxies in the ancient Greek religious system. The worship and stories of Gods and Heroes varied from place to place throughout the Hellenic world. What is so fabulous about Robert Graves is he does not just recount the most excepted version of the myth but rather depicts them all. He also points out if he feels a version of a myth was created or altered by a tragedian or poet. However, Graves collection of the greek myths are not for the beginner; a general working knowledge of the gods, heroes, the timeline and family lineage is a must. I truly recommend this book to any lover of the greeks and their mythology. Unacceptable! Heavily redacted version should be sold as "ABRIDGED"!! This is an abridged and mutilated reading. Nowhere in the description is this indicated. The original work contains Graves' explication of each myth narrative. Graves' sometimes speculative scholarship is what makes this work unique, yet the commentary following each section of the myth narrative has been excised. Unfortunately, to sell this as Robert Graves' The Greek Myths without indicating that it is heavily redacted is fraudulent and a great disservice to a wonderful author. I'm rather steamed about it. A Great Survey of Greek Mythology Listened to with the kids. My kids now think Greeks and heroes are all randy drinkers prone to murder (in all its forms) and incest (Dad, what's incest?), and the gods and demigods are worse. My kids (13 & 11) were mainly interested in the sex, blood, and the strata of godhood (Gods, Demigods, Semidemi, etc).

Solar Bones Audiobook by Mike McCormack

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Mike McCormack) — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 18:02:25 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Solar Bones Author: Mike McCormack Narrator: Tim Gerard Reynolds Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs Language: English Release date: 09-12-17 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 16 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: A vital, tender, death-haunted work by one of Ireland's most important contemporary writers, Solar Bones is a celebration of the unexpected beauty of life and of language and our inescapable nearness to our last end. It is All Souls Day, and the spirit of Marcus Conway sits at his kitchen table and remembers. In flowing, relentless prose, Conway recalls his life in rural Ireland: as a boy and man, father, husband, citizen. His ruminations move from childhood memories of his father's deftness with machines to his own work as a civil engineer, from transformations in the local economy to the tidal wave of global financial collapse. Conway's thoughts go still further, outward to the vast systems of time and history that hold us all. He stares down through the "vortex of his being", surveying all the linked circumstances that combined to bring him into this single moment, and he makes us feel, if only for an instant, all the terror and gratitude that existence inspires. Solar Bones is a masterwork that builds its own style and language one broken line at a time; the result is a visionary accounting of the now. Members Reviews: Life This is a special book which I think may have been a bit hampered by the "gimmick" of being a single sentence. It didn't need the gimmick, it stands on its own. The structure suited the book perfectly, I think the "press" about it just blew it out of proportion. (Though I listened, I also went through some parts in the print version.) It's a beautiful story of a man reflecting on his simple, complex life. Aside from the structure of the novel, there was nothing particularly original about the story - it was just so deftly told. Reading stream of consciousness writing is not my thing at all so I decided to listen to this one on audio. Part of me wishes I'd read it, but I'm not sure I would have made it through. Aside from that, this was a STELLAR audio. It's one of those books that was made for audio and the narrator was absolutely perfect. I finished 36 hours ago and it's still kicking around in my head. As I think about it in relation to the other Booker short listed books (as much as I loved all of them) I do still feel a bit surprised this didn't make the shortlist. A worthy book I never would have read had it not been for the Man Booker. Brilliant performance A brilliant performance. I use audible while reading. This is one of the best audible performances I have listened to. It was especially helpful to my reading of this stylistically masterful novel. A marvelous feast! What a wonderful story and experience. One can't help but marvel at skill and humanity on display here.

