Arkent

merely an excerpt of Mark Twain's book

Reviewed: 02-26-20

I didn't realize until after I ordered this book that virtually all it contains is the India chapters from FOLLOWING THE EQUATOR. The online description doesn't seem to make that clear, but that may be because of my own misreading. In any case, if you--like me--already have a recording of FOLLOWING THE EQUATOR, you don't need this book.

Incidentally, the narrator's efforts to simulate Indian accents are painful to listen to.

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1 person found this helpful

Unique insights into the world of biographers

Reviewed: 11-13-17

A veteran literary scholar and author of numerous biographies, Carl Rollyson relates the intimate details of what he has had to go through to write his books. CONFESSIONS OF A SERIAL BIOGRAPHER is must-reading for any would-be biographer, and it is also a revelation to all those who read biographies. If you think that writing a biography is a simple, straight-forward process of visiting libraries and archives and finding people who knew your subject so you can interview them, this book will open your eyes. The book is also full of insights into the life and mind of its brilliant author and is, to a large extent, autobiographical. Fascinating reading with lots of juicy anecdotal stuff about such figures as Marilyn Monroe, Susan Sontag, Dana Andrews, Michael Foote, Jill Craigier, and others. “Audible 20 Review Sweepstakes Entry”

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good but could have been better

Reviewed: 08-26-17

What did you like best about Around the World with Mark Twain? What did you like least?
This book is best read as a supplement to Mark Twain's own account of his round-the-world tour, FOLLOWING THE EQUATOR. Drawing on both that book and other primary source materials, Cooper fleshes out details of Mark Twain's 1895-96 journey, calling attention to many fascinating things about both the journey and the places Mark Twain visited. On top of that, Cooper relates his own journey, following in Mark Twain's footsteps. All in all, a fascinating book.

What three words best describe Bernard Setaro Clark’s voice?
In general, Clark is an excellent reader. He enunciates clearly, reads with energy at a good pace, and puts emphases and pauses in the right places. Unfortunately, his reading has two nearly fatal flaws. First, he makes the mistake of trying to impersonate Mark Twain's voice in quoted passages, even those of only a few words. These sudden switches in voice are usually jarring, and his imitation of Mark Twain is dreadful. It sounds like an old man recorded at 78 rpm and played back at 33 rpm. Moreover, the old-man voice is wholly inappropriate when Cooper narrates occasional passages Mark Twain wrote when he was younger.The second flaw in Clark's narration is gross mispronunciation of some proper names. I winced every time he butchers names such as "Mauritius," "Xhosa," and "Bechuanaland." One might argue that unfamiliarity with African place names is forgivable, but, really, how much trouble would it take to have someone who knows how to pronounce such names offer advice? Worse -- how it is possible for an American to mispronounce our own country's place names such as "Spokane," "Nevada," and "Juan de Fuca"? What really drove me up the wall, however, was his mispronunciation of such simple African place names as "Durban" and "Natal." It's difficult to pay attention to the text when such simple names are grossly mispronounced. In future, I hope Clark seeks expert advice on pronouncing place names.

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completely unlistenable

Reviewed: 12-10-16

What would have made The Book of Mormon better?

It's almost unbelievable that this book was read with every chapter and verse number tediously recited and repeated. Virtually every user review complains about this. Why doesn't the producer release a new version that removes most of this intrusive verbiage? What makes the recording all the more annoying is that the numbers are not part of the original book. when Smith wrote the book, he didn't use all those numbers. They were added in later editions. Perhaps the solution would be to record a reading of the original edition.

What could Joseph Smith and Church of the Latter-day Saints have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

I was looking forward to reading the book, but this recording isn't the answer. If the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints produced this audiobook in the hope of attracting new members, its leaders should go back and pray for better divine guidance.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

As other reviewers have noted, Crisden reads in a dull monotone, injecting no life whatever into the text. Combine that with his tedious repeating of chapter and verse numbers, and the result makes for pretty dreary listening. It's difficult to imagine anyone not tied down in a hospital bed or strapped inside a straightjacket getting all the way through this recording.

Any additional comments?

Once again, I recommend that the producers of this audiobook release a new recording, without the superfluous chapter and verse numbers. It would also help to use a narrator who has some feeling for the book.

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1 person found this helpful

One of Mark Twain's least characteristic books

Reviewed: 06-10-14

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
Written at a time when Mark Twain was troubled by the recent death of his favorite daughter, severe financial problems, and concerns about his own health, this book is very different from his earlier travel books.It draws heavily on other writers' books, to which Mark Twain adds his own comments. These are often humorous, but humor is not the book's chief attraction.The book offers fascinating descriptions of Australia, New Zealand, British India, and South Africa during the 1890s and is worth reading for that reason alone.

What aspect of Michael Kevin’s performance would you have changed?
In general, Kevin's performance is fine. However, his ability to pronounce unfamiliar names and words breaks down toward the end of the book. How is it possible that a professional reader pronounces "uitlander" oot-land-er? More incredible, he pronounces the simple German name "Beit" (as in English "bite") "bee-it"! His pronunciation of African names is generally shaky, but pronouncing "Matabele" (mah-tah-bay-lay) "MAH-tab-u-lah" is over the top.As one well familiar with that word, I winced painfully every time Kevin botched the pronunciation. Hearing such gaffes once is bad enough, but when they are repeated,they become unbearable.One would think a professional reader would do better.

Could you see Following the Equator being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?
No. Why are such questions even being asked here? Is it necessary to dumb down everything on the web?

Any additional comments?
In the absence of any other recording of FOLLOWING THE EQUATOR, Michael Kevin's version is perfectly acceptable. I'm sure I'll listen to it again some time.

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6 people found this helpful

Why aren't more of Champlin's books recorded?

Reviewed: 02-14-14

What did you love best about The Secret of Lodestar?

LODESTAR is a compelling story that is hard to put down after one gets into it. Like Tim Champlin's many other novels, its story is firmly built on authentic details about the Old West that lend credibility to the story and reassure readers they are in the hands of a writer who has mastered his subject. Strong storylines and fascinating characters are also hallmarks of Champlin’s novels, and this book is no exception. Its protagonist, former railroad detective Marc Charvein, is very much in the Western tradition of the strong, self-reliant loner on a dangerous mission. His mission here is to retrieve a cache of stolen gold in Nevada. Champlin knows the West intimately and his descriptions of Nevada’s desolate settings are so vivid that you’d be wise to have a canteen handy while you listen to this book. The characters Charvein encounters in his perilous mission–especially the mysterious Sandoval and femme fatale Lucinda Barkley–are equally compelling and the manner in which they all come together in the book’s exciting climax is at once satisfying and believable.

I’ve listened to nearly 50 books narrated by George Guidall, but this is the first Western I’ve heard him read. I knew I’d be more than satisfied with his narration but was delighted to discover how appropriate his voice sounds in a Western setting. One of the best readers in the business, Guidall is noted for his ability to convey fragile emotions–a talent that works well in this tale of of emotionally stressed characters vying against one another.

What is the “secret” of Lodestar? I’ll let other readers find that out themselves. For now, I’ll merely say that the secret is both surprising and satisfying. A bigger mystery is why more of Champlin’s novels are not available in audio editions. I hope Recorded Books soon releases an equally fine recording of his sequel to this novel, CROSS OF GOLD, and then adds more recordings from his impressive backlist.

What other book might you compare The Secret of Lodestar to and why?

John Hersey's A BELL FOR ADANO, but to explain why would give away LODESTAR's secret.

Which scene was your favorite?

The final confrontation in Lodestar.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Sandoval's explanation of why he lives alone in the ghost town.

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2 people found this helpful