A review from my (10 year-old) son:

"Mom - quick, go to the audible website and give this one 5 stars. I loved it!"

18 people found this helpful

Great Story, recording has flaws

The story is a classic and well worth listening too. My son really got into it and started looking for excuses to go for car rides (which is where I keep my iPod). The only fault I can give is in technical merit... there are numerous repeats, some up to a minute long. If not for that, this would be a five star review.

9 people found this helpful

An Entertaining Novel...

which extols the virtues of moral behavior toward other humans and animals as well as industry and critical thinking in tight situations. Wyss devised this novel as something of an instructional manual for right living, a kind of didactic Robinson Crusoe, to be read and followed by his sons, but the wonderful adventure makes this also an entertaining and enjoyable read. A great classic for both children and adults!

6 people found this helpful

One of my favorite books of all time

Would you listen to The Swiss Family Robinson again? Why?

Sure. I love this story and have read it several times as a child and as an adult. I purchased the audio book to keep up with my son who is reading the book for school. It is unabridged, as far as I can tell, and has chapter divisions the same as other less edited versions of the book (44 chapters, rather than the 20-something in some other versions) which makes it easy to follow along.

What did you like best about this story?

The story and the language are old-fashioned, of course, and our modern sensibilities may be offended by some of the action in the story. You have to read it from the perspective of a fairy tale: yes, we as modern people know that kangaroos and penguins and tigers don't live on the same island and yes, we as modern people know that the killing of whales is horrible.

There are tons of reviews who are quick to point out how horrified the reviewer was by the blatant sexism and the overt "christian-y" tones, not to mention how the family seems to kill practically every animal it comes in contact with. To this I say, get over it - if you can. There is so much to this story that is lovely and educational and inspiring. If you are truly offended that the Mother does all the sewing, doesn't go on all of the adventures and never has a name (The Father never has a name either, funny how that never pops up in any reviews) or that monkeys die, or that kids have (gasp) guns that they use, then this book is not for you.

What about Frederick Davidson’s performance did you like?

I chose this version because it was not abridged and because the chapter divisions matched the chapters in my print version. The narrator was a second thought, but it turned out pretty well. You can hear the papers in the background and there are some awkward pauses, but his accent is a nice touch.

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

As a child, I loved this book because I wanted a pet monkey and to live in a tree house and a crystal cave. As a mother re-reading this book ( who would also still love to live in a tree house, but no monkeys, please) I was particularly moved by the beginning of the book when the father seems to accept that he and his family were maybe going to die in the storm that was destroying their ship around them. I don't remember who said it, but there is a quote I read once about how a great book grows with you, and that you should read a great book as a child, as an adult and then again when you're old - it is certainly true with this book.

Any additional comments?

This book is not politically correct. It isn't even biologically correct. It's not a survival manual, it's not a realistic portrayal of hardship. It's a fairy tale; a lovely story about a family living on a magical island without the interference of society. I would move to New Switzerland in a heart beat and take my sons (and livestock, tools, seeds, etc. with me.)

2 people found this helpful

A literary classic, but I was disappointed.

The story disappointed me because things always seem too convenient and coincidental. I guess I'm just used to a little more hardship and struggle for this to appear realistic.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the story, and was able to stay interested, but I guess it just was not _compelling_.
I also found the reader to be a bit dull, probably a good choice for a classic, but I think the story would benefit from a different reader, which are available here.

3 people found this helpful

WARNING-This versos is not UNABRIDGED as it states

We listened to this while following along with a hardcopy unabridged version. The chapters are differently sectioned on the audiobook and sometimes several paragraphs are skipped. We now must find an actual unabridged audiobook.

A Classic for Young Men

First off, Frederick Davidson is an incredible reader. I love his voice and cadence a lot.

This book is a must read for young men. It is filled with all the things a boy loves as a child. Brotherhood, adventure, danger, survival, providing for those you care about and forming structure out of the chaotic world around you. I believe this book is as good a guide to how to live as it is an entertaining story.

The only reason I gave the story 4 stars is due to some of the comically ridiculous fortune the family has which gives it a very lighthearted aire while losing some of the realism. They find dozens if different kinds of animals and manage to train and feed off of them as easily as dogs and chickens and it is hilarious.

Love this book, would highly recommend.

it's wonderful because this book is over 100 years

we could only read a little at a time and we laughed a lot as animals from every continent in the world appeared on this island! nonetheless it was fun to read and somewhat educational. The old English was great!

Boring

Snobbish voice without character tones; my boys were so bored! It put everyone to sleep!

Great

Great story and narration. The narrator captures the feel perfectly. Back when good, wholesome fiction was the standard.