
The Black Cat
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Narrated by:
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William Roberts
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By:
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Edgar Allan Poe
About this listen
This is a story from the Fall of the House of Usher collection.
The horrors of the Spanish Inquisition, with its dungeon of death, and the overhanging gloom on the House of Usher demonstrate unforgettably the unique imagination of Edgar Allan Poe. Unerringly, he touches upon some of our greatest nightmares: Premature burial, ghostly transformation, words from beyond the grave. Written in the 1840s, they have retained their power to shock and frighten even now.
Also in this collection of Poe's tales of mystery and imagination: "The Black Cat", "The Facts in the Case of M Valdemar", "The Cask of Amontillado", "Ligeia", "The Tell-Tale Heart", "The Masque of the Red Death", "The Premature Burial", and "The Raven".
Public Domain (P)2003 NAXOS AudioBooks Ltd.Listeners also enjoyed...
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The Cask of Amontillado
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- Narrated by: B.J. Harrison
- Length: 15 mins
- Unabridged
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The bloody-minded Montresor leads the pompous Fortunato deep into the catacombs, seeking the famed Amontillado wine. Here we have one of Poe’s most terrifying, and most “beloved” tales. Revenge and pomposity commingle beneath the river’s bed, leading to a delightfully sinister conclusion.
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A classic for a good reason
- By Victoria on 08-06-18
By: Edgar Allan Poe
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The Gold-Bug
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: Chris Lutkin
- Length: 1 hr and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The grand-prize winner of a writing contest sponsored by the Philadelphia Dollar Newspaper, "The Gold-Bug" was one of Poe's most popular stories during his lifetime. Similar to his ratiocination tales - early versions of what we now call detective fiction - "The Gold-Bug" is full of mystery and adventure and includes a cryptogram, invisible ink, a scarab-like bug, and pirate treasure.
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It’s a great story
- By Josef Sikelianos on 07-15-19
By: Edgar Allan Poe
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The Pit and the Pendulum
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: B.J. Harrison
- Length: 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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“I was sick, sick unto death with that long agony,” begins one of the most famous tales from the master of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe. Through the tortures of the Spanish Inquisition, we follow the straying mind of the unnamed prisoner in his quest for hope in a world of darkness and despair. This episode skyrocketed The Classic Tales Podcast to number 3 on iTunes’ Top 100 Podcasts chart.
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I loved the story this is a must read.
- By Amazon Customer on 10-02-23
By: Edgar Allan Poe
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The Necklace
- By: Guy de Maupassant
- Narrated by: Andrea Giordani
- Length: 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Madame Mathilde Loisel is sure she was meant to be an aristocrat, but she was born into a middle-class family and married off to a middle-class clerk. When her husband procures them invitations to a high-society party, Loisel goes all out to impress. She borrows a diamond necklace from a wealthy acquaintance and has the time of her life - until the necklace goes missing. In “The Necklace”, de Maupassant showcases his signature twists of fate and social commentary in a story that will leave you speechless.
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Excellent book
- By Anonymous User on 07-25-23
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The Fall of the House of Usher
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
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Performance
-
Story
This is a story from the Fall of the House of Usher collection. The horrors of the Spanish Inquisition, with its dungeon of death, and the overhanging gloom on the House of Usher demonstrate unforgettably the unique imagination of Edgar Allan Poe. Unerringly, he touches upon some of our greatest nightmares: Premature burial, ghostly transformation, words from beyond the grave. Written in the 1840s, they have retained their power to shock and frighten even now.
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Well read narration!
- By Robert E. Wilkins on 01-26-19
By: Edgar Allan Poe
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The Masque of the Red Death
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
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Performance
-
Story
This is a story from the Fall of the House of Usher collection. The horrors of the Spanish Inquisition, with its dungeon of death, and the overhanging gloom on the House of Usher demonstrate unforgettably the unique imagination of Edgar Allan Poe. Unerringly, he touches upon some of our greatest nightmares: Premature burial, ghostly transformation, words from beyond the grave. Written in the 1840s, they have retained their power to shock and frighten even now.
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Good if you like Poe, otherwise skip it.
- By Jack on 07-14-14
By: Edgar Allan Poe
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The Cask of Amontillado
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: B.J. Harrison
- Length: 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The bloody-minded Montresor leads the pompous Fortunato deep into the catacombs, seeking the famed Amontillado wine. Here we have one of Poe’s most terrifying, and most “beloved” tales. Revenge and pomposity commingle beneath the river’s bed, leading to a delightfully sinister conclusion.
-
-
A classic for a good reason
- By Victoria on 08-06-18
By: Edgar Allan Poe
-
The Gold-Bug
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: Chris Lutkin
- Length: 1 hr and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The grand-prize winner of a writing contest sponsored by the Philadelphia Dollar Newspaper, "The Gold-Bug" was one of Poe's most popular stories during his lifetime. Similar to his ratiocination tales - early versions of what we now call detective fiction - "The Gold-Bug" is full of mystery and adventure and includes a cryptogram, invisible ink, a scarab-like bug, and pirate treasure.
