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Sorry to reach the end of it!
Very good, and yet something is missing...
Wonderful performance of this "classic"

Paradise Lost (Naxos AudioBooks)
John Milton
Manufacturer: Naxos Audiobooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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The Divine Comedy: Inferno - Purgatory - Paradise (Naxos AudioBooks)
The Aeneid
The Odyssey by Homer
Ulysses (Naxos AudioBooks)
Moby Dick (Naxos AudioBooks)

ASIN: 9626343508

Customer Reviews:

Sorry to reach the end of it!.......2007-05-13

A person considering buying a recording of Paradise Lost might have two questions. First, Am I going to be able to follow the poem without notes and guidance? Second, should I buy the complete version or the abridged one?

Paradise Lost is a notoriously difficult text, full of learned references to mythology, history, and geography; the language is dense, the syntax twisted, the sense frequently obscure; and the poem is just plain long. Perhaps surprisingly, Anton Lesser's reading makes it possible to ride over all these difficulties; his intelligent and varied readings make the sense clear even when the language isn't. One hears the infinite variety of the poem, the delicate and touching parts as well as the stirring and sublime, the innocence of Paradise and the magnificent evil of Satan. I've read Paradise Lost perhaps half a dozen times over the years, always with notes; this is the first time I was sorry to reach the end of it.

But what about the abridged version? I don't recommend it; Milton builds up his climaxes on a vast scale, and a "great moments from Milton" approach weakens their effect. Also, on the abridged version, Eve is read by an actress. This seems to me a mistake; Paradise Lost is full of voices -- Satan and all the demonic throng, the allegorical figures of Sin and Death (Sin is also a woman), God, the Messiah, the angelic host, Adam and Eve -- and to single out one of the voices is to falsely highlight and distort. (Plus, the part is read with an odd accent, almost Irish; what is that about?) It must be granted that all of Lesser's skill can't make God Himself more than a cold and distant abstraction. But that is what Milton wrote, and probably what he intended.

So, my recommendation is to spend the extra and get the complete set. It's something you wouldn't want to miss!

Very good, and yet something is missing..........2006-12-28

If possible, I would have given this recording 4.5 stars. Lesser's reading is in many ways masterful; as an experienced Shakespearian actor, he has absolute command of blank verse and makes Milton's often convoluted syntax sound almost like natural speech. Throughout the poem, he reads in a slow-paced, majestic manner that adds appropriate gravitas to Milton's Biblical subject, especially with lines spoken by God and Satan that could easily become unintentionally humorous in the hands of a less skilful narrator. Unfortunately, Lesser never really varies from this style in parts of the text where he probably should - unlike other Naxos unabridged audiobooks, all the characters are read in almost exactly the same way, a potential source of confusion in scenes where there are multiple speakers. Lesser also doesn't pick up the tempo much for the more dramatic, suspenseful sequences where his ponderous tone is less appropriate. This is by far the best recording of Paradise Lost currently available, but I would personally have preferred a more "dramatic" reading that brought out Milton's plot and characterisation to a greater extent.

Wonderful performance of this "classic".......2006-04-25

Mark Twain remarked that "a classic" is a book that people praise, but don't read.

Prior to listening to this unabridged audio version, I was only dimly aware of PARADISE LOST. I knew it was an epic poem about Satan's fall from grace, and knew that it was quoted in the Star Trek episode "Space Seed." ("It is better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven.")

British thespian Anton Lesser brings the saga dramatically to life. It is a delight to hear a great actor speak great verse and tell an epic tale.

You still have to pay close attention to the proceedings. Multitasking throughout will leave you baffled and doing much rewinding. This is not for those with short attention spans. Focus is required, but you will be rewarded.

For those who revel in marvelous spoken word performances, this is highly recommended.

