The Canterbury Tales [Blackstone] Audiobook By Geoffrey Chaucer cover art

The Canterbury Tales [Blackstone]

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The Canterbury Tales [Blackstone]

By: Geoffrey Chaucer
Narrated by: Martin Jarvis, Jay Carnes, Ray Porter, John Lee, Malcolm Hillgartner, Ralph Cosham, Simon Vance
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At the Tabard Inn, 30 travelers of widely varying classes and occupations are gathering to make the annual pilgrimage to Becket's shrine at Canterbury. It is agreed that each traveler will tell four tales to help pass the time and that the host of the inn will judge the tales and reward the best storyteller with a free supper upon their return.

Thus we hear, translated into modern English, 20-some tales, told in the voices of knight and merchant, wife and miller, squire and nun, and many more. Some are bawdy, some spiritual, some romantic, some mysterious, some chivalrous. Between the stories, the travelers converse, joke, and argue, revealing much about their individual outlooks on life, as well as what life was like in late 14th-century England.

©2003 Gavin Menzies (P)2008 Blackstone Audio Classics Marriage Classic Medieval Fiction
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I have heard several recordings of the Canterbury Tales over the years, and this is by far the best. The multi-cast format is really best; Chaucer gave each character a distinctive voice, so it is apropos that each story be read by a different narrator. Each actor captures the persona of their character, from pious nuns to noble knights to course workmen. Even the Parson's lengthy sermon was enjoyable to listen to. This is definitely a must-have for both fans of Chaucer and of good audiobooks.

Superb Narration of a Classic

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Always meant to read this - the translation is understandable but still gives you a sense of the language of the time. Skip some of the more boring tales (Melibee and the Parsons tale) and it's a very entertaining listen.

Interesting

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Would you consider the audio edition of The Canterbury Tales to be better than the print version?

Yes. I enjoyed the performances by the narrators, the wonderful stories, and the amazing rhyming ability of the author. They make this a memorable event.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Canterbury Tales?

I loved and enjoyed each and every one of the stories.

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrators actually bring these stories to life with their wonderful voices and reading abilities.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Tales you will never forget.

More Wonderful Than I Remembered

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Classic story. Not much more to say. The performances were to notch. If you want a good review if there Canterbury Tales, this is an option.

classic

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This new Blackstone recording of "Canterbury Tales" is wonderful and at times enthralling -- and also at times laugh-out-loud funny. Like the Charlton Griffin recording (also available here), it's the whole ball of wax: every tale, including the often-omitted Tale of Melibee and the Parson's Tale (which is really a three-hour sermon rather than a tale. Listen to it. It's good for the digestion, and quite a bit more interesting than it sounds). This translation, by J.U. Nicholson, uses a more old-fashioned vocabulary in places than the Coghill translation used by Griffin; but at the same time, it's also saltier. There are few crude names for parts or functions of the human body that Chaucer fails to use at one point or another, and most of them find their way into this recording. (For me, that's a GOOD thing!) One notable feature is that this is a multi-voice recording. Martin Jarvis is Chaucer, Ralph Cosham the Lawyer, Simon Vance the Squire; and that's only a few examples. Both this version and Griffin's version are five-star recordings in my book. Griffin's has occasional music, which this one lacks; on the other hand, this one has greater variety of tone and voice.

Many voices, at times enthralling

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Would you consider the audio edition of The Canterbury Tales to be better than the print version?

Gee. I've struggled in print both in old english and whatever modern translation I had but this translation was alive whereas in the past the language stood in my way. This time the language enhanced the personalities of the story...

Who was your favorite character and why?

I forget her name but she had intensely foul language.. and poetry to boot..

Have you listened to any of the narrators’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This was a good group for the various voices.. Women and men telling the tale..

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No not one moment but I realized that I probably am a medieval christian prior to being a Buddhist..

Any additional comments?

Listen and let this solve the mystery of what the whole trip was about...

Finally it made sense...

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The performance is great, and the translations are mild enough to read alongside the middle english. But the tales are broken into tiny clips and they are out of order. Some time and bookmarks make it navigable, but it's really a mess.

Great book, terrible to navigate

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Very approachable and entertaining with poetic modern translation. Best I've heard.
Wish tales and chapters labeled together.

Required reading on par with Shakespear

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Obviously Chaucer wrote some of the most baudy, memorable, and hilarious tales in this work. And things like the Knights tale were dramatic and engaging. There is sound political advice herein. However, the strongly Catholic and Christian sermonizing in many tales, appropriate of the time, can be a tough slog to listen through. However, this unfinished classic is ultimately more than worth the listen.

a mixed bag

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ALWAYS compelling. The verse is a joy to hear. In addition, Chaucer's crude, vulgar passages are uproarious! I WILL admit, however, that the Parson's tale, tho interesting, is a pain-in-the-ass to listen to (and I'm sure his fellow pilgrims probably agreed!). Overall, quite a treat!

Marvelous, marvelous!

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