Poor Richard's Almanac
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $23.40
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Robert Bethune
About this listen
The prefaces, proverbs, and poems of Benjamin Franklin, originally printed in editions of Poor Richard's Almanac for 1733 to 1758.
As Benjamin Franklin himself put it: "Courteous Listener: Besides the astronomical Calculations, and other Things usually contain’d in Almanacks, which have their daily Use indeed while the Year continues, but then become of no Value, I have constantly interspers'd moral Sentences, prudent Maxims, and wise Sayings, many of them containing much good Sense in very few Words, and therefore apt to leave strong and lasting Impressions on the Memory of young Persons, whereby they may receive Benefit as long as they live, when both Almanack and Almanac-maker have been long thrown by and forgotten. If I now and then insert a Joke or two, that seem to have little in them, my Apology is, that such may have their Use, since perhaps for their Sake light airy Minds peruse the rest, and so are struck by somewhat of more Weight and Moment. The Verses on the Heads of the Months are also design'd to have the same Tendency. I need not tell thee that many of them are of my own Making. If thou hast any Judgment in Poetry, thou wilt easily discern the Workman from the Bungler. I know as well as thee, that I am no Poet born, and it is a Trade I never learnt, nor indeed could learn. If I make Verses 't is in Spight—Of Nature and my Stars, I write. Why then should I give my Readers bad Lines of my own, when good Ones of other Peoples are so plenty? 'T is methinks a poor Excuse for the bad Entertainment of Guests that the Food we set before them, tho' coarse and ordinary, is of one's own raising, off one’s own Plantation, [etc.] when there is Plenty of what is ten times better, to be had in the Market. On the contrary, I assure ye, my Friends, that I have procur'd the best I could for ye, and much good may it do ye. I am thy poor Friend, to serve thee, Richard Saunders."
Since Ben Franklin would have been amazed at audiobooks, let these few details be added: unlike most editions of Poor Richard, this one includes essentially all of the text, not just the aphorisms and sayings. This gives you, Courteous Listener, a much better appreciation of how Franklin wrote and thought. In particular, you will find that the full body of the Poor Richard almanacs contains a great deal of religious and spiritual thought in which Franklin laid out and propounded his understanding of Christianity as it stood in his day. Last but not least, since a long parade of sayings, poems, etc., would be dull all strung together, this edition includes snippets of music between them, drawn from about four dozen Colonial-era tunes and imitating the sound of Colonial instruments such as flute, fife, lute, English guitar, music box, and harpsichord. May you enjoy it and draw benefit from it, as Ben himself would have wished!
Public Domain (P)2011 Robert BethuneListeners also enjoyed...
-
The Way to Wealth: Ben
- Ben Franklin on Money and Success
- By: Benjamin Franklin, Charles Conrad
- Narrated by: Charles Conrad
- Length: 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ben Franklin's Wisdom on Money & Success Compiled in One Book Statesman, scientist, entrepreneur, inventor, investor . . . Benjamin Franklin is synonymous with American ingenuity and achievement. It's no coincidence that his face is on the hundred dollar bill. This compilation presents Ben Franklin's essential wisdom on money and success. It includes "The Way to Wealth," "Advice to a Young Worker," and "The Path of Virtue."
-
-
Excellent book. Benjamin Franklin is the best!
- By L. Glowa on 10-12-21
By: Benjamin Franklin, and others
-
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
- By: Benjamin Franklin
- Narrated by: Qarie Marshall
- Length: 6 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Left unfinished at the time of his death, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin has endured as one of the most well-known and influential autobiographies ever written. From his early years in Boston and Philadelphia to the publication of his Poor Richard's Almanac to the American Revolution and beyond, Franklin's autobiography is a fascinating, personal exploration into the life of America's most interesting founding father.
-
-
Egregious omission of important passage.
- By Walking Man on 02-14-19
-
The Way to Wealth
- By: Benjamin Franklin
- Narrated by: Matthew Taylor
- Length: 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The first American book on personal finance, "The Way to Wealth" by Benjamin Franklin is still the best and wisest money book ever written. Originally published in 1758 as the preface to "Poor Richard's Almanack", this little gem has been through innumerable printings and sold millions of copies to those in search of smart but entertaining advice about hard work, earning and saving money and debt.
