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To Kill a Mockingbird
- Narrated by: Sissy Spacek
- Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
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Go Set a Watchman
- A Novel
- Written by: Harper Lee
- Narrated by: Reese Witherspoon
- Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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An historic literary event: the publication of a newly discovered novel, the earliest known work from Harper Lee, the beloved, best-selling author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic To Kill a Mockingbird. Originally written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman was the novel Harper Lee first submitted to her publishers before To Kill a Mockingbird. Assumed to have been lost, the manuscript was discovered in late 2014.
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Do NOT Judge Watchman to Mockingbird
- By Books by BJ Thompson ~ Weaving Words on Either Side of Cocktail Hour on 2019-04-29
Written by: Harper Lee
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Of Mice and Men
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- Narrated by: Gary Sinise
- Length: 3 hrs and 11 mins
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Celebrating its 75th anniversary, John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men remains one of America's most widely read and beloved novels. Here is Steinbeck’s dramatic adaptation of his novel-as-play, which received the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play in 1937-1938 and has featured a number of actors who have played the iconic roles of George and Lennie on stage and film, including James Earl Jones, John Malkovich and Gary Sinise.
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Great listen, but intro/outro music needs to go
- By Amazon Customer on 2019-04-02
Written by: John Steinbeck
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Lord of the Flies
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- Narrated by: Martin Jarvis
- Length: 6 hrs and 59 mins
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A plane crashes on a desert island and the only survivors, a group of schoolboys, assemble on the beach and wait to be rescued. By day they inhabit a land of bright fantastic birds and dark blue seas, but at night their dreams are haunted by the image of a terrifying beast. As the boys’ delicate sense of order fades, so their childish dreams are transformed into something more primitive and their behaviour starts to take on a murderous, savage significance.
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Enjoyed listening to this classic
- By Thomas Armstrong on 2021-03-11
Written by: William Golding
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The Great Gatsby
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- Narrated by: Jake Gyllenhaal
- Length: 4 hrs and 49 mins
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F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic American novel of the Roaring Twenties is beloved by generations of readers and stands as his crowning work. This new audio edition, authorized by the Fitzgerald estate, is narrated by Oscar-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal ( Brokeback Mountain). Gyllenhaal's performance is a faithful delivery in the voice of Nick Carraway, the Midwesterner turned New York bond salesman, who rents a small house next door to the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby. There, he has a firsthand view of Gatsby’s lavish West Egg parties - and of his undying love....
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Great performance
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Written by: F. Scott Fitzgerald
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The Grapes of Wrath
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Shocking and controversial when it was first published in 1939, Steinbeck's Pulitzer prize-winning epic The Grapes of Wrath remains his undisputed masterpiece. Set against the background of Dust Bowl Oklahoma and Californian migrant life, it tells of Tom Joad and his family, who, like thousands of others, are forced to travel west in search of the promised land. Their story is one of false hopes, thwarted desires, and broken dreams, yet out of their suffering Steinbeck created a drama that is intensely human, yet majestic in its scale and moral vision.
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The harmonica was a bit much!
- By Amazon Customer on 2020-06-13
Written by: John Steinbeck, and others
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Catch-22
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- Narrated by: Jay O. Sanders
- Length: 19 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Set in Italy during World War II, this is the story of the incomparable, malingering bombardier Yossarian, a hero who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. But his real problem is not the enemy - it is his own army, which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. Yet if Yossarian makes any attempt to excuse himself from the perilous missions he's assigned, he'll be in violation of Catch-22.
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Great book, tough as audiobook
- By Andrew S on 2018-02-15
Written by: Joseph Heller
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Go Set a Watchman
- A Novel
- Written by: Harper Lee
- Narrated by: Reese Witherspoon
- Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
An historic literary event: the publication of a newly discovered novel, the earliest known work from Harper Lee, the beloved, best-selling author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic To Kill a Mockingbird. Originally written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman was the novel Harper Lee first submitted to her publishers before To Kill a Mockingbird. Assumed to have been lost, the manuscript was discovered in late 2014.
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Do NOT Judge Watchman to Mockingbird
- By Books by BJ Thompson ~ Weaving Words on Either Side of Cocktail Hour on 2019-04-29
Written by: Harper Lee
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Of Mice and Men
- Written by: John Steinbeck
- Narrated by: Gary Sinise
- Length: 3 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Celebrating its 75th anniversary, John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men remains one of America's most widely read and beloved novels. Here is Steinbeck’s dramatic adaptation of his novel-as-play, which received the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play in 1937-1938 and has featured a number of actors who have played the iconic roles of George and Lennie on stage and film, including James Earl Jones, John Malkovich and Gary Sinise.
