All the King's Men Audiobook By Robert Penn Warren cover art

All the King's Men

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All the King's Men

By: Robert Penn Warren
Narrated by: Michael Emerson
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Robert Penn Warren, America's first Poet Laureate, penned one of the most widely read works in American literature with the Pulitzer Prize-winning All the King's Men. An unrivaled novel of American politics, Warren's masterpiece is a classic tale every bit as relevant today as it was upon its release more than 50 years ago.

The fictionalized account of Louisiana's colorful and notorious governor, Huey Pierce Long, All the King's Men follows the startling rise and fall of Willie Stark, a country lawyer in the Deep South of the 1930s. Beset by political enemies, Stark seeks aid from his right-hand man, Jack Burden, who will bear witness to the cataclysmic unfolding of this very American tragedy.

©1946 Robert Penn Warren; 1974 Robert Penn Warren (P)2005 Recorded Books Classics Heartfelt Suspenseful

Critic reviews

  • Audie Award Finalist, Literary Fiction, 2007

"The definitive novel about American politics." (The New York Times)
"Mr. Warren has employed vivid characterization and strong language combined with subtle overtones to write a vital, compelling narrative." (Booklist)
"Michael Emerson's performance brings the characters to life with verve and personality....Through a mix of understatement and intensity, Emerson clearly conveys the political turmoil underlying the book; his performance perfectly complements the story, which is as timely as it was 60 years ago....Emerson's reading does justice to a great work." (AudioFile)

Featured Article: Celebrate Award Season 2022 with Page-to-Screen Nominees and Listening Recs Based on Your Frontrunners


And now, it's time to honor and celebrate the achievements of the artists who brought these treasures to the big screen. No matter who you're rooting for when the ceremony begins, these listens are all worthy of a golden statuette in our books. Here are the audiobooks that directly inspired the nominees and a few others to check out based on your own personal frontrunners.

Featured Article Celebrate Award Season 2022 with Page to Screen Nominees and Listening Recs Based on Your Frontrunners
Beautiful Prose • Complex Characters • Timeless Political Relevance • Masterful Storytelling • Rich Imagery
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I find myself doing much coincidental reading as, while listening to "All The King's Men", I am likewise reading "Gentleman Boss: the life and times of Chester A. Arthur." And though set about 50 years apart, both reveal the power of the political machines that operated on both the national and local levels throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries and the persistence of corruption endemic in the spoils system of electoral politics.

I had read "Kingfish", a biography of Hughie P. Long, a number of years back and had heard references to "All the King's Men" in other works. But it was its placement on the Modern Library Top 100 List of 20th Century novels that finally prompted me to download it.

First, what a magnificent story! Robert Penn Warren is an amazing writer who beautifully describes the people and place meant to depression and pre-war era Louisiana though Pen never mentions the actual state where the story takes place.

Micheal Emerson's narration as political fixer Jack Burden was as perfect a fit as could be imagined. Likewise, I imagine John Goodman playing the role of Willie Stark in a virtual reprisal of his portrayal of Kingfish.

Willie Stark is a populist lawyer who has a heart for common people. A farmer with a High School and a little college education where he met his school teacher wife, Willie taught himself the law with a drive to serve the people prompted by the partial collapse of a shoddily built high school killed a number of children.

Originally bent on educating the dirt poor masses to his electoral chagrin, Willie transforms into a loud, theatrical tough talking lout promising to kick the crap out of those folks in the Capitol who want to keep he and them out of the political process. His charisma is infectious and it fuels his rise to take on the machine for the good of the people. But power is seductive and Willie discovers the inevitability of machinery and its corrupting and destructive inclination.

While populism has always played a role in American politics and the promise to "drain the swamp" a powerful rallying cry, the truth is that the battle between experts and the uninformed masses as portrayed in this 1946 novel is as true today.

A must read for students of political science masquerading as a Southern Gothic novel.

When you can't save the boss from himself

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Good lord, could that man write! I can't remember ever read such lyrical prose. Absolutely beautiful. And the reading was excellent. Spot on!

Deserves every accolade.

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I really didn't know what to expect but it was awesome. The story was interesting and the narration was great.

Really enjoyed it!

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Superb performance from Michael Emerson for this classical literature based in the south. Well worth the credit and listening time!

Top notch audiobook!

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I listened to this book mainly for the recollection of it as a great political novel. Yeah I found the narrator and the main characters more interesting than Willie stark. Robert Penn Warren is both a great novelist and great poet. Even though there is a slightly dated quality about the book when encountered in 2016, I heartily recommend it for its graceful imaginative writing and insights into human nature and interaction. The narrator captures the sense of the writing, the place, and the characters wonderfully.

Stunningly good human and political novel

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Thought-provoking and insightful, well narrated, inspired by Louisiana’s Huey P Long. Complex, satisfying ending. Exuberant use of metaphor and simile that can be a bit much.

An exuberant American novel wonderfully read

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Michael Emerson makes each character's voice unique and recognizable in this great story. I would listen to any story that he reads because he is so good!

Great story and great reader

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In this current age of political turmoil, this book, written decades ago, still describes reality. Robert Penn Warren was a genius, and this book should be on everyone’s reading list although it will probably be banned because it’s treatment of black people is quite awful. Too bad, because it’s treatment of politics is spot on, and still has much to teach us.

Still true of politics

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The narrator uses a very pleasant tone and accent for the novel. It was a pleasure to listen.

Wonderful rendition. We’ll read.

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A great book that is always going to feel contemporary. Speaks of both human and political processes that have been forever part of every culture.

A must

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