-
-
excellent info
- By Jack Frasier on 11-13-19
-
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
- By: Walter Isaacson
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 24 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Benjamin Franklin is the founding father who winks at us - an ambitious urban entrepreneur who rose up the social ladder, from leather-aproned shopkeeper to dining with kings. In best-selling author Walter Isaacson's vivid and witty full-scale biography, we discover why Franklin turns to us from history's stage with eyes that twinkle from behind his new-fangled spectacles. In Benjamin Franklin, Isaacson shows how Franklin defines both his own time and ours. The most interesting thing that Franklin invented, and continually reinvented, was himself.
-
-
Good book, not crazy about the narrator
- By Cathi on 07-20-13
By: Walter Isaacson
-
Summary of Poor Charlie’s Almanack
- The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger
- By: Paul Jones
- Narrated by: Aedemon Maure
- Length: 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The book provides you with a concise summary of the key ideas and concepts covered in Poor Charlie's Almanack. Practical applications of Munger's principles in real-life scenarios, enabling you to make more informed decisions in your personal and professional life.
By: Paul Jones
-
Leonardo da Vinci
- By: Walter Isaacson
- Narrated by: Alfred Molina
- Length: 17 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Leonardo da Vinci created the two most famous paintings in history, The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. But in his own mind, he was just as much a man of science and engineering. With a passion that sometimes became obsessive, he pursued innovative studies of anatomy, fossils, birds, the heart, flying machines, botany, geology, and weaponry.
-
-
Wish the sample was not from the preface!
- By Chris M. on 11-13-17
By: Walter Isaacson
-
The Way to Wealth: Ben
- Ben Franklin on Money and Success
- By: Benjamin Franklin, Charles Conrad
- Narrated by: Charles Conrad
- Length: 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ben Franklin's Wisdom on Money & Success Compiled in One Book Statesman, scientist, entrepreneur, inventor, investor . . . Benjamin Franklin is synonymous with American ingenuity and achievement. It's no coincidence that his face is on the hundred dollar bill. This compilation presents Ben Franklin's essential wisdom on money and success. It includes "The Way to Wealth," "Advice to a Young Worker," and "The Path of Virtue."
-
-
Excellent book. Benjamin Franklin is the best!
- By L. Glowa on 10-12-21
By: Benjamin Franklin, and others
-
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
- By: Benjamin Franklin
- Narrated by: Qarie Marshall
- Length: 6 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Left unfinished at the time of his death, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin has endured as one of the most well-known and influential autobiographies ever written. From his early years in Boston and Philadelphia to the publication of his Poor Richard's Almanac to the American Revolution and beyond, Franklin's autobiography is a fascinating, personal exploration into the life of America's most interesting founding father.
-
-
Egregious omission of important passage.
- By Walking Man on 02-14-19
-
The Way to Wealth
- By: Benjamin Franklin
- Narrated by: Matthew Taylor
- Length: 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The first American book on personal finance, "The Way to Wealth" by Benjamin Franklin is still the best and wisest money book ever written. Originally published in 1758 as the preface to "Poor Richard's Almanack", this little gem has been through innumerable printings and sold millions of copies to those in search of smart but entertaining advice about hard work, earning and saving money and debt.
-
-
excellent info
- By Jack Frasier on 11-13-19
-
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
- By: Walter Isaacson
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 24 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Benjamin Franklin is the founding father who winks at us - an ambitious urban entrepreneur who rose up the social ladder, from leather-aproned shopkeeper to dining with kings. In best-selling author Walter Isaacson's vivid and witty full-scale biography, we discover why Franklin turns to us from history's stage with eyes that twinkle from behind his new-fangled spectacles. In Benjamin Franklin, Isaacson shows how Franklin defines both his own time and ours. The most interesting thing that Franklin invented, and continually reinvented, was himself.
-
-
Good book, not crazy about the narrator
- By Cathi on 07-20-13
By: Walter Isaacson
-
Summary of Poor Charlie’s Almanack
- The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger
- By: Paul Jones
- Narrated by: Aedemon Maure
- Length: 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The book provides you with a concise summary of the key ideas and concepts covered in Poor Charlie's Almanack. Practical applications of Munger's principles in real-life scenarios, enabling you to make more informed decisions in your personal and professional life.