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Indeed, a "Remarkable [ and Erudite ] Study" on the times, writings, and complex persona of Martin Luther
Luther in context with his times
Luther presented in the late-medieval/early-modern context
Great Material but Not a Smooth Read
Great Work on Luther

Luther: Man Between God and the Devil
Heiko A. Oberman
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Luther the Reformer: The Story of the Man and His Career
Martin Luther's Basic Theological Writings
The Roman Empire and Its Germanic Peoples
Martin Luther : Selections From His Writings
Martin Luther's Theology: Its Historical and Systematic Development

ASIN: 0300103131

Customer Reviews:

Indeed, a "Remarkable [ and Erudite ] Study" on the times, writings, and complex persona of Martin Luther.......2006-10-16

The New Yorker calls this book a "Remarkable Study"

Okay, so this is the first biography of Luther that I have ever read. My previous knowledge of who was the "great Reformer" is from movies, religious literature quotes, preachers talking about church history and Reformation - a very limited view on the complexity of the Martin Luther's persona. The image on the cover is of Luther as Junker Jörg, Martin's moniker while hiding in the Wartburg castle after the papal excommunication.

For anyone intersted in seriously getting a good-enough grasp of who Martin Luther was and the times the he lived in, look no further. Oberman 's expectation of his work has had its effect on me - I am more interested in reading Martin Luther's original works.

The reason why I selected this to be my first biography on Luther is for a couple of reasons:

1) it is a book used by some Lutheran seminaries,
2) the author has used original sources and also German scholarly works for his research (his chapter notes alone span 23 pages)
3)wrote and published the first printing in German, and
4) the author has been true to his mission stated in the preface to "grasp the main in his totality - with head 'and' heart."

My impression, as I was slowly making my way through the book (underlining and writing notes), is that the author really understands the times in which Luther lived. I really felt that the author took me back to the early 1500's, central medieval Europe (aka Holy Roman Empire). Thus this book is not about exploring the "Catholic" or "Protestant," or even the "modern" Luther (although they are encountered in the book) but understanding Martin Luther as the man between God and the Devil. For Luther the work of the Devil was as real as the work of God; and he thought that the times he lived in were leading to the apocalyptic End Times.

Oberman, does an excellent job at showing the reader how Luther came to "discover the Gospel" again (who knew that the first book Luther taught as a professor of theology were the Psalms?) and understand "the righteousness" of God (not as a legalistic monk anymore but as a free Christian living by grace thru faith in Jesus Christ). The author understands well the climate of the late Medieval times: historical events (and the power struggles that played a role in the birth and the survival of the Reformation), theological disputes (not only between Rome and Luther, but also amongst the various reformers and European scholars), cultural and social barometer (how monks were viewed, what the lives of the peasants was, the medival superstitions that prevailed, etc.), and much, much more.

While the book has a tendency to read like a textbook, the author is not afraid to explore all aspects of the life and character of Luther and follows Luther in three stages:
1) the national, medieval, and Luther's familial atmosphere of "The Longed-for Reformation" (the word "reformation" at the time was as widely used as the word "democracy" is in our modern western times),
2) "The Unexpected Reformation" (even the Catholic theologian Hans Kueng admits that this church-dividing effect could have been prevented if the issue of indulgences and the charges against them would have been taken seriously by the pope and his legates), and
3) "The Reformation in Peril" (the debates amongst reformers about the meaning of Baptism and the Eucharist; Luther vs. Erasmus; Luther's inflamatory writtings against the 3 "enemies" of God: pope, revolting peasant, and Jews; his marriage to a nun being a medieval taboo and Luther's secret advice for bigamy to a prince; and more).

In conclusion, this erudite study will present all aspects of the life, writings, and complex persona of Martin Luther (who interestingly did not see himself as a "reformer" but rather as a preacher, evangelist, and doctor of theology, accordig to Oberman). It is not a work that will exagerate the virtues or biases seen in Martin Luther, but that will challenge the reader to understand the preacher and Wittenberg doctor of theology in the context of his times with the implications that his life and writings have on our modern times.

The brilliant research that Oberman has done brings to light many factoids that were both interesting and surprising to me. I will not spoil the fun and let you find out for yourself what these surprising factoids are. :-)

Luther in context with his times.......2006-01-15

Looking from the distance of time we see little of the details surrounding Luther. Oberman takes us to the 16th century and from that perspective he gives the reader a chance to grapple with the same world Luther lived in. A world where his manner, personality and lingustic hyperboyle is not out of sync as it appears to our 21st century eyes.

As unbiased and factual as any book written on the man. A must for anyone who has any interest in knowing Luther.

