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The Fool Who Thought Too Much

Written by: Ishmael Reed
Narrated by: Adam Lazarre-White
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Publisher's Summary

It’s tough to be a buffoon when the Age of Reason is trying to downsize your job. When the King’s Fool dies unexpectedly, a professional buffoon tries to move up the ranks and grab the top slot. But the politics involved in becoming a court jester are no laughing matter. The rules of becoming the top fool are simple: The winner is the one who performs the most outrageous act. Our buffoon and his fellows struggle for supremacy in a profession that is heading for extinction. 

Ishmael Reed is a playwright, poet, and author of such groundbreaking novels as Mumbo Jumbo and Reckless Eyeballing as well as the best-selling Audible Original Malcolm and Me. Now the acclaimed writer returns to the form that introduced him to reading when he was a child: fairy tales. 

©2020 Ishmael Reed (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC.

What listeners say about The Fool Who Thought Too Much

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  • Severen Henderson
  • 2020-11-06

A great listening experience!

I wasn't expecting much, but I received a ton! This story was so good and related to the world that we live in now. Everyone is in a race to be the fool. But what happens when the fool wins the race. I wish I could buy this book for everyone, and for those who check it out, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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19 people found this helpful

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  • Nico
  • 2020-11-08

Solidly entertaining short story

Recommended for someone wanting an off-beat, quirky snapshot of the enlightment from the eyes of a jester.
Narration was a tad slow for my liking, no deal breaker. Aside from that the narrators performance was good.

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10 people found this helpful

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  • Brian Cannon
  • 2020-11-08

generally slow, unsatisfying ending

the book has its moments, with a history of jesters and an indictment of some hypocrisy in the enlightenment, but generally slow, with an unsatisfying ending

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9 people found this helpful

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  • Elaine
  • 2020-11-10

Fun & insightful!

A child would take this book is just a silly fun story. But anyone with any awareness of the current political climate here in the US will find this insightful, charming, and funny.

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6 people found this helpful

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  • BottomLine
  • 2020-11-07

Ouch!!!

A fantasy; whose...? I say the past, present, and future of breathing while dead. I loved this book; and couldn’t stop laughing. Then I did stop. Then I laughed again. I pray (religion?) this book was a comedy. Perhaps, I am...

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5 people found this helpful

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  • Keweenaw
  • 2020-11-23

Reader lacks nuance...book loses any humor

The story seems interestiing... but it was so hard to tell with the reader. His performance was so measured and plodding in pace that any nuance or humor was lost.

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3 people found this helpful

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  • Melissa
  • 2020-11-10

I wanted to like it

I began this and liked the velvety sound of the narrators voice but it lost me. I get what it's going for, but I just don't want to listen to this any longer. There's enough of this in every day life.

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2020-11-11

Very good story

This story was short, and sweet, but very entertaining. Definitely an interesting development. The narrator was pretty great too.

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2 people found this helpful

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  • REEDA!
  • 2021-05-30

Great way to start the day

I listened straight through. Very entertaining and stimulating for wordsmiths like me. Also liked the historical parallels.

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1 person found this helpful

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  • Mrs Wanda LIPSKI
  • 2020-11-28

forget entertainment ...

be prepared for 1 hour whatever of politically correct brainwashing. you could certainly tell that this long short story was written in 2020

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1 person found this helpful