By: Paul Jones
-
Leonardo da Vinci
- By: Walter Isaacson
- Narrated by: Alfred Molina
- Length: 17 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Leonardo da Vinci created the two most famous paintings in history, The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. But in his own mind, he was just as much a man of science and engineering. With a passion that sometimes became obsessive, he pursued innovative studies of anatomy, fossils, birds, the heart, flying machines, botany, geology, and weaponry.
-
-
Wish the sample was not from the preface!
- By Chris M. on 11-13-17
By: Walter Isaacson
-
Tao of Charlie Munger
- A Compilation of Quotes from Berkshire Hathaway's Vice Chairman on Life, Business, and the Pursuit of Wealth with Commentary by David Clark
- By: David Clark
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 4 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1924 Charlie Munger studied mathematics at the University of Michigan, trained as a meteorologist at Cal Tech Pasadena while in the Army, and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School without ever earning an undergraduate degree. Today, Munger is one of America's most successful investors, the Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, and Warren Buffett's business partner for almost 40 years.
-
-
it's okay
- By E. RICHARDS on 02-25-19
By: David Clark
-
University of Berkshire Hathaway
- 30 Years of Lessons Learned from Warren Buffett & Charlie Munger at the Annual Shareholders Meeting
- By: Daniel Pecaut, Corey Wrenn - contributor
- Narrated by: Tom Parks
- Length: 12 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
University of Berkshire Hathaway is a remarkable retelling of the lessons, wisdom, and investment strategies handed down personally from Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger to shareholders during 30 years of their closed-door annual meetings. From this front row seat, you'll see one of the greatest wealth-building records in history unfold, year by year. If you're looking for dusty old investment theory, there are hundreds of other books waiting to cure you of insomnia. However, if you're looking for an investing book that's as personal as it is revelatory, look no further.
-
-
Great disappointment / false advertisement
- By Amazon Customer on 07-08-20
By: Daniel Pecaut, and others
-
A Man for All Markets
- From Las Vegas to Wall Street, How I Beat the Dealer and the Market
- By: Edward O. Thorp, Nassim Nicholas Taleb - foreword
- Narrated by: Edward O. Thorp
- Length: 16 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The incredible true story of the card-counting mathematics professor who taught the world how to beat the dealer and, as the first of the great quantitative investors, ushered in a revolution on Wall Street.
-
-
A life of a genius
- By Oleksiy Volovik on 05-08-17
By: Edward O. Thorp, and others
-
The Intelligent Investor Rev Ed.
- By: Benjamin Graham
- Narrated by: Luke Daniels
- Length: 17 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The greatest investment advisor of the 20th century, Benjamin Graham taught and inspired people worldwide. Graham's philosophy of "value investing" - which shields investors from substantial error and teaches them to develop long-term strategies - has made The Intelligent Investor the stock market Bible ever since its original publication in 1949.
-
-
This book does not belong on audio
- By Craig on 09-12-17
By: Benjamin Graham
-
Am I Being Too Subtle?
- The Adventures of a Business Maverick
- By: Sam Zell
- Narrated by: Sam Zell
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Self-made billionaire Sam Zell consistently sees what others don't. From finding a market for overpriced Playboy magazines among his junior high classmates, to buying real estate on the cheap after a market crash, to investing in often unglamorous industries with long-term value, Zell acts boldly on supply and demand trends to grab the first-mover advantage. And he can find opportunity virtually anywhere - from an arcane piece of legislation to a desert meeting in Abu Dhabi.
-
-
Excellent story, but ....
- By David K. Robbins on 08-06-17
By: Sam Zell
-
Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits
- By: Philip A. Fisher
- Narrated by: George Guidall
- Length: 2 hrs and 55 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the most important works ever written on investment theory, Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits lays out the fundamental principles of intelligent investing.
-
-
Uncommonly Technical
- By Jan on 03-18-03
By: Philip A. Fisher
-
The Wealth and Poverty of Nations
- Why Some Are So Rich and Some So Poor
- By: David S. Landes
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 21 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Wealth and Poverty of Nations is David S. Landes' acclaimed, best-selling exploration of one of the most contentious and hotly debated questions of our time: Why do some nations achieve economic success while others remain mired in poverty? The answer, as Landes definitively illustrates, is a complex interplay of cultural mores and historical circumstance.
