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THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZL. Frank Baum
Audible Recording
Anne Hathaway is nothing short of masterful in her narration of Baum’s
beloved classic. As she guides listeners through the world of munchkins,
winkies, and quadlings; witches; and the humbug Oz, Hathaway’s
impressive vocal repertoire shines. As narrator, she is lithe yet
precise; her voice sounds lilting or emphatic, as the story details
require. In character, she is spectacular. Each character is filled with
personality - a light-voiced Witch of the North; a brusque soldier at
Oz’s palace; a monotone, robot-like Oz; and a usually cheerful and
genuine Dorothy. The variety enriches the listening experience. Yes, one
may know the story well, but Hathaway makes this recording a definitive
one.
MY REVIEW:
I had never read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz before. I know. Hard to believe. But I got a free version of it from Audible with Anne Hathaway as narrator, and you know what? I loved it! Hathaway was a wonderful narrator. And the story was both engaging and highly imaginative.
Baum masterpiece is as vivid and touching as it was when it was originally published in 1900. If you are familiar with the movie, you will find many of the memorable lines of dialog and events in the book, such as "There's no place like home!" Toto, the Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, Tin Man, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Dorothy are all here. And it is easy to read; I think young children would love it too.
Anne Hathaway, huh? Interesting. I don't much care for audio books, since they are so slow, but I'll keep this in mind.
ReplyDeleteI don't listen to audio books, but I think I should try it. I have a lot of driving time and it seems so wasted since I can't be reading. I also have never read the Oz books. This might be a good one for me to start with. Thanks for telling me about it.
ReplyDeleteI've gotten addicted to audio books in my car. Helps pass the driving time. And sometimes the audio version is even more fun than reading the book itself. This is one of those.
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