Fear and Trembling Audiobook By Søren Kierkegaard cover art

Fear and Trembling

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

Fear and Trembling

By: Søren Kierkegaard
Narrated by: Mark Meadows
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $14.88

Buy for $14.88

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

From the perspective of an unbeliever, Fear and Trembling explores the paradox of faith, the nature of Christianity, and the complexity of human emotion. Kierkegaard examines the biblical story of Abraham, who was instructed to sacrifice his son Isaac, and forces us to consider Abraham's state of mind. What drove Abraham, and what made him carry out such an absurd and extreme request from God? Kierkegaard argues that Abraham's agreement to sacrifice Isaac, and his suspension of reason, elevated him to the highest level of faith. He explores more comprehensible alternatives, but in each one Abraham fails the test of faith, thus showing that true faith cannot be explained, understood, or made rational.

His thesis is a compelling counterpoint to Hegel, who maintained that reason was the highest form of thought, and it proved a significant source of inspiration to later existentialist philosophers such as Camus and Sartre.

Download the accompanying reference guide.Public Domain (P)2019 Naxos Audiobooks Agnosticism Classics Philosophy Inspiring
Profound Influence • Thought-provoking Concepts • Magnificent Performance • Vivid Descriptions • Awe-inspiring Dedication
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
Amazing. I’ve read the biding of Isaac so many times & I’ve heard the story retold more times than I’ve read it over the years. I’ve blown past it, accepted it, questioned it, ruminated on it but never in the exact way that Kierkegaard does here & while under his pseudonym he does more than examine the passage that inspires this book, he pulls out strings of thought that would have otherwise remained hidden under the jumble of thoughts the story demands of its reader.

Worth listening to & thinking about.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I’d say similar difficulty level to Kant. I was able to take away some core concepts, but it was tough to follow. Also would recommend familiarity with Hegel beforehand because Kierkegaard references him frequently

Very dense

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
30 years ago I read selections in philosophy class about existentialism. Today as a reborn Christian I see the meaning in this discussion. Great reading and good for spiritual mind candy as our hands work. Idle hands are devils plaything.

Amazing. Never figured out Abraham on mug own

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book has some really great reflections.
The performance is good, and the writings of Søren are deep. This is my first encounter with his work, which I've looked forward to experiencing now for quite a long time.
I must admit I'm somewhat underwhelmed though, perhaps because I expected a broader scope of topics? He does however go incredibly deep, as is magnificently thorough in his analyzation of Abrahams story and his ideas on his subjective experience. I look forward to seeing more of Kierkegaards work.

I see its appeal

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
books like these can be hard to read so I like to listen to the audio book along side to get a feel for how the "flow" is supposed to go. this was a great reading and a different although I think improved translation than the most common version.

Great read of an all time great work of thought.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The reader captures the attitude and haughtiness found in Kierkegaard’s Silencio persona. The work moves at an inviting pace. I couldn’t put it down!

This reads smooth like butter

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Kierkegaard had a profound influence on me in college, and this is a great reading of his classic work. My only criticism is that the chapters are not clearly marked, so it gets a little disorienting after a long listen.

Powerful, Excellent Book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I found myself struggling alot the first time through so I listened again right after finishing and it was like it all clicked, so thats my suggestion to anyone who struggles with it like I did

read twice

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Very clear Thesis. Very nicely orated. My favorite from Soren K. this far. I definitely recommend.

Refreshingly clear

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The concepts presented were to difficult to grasp through an audible book. I've got the print book on the way.

very thought provoking

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews