The Betrothed
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Ari Fliakos
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Susan Vinciotti Bonito
About this listen
“The first English translation in more than fifty years of Alessandro Manzoni’s masterpiece, a work of foundational Italian literature on par with the Divine Comedy and the Decameron.”—The Wall Street Journal
“An exemplary historical novel” (The New Yorker) from the father of modern Italian literature, The Betrothed receives its first new English-language translation in fifty years, hailed as “a landmark literary occasion” by Jhumpa Lahiri.
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker
The Betrothed is a cornerstone of Italian culture, language, and literature. Published in its final form in 1842, The Betrothed has inspired generations of Italian readers and writers. Giuseppe Verdi composed his majestic Requiem Mass in honor of Manzoni. Italo Calvino called the novel “a classic that has never ceased shaping reality in Italy” while Umberto Eco praised its author as a “most subtle critic and analyst of languages.” The Betrothed has been celebrated by Primo Levi and Natalia Ginzburg, and is one of Pope Francis’s favorite books. But, until now, it has remained relatively unknown to English readers.
In the fall of 1628, two young lovers are forced to flee their village on the shores of Lake Como after a powerful lord prevents their marriage, plunging them into the maelstrom of history. Manzoni draws on actual people and events to create an unforgettable fresco of Italian life and society. In this greatest of historical novels, he takes the reader on a journey through the Spanish occupation of Milan, the ravages of war, class tensions, social injustice, religious faith, and a plague that devastates northern Italy. But within Manzoni’s epic tale, readers will also hear powerful echoes of our own day.
Michael F. Moore’s dynamic new translation of The Betrothed brings to life Manzoni’s timeless literary masterpiece.
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“This is not just a book; it offers consolation to the whole of humanity.” (Giuseppe Verdi)
“[Manzoni is] the only Italian literary figure whom his countrymen consider worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Dante.... It is almost impossible to accept this book as a first novel. Through the virtuosity with which its creator deploys and refines his raw materials, the story of Renzo and Lucia...consistently transcends its considerable potential for sentimentality.... The mélange of tones, styles and methods within the book makes the experience of reading it one of the most rewarding—and simultaneously most challenging—in nineteenth-century fiction.” (From the introduction by Jonathan Keates)
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A century after it first appeared, Crime and Punishment remains one of the most gripping psychological thrillers. A poverty-stricken young man, seeing his family making sacrifices for him, is faced with an opportunity to solve his financial problems with one simple but horrifying act: the murder of a pawnbroker. She is, he feels, just a parasite on society. But does the end justify the means? Rodion Romanovitch Raskolnikov makes his decision and then has to live with it.
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A masterpiece
- By Timothy on 02-20-16
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The Adolescent
- By: Fyodor Dostoevsky, Richard Pevear - translator, Larissa Volokhonsky - translator
- Narrated by: P.J. Ochlan
- Length: 28 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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The narrator and protagonist of Dostoevsky's novel The Adolescent (first published in English as A Raw Youth) is Arkady Dolgoruky, a naive 19-year-old boy bursting with ambition and opinions. The illegitimate son of a dissipated landowner, he is torn between his desire to expose his father's wrongdoing and the desire to win his love. He travels to St. Petersburg to confront the father he barely knows, inspired by an inchoate dream of communion and armed with a mysterious document that he believes gives him power over others.
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An Oft-Forgotten Dostoevsky Gem
- By Ben on 02-09-20
By: Fyodor Dostoevsky, and others
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47 Ronin
- By: John Allyn, Stephen Turnbull - foreword
- Narrated by: David Shih
- Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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For those looking for the real story behind the fictionalized movie account of the 47 Ronin story, this is the definitive, fascinating account of this unforgettable tale of a band of samurai who defied the Emperor to avenge the disgrace and death of their master, and faced certain death as a result. It led to one of the bloodiest episodes in Japanese history, and in the process, created a new set of heroes in Japan.
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Neither fish nor....
- By David on 11-05-14
By: John Allyn, and others
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The Brothers Karamazov
- Penguin Classics
- By: Fyodor Dostoyevsky, David McDuff - translator
- Narrated by: Luke Thompson
- Length: 43 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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The murder of brutal landowner Fyodor Karamazov changes the lives of his sons irrevocably: Mitya, the sensualist, whose bitter rivalry with his father immediately places him under suspicion for parricide; Ivan, the intellectual, driven to breakdown; the spiritual Alyosha, who tries to heal the family's rifts; and the shadowy figure of their bastard half-brother, Smerdyakov. Dostoyevsky's dark masterwork evokes a world where the lines between innocence and corruption, good and evil, blur and everyone's faith in humanity is tested.
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Fix an error near the end of chapter 7.
- By Ragena Mae Brown on 10-17-21
By: Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and others
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The Crown
- By: Nancy Bilyeau
- Narrated by: Nicola Barber
- Length: 14 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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In this debut historical thriller, an aristocratic young nun must find a legendary crown in order to save her father’s life and preserve all she holds dear. When novitiate nun Joanna Stafford learns her rebel cousin is condemned by King Henry VIII to be burned at the stake, she makes the decision to break the sacred rule of enclosure and flee her Dominican order in Dartford to stand at her cousin’s side. Arrested for interfering with king’s justice, Joanna, along with her father, Sir Richard Stafford, is sent to the Tower of London.
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Torture
- By S. Wells on 03-24-13
By: Nancy Bilyeau
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The Brothers Karamazov [Naxos AudioBooks Edition]
- By: Constance Garnett - translator, Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Narrated by: Constantine Gregory
- Length: 37 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Story
Fyodor Dostoyevsky is a titanic figure among the world's great authors, and The Brothers Karamazov is often hailed as his finest novel. A masterpiece on many levels, it transcends the boundaries of a gripping murder mystery to become a moving account of the battle between love and hate, faith and despair, compassion and cruelty, good and evil.
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A Spiritual and Philosophical Tour-de-Force
- By Rich on 02-27-16
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The Count of Monte Cristo (Dramatized)
- By: Orson Welles
- Narrated by: Orson Welles
- Length: 59 mins
- Original Recording
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Story
Starring Orson Welles, Anges Moorehead, and Ray Collins, The Count of Monte Cristo is a tale of revenge and retribution. Edmond Dantès, a young, energetic sailor, is falsely accused of treason on his wedding day and incarcerated in the forbidding Château d'If. His escape and ultimate revenge on those who wronged him makes this one of the most thrilling stories in French literature, as compelling now as when it was first published in 1846.
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Excellent
- By Stefanie on 05-19-14
By: Orson Welles
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Zama
- By: Antonio Di Benedetto, Esther Allen - preface translation
- Narrated by: Armando Durán
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- Unabridged
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Story
Written in a style that is both precise and sumptuous, weirdly archaic and powerfully novel, Zama takes place in the last decade of the 18th century and describes the solitary, suspended existence of Don Diego de Zama, a highly placed servant of the Spanish crown who has been posted to Asunción, the capital of remote Paraguay. There, eaten up by pride, lust, petty grudges, and paranoid fantasies, he does as little as he possibly can while plotting his eventual transfer to Buenos Aires.
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Lost Master Work of The New World
- By tomasito on 02-28-17
By: Antonio Di Benedetto, and others
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The Castle
- By: Franz Kafka
- Narrated by: Allan Corduner
- Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins
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Story
A land-surveyor, known only as K., arrives at a small village permanently covered in snow and dominated by a castle to which access seems permanently denied. K.'s attempts to discover why he has been called constantly run up against the peasant villagers, who are in thrall to the absurd bureaucracy that keeps the castle shut, and the rigid hierarchy of power among the self-serving bureaucrats themselves.
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A masculine and coquettish reading
- By Alan on 05-27-12
By: Franz Kafka
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Mark Twain - The Complete Novels
- By: Mark Twain
- Narrated by: Lee Howard
- Length: 58 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Story
Here you will find the complete novels of Mark Twain: 1. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Starts at Chapter 1, 2. The Prince and the Pauper Starts at Chapter 37, 3. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Starts at Chapter 70, 4. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Starts at Chapter 113, 5. The American Claimant Starts at Chapter 158, 6. Tom Sawyer Abroad Starts at Chapter 184, 7. Pudd'nhead Wilson Starts at Chapter 197, 8. Tom Sawyer, Detective Starts at Chapter 219, 9. A Horse's Tale Starts at Chapter 230, 10. The Mysterious Stranger Starts at Chapter 245.
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Content; GREAT! Performance.. .not so much😁
- By brian deis on 01-09-20
By: Mark Twain
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The Charterhouse of Parma
- By: Henri Beyle Stendhal
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Story
In the coming-of-age story, we follow a young Italian nobleman, Fabrizio Valserra, Marchesino del Dongo, on many adventures, including his experiences at the Battle of Waterloo, and romantic intrigues.
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Amazing novel finally available on audio!
- By Grant on 03-23-14
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The Day of Atonement
- By: David Liss
- Narrated by: Samuel Roukin
- Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins
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Overall
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Story
Lisbon, 1755: A distinguished-looking gentleman emerges from the bowels of a ship freshly arrived from London, and sets into the city with a singular purpose. This is Sebastian Foxx, born SebastiAo Raposa, and his parents were abducted by the Inquisition when Sebastian was just 13 years old.
