The Good Soldier: A Tale of Passion Audiobook

" read for college Sunset on the British Empire course "

" A great book for sentimentalists "

" 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. "

" Started out slow, but after...hmmm...50 pages it really picked up. First-person story told with little dialogue. The characters are very well developed. "

" I'd never heard of this book until I read a review last year. Apparently it's a classic written in 1915 set in a pre-WWI German spa town (for the most part). English author ... about an English gentleman who has affairs left and right and how these events affect the lives of the people around him. I had high expectations after reading the reviews which might account for some of why I was disappointed in the book. I didn't care much for this book although I did have enough interest to keep reading to see how it ended. "

" Great Modernist book. It makes you question the narrator and his point of view. You can't always trust the narrator when reading a story, this can especially be seen in books of the British Modern Era. This also displays other difficult themes of British Modern Literature "

" I would like to write a book as deeply investigated and hotly debated as this one. Written during the outbreak of the first World War, this is a novel about two enmeshed couples, marital affairs, passion and the forbidden object of passion. One of the marriages is between a tart and an asexual man (the narrator). The other marriage is between an uptight woman and a man who is generous of spirit and body (courtly knight or lech, depending on your view). But the beauty of this book, for me, isn't as much in what it's about as in how the story is told. Continued here "

" This is the saddest story. "

" Started out slow, but after...hmmm...50 pages it really picked up. First-person story told with little dialogue. The characters are very well developed. "

" I really enjoyed this book, but it was a bit too complex for me to quite get on my own. I had to read the Barnes and Noble introduction by Frank Kermode to understand all the stuff I had missed. Still, it is a unique and intriguing way of telling the story of immoral and deceitful people in Victorian times. "

" THE GOOD SOLDIER (by Ford Madox Ford) is a classic example of the 'unreliable narrator' technique in fiction. The reader must constantly decide what really happened in the story, and it is never a matter of simply dismissing what the narrator says; the narrator's own attitudes and actions are crucially involved in the plot. It is often funny, and is a view of a very interesting world. "

" A technical masterpiece. My greatest joy in reading the book was in analyzing Ford's narrative technique. "

" One of the saddest stories I've ever read--but very beautifully written. If Ford had written 50% of his novels at that level of control and skill and feeling, he would be considered onw of the greatest novelists of the 20th century. "

" This book was DULL. I thought it might be along the lines of Revolutionary Road - one of my favourites - but it wasn't. The narration was a mess, full of sentiments and emotions that I just didn't care about one bit. The idea behind how it's written is good - told through the eyes of a ridiculously naive man who has no idea about what his wife or friends are up to. But I personally didn't like the writing. Clearly, I've missed something that other readers seem to love in this book. "

" A literary classic I had missed with the most unreliable narrator ever . . . Definitely one to read slowly, but worth it. "

" As Meredith claimed: "gorgeous narrative structure." It also signals the end of the "novel" as we knew it. Good thing it's utterly perfect. "

" From four to five stars. Changed my mind after thinking about it some more. I can do that, you know. "

" this is, unquestionably, the best book I've ever read, deep and light and convoluted and readable and fraught with love, hate, despair, hope. it very nearly made me become an English professor. "

" A modernist classic and a narrative puzzle. Black, black comedy. Ford was very clever. "

" This is a powerful book and one that has slipped from the consciousness of most contemporary readers (if it was ever there). It's themes of love, passion and jealousy ring true even if the decor is quaint. "

" Shakespearian! You have to study this one but it's worth it. "

" Crazy, unreliable, biased narrator talks about how his wife was unfaithful with his friend, everyone dies. Happy days. "

" Great work, Hueffer, but that guy's obviously not American. "

" A great example of the early unreliable narrator. At every turn, this narrator bends time, withholds information and reveals information he claims to withhold. He's not to be trusted, and he's one of the first of his kind. "

" Reading for Rockville Book Club - and using as a "classic" in my 2010 Book Challenge (52 Books this year -- to include 7 classics) "

" I loved the Parade's End tetralogy, but was rather disappointed in this one. "

" 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. "

" The deepest story about shallow people I have ever heard. "

" If you want some upper class British adultery mixed with scathing narrative bitterness and poignant irony, look no further: The Good Soldier is for you. If, on the other hand, you want to retain some shred of morality and faith in humanity, stay away. Far, far away... "

" Oy vey... On and on and on... "

" A very cleverly written story that held my interest. A very sad tale where no one seems to achieve a level of satisfaction with their life. The book is worth reading for the original style of writing. "

" This is a powerful book and one that has slipped from the consciousness of most contemporary readers (if it was ever there). It's themes of love, passion and jealousy ring true even if the decor is quaint. "

" The people in this novel are not "good people" although the narrator describes themselves as "good people." They are uninteresting, vacuous and very shallow. I read the novel as it was identified as one of the top 100 novels of all time by The Guardian. Hard to understand that designation. "

" An amazing mess? I never reached, or approached, empathy with any of the characters so I enjoyed the mess not for storytelling, even though Madox Ford writes "this is the Saddest story I've ever heard," but for the enjoyment of reading the exceptional writing. "

" "The Good Soldier" is what "Revolutionary Road" written by Waugh would read like. "

" Themes don't quite shock now but solid. "

" Two couples in 1902-1914 - one British and one American. I read a list of books that were written by "must read authors." Since I had never read his works, I gave it a try. It's very good. "

" The Good Soldier: A Tale of Tedium. It takes a heck of a writer to make adultery boring, so hats off to you Ford Maddox Ford. "

" Beautifully written, with an excellent command of first person narrative and the ability to quickly reveal plot but slowly reveal details and motives. It felt a little too long and perhaps a touch melodramatic, but very moving. "

