Literary Fiction Audiobooks | Literature

"Untethered by the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and, with it, the dwindling of his family’s name, Franz Ferdinand Trotta has few ambitions beyond frequenting the cafes and bars of Vienna. But in a rapidly changing and violent age, disinterest is not an option: as the first intimations of Nazi barbarities merge, Franz Ferdinand is drawn, inexorably, into the coming storm. Vivid and prophetic, Roth’s acclaimed novel is a stirring reflection on the passing of time, youth and disillusionment, and an elegy to a lost Europe. The Emperor’s Tomb is the sequel to The Radetzky March, one of the great masterpieces of 20th century German literature with some characters, and the narrative thread occasionally overlapping. It was written in the last period of Roth’s life, and though different in character – not least because it is told in first person – the shadow of the darkening colours of the end of an era is maintained. It is especially evocative in the exemplary and atmospheric translation by Michael Hofmann and the tone of David Rintoul’s reading. ‘Unforgettable, really great literature’ – William Boyd. ‘The carefully wrought work of a poet in full sympathy with his subject and his subject matter, in all its rootlessness, melancholy and ironic brevity.’ Economist"

Joseph Roth, Michael Hofmann (Author), David Rintoul (Narrator)

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A Hundred Words For Butterfly: A Novella

"It was meant to be the experience of a lifetime, for Australian twin sisters Helen and Alex Dorian, to walk the famous Camino from Saint Jean Pied de Port in the French Basque country, to Santiago del Compostella in Spain. But Helen injures her leg on the very day they arrive in Saint Jean and has to stay behind in the town while Alex goes on alone. A disappointed Helen tries to make the best of things and keep up with Alex via phone calls and blog posts, but it’s not easy. But an unexpected meeting with Tony Garcia, an old schoolmate who is in Saint Jean to explore his Basque ancestral roots, begins to change things for Helen, as she and Tony investigate the mysteries surrounding his family’s past. And then Alex goes missing… A lively, thoughtful short novel by award-winning writer Sophie Masson, A Hundred Words for Butterfly explores family relationships and the past’s effect on the present, with a light touch and a vivid sense of place. Acknowledgement: The writing of this novel was supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW. Print ISBN 978-1-925052-75-6"

Sophie Masson (Author), Sarah Kennedy (Narrator)

Audiobook

Secrets of the Italian Island

"WWII secrets, forbidden love, and one terrible mistake... When Mia discovers an old letter, she sets out on a mission to uncover the truth about her grandmother's past. With the help of brooding local guide Leo, they sneak into the closed-off Isola di Parissi, where Mia falls in love with both the country and her guide. But as they uncover hidden and handwritten notes, Mia learns of a heartbreaking mistake her grandmother made during WWII that tore apart the island community. Will Mia be forced to leave Italy and her newfound love forever? An epic, heart-wrenching tale based on the incredible true story of an island at war. Fans of Lucinda Riley, Fiona Valpy and Victoria Hislop will be utterly gripped. Barbara Josselsohn is an award-winning journalist and novelist. She is the author of the 'Lake Summers' series set in the fictional town of Lake Summers, nestled in the Adirondacks Mountains, which includes the books 'The Lilac House' and 'The Bluebell Girls'."

Barbara Josselsohn (Author), Jennifer Woodward (Narrator)

Audiobook

Fire Horse: N/A

"Exploring themes of love, loss and redemption, Fire Horse is the story of Don and Julia’s quest for peace and meaning in a chaotic and unfair world. Don is a man adrift. Since his separation from Julia, he spends his days puttering around his isolated cabin and his evenings drinking alone on the porch, staring into the woods of western Michigan. Julia, meanwhile, is living a life of comfort in London together with her boyfriend, Gerrard. She goes through the motions of life oblivious to the beauty of the city around her. Their son, Charlie, has been missing for four years. Don and Julia remain trapped - unable to move forward in their lives and unable to forget the past. Then, new information is revealed concerning Charlie’s disappearance setting Don and Julia on a course for reunion, for which, neither feels fully prepared. As they brace themselves for their imminent meeting, they separately recall the early days of their romance and the choices that brought them to this point in their lives."

