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Doctor Zhivago

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Doctor Zhivago

By: Boris Pasternak
Narrated by: Phillip Madoc
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Translated by Max Hayward and Manya Harari.

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 shelter in the Ural Mountains, Yuri Zhivago finds himself embroiled in a battle between the Whites and the Reds and in love with the beautiful nurse Lara.

©2011 Boris Pasternak (P)2011 Random House Audio Go Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Romance Russia Soviet Union

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All stars
Most relevant  
This must have been one of Phillip Madoc's very last performances and was certainly his last major undertaking, and his voice gives Zhivago the depth, warmth and crisp frostiness it deserves. A great new translation and a wonderful performance.

Brilliant performance

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I can’t do justice to this book in a few sentences, just wanted to mention that it has a few passages of nature-writing that I thought were beautiful, and other incidental descriptions that really helped with visualisation of a complex and often quite grim story. (The rats!) The narrator does a good job. My only comment is that the dialogue is not punctuated with much “he said / she said” so it can be difficult to work out who is speaking during the more abstract conversations. (I don’t know what the solution to this would be.)

Beautiful, evocative writing.

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What did you like most about Doctor Zhivago?

The Drama of the Piece was brillian

What did you like best about this story?

Just when you think its over, life changes in the most dramatic ways

Which scene did you most enjoy?

When he returns from the civil war

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It was very romantic. I loved it.

Any additional comments?

It was also very good at giving a historical representation of Russia during the civil war. A must read if you are studying that period.

Fantastic Love Story

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My favourite film of all time is Dr Zhivago with Julie Christie and Omar Sharif. I’ve always meant to read the original but the fat tome has sat on my bookshelves unread for decades, whereas this audio version has accompanied me as I do other things and the many hours have sped by. It’s a monumental work that tells the developing love story of Yuri and Lara against the backdrop of early 20th century Russian history.

I have to say that if I hadn’t seen the film recently I think I would have been lost among the numerous characters and locations with unfamiliar names. Even so there is a lot extra material in the book with side stories and, for me, a too many lengthy monologues on politics, theology and philosophical musings. Tolstoy’s War and Peace has the same propensity which may have influenced Pasternak.

For those who have seen the film and can visualize the scenes as you hear them described it’s a five start listen.

The narrator give a tour de force performance that enhanced the power of the book.

An epic of love and war

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I can't fault the book. it's a classic, a Russian classic which means that is sad, tragic, depressing and of course beautifully written. if you love classics then a must read, but of course be prepared to leave it depressed and broken.

Yep, you guessed it

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Have wanted to read this book for ages but never managed to find the time for this hefty novel. So glad I've listened to it. Such engaging narration and a gripping story. It takes a lot of concentration to understand the first chapter, all of the characters and what's going on. I suggest you look up summaries / sparknotes kind of thing while listening. This way for the first chapters while there is a lot of darting from place to place in the story you can make sure you understand everything properly.
I'm definitely going to buy the book now

In love with this book

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The performance of this book is simply incredible and the book itself of course beyond criticism of any kind.

Amazing reading of an amazing book

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Great story of lives upended by the revolution. Well-constructed characters. Some relationships were hard to follow.

Great story of lives upended by the revolution

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I have always loved the film, I've seen it several times. However, I found myself critiquing it on my last viewing over Xmas. So I decided to finally try the novel so I could compare. I don't read classics often so I opted for the audio book version, so glad I did as the incredible narrator brought a complex book to life in way I couldn't have done in my own head through reading. I enjoyed every minute of listening to it and this novel will stay with me, I felt like I went on journey. The audiobook is far better than the film and it gave me a real insight into that era of history. I researched the narrator, Philip Madoc, may he rest in peace now - but has left behind this wonderful gift, such a joy to listen to his performance.

Went on an epic journey with an incredibl narrator

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While not a perfect read, with some passages digressing and some, I thought, with unconvincing dialogue, this is still undoubtedly a masterpiece. Lyrical and utterly sublime in its descriptions of Russia and the natural world, profound in its reflections on life, love, art, morality and politics, it is an all encompassing tragedy, lifted into transcendence in the telling of the fortunes of individuals caught in the cruel tide of history. I loved the film, which cleverly kept to the main narrative of this occasionally rambling work, but the book adds another layer, particularly in the sublime descriptive passages which reminded me of the purpose of great art to open our sensibilities, hearts and minds. It is politically an immensely important book, a dangerous and dissenting voice to the Soviet regime, and a reminder to beware ideologues, a towering work... highly recommended

A paean to the profundity of existence amid the horrors of political chaos.

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