Download Best Sellers Audiobooks in Classics, European Literature

Candide Audiobook by Voltaire

Listen to this audiobook in full for free on http://hotaudiobook.com [http://hotaudiobook.com] Title: Candide Author: Voltaire Narrator: Kevin Kollins Format: Unabridged Length: 3 hrs and 1 min Language: English Release date: 01-10-18 Publisher: Kevin Kollins Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 2 votes Genres: Classics, European Literature Publisher's Summary: "Candide is a French satire first published in 1759 by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment. It begins with a young man, Candide, who is living a sheltered life in an Edenic paradise and being indoctrinated with Leibnizian optimism by his mentor, Professor Pangloss. The work describes the abrupt cessation of this lifestyle, followed by Candide's slow, painful disillusionment as he witnesses and experiences great hardships in the world. Voltaire concludes with Candide, if not rejecting optimism outright, advocating a deeply practical precept, 'we must cultivate our garden', in lieu of the Leibnizian mantra of Pangloss, 'all is for the best' in the 'best of all possible worlds'. "Candide is characterised by its sarcastic tone as well as by its erratic, fantastical, and fast-moving plot. A picaresque novel with a story similar to that of a more serious coming-of-age narrative (Bildungsroman), it parodies many adventure and romance clichés, the struggles of which are caricatured in a tone that is mordantly matter-of-fact. Still, the events discussed are often based on historical happenings, such as the Seven Years' War and the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. As philosophers of Voltaire's day contended with the problem of evil, so too does Candide in this short novel, albeit more directly and humorously. Voltaire ridicules religion, theologians, governments, armies, philosophies, and philosophers through allegory; most conspicuously, he assaults Leibniz and his optimism. "As expected by Voltaire, Candide has enjoyed both great success and great scandal. Immediately after its secretive publication, the book was widely banned because it contained religious blasphemy, political sedition and intellectual hostility hidden under a thin veil of naïveté. However, with its sharp wit and insightful portrayal of the human condition, the novel has since inspired many later authors and artists to mimic and adapt it. Today, Candide is recognized as Voltaire's magnum opus." [Wikipedia] Members Reviews: Great book but atypical format for hardcover disrupts reading flow Candide is an excellent story, a concise yet conceptually soaring diatribe that unblinkingly lampoons the stigmas and realities of Voltaires time. The book is packed with scenarios that will make you laugh and cringe at once. I give four stars because the formatting on the hardcover book is a bit weird due to extra spaces in between paragraphs. This extra spacing disrupts the flow of reading and seems as if the publisher was trying to make the book more pages than it actually warranted with respect to the typical font and format of a novel or novella. The best of all possible reviews I decided to revisit this book after almost 40 years since my high school French class. It's amazing what reading it again after such a long time does for your perspective. Glad I picked it up again. Satirical Genius Voltaire is a satirical genius, he leaves few stones unturned in this short novel. The critical responses are useful resources if you have to write a report for the book or need further insight into Voltaires mind. A quick witty romp! What a fun read! I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is relatively short and moves quickly, so it's great if you want something witty without much commitment. hilarious This book is a combination of genius, logical argument and humor. It is definitely hilarious.

Metamorphosis Audiobook by Franz Kafka

Listen to this audiobook in full for free on http://hotaudiobook.com [http://hotaudiobook.com] Title: Metamorphosis Subtitle: A BBC Radio 4 Reading Author: Franz Kafka Narrator: Benedict Cumberbatch Format: Abridged Length: 1 hr and 38 mins Language: English Release date: 01-04-18 Publisher: BBC Digital Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 16 votes Genres: Classics, European Literature Publisher's Summary: Benedict Cumberbatch reads Franz Kafka's famous story of man-turned-insect, Metamorphosis. After a night of troubled dreams, Gregor Samsa wakes to discover that he has turned into a huge, monstrous, cockroach-like creature, with an armour-plated back and multiple limbs. Gradually, he comes to terms with his new state - but his parents and sister are horrified and increasingly revolted. To them, Gregor is unclean, verminous and entirely repellent, and as he becomes more and more of a burden, their horror turns to a terrible indifference.... First published in 1915, Kafka's surreal existential novella explores concepts such as the absurdity of life, alienation and the disconnect between mind and body. Read by Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Star Trek, The Imitation Game), this tale - often described as one of the greatest in the history of fiction - is chilling, captivating and darkly comic. Members Reviews: Enjoyed the narration more than the story. I found this a strange but interesting story, not something I would usually listen to but got because I am a big fan of Benedict. His narration is amazing, such a rich voice and i like how he gives the characters their own voices too. I dont think I completely understood the meaning of the story but enjoyed it nonetheless. Would definitely recommend to other Benedict fans, and would listen again just for the narration.

