John Gielgud reads Through the Looking-Glass - Audiobook (1989)

[@marilynbrown-x4m]

Sir John’s reading is a rare treat ! The music does nothing at all to enhance or even complement the story.

[@lpsrocks2007]

He is the best person I’ve ever heard read any audiobook.

[@jennifermcdonald5432]

What a magnificent voice! You can hear the hard work put into training his wonderful voice! You can hear each and every syllable clearly. I too feel the music, while wonderful, is a bit too loud at times. I have heard six or seven versions of this book, and in all but this one, it's as though your listening to a race. It's as though the reader is is trying to impress by his or her speed reading. I give this version a 9 out of 10. Thank you so much for uploading this wonderful story .

[@erikamarzaz6636]

I've listened to several audiobooks of Alice, but THIS is the greatest by far. His voice is outstanding and the acting behind the voice.. I could even image Gielgud performing. And his accent! OMG. EXCELLENT

[@lynd7081]

Erika Marzaz ...he and Sir Laurence Olivier are the best actors Britain has ever had.

[@wildolive53]

Thank you so much for sharing this!! 🙏🏻💗☺️

[@1599maybole]

Gloriously read and the echo makes me think that we are sitting in a large grand hall in an old stately home. Perfect

[@theaslanscatsteam.3040]

Sublime.

[@b.terenceharwick3222]

A classically outstanding reading voice with music interludes that are appropriate to the time in which it was recorded and to the reader conveying this classic...

[@lynd7081]

B. Terence Harwick .. and of course, the music isn’t over the speaking voice. I love it.

[@tinytuesday3237]

Thank you for this video sincerely I listen every night!

[@thepearlatelier4256]

Crazy, i am from Asia and i KNOW Sir John Gielgud and yet from the comments below they do not seem to know who he is. Of course he is the best, he is like the cream of the crop of British actors, for goodness sake, pls google him and see his movies. Same category as Sir Laurence Olivier. Bet they dont know who he is either. What a shame. Bloody hell.

[@cowboykelly6590]

Insane isn't it! They'll know the names and faces of these new, mediocre crowd of Actors Though .

[@omg9261]

Your commentary is so cute 🤗 I really liked it

[@thepearlatelier4256]

@@omg9261 Thank you, i forgot i commented on it, i was so hopping mad, hehe... because i really respect him.

[@marthaphoenix8084]

An excellent reading voice.

[@araellacain608]

I am slightly bummed that there is parts missing from reading. I would have enjoyed the complete version from the person reading the book. He is by far the best one out there compared to the others that have read this book.

[@dsly100]

Christopher Plummer is a little better in many ways. Hard to believe, I know.

[@JMDinOKC]

One of the greatest actors of the 20th century, with one of the greatest voices. But alas! the text is abridged, and for some unaccountable reason they put reverb on his voice. So far, the best unabridged recordings I've found of the Alice books are by Cyril Ritchard.

[@whatsthat163]

I love it-it’s so nice!

[@lynd7081]

People complaining of loud music, I have no music on this version of Alice. The only complaint I could make it’s that it’s echo sounds like it’s read in the bathroom. Or an empty room.

[@1599maybole]

Imagine a large room in a grand old house

[@freednb]

fantastic, thank you!

[@Elizabeth-so6zp]

Why is it so difficult to find this audiobook complete in British English?

[@jaimielou9842]

curiouser and curiouser

[@58christiansful]

Wonderfully read, yes - but the text has been changed and re-told and added to!

[@fishiesgaming]

The voice wow

[@satsumamoon]

sadly i couldn't listen to this. the background music is not in the background all, being several decibels louder than the reading i would have to disturb myself to lower it all the time so as not to disturb my neighbours downstairs.

[@jajones-ford2226]

That music in the background is too loud and very annoying .

[@mckavitt]

Is the music by Handel?

[@PaddedCellStudio]

Thanks😃👌

[@PatsyScanlon]

Best reader

[@algie-t2w]

Sounds as though he's reading it down a Well.

