The Secret History

By: Donna Tartt

Narrated by: Donna Tartt

Brought to you by Penguin.

THE BESTSELLER THAT DEFINED AN AGE

Penguin presents the audio edition of The Secret History, read by the author.

'Everything, somehow, fit together; some sly and benevolent Providence was revealing itself by degrees and I felt myself trembling on the brink of a fabulous discovery, as though any morning it was all going to come together---my future, my past, the whole of my life---and I was going to sit up in bed like a thunderbolt and say oh! oh! oh!'

Under the influence of a charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at a New England college discover a way of thought and life a world away from their banal contemporaries. But their search for the transcendent leads them down a dangerous path, beyond human constructs of morality.

©1992 Donna Tartt (P)2010 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Haunting, compelling, brilliant." (The Times)

"Irresistible and seductive." (Guardian)

"Enthralling... Forceful, cerebral and impeccably controlled." (New York Times)

Spellbinding

Loved Donna Tartt's narration - perfect for the story.
Had me hooked. Enthralling, extraordinary, excellent.

Would've liked a different narrator

I really loved this book and I actually found the story interesting and couldn't stop listening but I really wish there was an option to choose a different narrator. Not only do I not think authors should narrate their books themselves, as they are authors not actors, but the voices and accents were a bit distracting at times. I know nothing about different American accents in certain states and regions but it was a bit harsh in my opinion. Maybe if this had a different narrator option I would've given it 5 stars, but it did bring down the rating for me. Might buy this book as a physical copy since I admired some of the characters and loved the story.

I wish it was 20 hours longer!

Donna Tartt’s narration is fantastic. She captures the essence of her characters beautifully. Surely, one of the best books I’ve ever read. I wish it was 20 hours longer!

The Secret History

I'm really battling to finish this audio book. its a good story but soooooo long and drawn out. I think the writer should have got a male to read because its mostly men in the story with the odd female here and there. I also find the readers voice extremely distracting and the various voices nasally.

My Favourite Book

Was a bit doubtful that the author wanted to read it as she is female and the narrator male. What was I worried about? An excellent audio version of a stunning novel especially how she does dialogue

A compelling, magical experience

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

For anyone interested in the art of writing and the engagement of the reader's imagination this book is a must. At its base narrative level it has been characterized as a sort of superior murder conspiracy thriller playing out in the context of elite scholarship and mysterious alliances at a small New England college. True enough, but it's also so much more than that. Like all the best works of fiction, it expands from its premise to become a richly imagined, unique world of its own. Sure, at times it is uneven, but it is also a book that left me feeling bereft when I finished it. Structured as an outsider's memoir by a writer, now years older, looking back to an earlier time in his life, it mixes morality play, philosophical speculations, a witty critique of mores and class - to name a few of its perspectives - and does so without sacrificing the creation of characters that are vividly present and alive. And these people are not two dimensional. Not at all. They are as strange and unpredictable, as dull and as funny, as fascinating and as disappointing as those around us really are. Death is present, but this book is really about life and the profound mystery we are to ourselves. Finally, as its ultimate pleasure, this recording offers Donna Tartt's deliciously seductive and nuanced reading of her own work. A magical experience. Highly recommended.

What other book might you compare The Secret History to and why?

Donna Tartt's next book "The Little Friend" has some similarities, but it is also very different in other ways. It is more uneven than "The Secret History" and, at times, it does seem over written but there are moments and characters that are truly unforgettable. A book with highs I will never forget. Ever.

As a work that is also structured as an outsider's memoir, my memory of Robert Pirsig's "Zen And The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" is that it has a similar narrative tone when compared to "The Secret History". But it is quite a few years since I read it.

Have you listened to any of Donna Tartt’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I've not heard her do any other readings.

If you could take any character from The Secret History out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I'd like to have dinner with Donna Tartt. That would be so interesting and it would be real.

Interesting Book

I thought this book was rather better than the other reviewers did. It probably could have been tightened up a bit without damage but I thought the characters were well drawn and the plot was interesting. The narrator did an OK job but she seemed to get mixed up a bit with ascribing East coast accents to the Californian protagonist in places.