Echoes (Danielle Steel) [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED] (Audio Cassette)

~ Danielle Steel (Author), Simon Prebble (Reader)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Against a vivid backdrop of history, Danielle Steel tells a compelling story of love and war, acts of faith and acts of betrayal…and of three generations of women as they journey though years of loss and survival, linked by an indomitable devotion that echoes across time.

For the Wittgenstein family, the summer of 1915 was a time of both prosperity and unease, as the guns of war sound in the distance. But for eldest daughter Beata, it was also a summer of awakening. By the glimmering waters of Lake Geneva, the quiet Jewish beauty met a young French officer and fell in love. Knowing that her parents would never accept her marriage to a Catholic, Beata followed her heart anyway. And as the two built a new life together, Beata’s past would stay with her in ways she could never have predicted. For as the years pass, and Europe is once again engulfed in war, Beata must watch in horror as Hitler’s terror threatens her life and family—even her eighteen-year-old daughter Amadea, who has taken on the vows of a Carmelite nun.

For Amadea, the convent is no refuge. As family and friends are swept away without a trace, Amadea is forced into hiding. Thus begins a harrowing journey of survival, as she escapes into the heart of the French Resistance. Here Amadea will find a renewed sense of purpose, taking on the most daring missions behind enemy lines. And it is here, in the darkest moments of fear, that Amadea will feel her mother’s loving strength—and that of her mother’s mother before her–as the voices of lost loved ones echo powerfully in her heart. And here, amid the fires of war, Amadea will meet an extraordinary man, British secret agent Rupert Montgomery. In Colonel Montgomery, Amadea finds a man who will help her discover her place in an unbreakable chain between generations…and between her lost family and her dreams for the future—a future she is only just beginning to imagine: a future of hope rooted in the rich soil of the past.

With the grace of a master storyteller, Danielle Steel breathes life into history, creating a bold, sweeping tale filled with unforgettable characters and breathtaking images—from the elegant rituals of Europe’s prewar aristocracy to the brutal desperation of Germany’s death camps. Drawing us into a vanished world, Echoes weaves an intricate tapestry of a mother’s love, a daughter’s courage…and the unwavering faith that sustained them—even in history’s darkest hour.


From the Hardcover edition.

From the Inside Flap

Against a vivid backdrop of history, Danielle Steel tells a compelling story of love and war, acts of faith and acts of betrayal…and of three generations of women as they journey though years of loss and survival, linked by an indomitable devotion that echoes across time.

For the Wittgenstein family, the summer of 1915 was a time of both prosperity and unease, as the guns of war sound in the distance. But for eldest daughter Beata, it was also a summer of awakening. By the glimmering waters of Lake Geneva, the quiet Jewish beauty met a young French officer and fell in love. Knowing that her parents would never accept her marriage to a Catholic, Beata followed her heart anyway. And as the two built a new life together, Beata's past would stay with her in ways she could never have predicted. For as the years pass, and Europe is once again engulfed in war, Beata must watch in horror as Hitler's terror threatens her life and family—even her eighteen-year-old daughter Amadea, who has taken on the vows of a Carmelite nun.

For Amadea, the convent is no refuge. As family and friends are swept away without a trace, Amadea is forced into hiding. Thus begins a harrowing journey of survival, as she escapes into the heart of the French Resistance. Here Amadea will find a renewed sense of purpose, taking on the most daring missions behind enemy lines. And it is here, in the darkest moments of fear, that Amadea will feel her mother's loving strength—and that of her mother's mother before her–as the voices of lost loved ones echo powerfully in her heart. And here, amid the fires of war, Amadea will meet an extraordinary man, British secret agent Rupert Montgomery. In Colonel Montgomery, Amadea finds a man who will help her discover her place in an unbreakable chain between generations…and between her lost family and her dreams for the future—a future she is only just beginning to imagine: a future of hope rooted in the rich soil of the past.

With the grace of a master storyteller, Danielle Steel breathes life into history, creating a bold, sweeping tale filled with unforgettable characters and breathtaking images—from the elegant rituals of Europe's prewar aristocracy to the brutal desperation of Germany's death camps. Drawing us into a vanished world, Echoes weaves an intricate tapestry of a mother's love, a daughter's courage…and the unwavering faith that sustained them—even in history's darkest hour.