We Never Asked for Wings Audiobook by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Vanessa Diffenbaugh) — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 16:35:22 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: We Never Asked for Wings Subtitle: A Novel Author: Vanessa Diffenbaugh Narrator: Emma Bering, Robbie Daymond Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins Language: English Release date: 08-18-15 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 297 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: From the beloved New York Times best-selling author of The Language of Flowers comes her much-anticipated new novel about young love, hard choices, and hope against all odds. For 14 years Letty Espinosa has worked three jobs around San Francisco to make ends meet while her mother raised her children - Alex, now 15, and Luna, six - in their tiny apartment on a forgotten spit of wetlands near the bay. But now Letty's parents are returning to Mexico, and Letty must step up and become a mother for the first time in her life. Navigating this new terrain is challenging for Letty, especially as Luna desperately misses her grandparents, and Alex, who is falling in love with a classmate, is unwilling to give his mother a chance. Letty comes up with a plan to help the family escape the dangerous neighborhood and heartbreaking injustice that have marked their lives, but one wrong move could jeopardize everything she's worked for and her family's fragile hopes for the future. Vanessa Diffenbaugh blends gorgeous prose with compelling themes of motherhood, undocumented immigration, and the American dream in a powerful and prescient story about family. Members Reviews: Good Story -Excellent narration I'm not a big fan of fiction but occasionally something catches my eye and I buy with my fingers crossed. This book did not disappoint. Leddy, a Mexican American girl with a promising future ends up a single mother of two kids-both being raised by her own mother while she works dead end jobs and and fails to launch her own life. Then her parents move back to Mexico and here the story really takes off. The characters were well-developed and real. The story tackles the real life issues facing undocumented immigrants and first generation Americans. The plot is thick with twists and turns and does not have the predictability and implausibility in so much fiction I have read. Narration is done in the woman's voice and her older son which keeps things interesting. a very empowering story This book is very down to earth and makes you feel as though possibilities are available no matted your decisions. I identified with all the characters even when I did not intend to. I felt a sense of humility when listening to this book. This book is well written and carefully thought out . If you feel that you are alone or feel that your failed decisions dictate your future ,after reading this book you will understand opportunity is the result, of those decisions, IF you choose to look at life in a way that differs from self.(you). Worth the time, overall good I LOVED the author's first book. I didn't like this one at first; it felt too negative & depressing. I couldn't identify with Letty, because she kept making so many appalling choices....she wasn't likable to me. No mother needs to be perfect, but as a mother myself, I always have tried to do what was best for my kids. I haven't been perfect because that's not possible, and kids are resilient. But I don't understand any parent whose primary motive isn't the thought of what is best for their kids. But then Letty began to grow as a mother, and did begin to make choices based on what was best for her kids. I liked the second half or so of the book, and look forward to the author's next book.

A Week in Winter Audiobook by Maeve Binchy

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Maeve Binchy) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 22:20:08 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: A Week in Winter Author: Maeve Binchy Narrator: Rosalyn Landor Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins Language: English Release date: 02-12-13 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 961 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Stoneybridge is a small town on the west coast of Ireland where all the families know one another. When Chicky Starr decides to take an old, decaying mansion set high on the cliffs overlooking the windswept Atlantic Ocean and turn it into a restful place for a holiday by the sea, everyone thinks she is crazy. Helped by Rigger (a bad boy turned good who is handy around the house) and Orla, her niece (a whiz at business), Chicky is finally ready to welcome the first guests to Stone Houses big warm kitchen, log fires, and understated elegant bedrooms. John, the American movie star, thinks he has arrived incognito; Winnie and Lillian are forced into taking a holiday together; Nicola and Henry, husband and wife, have been shaken by seeing too much death practicing medicine; Anders hates his fathers business, but has a real talent for music; Miss Nell Howe, a retired schoolteacher, criticizes everything and leaves a day early, much to everyones relief; the Walls are disappointed to have won this second-prize holiday in a contest where first prize was Paris; and Freda, the librarian, is afraid of her own psychic visions. Sharing a week with this unlikely cast of characters is pure joy, full of Maeves trademark warmth and humor. Once again, she embraces us with her grand storytelling. Members Reviews: Didn't want it to end..... I have been a Maeve Binchy fan for over 20 years.Her books transport me to Ireland and I "meet" people that I would love to include in my own life. I have both read and listened to her books, and by far, listening is the best way to enjoy her books. The narration makes the characters come alive. Maeve Binchy passed away last year, so this is her last book. It felt like such a loss when the book ended. I look forward to going back and listening to some of my favorites again. If you have never listened to one of her books before, you are in for a treat. Disappointed! I have been a fan of Maeve Binchy since "Light a Penny Candle" and have read all of her books. This one did not meet the mark. I found it more like a series of vignettes rather than a novel. Too many characters to keep me engaged for any length of time. I enjoyed the narrator and the book had some lighthearted moments but not like any of her other novels. Pleasant listen but doesn't captivate. Good concept for a story, excellent narration. Having said that, the book felt just a little disjointed to me. Story jumped from character to character leading up to all meeting for the opening week at Stone House. Difficult to bond w/characters. I expected a little more in the descriptions of Ireland and felt that area was a little lacking. Don't want to be "negative" as it was a pleasant, easy listen. Warm and fuzzy Back in the day, Maeve Binchy's book, Circle of Friends, was one of my favorites. I'm discovering that these days I prefer something with more action. That said, this book is a charming, heartfelt solid Binchy offering. She definitely knew a thing or two about human nature. more like short stories, but binchy a pleasure! When reading Maeve Binchy's books, it's a question of whether what you have picked up is very good or terrific. This one is on the very good side, but still wonderful. Reads a bit like loosely tied short stories, however once you come to expect this the listening is relaxing and satisfying in the Binchy way. Narration is excellent.

