Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Preview

  • The Octopus: A Story of California

  • The Epic of the Wheat Series, Book 1
  • By: Frank Norris
  • Narrated by: John Lescault
  • Length: 21 hrs and 32 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (5 ratings)

£0.00 for first 30 days

Try for £0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

The Octopus: A Story of California

By: Frank Norris
Narrated by: John Lescault
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £28.99

Buy Now for £28.99

Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Summary

Like the tentacles of an octopus, the railroad in California reached out across the state, grasping everything of value in the state. Based on the bloody Mussel Slough Tragedy - a conflict between wheat farmers and the Southern Pacific Railroad - The Octopus is a stunning novel chronicling the twilight of the frontier West. A depiction of the tensions between the railroad, the ranchers, and the ranchers’ League. The book emphasizes the control of “forces” - such as the power of railroad monopolies - over individuals. No one was truly innocent, as the farmers employed the same if not similar tactics as the monopolistic railroad companies, such as subversion, coercion, and violence.
©2004 Frank Norris (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing
Classics Fiction Historical Fiction Science Fiction Railroad Transportation Historical Fiction California
Show More Show Less
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

 One of Ours cover art
McTeague cover art
Winter Dreams cover art
California Gold cover art
Anna of the Five Towns cover art
The Virginian cover art
Summer cover art
Tales of the Jazz Age (AmazonClassics Edition) cover art
So Big cover art
Breakaway House cover art
The Shepherd of Guadaloupe cover art
The Brass Man cover art
The Hamlet cover art
Light in August cover art
Roughing It cover art
H.G. Wells Fiction Collection cover art

What listeners say about The Octopus: A Story of California

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.co.uk reviews

Amazon reviews
Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Declan Magee

An absolute gem ***

A thoroughly engaging insight into turn-of-the-century (20th) in a pioneers v capitalism struggle.

I can’t understand how there’s only 2 other reviews here. Perhaps the very early death of Norris with a relatively slim canon of works has resulted in this author being overlooked.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!