A Curable Romantic Audiobook, by Joseph Skibell Play Audiobook Sample

A Curable Romantic Audiobook

A Curable Romantic Audiobook, by Joseph Skibell Play Audiobook Sample
FlexPass™ Price: $12.95
$9.95 for new members!
(Includes UNLIMITED podcast listening)
  • Love your audiobook or we'll exchange it
  • No credits to manage, just big savings
  • Unlimited podcast listening
Add to Cart
$9.95/m - cancel anytime - 
learn more
OR
Regular Price: $34.97 Add to Cart
Read By: Jeff Woodman Publisher: Highbridge Audio Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 15.00 hours at 1.5x Speed 11.25 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: September 2010 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9781615735310

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

46

Longest Chapter Length:

77:18 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

07:26 minutes

Average Chapter Length:

29:12 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

2

Other Audiobooks Written by Joseph Skibell: > View All...

Publisher Description

An epic and audacious historical novel set in turn-of-the century Vienna and Paris that crosses the lines between characters both real (Sigmund Freud, Emma Eckstein, L. L. Zamenhof, and others) and imaginary (including protagonist Dr. Sammelsohn). It's an entertaining picaresque novel that seamlessly weaves together fifty years of Jewish tradition, history, and folklore along with a wholly original take on Freud, the Esperantists, and life in the Warsaw ghetto.

Download and start listening now!

"A fabulously inventive tale, richly written. Initially, I felt I was reading a fin de siecle author and was about to embark on a straightforward and very amusing coming of age set against interesting times. The self-effacing hero, his hopeless love for an unattainable woman, his constant social blunders enchanted. Then things took a twist. At first, I was put off, thinking Oh,no!Dybukks? Must you? And then the skill and charm of the narrative grabbed me back, reeled me in yet again for a different kind of adventure, this one metaphysical at heart yet as comic as what had gone before. Easy to read, but very difficult for a writer to pull off, A Curable Romantic is well worth the time. I don't think I've read a 600 page novel so fast ever. And the last line still makes me chuckle, nearly a month after finishing it. Bravo. Encore."

— Mary (5 out of 5 stars)

Awards

  • Selected for the October 2010 Indie Next List

A Curable Romantic Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.4 out of 53.4 out of 53.4 out of 53.4 out of 53.4 out of 5 (3.40)
5 Stars: 7
4 Stars: 5
3 Stars: 6
2 Stars: 5
1 Stars: 2
Narration: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " The short version: Love transcends death. But this book is so much more than that: the narrator works with Sigmund Freud and his most famous patient, is part of the Esperanto language movement, finds himself in a ghetto during WWII, and then travels to heaven and back--all while his soul mate appears as new characters in different segments of his life. Skibell's world(s) are fascinating. Parts of this novel got a little long, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. "

    — Brooke, 2/13/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Set in turn-of-the-century Vienna, for the most part, this book just keeps going and going and going. Still, interesting enough to keep me reading; the book is about mysticism and love, and the intersection. "

    — Gregg, 2/11/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I loved this book. It's a big, daunting novel, but it's got Judaism, psychology (Sigmund Freud), dybbuks, Reincarnation, life in turn of the century Vienna (and Russia), Esperanto (actually, way too much Esperanto, especially when it gets into the interminable debates about how to update the language), WW2 Nazis, and even somewhat heartless angels. The narrator is self-deprecating and insecure but he really develops (thank God for that). This is a sprawling epic that is touchingly human, romantic, funny, and smart. The language and dialogue impress, and it's a huge quilt of topics that some readers aren't going to be able to process, but overall, I found it a joy to read. "

    — Elizabeth, 2/8/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " I gave this book 2 stars, because I hated the ending. Otherwise, it was a good book, but it was long and to go through all that maybe wasn't worth it : ). "

    — Stacy, 2/1/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Read an ARC. What a wild mystical ride through the world of Freud, Esperanto and hasidic rabbis. A real commitment but well worth it "

    — Mishmill, 1/10/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Have you been waiting all your life to read a novel in which Sigmund Freud, the inventor of Esperanto, a Hasidic rebbe, a love-starved dybbuk and the Archangel Metatron are all significant characters? Your day has come. Such a delicious book, for those of you who like that sort of thing. I do. "

