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The Scarlet Letter
- Narrated by: Shelly Frasier
- Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins
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Publisher's summary
Hester's husband had been lost at sea years earlier and was presumed dead, but now reappears in time to witness Hester's humiliation on the town scaffold. He becomes obsessed with finding the identity of the man who dishonored his wife. To do so, he assumes a false name, pretends to be a physician and forces Hester to keep his new identity secret. Meanwhile, Hester's lover, the beloved Reverend Dimmesdale, publicly pressures her to name the child's father, while secretly praying that she will not. Hester defiantly protects his identity and reputation, even when faced with losing Pearl, her daughter.
Hailed by Henry James as, "the finest piece of imaginative writing yet put forth in the country", Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter is a masterful portrayal of humanity's continuing struggle with sin, guilt, and pride.
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One of the great adventure novels of our language creates a most engaging central character, Nostromo. A picturesque man of action and popular hero, Nostromo lives to be "well-spoken of" by the citizens of Costaguana, the mythical South American banana republic where the story takes place. Around this figure, Conrad spins a story of revolution, politics, and racial conflict as complex as Nostromo, the man whose greatest enemy is himself.
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Wow!
- By Amazon Customer on 07-11-03
By: Joseph Conrad
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Phantastes
- By: George MacDonald
- Narrated by: Brad Powers
- Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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A young man named Anodos experiences dream like adventures in Fairy Land, where he meets tree spirits, endures the presence of the overwhelming shadow, journeys to the palace of the fairy queen, and searches for the spirit of the earth. The story conveys a profound sadness and a poignant longing for death.
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THIS IS LIBRIVOX'S FREE RECORDING
- By C. M. W. on 12-24-18
By: George MacDonald
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A Christmas Carol
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The timeless tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and his adventures on Christmas Eve continue to teach an important lesson, even to this day. Author Charles Dickens introduces us to the main character by painting him in a negative light, a selfish and miserly old man who will barely pay enough money to keep his office heated. When Scrooge returns home after work, the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, visits him and tells him that because of the wrongdoing he had done during his life, he has been condemned to walk in his ghost years shackled....
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A Fine audio Interpretation
- By Lee Gregory Stewart on 02-03-23
By: Charles Dickens
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Doug Bradley's Spinechillers Audio Books, Volume 1
- Classic Horror Stories
- By: Charles Dickens, H. P. Lovecraft, Saki, and others
- Narrated by: Doug Bradley
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- Unabridged
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This volume features William F Harvey's original undead hand story "The Beast with Five Fingers" that sparked many movies including Sam Raimi's "The Evil Dead". Poe's classic "The Tell Tale Heart" is joined by Lovecraft's creepy tale of alienation "The Outsider", and a chilling Dickens ghost story "The Signalman".
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Excellent stories and wonderful performance
- By Gavin Lees on 10-12-18
By: Charles Dickens, and others
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A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
- By: James Joyce
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- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
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This quintessential coming-of-age novel describes the early life of Stephen Dedalus. It is set in Ireland during the 19th century, which was a time of emerging Irish nationalism and conservative Catholicism. Highly autobiographical in nature, the work is also notable for its being the first one in which Joyce uses innovative “stream of consciousness” writing style. A Portrait... follows Stephen Dedalus from his babyhood into early adulthood.
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Bitterly disappointed
- By James on 01-29-19
By: James Joyce
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Les Miserables
- By: Victor Hugo
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
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Set in the Parisian underworld and plotted like a detective story, Les Miserables follows Jean Valjean, originally an honest peasant, who has been imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's starving family. A hardened criminal upon his release, he eventually reforms, becoming a successful industrialist and town mayor. Despite this, he is haunted by an impulsive former crime and is pursued relentlessly by the police inspector Javert.
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one happy insomniac
- By Kathryn on 01-27-05
By: Victor Hugo
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The Masque of the Red Death
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
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Prince Prospero invites several dozen of the local nobility to his castle for protection against an oncoming plague, the Red Death. Prospero orders his guests to attend a masked ball and, amidst a general atmosphere of debauchery and depravity, notices the entry of a mysterious hooded stranger dressed all in red.
