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Flights

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About this listen

Winner of the Man Booker International Prize 2018

Flights, a novel about travel in the 21st century and human anatomy, is Olga Tokarczuk’s most ambitious to date. It interweaves travel narratives and reflections on travel with an in-depth exploration of the human body, broaching life, death, motion and migration.

From the 17th century, we have the story of the Dutch anatomist Philip Verheyen, who dissected and drew pictures of his own amputated leg. From the 18th century, we have the story of a North African-born slave turned Austrian courtier stuffed and put on display after his death. In the 19th century, we follow Chopin’s heart as it makes the covert journey from Paris to Warsaw. In the present we have the trials of a wife accompanying her much older husband as he teaches a course on a cruise ship in the Greek islands, and the harrowing story of a young husband whose wife and child mysteriously vanish on a holiday on a Croatian island.

With her signature grace and insight, Olga Tokarczuk guides the listener beyond the surface layer of modernity and towards the core of the very nature of humankind.

©2017 Olga Tokarczuk (P)2019 Audible, Ltd Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Fiction Marriage Heartfelt
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Amazing iteration of that hybrid genre the lyric essay, fantastic translation and excellent narration. Loved this. Highly recommended if you’re not looking for plot, which I never am!

Brilliant

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I loved the way Olga took us on the traveling board of different personalities. Genius

Unusual and peaceful

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This is great book by an amazing author. It is narrated in a posh, highly-strung, gender stereotyped, irritating voice. I regret i downloaded it. I will buy a copy to read

Narration irritating

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The writing and some of the stories in this collection are mesmerising but be aware that this is not a novel. Included in the series of stories ranging from vignettes to novellas are some haunting tales; a Polish man on holiday in Croatia whose wife and child disappear, a Russian woman with an urge to escape a life dictated by love for her disabled child. Loosely linked by themes of flight and the cage that is the body, the stories build in power. Stick with it and you won't be disappointed.

Brilliant writing but not a novel

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Never listened to anything like this it was totally different and definitely worth listening to. One of the reasons I left the review is the narration. I read so many reviews that it was terrible so I was shocked that it was excellent and no I’m not a relation. She has a beautiful voice and a lot of different voices she was perfect for the book. In my experience a lot of people are intimidated in some way by an educated voice but who did you want to read it. Excellent narration

Excellent Narration Good Book

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