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Vipers’ Tangle Audiobook
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(4.00) - 495 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
In this remarkable novel, Mauriac brings his extraordinary talent for probing the inmost core of the human character to what is arguably the most exciting theme in the world: the battle for the human soul. In all of literature there can be few more appalling studies of a soul devoured by pride and avarice, corroded by hatred.
Louis, a wretchedly unhappy multimillionaire, all but personifies evil. Toward the end of his life, seeking to uncover the cause of his unhappiness, he commits to paper his whole bitter story: his indulgent but affection-starved childhood; his first love; the trivial misunderstanding that festered until it poisoned their entire married life and the lives of their children; the old miser’s struggle to disinherit his family; and finally, the powerful climax, with divine grace vying to the very end to pierce the evil encrusting Louis’ soul.
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"Wow, Mauriac got the Nobel Prize for this novel and it's a story of redemption unlike any other I have read. All a bit gloomy and the characters repel me but yet the narrative was compelling. The Gospel penetrates even the hardest hearts."
— Paul (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“A lucid and penetrating study…Mauriac proves himself as good a storyteller as he is a psychologist.”
— The New York Times -
“A modern masterpiece.”
— St. Louis Star-Times -
“[Ralph Cosham] gives an appropriately low-key reading, making the unattractive narrator as accessible as possible without trying to force sympathy or dramatic tension beyond what is in the text.”
— AudioFile -
“Mauriac develops a character from the inside out…The listener is able to move into Louis’s mind, to feel and understand his motivation.”
— Library Journal -
“Mauriac has produced…nothing more fearless than Viper’s Tangle.”
— Elsie Pell, François Mauriac: In Search of the Infinite
Awards
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Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature
Vipers’ Tangle Listener Reviews
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" Married people should read this "
— Grant, 6/7/2013 -
" Seriously this book made me 'chill' "
— Ingrid, 4/29/2013 -
" This was surprisingly really readable and interesting, even if the main character reminded me a lot of Scrooge, lol. "
— Amy, 3/30/2013 -
" A deep examination of a dying man's psyche. Interesting and somewhat shocking "
— Eugenios, 7/14/2012 -
" Tentang catatan seorang laki-laki tua yang sakit-sakitan, tapi justru isterinya yang lebih dulu meninggal. Kebenciannya terhadap isteri dan anak-anak yang palsu. Mereka hanya menginginkan hartanya saja. Sayang, warisannya justru jatuh ke tangan orang lain. Ada banyak pelajaran dari buku ini. "
— Tuteh, 3/4/2012 -
" Une histoire tres profonde d'un marriage dont le couple n'est pas heureux.C'est plein des issues - l'amour,les enfants,l'argent,la tentation d'etre infidele, la religion, la classe sociale. C'etait magnifique cette histoire! "
— Stasha, 12/4/2011 -
" The using of personification amazes me a lot n enrich my French Vocabularies "
— Yusi, 7/14/2011 -
" too catholic/preachy for my taste "
— Katharine, 10/29/2010 -
" On my top 10 list of all times this would rank second, following The Idiot by Dostoevsky. Not much in common between the two books, other than that they both touch my heart. "
— Elena, 9/28/2010 -
" Une histoire tres profonde d'un marriage dont le couple n'est pas heureux.C'est plein des issues - l'amour,les enfants,l'argent,la tentation d'etre infidele, la religion, la classe sociale. C'etait magnifique cette histoire! "
— Stasha, 6/21/2009 -
" The using of personification amazes me a lot n enrich my French Vocabularies "
— Yusi, 6/18/2008 -
" Seriously this book made me 'chill' "
— Ingrid, 12/31/2007
About François Mauriac
François Mauriac (1885–1970) was a French novelist, essayist, poet, playwright, journalist, and winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1952. He belonged to the long tradition of French Roman Catholic writers, who examined the problems of good and evil in human nature and in the world.
About Geoffrey Howard
Geoffrey Howard (a.k.a. Ralph Cosham) was a stage actor and an award-winning narrator. He recorded more than 100 audiobooks in his lifetime and won the prestigious Audio Award for Best Narration and several AudioFile Earphones Awards.