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    The Scarlet Letter: Timeless Classics
    The Scarlet Letter: Timeless Classics
    The Scarlet Letter: Timeless Classics
    Audiobook (abridged)1 hour

    The Scarlet Letter: Timeless Classics

    Written by Nathaniel Hawthorne

    Narrated by Saddleback Educational Publishing

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Hester Prynne must be punished. Why won't she name her baby's father? The vengeful Puritans of Boston demand an answer. Can the new doctor in town unlock the mystery of the shameful secret? Hester's gentle pastor seems unable- or unwilling- to give her any help.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSaddleback Educational Publishing
    Release dateJan 1, 2011
    ISBN9781612475196
    The Scarlet Letter: Timeless Classics
    Author

    Nathaniel Hawthorne

    Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and biographer. His work centres on his New England home and often features moral allegories with Puritan inspiration, with themes revolving around inherent good and evil. His fiction works are considered part of the Romantic movement and, more specifically, Dark romanticism.

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    Reviews for The Scarlet Letter

    3.5/5

    167 ratings113 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 2/5
      I can't say I liked it, but it was an interesting study on sin and guilt and how they work on the psyche. Props where they are due and Nathaniel Hawthorne gets one for that.
    • 4/5
      Although the book is dated of course, I found it quite impressive. It certainly is worth reading, to get to know a world of which one hardly can believe it ever existed.
    • 4/5
      Ugh. Ok, so I totally read this book in high school. Public high school...after eight years of Catholic. It was kind of an eye-opener. What I remember most is 1) being SO thankful I didn't live in that time period and 2) absolutely horrified at how women were treated.I should re-read it, and see if it's still as shocking to me.
    • 3/5
      I read The Scarlet Letter (as an e-book) because my daughter (high school junior) was reading this in class. All I knew beforehand was that this is a famous classic novel and that the main character's name is Hester Prynne and that she wears a scarlet A indicating she was an adulterer.I guessed almost right away who her baby's father was. I wonder how shocked people back in the day were when they read this revelation (which happens later in the novel), and/or if they guessed as quickly as I did.Some bits were interesting, but too much of this read like sermonizing and went on and on. This is not a classic that struck a chord with me. My daughter feels pretty much the same way as I do.
    • 3/5
      its a good book, but it is very hard to read
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed the story but the writing was a chalenge at times. I do not mean that I could not comprehend it but the sentences were too long. This made the book drag on.
    • 2/5
      I came into this book with excitement and high hopes, only to be slightly let down. This book was supposed to be a master piece, however I found it to be dull and a little hard to follow. I did enjoy the plot however I liked how it explained the Puritans view on adultery and how they choose to punish Hester. I think the main reason I did not like this book was because I had to read it for school (no one likes to be forced to do anything), but I also felt like I did not like it because of how everything was just dragged on. I also think part of my let down was because of the fact that so many people through out the world raved about this book, and I just assumed it was going to be great. It had a good plot however it was just hard to follow, well I guess we cant love them all!
    • 4/5
      In this classic tale of adultery, Hawthorne presents sympathetic characters and a story that rings true today. The language, as in most classic novels, can sometimes be hard to understand, but the story should resonate with modern audiences nonetheless.
    • 5/5
      This book is about a woman who has just been released from prison after being charged for adultery. She has to wear the letter "A" on her as her punishment so everyone will know. The story carries on to her being pregnant and explaining what happens to her and the baby within the next seven years.Teach how to not pass judge anyone without getting to know them. Not caving into what society wants.High School
    • 4/5
      How can one dispute the genius and boldness of Hawthorne's masterpiece in the time it was written or it's endurance throughout history? Still poignant today, and rich in symbolism. However, as I freely admit, tedious to read due to archaic language and overly long descriptions in parts.
    • 3/5
      As is often the case with novels from this period, Hawthorne prattles on a bit too much for my more modern tastes. A good tale, but each chapter takes too long to tell what it has to say. I prefer Dickens for period classics.
    • 5/5
      A classic tale. Hester Prynne, accused by her community for adultery. Bearing a child, is a pariah of her community.

      I really don't know if there is much I can add to this story that hasn't already been said about it. It is a must read. It should be on everyone's bookshelf. What amazes me most about this book is that even back then Nathaniel Hawthorne showed the injustic of the double standard. Where women are treated as the chattel they were and men literary got away with murder when it comes to women. I also love the fact how the author points out that some men are just scum above and beyond how they treat women.