-
-
A detailed explanation
- By Kaarlis on 12-07-21
By: David S. Landes
-
100 Baggers
- Stocks That Return 100-to-1 and How to Find Them
- By: Christopher W. Mayer
- Narrated by: Tom Jacobs
- Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This book is about 100-baggers. These are stocks that return $100 for every $1 invested. That means a $10,000 investment turns into $1 million. Chris Mayer can help you find them. In 100-Baggers, you will learn the key characteristics of 100-baggers why anybody can do this. It is truly an everyman's approach. You don t need an MBA or a finance degree. Some basic financial concepts are all you need.
-
-
Excellent but full PDF is missing, please attach the full PDF
- By Max on 03-19-22
-
Don Quixote
- By: John Ormsby - translator, Miguel de Cervantes
- Narrated by: Roy McMillan
- Length: 36 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The most influential work of the entire Spanish literary canon and a founding work of modern Western literature, Don Quixote is also one of the greatest works ever written. Hugely entertaining but also moving at times, this episodic novel is built on the fantasy life of one Alonso Quixano, who lives with his niece and housekeeper in La Mancha. Quixano, obsessed by tales of knight errantry, renames himself ‘Don Quixote’ and with his faithful servant Sancho Panza, goes on a series of quests.
-
-
More than funny
- By Colin on 08-21-11
By: John Ormsby - translator, and others
-
Where Are the Customers' Yachts?
- or A Good Hard Look at Wall Street
- By: Fred Schwed Jr., Peter Arno
- Narrated by: Mark Moseley
- Length: 4 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Humorous and entertaining, this book exposes the folly and hypocrisy of Wall Street. The title refers to a story about a visitor to New York who admired the yachts of the bankers and brokers. Naively, he asked where all the customers' yachts were? Of course, none of the customers could afford yachts, even though they dutifully followed the advice of their bankers and brokers.
-
-
Keep reading and finish this book for a good laugh!
- By Srisai Vikash Akkineni on 07-22-20
By: Fred Schwed Jr., and others
-
The Anatomy of Melancholy
- By: Robert Burton
- Narrated by: Peter Wickham
- Length: 56 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
First published in 1621, and hardly ever out of print since, it is a huge, varied, idiosyncratic, entertaining and learned survey of the experience of melancholy, seen from just about every possible angle that could be imagined. The Anatomy of Melancholy, presented here with all the original quotations in English, is, at last, available on audiobook in its entirety.
-
-
Nam Et Doctis Hisce Erroribus Versatus Sum
- By Darwin8u on 05-26-20
By: Robert Burton
-
The Merchant of Venice
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Antony Sher
- Length: 2 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, agrees to lend Antonio, a Venetian merchant, three thousand ducats so that his friend Bassanio can afford to court his love, Portia. However, Shylock has one condition: Should the loan go unpaid, he will be entitled to a pound of Antonio's own flesh. Meanwhile in Belmont, according to the terms of her father's will, Portia's many suitors must choose correctly from three caskets. Bassanio arrives at Portia's estate and they declare their love for one another before he picks the correct casket.
-
-
Great production, difficult play
- By Tad Davis on 08-31-09
Featured Article: 45+ Wise, Wry, and Surprisingly Timely Benjamin Franklin Quotes
One of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Benjamin Franklin was a man of many talents. He was a brilliant scientist, inventor, writer, diplomat, and humorist who left his mark on the world through his creative drive, intellectual prowess, and unique sense of humor. He lived an extraordinary life that continues to have an impact. Read on for Ben Franklin’s epochal quotes from his autobiography, correspondences, and Poor Richard’s Almanac.
Related to this topic
-
The Merchant of Venice
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Antony Sher
- Length: 2 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, agrees to lend Antonio, a Venetian merchant, three thousand ducats so that his friend Bassanio can afford to court his love, Portia. However, Shylock has one condition: Should the loan go unpaid, he will be entitled to a pound of Antonio's own flesh. Meanwhile in Belmont, according to the terms of her father's will, Portia's many suitors must choose correctly from three caskets. Bassanio arrives at Portia's estate and they declare their love for one another before he picks the correct casket.
