And Quiet Flows the Don

By: Mikhail Aleksandrovich Sholokhov

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

Mikhail Sholokhov’s groundbreaking epic novel gives a sweeping depiction of Russian life and culture in the early 20th century. In the same vein as War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy, And Quiet Flows the Don gives listeners a glimpse into many aspects of Russian culture, and the choices a country makes when faced with war and destruction.

Public Domain (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

moving

don't know why it is hard,to get all 4 parts. however, it is a good read even with only 1/4 of the story available. the narration was excellent. .

Nuanced insight into Russia circa 1910

Read this one summer in college and was surprised by how much I had recalled and how much I had forgotten about the brutality of war.

A Beautiful Story

I'll confess that Quiet Flows the Don (along with the second part, the Don Flows Home to the Sea) is my favorite novel. I've read it in both Russian and English, and I consider it the finest novel ever written. That disclaimer aside, I eagerly pre-ordered the audio version as soon as I saw it would be available, and then counted down the weeks until its release. Stefan Rudnicki does justice to the story, and listening to it was a true pleasure. His performance is certainly commendable. It can be a tricky book, with many different characters and shifting viewpoints, so having a skilled narrator is a must. Rudnicki did not disappoint. If you enjoy Russian literature, tales of forbidden love, or sweeping epics, then this is the book for you. Also, check out the 14 part 2015 television adaptation of the novel after you listen to it. You won't be sorry.

HISTORICAL FICTION AT ITS BEST

It is difficult to extol the virtues of this fine novel, and equally fine narrator too highly.
Sholokhov was born in 1905 and grew up in the Don area of Russia, which he depicted in remarkable detail in his most famous novel, AND QUIET FLOWS THE DON, and various other novels about the Don Cossacks. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1965.
The Novel: Sholokhov worked on the novel for 14 years from 1926 to 1940. Set during the First World War and the Russian Revolution, it became the most widely read work of fiction in the new Communist State and presented the Don Cossacks to Russia and the world as never before. I was most impressed with the evocation of time, place and people, and the economy with which he achieved this. We get to know the various characters, the land in which they live during summer and winter and the challenges they face in peacetime and in war. Readers who enjoy historical novels that transport them to places and people long buried under the sod turned by the plough of time will be most satisfied taking this journey.
The narrator: Stefan Rudnicki is rare even among professionals. Many fine male readers do an excellent job with the prose and the male characters, but not as good with the female characters. Stefan is outstanding across the spectrum: male, female, young, old. The prose is presented in his mellifluous voice and the characters individualised by nuance and expression. A case of the writer’s intention and the narrator’s ability in perfect harmony.
Having read over 2300 books in the past 20 years, the majority on audio and from Audible, I average over 100 books a year and believe, even at this early stage, that this will be my book of the year. Highly recommended.
Happy reading. Eric. E: [e-mail]

and quiet flows the Don

Very good picture of the Russian life at the beginning of the century. Not Dostoevskiy or Faulkner, but is good overall.