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The Gambler Audiobook
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(4.06) - 72 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Art imitates life in this brilliant psychological study of a compulsive gambler, modeled on Dostoevsky's own tendencies. Like so many characters in Dostoevsky's novels, Alexei, a young tutor working in the household of an imperious Russian general, is trying to break through the wall of the established order and the human condition itself, but instead he is drawn into the vortex of the roulette wheel. His intense addiction is accentuated by his affair with the general's cruel, seductive niece.
With unforgettable characterizations, this novel explores the emotional roller coaster, changing fortunes, tangled love affairs, and complicated lives of the fashionable German gambling set. It is also a stunning psychological portrait.
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"Not speaking Russian I can't comment much on the translation (although I certainly enjoyed the read). However, I can say that this is the best introduction to a book I have ever read. Ever. Read the intro first, it increased my enjoyment of the work fourfold."
— Kenny (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Narrator Simon Prebble makes this tightly constructed Dostoevsky classic his own…Prebble’s performance is supremely well balanced, both sonically and emotionally, and he is a master at catching nuance, inflection, and emphasis on the page and giving them voice.”
— AudioFile -
“Brilliantly captures the strangely powerful compulsion to bet that Dostoevsky, himself a compulsive gambler, knew so well…unforgettable.”
— Amazon.com, editorial review -
“This classic novel is superbly narrated by Simon Prebble in an exceptional performance that includes voices of Frenchmen, Russians, British and Germans—characters young and old, rich and poor, male and female, desperate and content—all created with authenticity and appropriate emotion.”
— SoundCommentary.com (starred review) -
“For Dostoevsky, it is not the finished man, sculpted by the hand of destiny, who embodies the highest human truth, but the unfinished man, who remains open to what can only ever be freely and unexpectedly given.”
— Richard Peaver, poet and translator
The Gambler Listener Reviews
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" Excellent. Not as heavy as his other works but entertaining. "
— Michael, 2/18/2014 -
" The passion and compulsion of Dostoyevsky's protagonists in short form! "
— Daniel, 2/16/2014 -
" Loved it! So dynamic, so contemporary, such a vivid description of people getting carried away and not being able to stop (and I couldn't stop reading); I think most people could relate to the book in one way or another - it doesn't have to be gambling. "
— Guna, 2/15/2014 -
" when life gives you lemons, play roulette and stake zero. "
— john, 2/4/2014 -
" Eh. So, it wasn't that impressive. I get the point of the story: at our lowest we recognize ourselves and change. The main character of this novel, supposedly Dostoevsky himself, is gambling-addicted and turns into a penniless desperate man. It is in this state, however, that he finally attains self knowledge. It just wasnt THAT good. "
— Lisa, 2/3/2014 -
" nice shot of period casino halls "
— Kris, 2/1/2014 -
" Dostoevsky is cool. The book is short and brisk (180pp) and the characters are well-developed. Not the greatest book around, but if you are looking to go back to the classics without having to read 1000pp., then this is a good place to go. You can't really go wrong w/ Dostoevsky. "
— Christopher, 1/18/2014 -
" This makes me want to play roullette. Its good I don't live closer to a casino that offers it. I never bet on zero. "
— Heather, 1/11/2014 -
" I love Dostoevsky. I think in all of his books there isn't a single redeemable character. "
— Louis, 1/6/2014 -
" Good but u understand the hole story just at the end. "
— Morteza, 12/30/2013 -
" Very good. The historical introduction in the copy I read made the following story even deeper, greater. Alone the intro also is well worth reading. "
— Patrick, 12/24/2013 -
" gak punya duit bikin novel untuk bayar utang dan inspirasi ceritanya diambil dari pas doi gak punya duit tadi karena kecanduan judi "
— Gilang, 11/19/2013 -
" Gambling exemplifies a random reinforcement schedule: the most powerfully addicting kind of behavior to learn. This book describes every bit of this disease. Dostoevsky must have been an avid gambler. Yup, he was. "
— Matt, 11/7/2013 -
