George

Doesn’t get any better than this

Revisado: 04-14-23

The high water mark in imaginative literature receives brilliant narration from the great George Guidall.

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Good Summertime Read

Revisado: 08-19-18

This is a trashy beach read in the best sense. Gossipy. Salacious. The rise, fall and potential redemption of a singular superstar. Extensively researched and well written. The narration is excellent.

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Revisit a Classic Recently? Try this one.

Revisado: 05-09-17

Dickens at his best! A timeless classic. Full of humor, mystery and suspense to the very end. A great novel. One to get lost in. The less you know about the story, the better. In part a coming of age tale set in Victorian London. Dickens language may seem formidable to the uninitiated. But like good coffee and fine wine, he is an acquired taste. Many of us were first exposed to Dickens in middle school and were too young to appreciate what he was about. This is a writer for grownups. Solid narration.

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esto le resultó útil a 4 personas

The unpredicability that is American History

Revisado: 03-13-17

If this book has gained so many new readers of late it is because it chillingly anticipates America in 2017. Roth has stated that he did not write this book as a roman a clef to the present moment. Nevertheless this invented history of America written by Roth in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, and published in 2004, seems amazingly predictive of our current politics. Like much of Roth's best work it reveals how societal/political forces wreak havoc upon lives of ordinary people and how our lives as Americans are as vulnerable as anyone else's to the politics of ignorance and fear. I found in its pages a call for Americans to inform themselves and reject the politics of fear. The writing is strong but without the soaring flights of his very best work. This is brilliant work by a great American writer. Ron Silver is a wonderful reader of Roth's work (although the great George Guidall remains my favorite). 4 stars instead of 5 only because it is Roth and he has written even greater books. A must read.

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The Case for Audio Books

Revisado: 03-01-17

I've been an Audible member since 2009. I listen to 10 books or more a year. This is by far the best performance of a book I have heard. Ever. I love to read. I love the feel of a book and for me reading is a beautiful solitary activity. No need for a reader. Joe Morton's virtuoso performance is a tour de force that brings to life a classic American novel. This audio book is not the Invisible Man I would have imagined were I to have read the book on my own. It is better. If you have any interest in this book either for the first time or for a revisit then look no further. This audiobook is fabulous.

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Good entertainment

Revisado: 01-16-17

A short, easy read and enjoyable entertainment. Very well crafted. More of a novella. Character sketches as opposed to full blown character development. I look forward to the movie with Tommy Lee Jones or Robert Duvall as Captain Kidd. Grover Gardner is first rate.

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From an expat

Revisado: 12-12-16

I grew up in Hopewell. Graduated from Hopewell High . (As did Tony Dorsett who figures prominently in this book). Worked on the A&S railroad and J&L coke ovens in the 70s. I had moved away by 1980, but my parents, grandmother and brother remained until recently. There was a lot of good about the Aliquippa of my childhood/adolescence and this book does a decent job describing times before the mill shut down. To me, the most compelling question to come out of the Aliquippa experience is why did the closing of J&L have such a devastating impact on a once proud community long grounded on honest, hard work. This book doesn't really address that profound issue. For that reason, I wouldn't recommend this book to everyone. It does contain a lot of factual information about Quip football and the nature of the violence that prevailed after J&L closed. Therefore, I would recommend it for those, including me, with a special interest in Quip football and in the town itself. For those seeking a broader understanding of the collapse of the American steel industry and why devastation (as opposed to resilience/adaptation) ensued, this book provides very little insight. The narration is less than stellar. There are a number of mispronunciations which locals will likely find distracting.

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American Trilogy's Weakest Link

Revisado: 10-03-16

Nothing much happens in this book about a communist radio actor caught in the grip of McCarthyism. At his best Roth imparts narrative drive and suspense to works that are primarily analytical and linguistic as opposed to being plot driven. In his less successful works this can come across as page after page of "blah, blah, blah". I think the American Trilogy is great. But this book is the weakest of the three. I read where it was Roth's personal favorite. Hmmmmm. To be sure there are very strong sections but all in all I was underwhelmed. Although the great George Guidall remains my favorite narrator of all things Roth, Ron Silver is nearly as good. If you love Roth's writing, as I do, you will undoubtedly get around to reading/listening to IMAC. It's just not the place I would want to start.

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esto le resultó útil a 5 personas

The past is not dead, it's not even past

Revisado: 09-23-16

The Patty Hearst Story is one of the signature events of the 1970s. Most baby boomers can tell you where they were on the day Patty Hearst was arrested. I know I can. However, during the years when the saga was unfolding most of us were living our lives and really weren't that wrapped up in the details of the story. It is fascinating to revisit this strange event from the perspective of 2016. The past is not dead, it's not even past. Toobin is a skilled journalist and has a rare talent for explaining legal and courtroom drama in an entertaining, accessible style. Recommended for anyone trying to get a fuller understanding of the 70s. The more things change the more they remain the same. An easy book to listen to. Good narration. Paul Michael has a news anchor sort of voice.

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The case for audiobooks. 5 stars!!.

Revisado: 07-01-16

Jeremy Irons channels this book. Nabokov's love affair with the English language gets its ideal narrator. Irons has the voice and dramatic depth to bring the book to life, which is the highest compliment I can ever give a narrator. The plot of Lolita pretty much plays out in Part One. Part Two is less plot driven and this is where Irons' and Nabokov's respective talents come together in a symbiotic way. If you have tried and failed to read Lolita on your own, don't be deterred from giving the audio a try. Lolita is a masterpiece but not an easy book for most of us to read. Listen instead.

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