Beautifully crafted, gently comic, deeply touching

I read this book very many years ago. To revisit it on Audible has been a treat. Cyril Cusack easily slips between the characters of the communist ex-Mayor and the gentle Monsignor, giving each a voice that resonates with the characters on the page.

The story has not lost its charm and immediacy, despite the decades added to my age since I first enjoyed the companions’ developing friendship and their free-wheeling discussions on belief, faith, doubt and the prophet Marx. Monsignor Quixote’s attempt to explain the Trinity using wine bottles is a little touch of genius! And the delicious application of Cartesian philosophy in the finale is amusing and satisfying.

Delightful and thought provoking and heart-warming.

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Exquisite - a wonderful reading of a perfectly balanced tale - humour, sadness- wisdom, innocence

Nothing to dislike. 4 decades on this is still a brilliantly crafted story with clever believable plots and an ending that makes you smile and weep at the same time.

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Really quite beautiful

Superb narratation - yes, lip smacking and swallowing, but that is how old men talk, and the mayor and the monsignor were very real in this wonderful reading.
Writing superlative - a story full of incidents yet almost entirely told through a dialogue between the two friends. Their philosophical discussions were so interesting - very simple language, yet quite profound concepts. The discovery of doubt by two devout believers, the discovery also of merit in the opposing doctrine.
The end was sublime. I cried my eyes out but smiled throughout.

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Great book - bad recording

It's a wonderful book, both sad and funny with lovely images , spoiled by sloppy recording.

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1 person found this helpful

A lively read.

Cyril Cussak was the perfect narrator for this lovely story. I highly recommend this novel

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A Beautiful, Thoughtful, Touching Novel

At times, a radio dramatization is enough to send you to the original novel itself. Such was the case here. As soon as I had listened to five minutes of the play, I stopped listening and used a credit to add Graham Greene’s novel to my Audible library. This is a novel, sympathetically performed by Cyril Cusack. It is perfect for those who want to prompt their own thoughts alongside enjoying the thoughts, emotions, doubts and beliefs of the two main characters. The discussions of an elderly - and terribly innocent - Roman Catholic Priest, and a communist ex-mayor are funny, touching, poignant and beautifully woven against the Cervantes’ novel of Don Quixote. This novel will likely pierce some rigid beliefs of some readers. For others it will nourish and stimulate. The ending is wonderful and perfect, holding out questions for Monsignor Quixote’s friend. An odd couple their closeness, respect and regard for one another is really a satisfying love story. Be certain that as well as being enthralled by this novel and its audio-book that you want to return to it – and quite possibly buy a hard copy for your cheer-up shelf. This has been an exceptional listening experience. My best listen of the 50 audio-books enjoyed so far this year.

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A lightly comic, thought-provoking gem

Greene's modern rewrite of Don Quixote combines comedy with deep thought. His contemporary Quixote (a priest) and Sancho (a communist) travel around post-Franco-era Spain in a clapped-out car. Their adventures and conversations are whimsical, clever and memorable. Regarding narration: Cyril Cusack was one of Ireland's greatest stage and screen actors, but not everyone enjoys his 'mumbling' delivery as much as I do. In this recording Cusack's characterisations are pitch-perfect, even if his reading seems sometimes flustered. Be sure to sample the recording first, as Cusack's style may not be to your taste.

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5 people found this helpful

Very good

Good and sometimes funny,worth reading
Makes you want to Read the original Don quijote again

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Superb but not quite a perfect performance

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was quite fun and very entertaining. The performance was excellent but the experience war marred by loud audible swallows and breaths picked up in the audio. Very nitpicky but noticeable (for me). It didn't detract from the experience and I am looking forward to giving this another listen in the future.

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2 people found this helpful

Delightful

Humour and profundity beautifully underscored by the reading. I found it Very enjoyable and edifying.

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