The Plum in the Golden Vase or, Chin P'ing Mei (Volume One: The Gathering)
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Narrated by:
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George Backman
About this listen
In this first of a planned five-volume set, David Roy provides a complete and annotated translation of the famous Chin P'ing Mei, an anonymous sixteenth-century Chinese novel that focuses on the domestic life of Hsi-men Ch'ing, a corrupt, upwardly mobile merchant in a provincial town, who maintains a harem of six wives and concubines. This work, known primarily for its erotic realism, is also a landmark in the development of the narrative art form - not only from a specifically Chinese perspective but in a world-historical context.
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Ghost Stories: Stephen Fry's Definitive Collection
- By: Stephen Fry, Washington Irving, M.R. James, and others
- Narrated by: Stephen Fry
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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As the days grow shorter and the temperature drops, Halloween approaches. Come, brave listener, pull up a chair, and spend some time with master storyteller Stephen Fry as he tells us some of his favourite ghost stories of all time, in truly terrifying spatial audio. From the headless horseman of Sleepy Hollow to the tortured spirits of M.R. James, from Edgar Allan Poe’s terrifying tale of a doppelganger to Charlotte Riddell’s Open Door that should definitely stay shut, join Stephen as he tells you some truly terrifying tales.
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Wonderful narration. Mediocre stories.
- By Michael Fuchs on 11-07-23
By: Stephen Fry, and others
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Fahrenheit 451
- By: Ray Bradbury
- Narrated by: Tim Robbins
- Length: 5 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television "family."
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Wish I Hadn't Cliff Noted This in High School
- By Joel on 03-27-17
By: Ray Bradbury
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Brain Damage
- By: Freida McFadden
- Narrated by: Megan Tusing
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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As Charly struggles to recover from her brain injury, she begins to realize that the events of that fateful night are trapped in the damaged right side of her brain. Now, she must put the jigsaw pieces together to discover the identity of the man who tried to kill her...before he finishes the job he started.
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Who Else Laughed, Cried, and Shuddered?
- By Jennifer Chichester on 09-16-22
By: Freida McFadden
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Starship Troopers
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Johnnie Rico never really intended to join up—and definitely not the infantry. But now that he’s in the thick of it, trying to get through combat training harder than anything he could have imagined, he knows everyone in his unit is one bad move away from buying the farm in the interstellar war the Terran Federation is waging against the Arachnids. Because everyone in the Mobile Infantry fights. And if the training doesn’t kill you, the Bugs are more than ready to finish the job.
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The definitive version!
- By Kristopher G. Hesson on 10-03-24
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Slayers: A Buffyverse Story
- By: Christopher Golden, Amber Benson
- Narrated by: Amber Benson, Charisma Carpenter, James Charles Leary, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Original Recording
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Original cast members from the beloved TV series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, reunite for an all-new adventure about connections that never die—even if you bury them. A decade has passed since the epic final battle that concluded Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV). The game-changing spell that gave power to all potential Slayers persists. With new Slayers constantly emerging, things are looking grim for the bad guys.
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A dream come true
- By Anonymous User on 10-12-23
By: Christopher Golden, and others
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- Narrated by: Jonathan Booth
- Length: 33 hrs and 41 mins
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The Water Margin is one of the most popular classics of early Chinese literature. It tells the vigorous story of 108 characters who, falling foul of the established state authorities, are forced to become outlaws. They form a bandit community in Liangshan Marsh, becoming such a formidable force in their own right that they threaten the power of government itself.
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Top notch Chinese classic
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Monkey
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Considered one of China's great classical novels, Wu Ch'êng-ên's Journey to the West was translated by Arthur Waley in abridged form as Monkey in 1942 and has delighted English readers ever since. It is a riveting adventure story about a priest's quest to obtain holy Buddhist scriptures for the Tang emperor; joining him on this rollicking journey: Sandy, Pigsy, and the mischievous monkey king, Sun Wukong, whose flying cloud and magic cudgel are never far from his infamous deeds.
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Great translation, but reader struggles distractingly with names
- By utsusemi on 01-24-16
By: Wu Ch’êng-ên, and others
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Dream of the Red Chamber
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- By: Cao Xueqin
- Narrated by: Cyril Taylor-Carr, The Cliff
- Length: 18 hrs and 37 mins
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The Dream of the Red Chamber (also known as The Story of the Stone) is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of China, and considered the greatest of them all. Almost 40 main characters and some 500 minor characters tell the fortunes of the Chia family; the book details mainly the life of Chia Pao-yü, the heir apparent, who is described as very intelligent, but also as carefree and self-indulging. The already wealthy Chia family rises to new heights when Pao-yü's elder sister becomes an imperial consort.
