
Gather ‘Round the Sound
Holiday Stories from Beloved Authors and Great Performers Across the Globe
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About this listen
Gather 'Round the Sound: Holiday Stories from Beloved Authors and Great Performers Across the Globe
2017 has been a monumental year for Audible, having just celebrated our 20th anniversary, a milestone that would have never been possible without our wonderful and loyal listeners. One of our major commitments is bringing new and diverse audio experiences to our members, so this year, as our gift to you, we pulled together a collection that reflects a little bit of everything we've been up to recently: a surprising and heartwarming documentary, a selection of stories from our partners around the world, and even some improvised comedic carols we hope will make you laugh as much as they did us.
The lineup includes:
Zip Code 12345
This mini-documentary centers around a peculiar holiday tradition at General Electric's headquarters in Schenectady, NY. For two decades, GE has been receiving thousands of letters from kids - children who think they're reaching Santa Claus. And every year, a handful of GE employees give up their December lunchbreaks to respond to each and every letter.
An Aussie Night Before Christmas, by Yvonne Morrison, performed by Magda Szubanksi
This rollicking rewrite of the famous old poem 'Twas The Night Before Christmas gives the original version a hilarious Aussie twist. Magda Szubanski, Australia's most trusted personality, caries this incredibly fun romp. Kangaroos pulling the sleigh, a beer for Santa, and all the over-the-top Australian lingo, it's everything you'd expect.
The Music Coming from the House, by Paulo Coehlo, performed by Daniel Frances-Berenson
In this magical story from the author of The Alchemist - the master of the modern parable - a disguised king visits a poor village, and what he sees through the window of a house changes his life, and those of the occupants.
The Signal-man, by Charles Dickens, performed by Simon Callow, Dan Starkey, and John Banks
For literature lovers, the holiday season needs a little Dickens. We dug up a story of his that you may not be familiar with, originally published in the Christmas edition of a Victorian short story periodical. Of course, ghosts are involved in this 19th century work told by Simon Callow (Outlander) and Dan Starkey (Dr. Who).
A Very Improvised Holiday Musical
What would the holidays be without some carols? Vern, a New York City-based improv troupe, performs a few improvised holiday songs.
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In this short tale for fans of Cinderella and Bridgerton, Pearl’s ball gown may carry the whiff of mothballs, but her dance card for the duke’s ball is full…until she loses a shoe. In her enthusiasm, Pearl’s foot slides out of her too-big damask slipper in the middle of a dance and gets kicked around the ballroom to the amusement of the sophisticated guests. What is a spirited but clumsy heroine to do? Can her composure and good humor save her social dignity?
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Under 5 min
- By Elisabeth T. on 01-28-24
By: Lydia San Andres
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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
- By: Mark Twain
- Narrated by: Trevor White
- Length: 1 hr and 9 mins
- Abridged
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Trevor White reads Mark Twain's timeless tale about friendship and loyalty set in America's Deep South. Tom Sawyer is a fun-loving and adventurous boy who always tries to keep one step ahead of his long-suffering Aunt Polly. Who wouldn't want to skip school when there are adventures to be had along the banks of the Mississippi River? Tom gets into plenty of scrapes with his friend Huckleberry Finn. But the innocent and child-like japes turn for the worse as the two boys witness an event that has them fearing for their lives....
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Truncated story at inappropriate times
- By Cracker on 05-23-18
By: Mark Twain
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The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe
- By: Daniel Defoe
- Narrated by: Michael Maloney
- Length: 55 mins
- Abridged
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Michael Maloney reads Daniel Defoe's timeless tale of a man who has to use all his own skills to survive alone on an island. Robinson Crusoe has a great desire to see the world and, against his father's wishes, goes to sea. After surviving a terrible shipwreck, however, Robinson Crusoe discovers he is the only person on a deserted island, far from any shipping routes or rescue.
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NOT whole book
- By Amazon Customer on 11-18-20
By: Daniel Defoe
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Brackish Waters
- By: Matt Boren
- Narrated by: Christina Applegate
- Length: 1 hr and 55 mins
- Original Recording
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When Kate wins an item at her children’s elementary school auction - an all-inclusive trip to SeaView at Sandpiper Bay - she thinks it’s just what her family needs after a decade of career disappointments and a marriage on its last legs. She has no reason to believe that said trip is a Fyre Festival-level fraud and, in fact, the catalyst to her unraveling. But it is. Oh, but it is.
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Christina Applegate is everything
- By Julie on 03-21-21
By: Matt Boren
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The Chocolate Tree
- By: Dina Gregory
- Narrated by: Angus King
- Length: 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Charlie and her friends are avid video gamers. But when they spot a huge chocolate bar growing from the top of a tree—then another, and another—it is the beginning of a real-life, outdoor quest!
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Delicious morsel before nap time
- By 🔥 Phx17 🔥 on 09-30-23
By: Dina Gregory
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The Portrait of a Lady
- By: Henry James
- Narrated by: John Wood
- Length: 23 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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When Isabel Archer, a beautiful, spirited American, is brought to Europe by her wealthy aunt Touchett, it is expected that she will soon marry. But Isabel, resolved to enjoy the freedom that her fortune has opened up and to determine her own fate, does not hesitate to turn down two eligible suitors, declaring that she will never marry. It is only when she finds herself irresistibly drawn to the cultivated but worthless Gilbert Osmond that she discovers that wealth is a two-edged sword.
