Play Audiobook Sample
A Soldier of the Great War Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(4.00) - 2,893 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
From acclaimed novelist Mark Helprin comes a lush, literary epic about love, beauty, and the world at war.
Alessandro Giuliani, the young son of a prosperous Roman lawyer, enjoys an idyllic life full of privilege: he races horses across the country to the sea, he climbs mountains in the Alps, and, while a student of painting at the ancient university in Bologna, he falls in love. Then the Great War intervenes. Half a century later, in August of 1964, Alessandro, a white-haired professor, tall and proud, meets an illiterate young factory worker on the road. As they walk toward Monte Prato, a village seventy kilometers away, the old man—a soldier and a hero who became a prisoner and then a deserter, wandering in the hell that claimed Europe—tells him how he tragically lost one family and gained another. The boy, envying the richness and drama of Alessandro's experiences, realizes that this magnificent tale is not merely a story: it's a recapitulation of his life, his reckoning with mortality, and, above all, a love song for his family.
Download and start listening now!
"Unsurpassed mastery of the language and of self examination. At almost any other time of my life I would have rated it five stars as I did Winter's Tale, but I am not now as interested in smelling the flowers along the path as I once was. Never has consciousness been so closely examined with such an amazing set of metaphors. To be somewhat playful, Julian Jaynes would rank Helprin right up there with William Shakespeare for the size of his metaphor collection."
— William (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
-
“Extraordinary…A vast, ambitious, spiritually lusty, all-guzzling, all-encompassing novel.”
— New York Times Book Review -
“A rousing tale…riotous energy and sustained brilliance…Helprin lights his own way, in his own singular direction.”
— Time -
“Intense, memorable…magnificent…A massive, soaring novel of ideas and ordeals.”
— Entertainment Weekly -
“Energetic prose, poetic images of great intensity, and an antic imagination combine in this gripping moral fable narrated by a septuagenarian irrevocably altered by World War I.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“The language is rich without cloying, complex yet luminous in Helprin’s best style. In a number of thoughtful philosophical passages as engaging as any adventure story, Alesandro struggles to reconcile his appreciation of beauty and his religious faith with the horror around him. That he finally persuades us to believe in a ‘God without any hope, in a God of splendor and terror’ is testimony to the indomitable human spirit. Highly recommended.”
— Library Journal -
“[An] ebullient, elegiac novel of destruction and survival…Tender, optimistic, and sumptuously presented: a feast of a novel, right down to Alessandro’s tender lingering over the final course.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Awards
-
A Publishers Weekly bestseller
-
A New York Times bestseller
A Soldier of the Great War Listener Reviews
-
" It took me days to find a review outlet for the audio version of a wonderful, well written gem of a book. The audio version hurts my head! Not because the narrator isn't good, clear, smooth and gifted. Nope! Ive read this book numerous times and I can only hope someone, one day will record this book with the Italian accents it was written in. All the charactors-especially Giuliani would, does have at least!!!!! "
— Rhust, 9/28/2016 -
" The book expired on my iPad library checkout before I could finish, but it seemed interesting, but not interesting enough to check out again. "
— Martin, 2/20/2014 -
" i read this because edward norton told me to. i'm shameless. "
— Rachael, 2/13/2014 -
" I read this book based on fellow reader Nicole. I agree with her whole-heartedly, a great book, very descriptive, but also very dense. It sparked an interest in reading more about WWI perspectives other than US. "
— Kerry, 2/10/2014 -
" This book was well reviewed when it was published in the early 1990s. I expected it to be a worthwhile addition to the literature about WWI, but it was not. A bland and disappointing book. "
— John, 1/31/2014 -
" Not nearly as good as memoirs of an ant proof case, but almost as whimsical. A little sad, as war ought to be and incredibly unreal as Helprin books often are. Still beautiful and poignant at many moments. It was a perfect book for night time reading during my last month of thesis. "
— Ariel, 1/28/2014 -
" One of the BEST books I have ever read. Starts a little slow but after the first 75 pages you get the rhythm and it just takes off. Few books will make you laugh and then cry (sounds corny but it did)and have scenes and people that you will remember for the rest of your life. Episodic story of the Great War. "
— Steven, 1/23/2014 -
" On the Bookshelf: A Soldier of the Great War by Mark Helprin "
— Alyssa, 1/16/2014 -
" Amazing. I wanted a substantial book with the right amount of intensity and I was completely satisfied. "
— Kitti, 1/9/2014 -
" I re-read this book every few years. I recently read it while we were loving and traveling in Italy. It helps me understand the history and culture of Italy. It is also a great adult romance. "
— Roger, 1/9/2014 -
" An epic saga following one man's journey through Italy before, during, and after WWI. This book crosses many genres - travel narrative, war story, love story. Holds many lessons to remember about life, particularly how to slow down and notice the beauty in every moment. "