" I'm surprised that I haven't parked myself in front of a video poker game and re-read this just for the hell of it. A great intro to D. for the faint of heart/short of attention span. "
— Mo, 11/6/2013 -
" I loved this.....it was smart, snappy, and I feel like I might be able to conquer some real russian literature now. "
— Allison, 9/11/2013 -
" a beautifully put description of the human greed and addiction by Dostoevsky "
— Ahmed, 8/30/2013 -
" Se vede ca e scrisa cam in fuga. Am dus dorul unui personaj hristic, toate cele pe care le banuiam a fi astfel s-au dovedit a apartine realitatii pesimiste cu care nu eram obisnuita la Dostoievski. Nice book, though. "
— Bianca, 8/25/2013 -
" The book was well written by an eloqurnt author who had clearly done a lot of research. As books on gambling go, It's certainly up there with some of the best. "
— Paddy, 8/13/2013 -
" I like first person narratives, especially by Dostoevsky, and I like gambling. A good companion to Notes from the Underground. "
— Jonathan, 7/29/2013 -
" The Gambler was alright, Bobok was interesting, and I didn't really like A Nasty Story either, although the characters that Dostoyevsky portrays are remarkable, the stories weren't enough to keep me very interested in the book and I'm glad to be done. "
— Lindsay, 6/28/2013 -
" I love Dostoevsky. I think in all of his books there isn't a single redeemable character. "
— Louis, 6/27/2013 -
" A great story about a tutor that helps a Colonel's daughter in her school work. The tutor gambles his losses away and falls in love with the Colonel's daughter. "
— Peter, 5/23/2013 -
" This is my favourite novel ever. The knowledge Dostoievski's got on the depths of the human mind leaves me at awe everytime I read him. With all due respect, Freud doesn't have shit on Dostoievski. "
— Spiderj, 3/18/2013 -
" One of the best short stories I've read, along with To Build A Fire. "
— Joel, 3/5/2013 -
" A deep view into the mind of the mentally deranged and obsessed. No other writer I know of comes close in reflecting the imagery of the shadow world of the mad and insane. "
— Phoenix, 9/5/2012 -
" 'A Nasty Story' is hilarious, if you like your humour dark. Dostoevesky was a master at wringing comedy out of social humiliation, and never more so than in this absolute gem. "
— Philip, 6/10/2012 -
" Se vede ca e scrisa cam in fuga. Am dus dorul unui personaj hristic, toate cele pe care le banuiam a fi astfel s-au dovedit a apartine realitatii pesimiste cu care nu eram obisnuita la Dostoievski. Nice book, though. "
— Bianca, 6/9/2012 -
" he just can keep u reading all the night .. "
— mOnFaSeM, 6/9/2012 -
" This was my first 'Dostojevski' and I liked it. I thought this writer would be much harder to read, but I really enjoyed reading it. "
— Johannes, 4/19/2012 -
" This book is why I love roulette. And I'm up over $2000 in vegas. "
— Cody, 2/10/2012 -
" I loved this.....it was smart, snappy, and I feel like I might be able to conquer some real russian literature now. "
— Allison, 1/5/2012 -
" Very Russian - the tone lurches between farce and fatalism. "
— P.walsh, 8/24/2011 -
" A devastatingly accurate portrait of addiction "
— Anna, 6/17/2011 -
" This was a very moving novel, it taught me everything know on the philosophy of the alcoholic, the drug addicted, desperate individual. Here is no novel to leave idle. "
— Zach, 4/9/2011 -
" The book was well written by an eloqurnt author who had clearly done a lot of research. As books on gambling go, It's certainly up there with some of the best. "
— Paddy, 10/7/2008
About Fyodor Dostoevsky
Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (1821–1881) was a Russian novelist, journalist, and short-story writer whose psychological penetration into the darkest recesses of the human heart had a profound and universal influence on the twentieth-century novel. He was born in Moscow, the son of a surgeon. Leaving the study of engineering for literature, he published Poor Folk in 1846. As a member of revolutionary circles in St. Petersburg, he was condemned to death in 1849. A last-minute reprieve sent him to Siberia for hard labor. Returning to St. Petersburg in 1859, he worked as a journalist and completed his masterpiece, Crime and Punishment, as well as other works, including The Idiot and The Brothers Karamazov.
About Simon Prebble
Simon Prebble, a British-born performer, is a stage and television actor and veteran narrator of some three hundred audiobooks. As one of AudioFile’s Golden Voices, he has received thirty-seven Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie in 2010. He lives in New York.