Thus Spoke Zarathustra Audiobook by Friedrich Nietzsche

Listen to this audiobook in full for free on http://hotaudiobook.com [http://hotaudiobook.com] Title: Thus Spoke Zarathustra Author: Friedrich Nietzsche Narrator: Kevin Theis Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 58 mins Language: English Release date: 01-04-18 Publisher: Bassett Publishing Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 8 votes Genres: Classics, European Literature Publisher's Summary: Written in the mid 1880's by Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra is a critically-acclaimed work centered around the "death of God" and the rise of a superhuman. A philosophical and moral examination of good versus evil, divine versus mortal, and power versus submission are all encapsulated in the musings of Zarathustra. Zarathustra's doctrine is the idea of eternal recurrence, which claims that all events repeat themselves, and that to achieve a higher state of mind, man must accept each moment as it comes. Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra is a compelling, thought-provoking piece on what it means to understand internal peace and to conflict with the mundane repetition of life on Earth. Members Reviews: Interesting... It can be a a little hard to follow but I really like how this book challenges me intellectually. I felt like the narrator talked a little fast so thats why I gave that a 4. Well Spoke Zarathustra Challenging, frustrating, sometimes enraging, but an unavoidable foundation document of modern thought. So like it or not, the 'story' has to get a 5. Over the years Ive read it in shards and chunks and fits and starts, on paper and Kindle, but was never able to sustain the journey from beginning to end. This time I could, largely thanks to this sure-footed, energetic Sherpa of a narrator. It's Nietzsche Thus Spoke Zarathrustra was one of those books I hated reading in Western Civ decades ago in college, and I really hoped by being an adult I would find more in it to like, and to be honest I have no desire to try it a 3rd time. The material to me is just wrong. BUT this audible version is a good listen, I lover the narrators voice it makes Nietzsche's words sound good. I recommend this not for the book, but the reading is fantastic even if the author starts with a flawed premise and never convinces, me the reader, that he was right. Happy I got this version Nietzsche' magnum opus, yes, the overman and it's pronunciation through Zarathustra is amazing to listen too; especially when coupled to the gusto at which this narrator performs. I'm thoroughly happy with what I have listened to.

Candide (AmazonClassics Edition) Audiobook by Voltaire

Listen to this audiobook in full for free on http://hotaudiobook.com [http://hotaudiobook.com] Title: Candide (AmazonClassics Edition) Author: Voltaire Narrator: James Langton Format: Unabridged Length: 3 hrs and 54 mins Language: English Release date: 12-22-17 Publisher: Brilliance Audio Genres: Classics, European Literature Publisher's Summary: Candide, the illegitimate nephew of a German baron and student of eternal optimist Pangloss, is living a simple and sheltered life in "the best of all possible worlds." But when Candide falls in love with the wrong woman, his uncle's young daughter, he is exiled from the baron's castle and suffers great tragedy and catastrophe, which leaves him disillusioned and questioning the goodness of the universe. Penned in just three days - and published in secret because of its blasphemous and seditious nature - Voltaire's legendary satire deftly skewers religious, romantic, and political naïveté with an acerbic and ribald wit that delights to this day. Revised edition: Previously published as Candide, this edition of Candide (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions. Members Reviews: The most cheerful tale of human suffering you'll ever find Candide is amazing! Love, love, loved this book. Candide is a celebration of all the misery that being human has to offer, which sounds weird to say but it absolutely true. Witty, almost impossibly creativity, and surprisingly insightful. Forget the slog of reading another "classic" that moves at the pace of molasses and requires a thesaurus and sparknotes app, Candide is eminently readable and impressively buoyant for a book that deals with graphic violence, sexual assault, and every assortment of human miseries imaginable. I laughed out loud multiple times, which earned me strange looks from the librarian, trying saying the same about the work of any other 17th century French philosopher. Candide also functions as a piece of proper philosophy in addition to pure entertainment. The payoff at the end to "Tend your own garden" is perennially good advice, especially if you happen to follow US politics (sorry, but I just went there). "Work then without disputing, it is the only way to render life supportable.â PS. The careful reader will also note that the meaning of the word "ravish" has changed significantly over the centuries. An imaginative satire I read Candide when I was a teenager. I was surprised to learn I actually read only the first book. The very short book two caught me by surprise! I enjoyed it, though I thought book one was by far superior to book two. Maybe that's why the second book was not included in the version I read years ago. Candide is a classic, and it deserves to be. Whatever is, is right? Not to Voltaire. Candide and his several companions encounter catastrophe everywhere, yet Candide travels around the world clinging (somewhat reluctantly) to Dr. Pangloss' outlook that this is the best of all possible worlds. Candide's friends die, and then miraculously return to life and just happen to cross paths with Candide. Beautiful people turn ugly and back to beautiful again. Candide receives riches only to be bilked out of them. The improbable becomes commonplace. This is a fun book. It's short and pretty easy to read. I just wish I enjoyed it as much at my second reading! A great work of satire, pithy, and easy to read Itâs a parody of Optimism as a philosophy. Voltaire mocks Candideâs nave optimism, but itâs not clear to me what his true beliefs are from a simple reading of the text. Voltaire may ridicule Optimism as simplistic, but he doesnât offer anything in its place. Candide has successes and failures that seem passive rather than intentional.

