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Things I Don't Want to Know
- Living Autobiography 1
- Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson
- Length: 2 hrs and 59 mins
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Things I Don't Want to Know
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Summary
Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Things I Don't Want to Know by Deborah Levy.
Things I Don't Want to Know is the first in Deborah Levy's essential three-part 'Living Autobiography' on writing and womanhood. Taking George Orwell's famous essay 'Why I Write' as a jumping-off point, Deborah Levy offers her own indispensable reflections of the writing life. With wit, clarity and calm brilliance, she considers how the writer must stake claim to that contested territory as a young woman and shape it to her need.
Things I Don't Want to Know is a work of dazzling insight and deep psychological succour from one of our most vital contemporary writers.
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Critic reviews
"Unmissable. Like chancing upon an oasis, you want to drink it slowly.... Subtle, unpredictable, surprising." (The Guardian)
"Superb sharpness and originality of imagination. An inspiring work of writing." (Marina Warner)
What listeners say about Things I Don't Want to Know
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Dianella
- 06-06-24
Wonderful book
I discovered Debora Levy in a review on the paper in Italy. I started from the second book of the series, went on to read the third one and finished by reading the first one. I like them all but this one was my favourite. Love the way they are read by Juliet Stevenson, Levy’s writing style, imagery… it definitely speaks to me with more than a few coincidences with my private life .
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- mrsnorman
- 06-02-23
Terrible audiobook of an excellent book
Juliet Stevenson — whoever told you to do all those accents was extremely misguided. Avoid the audiobook and pick up the book instead.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- jacqueline shanks
- 17-04-23
Beware the accents
These are good stories horribly spoiled by accents that bordered on the offensive. The narrator and also sometimes her brother have English accents although they’re from Johannesburg but her mother has a very thick South African accent. No consistency. I’ll have to buy the book to get them out of my head!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Rachel O'Neill
- 10-10-23
Moving, eloquent, rewarding.
Deborah Levy brings us into her own world in this book with dignity and delivers its sadness without sentimentality and just enough drama. Completely engaging. Juliet Stevenson is a fine reader; the world is full of accents, and who is to say what’s “correct”. I’ve lived on five continents and the accents didn’t bother me. Well worth the listen.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nick Rodrigues
- 26-09-18
Wonderful book, non-stop listening
Deborah IS a genius. Every sentence is as sharp as necessary. I followed her around the globe through her words and didn't want to leave her by the time the last page was read. Juliet's narration is sublime. Her on point change of accents helped the teletransporting and her reading pace was perfect.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 10-04-24
Mastering a new genre
This genre of mosaic autobiography, deep introspection/reflection and literary backdrops/anecdotes woven into the story at the right moments it mesmerises. I feel myself hanging on her lips for every word and often repeating passages. Having finished it, I already know that I will listen to it again.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Annoymous User
- 12-02-19
Loved it!
Loved how eloquent the writing is. You truly feel for the main character and Juliet Stevenson brings this to life!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- c.clowes
- 07-08-23
Sad and hilarious!
Super entertaining and poiniant. Moments of reflection and events cascading through a writers life. Great insights into coming to terms with one's childhood and events that shape you.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MPU
- 16-09-22
The narrator lets this book down
It’s quite offensive of the person reading the book to use a Russian accent when reading as the Polish actress.
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