-
-
It’s a great story
- By Josef Sikelianos on 07-15-19
By: Edgar Allan Poe
-
The Pit and the Pendulum
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: B.J. Harrison
- Length: 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
“I was sick, sick unto death with that long agony,” begins one of the most famous tales from the master of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe. Through the tortures of the Spanish Inquisition, we follow the straying mind of the unnamed prisoner in his quest for hope in a world of darkness and despair. This episode skyrocketed The Classic Tales Podcast to number 3 on iTunes’ Top 100 Podcasts chart.
-
-
I loved the story this is a must read.
- By Amazon Customer on 10-02-23
By: Edgar Allan Poe
-
The Necklace
- By: Guy de Maupassant
- Narrated by: Andrea Giordani
- Length: 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Madame Mathilde Loisel is sure she was meant to be an aristocrat, but she was born into a middle-class family and married off to a middle-class clerk. When her husband procures them invitations to a high-society party, Loisel goes all out to impress. She borrows a diamond necklace from a wealthy acquaintance and has the time of her life - until the necklace goes missing. In “The Necklace”, de Maupassant showcases his signature twists of fate and social commentary in a story that will leave you speechless.
-
-
Excellent book
- By Anonymous User on 07-25-23
-
The Fall of the House of Usher
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is a story from the Fall of the House of Usher collection. The horrors of the Spanish Inquisition, with its dungeon of death, and the overhanging gloom on the House of Usher demonstrate unforgettably the unique imagination of Edgar Allan Poe. Unerringly, he touches upon some of our greatest nightmares: Premature burial, ghostly transformation, words from beyond the grave. Written in the 1840s, they have retained their power to shock and frighten even now.
-
-
Well read narration!
- By Robert E. Wilkins on 01-26-19
By: Edgar Allan Poe
-
The Masque of the Red Death
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is a story from the Fall of the House of Usher collection. The horrors of the Spanish Inquisition, with its dungeon of death, and the overhanging gloom on the House of Usher demonstrate unforgettably the unique imagination of Edgar Allan Poe. Unerringly, he touches upon some of our greatest nightmares: Premature burial, ghostly transformation, words from beyond the grave. Written in the 1840s, they have retained their power to shock and frighten even now.
-
-
Good if you like Poe, otherwise skip it.
- By Jack on 07-14-14
By: Edgar Allan Poe
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The Tell-Tale Heart
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: B. J. Harrison
- Length: 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
It was the eye. The dull, sightless, vulture's eye that shredded his final nerve. But the murder was done so carefully, so perfectly, that only one thing could reveal the whereabouts of the body. B. J. Harrison gives a masterful reading of the famous murder that wouldn't keep quiet. This audiobook was the #3 best-selling audiobook in 2008 at the iTunes Music Store!
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THE VULTURE EYE
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 10-24-16
By: Edgar Allan Poe
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Doug Bradley's Spinechillers Audio Books, Volume 1
- Classic Horror Stories
- By: Charles Dickens, H. P. Lovecraft, Saki, and others
- Narrated by: Doug Bradley
- Length: 2 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
This volume features William F Harvey's original undead hand story "The Beast with Five Fingers" that sparked many movies including Sam Raimi's "The Evil Dead". Poe's classic "The Tell Tale Heart" is joined by Lovecraft's creepy tale of alienation "The Outsider", and a chilling Dickens ghost story "The Signalman".
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Excellent stories and wonderful performance
- By Gavin Lees on 10-12-18
By: Charles Dickens, and others
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Berenice
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: Anthony Donovan
- Length: 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
This is a story from the Chilling Ghost Stories collection.
By: Edgar Allan Poe
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The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Stories (AmazonClassics Edition)
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Edgar Allan Poe elevated the gothic story, developed the unreliable narrator, recast psychological terror, and reveled in both the horror and the supernal beauty of death. From Poe's rich, unrivaled imagination comes a collection of his most masterful works, including "The Black Cat", "The Fall of the House of Usher", and, of course, "The Tell-Tale Heart". Each story explores morbid themes of grief, greed, fear, and guilt, and together they embody Poe's grotesque obsessions...even the dread of being buried alive.
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Didn't fully track it, but still, I enjoyed it!
- By Jennifer Greenlees on 10-02-20
By: Edgar Allan Poe
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The Best of Edgar Allan Poe
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: Edward Blake
- Length: 5 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The best and most revered works of famed poet and author, Edgar Allen Poe.
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Some of Poe's Best!
- By Joel D Offenberg on 11-07-11
By: Edgar Allan Poe
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The Works of Edgar Allan Poe, Volume 1
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: Nicholas Stikoski
- Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
A collection of classic works by Edgar Allan Poe, American author, poet, editor, and literary critic. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre. He is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction. He was the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life and career.
