Audible Haul | Feminist Lit, Victorian & Historical

So, I recently acquired some new audiobooks on Audible. If you’re not familiar with Audible or unsure if you want to join, Audible is a subscription service from Amazon that gives you a credit to purchase an audiobook of your choice for £7.99 a month. There are a few other membership options such as 2 credits a month for £14.99 (£7.50 per credit) and 24 credits per year for £109.99 (£4.59 per credit). Any one of these options works out at great value since buying an audiobook on it’s own can cost up to £70. Click here for a free trial of Audible with one credit to use on any audiobook you want.

One of the best things about audiobooks on Audible is that they often have exclusive books read by some very talented celebrities like Thandie Newton, Rosamund Pike, and Jude Law and full cast readings. The full cast reading of Jane Austen’s Emma with Emma Thompson and Joanne Froggatt (of Downton Abbey) is particularly good.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Narrated by Thandie Newton

“I think the reason we’re so struck by [Jane Eyre] is how Charlotte Brontë manages to relate, expertly, what it means to be a human being…and that never changes.” (Narrator Thandie Newton)

Following Jane from her childhood as an orphan in Northern England through her experience as a governess at Thornfield Hall, Charlotte Brontë’s Gothic classic is an early exploration of women’s independence in the mid-19th century and the pervasive societal challenges women had to endure. At Thornfield, Jane meets the complex and mysterious Mr. Rochester, with whom she shares a complicated relationship that ultimately forces her to reconcile the conflicting passions of romantic love and religious piety. Performing the early Victorian novel with great care and respect, actress Thandie Newton (Crash, The Pursuit of Happyness) draws out Jane Eyre‘s intimacy and depth while conveying how truly progressive Brontë was in an era of extreme restraint.

The Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer, Narrated by Phyllida Nash

The legend of the Headless Horseman and a proposed marriage de convenance both have their impact on the mystery of a golden talisman ring and Lord Lavenham’s young heir, Ludovic. Neither Sir Tristram Shield nor Eustacie, his young French cousin, share the slightest inclination to marry one another, yet it is Lord Lavenham’s dying wish. For there is no one else to provide for the old man’s granddaughter while Ludovic remains a fugitive from justice…

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Narrated by Joanne Froggatt

Winner of Audible’s 2017 Narrator of the Year Award

In an Audible Exclusive production, Golden Globe winner Joanne Froggatt gives a powerhouse performance of Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë’s only published novel. This edition features an exclusive introduction written by Ann Dinsdale, Chief Curator of the Brontë Museum.

The unapologetic intensity with which Emily Brontë wrote this story ensures that it will forever be considered one of the greatest works of English literature. A passionate tale of a chaotic and often violent love, Wuthering Heights transcends your average romance and, with its Gothic undertones, takes the listener on a journey through one man’s lustful hunt for revenge.

Believing he has been spurned by Cathy Earnshaw, the only woman he has ever loved, Heathcliff abandons the wild moors of Wuthering Heights, fervently wishing to reestablish himself as the wealthy gentleman he believes Cathy seeks. Having been successful in his ventures, he later returns to the adoptive family who raised him and hungrily seeks to punish those who once rejected him.

In an exclusive introduction written for this edition by Ann Dinsdale, Chief Curator of the Bronte Museum, discover how critical and public opinion of Wuthering Heights has changed over time.

Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, Narrated by Phoebe Fox , Rose Leslie , David Tennant , David Horovitch , James Wilby , Susan Wooldridge , Hannah Genesius

FINALIST: The Audie Awards 2016

Audible Originals brings you a brand new audiobook adaptation of J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s classic gothic novella, Carmilla – starring Rose Leslie (Game of Thrones and Downton Abbey), David Tennant (Doctor Who and Broadchurch) and Phoebe Fox (Life in Squares and The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death).

One of the very first vampire thrillers, this audio adaptation follows 18-year-old Laura as she recounts the story of her mysterious, intriguing and beautiful house guest Carmilla, who is stranded in the forest after a carriage accident and taken in by Laura’s widowed father. The girls develop a friendship which turns into a passionate meeting of souls. A relationship of vampire and prey, the story is told through Laura’s eyes as she is drawn further into Carmilla’s terrifying world of pleasure and pain.

A masterpiece of erotic Gothic horror, Carmilla encompasses mystery, suspense, forbidden lust, violence…and lots of blood….

Carmilla has been dramatised by Robin Brooks, an actor, dramatist and author who has been working as a playwright for over 25 years. Carmilla was directed by Fiona McAlpine of Allegra Productions for Audible Originals.

Key cast: Carmilla – Phoebe FoxLaura – Rose LeslieDr Hesselius – David TennantFather – James Wilby

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay, Narrated by Laurel Lefkow

Pink is my favourite colour. I used to say my favourite colour was black to be cool, but it is pink – all shades of pink. If I have an accessory, it is probably pink. I read Vogue, and I’m not doing it ironically, though it might seem that way. I once live-tweeted the September issue.

In these funny and insightful essays, Roxane Gay takes us through the journey of her evolution as a woman (Sweet Valley High) of colour (The Help) while also taking listeners on a ride through culture of the last few years (Girls, Django in Chains) and commenting on the state of feminism today (abortion, Chris Brown).

The portrait that emerges is not only one of an incredibly insightful woman continually growing to understand herself and our society but also one of our culture.

Bad Feminist is a sharp, funny and sincere look at the ways in which the culture we consume becomes who we are and an inspiring call to arms of all the ways we still need to do better.

The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women by Naomi Wolf, Narrated by Suzy Jackson

The bestselling classic that redefined our view of the relationship between beauty and female identity.

In today’s world, women have more power, legal recognition, and professional success than ever before. Alongside the evident progress of the women’s movement, however, writer and journalist Naomi Wolf is troubled by a different kind of social control, which, she argues, may prove just as restrictive as the traditional image of homemaker and wife. It’s the beauty myth, an obsession with physical perfection that traps the modern woman in an endless spiral of hope, self-consciousness, and self-hatred as she tries to fulfill society’s impossible definition of “the flawless beauty.”

Where to Find Me

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