ExArtProf
- 30
- reviews
- 45
- helpful votes
- 45
- ratings
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The Cricket on the Hearth
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Jim Dale
- Length: 3 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 289
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 257
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Story4 out of 5 stars 254
The holidays are upon us, and this year Audible is very happy to present to our members one of Charles Dickens’ most popular Christmas stories, The Cricket on the Hearth. This holiday classic (original subtitle: “A Fairy Tale of Home”) tells the innocent, picturesque, and charming story of a poor family and their would-be guardian angel; in short, a delightful vision of Victorian Christmas. As always, a great story calls for a great voice, so we’ve brought in legendary actor and record-breaking Audie and Grammy award-winning narrator Jim Dale ( The Night Circus). Happy holidays and happy listening!
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4 out of 5 stars
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Last Paragraph Missing?
- By stingo on 01-01-16
- The Cricket on the Hearth
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Jim Dale
A Fantastic Performance
Reviewed: 12-04-24
A delightful tale which shows the wit and imaginativeness of Charles Dickens at its finest, An equally masterful performance.
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The Dictionary of Lost Words
- A Novel
- By: Pip Williams
- Narrated by: Pippa Bennett-Warner
- Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,907
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 4,314
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,287
Esme is born into a world of words. Motherless and irrepressibly curious, she spends her childhood in the Scriptorium, an Oxford garden shed in which her father and a team of dedicated lexicographers are collecting words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary. Young Esme’s place is beneath the sorting table, unseen and unheard. One day a slip of paper containing the word bondmaid flutters beneath the table. She rescues the slip and, learning that the word means “slave girl,” begins to collect other words discarded or neglected by the dictionary men.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Enchanted
- By Lulu Can on 04-07-21
- The Dictionary of Lost Words
- A Novel
- By: Pip Williams
- Narrated by: Pippa Bennett-Warner
A brilliant story beautifully read
Reviewed: 05-15-23
A really brilliant story read with beauty and sensitivity. I had never thought about the arduous process of creating a dictionary. This book, however, raised my consciousness of the process and did so in the context of a beautiful and touching story.
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The Homecoming of Bubbles O'Leary
- The Tour Series, Book 4
- By: Jean Grainger
- Narrated by: Siobhan Waring
- Length: 8 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 48
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 43
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 43
A luxury stay in an Irish castle, a handsome, experienced tour guide, and a secret that has never been revealed. Life as manager of the magnificent resort of Castle Dysert on Ireland’s wild Atlantic coast is never dull, and Conor O’Shea’s life to date has taught him to be prepared for the unexpected. Even he, however, is not ready for the gang from Bubbles O’Leary’s bar in New York. A motley crew, from spinster sisters of a certain age to exhausted social workers, they are all in Ireland for one reason.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Too much death, sickness, sadness
- By Grateful Listener SME on 12-15-22
- The Homecoming of Bubbles O'Leary
- The Tour Series, Book 4
- By: Jean Grainger
- Narrated by: Siobhan Waring
Enjoyable, but lacking in some respects
Reviewed: 02-04-23
Once again Jean has concocted a story combining the believable with the far fetched, even throwing a bit of crime into the mix. The personal events within Conner’s family held the most appeal for me. All in all the book is enjoyable, but as an American I don’t think the author’s portrayal of our countrymen is representative, and the narrator’s voicing for them falls short of the mark.
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The Homecoming of Bubbles O’Leary
- The Tour Series, Book 4
- By: Jean Grainger
- Narrated by: Siobhan Waring
- Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 79
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 75
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Story5 out of 5 stars 75
Life as manager of the magnificent resort of Castle Dysert on Ireland’s wild Atlantic coast is never dull, and Conor O’Shea’s life to date has taught him to be prepared for the unexpected. Even he however, is not ready for the gang from Bubbles O’Leary’s bar in New York. A motley crew, from spinster sisters of a certain age, to exhausted social workers, they are all in Ireland for one reason. The fact that this bunch of unusual people arrive during Ireland’s biggest matchmaking festival just adds to the intrigue.
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5 out of 5 stars
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ANOTHER FANTASTIC BOOK IN THIS SERIES (MAYBE THE BEST YET)!
- By Marie G. on 01-10-24
- The Homecoming of Bubbles O’Leary
- The Tour Series, Book 4
- By: Jean Grainger
- Narrated by: Siobhan Waring
Enjoyable, but lacking in some respects
Reviewed: 02-04-23
Once again Jean has concocted a story combining the believable with the far fetched, even throwing a bit of crime into the mix. The personal events within Conner’s family held the most appeal for me. All in all the book is enjoyable, but as an American I don’t think the author’s portrayal of our countrymen is representative, and the narrator’s voicing for them falls short of the mark.
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Godmersham Park
- A Novel of the Austen Family
- By: Gill Hornby
- Narrated by: Bessie Carter
- Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 68
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 58
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 58
On January 21, 1804, Anne Sharpe arrives at Godmersham Park in Kent to take up the position of governess. At thirty-one years old, she has no previous experience of either teaching or fine country houses. Her mother has died, and she has nowhere else to go. Anne is left with no choice. For her new charge—twelve-year-old Fanny Austen—Anne’s arrival is all novelty and excitement.
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1 out of 5 stars
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Terrible disappointment
- By Mary Elizabeth Herr on 05-07-24
- Godmersham Park
- A Novel of the Austen Family
- By: Gill Hornby
- Narrated by: Bessie Carter
Well worth the listen
Reviewed: 11-19-22
Gil Hornsby has an excellent sense of the manners and mores of the period. Her writing style imitates Jane Austin’s extremely well. The narrator was excellent, capturing the personalities and class differences of the characters. For me, there was a bit too much emphasis on the plays performed by family as part of the story. But, all in all the book is a well worth the listen.