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Great listen, but intro/outro music needs to go
- By Amazon Customer on 2019-04-02
Written by: John Steinbeck
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Lord of the Flies
- Written by: William Golding
- Narrated by: Martin Jarvis
- Length: 6 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
A plane crashes on a desert island and the only survivors, a group of schoolboys, assemble on the beach and wait to be rescued. By day they inhabit a land of bright fantastic birds and dark blue seas, but at night their dreams are haunted by the image of a terrifying beast. As the boys’ delicate sense of order fades, so their childish dreams are transformed into something more primitive and their behaviour starts to take on a murderous, savage significance.
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Enjoyed listening to this classic
- By Thomas Armstrong on 2021-03-11
Written by: William Golding
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The Great Gatsby
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- Narrated by: Jake Gyllenhaal
- Length: 4 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic American novel of the Roaring Twenties is beloved by generations of readers and stands as his crowning work. This new audio edition, authorized by the Fitzgerald estate, is narrated by Oscar-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal ( Brokeback Mountain). Gyllenhaal's performance is a faithful delivery in the voice of Nick Carraway, the Midwesterner turned New York bond salesman, who rents a small house next door to the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby. There, he has a firsthand view of Gatsby’s lavish West Egg parties - and of his undying love....
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Great performance
- By Nika on 2018-01-31
Written by: F. Scott Fitzgerald
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The Grapes of Wrath
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- Narrated by: Dylan Baker
- Length: 21 hrs and 1 min
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Overall
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Performance
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Shocking and controversial when it was first published in 1939, Steinbeck's Pulitzer prize-winning epic The Grapes of Wrath remains his undisputed masterpiece. Set against the background of Dust Bowl Oklahoma and Californian migrant life, it tells of Tom Joad and his family, who, like thousands of others, are forced to travel west in search of the promised land. Their story is one of false hopes, thwarted desires, and broken dreams, yet out of their suffering Steinbeck created a drama that is intensely human, yet majestic in its scale and moral vision.
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The harmonica was a bit much!
- By Amazon Customer on 2020-06-13
Written by: John Steinbeck, and others
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Catch-22
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Overall
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Set in Italy during World War II, this is the story of the incomparable, malingering bombardier Yossarian, a hero who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. But his real problem is not the enemy - it is his own army, which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. Yet if Yossarian makes any attempt to excuse himself from the perilous missions he's assigned, he'll be in violation of Catch-22.
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Great book, tough as audiobook
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Written by: Joseph Heller
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Animal Farm
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Animal Farm is an allegorical novella by George Orwell, first published in the UK in 1945. It is the tale of farm animals that rebel against the farmer, intending to establish a society where the animals can be equal, free, and happy. With stirring slogans, they set out to create utopia. However, the rebellion is betrayed and the farm ends up in a state worse than it was before, under the dictatorship of a pig named Napoleon. This is the setting for one of the most revealing satiric fables of all time.
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wonderful!
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Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
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Discovered in the attic in which she spent the last years of her life, Anne Frank’s remarkable diary has since become a world classic - a powerful reminder of the horrors of war and an eloquent testament to the human spirit. In 1942, with Nazis occupying Holland, a 13-year-old Jewish girl and her family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding. For the next two years, until their whereabouts were betrayed to the Gestapo, they and another family lived cloistered in the “Secret Annex” of an old office building.
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An important and beautiful story
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Fahrenheit 451
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Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television "family."
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A dystopian tale relevant today
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The Book Thief
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It's just a small story really, about, among other things, a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak's groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can't resist: books.
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The Book Thief Stole My Heart
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The Outsiders
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Ponyboy can count on his brothers. And on his friends. But not on much else besides trouble with the Socs, a vicious gang of rich kids whose idea of a good time is beating up "greasers" like Ponyboy. At least he knows what to expect, until the night someone takes things too far.