-
-
Great production, difficult play
- By Tad Davis on 08-31-09
-
As You Like It
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Lynn Collins, Alexis Jacknow, Jeff Gardner, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 13 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Love triumphs in As You Like It, Shakespeare's joyous comic adventure! Rosalind, arguably Shakespeare's greatest female character, is banished from court and follows her exiled father into the untamed Forest of Arden. Disguised as a man for safety, Rosalind's great wit and good nature show through her male trappings as she engages with fools and philosophers adrift in the woods, and ultimately falls in love.
-
-
Very entertaining
- By Laurie on 05-25-20
-
Gargantua and Pantagruel
- By: François Rabelais
- Narrated by: Bill Homewood
- Length: 34 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here is a grotesque and carnivalesque collection of exuberant, fantastical stories that takes us from the ancient world through to the European Renaissance. At the heart of these tall tales are the giant Gargantua and his equally seismic son, Pantagruel. Containing magical adventures, maniacal punning, slapstick humor, erudite allusions, and just about any bodily function one can think of, here is quite possibly the zaniest, most risqué book ever written.
-
-
The king of all the narrators
- By amazon on 02-13-20
-
The Canterbury Tales: A Retelling
- By: Peter Ackroyd
- Narrated by: Keith Moore, Toby Leonard Moore, Colin McPhillamy, and others
- Length: 16 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Author Peter Ackroyd has won the Somerset Maugham Award, the Whitbread Novel of the Year, and the Guardian Fiction Prize, and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Based on Geoffrey Chaucer’s immortal work, this retelling of The Canterbury Tales follows a party of travelers as they tell stories amongst themselves about love and chivalry, saints and legends, travel and adventure. Through allegory, satire, and humor, the tales help pass the time during their journey.
-
-
WOW
- By Mitchell Drimmer on 02-25-15
By: Peter Ackroyd
-
Falstaff
- Give Me Life
- By: Harold Bloom
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 3 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Falstaff is both a comic and tragic central protagonist in Shakespeare's three Henry plays. He is companion to Prince Hal (the future Henry V), who loves him, goads him, teases him, indulges his vast appetites, and commits all sorts of mischief with him. Award-winning author and esteemed professor Harold Bloom examines Falstaff with the deepest compassion and sympathy and also with unerring wisdom. He uses the relationship between Falstaff and Hal to explore the devastation of severed bonds and the heartbreak of betrayal.
-
-
Falstaff brooks no rebuttal.
- By Darwin8u on 02-06-20
By: Harold Bloom
-
The Decameron
- By: Giovanni Boccaccio
- Narrated by: Simon Russell Beale, Gunnar Cauthery, Alison Pettitt, and others
- Length: 28 hrs and 5 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Decameron is one of the greatest literary works of the Middle Ages. Ten young people have fled the terrible effects of the Black Death in Florence and, in an idyllic setting, tell a series of brilliant stories, by turns humorous, bawdy, tragic and provocative. This celebration of physical and sexual vitality is Boccaccio's answer to the sublime other-worldliness of Dante's Divine Comedy.
-
-
Not Up to the Usual Naxos Standard
- By John on 11-15-17
-
The Merchant of Venice
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Antony Sher
- Length: 2 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, agrees to lend Antonio, a Venetian merchant, three thousand ducats so that his friend Bassanio can afford to court his love, Portia. However, Shylock has one condition: Should the loan go unpaid, he will be entitled to a pound of Antonio's own flesh. Meanwhile in Belmont, according to the terms of her father's will, Portia's many suitors must choose correctly from three caskets. Bassanio arrives at Portia's estate and they declare their love for one another before he picks the correct casket.
-
-
Great production, difficult play
- By Tad Davis on 08-31-09
-
As You Like It
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Lynn Collins, Alexis Jacknow, Jeff Gardner, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 13 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Love triumphs in As You Like It, Shakespeare's joyous comic adventure! Rosalind, arguably Shakespeare's greatest female character, is banished from court and follows her exiled father into the untamed Forest of Arden. Disguised as a man for safety, Rosalind's great wit and good nature show through her male trappings as she engages with fools and philosophers adrift in the woods, and ultimately falls in love.