[@TheNoblot]

La poésie engage🤗

[@MsRexsmurphy]

Cant make it out. Toooo much echo 😖

[@Brianbeesandbikes]

FOR SHAME!! Noticed this is an ABRIDGED reading.... sadly as this is an otherwise beautiful reading .... while there may be more than one excercision, the only one I happened to spot is this one .... near then end of chpt 4...... link sabian.org/looking_glass5.php ' Are you a child or a teetotum?' the Sheep said, as she took up another pair of needles. 'You'll make me giddy soon, if you go on turning round like that.' She was now working with fourteen pairs at once, and Alice couldn't help looking at her in great astonishment. 'How can she knit with so many?' the puzzled child thought to herself. 'She gets more and more like a porcupine every minute!' 'Can you row?' the Sheep asked, handing her a pair of knitting-needles as she spoke. 'Yes, a little - but not on land - and not with needles -' Alice was beginning to say, when suddenly the needles turned into oars in her hands, and she found they were in a little boat, gliding along between banks: so there was nothing for it but to do her best. 'Feather!' cried the Sheep, as she took up another pair of needles. This didn't sound like a remark that needed any answer: so Alice said nothing, but pulled away. There was something very queer about the water, she thought, as every now and then the oars got fast in it, and would hardly come out again. 'Feather! Feather!' the Sheep cried again, taking more needles. 'You'll be catching a crab directly.' 'A dear little crab!' thought Alice. 'I should like that.' 'Didn't you hear me say "Feather"?' the Sheep cried angrily, taking up quite a bunch of needles. 'Indeed I did,' said Alice: 'you've said it very often - and very loud. Please where are the crabs?' 'In the water, of course!' said the Sheep, sticking some of the needles into her hair, as her hands were full. 'Feather, I say!' 'Why do you say "Feather" so often?' Alice asked at last, rather vexed. 'I'm not a bird!' 'You are,' said the Sheep: "you're a little goose.' This offended Alice a little, so there was no more conversation for a minute or two, while the boat glided gently on, sometimes among beds of weeds (which made the oars stick fast in the water, worse then ever), and sometimes under trees, but always with the same tall riverbanks frowning over their heads. 'Oh, please! There are some scented rushes!' Alice cried in a sudden transport of delight. 'There really are - and such beauties!' 'You needn't say "please" to me about 'em,' the Sheep said, without looking up from her knitting: 'I didn't put 'em there, and I'm not going to take 'em away.' 'No, but I meant - please, may we wait and pick some?' Alice pleaded. 'If you don't mind stopping the boat for a minute.' 'How am I to stop it?' said the Sheep. 'If you leave off rowing, it'll stop of itself.' So the boat was left to drift down the stream as it would, till it glided gently in among the waving rushes. And then the little sleeves were carefully rolled up, and the little arms were plunged in elbow-deep, to get hold of the rushes a good long way down before breaking them off - and for a while Alice forgot all about the Sheep and the knitting, as she bent over the side of the boat, with just the ends of her tangled hair dipping into the water - while with bright eager eyes she caught at one bunch after another of the darling scented rushes. 'I only hope the boat wo'n't tipple over!' she said to herself. 'Oh, what a lovely one! Only I couldn't quite reach it.' And it certainly did seem a little provoking ('almost as if it happened on purpose,' she thought) that, though she managed to pick plenty of beautiful rushes as the boat glided by, there was always a more lovely one that she couldn't reach. 'The prettiest are always further!' she said at last with a sigh at the obstinacy of the rushes in growing so far off, as, with flushed cheeks and dripping hair and hands, she scrambled back into her place, and began to arrange her new-found treasures. What mattered it to her just then that the rushes had begun to fade, and to lose all their scent and beauty, from the very moment that she picked them? Even real scented rushes, you know, last only a very little while - and these, being dream-rushes, melted away almost like snow, as they lay in heaps at her feet - but Alice hardly noticed this, there were so many other curious things to think about. They hadn't gone much farther before the blade of one of the oars got fast in the water and wouldn't come out again (so Alice explained it afterwards), and the consequence was that the handle of it caught her under the chin, and, in spite of a series of little shrieks of 'Oh, oh, oh!' from poor Alice, it swept her straight off the seat, and down among the heap of rushes. However, she wasn't a bit hurt, and was soon up again: the Sheep went on with her knitting all the while, just as if nothing had happened. 'That was a nice crab you caught!' she remarked, as Alice got back into her place, very much relieved to find herself still in the boat. 'Was it? I didn't see it,' said Alice, peeping cautiously over the side of the boat into the dark water. 'I wish it hadn't let go - I should so like a little crab to take home with me!' But the Sheep only laughed scornfully, and went on with her knitting. 'Are there many crabs here?' said Alice. 'Crabs, and all sorts of things,' said the Sheep: 'plenty of choice, only make up your mind. Now, what do you want to buy?'

[@francinelinguini]

poor audio

[@jamesmcauslan6758]

wonderful chance to hear great book read by great actor ruined by syrupy music.

[@paddymeboy]

Weirdly poor sound, unfortunately!