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Excellent Narration
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One Hundred Years of Solitude
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One of the 20th century's enduring works, One Hundred Years of Solitude is a widely beloved and acclaimed novel known throughout the world and the ultimate achievement in a Nobel Prize-winning career. The novel tells the story of the rise and fall of the mythical town of Macondo through the history of the Buendía family. Rich and brilliant, it is a chronicle of life, death, and the tragicomedy of humankind. In the beautiful, ridiculous, and tawdry story of the Buendía family, one sees all of humanity, just as in the history, myths, growth, and decay of Macondo, one sees all of Latin America.
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waste of time
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The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger - Summary & Analysis
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The Catcher in the Rye is a 1951 novel by J. D. Salinger. A controversial novel originally published for adults, it has since become popular with adolescents for its themes of teenage angst and alienation. It has been translated into almost all of the world's major languages. Around one million copies are sold each year with total sales of more than 65 million books. The novel's protagonist Holden Caulfield has become an icon for teenage rebellion. The novel also deals with complex issues of innocence, identity, belonging, loss, and connection.
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i wanted the story, not a review.
- By memelarooo on 2020-07-15
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The Old Man and the Sea
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The Old Man and the Sea is one of Hemingway's most enduring works. Told in language of great simplicity and power, it is the story of an old Cuban fisherman, down on his luck, and his supreme ordeal, a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream. Here Hemingway recasts, in strikingly contemporary style, the classic theme of courage in the face of defeat, of personal triumph won from loss.
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Well read.
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Written by: Ernest Hemingway
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The Bell Jar
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Read by the critically acclaimed actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. When Esther Greenwood wins an internship at a New York fashion magazine in 1953, she is elated, believing she will finally realise her dream to become a writer. But in between the cocktail parties and piles of manuscripts, Esther's life begins to slide out of control. She finds herself spiralling into depression and eventually a suicide attempt as she grapples with difficult relationships and a society which refuses to take women's aspirations seriously.
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The Bell Jar
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The Kite Runner
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Why we think it’s a great listen: Never before has an author’s narration of his fiction been so important to fully grasping the book’s impact and global implications. Taking us from Afghanistan in the final days of its monarchy to the present, The Kite Runner is the unforgettable story of the friendship between two boys growing up in Kabul. Their intertwined lives, and their fates, reflect the eventual tragedy of the world around them.
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Engaging, though at times Confusing and Expository
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One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
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Boisterous, ribald, and ultimately shattering, Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest has left an indelible mark on the literature of our time. Turning conventional notions of sanity and insanity on their heads, the novel tells the unforgettable story of a mental ward and its inhabitants, especially tyrannical Big Nurse Ratched and Randle Patrick McMurphy, the brawling, fun-loving new inmate who resolves to oppose her.
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fantastic
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East of Eden
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This sprawling and often brutal novel, set in the rich farmlands of California's Salinas Valley, follows the intertwined destinies of two families - the Trasks and the Hamiltons - whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel.
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Worthy of its reputation
- By M on 2019-01-16
Written by: John Steinbeck
Publisher's Summary
Harper Lee’s Pulitzer prize-winning masterwork of honor and injustice in the deep south - and the heroism of one man in the face of blind and violent hatred, available now for the first time as a digital audiobook.
One of the best-loved stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has been translated into more than 40 languages, sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, served as the basis for an enormously popular motion picture, and was voted one of the best novels of the 20th century by librarians across the country. A gripping, heart-wrenching, and wholly remarkable tale of coming-of-age in a South poisoned by virulent prejudice, it views a world of great beauty and savage inequities through the eyes of a young girl, as her father - a crusading local lawyer - risks everything to defend a black man unjustly accused of a terrible crime.
What the critics say
"It's good to be reminded of the power wielded by this classic of American literature. As the introductory music fades and Sissy Spacek begins her narration, we immediately enter the small town in the Deep South where all the timeless issues of kindness and cruelty, inclusion and prejudice are played out in a story told by a little girl named Scout. Instead of offering a range of accents, Spacek reads the story entirely in her own, or Scout's, voice. The choice works, for the book is written from Scout’s point of view, and Spacek has just the right level of Southern accent for easy listening. This is an unforgettable story well told. 2007 Audies Award Winner." (AudioFile magazine)
"Atticus Finch is a timeless American hero who has been played by the likes of Gregory Peck in film and Jeff Daniels on the stage. But in Sissy Spacek’s narration of To Kill a Mockingbird, it’s Harper Lee’s narrator, Scout, who becomes the listener’s moral guiding light and closest confidante. You forget you’re listening to the voice of an adult, so wholly do Spacek’s Southern rhythms embody the young tomboy as she witnesses the racial injustices of the Depression-era South unfold before her." (The New York Times Book Review)
Editorial Review
To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic American novel for a reason. Powerful, moving, poignant, and still relevant today, Harper Lee’s remarkable story of justice and the trial of a small Southern town in Mississippi resonates even now with listeners old and young. At once, a coming-of-age tale and a story of resilience, To Kill a Mockingbird highlights a point of view of the Black community and the prejudices and assumptions so readily made during the civil rights movement. It is a triumph not only of African American fiction but a universally important tale of humanity and man’s fragility.