      This book is and will always be a classic for me. It is one of my favorites. I highly recommend it to be on everyone's bookshelf!
    • 3/5
      A good book. Hawthorne knew how to get into people's minds and make them think about things. At some points you feel for Hester, and then at others you just cuss at her (to yourself and hopefully under your breath or you get weird looks in the library) for just being so stupid.A lot of people don't like this book, but I found it oddly interesting. Good, evil, heaven, hell, what's right and what's not is such a slippery slope and can engender so much meaningful dialogue.
    • 3/5
      A book that shows the great strength of one woman against the unfair opinions of the populace and the bias of that socity of men verus women.
    • 3/5
      I know it's a "classic", but I thought it was only average.
    • 4/5
      A dark, gothic tale that seeps into the conscious, perhaps wordy for modern readers, but satisfying.
    • 3/5
      This is from a compendium I have of Hawthorne's works, so I don't know the date. I believe I already read this in school (HS) but I don't remember it being so sluggish. Holy cow!!! Took a lot to get thru this and I slogged away. It is written on a higher reading level than most current books are. Ok but not fantastic. Kinda depressing....
    • 4/5
      An extremely well-written book about the tensions that rock a small puritan town. Though it may not be to everyone's taste, it is a definite must-read for any fan of the classics.
    • 3/5
      Somehow I'd never read this book in school, and recently picked it up. I was surprised at the sophistication of the characters' psychology.
    • 5/5
      This is one of the most beautifully and intelligently written works I have ever come across. It's just brilliant.
    • 3/5
      I'll admit that this book was too hard for me in 11th grade. I used it mostly to learn about 50 vocabulary words, but after reading the Cliff's Notes, I actually loved the story and wish I could have comprehended it on my own.
    • 4/5
      After a very slow beginning, I really enjoyed this novel. There is a lot to it beyond the surface, but I can see why so many teens don't care for it.
    • 5/5
      I was lucky in the fact that I was never forced to read the Scarlet Letter in school. I have heard about it and I recognize the allusions made to it during Easy A and Arthur with his scarlet letter "K"(to brand him a most unseemly knitter). So, I broke down and read it.The plot is simple: a woman is marked as an adulteress with a scarlet A and this is what happens next. That simple plot is what kept me reading until I got to the juicy part of the book. The revelation that Hester's husband isn't dead and he is out searching for her lover. There are clues out there to identify the lover but it isn't really stated until you are a good 75% way through the book. By then, you are already swept up in the story and keep reading because you want to know what happens next.The beginning of the book is a little dull, but keep pushing through it because hidden in the pages of the book is a delightful and intriguing story about the repercussions of one woman's love. 4.5 stars.
    • 4/5
      A good story with an ending that seems to depend on your viewpoint of life. This was actually a debate between my brother's children and myself last time we were home. I felt she was a strong character and they thought she was weak. Books that create this type of debate are always welcome in my library.
    • 4/5
      This has got to rate as one of the founding fathers of the suspense genre. A sinful outcast, Hester Prynne, bares the mark of the scarlet letter and the scorn of a Puritan New England town. The story follows her struggle to hold her head up in this community. Hester's success in holding her public shame is mirrored by the torture concealment brings her fellow in adultery. The Scarlet Letter is a brilliant exploration into human weakness, strength and morals. The language is of it's period, so can be a little heavy going at times. The story shines through and carries you along on a great journey.
    • 3/5
      I felt the need to rate this at least 3 stars simply because the writing was so good. In fact, the only reason I finished it was because I loved the use of creative language. But I just don't have the attention span for these classic books! Please never make me read another one! Except maybe I'll re-read Pride and Prejudice again sometime. And maybe Jane Eyre. Maybe.
    • 5/5
      I put my hands on the beating hearts of Arthur Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne, they came close to escaping their time. Characters trump plot, but here the story line is viciously inescapable.
    • 3/5
      I haven't read this since high school, and I hated it back then. However, it's our October book for book club. Hopefully I'll like it better this time around.
    • 3/5
      This was required reading for English class. Now that I think about it--it does seem odd that a school would have us reading about a woman being punished for adultery--well, the adultery part in a school book seems odd--though if they were going to have us read about adultery, I don't find it so odd that they would have it be this book. I remember our teacher saying "if you're reading the Cliff Notes, you already know who the baby's father is"--and it was true! The Cliff Notes did reveal the baby's father long before the book did. (But I won't reveal who it was here to avoid any spoilers.)
    • 5/5
      One of the most moving books I've read. Hester is carrying a child. Hester is not married and won't reveal the name of the father. In a time ruled by severe church authorities, this is not to be tolerated. The courage of Hester, her dignity, make her heroic to me. The father of the child is despicably weak, unable to own up to his sin and willing that she should be the one to suffer. A good example to show that if Christ is not ruling the heart it does no good for a person to have the appearance of godliness.