Customer Reviews

Great American Stories: Ten Unabridged Classics

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I purchased this for my father along with a selection of other audio books. He reported that he liked this one the best. Apparently the selection of stories was excellent, and the reading was clear and expressive.

I bought this and a few other books on CD for my husband who has a bit of dislexia (sp?) and has trouble reading. He was so engrossed in the stories that if he were near the end of one, he would sit in the driveway and listen until it was done. So then, by proxy, I know all of the stories and it seems like a wonderful 'read'. This is a perfect gift for someone who enjoys fine adventure literature by fine authors.

Book Description
These ten classic stories from four of America's greatest authors of the 19th and early 20th century were selected for their literary importance as well as their dramatic oral qualities. The stories include Mark Twain's "The One-Million Pound Bank Note," "A Visit to Niagara," and "A Mysterious Visit;" Stephen Crane's "The Blue Hotel;" Ambrose Bierce's "The Eyes of the Panther;" and Jack London's "The Love of Life" and "To Build a Fire."

I got this for my husband for Christmas, but I have been able to enjoy the stories too. He has listened to many of the stories twice now. Great story selection and well read.

I bought this for my dad as he has started listening to literature on XM Radio. So far he loves it. I was a little disappointed in the selection of stories. I thought it would be the more well known stories, but so far he likes them.

This was the first time purchasing stories on CD and I loved it. I don't spend alot of time in my car but sometimes talk radio is too hostile and music isn't stimulating enough but these stories were perfect. It got me through snow storms and traffic by taking away to different places and times. I would recommend to everyone.

Quite disappointed in the selection of "classic" short stories selected. Should have titles spelled out and samples if possible.

A timeless collection of must-have-read literature. The compilation is of the highest quality, the presentation most satisfactory. Particularly suitable for students, many of us older people will also enjoy new encounters with old friends. amazing how the impact of those stories grows with one's own age. Highly recommendable!

I bought this selection because of the title, which credits the stories to Mark Twain. I would have loved ten of his stories! Unfortunately, the selections for inclusion (other than Mr. Twain's) were some of the poorest examples of American literature that I have read. They weren't even good irony; they were just depressing. I'm sure there could be a great collection of American short stories; these were certainly not that.

This collection of American short stories from the late-19th and early-20th centuries is quite good, though by including selections from only a handful of authors not really representative of American literature during that period (what, no O. Henry?). The four Mark Twain stories---"The One Million Pound Bank Note", "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County", "A Visit to Niagara", and "Mysterious Visit"---are of course hilarious, particularly the first and third of these. "The Blue Hotel" and "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky" by Stephen Crane are both good (though perhaps not great). "The Eyes of the Panther" by Ambrose Bierce is somewhat predictable and hokey, but "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is quite effective. And Jack London's "The Love of Life" and "To Build a Fire" are both quite dark, even disturbing---harrowing wouldn't be too strong a word---but very well crafted. The narrators here are all excellent as well. Definitely worth a listen.