The Sound of Waves Audiobook by Yukio Mishima

bdssaigon.net2@gmail.com (Yukio Mishima) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 01:12:23 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/372/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Sound of Waves Author: Yukio Mishima Narrator: Brian Nishii Format: Unabridged Length: 5 hrs Language: English Release date: 12-22-10 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 49 votes Genres: Fiction, Literary Publisher's Summary: Set in a remote fishing village in Japan, The Sound of Waves is a timeless story of first love. A young fisherman is entranced at the sight of the beautiful daughter of the wealthiest man in the village. They fall in love, but must then endure the calumny and gossip of the villagers. Critic Reviews: "A story that is both happy and a work of art...Altogether a joyous and lovely thing. (The New York Times) "Of such classic design its action might take place at any point across a thousand years." (San Francisco Chronicle) "Mishima is like Stendhal in his precise psychological analyses, like Dostoevsky in his explorations of darkly destructive personalities." (Christian Science Monitor) Members Reviews: Remote Japanese island beautifully depicted Central Japan's tiny little island is where this story takes place. This is a classical love story in Japanese sense - with characters bound by constraints of a traditional society. A shy boy and a shy guy who both have hard times expressing their feelings toward each other. Some readers might be put off by the underlying male dominant premise of the island community where women have to unite to influence the decision of a powerful male elder of the island, the decision that has a vital bearing on the destiny of the love between two protagonists Shinji and Hatsue. I actually visited the island which Mishima used as the model for Utajima island in the novel. Mishima stayed on this island called Kamishima while he was writing this novel. Listening to this story, I can picture the island's lay of the land. I'm fully aware that nostalgia and familiarity skew my evaluation of this work. I'm not surprised if others give lower ratings to this as The Sound of Waves doesn't have usual mystical and somewhat eerie air more typical of Mishima's other works. Simple, straightforward love story with not so many twists and turns along the way where (spoiler alert) Shinji and Hatsue in the end see their happy ending. For me, the beauty of the depiction of the place is more than enough to draw me deeply into this story every time I re-listen. I'm also quite fond of it's sunny, optimistic undertone. Really Liked It I liked everything. I wish the narrator would pronounce the Japanese words will less of an accent but they still did a good job and I would listen to it again. A simplistic masterpiece! This was a very unique novel. I loved the Romeo and Juliet aspect of it and the relationships were ever-changing and relatable. A Lyrical Tale of first love in the Japanese tradition. A wonderful introduction to classic Asian love stories. Had my suspicions when the theme was romance Have you listened to any of Brian Nishiis other performances before? How does this one compare? Listened to Temple of the Golden Pavillion (also Mishima) right before. He's a bit stiff, but I love that he actually pronounces the Japanese names correctly. There are several other books I have refrained from downloading because of the awful americanized pronounciations. That said, I guess I could see how some people not familiar with Japanese would find this annoying because it does stick out a bit in the text and feels as there's a slight emphasis everytime someone's name is read.