World renowned critic John Gardner has received prestigious awards for his wide range of literary achievements including short stories, novels, and essays. When he turns his talents to retelling Beowulf, the earliest epic in British literature, the result is a work that combines extensive knowledge with a marvelous strain of pure fun. In Gardner's version of the epic, instead of lauding the helmeted hero, Beowulf, the spotlight shines on Grendel, a beast whose grotesque body and blood thirst condemn him to the life of an outlaw. Grendel is a horrible monster. He greedily gobbles up warriors in the Danish mead hall guarded by Beowulf. But within Grendel lurks a soul that delights in dark humor, dramatic pirouettes and pranks. Both young adult and adult listeners will revel in this powerful complement to a classic tale. George Guidall's narration captures a surreal landscape that shimmers on the other side of the original epic's heroic mirror. What we see is that there's a little bit of Grendel living is each of us. Also available: Beowulf
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"Without a doubt my favorite book since reading it for the fist time in high school and it has remained unchallenged ever since. Grendel's musings are the building blocks of both legendary wit and despair. I'll write more another time. " — Joshua (5 out of 5 stars)
"Without a doubt my favorite book since reading it for the fist time in high school and it has remained unchallenged ever since. Grendel's musings are the building blocks of both legendary wit and despair. I'll write more another time. "
" It has been years, decades, since I read this but I recall loving it. Must read again. "
" Amazing book - really brings something to life. Shame the author died (motorcycle accident) as I'd like him to have written more. "
" There's a reason this is considered a classic. It is! "
" bloody fantastic self dipiction of ethics "
" Bleak and beautiful. A modern reimagining of the Beowulf story from Grendel's perspective. Crudely funny, bloody, and achingly beautiful at times. "
" I wish he had been a bit more light hearted in his approach. "
" In my lifetime, I have read exactly two books more than one time through. Grendel By John Gardner, and Narcissus & Goldmund, by Hermann Hesse. "
John Gardner (1933–1982) was born in Batavia, New York. His critically acclaimed books include the novels Grendel, The Sunlight Dialogues, and October Light, for which he received the National Book Critics Circle Award, as well as several works of nonfiction and criticism such as On Becoming a Novelist. He was also a professor of medieval literature and a pioneering creative writing teacher whose students included Raymond Carver and Charles Johnson.
George Guidall, winner of more than eighty AudioFile Earphones Awards, has won three of the prestigious Audie Award for Excellence in Audiobook Narration. In 2014 the Audio Publishers Association presented him with the Special Achievement Award for lifetime achievement/ During his thirty-year recording career he has recorded over 1,700 audiobooks, won multiple awards, been a mentor to many narrators, and shown by example the potential of fine storytelling. His forty-year acting career includes starring roles on Broadway, an Obie Award for best performance off Broadway, and frequent television appearances.
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