" i found the story to be a bit confusing and jumbled but i think in yhe end i got the gist of it. two couples. one with a constantly cheating husband. the other a man oblivous to his cheating wife. death and meddling "

" This book was stunning. I loved it. Its quite a classy tale. "

" I'm still reading it, so no opinion at this time. "

" Why would someone read this and think, "This was worth my time"? "

" Interesting read, but overrated by the usual comments about its historical importance. It's an interesting tale of corruption and sadness and deceit, but the actual story is too far from credible to be good. "

" Oh, it's been a long time since I read this. I was in college, and Ford was new to me. I don't remember a lot about the storyline, but I do remember that I was floored. It was elegant and explosive. I should read it again and remind myself. "

" A very cleverly written story that held my interest. A very sad tale where no one seems to achieve a level of satisfaction with their life. The book is worth reading for the original style of writing. "

" An interesting piece of modernist/early postmodernist British fiction, but if you die without reading it, you'll be ok. "

" A boring story brillantly written. "

" 3 1/2 stars Topic is toxic relationships, complexities and torment (not about militaty). Set in early 1900's in Europe. Glad I read it but not a delight. "

" 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. "

" Highly recommended! Loved this book. I was working as a test writer at the time, and I thought I'd look through this book for sample reading passages. I simply couldn't put it down. "

" I was very disappointed in this book. I had high expectations and I felt the book let me down. The characters were unsympathetic and failed to engage me. I especially found the ending of the book to be a little overwrought. This is not a book that I would recommend. "

" A technical masterpiece. My greatest joy in reading the book was in analyzing Ford's narrative technique. "

" Not a war novel after all (not that kind, anyhow). For years, I assumed it was about WWI. No, it is about marriage, and it is horrifying and excellent. "

" For a novel in first person, this one is technically flawless. He uses all the digressions, the asides, the manner of an individual's speech at his disposal. He confounds and undermines. He tells a very frustrating, very sad story, very very well. "

" Great Modernist book. It makes you question the narrator and his point of view. You can't always trust the narrator when reading a story, this can especially be seen in books of the British Modern Era. This also displays other difficult themes of British Modern Literature "

" I read this in high school. I don't remember as much of it as I thought...plus I think a lot of it went over my head at the time. This time around I couldn't quite get into it. I'm not sure why. "

" A passionate story told by a passionless narrator. A sad story told without emotion. A cast of characters without a hero. Death without remorse. And yet somehow, it succeeds. "

" Honestly, I thought this book might be a parody until I got about 80% of the way through, then I realized that the joke was on me. "

" 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... "

" Read this one a while ago. Came across it while cleaning out my bookshelf. "

" Better than I expected! Part mystery, part study of morals. Sometimes funny, sometimes uncomfortable. Very Masterpiece Theater. I imagined Jeremy Irons' voice telling the story and Helena Bonham Carter and various other British acting greats in the roles of the key (zany) characters. "

" I read this in University, and would probably not have picked it up to read otherwise. I found it a slow read at best. I do, however, intend to give it a go again - it's harder to enjoy a novel like this when you only have two weeks to read it. Will post again, once I read it correctly! "

" I loved this: subtle, moving and affecting. "

" A very frank traumatic novel, using the interesting Modernist technique of flashbacks and fracturing time in order to rearrange events into an non-chronological order. Be patient with it. "

" This book did absolutely nothing for me. "

" Really good book but terribly sad story. No one wins. Marriages fail. People betray themselves and others. Some just sit and let it all happen. Sad. Sad. Sad. "

" 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. "

" Feels old-fashioned in content and style, especially at first (and could be a bit hard to take), but it's a complex weave of plot and character that ravels and unravels bit by bit--and ultimately the characters hold strong and stick with you. "

" A perfect French novel written in English: an acute study of marriage, infidelity, loneliness, deceit, desire, catholic vs protestant ethos... "

" A perfect French novel written in English: an acute study of marriage, infidelity, loneliness, deceit, desire, catholic vs protestant ethos... "

" A perfect French novel written in English: an acute study of marriage, infidelity, loneliness, deceit, desire, catholic vs protestant ethos... "

" Madness and relationships as seen through the filter of an unreliable narrator. This book gets overhyped a bit, but it's a good read. "

" Madness and relationships as seen through the filter of an unreliable narrator. This book gets overhyped a bit, but it's a good read. "

" Madness and relationships as seen through the filter of an unreliable narrator. This book gets overhyped a bit, but it's a good read. "

" 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. "

" 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. "

" 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. "

" 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). "

" 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). "

" 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). "

" 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. "

" 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. "

" 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. "

" Holding off on my opinion... "

" Why would someone read this and think, "This was worth my time"? "

" Some really pretty sentences. A depressing and well-written novel. "

" Some really pretty sentences. A depressing and well-written novel. "

" Why would someone read this and think, "This was worth my time"? "

" Some really pretty sentences. A depressing and well-written novel. "

" Why would someone read this and think, "This was worth my time"? "

" You know, I know I will have to defend this one at the reading group, but I enjoyed it. I can't say I understood it or even liked it, but I interacted with it more than i have done with a novel in a while. the unreliable narrator was kind of fun. "

" You know, I know I will have to defend this one at the reading group, but I enjoyed it. I can't say I understood it or even liked it, but I interacted with it more than i have done with a novel in a while. the unreliable narrator was kind of fun. "

" You know, I know I will have to defend this one at the reading group, but I enjoyed it. I can't say I understood it or even liked it, but I interacted with it more than i have done with a novel in a while. the unreliable narrator was kind of fun. "