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Highly recommended
- By David on 06-26-10
By: Henry James
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Little Women
- By: Louisa May Alcott
- Narrated by: Barbara Caruso
- Length: 19 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Most people know this book from the Academy Award-winning motion picture starring Winona Ryder. Now, introduce them to the sparkling American classic behind the movie: a charming portrait of the joys and hardships of the four sisters in Civil War New England. Separated by the war from their beloved parents, these "little women" struggle to find their place in the world.
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Head's Up #3!
- By Dr. Daniel Chapman on 09-07-14
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Gingerella
- By: Dina Gregory
- Narrated by: Amy Enticknap
- Length: 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Gingerella is an undecorated gingerbread girl who, neglected by the royal baker, fears she will not be allowed to the Gingerbread Fair. Running away to the forest, she encounters a woodsman with a secret passion...for baking. A mashup of Cinderella and The Gingerbread Man, this funny and fast-paced fairytale features a medieval baking contest, a ravenous queen and a ginger-bottomed prince!
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Sweet little bon bon
- By 🔥 Phx17 🔥 on 09-30-23
By: Dina Gregory
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Christmas Eve, 1914
- By: Charles Olivier
- Narrated by: Cameron Daddo, Xander Berkeley, Cody Fern, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 13 mins
- Original Recording
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In 1914, the war which was to have been wrapped up by Christmas had - in reality - only just begun, as all sides entrenched themselves deeper into the Great War. Christmas Eve, 1914 follows one company of British officers as they rotate forward to spend their Christmas on the front lines, a mere 80 yards from the German guns. Upper- and working-class men and boys are thrown together into one trench and struggle to survive.
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I was just reading about this in my news paper
- By Bonnie on 12-22-14
By: Charles Olivier
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Comedy Saves the World
- By: Travis Sentell
- Narrated by: Barrett Leddy
- Length: 7 mins
- Original Recording
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Meet the writers’ room of the kid’s show Rooty Root Vegetables, which struggles to find humor in carbon emissions and climate change. Then things get punny.
By: Travis Sentell
What listeners say about Gather ‘Round the Sound
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- JEYCEE
- 12-10-17
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Wishing everyone a blessed Christmas season - the birthday of Jesus . Great time to celebrate with families and friends.
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7 people found this helpful
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- KeziaLivesLegendary
- 12-13-17
Good christmas cheer. Easy listening.
Really sweet, will definitely have another listen this December. Recomended it to friends already. Christmas cheer
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1 person found this helpful
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- sharonme
- 12-11-17
Fun
Very nostalgic. Terrific holiday treat. A sweet taste of old favorites mixed with a dash of something new.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Lauren Cutrera
- 12-13-17
So disappointing after last year's holiday magic!
What disappointed you about Gather ‘Round the Sound?
After last year's The Most Wonderful Tales of the Year, I was eagerly anticipating this year's holiday offering from Audible. Alas, this haphazard production was a let-down. The part about Santa and the kids was interesting, and I enjoyed the story based on n Indian tale and the Aussie Night Before Christmas. But the Dickens story seemed out of place, and the improv piece at the end was truly awful. Perhaps next year we'll be treated to a more well-written, cohesive, well-performed collection!
What do you think your next listen will be?
Alan Furst's Mission to Paris
Did the narration match the pace of the story?
I found it uneven. However, I found the entire thing to be disjointed.
What character would you cut from Gather ‘Round the Sound?
Improv section at the end
Any additional comments?
Last year's Audible holiday work was excellent. Great stories, great narration, and great flow. I'd love to see something like that again next year!
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- G. Parish
- 12-13-20
Not a winner
I recently listened to Gather Round the Sound written by Paulo Coelho, Yvonne Morrison, Charles Dickens and narrated by Angele Masters, Daniel Frances Berenson, Magda Szubanski, Simon Callow, Dan Starkey, John Banks, and Vern.
This is a short collection of holiday tales put together by Audible for Christmas in 2017. Some of the stories are quite good, though some are not. One of the best, in my personal opinion, is a tale by Charles Dickens called the Signal Man. It's more appropriate to Halloween than Christmas, but 'tis still quite good.
The narration was solid on this throughout. Some stories had a single narrator and others were full cast, but it generally was well done.
Conclusion: This was a halfway decent collection of stories. Some weren't quite as good and others didn't match the intended theme, thus I would say it's one to avoid unless they give it away for free in the future.
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- Damian
- 12-01-20
In the holiday spirit...
I gave it a “2”...because it seems desirous of expressing the season, but “a very improvised...etc” is exactly that...improvised...and not well, managing to be disjointed, silly, pretentious and strident all at the same time. Glad it was free.
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- kcm booklover
- 12-13-17
Glad it was free
Two of the five stories -- 12345 and Australian Night Before Christmas -- were enjoyable. Paulo Coelho story was meh. No idea what the Dickens story had to do with the holidays. Vern improv bit was lame.
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- zandperl
- 12-10-17
A very appropriative Christmas
I was disappointed how the first story included a caricature of Chinese people, and the second took an “Indian” folk story (unclear if South Asian Indian or Native American Indian) and turned it into a Christmas parable. The Dickens story was a cute winter ghost story though, and the improv caroling was entertaining.
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- Richard
- 12-16-17
first half great second not so much.
loved the kids stories but the last one with the "improv" group was utterly boring and had zero thought put into it.
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- Matthew Quinton
- 12-16-17
Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but...
I really appreciate Audible's annual gift to us, and last year's was pretty much spot-on in terms of content worth listening to. But this piece was just way too muddled, starting off with the This American Life style reporting and going to some uneven book performances followed by an absolutely unfunny singing improvisational troupe. Just go back to having the narrator's tell us their holiday experiences. That really seemed to do the trick.
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