Audiobook Sample
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- Title: Sun Also Rises
- Author: Ernest Hemingway
- Narrator: William Hurt
- Length: 08:04:30
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 17/10/2006
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
- Genre: Fiction & Literature, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Classics
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
There’s something alchemical that happens when a legendary actor like William Hurt lends his voice to Hemingway’s spare prose. As someone who’s analyzed countless audiobook adaptations for my ‘Future of Stories’ podcast, I can tell you this 2007 Audie Award finalist remains one of the most transformative listening experiences in the classics category.
“The Cultural Impact Here…”
Hemingway’s 1926 masterpiece isn’t just a novel – it’s a cultural artifact that crystallized the Lost Generation’s disillusionment. What makes this audiobook particularly fascinating is how Hurt’s narration amplifies the subtext Hemingway buried in his famously economical sentences. That pause before “Isn’t it pretty to think so”? Chilling. The way his voice breaks slightly on “We could have had such a damned good time together”? I had to pause my morning commute to recover.
“Let’s Break This Down…”
1. “Narration Alchemy”: Hurt’s background as an Oscar-winning actor brings unexpected depth. His Brett Ashley isn’t performed with overt femininity, but with a world-weary sensuality that perfectly captures the character’s androgynous appeal. The bullfighting scenes gain visceral intensity through his controlled crescendos.
2. “Audio-Specific Revelations”: In my BookTok series comparing reading formats, I’ve found Hemingway particularly benefits from audio. The rhythm of café conversations becomes almost jazz-like, and Hurt makes the famous “stoic Hemingway style” feel intensely emotional. It’s like discovering the negative space in a familiar painting.
“Personal Connection”
This audiobook unexpectedly became my companion during a solo trip to Madrid last fall. Hearing Hurt describe the Pamplona streets while actually walking through Spanish alleyways created this surreal augmented reality effect. The passage where Jake watches fishermen on the Seine hit differently when I realized I’d been doing the same thing from a Paris hostel window moments before.
“Cultural Context for Digital Natives”
For my younger followers who think Hemingway is just “that macho writer” – this audiobook reveals how deeply he understood performative masculinity. The drinking scenes play like a proto-Instagram era where everyone’s curating their public persona. Brett’s sexual agency feels strikingly modern when heard rather than read.
“Audio Quality Notes”
Simon & Schuster’s production holds up remarkably well 15+ years later. The lack of background music or effects keeps focus on the language, though the occasional tape hiss (noticeable in earbuds) adds accidental vintage charm. At 7.5 hours, it’s perfectly paced for a weekend immersion.
“Who Should Listen?”
• Hemingway newcomers intimidated by the sparse prose
• Writers studying subtext (Hurt highlights what’s unsaid)
• Digital nomads (perfect for European train journeys)
• Anyone analyzing performative masculinity
“Final Verdict”
More than an audiobook, this is a masterclass in how voice acting can reveal new dimensions in classic texts. Hurt doesn’t just read Hemingway – he performs the silence between the words.
Keep turning pages (or hitting play),
Sophie
P.S. For my full analysis of how this compares to Stacy Keach’s Hemingway narrations, check Episode 47 of ‘Future of Stories’!
Sophie Bennett