-
-
Very entertaining
- By Laurie on 05-25-20
-
Gargantua and Pantagruel
- By: François Rabelais
- Narrated by: Bill Homewood
- Length: 34 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here is a grotesque and carnivalesque collection of exuberant, fantastical stories that takes us from the ancient world through to the European Renaissance. At the heart of these tall tales are the giant Gargantua and his equally seismic son, Pantagruel. Containing magical adventures, maniacal punning, slapstick humor, erudite allusions, and just about any bodily function one can think of, here is quite possibly the zaniest, most risqué book ever written.
-
-
The king of all the narrators
- By amazon on 02-13-20
-
The Canterbury Tales: A Retelling
- By: Peter Ackroyd
- Narrated by: Keith Moore, Toby Leonard Moore, Colin McPhillamy, and others
- Length: 16 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Author Peter Ackroyd has won the Somerset Maugham Award, the Whitbread Novel of the Year, and the Guardian Fiction Prize, and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Based on Geoffrey Chaucer’s immortal work, this retelling of The Canterbury Tales follows a party of travelers as they tell stories amongst themselves about love and chivalry, saints and legends, travel and adventure. Through allegory, satire, and humor, the tales help pass the time during their journey.
-
-
WOW
- By Mitchell Drimmer on 02-25-15
By: Peter Ackroyd
-
Falstaff
- Give Me Life
- By: Harold Bloom
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 3 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Falstaff is both a comic and tragic central protagonist in Shakespeare's three Henry plays. He is companion to Prince Hal (the future Henry V), who loves him, goads him, teases him, indulges his vast appetites, and commits all sorts of mischief with him. Award-winning author and esteemed professor Harold Bloom examines Falstaff with the deepest compassion and sympathy and also with unerring wisdom. He uses the relationship between Falstaff and Hal to explore the devastation of severed bonds and the heartbreak of betrayal.
-
-
Falstaff brooks no rebuttal.
- By Darwin8u on 02-06-20
By: Harold Bloom
-
The Decameron
- By: Giovanni Boccaccio
- Narrated by: Simon Russell Beale, Gunnar Cauthery, Alison Pettitt, and others
- Length: 28 hrs and 5 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Decameron is one of the greatest literary works of the Middle Ages. Ten young people have fled the terrible effects of the Black Death in Florence and, in an idyllic setting, tell a series of brilliant stories, by turns humorous, bawdy, tragic and provocative. This celebration of physical and sexual vitality is Boccaccio's answer to the sublime other-worldliness of Dante's Divine Comedy.
-
-
Not Up to the Usual Naxos Standard
- By John on 11-15-17
-
Tales from Shakespeare
- By: Charles Lamb, Mary Lamb
- Narrated by: David McCallion
- Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb is a retelling of 20 of Shakespeare’s most beloved stories. Within the pages of this book, the 19th-century authors bring to life the Shakespearean plots and characters of another age in an easy-to-understand prose of a newer generation.
-
-
A classic
- By Jacque Eddy on 10-07-19
By: Charles Lamb, and others
-
Don Quixote (Adapted for Modern Listeners)
- By: Miguel de Cervantes
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 4 hrs and 39 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Quixotic is a word that the dictionary defines as "extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary...." and that is a fitting definition, indeed, for this charming retelling of Don Quixote, the 17t- century Spanish classic by Miguel de Cervantes, now updated for the modern listener. The gallant and fragile Quixote will touch listeners, as will his faithful squire Sancho Panza and the tragically beautiful heroine of the gentle Don’s chivalries, the fair Dulcinea.
-
-
Great way in
- By pxriver on 07-12-18
-
Don Quixote
- By: John Ormsby - translator, Miguel de Cervantes
- Narrated by: Roy McMillan
- Length: 36 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The most influential work of the entire Spanish literary canon and a founding work of modern Western literature, Don Quixote is also one of the greatest works ever written. Hugely entertaining but also moving at times, this episodic novel is built on the fantasy life of one Alonso Quixano, who lives with his niece and housekeeper in La Mancha. Quixano, obsessed by tales of knight errantry, renames himself ‘Don Quixote’ and with his faithful servant Sancho Panza, goes on a series of quests.
