The Prince and the Pauper Audiobook By Mark Twain cover art

The Prince and the Pauper

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The Prince and the Pauper

By: Mark Twain
Narrated by: Kenneth Jay
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It is England in the time of Henry VII. Two boys meet. They were born on the same day; they look identical but they are not from the same family. Tom Canty is a pauper living in a hovel in the back streets of London, surviving as a beggar. Edward is Prince of Wales and about to become Edward VI.

By a sudden twist of fate, they find themselves in each other's circumstances, the pauper raised to royalty and the prince - to the state of a pauper.

This engaging fantasy is one of the classics of children's literature from the pen of Mark Twain. Woven into the fragment of an exciting story involving two boys trying to make sense of their worlds is a wealth of historical detail coloring the life and times of Tudor England.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©2001 NAXOS AudioBooks Ltd. (P)2001 NAXOS AudioBooks Ltd. England Classics Literature & Fiction Royalty

Editorial reviews

Kenneth Jay's lively performance of this Mark Twain classic is pitch-perfect, capturing very neatly its wry wit and humor. Twain's The Prince and the Pauper tells the story of two young boys, one heir to the throne and one a beggar child with an abusive father and miserable life among the country's lower class. Despite their differences, however, they have one thing in common: They're practically identical. Each tired of his lot in life, the two switch places, but soon begin to regret their impetuous swap....

Jay is a natural storyteller who injects just the right touch of colloquialism into his presentation of this well-known story, maintaining listener interest through his strong mastery of tonal shift and his clear, distinct diction.

Critic reviews

"Mark Twain's classic fantasy comes to life in this outstanding reading and interpretation by British actor Kenneth Jay." (School Library Journal)
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Although I had read this book several times since I was a child, and enjoyed it, I loved the way the narrator brought it alive. He does the different characters with skill, making you think that there is, for sure, several people doing the narration. Listen to this one for pure enjoyment and to get the kids hooked on the classics.

Story Comes Alive

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