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A very difficult listen
- By Amazon Customer on 05-17-23
By: Cao Xueqin
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Journey to the West
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- Narrated by: Michelle Tate
- Length: 42 mins
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Journey to the West is one of the Chinese Noble Classics.
In ancient China a magical monkey appears, creating chaos everywhere he goes. The only way to put his tricks and talents to good use is to make him protector of Xuanzang, a young and handsome monk determined to travel from China to India in search of precious scriptures. Monkey and his fellow disciples, Piggy and Sandy, have to protect Xuanzang from monsters and demons who think they can live forever just by taking bites out of the monk.
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Apparently you can't get a full audiobook of this
- By Nick on 05-31-19
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The Three Kingdoms
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The Three Kingdoms is one of the Chinese Noble Classics. The great empire of China is in turmoil. As the government becomes increasingly incompetent, warlords and nobles battle for power. In the north is the Kingdom of Wei, headed by cunning and manipulative Cao Cao. In the southeast is the Kingdom of Wu, ruled by masterful and charismatic Sun Quan. In the west is the Kingdom of Shu, commanded by kindhearted and humble Liu Bei.
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Too short
- By Steven Shaw on 09-02-15
By: Luo Guanzhong, and others
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Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy
- By: Bryan W. Van Norden
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Van Norden’s Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy is evidently of increasing importance in balancing our 21st century view of philosophy in general. It is to Van Norden’s regret, that when ‘philosophy’ is discussed or taught, it is almost always in the context of ‘Western Philosophy’ rather than a global perspective. Yet the contribution of China to global thought and understanding is crucial, especially in our contemporary context.
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Chinese Philosophy 101
- By Kalala on 02-23-22
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The Water Margin
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- By: Shi Naian, J. H. Jackson - translator, Edwin Lowe - translator
- Narrated by: Jonathan Booth
- Length: 33 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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The Water Margin is one of the most popular classics of early Chinese literature. It tells the vigorous story of 108 characters who, falling foul of the established state authorities, are forced to become outlaws. They form a bandit community in Liangshan Marsh, becoming such a formidable force in their own right that they threaten the power of government itself.
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Top notch Chinese classic
- By Ken Blum on 10-13-23
By: Shi Naian, and others
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Monkey
- By: Wu Ch’êng-ên, Arthur Waley - translator
- Narrated by: Kenneth Williams
- Length: 13 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Considered one of China's great classical novels, Wu Ch'êng-ên's Journey to the West was translated by Arthur Waley in abridged form as Monkey in 1942 and has delighted English readers ever since. It is a riveting adventure story about a priest's quest to obtain holy Buddhist scriptures for the Tang emperor; joining him on this rollicking journey: Sandy, Pigsy, and the mischievous monkey king, Sun Wukong, whose flying cloud and magic cudgel are never far from his infamous deeds.
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Great translation, but reader struggles distractingly with names
- By utsusemi on 01-24-16
By: Wu Ch’êng-ên, and others
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Dream of the Red Chamber
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- By: Cao Xueqin
- Narrated by: Cyril Taylor-Carr, The Cliff
- Length: 18 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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The Dream of the Red Chamber (also known as The Story of the Stone) is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of China, and considered the greatest of them all. Almost 40 main characters and some 500 minor characters tell the fortunes of the Chia family; the book details mainly the life of Chia Pao-yü, the heir apparent, who is described as very intelligent, but also as carefree and self-indulging. The already wealthy Chia family rises to new heights when Pao-yü's elder sister becomes an imperial consort.
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A very difficult listen
- By Amazon Customer on 05-17-23
By: Cao Xueqin
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Journey to the West
- By: Wu Cheng'en, Christine Sun
- Narrated by: Michelle Tate
- Length: 42 mins
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Overall
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Performance
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Journey to the West is one of the Chinese Noble Classics.
In ancient China a magical monkey appears, creating chaos everywhere he goes. The only way to put his tricks and talents to good use is to make him protector of Xuanzang, a young and handsome monk determined to travel from China to India in search of precious scriptures. Monkey and his fellow disciples, Piggy and Sandy, have to protect Xuanzang from monsters and demons who think they can live forever just by taking bites out of the monk.
-
-
Apparently you can't get a full audiobook of this
- By Nick on 05-31-19
By: Wu Cheng'en, and others
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The Three Kingdoms
- By: Luo Guanzhong, Christine Sun
- Narrated by: Michelle Tate
- Length: 39 mins
- Abridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The Three Kingdoms is one of the Chinese Noble Classics. The great empire of China is in turmoil. As the government becomes increasingly incompetent, warlords and nobles battle for power. In the north is the Kingdom of Wei, headed by cunning and manipulative Cao Cao. In the southeast is the Kingdom of Wu, ruled by masterful and charismatic Sun Quan. In the west is the Kingdom of Shu, commanded by kindhearted and humble Liu Bei.