Luther presented in the late-medieval/early-modern context.......2004-03-18

In Heiko Oberman's Luther: Man between God and the Devil, the reader is introduced to Martin Luther, a man who is arguably one of the most important historical figures of the two preceding millennia. In the book, Oberman traces Luther's life from his birth (born November 10th, 1483) to his death (February 18th, 1546), and he ably sketches the cultural, religious, and political environment that surrounded this turbulent era of reformation and revival. While Oberman presents a lucid portrait of the great Wittenberg Reformer, his chief contention throughout the book is that Luther can only be understood in light of the late-medieval worldview that (among other things) took the insidious (and tangible) machinations of the Devil seriously. For Luther, Oberman argues, the Devil was a constant adversary, and Luther detected his influence in nearly every facet of life - from the great to the mundane. It is this late-medieval worldview that provides the crucial background information for properly understanding the complex persona of Martin Luther the monk, professor, reformer, husband, and father.

The book begins by outlining the political and religious environment that preceded the decisive break between Luther and Rome. Politically, there was growing resentment by the German princes (and populace) toward what was perceived as Roman arrogance and world-hegemony. This antagonism towards Rome, coupled with an increasing nationalistic-patriotic fervor among Germans is especially evident in Luther's political manifesto, Address to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, published in 1520. Oberman also demonstrates that from a religious perspective, the age preceding and extending into the era of reformation was one in which church reform was eagerly expected and sought after (particularly in and among the various monastic movements - a situation which proved to be a critical influence on the young monk Luther). The wealthy and powerful Church of Rome with its hierarchical structure found itself the object of increasing disdain among those who noted the striking contrast between the power and wealth of the Roman church and the meek and lowly Jesus. It was in this context of political and religious instability that Luther and his criticism of church praxis (particularly the scandal of indulgences) eventually grew into church-wide revolt and an ultimate break with the Roman See. Further, as a result of the Roman curial reaction to his challenges, Luther came to regard the Roman hierarchy (and eventually everyone who opposed him theologically) as inspired by the Devil. Against this backdrop, Oberman demonstrates that it is easy to understand how Luther could so vociferously oppose both church and state (i.e., the Emperor) - for Luther it was a confrontation between God and the Devil. Additionally, as Oberman traces Luther's development toward his great "reformation breakthrough," he notes the critical influence that Luther's hermeneutic played in his doctrinal formulations. For Luther, even before his decisive turning point, he emphasized that there was a center to biblical theology - Christ crucified. In order to interpret Scripture properly and to hear its message, it had to be interpreted from its center. In other words, "What proclaims Christ" becomes the final point of reference for Scriptural exegesis. With a Christo-centric hermeneutic, Oberman argues that Luther's "reformation breakthrough" comes once he "breaks" with the medieval tradition associating the "righteousness of God" as something disbursed by the church and contingent upon human merit, and he associates this concept with the righteousness that Christ grants to all freely as a gift. Oberman also argues that it was Luther's explosive personality, coupled with his ever present sense of the Devil's influence on world events which eventually led to 1) his endorsement of the massacre of the peasants during their revolt, 2) his refusal to unite with those reformers who did not believe in the real presence in the elements of communion, and 3) his strong renunciation of Jews in his later years. Oberman concludes his book by painting a more personal portrait of Luther, examining his relationship with his wife, his children, and his friends, and demonstrating that Luther was a passionate (and often irascible) man who understood all of life (including his intimate relationships) as lived before God and challenged by the Adversary.

This is a well-written book that draws the reader into Luther's world and helps those of us who come from a different era (and consequent worldview) to better understand the environment which produced the reformation and the man who was so pivotal in its implementation. Oberman's thesis concerning Luther's late-medieval outlook is compelling, and he demonstrates throughout the book (by direct citation) how this insight better explains the man and his actions. To substantiate his points, he cites Luther's own words, and the words of his contemporaries, which consistently reinforce Oberman's main thesis. As a whole, the book is an interesting read, made even more so by the fascinating pictoral illustrations that are scattered throughout the book, and which communicate the spirit of the age through pictures (many of which reinforce Oberman's thesis that the conflict was seen primarily as a conflict between God and the Devil).