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Action packed adventure in an unusual setting
- By Jean on 11-29-14
By: David Liss
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What listeners say about The Betrothed
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Louis
- 06-01-24
Marvelous performance
This is a modern Italian classic, essential reading for modern Italian literature. It has some of the wordiness of a 19th century novel. The prime example is the explanation of Gertrude’s entering the convent. But the story is fascinating. I have listened to many books over the years. This is probably the best performance.
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- Aviva Dankner
- 01-26-23
An Italian Masterpiece Reborn
This is truly a timeless masterpiece. I don’t know who to thank more, Manzoni or Michael Moore. On all 3 counts, the book, the translation,the narration, I rate it a rare experience and 5 stars.
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- Sarah Gamp
- 12-24-22
Wonderful classic—very good narration
This novel was a wonder to me. I recommend it highly. Regarding the narration, I’m generally quite sensitive to the quality of the reading, & I had no problem at all with this one. Obviously, the question of reader quality is a subjective one, but I urge Audible subscribers to give this one a chance. If you dislike it as much as one of the other reviewers did, you can always return the book.
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- Matthew J.
- 05-11-24
Excellent Translation
What a beautiful and full story. I love the backstories given to some of the characters which help to give full understanding to their actions and development. I loved the narration.
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- Ale P
- 12-19-23
Outstanding
Finally a fluent translation of this Italian masterpiece portraying a part of 17th century from the people perspective, with also a vivid depiction of the plague. The narrator is a bit too theatrical in its tone. I would have preferred less “shouting”, though he was probably mimicking the expressions envisioned by Manzoni. Highly recommended
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- Marian in New York
- 11-16-24
a 400 year old novel resonates today
Great audio rendition of an outstanding historical novel. the plot and observations could be played in modern dress so to speak since they resonate so much with our current and recent history
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- Rachael Jungkeit
- 01-25-23
A wonderful story, so enjoyable to listen to, so well read
I’m so pleased that this new translation brought the novel to my attention. A wonderful story, and having so recently gone through a pandemic, it makes the story hit home in a way that it might not otherwise. Highly recommend!
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- Walt johnson
- 09-20-23
Epic historical fiction that is so timely for now.
Wonderful translation! Very long but didn’t drag. I found it so interesting to note how many parallels there were regarding the challenges we are facing now in 2023 and with those faced in Italy in the 1600s. I noticed myself comparing it to Ken Folletts’ Pillars of the Earth. One of my favorite books. This is why I gave it four stars rather than five. An obvious unfair comparison. As this book is truly a classic in its own right. The story helps us, put into some perspective, the trials and tribulations that we face today. You will feel the suffering and anguish and utter hopelessness caused by the disparity between the very rich and powerful and the poor.
The impact of prejudice, against those who are different or foreign, or members of a different faith are given account of.
The story exposes religious corruption, while also acknowledging the power of true faith and emphasizes the astonishing selflessness and goodness of many belonging to the clergy who absolutely gave their all in service to the hungry, poor, sick and disadvantaged. Those characters are truly an inspiration. The all too familiar devastating impacts of wars on the common people, perpetuated by the greed and desire, for power and wealth of only a few members of the nobility will be familiar. Published in 1827 but set two hundred years earlier, it is sometimes hard to fathom the way Alessandro Manzoni, reports the reaction of the people to the plagues. Often denying and ignoring facts and the advise of the learned and experienced and instead embracing conspiracy theories and superstition as to the causes, resulting in massive numbers of deaths that could have been avoided. It may be too soon and a little too close to home however in reading you will feel the crippling devastation, and outer hopelessness and helplessness of those who lost loved ones and livelihoods as a result of the air born viruses that they could not see or understand. The impact of droughts, floods, fires, and famine are all themes addressed . In fact, often during the descriptions of the hunger suffered by so many people and the masses dying of starvation, I found myself going into the kitchen and making a snack to take a break . There are too many other parallels to even list, but the exploration of the nature of man, good versus evil, the power of redemption and of course because it is after all a love story, the power of true love against all obstacles makes this a novel absolutely worth the time to listen.
I would go so far as to say it is a must read for anyone interested in learning from history so that we may have a chance of not repeating the mistakes and therefore hopefully contributing to the nobility and advancement of mankind and society at large.
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- Debra F.
- 05-23-24
Amazing Read during another pandemic
I loved the narrator's voice characterizations. There are so many characters and he gets them all beautifully which I'm sure Mancini would be thrilled about. I have heard about this book from Italian friends for so long and loved it and did not know that it was about a pandemic. It was amazing to read it during our pandemic, and given that it's 400 years later, I agree with our "anonymous" author, human beings always have much to learn!
This book should be better known among non- Italians, and hopefully the great translation and Jhumpa Lahiri's notes and reputation will help. highly recommended!
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- Peter B. Hall
- 11-28-22
Multiple readers make this audible more interesting
Great performance with many different characters defined by the reading of their voices. This book is considered the national novel of Italy. This is thoroughly explained in the Forward section.
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