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Disgrace

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Disgrace

By: J. M. Coetzee
Narrated by: Jack Klaff
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About this listen

After years teaching Romantic poetry at the Technical University of Cape Town, David Lurie, middle-aged and twice divorced, has an impulsive affair with a student. The affair sours, he is denounced and summoned before a committee of inquiry. Willing to admit his guilt, but refusing to yield to pressure to repent publicly, he resigns and retreats to his daughter Lucy's isolated smallholding.

For a time, his daughter's influence and the natural rhythms of the farm promise to harmonise his discordant life. But the balance of power in the country is shifting. He and Lucy become victims of a savage and disturbing attack which brings into relief all the faultlines in their relationship.

By the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature and twice winner of the Booker Prize.

©1999 J M Coetzee (P)2014 AudioGo Ltd. Published by Random House Audiobooks Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Fiction

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All stars
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At first, you end up loathing the cynical protagonist, a womanizing professor, who seems to have lost the will in life. Until the moment he realises the tragedy that befalls his daughter and that some things are out of his control.

The prose is poetic and decadent, but where I find some difficulties in processing is the protagonist's outlook of separating women into the virgin or prostitute category. What we understand is that the main character has actual little understanding around him. Very intriguing listen.

A sombre tale of choices

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I really enjoyed this. I found it's character portraits utterly convincing. The end was a slight let-down. I expected a sucker punch that brought it all together. Instead, it kind of fizzles, and the book deserves better.

Well performed, and well written. Overall, very good indeed.

Nine out of Ten

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A riveting insight into a changing world and how individuals come to terms with the ramifications of their actions.

The narration is an exemplary match to the timbre of the prose, drawing you into every detail.

Moving insight into consequences and change.

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I've never read one of his books before but this is a stunningly emotive and thoughtful novel
full of difficult subjects not easy to write and reflect upon within south Africa and beyond
the narrator was excellent as well

outstanding story and narration

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This book is held in very high regard by the world's critics and the author won the Nobel prize shortly after publishing it. Let me just add that I thought the narrator. Jack Klaff, does a superb job, both with inner thoughts, dialogue and especially pacing. I consumed this at 1.5x in less than 24 hours which I highly recommend. A gripping and powerful experience which I expect to resonate for a long time to come.

Superb book and superb narration

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This is a very difficult and provocative book. I’ve read it once before and struggled to understand it. However, reading it with Jack Klaff’s brilliant audiobook, I was absorbed much more into this searing and menacing tale. Klaff is wonderful at capturing not only the tone of Lurie and Coetzee’s narration, but also is adept at switching accents. Very pleased, nothing bad to say about this.

Excellent reading by Jack Klaff

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It was just too graphic and harrowing for me. I had to abandon it after the big event that occurs. I’m sure it’s a good book, but it’s just not for me.

Harrowing

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This was a re- read and I found the narration excellent - clear diction, sensitive to dialect and language, authentic, enhancing the sense of place of the book

One of my favourite books of all time

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Brilliant text for post colonial reading, Lucy is the antithesis of a hybrid Subaltern

Disgrace

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Loved the story and the reader for the most part RSA accents were a tad harsh though.

Great story.

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