-
-
More than funny
- By Colin on 08-21-11
By: John Ormsby - translator, and others
-
Joseph Andrews
- The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and His Friend Mr. Abraham Adams
- By: Henry Fielding
- Narrated by: Rufus Sewell
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Riotous, sexy and groundbreaking, Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews: The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and His Friend Mr. Abraham Adams, published in 1742, was one of the first English novels. Fielding was melding and parodying the two major forces battling for control of the fiction market at the time - the mock heroic, neoclassical tradition as practiced by Pope and Swift and the popular and populist fiction of the new novelists such as Defoe and Richardson.
-
-
A perfect reader for Henry Fielding
- By TiffanyD on 07-27-17
By: Henry Fielding
-
Oroonoko
- By: Aphra Behn
- Narrated by: Clare Wille
- Length: 3 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A vivid love story and adventure tale, Oroonoko is a heroic slave narrative about a royal prince and his fight for freedom. The eponymous hero, Oroonoko, deemed royalty in one world and slave in another, is torn from his noble status and betrayed into slavery in Surinam, where he is reduced to chains, fetters, and shackles. But his high spirit and admirable character will not be suppressed.
-
-
Outstanding Narration, Story Less So
- By Carsley on 07-14-18
By: Aphra Behn
-
The Pilgrim's Progress (AmazonClassics Edition)
- By: John Bunyan
- Narrated by: Steve West
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Plagued by spiritual anguish, devout everyman Christian fears his fate in the sinful City of Destruction. He’s told that only by embarking for the Celestial City can he achieve personal salvation. After his wife and children refuse to join him, he sets forth alone into the unknown. Mocked for his faith, tempted at every turn, and heartened by fellow pilgrims, Christian’s winding journey toward grace unfolds. But as he reaches Mount Zion, his family chooses to follow the same treacherous path, hoping to join Christian in the shining light.
-
-
Best version I have heard
- By Julie Rae Loving on 11-09-19
By: John Bunyan
-
Don Quixote
- By: Tobias Smollett - translator, Miguel de Cervantes
- Narrated by: Robert Whitfield
- Length: 36 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Don Quixote, the world's first novel and by far the best-known book in Spanish literature, was originally intended by Cervantes as a satire on traditional popular ballads, yet he also parodied the romances of chivalry. By happy coincidence he produced one of the most entertaining adventure stories of all time and, in Don Quixote and his faithful squire, Sancho Panza, two of the greatest characters in fiction.
-
-
A MUST READ CLASSIC
- By Randall on 04-25-09
By: Tobias Smollett - translator, and others
-
The Misanthrope
- By: Molière, Richard Wilbur - translator
- Narrated by: Brian Bedford, J. D. Cullum, Sarah Drew, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 50 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This timeless comedy of manners is considered one of Molière's most probing and mature works. While it's still an exemplar of 17th century farce, Molière went beyond his usual comic inventiveness to create a world of rich, complex characters, especially in the cynical title character Alceste, played here by the Tony Award-winning actor Brian Bedford.
-
-
Good play, great translation, good performance
- By Timoteo on 03-08-18
By: Molière, and others
-
Joseph Andrews
- By: Henry Fielding
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In one of the first novels in the English language, we follow the picaresque adventures of Joseph Andrews, a virtuous young man who is keen to maintain his innocence despite being coerced by nearly every woman he encounters.
-
-
Action and Ideas
- By John on 01-27-20
By: Henry Fielding
-
Candide (AudioGO Edition)
- By: Voltaire
- Narrated by: Jack Davenport
- Length: 3 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When first published in 1759, Candide became an instant best seller and is now regarded as one of the key texts of the Enlightenment. Voltaire’s preoccupations with evil and with various kinds of human folly and intolerance found a perfect vehicle in this philosophical tale. A master storyteller, he combined often wildly entertaining action with profoundly serious sense, parodying the traditional chivalric and oriental tales with which his public was more familiar.
-
-
Guaranteed to keep you smiling if not LOL
- By Robert on 08-09-12
By: Voltaire
-
Lorna Doone [Naxos]
- By: R. D. Blackmore
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
- Length: 25 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Doones are a clan of murdering thieves, and among their victims is John Ridd's father. The strong, noble Ridd determines to avenge his father's death; but his plans are complicated when he falls in love with one of the hated family - the beautiful Lorna. Lorna is promised against her will to another; and that other will not let her go lightly. Set amid the political turmoils of the late 17th century, Lorna Doone brings West Country history and legends alive with wonderfully imaginative fiction.