The story tells the tale of young Scout Finch’s perception of the world, but also her lawyer father (and white man) Atticus Finch, and in turn Tom Robinson, the Black man accused of raping a white woman, he so fiercely wishes to defend. These multiple viewpoints between the finch family and members of the black community offer a complex perspective on injustices, prejudices, and the systemic racism and classism ingrained in so much of American culture brought to life in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama. Each character - from Dill Harris to Boo Radley, Judge Taylor, Bob Ewell, Miss Maudie, Calpurnia and Jem - is a part of the larger puzzle that paints a picture of violence, hatred, and heroism.
Sissy Spacek narrates this well-known story, bringing a raw and vulnerable tone to the often heard words. She adds all the nuances and changes in tone, emotion and feeling needed to deliver an iconic story. Spacek shines and offers an entirely engrossing listen to audiences. You will be swept up in the story, whether this is your first time hearing it or you are a long-time lover of the Academy Award and Pulitzer prize-winning classic. You may also enjoy Go Set a Watchman, which features many of the same main characters.
Featured Article: Outstanding Female Authors Everyone Ought to Listen to
Throughout history, women have crafted some of the most incredible and beloved stories in the world. From rising stars to household names, female authors have contributed some of the best works of all time for our listening pleasure. At times, especially in societies where gender roles and expectations were rigidly defined, women would write under pen names to avoid the fact that a woman was behind the work. Discover the best female authors.
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What listeners say about To Kill a Mockingbird
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Sally
- 2019-01-14
wonderful
this is my second time finishing this book. It is beautifully read by Sissy Spacek, and the story is mesmerizing. I highly recommend book 2, Go Set a Watchman, which takes place 20 years later.
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3 people found this helpful
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- isaac maw
- 2018-07-04
Sissy Spacek rules
a review requires at least 15 words. All I wanted to say is in the title.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Leslie
- 2023-02-23
Absolutely Amazing
I read this book 30 years ago. I loved it then and I now remember why.
Sissy Spacek gave this book warmth and depth.
I will be listening to this again.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 2020-07-13
Wonderful book. Everyone should read this.
Wasn't really interested in book until a few years ago. it is a wonderful book. Great story line, I would recommend this book for everyone to read.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Wendy McLaughlin
- 2020-05-09
Highly recommended!
Outstanding story and amazing narration! Fully deserving of its status as a classic. I will definitely listen to this book again.
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1 person found this helpful
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- RAS
- 2019-11-04
Spacek performs this classic beautifully
I had not read this since grade school. Glad I decided to pick it up in audio. A great, timeless classic. Maybe not PC enough to be on the reading list for grade schools now, but relevant for the times. Spacek's performance was captivating.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Kc
- 2019-11-03
A classic
I remember reading this in high school and not enjoying it because I was forced to read it. So I decided now to listen to it and Sissy Spacek reading was phenomenal. I have to admit I was very shocked every time she used words that were probably more excepted in the 60s than they are now. I’m not saying to change the words because that is the way the book was written, but I winced and cringed hearing those words.
I absolutely loved the story.
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1 person found this helpful
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- David Preston
- 2019-09-26
A classic through and through
To kill a Mockingbird is an absolute classic in every sense. Many of us grew up reading this book in school, doing essays, and enjoying the original classic with Gregory Peck. The audio book brought me right back to those times with a well paced reading. Sissy Spacek does an incredible job adding a little southern twang without going head over heals. I could not stop listening to this book and ended up finishing it in a couple sittings. I highly recommend re-watching the original movie after you finish the audio book to top it all off.
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- ckpete
- 2018-09-24
awesome story!
I loved this book!! so many good messages in it!!I highly recommend it to everyone.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 2018-09-13
Excellent Listen
Fantastic book only made more enjoyable with the narration by Sissy Spacek. I would recommend as a must listen. #Audible1
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- David Shear
- 2014-07-09
A gift to be treasured
The perfect book and the perfect narrator come together here to create an American treasure. I don't have the vocabulary to speak highly enough of how special this book is on Audible.
