But I now learn he is a celebrity DJ, the son of John Peel, so this audiobook is a bit of a stunt. I could not understand why Penguin chose Ravenscroft as a narrator since he so completely lacks any empathy with the text. For me, the stories are unlistenable, if you hope to derive some enjoyment from the listening. Tom Ravenscroft reads the tales by taking each word as it comes as if it was a surprise, and has no sense whatsoever of what he is reading or where he is going. Nonetheless the poems are quite tolerable. The poems are read in the way an undergraduate reads poetry, line by line, feeling their way through the text. Her reading of the introduction is clear and refreshing. Catherine Bailey is definitely the stronger narrator.
Neither narrator seems to understand what they are reading. Its worth buying just for that introduction. A wonderful collection of stories and poems, with a brilliant introduction. This edition includes a new chronology and suggestions for further reading.Īlthough dissipated in his youth and plagued by mental instability towards the end of his life, Boston-born Edgar Allan Poe (1809-49) had a variety of occupations, including service in the US army and magazine editor, as well as his remarkable literary output. In his introduction David Galloway re-examines the myths surrounding Poe's life and reputation. In 'The Tell-Tale Heart', a murderer's insane delusions threaten to betray him, while stories such as 'The Pit and the Pendulum', 'The Raven' and 'The Cask of Amontillado' explore extreme states of decadence, fear and hate. 'The Fall of the House of Usher' is a slow-burning Gothic horror, describing the final hours of a family tormented by tragedy and the legacy of the past. This selection of Poe's critical writings, short fiction and poetry demonstrates his intense interest in aesthetic issues, and the astonishing power and imagination with which he probed the darkest corners of the human mind. The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Writings is a collection that displays the full force of Edgar Allen Poe's mastery of both Gothic horror and the short story form.
This definitive recording includes an Introduction by David Galloway. This Penguin Classic is performed by Tom Ravenscroft, radio presenter known for his work on BBC 6 Music, and Catherine Bailey, known for A Quiet Passion and The Crown, as leading roles in London Theatres.
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