-
-
I fell in love with this book
- By Linda on 11-20-12
By: R. D. Blackmore
-
Samson Agonistes
- By: John Milton
- Narrated by: David de Keyser, Philip Madoc, Matthew Morgan, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 51 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Samson Agonistes, the 'dramatic poem' by John Milton, was published in 1671, three years before the poet's death. Written in the form of a Greek tragedy, with the Chorus commenting on the action, it follows the biblical story of the blind Samson as he wreaks his revenge on the Philistines who have imprisoned him. A powerful subject, with a personal resonance for the blind Milton, it is a perfect work for the medium of audiobook where poetry and drama can be balanced equally.
-
-
Unbelievable
- By Anonymous User on 11-06-20
By: John Milton
What listeners say about Poor Richard's Almanac
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Candice
- 01-19-19
Some omissions
There were a couple times where the audio work omitted some potions of the book. One instance claimed it was because a table is boring to hear in audio form - I grant that may be true, but I've listened to it in other books and got through it.
A second instance was a reading of another authors work, I wished that hadn't been omitted. 1) The book had already read other authors accounts (Bitter Cold of Hudson Bay) and late in the book, Poor Richard admits that only 1/10 of the book was his own work, the rest being compiles from the wisdom of the ages.
There were a couple times when my iphone app hung up on a portion/section of the work. I'm not what caused it, but it was repeatable. I had to skip around to get it to work... frustrating... not sure if this is a problem with the file or the app or the phone.
There were times when the quotes repeated in different years - I'm not sure if this is bad editing on the Audio book, or the original book. There are quotes that repeat, with a twist from prior years, but specifically there are quotes interspersed that are identical.
Lastly, chapter 37 seems to be a copy from a section in the middle of the book... It wasn't introduces as a new year, it just jumped into a complete repeat of an almanac year.
I did like the Actor's voice and accent, I could imagine I was really listening to Ben Franklin. Also, the music in between the quotes and passages was a good addition... The book would have been too hard to digest as audio without them.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Timothy
- 08-01-21
Intent to be good and sense of humor required
The narrator was chosen well, as he captured the playful and simultaneously sagacious spirit of the character of Richard well. The addition of the music likewise brings the listener into the simplicity of the times, and lightens the mood.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Frank
- 09-15-19
Terrible
The loud and obnoxious music is a distraction from the content. I want a refund.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Cheryl
- 12-17-15
lame music inbetween every quote
This book is wonderful, the voice is perfect accept for the music and sound affects. The music would fit for a book for a toddler.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 08-14-20
Weird xylophone
The filler xylophone is so distracting it’s tough to finish the book. Very dramatic story telling but it’s tough to keep up with for sake of study
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Joel
- 09-15-17
Content Good But Disappointing Production
Would you try another book from Benjamin Franklin and/or Robert Bethune?
The writings of Benjamin Franklin were very enjoyable. This production was ruined for me by the loud irritating music between each passage. I found it necessary to listen with one hand on the volume. Else the words were too soft to hear or the music so loud I would go deaf. Perhaps it would have been different if I were not using headphones. I might have tolerated or even enjoyed the music if it were not so loud.
What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)
The production was so bad I have not been able to finish it. I am talking about the very loud music between passages.
Would you be willing to try another one of Robert Bethune’s performances?
Yes I would. I presume he was not responsible for the loud music interspersed throughout the audiobook.
What character would you cut from Poor Richard's Almanac?
The musician or more likely the production audio engineer.
Any additional comments?
This is my first book from Audible that I have been truly disappointed in.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- L.Ann
- 10-31-20
Flute
The flute is unbelievably annoying. I’m sure the content is great, but I can’t stick through it with this book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dominic Flack
- 02-18-24
Loud flute sounds ruined the experience for me
Was looking forward to listening to this but literally half the book is just annoying music that is way louder than the speaker!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Alexander
- 09-17-22
this is unlistenable
I thought all of the bad reviews must've been over the top and didn't think it could be that bad. It is. The lutes and way it is delivered makes it nearly impossible to absorb what I'm sure is actually a worthwhile and solid book. I make it through almost every book audiobook that I get. I did not make it more than 20 minutes with this one, and that was pushing it
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!