Sissy Spacek's narration of this story is genius. She goes beyond even the great narrators like Patton, Hill, and Hurt. Her performance is not just technically perfect, it's illuminating. She's so smooth between characters. I can't even detect how she changes her voice and tone between Jim and Scout, but she does, just ever so slightly. It's hard to explain how amazing it is. I can see the dirt road, I can smell the dirty kid next to Scout in her class, I can feel the summer breeze on the back porch where they sleep. Yes, it's Harper Lee that creates that amazing imagery, but Spacek makes it an intimate experience that I felt honored to be a part of.
The book and story of course are above being "reviewed." It's a beautifully crafted story where every word is so intentional. The writing is dense with meaning while flowing perfectly.
It's a shame that Harper Lee only had one book published. Or maybe Mockingbird is such a gift that maybe it needs to stand alone.
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162 people found this helpful
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- Mel
- 2014-07-13
Leaves me breathless each time
How many books have you lived in; walked the streets waving to old ladies on their front porches, smelled pound cakes cooling on window ledges, knew which houses to give a wide berth when passing by, and missed when you left? Like Twain's enduring fictional classic Huckleberry Finn, To Kill a Mockingbird is a story so well told, so perfect, that you stroll through it and dwell for a while, coming away from it different for having been there. For many of us we visited Harper Lee's Maycomb to get our HS diploma, and it seems a natural progression to go back. I wonder if we miss those characters, or the healing balm of hearing a precocious little girl's voice cry out, "Hey, Mr. Cunningham. I'm Jean Louise Finch...I go to school with Walter; he's your boy aint he?"
As she shows so many times in her one and only novel, Harper Lee is a born story teller. The back stories of the characters are immense, yet told with an economy of words that contain volumes. You experience this especially your second time through...Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose, what have you suffered to become so mean; what has Mr. Dolphus Raymond learned about people that keeps him content to have townsfolk believe that's a bottle of whiskey, instead of a regular ol' Coca Cola, in that little brown sack; how has Link Deas kept his humanity; does every town spit out a Bob Ewell; and what is Miss Maudie's pound cake recipe? -- there's a not an insignificant character or event in this book. It is a treasure trove of stories and lessons. I'd love a couple hours of Calpurnia talking about the day old Tim Johnson, Judge Taylor's dog, came shuffling down the road, rabid and threatening, sending the neighborhood into their homes, barring their windows... But Lee left us with just this one brilliant book.
To Kill A Mockingbird was published July 11, 1960 and has never gone out of print. When contemplating whether to review this (what I think is THE perfect novel), I had to wonder "is there really anything that hasn't already been said?" In this case, *Sissy Spacek*; no matter how many times you have read this novel, or even listened, Spacek, with her sweet drawl, IS Scout, speaking back through the years, recounting her story. She is the perfect choice for a perfect novel.
Though it is cliché to say it, this beautiful novel feeds your spirit. The easy wisdom reminds us of the importance of having understanding and love for others, demonstrated without guile or pretense by the innocence of children. The moral integrity and gentle strength of Atticus brings tears to my eyes (and has inspired the line *What would Atticus do?*) just thinking that we as human beings have the capability of such grace. Quotes from this superb novel fill notebooks I keep, but it is always two words, repeated half a dozen time by Jem, when his father orders him to take Scout and flee the angry mob at the jail, that choke me up. They contain all that there is of love, courage, and strength...even a young boy's faith in mankind, "No, Sir." They get me every time.
*[Addressing the frequent use of the *N* word; quoted from Banned Books Awareness;
A worldwide literacy project to celebrate the freedom to read.: "The American Library Association reports that To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most challenged classics of all time because of the racial slurs and discussion of rape and incest, and still ranks at number 21 of the 100 most frequently challenged books." "In 1968 the National Education Association placed the novel second on a list of titles receiving the most complaints from private organizations. The top spot belonged to Little Black Sambo."]
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- mollyc
- 2014-07-08
Sissy Spacek knockes it out of the park.
Would you listen to To Kill a Mockingbird again? Why?
I first listened to this recording more than 10 years ago on a road trip with my family. It is one of the best-read audiobooks I've ever had the pleasure of listening to, and I am so excited my pre-order finally came in so I can relive that experience.
