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Publisher's Summary

Staring unflinchingly into the abyss of slavery, this spellbinding novel transforms history into a story as powerful as Exodus and as intimate as a lullaby. Sethe, its protagonist, was born a slave and escaped to Ohio, but 18 years later she is still not free. She has too many memories of Sweet Home, the beautiful farm where so many hideous things happened. And Sethe's new home is haunted by the ghost of her baby, who died nameless and whose tombstone is engraved with a single word: Beloved. Filled with bitter poetry and suspense as taut as a rope, Beloved is a towering achievement. Toni Morrison is the Robert F. Goheen Professor of Humanities at Princeton University. She has received the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize. In 1993 she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. She lives in Rockland County, New York, and Princeton, New Jersey.
©1987 Toni Morrison (P)1998 Random House, Inc.
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Critic Reviews

"Toni Morrison is not just an important contemporary novelist but a major figure in our national literature." (New York Review of Books)
"A masterwork....Wonderful....I can't imagine American literature without it." (Los Angeles Times)
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful
3 out of 5 stars
By Cathy on 07-29-06

Perhaps best read on paper

Lyrical prose is woven into this story of a compelling period in our history. The story line is believable, and is an adept portrayal of how human beings can treat and react to each other. I believe I would have enjoyed this book much more if I had consumed it with my eyes instead of my ears. I missed the opportunity to go back a few pages to check a line or re-read a paragraph. The complexity of the story is at times like the quiet taste of a familiar herb in a vibrantly constructed meal - something you can't quite place, can't quite encompass on the first pass. I would recommend this book, with the reminder that other listeners may have the same problem maintaining grasp of the elusive thread. I've listened to several hundred books, and would place this in the top 50.

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24 of 24 people found this review helpful

2 out of 5 stars
By John R Williford on 07-14-06

Author-read Books

I have just started listening to this book, and have decided that I will have to buy a printed copy and read its text concurrently while listening in order to make it to the end. This is the third audiobook I have purchased which is read aloud by its author, and it will be the last. I cannot understand Ms Morrison's pronunciation of many of the words. There is no differentiation in voice, so one doesn't know what character is talking or thinking. There are no pauses between the paragraphs or shifts in the time periods. [Contrast the amateurish reading of Beloved with the professionally read "The Sound and The Fury"--an even more diffcult book to follow.] Frankly, Ms Morrison is not a professional reader and subscribers are cautioned to listen to the sample [which I did not] before purchasing this audiobook. Unfortunately, Beloved is only available as an audiobook read by Ms Morrison. So readers of this review don't think I am picking on Toni Morrison, Charles Frazier's self-read of Cold Mountain suffers from the same deficiencies. Does any one know why the producers of audiobooks allow authors to read their own books? I will guess that it all has to do with retaining copyrights and royalties by the author and the author's agent.

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67 of 73 people found this review helpful

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful
3 out of 5 stars
By Mrs on 05-23-11

Important subject but ...

Such an important subject but the style was not my cup of tea. This is a very personal reason not to like it and I can see why other reviewers raved about this book. If you like poetry, read in the stereotypical way, with pauses in unusual places and metaphors abounding then this may be for you. At times it felt like I was listening to a poem that was going on for hours and hours! I found the book hard to get into and stay connected with because of the reading style. The story depicts the harrowing nature of slavery and what humans, whatever their race or background, are capable of.
I give it three stars because I think it probably is a very well written book, covering a very difficult subject, but one that I could not appreciate because of the style of writing or reading.

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6 of 7 people found this review helpful

5 out of 5 stars
By Deborah Richards on 07-16-06

Astounding

The style, subject matter and structure of this book demanded a re-read; listening to it, after 3 attempts has transformed my understanding and appreciation of it. The author has an important 'voice' and hearing her read her own work is a potent experience in itself.

This book records slavery from the slave perspective. At times harrowing and frightening it is illuminating of the slave world and humanity in general. The characterisation is strong and meaningful and Morrison's use of included and deliberately excluded elements brings the reader to the heart of the tale and lives of the characters. The style and use of language is powerful, both difficult and confusing at times but the Audible edition almost eliminates these difficulties. Having 'read' this novel before I matched what I was hearing to the text and a real sense of dawning understanding overtook me.

Not a light listen but an incredibly important one, moving and life enhancing, it demands time and concentration; you might feel as though you'd like to give up: but perseverance and acceptance of the challenge will reward you. A truly truly a great book, made greater in this format.

Toni Morrison is a complex and contraversial writer and this her most gritty book would be a good starting choice; introducing all the themes of her writing. As long as the plight of the dispossessed and down trodden remain at the heart of our world Morrison enables the reader to understand what it is to have nothing to fall back on except raw human nature, good or evil - somewhere in this tale is a lesson for each of us, but Morrison leaves us to work out what.

Give this a go - it will not disappoint or fail to move you.

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9 of 11 people found this review helpful

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful
4 out of 5 stars
By Fiona O'Connell on 12-02-16

A challenging listen

A difficult book to listen to as it switches narrators and time frames without notice. The story feeds out in disjointed pieces - challenging but a good story. Loved the author's use of language and her poetic turn of phrase.
The narration was very slow and breathless which I initially felt created good atmosphere, but later found annoying so I slightly sped up the narration speed with good effect.

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2 of 2 people found this review helpful

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