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mediocre
- By Krystal on 10-20-17
By: Edgar Allan Poe
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Ben-Hur
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A classic of faith, fortitude, and inspiration, this faithful New Testament tale combines the events of the life of Jesus with grand historical spectacle in the exciting story of Judah of the House of Hur, a man who finds extraordinary redemption for himself and his family. Judah Ben-Hur lives as a rich Jewish prince and merchant in Jerusalem at the beginning of the first century. His old friend, Messala, arrives as commanding officer of the Roman legions.
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Not Like the Movie
- By Paul Z. on 01-31-12
By: Lew Wallace
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This powerful story of passion, adultery, honor, and repression caused a tremendous controversy in 1850 when it was published, because of its provocative subject matter. Set in Puritan New England, the novel begins with Hester Prynne, a young woman with an illegitimate baby daughter, leaving prison to face her scornful townsfolk. Forced to wear a scarlet letter "A" to remind people of her adultery, Hester obstinately holds her head high and refuses to reveal the father of her child.
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One of the most important novels in classic literature, Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter tackles the subject of adultery, with the notorious Hester Prynne at the forefront of the scandal in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In the beginning of the novel, Hester is serving time in prison for having a child out of wedlock and is forced to wear a scarlet A on her clothing at all times, so she cannot run from her sin no matter where she goes.
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missing the introductory???
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Fiercely romantic and hugely influential, The Scarlet Letter is the tale of Hester Prynne, imprisoned, publicly shamed, and forced to wear a scarlet for committing adultery and bearing an illegitimate child, Pearl. In their small Puritan village, Hester and her daughter struggle to survive. In this searing study of the tension between private and public existence, Hester Prynne’s inner strength and quiet dignity secure her place as one of the first great heroines of American fiction.
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Easier to listen than read
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Written in the winter of 1849, The Scarlet Letter unfolds the story of Hester Prynne, a young woman branded as an adulteress in the harsh Puritan world of 17th-century New England. As Hester calls on her inner strength to transcend her shame, the scarlet letter ceases to be a stigma and finally becomes Hester's symbol of self-affirmation. This dramatic reading heightens the sense of lyric poetry that permeates every line of Nathaniel Hawthorne's great novel.
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abridged unlike pic indicates
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The House of the Seven Gables is a fixture in Salem - and seemingly fixed in time. As the ancestral home of the Pyncheon family, its current mistress is Hepzibah Pyncheon, who has retreated behind a wall of false gentility. But into these dreary surroundings comes Phoebe, a country cousin whose youthful energy and sense of romance bring renewed life to the family.
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Not for Me
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The Scarlet Letter (AmazonClassics Edition)
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The red letter A on her dress marks young mother Hester Prynne among her Puritan neighbors, who demand to know who fathered her child. Rumors swirl, but the shunned and shamed Hester keeps her secret - and his - for years, until a guilt-ridden confession reveals the truth, with unexpected consequences.
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Ruined by the narration
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One of the most important novels in classic literature, Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter tackles the subject of adultery, with the notorious Hester Prynne at the forefront of the scandal in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In the beginning of the novel, Hester is serving time in prison for having a child out of wedlock and is forced to wear a scarlet A on her clothing at all times, so she cannot run from her sin no matter where she goes.
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missing the introductory???
- By Savannah on 05-20-20
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Easier to listen than read
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abridged unlike pic indicates
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Not for Me
- By Rush2112 on 10-01-07
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The red letter A on her dress marks young mother Hester Prynne among her Puritan neighbors, who demand to know who fathered her child. Rumors swirl, but the shunned and shamed Hester keeps her secret - and his - for years, until a guilt-ridden confession reveals the truth, with unexpected consequences.
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Ruined by the narration
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The Scarlet Letter is one of the great classics of American literature. Set in the harsh Puritan environment of 17th-century Boston, it describes the plight of Hester Prynne, an independent-minded woman who stands alone against society. Having given birth to a child after an illicit affair, she refuses to name the father and is forced to wear the letter "A", for Adulteress, embroidered on her dress.
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Masterful storytelling with excellent narration
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Nathaniel Hawthorne’s magnum opus exploring the themes of legalism, sin and guilt.
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You get what you pay for.