Great Material but Not a Smooth Read.......2004-01-31

Oberman obviously writes as a scholar and provides wonderful context, sensitive and nuanced interpretation, and at times wonderful quotes. My main criticism of the book is that it tends to read a little more like a text book than a biography. This book may be better for the serious history student than for the more casual reader.

Great Work on Luther.......2003-11-20

Oberman arranges his biography more on a thematic basis than more traditional biographies, yet it is a great read and excellent work of scholarship. Oberman explores the deeply religious Luther who felt himself in a constant state of war with the Devil. Consequently, many of his actions take on new understandings in this light. Excellent work.

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The Satanic Epic
Neil Forsyth
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0691113394

Book Description

The Satan of Paradise Lost has fascinated generations of readers. This book attempts to explain how and why Milton's Satan is so seductive. It reasserts the importance of Satan against those who would minimize the poem's sympathy for the devil and thereby make Milton orthodox.

Neil Forsyth argues that William Blake got it right when he called Milton a true poet because he was "of the Devils party" even though he set out "to justify the ways of God to men." In seeking to learn why Satan is so alluring, Forsyth ranges over diverse topics--from the origins of evil and the relevance of witchcraft to the status of the poetic narrator, the epic tradition, the nature of love between the sexes, and seventeenth-century astronomy. He considers each of these as Milton introduces them: as Satanic subjects.

Satan emerges as the main challenge to Christian belief. It is Satan who questions and wonders and denounces. He is the great doubter who gives voice to many of the arguments that Christianity has provoked from within and without. And by rooting his Satanic reading of Paradise Lost in Biblical and other sources, Forsyth retrieves not only an attractive and heroic Satan but a Milton whose heretical energies are embodied in a Satanic character with a life of his own.

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Devil man with a gun
Art H Watson
Manufacturer: Meagher County News
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007FKZK8

Up from Methodism: A Memoir of a Man Gone to the Devil

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Up from Methodism: A Memoir of a Man Gone to the Devil
Herbert Asbury
Manufacturer: Thunder's Mouth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything

ASIN: 1560255706

Book Description

In 1926, while a reporter for the New York Herald Tribune, Herbert Asbury, great-great-nephew of Francis Asbury, the first American Bishop of the Methodist Church, submitted a chapter of his profane work-in-progress, an almost spiteful memoir of his boyhood in the Ozark town of Farmington, Missouri, to H.L Mencken's American Mercury magazine. Mencken published "Hatrack," the story of the town's prostitute, in the April issue. The Mercury was then banned in Boston at the incitement of J. Frank Chase, the head of the New England Watch and Ward Society, who called the story "bad, vile, raw stuff." Mencken was arrested selling the magazine to Chase on Boston Common in a stunt designed to provoke the free-speech trials that followed. In its restrained, but unrelenting attack on religious bigotry, irrationality, and hypocrisy, the book that was published soon thereafter retains its transgressive power today. Its taunting title, playing on Booker T. Washington's early-century bestseller Up from Slavery, gives an idea of what Asbury thought he had escaped. In his mocking humor and plain-spun language, used to evoke a bygone South suffocating in its fear of pleasure and damnation, Asbury reveals his debt to another son of Missouri, Mark Twain.

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The reality of the devil: Evil in man
Ruth Nanda Anshen
Manufacturer: Dell Pub. Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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Grendel Batman Devil's Masque Book 2
Matt Wagner
Manufacturer: DC Comico Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic

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Batman Grendel Devil's Riddle (Book One of Two) (Devil's Riddle)

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Grendel Batman: Book Two of Two. Devil's Masque. 1993.

Satanic plot, Book 2: Fall of Satan, Fall of man

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Satanic plot, Book 2: Fall of Satan, Fall of man
R. B Thieme
Manufacturer: Eracah Tapes & Publications]
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The dealings of God, man and the devil: As exemplified in the life, experience, and travels of Lorenzo Dow, in a period of over half a century

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The dealings of God, man and the devil: As exemplified in the life, experience, and travels of Lorenzo Dow, in a period of over half a century
Lorenzo Dow
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Devil Stories (Modern Man in Search of a Resort) .

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Devil Stories (Modern Man in Search of a Resort) .
Alan Rosenus
Manufacturer: Union Press
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Binding: Paperback
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