Paradise Lost

By: John Milton

Narrated by: Anton Lesser

"Of Man's First Disobedience, and the Fruit
Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal taste
Brought Death into the World, and all our woe...."

So begins the greatest epic poem in the English language. In words remarkable for their richness of rhythm and imagery, Milton tells the story of man's creation, fall, and redemption, "to justify the ways of God to men". Here, unabridged, and told with exceptional sensitivity and power by Anton Lesser, is the plight of Adam and Eve, the ambition and vengefulness of Satan and his cohorts.

Download the accompanying reference guide.Public Domain (P)2005 Naxos Audiobooks Ltd.

Truly Overwhelming

What did you love best about Paradise Lost?

Allowing the words to flow over me I was touched and enthralled by the beauty, tragedy, joy and magnificence in the scale that the epic portrays. Listening provoked me to read and reading, contemplate the beauty and affliction of our existence, contrasting what might have been with our human condition.
Belief is not a prerequisite any more than any mythic tales handed down through the ages require. Perfection, an idea implanted innately in the psyche languishes in the real world yet frustrates all our efforts to confound an uncompromising world.

Among the greatest performances on Audible.

This is a difficult poem, especially if you try to read it without the aid of audio. But Anton Lesser‘s narration is an all-time great performance whose apparent effortlessness disguises what must have been an incredible amount of work spent learning how to pronounce archaic words and deciding what to stress and where to pause. Just let the performance wash over you without worrying too much about understanding everything you hear (you won’t, but you’ll get the gist). His narration makes it possible for contemporary readers to experience the intricate, dense beauty and erudition of Milton’s prose.

Thank God for Anton Lesser

I just love this actor/narrator, he delivers the lines perfectly, in my opinion, and it's just a pleasure to hear him read the epic. I wish I could tell him how much I appreciate his work. I also like the music inserted to the audiobook. Really enjoyed this production!

A sincere rendering of a most important epic poem.

The poem was read well. The story of mankind's creation and fall into sin comes alive. Complete the circle by reading Anton Lesser's rendition of "Paradise regained"

Couldn't Think of Anyone to Better Perform This

I remember reading this book a long time ago. It was a difficult read. Still is. Listening to other people read it is easier, but no one glides well-paced through blank verse like Anton Lesser. Complete with the occasional end-of-chapter music to complete it. Well done!

Rewarding, but not for the faint-of-heart!

Have you ever read the Book of Job?
In the Book of Job, Lucifer approaches God and tells him that he has been to and fro across the entire world, and basically states that everyone in the world is a sinner and deserves to go to hell (paraphrase).

God replies by asking Lucifer if he has seen his servant Job. Satan responds that Job is only good, because of all the good things God has blessed him with. "take away all those good things, and Job will curse God". And thus begins the memorable story of Job's testing by Satan, God's protection, and the ultimate blessing on Job for his faith in God.

In Job, the reader is given a rare glimpse into some Heavenly workings, such as: what the armies of Heaven can be like, the Throne Room of God, Temptation from spiritual forces, and how God responds to rebel angels, and etc...

Milton, in his book Paradise Lost, has taken the same approach in story-telling to show how Satan led one-third of the angels of Heaven in an attempt to usurp the throne of God for their own glory, God's reprisal, and later how the Fallen sought to disrupt God's creation(s).

Although published in 1667, 'Paradise Lost' carries the power of religious truth that is still relevant today. The language, however, can present problems for modern ears. Milton seems to especially love to use words like: adamantine, obdurate, importune, and etc... Milton was obviously creating high-poetry on par with his subject, though sometimes it can feel almost too lofty to be attainable. The imagery, if patient, can be striking and profound, when Milton's voice is not so present.

Anton Lesser does a fine job of speaking life into the words without seeming artificial (though occasionally it can take on the tone of a Shakesperian play).

I would recommend this as an important listen, if you are in the right state of mind for such epic imagery (and sometimes tiring vocabulary).

Great reading of this important work

The reader accurately conveys the emotion of the poem. The music also adds to the performance. Great book and great reading.

a real keeper

I read and loved Milton in grad school, thanks to an outstanding professor. I have not read him recently, but hearing the blind poet read is how most people experienced him for many years. The work's greatness is even more apparent when heard than when read. This is not a work to breeze through either way, however.

I have yet to listen to the complete recording, but know this is one that I will treasure, playing over and over. The sound of Milton's epic is so much of the poetry and the meaning, and it helps to have an excellent reader.

Classic

Still a great elegantly written classic. A must read/hear for anyone.

Great poem, wrong reader

I actively seek out Anton Lesser's recordings, but he's the wrong pick for Paradise Lost, at least for my taste.