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The Painted Bird

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The Painted Bird

By: Jerzy Kosinski
Narrated by: Fred Berman, Michael Aronov
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About this listen

Originally published in 1965, The Painted Bird established Jerzy Kosinski as a major literary figure. Called by the Los Angeles Times "one of the most imposing novels of the decade" it was eventually translated into more than 30 languages.

A harrowing story that follows the wanderings of a boy abandoned by his parents during World War II, The Painted Bird is a dark masterpiece that examines the proximity of terror and savagery to innocence and love. It is the first, and the most famous, novel by one of the most important and original writers of this century.

©1965 Jerzy N. Kosinski (P)2010 HighBridge Company Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction

Critic Reviews

"One of the best. . . . Written with deep sincerity and sensitivity." (Elie Wiesel, The New York Times Book Review)
"Extraordinary... literally staggering...one of the most powerful books I have ever read." ( Harper’s magazine)
All stars
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This book made me feel like I was actually in the war and see the extreme brutality of physical and mental violence so I'd recommend it to young adults and above.

This book is very well-written and the narrator did a good job with a slight accent (like the author himself who was a Polish Jewish) which made it even more realistic.

I liked how this book made me time-travel and see and feel things that happened that i have not experienced by luck. It makes you think about the unreal peace we have now that we think is so normal.

Loved it.

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this book touched me deeply.
many concepts explored that go to the heart of the human soul, values morality, society, god ands deprivation . great narrator.

shocking and thought provoking

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Absolutely one of my favorite books! Sometimes you don’t know if you should be disgusted or inspired bu the way it is written. It is like a warm bonfire in a freezing cold winter morning.

Blew my mind

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I was intrigued with this book. Some of the content was hard going but I couldn't help wondering was happens next. I found this book to be an interesting study into the many facets of human nature during a very difficult time in our history. I was left saddened by the knowledge that so many people were actually treated in the ways portrayed in this book and find myself wondering if humanity has actually advanced beyond these attitudes...I certainly hope so...but we must be vigilant. I very much enjoyed the narration. Many thanks to the Author.

Not for the faint-hearted

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Hard to hear about the extreme brutality however needs to be told in order to avoid similar events in the future.

Beautifully narrated story of suffering and survival!

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Couldn’t finish the story. The atrocities got too much for me. I researched about the book & author after putting it down.

Heartbreaking - Couldn’t finish

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