What does Sissy Spacek bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
She captures Scout completely - sometimes it's difficult for me to "get inside" younger protagonists's heads and Sissy Spacek makes that a non-issue.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
For me, the most moving moment in this book has always been when the entire black community stands up when Atticus passes under them in the courtroom.
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- Jan
- 2014-07-09
Don't hesitate for a even second... !!!
I have search for this book on Audible regularly, hoping it would eventually appear - oh my goodness, it was well worth the wait! The book is the much beloved, Pulitzer Prize winning classic we all met in school.
The only question left is "how is the narration?"
The answer: Sissy Spacek does as good as I have heard or better!
Wish I could give this book a 10 star rating.
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- Fletch
- 2014-08-02
It's all about timing and time
Listening to "To Kill a Mockingbird" in 2014, what strikes me are the three eras. Here we have a very personal book written 54 years ago about a time 30 years in the past of the author. I constantly kept thinking about 1960 and 1930 and whether the same story would be told the same way by a modern version of Harper Lee.
Lee wrote fondly but with the judgement of an adult about a white child growing up in the south in the 1930's. It's clear that the civil rights movement, though yet to really get started in 1960, was building to a boil at the time she wrote her one and only novel.
Lee tried to subtly apply her beliefs to the book and slowly separate the bigotry of the past (and her present) from the enlightenment that is even now slowly coming to our culture. Her writing is not unlike the true authors of the New Testament Gospels writing about the past decades later but writing for their time and for their audience. Lee's writing is with purpose but also knowing that if you beat the reader over the head with your message, you will lose them every time. No, you have to wrap the medicine in sweet candy and let the reader enjoy the sweet and endure the bitter.
It IS a sweet book and Atticus Finch is the kind of man we can all aspire to be. It's an important book that reminds us that there are good people and bad people everywhere and in every time. It's a great book that tells us that even though we are in many ways products of the culture we live in, right is right and wrong is wrong and we just can't let injustice stand simply because it's "acceptable" to our current society. It's an enjoyable book that takes us back to the innocence of childhood and portrays a very special set of relationships and how they appear to an 8 year old girl.
Beyond the book itself, there is also Sissy Spacek. I was concerned that her reading would not live up to the material, but I was wrong. I came to the book after watching and loving the movie. I worried that the voice of Scout I had heard from Kim Stanley (Scout as an adult) and Mary Badham (Scout as a child) in the movie would not be "right" coming from Ms. Spacek. However, all of her voices match perfectly. This is one time where the book and the movie are not in competition. The movie is as good as the book and just helps you see better than your imagination what Macom looked and felt like. Not to plug the movie here, but Lee and Horton Foote did a masterful job of taking this book and faithfully transferring it to the screen. No, not every detail from the book is in the movie, but it's still a complete telling of the story and was deserving of all of it's accolades, too.
This is not a riveting mystery or a great biography. This book is a timeless yet timely book so well crafted and with a clear message.
You need to listen to this book. Whether you are a baby boomer like me, a gen-Xer, or a millenial, it's a great experience that will stay with you.
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- B.J.
- 2014-08-04
...not a rattle left in any sentence.
Like many others, I've read this book a number of times and have always appreciated it as very fine work. Hearing it - rather than reading it - is a completely different experience. Simply said, I fell in love with it.
In a novel, James Lee Burke writes about his fictional daughter Alafair editing her own work until there isn't a "rattle left in any sentence." That's a perfect description for Harper Lee's writing. Even though I've read it before, I really missed just how perfectly this prose has been crafted. It's so tight. When I slowed down and listened, it became apparent. On that level alone, it's brilliant.
The issues of race, respect and otherness it raises are just as relevant today as they were in 1960 when it was written and in 1935 where it was set. The characters have a timeless appeal. I have a greater appreciation of the balance between observations by a child and interpretation of those events by a grown woman looking back. For some reason, this too became clearer listening to the book rather than reading it.
Sissy Spacek does a terrific job with the material. Her narration isn't spectacular in a Will Patton or George Guidall kind of way. Rather, it's understated. She never gets in the way of the story. She's perfect as the older, wiser Scout looking back. I loved listening to her and the subtle way she reads the book and gives voice to its characters. Perhaps another narrator would have given the book a showier treatment. Spacek gives it authenticity.