The Metamorphosis Audiobook by Franz Kafka

Listen to this audiobook in full for free on http://hotaudiobook.com [http://hotaudiobook.com] Title: The Metamorphosis Author: Franz Kafka Narrator: J.D. Kelly Format: Unabridged Length: 2 hrs and 3 mins Language: English Release date: 12-15-17 Publisher: Lyon Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 16 votes Genres: Classics, European Literature Publisher's Summary: The Metamorphosis is a short novel by Franz Kafka, first published in 1915. It is often cited as one of the seminal works of fiction of the 20th century and is widely studied in colleges and universities across the western world. The story begins with a traveling salesman, Gregor Samsa, waking to find himself transformed into an insect. Members Reviews: Excellent audio version of a classic tale. J.D. Kelly's version of Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis is very good. Kelly's tone throughout this story makes the main character believable. It is not easy to sound like a man who's personality and lifestyle are so constrained by the singular focus of his job and by his pathologically narrowed range of affect that even being turned (overnight) into a grotesque beetle is taken in stride and fails to trigger any sort of hysteria/terror. This story is brilliant in that the overarching message is so powerful that it allows the reader to move briskly through the metamorphosis to the conclusion in which we accept what has always been most important to all of the characters from the beginning (financial well-being/survival within current societal constraints). The main character having become a beetle and eventually perishing as a result of the metamorphosis becomes the elephant in the room that everyone comes to accept and brush aside despite it's enormity and outlandishness. To pull the reader into that degree of complicity with such insane characters one must be a phenomenal writer, as Kafka was, but in this case the process is helped along quite a bit by Kelly's matter of fact narration style. Kelly is masterful at doling out emotion in very small controlled portions and maintaining a Keep Calm and Carry On tone throughout the entire story. I absolutely recommend both this author and this narrator to other readers. Thank you Audio Book Boom and J.D. Kelly for this complimentary copy of Kafka's The Metamorphosis in exchange for my fair and unbiased review. Classic Story, well narrated The Metamorphosis is Franz Kafka's classic 1915 Russian tale of a young man, Gregor, who wakes up one day to find himself turned into the a giant bug. The story shows Gregor's family, who had relied on him for money, blaming him, resenting him and then dealing with the fallout of the change. It deal with themes of isolation, sympathy and alienation. While it is a short read, it is fairly dense in imagery and ideas. I had previously had to read in in high school, and I wish that audiobook versions had been readily available back then. J.D. Kelly narrated the book well. He is clear, well paced, and enjoyable to listen to. There is nothing outstanding in the narration, in terms of characters or voices, but the book doesn't have a large amount of dialogue that lends itself to that. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher. when a great classic meets a great voice I love this story very much it's a good classic and the narrator was absolutely great the story itself it's a well-known story and when I seen it I knew I need this book in my personal Library I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review A book JD Kelly simply couldnt save despite trying Ok. So, I didn't want to hate this book. Its supposed to be super smart, and super deep, and oh so meaningful.