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Poor narration hurts these Poe classics
- By Jeremy C. Kuban on 11-29-12
By: Edgar Allan Poe
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The Murders in the Rue Morgue
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: Kerry Shale
- Length: 1 hr and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
This is a story from the Murders in the Rue Morgue (The Dupin Stories) collection. Auguste Dupin, investigator extraordinaire, was the remarkable creation of Edgar Allan Poe. Written in the 1840s, Poe presented the acutely observant, shrewd but idiosyncratic character who, with his chronicler, provided the inspiration for the more famous Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
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4 🌟
- By G00fn0ff on 04-14-19
By: Edgar Allan Poe
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Tales by Edgar Allan Poe
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: Daniela Acitelli
- Length: 2 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Six of Edgar Allan Poe’s most chilling tales: "The Tell-Tale Heart", "The Black Cat", "The Raven", "The Pit and the Pendulum", "Shadow," and "The Cask of Amontillado". In each of these tales, the author takes us to the brink of madness with his uncanny ability to paint a macabre picture with words. You might never sleep with the lights out again.
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Very satisfying reading.
- By Dwayne R on 03-29-21
By: Edgar Allan Poe
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Edgar Allan Poe: The Scary Short Story Collection
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: J.D. Kelly
- Length: 3 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
This scary short story collection contains the following stories written by Edgar Allan Poe: "The Tell-Tale Heart", "The Cask of Amontillado", "The Pit and the Pendulum", "The Black Cat", and many more. Enjoy Edgar Allen Poe's most notable short stories bought to life by the excellent narration of J.D. Kelly!
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Terror from Poe
- By Neesie315 on 10-08-19
By: Edgar Allan Poe
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The Edgar Allan Poe Collection I
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: David Ian Davies
- Length: 1 hr and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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One Voice Recordings presents amazingly versatile voice actor David Ian Davies performing three of Edgar Allan Poe's most famous short stories: "Oblong Box", "The Pit and the Pendulum", and "The Black Cat".
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I would have liked a different accent better
- By Celina on 08-30-05
By: Edgar Allan Poe
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Edgar Allan Poe - The Complete Short Stories
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: Bob Thomley
- Length: 16 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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Story
All of Edgar Allan Poe’s great short stories in one 16-hour collection.
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NEVERMORE
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 11-23-15
By: Edgar Allan Poe
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Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Stories
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: Earl Hammond
- Length: 1 hr and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
A collection featuring three classic horror stories, read by actor Earl Hammond: "The Tell-Tale Heart", "The Cask of Amontillado", and "The Black Cat".
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Excellent Narrator Brought The Story To Life
- By M.A. Wilson on 11-09-14
By: Edgar Allan Poe
Editorial reviews
Yet another one of Edgar Allan Poe’s signature unreliable narrators is brought vividly to life by skilled performer William Roberts in this macabre tale of an ominous black cat that entrenches itself in the twisted psyche of an alcoholic man and drives him to the brink of insanity after he hangs the feline from a tree in a fit of drunken rage.
Roberts pulls no punches with his urgent, feverishly impassioned portrayal of a deeply disturbed man in Poe’s fearless examination of madness and guilt that will appeal to fans of classic Gothic horror.
Critic reviews
What listeners say about The Black Cat
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
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- Amazon Customer
- 10-03-18
Great
This is my first book on audible. Loved the story telling and the story line!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
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- Maurilio
- 01-23-16
Great narration!
What does William Roberts bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
William Roberts's narration is really good! He really conveys the emotions and despair of the character.
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Overall
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Performance
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- Chris Coyne
- 06-25-20
A Black Cat
A great classic by Edgar Allen Poe. Up there with the Tell Tale Hart, a classic tale of a perfect murder being thwarted by the fear of the murder.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
- Traci
- 03-03-17
Poem of Distress
Would you listen to The Black Cat again? Why?
No. While it is a work of art, and Poe is known for his macabre manner, I found the disregard for life of any form even in metrical verse distasteful. It was hard to rally a satisfaction of the author being turned in by the phantom feline in the midst of all the dark pleasures of the deeds.
Has The Black Cat turned you off from other books in this genre?
No, it has not. I will take art in how it is presented and form my own opinion of the body of work. This is how we should review art in all its forms.
Which character – as performed by William Roberts – was your favorite?
In this case I had no favorite character.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes.
Any additional comments?
The narrator was very good and his tone if not the context was enjoyable.
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- Alyssa
- 10-28-15
Amazing!!
I loved how this was spoken. I love Edgar Allan Poe so much and I wanted to hear it instead of reading and I thought it was beautiful thank you for doing this!!
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- VettaBoo
- 01-01-20
Classic
How did he do it? How did Edgar come up with these stories? It's a story we've probably heard before, because HE was one of the first to write them. He was so ahead of his time. The narrator does a great job. He really makes you feel as though he himself did it lol
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- ben scotti
- 01-17-20
You can never go wrong is some classic Poe
In classic Edgar Allen Poe we have a story of yet another man claiming to be sane when he is anything but giving descriptive detail of the horrific exploits of his life.
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