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Doctor Zhivago

Vintage Classic Russians Series

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Doctor Zhivago

By: Boris Pasternak, Richard Pevear, Larissa Volokhonsky
Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson
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About this listen

Listen to this stunning new translation of Boris Pasternak's Nobel Prize-winning masterpiece from Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, the acclaimed translators of War and Peace and Anna Karenina.

Banned in the Soviet Union until 1988, Doctor Zhivago is the epic story of the life and loves of a poet-physician during the turmoil of the Russian Revolution. Taking his family from Moscow to what he hopes will be shelter in the Ural Mountains, Yuri Zhivago finds himself instead embroiled in the battle between the Whites and the Reds, and in love with the tender and beautiful nurse Lara.

Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky have restored the rhythms, tone, precision, and poetry of Pasternak's original, bringing this classic of world literature gloriously to life for a new generation of people.

VINTAGE CLASSICS RUSSIAN SERIES - sumptuous editions of the greatest books to come out of Russia during the most tumultuous period in its history.

©2020 Boris Pasternak (P)2020 Penguin Audio Classics Historical Fiction Fiction

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Critic reviews

'Not since Shakespeare has love been so fully, vividly, scrupulously and directly communicated' Sunday Times
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Juliet is a wonderful narrator and as usual gets all the voices right. I listened and read in detail for a course where I learned a lot. There are no wasted words, lots of symbols, characters are plot devices, little person against the state, collectivism v individualism, pathetic fallacy, art, music, medicine and much more in this cleverly nuanced novel. The film is very different and should be seen separately as there is no human romance in this book. The love is for Russia especially Moscow. To top it all Juliet reads the beautiful poems exquisitely.

Political tract with characters

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. . . I was so disappointed because I could not follow the storyline. Totally confused about where the story was going, when it was going, if at all, and who was who I gave up, so I am returning the audiobook.
I'm sure it's a fantastic story and a wonderful listen / read for many, but not for me.
Juliet Stephenson is utterly the best so it's a double whammy not to be able to hear her performance. She doesn't just read, she performs. Totally the best, I'm off to find another book, performed by her.

Juliet Stephenson is the best - but . .

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This is a great work. I would recommend getting the kindle edition to go with it to really get the most from the experience.

Thoroughly Engrossing

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Always enjoyed the film but this was so much better. Juliet really brought the story to life.

One of the best I’ve listened to

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A Heartbreaking love story runs through this historical novel set in Russia at the time of the massive upheavals of the Revolution & First World War.
Pasternak ‘s prose ,descriptions of the Russian landscapes etc & Zhivago’s internal conflicts are truly superbly crafted even if at times the plot was complicated , so condensed , so subtle in meaning that I found myself back tracking many times.
The film was brilliant but this is on another level if your able to give it time & perseverance. For me a silver lining event from the COVID lockdown.

A great classic. Brilliant narration.

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Juliet Stevenson is a superb narrator and her characterisations are brilliantly individualised which help to distinguish the huge cast of characters. She also creates a thrilling vocal interpretation of the natural world. The horrors of the brutal times are gently nuanced both in the writing and in the reading but we are in no doubt as to what Pasternak thought of the soviet regime.

Everyone should read this book

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Anyone who has an interest in Russian culture and history should read this book. But to listen to Ms Stevenson’s narration of Doctor Zhivago is a very special treat.

A story to think about and beautiful narration

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Absolutely riveting and immersive story from beginning to end. For me, the characters, their interactions and stories came vividly to life. The panorama of Russian life in the early 20th Century is told through their everyday lives in a remarkable way. Juliet Stevenson’s consummate performance couldn’t be bettered.

Excellent story well-told

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Don't be put off by the Hollywood hype of Doctor Zhivago being a 'classic love story'. The film concentrates on that aspect of the story, but the novel is so much more. Covering half a century of the Doctor's life in various cities, in different social situations, and with different groups of people, it's a kaleidoscopic view of 'real' Russia and it's people.

Precisely because of this the audiobook can be difficult to follow if you're not prepared to invest time solely in the story. That's not a criticism, just an observation that 30 minutes a day listening while doing something else is unlikely to give you the best experience of the novel. I tried the casual approach, next time I'm going to commit to listening to the whole thing in 3 or 4 sittings.

I hope I haven't put anyone off! This really is a great novel, and Stevenson's performance is superb. I highly recommend it.

Not for casual listening

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One of my favourite books, a real treat to have it read to me and Juliet Stevenson did this beautifully.

A beautiful story

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