— Julia, 1/9/2014 -
" The plot is factually well formed, even if the protagonist is a tad over the top, but the writing, oh the writing - one brain stunning phrase and image after another. I kept wanting to read it out loud to others. "
— Terry, 1/7/2014 -
" The best novel since Tolstoy. "
— Mike, 12/31/2013 -
" Stunning! It is a saga I was sorry to see end. Though it took me a little bit to get into it because some of the language is difficult, it was worth the time and I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to just savor a beautiful story. "
— Ginny, 12/31/2013 -
" Robie, I finally finished it! I thought it was great - moving historical fiction and lots of beautiful language. "
— Jody, 12/26/2013 -
" One of my all time favorite books. "
— Jeff, 12/16/2013 -
" Wonderful! Phenomenal read. One of my favorite books. Helprin is at his best with this book. I wept in the end. Not enough positive things to say about this book. A must read. "
— Bill, 12/11/2013 -
" A real book lovers book. Poetry in writing, a treat to anyone in love with this time period. "
— Tracee, 11/10/2013 -
" Quite possibly one of my favorite books - beautiful imagery and story "
— Ashley, 10/1/2013 -
" I read most of this on a trip to China - very surreal. But an amazing, beautiful book. "
— Alex, 7/24/2013 -
" In a lifetime of reading, this book has risen to the top. "Soldier" is, quite simply, the most beautiful book I have had the pleasure of reading. Funny, profound, sad, powerful, filled with life and beautifully moving. Maybe my favorite novel in English in the last 20 years. "
— Jack, 4/28/2013 -
" This was a great book. Story about love and family and war. I greatly enjoyed it and like any great book it made me think about my own life. I highly recommend this one. "
— Matthew, 1/21/2013 -
" Stunning imagery, and an awesome writing style. Follows an an Italian man's experience before, during, and after the first world war. "
— Jenny, 12/26/2012 -
" Here is a fiction of "every dazzling particular", as the author says, and each is inter-connected. Alessandro, the warrior protagonist, listens to the music of his heart and breathing through risks with hope and "looses the habit of safety". Thus, what Alessandro does is impeccable. "
— James, 12/18/2012 -
" might be my favorite book ever.... beautifully written. "
— Stephanie, 10/23/2012 -
" This book is completely different from what I was expecting it to be. I wish I decided to read at different time. It is not a light or easy read and it takes some concentration. Needless to say, the story was wonderful. "
— Mary, 4/14/2012 -
" One of my all-time favorites -- epic, gorgeous, violent, passionate... what more could you ask for? "
— Robert, 2/20/2012 -
" A difficult book to get into - well written, but just moved too slow. "
— Hilary, 1/24/2012 -
" This book rocked my world in high school, probably because of this magic combo: WW1 + ludicrously smart & witty main character who goes on all sorts of random adventures (I always get crushes on clever main characters). "
— Marissa, 12/23/2011 -
" Awesome, like reading a poem. And as such, at times obscure and wordy. But soul-liftingly sad and funny and beautiful. "
— Marin, 10/6/2011 -
" I always check to see if Helprin has written anything new - this was not a disappointment! "
— Clare, 7/10/2011 -
" A beautifully written book but slow reading. So far I am enjoying it. "
— Maryj, 5/10/2011 -
" I will rarely rate a book a "5" but this one I do. It is an epic novel telling the triumphs and failures of a man. It looks at his life unflinching, there is much to admire about him and also much to despair about him and his choices. It is story of a human being beautifully told. "
— Erin, 5/8/2011 -
" A long slog - but when the vivid writing came it is memorable.... and worth it. "
— Jane, 4/15/2011 -
" one of my all time favorite books. "
— Eleanor, 4/12/2011 -
" The best book I have ever read! "
— Alper, 4/10/2011 -
" Gave up after 100 pages and the only thing that happened was they walked a few miles "
— Natalie, 4/10/2011 -
" Not nearly as good as memoirs of an ant proof case, but almost as whimsical. A little sad, as war ought to be and incredibly unreal as Helprin books often are. Still beautiful and poignant at many moments. It was a perfect book for night time reading during my last month of thesis. "
— Ariel, 3/30/2011 -
" One of my all-time favorites -- epic, gorgeous, violent, passionate... what more could you ask for? "
— Robert, 3/24/2011 -
" Truly excellent. About seeing the beauty in the world around you, I suppose. Sometimes reminds me a bit of Umberto Eco. (Andy, I think you'd love it.) "
— Tim, 2/13/2011 -
" A wonderful story written beautifully. So many passages to be highlighted. "
— Stephanie, 1/30/2011
About Mark Helprin
Mark Helprin is the internationally acclaimed author of numerous works, including the New York Times bestsellers Winter’s Tale, In Sunlight and in Shadow, and Swan Lake.
About David Colacci
David Colacci is an actor and director who has directed and performed in prominent theaters nationwide. His credits include roles from Shakespeare to Albee, as well as extensive work on new plays. As a narrator, he has won numerous Earphones Awards, earned Audie Award nominations, and been included in Best Audio of the Year lists by such publications as Publishers Weekly, AudioFile magazine, and Library Journal. He was a resident actor and director with the Cleveland Play House for eight years and has been artistic director of the Hope Summer Rep Theater since 1992.