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  • The Postman Always Rings Twice

  • By: James M. Cain
  • Narrated by: Stanley Tucci
  • Length: 2 hrs and 49 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (110 ratings)
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The Postman Always Rings Twice cover art

The Postman Always Rings Twice

By: James M. Cain
Narrated by: Stanley Tucci
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Summary

An amoral young tramp. A beautiful, sullen woman with an inconvenient husband. A problem that has only one, grisly solution; a solution that only creates other problems that no one can ever solve.

First published in 1934 and banned in Boston for its explosive mixture of violence and eroticism, The Postman Always Rings Twice is a classic of the roman noir and regarded as one of the most important crime novels of the 20th century. It established James M. Cain as a major novelist with an unsparing vision of America's bleak underside, and was acknowledged by Albert Camus as the model for L’Etranger.

James M. Cain was born in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1892. Having served in the US Army in World War I, he became a journalist in Baltimore and New York in the 1920s. He later worked as a screenwriter in Hollywood. Cain died in 1977.

©1934 James M Cain (P)2013 Audible Ltd

Critic reviews

"Nobody has ever quite pulled it off the way Cain does, not Hemingway, and not even Raymond Chandler." (Tom Wolfe)
"A good, swift, violent story." (Dashiell Hammett)

What listeners say about The Postman Always Rings Twice

Average customer ratings
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  • 4 out of 5 stars
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Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • KC
  • 21-03-21

A sad tale told in a singularly strong voice

I was both repelled and attracted by this book. Told in the first person, a tale of desperation, hopelessness and stark survival, it has a singularly strong sense of time and place. It is a story told in the archetypical male voice, reminding me of Hemingway and Raymond Carver. Not much cause for hope but a lot to think about in terms of man’s base nature.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!

Where does The Postman Always Rings Twice rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Of shorter books I've listen to this is the best.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Postman Always Rings Twice?

I don't want to give anything away! Everything about this book is memorable, it's a really enjoyable listen.

What about Stanley Tucci’s performance did you like?

Excellent voice, loved him! Want to hear more of him.

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

Again don't want to give anything away! The end was very moving.

Any additional comments?

Excellent book! Would listen again.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

It’s about human experience

I have been meaning to read this book for years and stumbled across it in Audible. Tucci’s narration added so much to the experience of the audiobook; his character representation was subtle to the point he barely broke his rhythm… which kept me gripped in the flow of the story.

A classic noir must!!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Classic Noir

Theres been at least three excellent film versions of this eternal tale of lust, murder and fate. However, none can compare to the original
short novel by James M Cain. It's dirty and gritty and you can feel the sweat oozing from the bodies.You've got the alluring femme fatale and the dope, who can't escape his destiny.
Well read by Stanley Tucci, this is hard boiled at its best.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A brilliantly clever short piece.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. Not only is it well constructed, it is also well read. I very much enjoyed listening to it - it is certainly one of those books you can listen to time and time again.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Steamy murder

What did you like best about The Postman Always Rings Twice? What did you like least?

It is a good story, but I felt it could have done with more description and background. I'm still trying to work out what the postman had to do with it!

Would you recommend The Postman Always Rings Twice to your friends? Why or why not?

No, because it didn't interest me enough

Who might you have cast as narrator instead of Stanley Tucci?

Stanly Tucci seemed to be racing through the narration. I thought the story needed a slower pace to go with the atmosphere of the book.

Do you think The Postman Always Rings Twice needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No because I found I did not care very much about the main characters.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved this book. One of the best short listens!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Postman Always Rings Twice to be better than the print version?

Yes i would. The narration of this audiobook is very well performed and truly brings the story to life. There is real grit in this story and the reader brings this into focus expertly.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The lead character is actually my favourite character in this story. I try to love all the characters, in stories like this, equally, as there is enough meat in each of their back stories and personalities to do so. With the postman rings twice, however, i was completely drawn in, just as everyone else in the story was, by our leading man.

What about Stanley Tucci’s performance did you like?

His subtle tone and tempo changes for each of the characters is stunning. I admit that he is not my favourite narrator, but he does a fantastic job of performing this particular piece. He has grit and style which resonates very well with these dark characters and scenarios.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. It is short, which helped me to do so, but i did in fact listen to this entire audiobook over the space of one day; which is a rarity for me.

Any additional comments?

I would strongly recommend this audiobook to anyone who enjoys psychological, intelligent books and to those who enjoy the works of literary giants like Raymond Chandler and Charles Bukowski.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Dark, Disturbing and Ambiguous

An young drifter narrates this dark,gritty and brief tale. Frank should be abhorrent, but by the end of the story I wanted things to work out for him and found it hard to be sure whether he was villain or victim. It is a skilful writer who can make the reader side with someone who is amoral at best. Frank arrives at a roadside diner, catches a glimpse of unhappy, provocative Cora and almost on a whim accepts a job with her husband Nick. Before long, Frank and Cora begin a passionate and intense affair and Nick becomes an inconvenience to be dealt with. As Frank is the story teller, I found I did not care about Nick as much as I knew I should have, given that he was the innocent party. There is a sense of impending tragedy from the start and Frank is strangely passive and accepting of his lot. This is not exactly enjoyable which is why I have not given it 5 stars, but it is thought provoking, challenging and well read. I understand that it is based on a real life court case.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Mr
  • 19-10-13

Nice Noir

Not what I was expecting at all. Hailed as the first noir, it is certainly a black and bleak tale but with a very engaging narrator and rouge.

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