Stepping Stones

By: Seamus Heaney

Narrated by: Seamus Heaney

This selection of Seamus Heaney's poems is drawn from nine collections, including The Spirit Level, and provides a perfect introduction to the full breadth of Heaney's poetic concerns. It is a unique record of interpretation; Heaney reads with all the intimacy and authenticity that only the poet himself can bring to his work.(P) and ©1990 Penguin Audiobooks

Critic reviews

Winner of Publishers Weekly Listen Up Award: Best Audio of 1996, Poetry.
"More than any poet since Wordsworth he can make us understand that the outside world is not outside, but what we are made of." (John Carey, Sunday Times)

A gentle, gracious and personal performance

Forget the machinations of celebrity. This poet speaks to you as a friend. He shares the poems and he shares a few details of his experience in writing them,, with minimal jargon. He is talking to a reader, not to someone merely trying to pass an examination. No wonder he is very popular. I like his work even more after hearing these through his own voice.

It's Seamus Heaney

Would anything I said really make it even more Seamus Heaney? Those who buy this book do so because their mind and heart have formed a lovers' conspiracy and in their subterfuge they compel the body--possesed by this desire for the authentic. Their tryst is in the listening of it.

Beautiful lines in the Poet’s own voice.

While the quality of the recording is poor, Heaney’s voice resonates with the beauty of his words. I could listen to his brogue forever as he paints pictures of his land, his parents, and friends lost to the Troubles. His humanity burns through his verse and his introductions and reflections provide context that completes the experience.

Last of the Irish Renaissance poets

Seamus Heaney represents the end of an era, the last of a direct line back to W.B. Yeats and Lady Gregory to 1870. Although regarded as a poet in the tradition of the Irish Renaissance, he is not an Irish Romantic. Heaney is a nostalgic realist.

AUDIBLE 20 REVIEW SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY

A great book

A wonderful book that I found to be developmental and maturative for a young man coming of age such as myself. I found this book to be relatable and really well read. The intonations and inflections are really perfect. I further highly recommend this book.

Bad Audio quality makes this unlistenable

What disappointed you about Stepping Stones?

I could not return this book. This is the first book from audible i'm unhappy with, and it's not Seamus Heaney's fault. It's just that it sounds like it was recorded from a cassette.. badly

Why is it not eligible for return?

Any additional comments?

I may not renew audible sub based on this experience of their return policy.. turns out none of the books in my library are returnable..

Not 2 hours, poor sound quality

What does Seamus Heaney bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

It's always a joy to hear a poet read his own work, especially a poet as talented as Seamus Heaney. However, the sound quality on this brief recording is very poor. Heaney's powerful reading sounds muffled. Also, the book is marked as "2 hrs" but the recording is only 1 hour and 13 minutes. That's a lot closer to 1 hr than 2 hrs.

Any additional comments?

Heaney is an excellent poet, worth exploring in any medium!

nothing

the audio is pretty bad on this book. I could barely understand anything to enjoy about this book.