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Pere Goriot (Unabridged) Audiobook, by Honore de Balzac Play Audiobook Sample

Pere Goriot Audiobook (Unabridged)

By: Honore de Balzac
Pere Goriot (Unabridged) Audiobook, by Honore de Balzac Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: Walter Covell Publisher: Jimcin Recordings Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 7.33 hours at 1.5x Speed 5.50 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: April 2004 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN:
3.00188846181739 out of 53.00188846181739 out of 53.00188846181739 out of 53.00188846181739 out of 53.00188846181739 out of 5 (3.00) - 13,789 listener ratings
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Publisher Description

One of the greatest of French novelists, Balzac, trained as a lawyer, was a great judge of human nature. In 1833 he conceived the idea of linking together his novels so that they would comprehend the whole society in a series of books. This plan eventually led to 90 novels and novellas (including more than 2,000 characters) that he called The Human Comedy. Balzac's huge and ambitious plan drew a picture of the customs, atmosphere, and habits of bourgeois France. Among the novels of The Human Comedy is Le Pere Goriot, considered by many to be his highest achievement. Balzac's many masteries all find their fullest expression here.

The novel was written when Balzac's genius was at its height and when the his physical powers were not as yet impaired by his enormous labor and reckless disregard for his health. The history of Goriot and his daughters, the fortunes of Eugene, and the mysterious work of Vautrin, not only receive due and unperplexed development, but work upon each other with correspondence and interdependence that forms the rarest gift of the novelist. Nowhere else is Balzac's charm presented in a more pervading and satisfactory manner than in this novel.

This text was translated by Ellen Marriage.

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"I had misapprehensions about reading this novel. A fleeting knowledge of Balzac's works and style was all I came armed with. An aging man, dubbed Old Goriot by his fellow lodgers, who receives sporadic company from some mysterious young beauties and is held in contempt for it, though he professes that they are his daughters, is the central figure around which this Comedie humaine revolves. The main protagonist, Eugene Rastignac, befriends the old man, at first with a selfish eye, aiming to use Goriot's daughter's standing in society as his own stepping board to popularity and wealth. Eugene's heart is pure however, and he cannot keep up the pretense, and soon loses himself to his feelings. Despite his newly formed altruistic purposes, young Rastignac cannot help but become embroiled in the dramas and tragedies that "high society" creates for itself with such regularity. Balzac uses Rastignac's naivete to paint a very vivid portrait of the difference a little knowledge makes in our perceptions. On a side note, I was almost entirely put off the book by the first 27 pages. This is not due to anything of Balzac's inking, but rather by the over-long introduction. Interesting as it would have been to read as a critical essay, the introduction was poorly placed as an introduction, in my opinion. Still, once I was through that, and had consciously forgotten it, I was capable of appreciating the actual story, then reflecting on it later with the introduction's points in mind."

— Violetta (4 out of 5 stars)

Pere Goriot (Unabridged) Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.92592592592593 out of 53.92592592592593 out of 53.92592592592593 out of 53.92592592592593 out of 53.92592592592593 out of 5 (3.93)
5 Stars: 12
4 Stars: 6
3 Stars: 6
2 Stars: 1
1 Stars: 2
Narration: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
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1 Stars: 0
Story: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
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  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " Hated it. Shouldn't be called Old Goirot, it should be called Boring Eugene. "

    — hirtho, 2/15/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " This is a grand novel from the old school, pre-Hemingway: long passages of description, speeches that go on for a page, the seeking of fortunes by marrying rich men or women, dowries, and deathbed scenes. But I enjoyed this 1834 novel by Honore de Balzac, the first book I had read of this French author. The novel painstakingly depicts life in Paris after the fall of Napoleon and the Bourbon restoration, the class divisions, the poverty of most of the residents, and the status-seeking of the rich. There are no total heroes or villains in this novel; everyone gets morally soiled. "

    — Stewart, 2/9/2014
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " Very depressing story. If you like to read depressing things you might like this book, but for me it was a chore to read. "

    — Zoey, 1/31/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " A man who gave all he had for those who loved with all. "

    — Kyle, 1/18/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Classic C19 French Romantic stuff - lots of long-winded massively detailed descriptions, but a classic tale beautifully written none the less! "

    — Paddy, 1/8/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Wisdom about the human heart, vanity, betrayal fills the pages. "

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

    " This was a great book. I read an English translation but still loved it. Isn't there another book that is a continuation of this story or am I wrong about that? "

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

    " Balzac describes social and family relations of our times in such a wonderful detail that amazes me. Our social relations were only starting to form back then, it is so advanced that made me feel Balzac is still alive... "

    — Ruby, 12/29/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " No one who reads this should ever wonder if literature is an art form. "

    — Kezia, 12/25/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Heart-wrenching and beautiful! I love Balzac's descriptive style. "

    — Rebecca, 12/20/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " It took me ALL summer to read this thing. It was a long hot summer. "

    — Tara, 12/11/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Balzac is the master of metaphor: watch him dazzle you with the humming hive of Paris, which buzzes around the emptied-old flour-sack-of-a-man, Pere Griot. "

    — Joshua, 11/20/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " No other book has made me feel more human after being introduced to such inhumanity. "

    — Ela, 11/10/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " a king lear piece set in a higher class-aspiring period in 1800 france. "

    — Iris, 10/3/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Liked the story a lot! I was reading it in French at first and also cross-reading in English to be sure of what I was reading, but got so caught up in the story that I finished reading it in English only! Very classic story. Really well written. Want to read more by Balzac. "

    — Louise, 9/30/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " This is one of the books i had to read for school...it was a little sad , but interesting too...anyway its not one of my favourite books but its good! "

    — Anelia, 5/20/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " not bad for the 19th Century, a classic worth its name but still not one of my favorites "

    — Christine, 3/3/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Very good. Makes you love i mean hate i mean love Paris. Cant wait to meet these characters again in the other novels of the cycle. "

    — Steve, 10/16/2012
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Well it's a classic for a reason. Awesome. Sometimes I wonder why I read anything new when there are so many great books that need to be read! You learn a little about post-revolutionary France to boot. Fabulous characters and the story is quite a page turner! "

    — Kristy, 9/22/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " A book whose story and style will stay with me for quite some time. "

    — Violette, 5/16/2012
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " "In the meantime he had fifteen months in which to navigate the ocean of Paris, to spread the nets and set the lines that should bring him a protectress and a fortune." p. 101 "

    — Chris, 5/30/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I read this as research for my novel, My Phantom: The Memoir of Christine Daaé. Balzac is a wonderful writer and his Pere Goriot helped me a lot. "

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

    " I hadn't read any Balzac before, and I did enjoy this novel. I got the sparknotes to read along with it and that helped understand Balzac and his writing more. I started to read Balzac's "Cousin Bette" but got too lazy and rented the mini series (BBC) with Helen Mirren instead. "

    — Kathy, 4/27/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Jei žmogaus širdis kartais sustoja pailseti kopdama i biciulystes aukštybe, tai retai kada tesustoja leisdamasi staigia neapykantos pakalne.Pagal tušciagalviu žmoniu logika- tas, kas nekalba apie savo reikalus, matyt, daro ka nors bloga. "

    — Jurgita, 3/23/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Not the easiest book I've ever read, but worth the plod. Many truthful tidbits. "

    — Gena, 3/4/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " I love Balzac and am currently searching for more... "

    — Wendy, 1/12/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I liked it a lot "

    — Chad, 1/5/2011