New Reviews: Classics

Stefan Rudnicki splendidly narrates this collection by the Russian author Pushkin, who is best known for his sublime poetry. Indeed, in Russia, he is more than a bit of a cult figure. His fiction is not as well known, but this collection of some of his best stories is an excellent introduction. Consisting of selections from his TALES OF BELKIN, his novella THE QUEEN OF SPACES,... Read More

Adam Sims offers a solid narration of this classic novel, in which an American makes his way through the social complexities of Paris. The title character, Christopher Newman, has survived the American Civil War and made his own fortune; now all that remains is to experience the wider world and to find a suitable wife. Will his encounters in Paris provide him opportunities for... Read More

David Sadzin's performance of this classic 1912 novel is evocative, even poetic. He creates a serious and persuasive portrayal of its tortured protagonist. Telling the unnamed man's story in the first person, he re-creates the character's intimate and intelligent tone and catches the cadence of his self-conscious yet assured voice. The listener follows the trajectory of the... Read More

Richard Armitage powerfully delivers these stories through which listeners will see, hear, and feel pre-Soviet Russia and its people. Armitage excels in "Ward 6," as Ivan Gromov, a mental patient, turns his fury on Dr. Andrey Ragin, who blithely says everything and everyone is the same--it's one's perception that differs. This story represents Russia's elite. The conclusion is... Read More

Actor and beloved BBC Radio broadcaster Mark Meadows takes on the mighty task of narrating one of the lengthiest and densest explorations of the Christian faith. This epic work of Saint Augustine discusses the false worship of idols and the influence of demons and angels, and waxes poetic about the nature of God and how humans will all experience the same fate, Roman or... Read More

In Samira Wiley's mesmerizing performance, Alice Walker's extraordinary novel glows with warmth, love, and tenacity. Wiley's skills as a narrator are well matched to Walker's vivid imagery, complex characters, and profound storytelling. An impassioned delivery and immersive characterizations illuminate the pain and determination in sisters Celie and Nettie. As their stories are... Read More

Narrator Derek Perkins keeps listeners enthralled throughout the 35-plus hours of DAVID COPPERFIELD's mysteries, emotional upheavals, and delightful resolutions while simultaneously conjuring visual images of Dickens's memorable characters. Perkins wonderfully delivers the long, convoluted monologues of the writhing, oily Uriah Heep (you'll want a shower after hearing his... Read More

Nicholas Boulton's narration of this wonderfully entertaining audiobook is simply astonishing. He keeps listeners on track though its shifts in time period and plot. As a work of "sensation fiction," this story of Rosamond Treverton Franklin's discovery of her late mother's secret was intended to excite and amuse its nineteenth-century audience, although the suspense is tame by... Read More

There's amazement in Edoardo Ballerini's voice as he narrates this novel written by Wells in 1924. Its protagonist, Sarnac, who lives in a utopian future, shares details of the strange dream he has with companions he is traveling with. As he sleeps, Sarnac lives the entire life of another person, Harry Mortimer Smith, in the Edwardian and Victorian periods. In it Smith finds... Read More

Strachey's relatively brief lives of four prominent Victorian personalities set a new tone and standard for biography: witty, honest, and not always full of praise. Jonathan Keeble's narration captures the wit, irreverence, and drama, as well as the poetry and stylishness of Strachey's prose. Even though Cardinal Manning and Dr. Arnold are mostly forgotten now (the other two... Read More

Maggi-Meg Reed's versatile narration envelopes listeners in this classic story about the first year of a marriage in the early twentieth century. The narrative begins when Annie leaves Brooklyn to marry Carl and settle in the Midwest, where Carl is attending law school. Annie is an enormously appealing character, made even more so by Reed's evocative performance. Her curiosity,... Read More

Some of the words in this classic of early modern English will be unfamiliar, but Bill Homewood's deep, resonant voice carries the stories of King Arthur and his knights. He doesn't create distinctive voices for all the many knights and damsels, but the author did little to make them more than types. Arthur, Guenever, Launcelot, and a few others are closer to being characters... Read More

Any fiction fan should listen to at least one Victorian novel every year. More the better if the primary narrator is the talented Nicholas Boulton, whose ability to mimic the elite and humble, and capture their cadence and tone is unrivaled. His subtle inflections shape this long but satisfying performance. The stalwart cast transports listeners to 1840s London and the... Read More

For those who have never read Katherine Anne Porter, and those who haven't read her in 50 years, this audiobook of three of her finest stories is an opportunity long missed. Until now, her only fiction on audio has been SHIP OF FOOLS, her big book of the 1960s, which overshadowed her earlier, far better, short fiction. Chelsea Stephens gives this matchless storyteller full due... Read More

Best known for the novel MADAME BOVARY, Flaubert re-examines French society with SENTIMENTAL EDUCATION," here featuring Andrew Wincott's solid narration. Wincott offers commitment and verve as he embraces the broad cast of characters and lengthy exposition. Protagonist Frederic navigates societal complexities and explores the nuances of romance against the backdrop of... Read More

This collection celebrates the lives and works of some of history's most influential female authors. Narrators Jude Mason, Chloe Dolandis, and Tyra Kennedy expertly voice a wide range of poetry and prose. Included in the collection are intimate portraits of the women themselves, with personal stories about who they were, when they wrote, and why. The content is compelling, and... Read More

Simon Bubb's whimsical narration ideally sets the stage for three of Lewis Carroll's classic works. The collection includes ALICE IN WONDERLAND, ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, and A TANGLED TALE, an interesting collection of short stories centered on mathematical problems. Bubb lends a range of vocal characterizations to the many eccentric characters of Carroll's creation.... Read More