The Shipping News Audiobook By Annie Proulx cover art

The Shipping News

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The Shipping News

By: Annie Proulx
Narrated by: Robert Joy
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A vigorous, darkly comic, and at times magical portrait of the contemporary American family, The Shipping News shows why E. Annie Proulx is recognized as one of the most gifted and original writers in America today. When Quoyle, a 36-year-old, third rate newspaperman, learns that his two-timing wife has abandoned him and their two daughters, he returns to his ancestral home on the Newfoundland coast, where amongst locals and three generations of his family, he begins to rebuild his life. Newfoundland is a dreary rock in the north Atlantic beset by lousy weather. Proulx recreates this barren location in her vivid, distinctive prose and populates it with a cast of amusing, richly human characters. The transformation each of the characters undergoes following the move is profound. And Proulx creates a simple and compelling tale of Quoyle's psychological and spiritual growth as he confronts his private demons. Along the way, we catch a glimpse of the maritime beauty of what is probably a fading existence.©1995 E. Annie Proulx, All Rights Reserved (P)1995 Simon & Schuster Inc., All Rights Reserved Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction
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Brilliant story by an incredibly talented author.

The narration keeps the pace moving with engaging & dynamic voice modulations.

I charged through it in about 3 sittings - and wished it wouldn’t end.

Absorbing and enjoyable

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Awesome read, loved it, the character was made for Mr Spacey! Very enjoyable.

SO Kevin Spacey!

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My 1st Annie Proulx novel, but certainly not my last. I chose the abridged version because I liked Robert Joy's voice. He seemed more Quoyle-like to me. Read the book, listened to the audio version and watched the movie. Time well spent.

Well Done

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I generally liked the book but thought something was missing. When it ended I found it was an abridged version, I realized a lot must have been left out. Didn't know to pay attention to this -thought audible books were all full versions.

The Shipping News

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Is there anything you would change about this book?

The book is excellent

What did you like best about this story?

It is a compelling story of growth and human character

What didn’t you like about Robert Joy’s performance?

His voice is off putting, and detracted from the story.

Could you see The Shipping News being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No

Any additional comments?

no

Good words, disappointing reader

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This book is such a great read I couldn't put it down. It stayed in my thoughts when I couldn't read it, and I used any excuse to get back to it. A quirky, humorous and sad story, it is written as vividly as though the author was experiencing everything as she wrote. The characters are almost alive and kind of odd, having lived in a small community for so long. But the great thing is that everyone accepts the quirks of others, at least until the end.

The Shipping News

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The publisher comments "Newfoundland is a dreary rock in the north Atlantic beset by lousy weather".

This is ridiculous... Newfoundland is one of the most beautiful places on earth. (Mountains, ocean, incredibly friendly people, vast areas of unspoiled nature and wildlife) .. The weather is moderated by the ocean, much like Seattle weather - where temperatures are rarely extreme.

Newfoundland is one of Canada's prime tourist destinations.

While the writer depicts some dreary scenes within New York and Newfoundland, the publisher's above comment is highly inappropriate - and should be retracted from your website.

Publisher comments are rubbish

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Skip the abridged version of this book! I wasn't crazy about it, then decided to give the unabrdged version a chance and I'm SO glad I did. It's a superb book when read in full. I'd rate it 5 stars.



Find the unabridged version!

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I usually hate abridged versions but Robert Joy does an excellent job with these voices.

this is one of my favorite books

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The characters didn't interest me. They were sad-sack. The narration was okay. But everything about this story seemed lame. Don't waste your time or credit.

Less Than Entertaining

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