An Isak Dinesen Feast: A Performance Anthology, with Book [Audio Cassette]

Isak Dinesen (Author), Bill J. Luce (Author), Julie Harris (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1997

Listen to a sparkling anthology that reveals Isak Dinesen's passion and spirit. This collection includes the audio version of Out of Africa, read by Julie Harris, a bestselling work in print. Actress Colleen Dewhurst performs "Babette's Feast," and Dinesen herself reads "The King's Letter" and "The Wine of the Tetrarch" from her only known recording. Translated to film, Out of Africa and "Babette's Feast" won Academy Awards. 6 cassettes.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This audio production is aptly named as it contains a gourmet selection of delicious treats for the listener. This is a nice introduction for those familiar with Isak Dinesen's work (yes, there probably are some) and those who want to revisit and go beyond her best-known work, Out of Africa, read superbly here by Julie Harris. Dinesen was the pen name of Danish [Baroness] Karen Blixen, who spent part of her life on a coffee plantation near Nairobi, Kenya. While Dinesen's Africa has changed much in the time since she wrote, her insights are surprisingly timely, and her love of the land and struggles to make a living from it are timeless and ring true for anyone who lives on the land. Babette's Feast, read by Colleen Dewhurst, poses the question of what role art, and indeed pleasure, has in our lives and how an artist is defined. Less well known are "The King's Letter" and "The Wine of the Tetrarch," two stories read by the author. While it is somewhat difficult to follow these two?one has to listen quite carefully?it is enlightening to hear Dinesen's own voice. Lucifer's Child is a one-woman play based on Dinesen's life. Harris offers a compelling audio performance, and one cannot help but see Dinesen before one's eyes. This is a nicely done production, presenting a showcase of Dinesen's work and enticing listeners to explore more, as well as satisfying their hunger for good stories. A feast for the ears, indeed. Recommended for all libraries.?Nancy Paul, Brandon P.L., Wis.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A delight to listen to-having two performances makes it quite dynamic." -- Feminist Bookstore News, September/October 1997

"Shorter works are an ideal way to cozy up to a new author, and sometimes you are lucky enough to stumble upon a new love. Such is the case with Julie Harris's masterful rendition of Isak Dinesen's Out of Africa." -- Boston Globe, May 1997

"This is a lovely recording, an excellent introduction to an author worth knowing." -- The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 1997

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Audio Partners (January 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572700297
• ISBN-13: 978-1572700291
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.2 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,327,903 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars lovely voices, March 9, 2004

By 

Nancy C. De Young "darthmader" (Fairfax, Virginia United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: An Isak Dinesen Feast: A Performance Anthology, with Book (Audio Cassette)

This is a must for Dinesen fans as well as those who find Collen Dewhurst and Julie Harris ladies who can read with a soothing cadence and sound...hearing the author is a plus since I could have only imagined her sound...Meryl Streep captured her rhythm in Out of Africa very well
This woman was so ahead of her time and led a tremendous life and yet didn't get it all...she is a real story teller... of old times before TV and computers...entertainment full of creativity and imagination...you won't be disappointed!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Narration of great stories... Dewhurst fans will love Babette's Feast, December 19, 2005

By 

J. J. Koch (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: An Isak Dinesen Feast: A Performance Anthology, with Book (Audio Cassette)

Though I have not yet heard Isak Dinesen's own voice reading Lucifer's Tale, nor Out of Africa read by Julie Harris, I do own Ms. Colleen Dewhurst reading Babette's Feast. If you're a fan of the late Ms. Dewhurst like I am, you will thouroughly enjoy hearing her read this old-world story of a great chef of Paris who finds herself in a little out-of-the way town in Norway, and who is re-discovered for her great cullinary talents quite by accident. A delightful tale of redemption and affirmation from a time when life's pleasures seemed to have more meaning and were appreciated more than in today's world of instant gratification.

Ms. Dewhurst's unique, deep, "whiskey-and-cigarettes" voiced narration is a pleasure to listen to - a perfect accompanyment to Dinesen's "Feast." I've listened to this book on tape dozens of times and never grow tired of it. If you're like me, it is a recording you will count as one of your most treasured posessions and will replay again and again over many years.