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The Long Walk Home
- A Novel
- By: Will North
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,064
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 980
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 973
When Fiona Edwards first sees the lanky backpacker striding up the lane toward her award-winning farmhouse bed-and-breakfast in the remote mountains of North Wales, she's puzzled. She's used to unexpected strangers, but few arrive on foot. The man to whom she opens her door is middle-aged, unshaven, sweat-soaked…and arrestingly handsome. What neither of them knows at that moment is that their lives are about to change forever.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Close to perfect
- By Shoppermom on 07-11-18
- The Long Walk Home
- A Novel
- By: Will North
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
Engaging from beginning to end.
Reviewed: 11-08-22
Fascinating story line in a vividly described setting in Wales. The characters are people you’d actually like to know. The narration is superb making the story come alive. Both the story and the characters engage the listener from beginning to end.
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The Girl Who Dared to Dream
- By: Diney Costeloe
- Narrated by: Bea Holland
- Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 50
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 45
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 45
It is two years before the outbreak of World War 1, and the Oakley family are typical of their time. Andrew has been clerk at a City solicitors for twenty years. Alice, his wife, keeps the home fires burning. Their sons plan on becoming skilled apprentices. And Mabel, their daughter, says she would rather die than go into domestic service like her cousin. She is going to go to train as a secretary. Andrew Oakley little imagines, as he sets off for work one February morning, that their lives are about to change in the most dramatic and tragic fashion.
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3 out of 5 stars
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The theme of a woman making it against the odds is attractive
- By ExArtProf on 11-07-22
- The Girl Who Dared to Dream
- By: Diney Costeloe
- Narrated by: Bea Holland
The theme of a woman making it against the odds is attractive
Reviewed: 11-07-22
Very domesticated compared to the author’s other books I’ve listened to. Without the WWI or WWII element woven into the plot, I found the plot to be far less captivating. The theme of a woman making it on her own against the odds was compelling. There were just few moments in the story which kept you in suspense.
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1 person found this helpful
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The Girl with No Name
- By: Diney Costeloe
- Narrated by: Anna Bentinck
- Length: 18 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 682
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 622
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 620
Thirteen-year-old Lisa has escaped from Nazi Germany on the Kindertransport. She arrives in London unable to speak a word of English, her few belongings crammed into a small suitcase. Among them is one precious photograph of the family she has left behind. Lonely and homesick, she is adopted by a childless couple. But when the Blitz blows her new home apart, she wakes up in a hospital with no memory of who she is or where she came from. The authorities give her a new name and dispatch her to a children's home. With the war raging around her, what will become of Lisa now?
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4 out of 5 stars
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Omit the “f” words!
- By NanaB on 09-26-19
- The Girl with No Name
- By: Diney Costeloe
- Narrated by: Anna Bentinck
A very touching as well as enlightening story
Reviewed: 11-01-22
The story, though it centered on the life of a young girl during WWII, made the Blitz come alive, underscoring just how horrific the circumstances in wartime London were. The horror, however, was softened by the character of Lisa (Charlotte) who was portrayed in such a sensitive and endearing way. The weaving together of three sets of parental figures added a great deal of warmth to the story as well. I could have done without the character of Harry, but I understand how he was necessary to the story. In some places I think the story could have been shortened, but all in all it was very touching as well as enlightening book.
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1 person found this helpful
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The Ship of Brides
- By: Jojo Moyes
- Narrated by: Nicolette McKenzie
- Length: 15 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,021
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,831
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,821
1946: World War II has ended and all over the world, young women are beginning to fulfill the promises made to the men they wed in wartime. In Sydney, Australia, four women join 650 other war brides on an extraordinary voyage to England—aboard HMS Victoria, which still carries not just arms and aircraft but a thousand naval officers. Rules are strictly enforced, from the aircraft carrier’s captain down to the lowliest young deckhand. But the men and the brides will find their lives intertwined despite the Navy’s ironclad sanctions.
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3 out of 5 stars
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3.75 stars
- By Lou on 05-30-14
- The Ship of Brides
- By: Jojo Moyes
- Narrated by: Nicolette McKenzie
Skillfully written and masterfully performed l
Reviewed: 10-12-22
This is a deeply thought provoking story about the idealism of young war brides and their agonizing uncertainty over hastily made marriages vows. It is also about human beings trying to make the best of a difficult overseas passage and both the cruelty and the heroism that are the result. Both skillfully written and masterfully performed, it holds your attention to the last word.
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The Trouble with Secrets
- The Kilteegan Bridge Story, Book 1
- By: Jean Grainger
- Narrated by: Siobhan Waring
- Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 441
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 383
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 380
For eighteen-year-old Lena O’Sullivan, life is predictable and dull. A future of hard work, marriage to a local boy, and a family of her own one day is all she has to look forward to. People from her background know not to expect too much, but Lena yearns for something different. Malachy Berger was different; for him, the world is at his feet. An only child of a wealthy if peculiar father, a large inheritance, a beautiful house, and a fine education are his due.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Another wonderful story
- By M. from Florida on 09-21-22
- The Trouble with Secrets
- The Kilteegan Bridge Story, Book 1
- By: Jean Grainger
- Narrated by: Siobhan Waring
Engaging and at the same time informative
Reviewed: 09-25-22
Once again Jean has created very endearing characters in a plot that addresses a pertinent social issue of the mid 20th century in Ireland: the plight of the unmarried pregnant girl. Lena and the dilemma she faces arouse the empathy of the reader while keeping them in suspense. The narration is very expressive making the whole listening experience a delightful one.
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21 people found this helpful