Audiobook Reviews & Discussion

I don’t know how you can resist falling in love with Anne after listening to Anne of Green Gables.  She says so many funny and wonderful things.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Anne with an “e”, don’t you think it sounds so romantic?

Isn’t it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive–it’s such an interesting world. It wouldn’t be half so interesting if we know all about everything, would it? There’d be no scope for imagination then, would there?

Marilla, isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?

Here are some great quotes from the Art of War:

So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss.

If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you may win or may lose.

If you know neither yourself nor your enemy, you will always endanger yourself

The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.

Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys.
Look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death!

What a great opening line “Thor was SERIOUSLY annoyed.”

I loved this book, it made me want to listen every second until I was done.  It also made the laundry I was folding while listening to it go way faster, and made me laugh out loud.

One hilarious quote was when they were all about to descend on the Isle of Skullions, and Stoick says, “Once we reach the island, there will be absolutely NO farting, is that understood?”  I guess it was a bit adolescent to giggle at the joke on flatulence, but I definitely cracked up.

Did anybody else have a favorite part?

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from Oliver Twist – what are yours?

Please, Sir, I want some more.

When the boy is worth a hundred pounds to me, am I to lose what chance threw me in the way of getting safely, through the whims of a drunken gang that I could whistle away the lives of! And me bound, too, to a born devil, that only wants the will and has the power

Surprises, like misfortunes, seldom come alone.

If I had been less- less fortunate, the world would call it; if some obscure and peaceful life had been my destiny; if I had been poor, sick, helpless; would you have turned from me then? Or has my probable advancement to riches and honour, given this scruple birth?

I haven’t ever read Robinson Crusoe before I started listening to it last week.  I do have to say, Robinson Crusoe started a little slow, but I’m glad I kept going and finished it.  Here are some of my favorite quotes:

As I had once done thus in my breaking away from my Parents, so I could not be content now, but I must go and leave the happy View I had of being a rich and thriving Man in my new Plantation, only to pursue a rash and immoderate Desire of rising faster than the Nature of the Thing admitted; and thus I cast my self down again into the deepest Gulph of human Misery that ever Man fell into, or perhaps could be consistent with Life and a State of Health in the World.

Fear of danger is ten thousand times more terrifying than danger itself.

Thus we never see the true State of our Condition, till it is illustrated to us by its Contraries; nor know how to value what we enjoy, but by the want of it

When I came to England, I was as perfect a Stranger to all the World as if I had never been known there.

The first line of the book captures the essence of Mary:

When Mary Lennox was sent to Misselthwaite Manor to live with her uncle everybody said she was the most disagreeable child ever seen. It was true, too.

I cannot imagine everybody I know and love being killed by cholera.  Then, to be shipped off to a distant relative’s house would be quite confusing.  However, the other children still make fun of her singing:

Mistress Mary, quite contrary. How does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells and marigolds all in a row.

I love her first conversation with Dicken, when she reveals her secret to him:

A garden. I’ve stolen a garden. But it may already be dead, I don’t know.

There were so many wonderful parts of this book, and some pretty funny ones, too.  Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book – without giving too much away!

And what Hiccup had learned about dragons told him walking into a cave with three thousand dragons was an act of madness.  No one else seemed too concerned, however.

Oh, Hiccup, you are useless! crowed speedy fist.  You’re the son of a chief for Thor’s sake.  Why didn’t you get one of those new monstrous nightmares with a 6 foot wing span and the extra extendable claws?  They’re really mean killers, they are.

Fear, Vanity, Revenge & Silly Jokes

Did you have a favorite part of the book – or the movie?

I don’t think I’ll ever forget the directions to Neverland.  Reading this book as a little girl made me want to spend my days flying around with Tinkerbell, Peter, and the rest of the Lost Boys and never grow up.

There are so many memorable quotes from PeterPan, here are just a sampling of my favorite.

All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust.

When the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies.

Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.

What is your favorite quote from Peter Pan?

Have regular hours for work and play; make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well.  Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life become a beautiful success, in spite of poverty.

You may try your experiment for a week and see how you like it. I think by Saturday night you will find that all play and no work is as bad as all work and no play,’” their Mother said.