Orforded
- 10
- reviews
- 8
- helpful votes
- 25
- ratings
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This Side of Paradise (AmazonClassics Edition)
- By: F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Narrated by: Dick Hill
- Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 78
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 74
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Story3.5 out of 5 stars 74
Young midwesterner Amory Blaine is certain he is destined for greatness. On his quest, he enrolls in Princeton, finds an ephemeral first love, fulfills his duty in war, and becomes enraptured by debutante Rosalind Connage, who defines all that Amory has desired and everything he could lose. As conventions, romance, and money fail him, Amory's restless pursuit of enlightenment takes him down a dark path, but closer to understanding himself and his place in the world.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Passionate
- By Tad Davis on 01-15-18
- This Side of Paradise (AmazonClassics Edition)
- By: F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Narrated by: Dick Hill
Boring and Disappointing
Reviewed: 01-09-22
I don't think anything could be more boring and uninteresting than the musings and goings on of the gilded youth of the early 20th century. I understand that it was his first novel but even so I expected more from the author of the masterpiece that is The Great Gatsby. I also did not care for the narrator. He was just too dramatic, feigning anger by raising his voice, excitement by breathlessly increasing the pace of his reading, that sort of thing. It got annoying after awhile.
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The Collector’s Apprentice
- A Novel
- By: B. A. Shapiro
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 215
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 189
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Story4 out of 5 stars 192
It's the summer of 1922, and 19-year-old Paulien Mertens finds herself in Paris - broke, disowned, and completely alone. Everyone in Belgium, including her own family, believes she stole millions in a sophisticated con game perpetrated by her then-fiance, George Everard. To protect herself from the law and the wrath of those who lost everything, she creates a new identity, a Frenchwoman named Vivienne Gregsby, and sets out to recover her father's art collection, prove her innocence - and exact revenge on George.
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3 out of 5 stars
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4.09 stars
- By ibillinsly@gmail on 01-29-19
- The Collector’s Apprentice
- A Novel
- By: B. A. Shapiro
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
Not as Good as The Art Forger
Reviewed: 01-09-22
After enjoying The Art Forger I was disappointed in this novel. I expected another story about the art world of the early 20th century but what I got was more of a standard romance novel. While the art of the time did play a role, it was not central to the story and seemed tangential to the romance. I also did not care for the narrator, her accents were inauthentic and unconvincing, her reading a bit over dramatic, and sometimes hard to understand, I don't think Matisse or Gertrude Stein would be pleased.
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The Warmth of Other Suns
- The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
- By: Isabel Wilkerson
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 22 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 14,011
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 12,380
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Story5 out of 5 stars 12,322
From 1915 to 1970, this exodus of almost six million people changed the face of America. Wilkerson compares this epic migration to the migrations of other peoples in history. She interviewed more than a thousand people, and gained access to new data and official records, to write this definitive and vividly dramatic account of how these American journeys unfolded, altering our cities, our country, and ourselves.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Superior non-fiction
- By Lila on 05-20-11
- The Warmth of Other Suns
- The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
- By: Isabel Wilkerson
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
Required reading
Reviewed: 12-29-21
Required reading for anyone truly interested in the Black experience in post civil war America.
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The Art of the Con
- The Most Notorious Fakes, Frauds, and Forgeries in the Art World
- By: Anthony M. Amore
- Narrated by: Michael Johnson
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 95
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 75
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 76
Art scams are today so numerous that the specter of a lawsuit arising from a mistaken attribution has scared a number of experts away from the business of authentication and forgery, and with good reason. Art scams are increasingly convincing and involve incredible sums of money. The cons perpetrated by unscrupulous art dealers and their accomplices are proportionately elaborate. Anthony M. Amore's The Art of the Con tells the stories of some of history's most notorious yet untold cons.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Monotone performance
- By Texantothebone2500 on 12-17-19
- The Art of the Con
- The Most Notorious Fakes, Frauds, and Forgeries in the Art World
- By: Anthony M. Amore
- Narrated by: Michael Johnson
Catalogue of Art Frauds
Reviewed: 12-29-21
Interesting such as it is. Not very compelling. A little more depth of analysis would have been appreciated
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1 person found this helpful
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The Big Sleep
- Philip Marlowe, Book 1
- By: Raymond Chandler
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 575
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 506
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 504
A dying millionaire hires private eye Philip Marlowe to handle the blackmailer of one of his two troublesome daughters, and Marlowe finds himself involved with more than extortion. Kidnapping, pornography, seduction, and murder are just a few of the complications he gets caught up in.
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3 out of 5 stars
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I miss Ray Porter
- By Kindle Customer on 03-22-22
- The Big Sleep
- Philip Marlowe, Book 1
- By: Raymond Chandler
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
Crime noir
Reviewed: 12-29-21
Story was good Chandler. Narrator was a little too dramatic for my taste. Writing was typical Chandler which I love. I think his novels may be better read than listened to. When I read a novel I create the voices in my head. When a novel is narrated I believe the narrator ought to be relatively neutral so as to leave something to the listener's imagination. I know not everyone will agree with me on this point.
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3 people found this helpful
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The Buried Giant
- A Novel
- By: Kazuo Ishiguro
- Narrated by: David Horovitch
- Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 3,009
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,694
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Story4 out of 5 stars 2,697
"You've long set your heart against it, Axl, I know. But it's time now to think on it anew. There's a journey we must go on, and no more delay..." The Buried Giant begins as a couple set off across a troubled land of mist and rain in the hope of finding a son they have not seen in years. Sometimes savage, often intensely moving, Kazuo Ishiguro's first novel in nearly a decade is about lost memories, love, revenge, and war.
