The American Experience

A Collection of Great American Stories

By: Mark Twain, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Kate Chopin, O. Henry

Narrated by: George Vafiandis, Ralph Cosham, Sean Pratt

Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

Ten superbly narrated stories that help explain America by America's best writers. Irving's incredible and amusing tale of the archetypal "Rip Van Winkle" relates the story of a man who slept through history. Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage tells of a young soldier who must struggle with his conscience no matter what the consequences. "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" is Mark Twain's hilarious story of a contest to end all contests in the rowdy days of the Forty-Niners. Edgar Allan Poe's "The Man of the Crowd" tells of one man's strange fascination with another. "The Ransom of Red Chief" is another of O. Henry's tales of a kidnapping that goes horribly, horribly, wrong. "Miss Tempy's Watchers", by Sarah Orne Jewett, speaks of the power of friendship. Kate Chopin's lovely "Desiree's Baby" tells the poignant story of one woman's search for her past. Jack London's acclaimed The Call of the Wild is a thrilling adventure of nature and survival. Edith Wharton pens a chilling ghost story in the atmospheric "The Eyes." And "Bernice Bobs Her Hair" is F. Scott Fitzgerald's wry and amusing tale of a young lady's struggle for social success.

(P)2003 Sound Room Publishers, Inc.

When it's good, it's great!

There are a few "clunkers" in here (the narration on "Desiree's Baby" is a terrible treatment of a beautifully written story, and "The Man in the Crowd" is surely among the weakest in Poe's body of work), but "Call of the Wild" and "The Kidnapping of Red Chief" are strong. All in all, this anthology is a good overview of American short stories, especially for students in grades 6 - 9.

Classic Short Stories!

As I remember from High School, some of the stories were great. Others had me wondering why they were classics. "Call of the Wild" is really good. I had never read it but it has me looking for more.

An outstanding collection of classics

This audiobook is a great collection of classics that can be listened to again & again. Some of the classics I had read before, but forgotten, others I had never read (because they never appeared on a compulsory junior or senior high school reading list, but should have). This audio book is, in my mind, particularly valuable if you have an "extra" book credit in a month & aren't sure what to do with it. You can get this book & listen to it anytime. One quibble. The listing on Audible doesn't tell you all the authors/stories contained in the audio ... (nor did a description of this that is up on Amazon for that matter). And the audio itself provides no explanation or transition from one story to another to tell you what story it is that comes next, who wrote it, and so forth. Irritating!! But it is still great literature & deserving of 5 stars.

Great variety and depth in voices

I thoroughly enjoyed this audio-book (and the price is certainly right when absorbed through the Book Club). There's nothing like reading/hearing the classics again, years later.

No index or info about authors and names of stories

Incredibly poorly edited when no effort is made to credit even the stories name or author.
The stories are marvelous, no beef with that.
The American Experience needs to step up their game! Had I bought the book for the same money I’d have all that info at my fingertips.