From the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Random House Audio; Unabridged edition (October 26, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553757148
• ISBN-13: 978-0553757149
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 3.6 x 2.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #723,766 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Moving Story...Wonderful Read...Bonus Book Included, March 8, 2006

By	L. Shirley "Laurie's Boomer Views" (fountain valley, ca United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

This review refers to the Unabridged Audio Edition Of "Echoes"(Random House) "Echoes" by Danielle Steel, is a wonderfully moving and emotional story of a family of strong and caring women, who for generations seem destined to 'echo' the trials and triumphs of their predecessors. It is a saga so filled with characters that attracted me to their inner strength, their courage and magnetic charms, and had me living the danger and hardships of their times through this magnificent audio reading by Simon Prebble. There were times I actually found myself with a lump in my throat or my heart beating faster, as they devoted themselves, sometimes putting their lives on the line for what they loved and believed in.

In 1915, as War began to loom, and her brothers were off fighting, Beata Wittgenstein, a young, beautiful, intelligent German Jewish woman, fell in love with a handsome and caring French officer. Both loved their families and their countries, but the love they had for each other had no equal. Defying their parents,their traditions, and being cut out of the families, never to be allowed contact again, they sought comfort in each other's arms and married. Not an easy life, they managed to make a home and life for themselves and their two beautiful daughters. Beata converting to Catholicism for her husband, but never forgetting her own deep roots.

It was years later, when a second World War loomed that she anguished as her family disappeared into the horrible fate awaiting them by the Nazis. As her oldest daughter, Amadea grew into a beautiful woman and had become a nun, it was only then she learned of her ancestry. She too had to suffer in silence as her mother and sister were taken away, and she herself is forced to live in a concentration camp . Amadea would then go on to become a respected member of the French Resistance, doing what was in her power to fight for freedom and to save other lives from being destroyed. She also finds love and must decide between her devotion to God and the man she loves.

It's a story filled with love, adventure, danger, and the all too real horrors of war. It is one that will touch you on many levels, and one that will stay with you for quite a while after the read. Simon Prebble is a masterful story teller. I was surprised that this tale of women was read by a man, but within a short time, I was most impressed with his characterizations. He even manages to pull off a couple of readings of a woman in labor very well, and never going over the top. He seems to add just the right inflections to each person to give them each their own personalities. There are 7 two sided tapes in this unabridged audio edition. So settle in for a nice long story(about 11 hours). The quality and sound of the tapes are excellent.

But that's not all...this edition also comes with a bonus book. Steel's "Fine Things" is included as well. In his mid thirties, Bernie Fine would finally find love. Liz a single mom, with a beautiful little girl, came into his life and changed his world. They formed a wonderful little family. When tragedy strikes though, Bernie must learn to deal with the pain, with life and breaking down the wall he built around himself so he could learn to love again. It's a fairly short, but sweet story(On it's own, I would have gone 4 stars) and although a bit predictable, Richard Thomas, another fabulous voice, has a way of bringing the characters to life.Thomas is able to relay Bernie's love, his pain, and his sense of humor to the listener.

An enjoyable reading. "Fine Things" is 2 cassettes,3 hours(I think this one may have been abridged in some way) and also has excellent sound quality. If you enjoy Richard Thomas' lulling voice, you may want to check out his performance of "Ethan Frome" (ISBN 193105679X ), see my review at that site for details of that audio book.

These cassettes are nicely packaged in a sturdy cardboard tray that slides out from the box. Nice to take on a long trip, or to keep you company around the house or on the treadmill! The ISBN for the unabridged audio book "Echoes" , with the bonus book is 0553757148. If you purchase from an outside seller, you may want to check with them to see if both books are included.(9 cassettes in total)

Enjoy the read....Laurie

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A profound listening experience, January 6, 2005

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Echoes is the audiobook version of a generational saga of love, war, faith and betrayal. Three generations of women struggle with loss, the difficulty of survival, and the interminable devotion of true love. In the summer of 1915, a young Jewish beauty falls in love with a French Catholic, wracked by the knowledge that her family will never approve of the marriage; years later, her daughter is about to take the vows of a Carmelite nun, yet Hitler's reign of terror threatens her family. An odyssey marked by the bond between family that transcends space, time, and even mortality, and the determination to survive even in the darkest hours of history, Echoes is a profound listening experience and highly recommeneded for personal and library audiobook collections.