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A tale of betrayal, revenge, loyalty, and redemption, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a true classic. Hester Prynne settles in a little town in Puritan-era Massachusetts while awaiting her husband’s arrival from England. Hester becomes pregnant, exposing her sin in the eyes of the townsfolk. Her penalty: wearing an embroidered A on her bosom for the remainder of her life. When Hester’s husband arrives in the town anticipating a joyous reunion with his young wife, he instead begins a cankering quest to uncover the father of Hester’s child.
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The Scarlet Letter
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, magnum opus, tells the story of Hester Prynne, who gives birth two years after separation from her husband and is condemned to wear the scarlet letter A on her breast as punishment for her adultery. She resists all attempts of the 17th century Boston clergy to make her reveal the name of her child’s father while she struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity.
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Trust Me-- Try It!
- By Savannah on 06-23-14
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The Scarlet Letter
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Story
Set in Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony during the years 1642 to 1649, the novel tells the story of Hester Prynne who conceives a daughter through an affair and then struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. Containing a number of religious and historic allusions, the book explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt.
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Performance Ruins a Masterpiece
- By Scott Mendeloff on 01-13-24
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The Scarlet Letter
- By: Nathaniel Hawthorne
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- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Set in 17th-century Puritan Boston, Massachusetts, during the years 1642 to 1649, The Scarlet Letter tells the story of Hester Prynne, who conceives a daughter through an affair and will not reveal her lover’s identity. The scarlet letter A (for adultery) she has to wear on her clothes, along with her public shaming, is her punishment for her sin and her secrecy. She struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. Throughout the book, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt.
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The Blithedale Romance
- By: Nathaniel Hawthorne
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- Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Miles Coverdale, embarks on a quest for the betterment of the world through the agrarian lifestyle and community of the Blithedale Farm. The story begins with a conversation between Coverdale and Old Moodie, a character who reappears throughout the story. The legend of the mysterious Veiled Lady is introduced; she is a popular clairvoyant who disappears unannounced from the social scene.
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Voice
- By KR on 02-04-23
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The Scarlet Letter
- By: Nathaniel Hawthorne
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The Scarlet Letter: A Romance, an 1850 novel, is a work of historical fiction written by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. The book is considered to be his "masterwork." Set in 17th-century Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony, during the years 1642 to 1649, it tells the story of Hester Prynne, who conceives a daughter through an affair and struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. Throughout the book, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt.
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EXCELLENT!
- By Kellie on 11-28-19
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Young Goodman Brown
- By: Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Narrated by: B.J. Harrison
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How long would you walk, if the Devil sauntered up to you of an evening, and journeyed alongside of you? Young Goodman Brown is led by the Devil to a midnight ritual, where fire, blood, and water change his opinions of the nature of humanity.
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Perfect
- By Andrew H. on 09-21-17
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The Nathaniel Hawthorne Audio Collection
- By: Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Narrated by: James Naughton
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- Unabridged
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On July 28, 1851, Nathaniel Hawthorne's wife left their house in Western Massachusetts to visit relatives. Hawthorne and his 5-year-old son Julian stayed behind. How father and son got on together for the next three weeks is the subject of Twenty Days with Julian & Little Bunny, by Papa, a tender and funny extract from Hawthorne's notebooks, perhaps one of the earliest accounts in literature of a father caring for a young child.
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Skip to Chapter 5: Twenty Days with Julian and Little Bunny
- By Just me. on 12-25-19
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The Scarlet Letter
- By: Nathaniel Hawthorne
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Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter is a masterpiece of American literature. It is a fascinating moral and philosophical study of Puritan New England that details the life and trials of the long-suffering protagonist Hester Prynne who is forced to wear a scarlet A as a sign of her adultery as she navigates life with her impish daughter Pearl, her estranged husband Roger Chillingworth, and the "saintly" minister Arthur Dimmesdale.
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The Minister's Black Veil
- By: Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Narrated by: Walter Zimmerman
- Length: 37 mins
- Unabridged
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The Minister's Black Veil was first published in the 1836 edition of The Token and Atlantic Souvenir. It later appeared in Twice-Told Tales, a collection of short stories by Hawthorne published in 1837. Hawthorne's inspiration for this story may have been a true event. A clergyman named Joseph Moody of York, Maine, nicknamed "Handkerchief Moody", accidentally killed a friend when he was a young man and wore a black veil from the man's funeral until his own death.
