Regular price: £30.49
A Signature Performance: Kenneth Branagh plays this like a campfire ghost story, told by a haunted, slightly insane Marlow.
Having signed up for the US Army in the 1850s, aged barely 17, Thomas McNulty and his brother-in-arms, John Cole, go on to fight in the Indian wars and ultimately the Civil War. Orphans of terrible hardships themselves, despite the horrors they both see and are complicit in, they find these days to be vivid. Both an intensely poignant story of two men and the lives they are dealt and a fresh look at some of the most fateful years in America's past.
When Ella Longfield overhears two attractive young men flirting with teenage girls on a train, she thinks nothing of it - until she realises they are fresh out of prison and her maternal instinct is put on high alert. But just as she's decided to call for help, something stops her. The next day, she wakes up to the news that one of the girls - beautiful, green-eyed Anna Ballard - has disappeared.
Eleanor Oliphant has learned how to survive - but not how to live. Eleanor Oliphant leads a simple life. She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal deal for lunch every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend. Eleanor Oliphant is happy. Nothing is missing from her carefully timetabled life. Except, sometimes, everything. One simple act of kindness is about to shatter the walls Eleanor has built around herself. Now she must learn how to navigate the world....
The debut novel set in 17th-century Iceland by Sunday Times best-selling author and broadcaster Sally Magnusson. There is a true incident in Icelandic history little known outside their culture. In 1627, Barbary pirates raided an island off the Iceland coast - and abducted 250 inhabitants into slavery in Algiers. Among them was a pastor, his wife and their three children. The pastor was sent back on a failed mission to seek ransom and wrote an account of his adventures. But what happened to the islanders?
In 1996, Hanna Heath, a rare-book expert, is offered the job of a lifetime: analysis and conservation of the famed Sarajevo Haggadah, which has been rescued during the Bosnian war. Priceless and beautiful, the book is one of the earliest Jewish volumes ever to be illuminated with images. When Hanna discovers a series of artifacts in its ancient binding, she begins to unlock the book's mysteries. The reader is ushered into an exquisitely detailed past, tracing the book's journey from its salvation back to its creation.
A Signature Performance: Kenneth Branagh plays this like a campfire ghost story, told by a haunted, slightly insane Marlow.
Having signed up for the US Army in the 1850s, aged barely 17, Thomas McNulty and his brother-in-arms, John Cole, go on to fight in the Indian wars and ultimately the Civil War. Orphans of terrible hardships themselves, despite the horrors they both see and are complicit in, they find these days to be vivid. Both an intensely poignant story of two men and the lives they are dealt and a fresh look at some of the most fateful years in America's past.
When Ella Longfield overhears two attractive young men flirting with teenage girls on a train, she thinks nothing of it - until she realises they are fresh out of prison and her maternal instinct is put on high alert. But just as she's decided to call for help, something stops her. The next day, she wakes up to the news that one of the girls - beautiful, green-eyed Anna Ballard - has disappeared.
Eleanor Oliphant has learned how to survive - but not how to live. Eleanor Oliphant leads a simple life. She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal deal for lunch every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend. Eleanor Oliphant is happy. Nothing is missing from her carefully timetabled life. Except, sometimes, everything. One simple act of kindness is about to shatter the walls Eleanor has built around herself. Now she must learn how to navigate the world....
The debut novel set in 17th-century Iceland by Sunday Times best-selling author and broadcaster Sally Magnusson. There is a true incident in Icelandic history little known outside their culture. In 1627, Barbary pirates raided an island off the Iceland coast - and abducted 250 inhabitants into slavery in Algiers. Among them was a pastor, his wife and their three children. The pastor was sent back on a failed mission to seek ransom and wrote an account of his adventures. But what happened to the islanders?
In 1996, Hanna Heath, a rare-book expert, is offered the job of a lifetime: analysis and conservation of the famed Sarajevo Haggadah, which has been rescued during the Bosnian war. Priceless and beautiful, the book is one of the earliest Jewish volumes ever to be illuminated with images. When Hanna discovers a series of artifacts in its ancient binding, she begins to unlock the book's mysteries. The reader is ushered into an exquisitely detailed past, tracing the book's journey from its salvation back to its creation.
London, 1727 - and Tom Hawkins is about to fall from his heaven of card games, brothels, and coffeehouses to the hell of a debtors' prison. The Marshalsea is a savage world of its own, with simple rules: those with family or friends who can lend them a little money may survive in relative comfort. Those with none will starve in squalor and disease. And those who try to escape will suffer a gruesome fate at the hands of the gaol's rutheless governor and his cronies.
Random House presents the audiobook edition of The Secret Life of the Owl by John Lewis-Stempel, read by Roy McMillan. 'Dusk is filling the valley. It is the time of the gloaming, the owl-light. Out in the wood, the resident tawny has started calling, hoo-hoo-hoo-h-o-o-o.' There is something about owls. They feature in every major culture from the Stone Age onwards. They are creatures of the night, and thus of magic. They are the birds of ill-tidings, the avian messengers from the Other Side.
