happymom987

Simply the best, in content and performance

Revisado: 10-18-13

If you could sum up All Creatures Great and Small in three words, what would they be?

This is a collection of animal stories by the great Yorkshire vet, James Herriott. Of course not all stories are created equal, so there are ups and downs in this collection, as in most.

What did you like best about this story?

One has to admire the variety of these tales-- love the great heart reflected here-- and the amazing characters one meets along the way, both four footed and two-footed.

What about Christopher Timothy’s performance did you like?

Christopher Timothy has the perfect voice for these animal stories-- crisp, clear, humorous, various, utterly British. There are also a few recordings by the author himself, and I recommend those as well-- though as pure performance goes, nothing can beat Christopher Timothy. His reading is on a par with the famous Jim Dale, of the Harry Potter series.

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a truly great, often overlooked children's classic

Revisado: 05-17-13

What made the experience of listening to Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm the most enjoyable?

Lively narrator, great characters, down to earth, charming story

What was one of the most memorable moments of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm?

when they go door to door selling soap

What does Lorna Raver bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I think a lightness and at the same time a kind of straight-forward quality. No gushing here, no sentimentalizing. Just perfect!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me laugh out loud a few times

Any additional comments?

wonderful book, deserves to be better known and widely loved. Probably could use a new movie version to re-spark people's interest. It's in the same class as great classics like Anne of Green Gables, Pollyana, Heidi, The House on the Prairie series, Little Women. Charming, funny, light, sweet and old fashioned in the best way-- a glimpse into another time, yet feels wonderfully modern, too.

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esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

what's with the southern accent?

Revisado: 05-17-13

Would you consider the audio edition of The Laws of Gravity to be better than the print version?

No, but I'm always glad to be able to switch back and forth between written and recorded books

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mimi-- she was brave, she was funny, she was loyal, she felt totally real and in the end t felt like she always did the right thing. Plus she reminds me of my best friend.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I was surprised by the southern accent, since the novel is set on Long Island. This is one that could use another version with a new reader. Perhaps read by the author? I always enjoy that.

If you could rename The Laws of Gravity, what would you call it?

The Judge Novel

Any additional comments?

a terrific and moving novel that reads at an incredibly quick pace. Hard to put down. Sad and serious subject matter handled with a light touch. Beautiful prose that at times reminds me of Fitzgerald.

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How did this become a best seller?

Revisado: 02-12-13

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

reading a different book!

What could Stephen Greenblatt have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

he could have written a better book!

How did the narrator detract from the book?

It was impossible to detract from a book this poor.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Boredom, irritation

Any additional comments?

Here's the gist of it: some Italian guy loves old Roman manuscripts. After a VERY long time, he gets his hands on this one, by Lucretius, a Roman writer who says, there is no God, you die, the soul dies, that's it, so enjoy yourselves now. Thinkl you've never heard of this guy? Think he's simply another atheist/epicurean type? Think again. Thomas Jefferson had 5 copies in his library which PROVES this is the most important book ever in the history of ever. Now I've just saved you 300+ pages of supposition, guessing and endless detail, much of which feels totally invented.

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An odd book, go for Goony Bird Green instead!

Revisado: 10-09-12

What disappointed you about Anastasia Krupnik?

This one, not the first in the Anastasia series, is sort of an odd choice-- even odder that you can't get the other Anastasia books on tape. It is well read, but the material is fairly peculiar--not quite funny, with a cranky and rather unlikable main character. Lois Lowry is a genius and does everything well, so the writing is fine. But she has much better work, i.e. Goony Bird Green, and those are exceptionally well performed and available as audio books. I'd totally recommend those instead.

Did C. J. Critt do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Yes all the voicves are distinct and well done

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Anastasia Krupnik?

A few of the things she hates could have been cut. I'm not sure anyone needs to hear quite so much about what a 10 year old girl hates.

Any additional comments?

Still plenty of humor and spark-- just not this author's best work, and at her best she is brilliant.

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