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The Wind in the Willows Audiobook

The Wind in the Willows Audiobook, by Kenneth Grahame Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: Mary Woods Publisher: Blackstone Publishing Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 4.00 hours at 1.5x Speed 3.00 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: January 2006 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9781481546614

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

12

Longest Chapter Length:

35:03 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

25:01 minutes

Average Chapter Length:

29:58 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

26

Publisher Description

The Wind in the Willows is a book for those “who keep the spirit of youth alive in them; of life, sunshine, running water, woodlands, dusty roads, winter firesides.” So wrote Kenneth Grahame of his timeless tale of Rat, Mole, Badger, and Toad, in their lyrical world of gurgling rivers and whispering reeds, a world which is both beautiful and benevolently ordered. But it is also a world threatened by dark forces—”the Terror of the Wild Wood” with its “wicked little faces” and “glances of malice and hatred”—and defended by the mysterious Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

In the end, Grahame triumphantly succeeds in conveying his most precious theme: the miracle of loyalty and friendship. This tale of four friends and their adventures is a timeless classic that will inspire and delight listeners of all ages.

Download and start listening now!

"This is a grown-up book disguised as a children's book, because a book about real men messing about in boats and getting in trouble on road trips would make us grown-ups realize our fantasies about the good life are just fantasies of irresponsibility and selfishness. But when you make it about a mole and a rat and a toad and a badger, and add in some of the best romantic/pastoral writing ever put to a page, you end up with a classic. There's a great abridged version perfect for children that should, in fact, be read to them near the beginning of every summer break so they have a sense of what they're supposed to be doing with all that free time. It is abridged by Inga Moore, who removes the waxing on (that any thoughtful adult would cherish but that is really too much for children) and makes the story just about the adventure. Her illustrations so perfectly capture the romance of the excluded language that you end up with the essence of the book intact."

— Doug (5 out of 5 stars)

Quotes

  • “A Household Book...a book which everybody in the household loves, and quotes continually...a book which is read aloud to every new guest and is regarded as the touchstone of his worth.”

    — A. A. Milne
  • “The book is an urbane exercise in irony at the expense of the English character and of mankind. It is entirely successful.”

    — Arnold Bennett
  • “The Wind in the Willows is a wise book.”

    — Vainty Fair
  • “The Wind in the Willows, like A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh, tunes us into childhood mysteries with pitch-perfect style ” .

    — The Globe and Mail

The Wind in the Willows Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.918918918918919 out of 53.918918918918919 out of 53.918918918918919 out of 53.918918918918919 out of 53.918918918918919 out of 5 (3.92)
5 Stars: 56
4 Stars: 45
3 Stars: 31
2 Stars: 11
1 Stars: 5
Narration: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I read this abridged and beautifully illustrated version to Cam over the last week or so. It was such a joy to share the characters and the precise, lingering language with him. Eg. "As he hurried along, the Mole saw clearly he was an animal of field and hedgerow, the ploughed furrow, the frequented pasture, the lane of evening lingerings, the cultivated garden-plot. For others the conflict that went with Nature in the rough; he must be wise, must keep to the places in which his lines were laid and which held adventure enough, in their way, to last for a lifetime. " "

    — Leigh, 2/20/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Wish I could give it ten stars... "

    — Cheryl, 2/20/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Fantastic book. The parts that were not hilarious bore unfathomable beauty of language. My favorite character was Mr. Toad! "

    — George, 2/19/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " My childhood's favorite book to which I return every few years. The older I get, the more philosophical I find it. "

    — Tiina, 2/19/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Fun little story. Would be great to read with kids! "

    — Ljugant, 2/19/2014
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I find myself aligned with the minority of people who didn't like this book; I wanted to like it but it's not at all my kind of story. The descriptions of the woods/river/fields/weather are incredibly long-winded and unnecessary, the characters don't have many appealing characteristics and are flat caricatures besides, and Grahame's decision to put animal characters like rats and toads alongside humans and to have them interact on equal terms struck me as incredibly bizarre and jarring. So, pretty much everything other people describe as "charming" was just weird and wrong to me. "

    — Kristen, 2/19/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " First time I've ever read this book! "

    — Laura, 2/17/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Tell me again how this became such a classic? It is SO WORDY!!! Shoot me now. This has felt like the longest story--a story in which nothing really seems to happen. Skip this one. :) "

    — Teri, 2/17/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " This was a VERY well written book! I rate it 4 stars! "

    — Rosalie, 2/16/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " The best book I have ever read. I have read it countless times since I was eight years old. It characterizes life using animals such as the meek mole, adventurous rat, impulsive toad, and the wise badger. My favorite part is the rescue of the baby otter. The presence of God, as described by Grahame, touched me with wonder even as a child. "

    — Caroline, 2/15/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " This was a funny and truthful fable. Nature must surely be preserved. The Wind in the Willows gave me so much nostalgia. "

    — Katie, 2/11/2014

About Kenneth Grahame

Kenneth Grahame (1859–1932), Scottish-born author, was raised by his grandmother in Berkshire, England, along the banks of the Thames River. He began working at the Bank of England in 1879. As a pastime, he wrote light nonfiction and articles for newspapers. The Wind in the Willows, originally written as letters to his son, established him as a writer of children’s books and had a deep influence on fantasy literature.

About Mary Woods

Mary Woods began her career in Washington, DC, where she performed at Ford’s Theater, the Folger Theater, Round House, and Washington Stage Guild. She spent several seasons at New Playwrights’ Theater developing new American plays. She is a veteran narrator of Talking Books for the Library of Congress, and received the Alexander Scourby Narrator of the Year Award for fiction in 1996. Formerly a radio news director, she now hosts a daily local affairs interview program on Catholic Radio, for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. She lives in Albuquerque, where she continues to act on stage and in film. She received her BA at the Catholic University of America in Fine Arts and Drama.