There are only three other authors who leave me so awed with their talent: Wallace Stegner, Eudora Welty and Willa Cather. Their books are a pleasure to experience again and again. This is no exception. It doesn't matter how many times you've read this book. Listening to it is a new experience and well worth a credit.
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- Kindle Customer
- 2023-03-07
A favorite book
Had never read this book before so when my 12 year old brought it home, I decided to listen to it. The story is authentic and the details immense and riveting. I highly recommend this book in hardback, audio or on a kindle. Also extra credits site audibledeals,com I had not read this book since the 1960s and had forgotten how moving it was. My all time favorite and Sissy Spacek does it justice.
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- CathyGrace
- 2014-07-12
Perfectly presented
Any additional comments?
Sissy Spacek gave this book the narration it deserves. She brought this classic American Novel to life. Writing reviews is not my strong suit but this audio book is highly recommended.
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- Cynthia
- 2015-07-04
There's a lot of ugly things in this world, son
Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" was first published in 1960. I don't remember when I first read it, or even how many times I've read it. I don't even remember the first time I saw the 1962 movie starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch, but I do remember that was the first streaming movie I ever watched - back in 2000 - and just because I could. I already had it on VHS.
What I hadn't ever done was listened to the whole book, and It was time. Harper Lee's lost-for-more-than-half-a-century prequel turned into sequel "Go Set a Watchman" is being released on July 14, 2015. Scout, her brother Jem and her father Atticus were old friends I hadn't visited in far too long.
I am worried I will be disappointed by "Go Set a Watchman," but mostly, I want to know what happened to Dill, the independent, itinerant friend who visited every summer and promised to marry Scout one day.
Like all great works of art, I notice something different in "To Kill a Mockingbird" every time I go back to it. This time, sadly, I noticed how little some things have changed - even though the story is set in the Great Depression. Black men are still suspect, guilty until proven innocent. Black men are still shot and killed running away from law enforcement, even though they are totally unarmed. Blacks are convicted and put to death at much higher percentages than any other race. Life shouldn't be imitating this art after all these years, but it is.
The ideals in "To Kill a Mockingbird" have had a tremendous influence on me, especially since I've had children. Whatever Atticus did as a lawyer, he could hold his head up in front of Scout, Jem, and Calpurnia, their Black housekeeper and substitute mother. He didn't sugarcoat the truth or 'dumb things down' for any kid, even his children's friends. As Scout, the narrator says - Atticus was the same in public as he was in private.
My favorite quote from the book, and it's by Scout, "Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing." The title of the review is a quote by Atticus.
Sissy Spacek narrated this version, and she was fine. I wasn't wild about the production itself, though. There are jarring flute interludes between major sections. Reese Witherspoon will perform "Go Set a Watchman." I'm sure she'll do a good job, and I am looking forward to it.
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- Joe Crescenzi
- 2014-07-12
Sissy Spacek the perfect narrator for this classic
Would you listen to To Kill a Mockingbird again? Why?
Yes. And I have already listened twice. It's a classic.
What other book might you compare To Kill a Mockingbird to and why?
It reminds me of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer because they share themes of life in the south through the eyes of a child.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
I listened to it the day it was released, and finished it the following morning. That night, I started over again.
Any additional comments?
I'm so happy this was finally released on audio. From what I understand it was recorded in 2006, but it took until 2014 to finally make it available.
Atticus Finch is a great role model of a man who fights for what is right, regardless of what other people think.
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- Melle Flor Tercero
- 2017-11-15
One of the best books ever written and interpreted
Sissy Spacek is an awesome interpreter of this American classic. I loved it and recommend it to anyone who has a good heart.
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- carron s.
- 2021-05-24
A great book. It outmatched my best expectations
The story that this book tells is awesome. Simple but addictive in a way. I'll probably buy the real book. The reader's performance was good and her accent perfect for this book.
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- Pierre Gauthier
- 2016-07-10
Gripping but Flawed!
This famous novel is set before World War II in the Southern United States and deals with the issue of race relations.
Well-structured and enthralling, it disturbingly presents two major flaws that may prove fatal to many readers:
• the narrator is a small girl who perceives reality with her own eyes but does not at all write in a juvenile style; it is never explained why this story is written or to whom it is addressed;
• the dénouement occurs as two small children walk home from a school show, in the dark, by themselves; it is not convincingly explained why their guardians did not attend or at least accompany them there and back.
Overall, the interest of this work lies in the fact that it is so well known rather than its intrinsic qualities.
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