    — Julie, 1/6/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " One of the weirdest books I've ever read! Some fascinating material, but then it seems to just fall off the table at the end (600 pages!) "

    — Chestelle, 12/7/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " A strange apocalyptic picaresque about dybbuks, Esperanto, Dr. Freud, and the Holocaust . . . all held together by our dubious hero, Dr. Sammelsohn. Quite the adventure. "

    — Rob, 11/27/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " This novel is devided into three books. My recommendation: only read the first. "

    — Teresa, 11/26/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " I hope to finish this up tonight. It started out promising; an historical novel pitting Freud and the new science against an old world ghost story, but then it bogged down in an awful mess of Esperanto. Yes, Esperanto. "

    — Tutti, 11/23/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Nine tenths of this book was fantastic and then it kind of fell apart. It was a hilarious ride through the beginning and middle. "

    — Sharon, 4/26/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " fascinating read. particularly gripping is the first section with Freud, our hapless narrator and his love interest/dybuuk. "

    — Hal, 3/6/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " It's a gripping and playful read ... but seriously playful. The language is also extremely crafted and original. "

    — Marc, 10/11/2012
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " A solid two stars. No more, no less. "

    — Alex, 7/11/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Maybe 3.5. Interesting and sometimes amusing, but certainly not quite what I expected. A kind of tour of early psychoanalysis (expected) and Esperanto (not expected), winding its way from 1895 to World War II. "

    — Cooper, 6/20/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " entertaining; a bit of a windy road and some turns you dont expect. You can also argue its two separate but related novels. "

    — Lisa, 5/18/2012
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Love the premise, the historical characters, and the nuance of storycraft! While the ending seemed a little lackluster, the twists and turns for page 550 were fantastical and fantastic. I much adored this novel. "

    — Darshan, 4/21/2012
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " book on c.d. terrible "

    — Louise, 3/18/2012
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Love the premise, the historical characters, and the nuance of storycraft! While the ending seemed a little lackluster, the twists and turns for page 550 were fantastical and fantastic. I much adored this novel. "

    — Darshan, 3/12/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " One of the weirdest books I've ever read! Some fascinating material, but then it seems to just fall off the table at the end (600 pages!) "

    — Chestelle, 1/27/2011
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " I hope to finish this up tonight. It started out promising; an historical novel pitting Freud and the new science against an old world ghost story, but then it bogged down in an awful mess of Esperanto. Yes, Esperanto. "

    — Tutti, 1/22/2011
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " I knew I was taking a risk with this one as it's not normally something I'd pick up to read, but I was feeling adventurous. I found that I didn't like Dr. Jakob Sammelsohn or where the story was heading. It's as simple as that. "

    — ---, 1/11/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " It's a gripping and playful read ... but seriously playful. The language is also extremely crafted and original. "

    — Marc, 11/1/2010
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " fascinating read. particularly gripping is the first section with Freud, our hapless narrator and his love interest/dybuuk. "

    — Hal, 8/3/2010
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Read an ARC. What a wild mystical ride through the world of Freud, Esperanto and hasidic rabbis. A real commitment but well worth it "

    — Mishmill, 8/1/2010

About Joseph Skibell

Joseph Skibell has received a Halls Fiction Fellowship, a Michener Fellowship, and a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship, among other awards. He teaches at Emory University and is the director of the Richard Ellmann Lectures in Modern Literature.

About Jeff Woodman

Jeff Woodman is an actor and narrator. He is a winner of the prestigious Audie Award and a six-time finalist. He has received twenty Earphones Awards and was named the 2008 Best Voice in Fiction & Classics, as well as one of the Fifty Greatest Voices of the Century by AudioFile magazine. As an actor, he originated the title role in Tennessee Williams’ The Notebook of Trigorin and won the S. F. Critics’ Circle Award for his performance in An Ideal Husband. In addition to numerous theater credits on and off Broadway, his television work includes Sex and the City, Law & Order, and Cosby.