An absolute delight

What a gift to literature this audiobook is. This is the closest thing I have ever come to hopping in a time machine. He has such a talent for writing.

His language is pure poetry, packed full of metaphors and similes that magically take you right into the heart of his childhood experiences. Close your eyes and you are instantly in the cottage with him, or strolling through the village.

A lot of the stories are so simple, and yet they are gripping. I couldn’t stop listening to it. I felt I was growing up with him.

Being narrated by the author himself just made the book come even more alive. I love his accent, it really adds to atmosphere created by the book. It was such a treat to hear him read it.

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Beautifully written such great attention to detail

loved every minute. Read it at school so it was wonderful to relive it. and of course having to read by the author really was special

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The work of a genius

What a brilliant book! A description of rural life in a Cotswold village in England around 1910 to 1920. It is a completely honest description of Laurie Lee’s family, school, childhood friends, neighbours and countryside at that time. Honesty is the most striking thing about the book: especially when Lee is describing people’s beauty, faults and behaviour. Lees description of nature and the oneness of the villagers and nature is the best I’ve ever read. It reminded me a lot of Tolkien’s understanding of nature. It’s extremely funny in parts and at times extremely moving. It’s also read by the author. What a gift!
What an incredible book.

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Prose as poetry

This is so much more than a memoir. Is it prose as poetry, or poetry as prose? Either way it is beautiful. The author's narration is warm, wise and knowing. This was my first experience of this book and I have been amazed. STUNNING. If you don't like it, you are wrong 😉

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Recreated a world that has long since disappeared.

Where does Cider with Rosie rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Highly rated and really enjoyed the book

What did you like best about this story?

Loved the description of this world that has gone, especially from the point of view of a little boy. There was an added benefit of having Laurie Lee read it himself - I felt that this added to the book.

Any additional comments?

Lovely gently listen, full of lovely description and lovely people who just got on with the life they were born to without question.

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4 people found this helpful

Absolutely loved it!

What made the experience of listening to Cider with Rosie the most enjoyable?

I was transported back in time to the life, and locations described in the book. The book is honest, heart warming, funny, and thought provoking. Excellent!

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Magical

Lee's voice is perfect reading his own story. Utterly evocative, like being doused in warm syrup. Truly lovely.

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The lilting vouce of Laurie Lee as he recalled his childhood and life in his village

A wonderful and evocative telling of the life in a Gloucestershire village over many years.

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Fantastic childhood memories

I am in awe of the author's total recall of his early life, when
his family had very little in the way of possessions, but were
content with their lot. Neighbours helped one another, sharing
what little they had, his mother making good use of any wild
foods growing nearby. Laurie and his siblings would sit and
yarn by candlelight in the evenings, passing down a wealth
of folk-lore and local gossip. An account full of "laugh out loud"
humour, sentiment and, at times, a little sadness

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2 people found this helpful

Beautiful

A book I often return to for a moment of peace. Laurie Lee's narration is exquisite, his stories fascinating and his characters are beautifully rendered. A real treat.

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