Play Audiobook Sample
The Good Soldier: A Tale of Passion Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(3.00) - 7,106 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
With an Introduction by Sara Haslam. The Good Soldier is a masterpiece of twentieth-century fiction, an inspiration for many later, distinguished writers, including Graham Greene. Set before the First World War, it tells the tale of two wealthy and sophisticated couples, one English, one American, as they travel, socialise, and take the waters in the spa towns of Europe. They are playing the game in style. That game has begun to unravel, however, and with compelling attention to the comic, as well as the tragic, results the American narrator reveals his growing awareness of the sexual intrigues and emotional betrayals that lie behind its fascade.
Download and start listening now!
"The critics I've read say this is told by "an unreliable narrator." I disagree. All narrators of novels, especially those who speak in the first person, leave some things out or wait for particularly interesting moments to reveal them."
— Frederick (5 out of 5 stars)
The Good Soldier Listener Reviews
-
" read for college Sunset on the British Empire course "
— Erin, 2/16/2014 -
" A boring story brillantly written. "
— Jenny.p, 1/28/2014 -
" Melodramatic sexist and anti-Catholic dreck. Disorganized in what I suppose was an "experimental" way back in the day. Why was this ever on my to-read list?? Total waste of time. All characters are horrible people. "
— Kirsten, 1/24/2014 -
" I really disliked this novel... The most unreliable narrator ever. "
— Elise, 1/18/2014 -
" I was impressed by this book, but didn't like it. The craft is obvious - it's difficult to write a book where such a passive character is telling the tale, and one where everything is so circuitous. It's almost like a mystery novel - you find out details early on that don't fit in until later. But the characters are so unpleasant and the story so lackadaisical and convoluted that I had difficulty getting into the story, and didn't enjoy it much. Great discussion at book club, however. "
— Marshaferz, 1/18/2014 -
" Oh everything is so high drama among the rich and twisted beyond belief. Actually, they're an exceedingly boring lot with very little to entertain them (other than adultry) and very little introspection. I found them peckish and irritating. Not a one of them pulled at me, made me want to care about the, yet, I was still compelled to read.... "
— Heather, 1/16/2014 -
" It took me awhile to understand everything that the writer inferred, but once I did I thought the book was wonderfully ironic. I have not read many novels with an inaccurate narrarator, but overally I really enjoyed reading it. "
— Miranda, 1/9/2014 -
" In which everyone ends up dead or miserable. And it's maybe a little bitterly funny. "
— Jan, 12/11/2013 -
" Boring. Way too much talking. "
— Laura, 12/5/2013 -
" I really didn't enjoy this book at all. I found it had a very realistic, yet depressing view of human nature. I understand why it is an important book, in both its structure and literary approach, but I was very glad to be done with it! "
— Gwen, 11/17/2013 -
" Gripping story; fascinating. Levels upon levels, mirrors within mirrors. Can't stop thinking about this book! "
— Pete, 8/2/2013 -
" I loved this: subtle, moving and affecting. "
— Tracey, 7/2/2013 -
" An often overlooked magnificent book. Has been voted one of the 100 books of all time. "
— James, 5/6/2013 -
" One of my favorite books of all time. One of the most effective uses of the unreliable narrator--I first read this with our book club over 20 years ago--definitely time to re-read it. "
— Katherine, 5/5/2013 -
" Took a bit for me to get my sea legs, then it was rough, blindsided by waves, and ultimately made it to shore. Will likely take another dip. Oh, wait, I'm talking about a vacation to the beach... "
— Peter, 12/23/2012 -
" Really loved reading this, especially how well Ford pulls off the unreliable narrator in so few pages. I already feel like I need to read it again. "
— Hillary, 12/23/2012 -
" It's a classic book with a very unique writing style. It's hard to follow the meandering narrative at times and probably worth a second reading to delve into the character development by the author. "
— Janet, 6/21/2012 -
" Beautifully written, but I really didn't like spending this much time with all those "good people". "
— Neal, 12/14/2011 -
" Check out who edited this book. "
— Andrea, 11/25/2011 -
" A perfect French novel written in English: an acute study of marriage, infidelity, loneliness, deceit, desire, catholic vs protestant ethos... "
— Alfredo, 5/21/2011 -
" Madness and relationships as seen through the filter of an unreliable narrator. This book gets overhyped a bit, but it's a good read. "
— Danielroffle, 5/14/2011 -
" Another story about two dysfunctional couples pre-WWI who have lots of money and only need to carry on love affairs. But, that said, this is a wonderful study of one man trying to to understand, and describe, another man and the impact "The Good Soldier" had on other lives. "
— Karenbike, 4/17/2011 -
" Would've been nice had it come anywhere close to living up to that first sentence (Ford definitely made it tough on himself with that one). "
— Tony, 4/13/2011 -
" This seems to be homoerotic. I think he doesn't treat women that well. There is nice images, but ideologically he seems like the narrator of On the Road. "
— Ke, 4/9/2011 -
" Some really pretty sentences. A depressing and well-written novel. "
— Erin, 3/27/2011 -
" Why would someone read this and think, "This was worth my time"? "
— Andrew, 3/27/2011
About Ford Madox Ford
Ford Madox Ford (1873–1939) was a novelist, poet, literary critic, editor, and one of the founding fathers of English Modernism. He published over seventy books in his lifetime, perhaps most famously The Good Soldier. His books often centered on the conflict between traditional British values and those of the modern industrial society.
About Frank Muller
Frank Muller (1951–2008) was an Audie Award–winning narrator. A classically trained actor, Frank appeared on both television and the stage. His credits include Hamlet, The Crucible, The Taming of the Shrew, The Importance of Being Earnest, Law & Order, All My Children, and many, many more. In 1999 Frank was awarded the AudioFile Lifetime Achievement Award, the top honor in the audiobook community. He has also won twenty-three Earphones Awards.