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Publisher's Summary

First published in 1908, and widely regraded as his masterpiece, Penguin Island is Anatole France's most searching and satirical novel. A humorous critique of customs and laws, rituals and rites, its subject is human nature, but its characters are penguins in the mythical land of Penguinia. The story of the strutting penguins and their virtues and vices is not merely a burlesque allegory of French history, it is a satire of the history of mankind. With gentle yet biting irony, France challenges the Spencerian belief in the ultimate perfectibility of man, though his irony reveals his sympathy for man's weaknesses and his need for social institutions.
(P)1999 by Blackstone Audiobooks

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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  • Michael
  • 16-04-2006

The narrarator Ughhh

The narrarator does the nasty sounding spittle sound thing when he is reading. Maybe he had a really dry mouth and needed a drink of water, but it was terribly gross to listen to, and the guy had some weird nasal accent, it was more than I could stand to listen to. By now I have listen to hundreds of books of all different types and there are very few that I can't finish, but this book is one simply because of the narrarator.

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Rebecca
  • 19-10-2009

Satire like Jonathan Swift

Enjoyable retelling of history using penguins instead of men - whimsical yet serious. Drags some in the middle, but good beginning and end.

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Bill
  • 06-08-2018

Life is not fair - morality of the powerful

More relevant today than ever. Might is right. The little guy has no chance. Hypocrisy all around. This is a wonderfully amuzing exposition of the corruption of modern power over our lives. The narrator is perfect - the voice is of a haughty, dreadfully patient aristocratic explaining the facts of life for posterity. The story is of the banal and the evil ways in which the powerful wrest control and the silly responses from those who should resist. Five stars all around.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • cuptagrafft
  • 14-11-2004

Penguin Island

The story is a grate book if you know history though you can still enjoy this book if you don?t. This book is a classic.

5 people found this helpful

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