Pat Olney (Author), Madeline Decorso (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Katherine Mansfield Special Collection

"Between 1922 and 1923, Katherine Mansfield wrote four volumes of short stories: The Garden Party and Other Stories Bliss and Other Stories In a German Pension The Dove’s Nest and Other Stories This recording includes all sixty-three stories from the four collections, including a number of incomplete stories collated after Mansfield’s death. This recording also includes an introduction written and narrated by Australian literary scholar Susannah Fullerton."

Katherine Mansfield (Author), Amy Soakes, Erin White, Kylie Elliott, Lisa Giles, Lyndal Curran Doolan, Naomi Barton, Sarah Bacaller, Susannah Fullerton (Narrator)

Audiobook

No More Parades

"There are not many English novels which deserve to be called great: Parade's End is one of them. — W. H. Auden No More Parades is the second of four in Ford Madox Ford's Parade's End tetralogy, a work that Ford hoped would contribute to the obviating of all future wars. The novel follows Christopher Tietjens, a wealthy British landowner and the last British Tory; his unfaithful wife, Sylvia; and his mistress, Valentine Wannop. Highlighting the tension between traditional values and the new reality of a world marred by war, the novel details Tietjens' turmoils in both his personal life and on the warfront—and what follows when those struggles become one and the same. The Parade's End tetralogy privileges not the conflict of World War I itself, but the impact the war had on its participants and upon society writ large. It is often referred to as one of the greatest 20th century novels, and one of the best depictions of war in literature. The 2012 television adaptation, written by Tom Stoppard and starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Rebecca Hall, was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards and seven BAFTA Television Awards."

Ford Madox Ford (Author), Rupert Degas (Narrator)

Audiobook

[French] - Terrasses

"Vendredi 13 novembre 2015. Douceur automnale : ce soir pourrait avoir un air de fête. On rêve de ce que sera cette nuit qui s’ouvre. Deux amoureuses savourent l’impatience de se retrouver ; des jumelles se sont demandé où célébrer leur anniversaire ; une infirmière se promet le repos mérité. Un mari s’agace de devoir garder seul “la petite” – sa femme part écouter de la musique. Partout dans Paris, on va bavarder, trinquer, rire, danser. Et du côté des forces de secours et de l’ordre, rien n’annonce l’horreur imminente. Chant polyphonique, élégie narrative, “Terrasses” porte la parole de ceux qui ont vécu la joie puis la terreur, restitue les gestes, les regards échangés, la sidération partagée, offre à tous la possibilité d’un avant l’“après”, dont le temps érode l’impossible oubli."

Laurent Gaudé (Author), Alysson Paradis, Pierre-François Garel (Narrator)