In the opening pages of Jamie Ford's stunning debut, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Henry Lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the Panama Hotel, once the gateway to Seattle's Japan-town. It has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made an incredible discovery: the belongings of Japanese families, left when they were rounded up and sent to internment camps during World War II. As Henry looks on, the owner opens a Japanese parasol.
Told from four-year-old Laura's point of view, this story begins in 1871 in a little log cabin on the edge of the Big Woods of Wisconsin. Laura lives in the little house with her pa, her ma, her sisters Mary and Carrie, and their trusty dog, Jack. Pioneer life is sometimes hard for the family, since they must grow or catch all their own food as they get ready for the cold winter. But it is also exciting as Laura and her family celebrate Christmas with homemade toys and treats, do the spring planting, bring in the harvest, and make their first trip into town.
A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing is an unforgettable novel from a major new literary talent. Eimear McBride's award-winning debut novel tells the story of a young woman's relationship with her brother, and the long shadow cast by his childhood brain tumour. It is a shocking and intimate insight into the thoughts, feelings and chaotic sexuality of a vulnerable and isolated protagonist. The author's spellbinding reading illuminates every nuance of the text with feeling and sympathy.
One of the finest American authors of the 20th century, Wallace Stegner compiled an impressive collection of accolades during his lifetime, including a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, a National Book Award, and three O. Henry Awards. His final novel, Crossing to Safety is the quiet yet stirring tale of two couples that meet during the Great Depression and form a lifelong bond.
A moving, exciting, and heartfelt American saga inspired by the author's own family memoirs, these words belong to Sarah Prine, a woman of spirit and fire who forges a full and remarkable existence in a harsh, unfamiliar frontier. Scrupulously recording her steps down the path Providence has set her upon - from child to determined young adult to loving mother - she shares the turbulent events, both joyous and tragic, that molded her, and recalls the enduring love with cavalry officer Captain Jack Elliot that gave her strength and purpose.
Rich in authentic everyday details and alive with truly unforgettable characters, These Is My Words brilliantly brings a vanished world to breathtaking life again.
Would you listen to These Is My Words again? Why?
Yes I would and will, but I was going to read the only other book in the trilogy which idsbook 3. This is terrible and hurts your ears to listen to. No Sale
What other book might you compare These Is My Words to, and why?
It's so difficult to find a well read book, I don't know. Matt Bates reading The Flame Bearer
What about Amy Rubinate’s performance did you like?
She read beautifully, whilst keeping the element of a diary. Her vocal interpretation of the prose and dialogue was extremely sympathetic.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
no. it was all good for me. She's definitely a keeper
Any additional comments?
More care in choosing books onterpreted with this quality. Nicola Walker is excellent, but you only have her reading one short book
The kind of book that you miss for days after its concluded. Such adventure and celebration of the good things in life despite circumstances.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
Would you try another book from Nancy E. Turner and/or Amy Rubinate?
I will definitely read another book by Nancy E. Turner. I will never purchase another book narrated by Amy Rubinate.
How did the narrator detract from the book?
The narrator's voice was quite slow, with a strong nasal sound, combined with a somewhat forced accent at times. It was very distracting from the story, and made it quite difficult to get through the book.
Any additional comments?
I will never purchase another book with this narrator.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
This was a well written book. It was traumatic but real and you laugh and cry. It is a good historical fiction.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I really wanted to listen to this book but I tried and stopped three different times because the narration was so terrible to listen to.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Strong pioneer woman, I'm going to miss her :) sorry to finish the book after years of 'struggles with Sarah.'
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I cannot wait to see the movie production of this book. Unfortunately, movies are never as good as the books.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
This was a great historical fiction novel about The struggles of life in the 1800s as people moved to the Western part of the United States in a wagon-train. Sarah and her family moved to set up their home. She lived a life full of struggles and hardships. It was a realistic depiction of how life could have been in the wild west. Sarah's journal tells about the wonderful loving relationship between herself and Capt. Jack Elliott. Sarah had many ups and downs and throughout all of her trials and tribulations she manages to come through it all to the other side still determined and willing to live another day.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
The story is based in the late 1800 and early 1900, the narrator has very proper English and doesn't sound like someone would who lived in that time. There were words like y'all or miss used tenses of words and it sounded very awkward with the narrator.
The story line was wonderful and heart wrenching all at the same time. It's incredible what our ancestors went through to make a living.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Narration wasn't my favorite at first but I was able to get used to the narration to enjoy the book.
Loved the writing and the story was great! A bit slow at times, but by the end it felt like that was needed to get to know the characters of the book.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Narrator's speaking is a little slow for my taste, but she performs the parts very well . The story of this strong woman is one that will stay with you for a long time. It is well-written and moves along at the perfect pace.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful