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The Sea, the Sea
- Vintage Classics Murdoch Series
- Narrated by: Richard E. Grant
- Length: 23 hrs and 3 mins
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Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
Vintage Classics Murdoch: Funny, subversive, fearless and fiercely intelligent, Iris Murdoch was one of the great writers of the 20th century. To celebrate her centenary, Vintage Classics presents special editions of her greatest and most timeless novels.
I saw a monster rising from the waves.
Charles Arrowby has determined to spend the rest of his days in hermit-like contemplation. He buys a mysteriously damp house on the coast, far from the heady world of the theatre where he made his name, and there he swims in the sea, eats revolting meals and writes his memoirs. But then he meets his childhood sweetheart Hartley, and memories of her lovely, younger self crowd in - along with more recent lovers and friends - to disrupt his self-imposed exile. So instead of 'learning to be good', Charles proceeds to demonstrate how very bad he can be.
Winner of the Man Booker Prize 1978.
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What listeners say about The Sea, the Sea
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- AH
- 28-04-20
Thank you Richard E. Grant
This is not a narration by Mr Grant, it is a wonderful and generous performance.
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22 people found this helpful
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- John Cowan
- 17-05-20
Sherry and bitters anyone?
I've waited a while for an audio edition of The Sea, the sea, to become available. I think it might have been worth the wait to get one with Richard E. Grant. The cental figure, described regularly as: 'self satisfyed', Charles Arrowby is quite a difficult character for a narrator to get the tone right I imagine so it's good Grant, who always seems to me to be an under utilised talent, has got his character perfectly. He does superbly with all the various accents of the other characters in the book too. If a well told story of a (deserved or undeservedly) successful, hedonistic stage director who is, for some reason, infatuated with a married woman in a rural seaside location is your thing then this is the very best.
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14 people found this helpful
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- Penelope New
- 27-05-20
Worth the wait !
Didn't think one of my favourite Murdoch novels could be topped by reading, but this audio book surpasses all expectation....the philosopher's pupil next PLEASE
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10 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 27-05-20
An elusive, ambiguous masterpiece
What a superb reader Richard E Grant is. His tone is perfectly suited to this odd, brilliant, vexatious book.
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10 people found this helpful
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- Deborah
- 12-05-20
Eccentric and reflective
Brilliantly read by actor Richard E Grant. a good book to immerse yourself in if you like to hear the mumblings of theatrical persons, out-of-work actors and people who have lived their lives. Slightly potty towards the end and dwindling with pathos and loss, but still interesting and reflective.
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10 people found this helpful
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- Georgina
- 05-05-20
Perfect casting brings this classic to shimmering life
I listened to this in the space of two days. Richard E Grant is perfection. The entertaining cast of characters give relief to the chief protagonist’s deranged obsession and Murdoch’s skill stops it descending into farce. She has the ability, like Dickens, to interweave humour and pathos effortlessly. It will stay with me for a long time.
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10 people found this helpful
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- Gerard
- 30-05-20
A masterpiece
This is a gem of an audiobook. Perfectly read by Richard Grant. Murdoch amazes and delights with effervescent flights of creative story making. A masterpiece to cherish for all time.
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7 people found this helpful
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- lisa sheldon
- 02-05-20
Fabulous.
Richard E Grant’s narration of this is perfect. Beautifully paced and immersive. A delight to listen to.
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7 people found this helpful
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- Delissa
- 05-08-20
To not read this would be like not seeing Venice.
Gosh! What a masterpiece. Murdoch created this complex fascinating character who was at times so vile, so vulnerable, so bitchy. Any book's a winner where you find yourself screaming out loud NOOOOOO!. I loved all the characters. Last time I read a Murdoch was for my A Level and I have never read another since and I don;t know why. She is the most incredible writer - so many wonderful quotes to takeaway and remember. And brilliantly read by Richard E Grant doing all the voices. A treat.
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6 people found this helpful
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- Cristina Popescu
- 24-05-20
remarkable!
this was an extraordinarily enriching experience! highly recommended! it was my 3d time reading it.
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6 people found this helpful