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One of those "why do I have to read this" books
- By Jack on 07-14-14
What listeners say about The Scarlet Letter
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Primrose
- 03-26-11
A fine reading
Shelly Frasier does fine: clear diction and slow pace, which are appropriate for more challenging prose. But why so many complaints about Hawthorne's language? "Thees and thous"? He was writing in the 1840s, not the 1600s (the era of the fiction, which he emulates in his characters' speech), so it's not that far from our own era. Or is this nation now only capable of reading TV GUIDE listings for the next JERSEY SHORE?
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5 people found this helpful
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- Jeffrey D
- 12-12-20
Deservedly a classic
This is the classic text of scapegoating and what we would now refer to as relational aggression among the Puritans. A powerful novel. The narrator was good, although I disagreed with a few of her pronunciations.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 03-18-13
Not bad...
Which character – as performed by Shelly Frasier – was your favorite?
Tie. Reverand Dimmesdal and Pearl were my favorites.
If you could rename The Scarlet Letter, what would you call it?
"Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the word 'tremulous' about 800 times."
Any additional comments?
Good reading of a classic. Unfortunately, since Hawthorne's prose wanders like a caffeine addled child, it can be hard to track what's going on at certain points in the narration.
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4 people found this helpful
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- katie
- 02-16-15
Would read again
The narrator talked very slowly so I had to speed it up, the story was great. Although very little actually happened.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
- Aaron Elliott
- 05-26-07
Hasts and Thous
An amazing early American novel. I have never read before. I actually can't wait to read again. Stongly recommend. It was so good that I wanted to know someone who had just read it so we could talk about it! The reader was very good. Her voice was VERY versatile. The only drawback is with all "hasts and thous" you REALLY have to pay attention to every word...not a good "drivng" book.
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18 people found this helpful
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Overall
- connie
- 02-18-09
doesn't hold up to other period classics
This was my first reading of Scarlet Letter. Canadians aren't as exposed to it in high school/college as Americans. I can see that it endures for its landmark importance in American literature, but I would not have enjoyed the novel for itself had I not just finished Susan Cheever's American Bloomsbury, with its biographical details of Hawthorne's life, especially his relationship with Margaret Fuller whom she postulates as at least partial inspiration for Hester's courage, strength and philosophy.
With Hawthorne's background in mind and several audiobooks on 19th centruy American history recently "read," I enjoyed the lengthy "customs house" sketch/intro more than the rest of the novel.
Eliot and Hardy wrote later in the century than Hawthorne, but not that much later, and they were so much more adept at re-creating earlier periods in their nation's history and mentality. I can't help but wonder if Elizabeth Gaskill read Scarlett Letter before she wrote Ruth, supposedly the first Engish lit novel to tackle the subject of "fallen woman" sympathetically - there seems to be more than one similar character.
Scarlett Letter (not Ruth!) is still worth reading (or re-reading as an adult). This edition was well priced, with acceptable narration for the price- Hawthorne's sentences must be hard work for any narrator.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Trent
- 02-09-11
OK
I had a hard time staying focused on the story. Narrator did not hold my attention, made it a struggle.
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1 person found this helpful
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- KJPollard
- 09-17-24
It was great symbolism
It was interesting to see how all are imperfect and we all fall short of God’s perfect standard that’s why we all need Jesus
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Overall
- Padden
- 10-21-06
The Scarlet Letter
I read the unabridged version of Hawthorn's book and I believe that had I read the abridged version my rating would have been much higher.
The first 1/4 of the book was very boring and not even related to the story to be told, or perhaps I missed the point.
I knew the book would be a tragedy and it met my expectations.
I am not certain but I think I just spelled the author's name incorrectly. I apologize if I did.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Emory
- 04-28-17
Meh
Is there anything you would change about this book?
I know this is considered a classic, but I'm underwhelmed. Perhaps the most annoying thing about it is the heavy-handed symbolism. Honestly, Nathaniel, a meteor that lights up the sky forming a scarlet A? Doesn't that seem a little on-the-nose?
Would you listen to another book narrated by Shelly Frasier?
The narrator isn't bad, although she mispronounces words surprisingly often. This book does use a lot of uncommon words, but that's what dictionaries are for. Also, I found the decision to perform the dialogue, but not the rest of the text, in an English accent (or at least something like one) to be distracting, although I understand why the choice was made.
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