Jane Eyre Audiobook (Unabridged) By Charlotte Bronte
Narrated by: Susan Ericksen
Running Time: 17 hrs and 21 mins

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is a classic from 1847 that many will be familiar with from having read the book in high school. Those that have never had the time or inclination to read this classic may find the Jane Eyre audiobook, released as a part of the Brilliance Audio Classic Collection, easier to digest.

The story is a classic for a reason – it is a story of romance and growing up, with Gothic elements that give it a touch of suspense. The character of the main heroine, Jane, is so well-drawn out by Bronte that most listeners will relate to her at some level. There is some melodrama and some predictable plotlines, but overall Jane Eyre is a wonderful audiobook to add to your classic collection. [Read more…]

Pride and Prejudice Audiobook (Unabridged) By Jane Austen
Narrated by: Sharon Williams
Running Time: 11 hrs and 1 min

No matter what country or language, what town or what corner of the world, each and every one of us has heard the name ‘Pride and Prejudice’ at some point in our lives. One of the most renowned, widely loved, and famous literary classics of all time, the story of Pride and Prejudice is amongst the most greatly admired books in history.
Taking the form of a love story, the book explores social problems such as social inequality, class systems, and as the name of the book itself greatly suggests, social prejudice. Through the captivating pursuit of the Bennet sisters for love, the author, Jane Austen, deals with much greater issues and opens her viewer’s eyes to the misery caused by social inequality, and urges them to believe in a better quality of life when these problems are overcome. [Read more…]

Fahrenheit 451 Audiobook (Unabridged) By Ray Bradbury
Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
Running Time: 5 hrs and 37 mins

“We must all be alike. Not everyone born free and equal, as the constitution says, but everyone made equal…”

This quote from Beatty perfectly captures the rationale behind the most thought-provoking situation in Bradbury’s iconic book, Fahrenheit 451. In the novel’s dystopian society, books have been banned. And there is a special enforcement unit called the Firemen which is tasked with finding and destroying books.

Now, these Firemen are not your usual fire-fighting types. They start fires, rather than put them out. They start those fires to destroy books. That is their mission. And if they were to discover a cache of books in a house, they would not only burn the books, they would destroy the house as well. Beatty is the captain of the Firemen, a perfect embodiment of the society which Bradbury vividly portrays in Fahrenheit 451. [Read more…]

To Kill a Mockingbird Audiobook (Unabridged) By Harper Lee
Narrated by: Sissy Spacek
Running Time: 12 hrs and 17 mins

“You can shoot all the bluejays you want, but remember that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird”,  says Atticus Finch, one of literature’s most iconic characters, to his son Jem, in Harper Lee’s 1960 literary classic. For all its popularity, the book has received surprisingly little academic attention, but its value remains untarnished to this day.

A study on human character, morality, integrity, and the psyche of the Deep South during the Great Depression, as seen through the eyes of children, “To Kill a Mockingbird” has rightfully reached the status of a literary classic, and its messages remain relevant to this very day. The To Kill a Mockingbird audiobook is wonderfully narrated by the talented Sissy Spacek, whose clear and somewhat dreamy voice gives the narration that childlike nuance it needs. [Read more…]

The Outsiders Audiobook (Unabridged) By S.E. Hinton Narrated by: Jim Fyfe
Running Time: 5 hrs and 12 mins

Social injustice and it’s binding perils have been a persistent problem in all societies of the world through times immemorial, and no better is this described than in S.E Hinton’s novel ‘The Outsiders’.

Short and powerful, the title of the book explains it’s content in a very simplistic way, giving the reader’s a hint into the content that is set before them in this beautiful tale. From olden day slavery to modern day hazing, ‘The Outsiders‘ explores the core feature of all these social problems alike, giving readers insight into the perils and never considered collateral damaged caused by the phasing-out of social castes and classes. [Read more…]

The Scarlet Letter Audiobook (Unabridged) By Nathaniel Hawthorne Narrated by: Robert Bethune
Running Time: 9 hrs and 39 mins

Set in the mid 1600’s, The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, was one of the most influential and prolific works of it’s times. Read by millions and widely revered for it’s deep rooted themes, The Scarlet Letter explores the depths of concepts such as sexism, sin, evil, and the perils of a Puritan society.

Through his simple yet deeply moving story, Hawthorne brings to light the prejudices of sexism, the consumption of the souls by hatred and revenge, and the contemplation of rightful or wrongful sins. Powerful and seductive, The Scarlet Letter is considered a classic masterpiece and a true testament to man’s eternal fight between the heart and the mind, emotions and the intellect. [Read more…]

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Audiobook By Ken Kesey Narrated by: Ken Kesey
Running Time: 3 hrs and 19 mins

One of the most brilliant and prominent works of the intellectual genius Ken Kesey, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is the troubling tale of the patients of the Oregon Psychiatric Hospital and the tortures they suffered at the hands of the inhuman staff and governance. Set at a time when gender equality and sexual discrimination were becoming increasingly debated and pondered upon topics, the book takes on a whole new viewpoint on gender discrimination, telling the story of the sufferings faced by victims of a dominant and totalitarian system.
Bittersweet in it’s miserable victories, the story of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest touches base with concepts such as insanity and it’s influential characters, society’s relentless pursuit over the control of natural impulses of human beings, and the importance of expression of sexuality. [Read more…]

The Grapes of Wrath Audiobook (Unabridged) By John Steinbeck
Narrated by: John Chancer
Running Time: 20 hrs and 3 mins

Centered around literary controversy and criticism, The Grapes of Wrath, written by John Steinback has been one of the mostly widely spoken about and famous books since it’s release in 1939. Set in America in the depression era of drought and unemployment, at the time of the great horrendous ‘Dust Bowl’ tragedy, the book tells the story of the plight of migrant workers of the period and the suffering and desperation faced by them. The novel is a bold representation of Steinback’s personal views on communism, equality and rights, the importance of family and fellowship, and last but not least, it implores it’s readers to experience and question the depths of man’s inhumanity. [Read more…]

Moby Dick Audiobook (Unabridged) By Herman Melville
Narrated by: Frank Muller
Running Time: 21 hrs and 20 mins

The story of Moby Dick is a familiar childhood memory for most people, having been bestowed upon them as a classic by eager parents. Written by Herman Melville, the book has been widely loved and read by millions over the years after it’s publishing in 1851, and gone on in the ages to come to be regarded as a literary classic.

Set in a period of social inequality and racism, the book plunges to the heart of these issues along with exposing the exploits of the whaling industry, and man’s foolish beliefs revolving faith and their ability to conquer the unknown. One of the most enjoyable and entertaining reads in history, the story of Moby Dick presses on more serious themes, two of the most important of those being man’s eternal struggle to understand and define god and gods ways, and the infallible nature of man in his beliefs that human power is more powerful than the hand of god and nature. [Read more…]

1984 Audiobook By George Orwell
Narrated by: Tim Pigott-Smith
Running Time: 1 hr and 54 mins

Set in the lap of fear and misery, 1984 is the story of a totalitarian society, created by the author George Orwell. Orwell produced this work in lieu of the complete control of governments that he foresaw, as a sort of warning letter to people against the horrendous tragedies that a totalitarian situation would bestow upon them.

Published in 1949, the title is particularly significant in impressing how close the societies in the 1940’s were to reaching a totalitarian state, and in stressing the importance of realization of freedom over one’s own life. Although disturbing with it’s medley of tortures and repression,1984 is a beautiful story for those willing to open their minds to the possibilities of the world described to them by Orwell, and the message and teachings he intends on his readers through his words. [Read more…]