Best Dickens, Charles
[Read by Simon Vance (-aka- Robert Whitfield)]. Charles Dickens, at the height of his creative powers in this great work, pursues two great themes: the murky institutional fog that darkens and cripples all of England, symbolized by the endless litigation of the Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce case in the High Court of Chancery (which is slowly devouring an inheritance in legal costs), and the familiar Dickensian concern with the capricious treatment and maltreatment of children as exemplified by the pitiful castoff Jo and the overindulged Harold Skimkpole. With a motley cast of characters to challenge the skill of any narrator, his brilliant dramatizations range from a homeless street urchin to an arrogant barrister, from a canny old windbag to a high-minded heroine who deserves the happy ending Dickens affords her.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"BEWARE the text font size is about 4 point, that's the size of the legal on your average medication advertisement."
"Great story, great cast of characters, I plan on looking at it again, love these kinds of good stories."
"I had always thought this would be very complicated, hard to read, not worthwhile----but was I pleasantly surprised when I finally "tackled" it and found it uncomplicated and very enjoyable reading."
"Young David is then forced from his home, loving mother and faithful nurse when he is sent first to a harsh boarding school and then to factory work in London."
"Over long by about 70000 words, David Copperfield nonetheless packs a number of punches along the way."
"A beautiful filmed telling of this brilliant novel, possibly the best by Dickens thanks to its many believable characters (the flat vs. round discussion aside) and slowly building, suspenseful plot that manages to be both tragic and comic."
"David Copperfield is a narrative piece written in the voice of an autobiography that takes you on a colorful journey with the title character, beginning with his harrowing birth and childhood."
"The beginning took it's time in revealing a "secret" but then it seemed to move entirely too swiftly over 2 key events to come to the end of the season; it was "too easy" how things suddenly came about in the favor of the main character."
Tom Baker delivers a tour-de-force performance in this unabridged reading, and in his company we join Scrooge on Christmas Eve, witness the visitation of Marley's ghost, and are given a glimpse of the many homes and lives that Scrooge has touched in his wretched life to date. During his life, his works enjoyed unprecedented popularity, and by the twentieth century he was widely seen as a literary genius by critics and scholars.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"audiobook to put on and listen to while you are sitting at the table putting cloves in oranges for Christmas."
"The narrative is very good and brings you into the story."
"This BBC audio drama is an absolute treat for anyone who is a fan of Charles Dickins, and the 4th Doctor Who: Tom Baker ."
"Normally I am a "4th Doctor" fan, but occasionally it is nice to branch out and listen to some of Mr. Baker's other projects."
"A Christmas Carol" is the best-known and best-loved of Dickens' 'Christmas Books', and the story of the miser Scrooge's redemption has become as much part of the Christmas tradition as plum pudding and carols themselves.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I would recommend this to all classroom teachers who are looking for a genuine recording of this classic novel!"
"Used in my classroom."
"I have read the book, but found this version refreshing and somehow more entertaining than any movie/TV version I have encountered."
"This is an unabridged version of the Dickens classic."
"Nice to have the narrated version in addition to the books for Adult Ed class."
"The case was broken when we received it, however the discs were not damaged and wonderful to listen to."
Best Deaver, Jeffery
New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver returns with his next blockbuster thriller featuring forensic detective Lincoln Rhyme. With an unmatched ability to create the perfect characters...Deaver takes fans to the edge in this one and dangles them over the cliff...One of the best books of 2016. "Clever...entertaining...Convincing characters and an unexpected closing twist will remind readers why Deaver is one of today's top thriller writers. "Deaver delivers another heart-stopping thriller in his Lincoln Rhyme series...The action, suspense and horrific crimes continue unabated. "Fans will marvel at the creative manner in which Deaver incorporates current technological and societal trends into the plots of his thrillers.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The characters were interesting and the plot took a couple of interesting turns."
"Without the assistance of Lincoln Rhyme, who is teaching forensic science in lieu of employment with NYPD, Amelia Sachs is trying to catch a suspect who killed someone with a ball peen hammer. His targets appear to be conspicuous consumers, although the reader (like Rhyme) is challenged to identify the rationale that underlies his choice of victims. A young woman in a wheelchair is turning her attention to forensic evidence, giving Rhyme a new friend, but is she in competition with Sachs? It’s certainly a refreshing change from the self-aggrandizing chatter of other fictional forensic experts, who can’t stop trying to gain the reader’s approval with constant reminders that they care so much more about crime victims than anyone else in the world possibly could. On the whole, The Steel Kiss is a solid entry in the Lincoln Rhyme series and a welcome return to form for Deaver."
"You may think that you have set the water temperature for your home at a comfortable level; what if someone who wished to do you harm raised the level to ‘scalding’? The investigation takes Lincoln and Amelia through the usual processes of evaluating (and locating the origin of) trace evidence and introduces them to a very devious and ruthless killer."
"Rhyme has returned to teaching; unhappy with his results in the last case, he's decided to retire as a NYPD consultant. The story starts with Amelia Sachs tailing a suspect when an unexpected incident occurs in a mall. Rhyme’s, at times, less than amiable personality is ever present; having more interest in hard evidence and science than most anything else."