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-
Too short
- By Steven Shaw on 09-02-15
By: Luo Guanzhong, and others
-
Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy
- By: Bryan W. Van Norden
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Van Norden’s Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy is evidently of increasing importance in balancing our 21st century view of philosophy in general. It is to Van Norden’s regret, that when ‘philosophy’ is discussed or taught, it is almost always in the context of ‘Western Philosophy’ rather than a global perspective. Yet the contribution of China to global thought and understanding is crucial, especially in our contemporary context.
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Chinese Philosophy 101
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What listeners say about The Plum in the Golden Vase or, Chin P'ing Mei (Volume One: The Gathering)
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- locutor2
- 04-19-22
Pearl Buck Meets Philip Roth
Incredibly sophisticated in narrative form. Engaging well beyond the licentious bits (and there are many)
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- bpjammin
- 09-30-19
A calssic translation and narration!
This is the first volume of David Tod Roy’s excellent translation of Chin P'ing Mei, one of the six great classics of Chinese Literature. It’s right up there with David Hawkes’ masterful translation of “Dream of the Red Chamber.” George Backman’s nuanced narration and excellent Chinese pronunciation really brings the book to life.
The book opens with a retelling of the story of Wu Song, a character from the Classic “Outlaws of the Marsh.” Wu Song’s story eventually blends into the story of Ximen Qing, a debauched, wealthy pharmaceutical merchant who has more money, women, wine & song than he knows what to do with.
This book can be sexually explicit at times, unlike the more demure classic, “Dream of the Red Chamber.” It also is far from the political sensibilities of “Outlaws” and “Romance of the Three Kingdoms,” which tend to point out corruption and attempt to remedy it. It is however, much more like “Journey to the West” in that it’s one madcap adventure after another for the entire volume. Ximen Qing is definitely Sun Wukong but with none of the Monkey King’s redeeming qualities.
Like Red Chamber, it provides a window into everyday Chinese culture. Though set in earlier times, both books portray the lives of social elites and the common people of China at the end of the Ming and beginning of the Qing Dynasties. The extreme wealth and privilege of the wealthy elites at that time certainly have parallels in today’s western culture. (Jeffrey Epstein comes to mind.)
This is my second time listening to this volume and it just seems even better to me than my first listen. I sure hope Audible decides to record the remaining three volumes and that George Backman is the narrator of those volumes as well.
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- Villa_Straylight
- 10-16-20
Classic story, fun performance
This is a great translation. The reader also does a great job making the story lively and has excellent Chinese pronunciation. I hope they release the rest of this series.
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- Caroline
- 11-21-14
Excellent narration and rollicking story
George Backman is a terrific narrator for this. He can handle the Chinese names effortlessly and he catches the spirit of the soap opera characters, bed scenes, insults and general conniving.
Yes, it is in one sense a seemingly endless portrayal of a superficial, wealthy, randy young Chinese businessman and his wives/concubines, drinking parties, etc in 1100s China. But it is also a discerning portrayal of human psychology and a picture of Chinese life across most classes during the 1600s, when it was actually written. If you think of it as like a multi-year television program, well written and weaving together the threads of several plot lines while beguling you with descriptions of suculent feasts and beautiful clothes, you’ll get into the spirit of the thing and commit to multiple volumes. Again, Backman is flawless and makes the book.
Do note that it is frankly written in occasional bed scenes, so you wouldn’t want to listen in a car with children.
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8 people found this helpful
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- JK
- 05-19-24
ENJOYABLE
Just finished this book, and it goes on and on, but somehow I got “ hooked” on it.
It is not the usual genre book I am interested in, but I wanted to read a book, written n China, so long ago.
It definitely is not a book to read while driving, when you have children in the car, or other family members,
too many detailed sex scenes, but it was interesting to read about situations going on so many years ago and again nothing has changed in the year 2024. This book was written in sixteenth century China.
The author and the translator are both excellent.
The narrator, mr. George Backman, does an excellent job and is a pleasure to listen to for such a long book.
Since I have book two of the series I will continue. It is a relaxing, brainless book to listen to on my long, daily walks.
My thanks to all involved, JK.
It is now 5/23/2024.
I did start the second book of the series, but did not get very far.
It is more of the same from the start. It might be different further into the book, but I let that sit on my “ bookshelf “ for a later date,
This is no criticism of the author, nor the narrator, JK
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