Audiobook

[Spanish] - La vegetariana: Premio Nobel de Literatura 2024

"*PREMIO NOBEL DE LITERATURA 2024* *PREMIO BOOKER INTERNACIONAL 2016* El fenómeno literario internacional que catapultó a Han Kang y que está destinado a ser un clásico. «Un libro que resistirá el paso de los años». Gabi Martínez «Palabra a palabra, La vegetariana es una experiencia extraordinaria». Daniel Hahn, The Guardian «Una de las escritoras más sublimes que pueblan el escenario contemporáneo». Berna González Harbour, El País Hasta ahora, Yeonghye ha sido la esposa diligente y discreta que su marido siempre ha deseado. Sin ningún atractivo especial ni ningún defecto en particular, cumple los requisitos necesarios para que su matrimonio funcione sin sobresaltos. Todo cambia cuando unas pesadillas brutales y sanguinarias empiezan a despertarla por las noches, y siente la imperiosa necesidad de deshacerse de toda la carne del frigorífico. A partir de ese momento, Yeonghye impondrá en casa una dieta exclusivamente vegetariana que su marido aceptará entre atónito y molesto. Este será un primer acto subversivo seguido de muchos otros que la llevarán a la búsqueda de una existencia más pura y despojada, más cercana a la vida vegetal, un lugar donde el poder erótico y floral de su cuerpo romperá las estrictas costumbres de una sociedad patriarcal y ultracapitalista. Situada en Corea del Sur, La vegetariana es la historia de una metamorfosis radical y un acto de resistencia contra la violencia y la intolerancia humanas. Galardonada con el Premio Booker Internacional, esta bella y perturbadora novela catapultó internacionalmente a la que es una de las voces más interesantes y provocadoras de la literatura asiática contemporánea. La crítica ha dicho: «Han Kang transforma la desgastada idea de la desconexión entre cuerpo y mente en algo fresco y sustancial». Michele Filgate, Los Angeles Times Sobre La vegetariana: «Lo mejor de Han es cuando se centra en la parte física del lenguaje, los lectores de sus obras anteriores, sobre todo de La vegetariana, reconocerán su estilo para describir un tipo de repugnancia voluptuosa». Hannah Gold, The Washington Post «El glorioso tratamiento de Han sobre la acción, elección personal, la sumisión y la subversión hallan su forma en la parábola. Hay algo especial en las formas literarias cortas [...] en las que lo alegórico y la violencia gana potencia en recipientes pequeños. La vegetariana es afín a obras breves tan diversos como la novela Lazos de sangre de Ceridwen Dovey (2007) y Bartleby, el escribiente de Melville». Porochista Khakpour, The New York Times «Palabra a palabra, La vegetariana es una experiencia extraordinaria». Daniel Hahn, The Guardian «En el trayecto de Yeonghye afloran algunas grietas de la sociedad y del pensamiento colectivo, como el hecho de que la sensatez puede ser vista como locura, la sencillez como algo problemático y el deseo de ser distinto como una amenaza». WMagazín"

Han Kang (Author), Anna Mestre, Raúl Rodríguez, Roger Batalla (Narrator)

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In Quest of the Pearl

"Richard searches for a deeper understanding of his miraculous healing in the sequel to Second Chance Richard returns to Maui where he reunites with Johnathan and Mamma Lila. Once again, he finds their wisdom intellectually contradictory, but most intriguing. In Quest of the Pearl, like Second Chance, is a simply told, very moving story bringing the reader into a world of soft tropical beauty, where undiscovered depths of feeling are waiting to be discovered."

Sydney Banks (Author), Janice Ryan (Narrator)

Audiobook

An Evening With Birdy O’Day

"A funny, boisterous, and deeply moving novel about aging hairstylist Roland’s childhood friendship with Birdy O’Day, whose fevered quest for pop music glory drives them apart Roland Keener is an aging hairstylist who’s lived and worked in Winnipeg all his life. He’s more or less content with the quiet and predictable days he shares with his partner of twenty-five years, Tony. That is, until he hears that Birdy O’Day—washed-up music icon and Roland’s childhood best friend and first love—is playing his first concert in Winnipeg since fleeing decades earlier. Holing up with a scrapbook of news clippings about Birdy, Roland recalls his childhood in the ’60s and his friendship with Birdy until the pair became estranged when Birdy left in pursuit of stardom. But now, is Birdy’s imminent return to town a chance for the two of them to finally come to terms with their glorious yet troubled past? A nostalgic and poignant novel about hero worship, heartbreak, and queer survival, An Evening with Birdy O’Day will remind you that you can never go home again—even if you never left it in the first place."

Greg Kearney (Author), Sky Gilbert (Narrator)

Audiobook

[French] - Dans la tête de Xi Jinping

"Depuis Mao, aucun dirigeant chinois n’avait concentré autant de pouvoir entre ses mains que Xi Jinping, qui a accédé en 2012 à la fonction suprême de secrétaire général du parti communiste chinois (pcc) puis, un an plus tard, à celle de président de la République populaire de Chine. Si Poutine et Erdogan sont des représentants remarqués et tonitruants de l’illibéralisme, le numéro un chinois Xi Jinping a choisi, lui, la discrétion. François Bougon, journaliste au Monde, décortique ici le personnage et sa stratégie."

François Bougon (Author), Olivier Balazuc (Narrator)

Audiobook

Dream Come True: Nil

Sushmitha (Author), Sushmitha (Narrator)

Audiobook

Literary Fiction Audiobooks in Literature