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5 out of 5 stars
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The beauty of the reveal
- By Anonymous User on 03-17-15
- The Buried Giant
- A Novel
- By: Kazuo Ishiguro
- Narrated by: David Horovitch
Beautifully written and narrated
Reviewed: 12-29-21
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book. What a treat to have a world class master writer tell this simple tale of end of life adventures.
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Zip Ono, Buddhist Detective
- By: John Christian Plummer
- Narrated by: Allison Hiroto
- Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 821
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 746
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Story4 out of 5 stars 738
At first glance, the death of media mogul “Big Bill” Argosy appears to be suicide. But his widow, Laila, thinks otherwise. Because Big Bill made enemies - lots of them. And he’d rather fight to the death than take his own life. When the authorities refuse to investigate, Laila turns to the one person who can see connections in the universe where others can’t: Zip Ono, a young private investigator - and practicing Buddhist. Zip quickly learns that there’s no shortage of suspects who might very well want Argosy dead.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Peacefully exquisite and uplifting ...
- By Sharon on 11-08-20
- Zip Ono, Buddhist Detective
- By: John Christian Plummer
- Narrated by: Allison Hiroto
Pleasantly Surprised
Reviewed: 06-03-21
Much more than I expected. Endearing protagonist, crisp writing, pretty good plot. I loved the Buddhist aspects of the main character.
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2 people found this helpful
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Tortilla Flat
- By: John Steinbeck
- Narrated by: John McDonough
- Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,052
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 907
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 911
Adopting the structure and themes of the Arthurian legend, Steinbeck created a Camelot on a shabby hillside above the town of Monterey, California, and peopled it with a colorful band of knights. At the center of the tale is Danny, whose house, like Arthur’s castle, becomes a gathering place for men looking for adventure, camaraderie, and a sense of belonging—men who fiercely resist the corrupting tide of honest toil and civil rectitude.
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4 out of 5 stars
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A Good Book
- By LTCKEL on 09-06-14
- Tortilla Flat
- By: John Steinbeck
- Narrated by: John McDonough
Wonderful Book But Wrong Narrator
Reviewed: 06-03-21
I love Steinbeck and one of the many reasons why is his treatment of societies' outcasts with dignity and respect. He shows us that their stories are every bit as compelling as those of loftier standing. This is a quest story, but instead of searching for the holy grail or golden fleece our protagonists seek wine. But, the story arc is the same and their trials and tribulations no less captivating. A tour de force celebrating the Calibans among us.
My only gripe is the casting of the narrator. He was certainly competent, but his tone was more formal and proper and in that sense did not fit the telling of the story which was about characters who were the opposite of formal and proper. I think a grittier narrator may have fit the bill.
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2 people found this helpful
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Squeeze Me
- A Novel
- By: Carl Hiaasen
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 11 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,360
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,775
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,762
At the height of Palm Beach’s charity ball season, Kiki Pew Fitzsimmons, a prominent member of geriatric high society, suddenly vanishes during a swank gala. Kiki Pew was a founding member of the Potussies, a group of women dedicated to supporting the President, who spends half the year at the “Winter White House” just down the road. Meanwhile, Angie Armstrong, wildlife wrangler extraordinaire, is called to the island to deal with a monster-sized Burmese python that has taken residency in a tree. But the President is focused on the disappearance of Kiki Pew.
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1 out of 5 stars
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Political Bile Instead of Wit
- By Marian on 08-25-20
- Squeeze Me
- A Novel
- By: Carl Hiaasen
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
Prettty Funny
Reviewed: 10-02-20
Not Hiaasen's best writing, but how can you resist the timely story. I wasn't crazy about the narrator, especially when trying to use accents in dialogue, If you are not a fan of our current President you will get a kick out of this tale.
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The Neon Rain
- A Dave Robicheaux Novel
- By: James Lee Burke
- Narrated by: Will Patton
- Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 6,719
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 5,176
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Story4 out of 5 stars 5,154
New York Times best-selling author James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux novels began with this first hard-hitting entry in the series. In The Neon Rain, Detective Robicheaux fishes a prostitute's corpse from a New Orleans bayou and finds that no one, not even the law, cares about a dead hooker.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Where it all began.
- By 9S on 12-06-09
- The Neon Rain
- A Dave Robicheaux Novel
- By: James Lee Burke
- Narrated by: Will Patton
Damn Good
Reviewed: 08-04-20
A buddy of mine recommended this book, so I had pretty high expectations until I saw how many books Burke had written and then I became a little skeptical. Just another airport novel, I assumed. Man, was I wrong. The quality of Burke's writing leaves guys like Grisham and Coben in the dust. Burke checks all the boxes. crisp yet lyrical writing, plausible interesting plot, great characters and no formulaic bs. Dave Robicheaux is a flawed human being in many ways. Alcoholic and haunted by his Vietnam experiences and broken affairs, both romantic and otherwise. Yet, he is an honorable man in a real and homespun sort of way, and this makes him both singelminded and vulnerable. His musings border on the philosophical and are often right on the money especially when it comes to the brokenness of our world and the people in it.
Then there is the narrator. Will Patton adopts a soft subtle southern drawl with beautiful inflection and nuance. I listen and I hear a real person - Dave Robicheaux.
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