Product Description
From the moment Judi Dench appeared as a teenager in the York Mystery Plays it was clear that acting would be her career. Trained at London's Central School of Speech and Drama it was her performance in her twenties as Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli's memorable Old Vic production that turned her into a star. In the theatre since she has played every classic role from Titania (three times, most recently in 2010) to Cleopatra. She first became a household name via television, thanks initially to a sit-com, A FINE ROMANCE, in which she played alongside the actor Michael Williams, whom she married in 1971. She has since made nine series of another sit-com, AS TIME GOES BY (with Geoffrey Palmer), as well as plays and classic serials such as CRANFORD. In the cinema her films have ranged from LADIES IN LAVENDER (opposite Maggie Smith) through NOTES ON A SCANDAL with Cate Blanchett to SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, in which she played Queen Elizabeth, a role which gained her a Hollywood Oscar. But it is her role as 'M' in six James Bond films beginning with GOLDENEYE in 1995 that has gained her worldwide recognition. This book is, however,much more than a career record.Her marriage (Michael Williams died in 2001), their daughter, andher impish sense of humour contribute vividly to her account of more than half a century as Britain's best-loved actress. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

No major revelations, but still a fascinating and entertaining book
As Judi Dench explains in the preface, this book is not a traditional autobiography. Rather, it's intended to be a follow-up to her 1998 biography Judi Dench: With a Crack in Her Voice, filling in gaps and bringing us up to date with her life since that book was written. However I enjoyed it without having read that biography. It reads like you are sitting down with a cup of tea and enjoying a lengthy conversation with this very interesting lady. Dame Judi talks us through her career with passing asides about why she made a decision to play a part a particular way or how she'd do it differently now or a funny anecdote about a member of the cast. Because her career has been so extensive, there are times when the book seems to get bogged down in lists of plays she appeared in and who she worked with, but it's written in a sufficiently interesting way that it stays enjoyable.

There are revealing glimpses here and there, but for the most part Dame Judi remains reticent about disclosing too much about who she is or how she works. Near the end she says "why should (the public) know the ins and outs of everything?...I want to keep a quiet portion inside that is my own business". Which is interesting given that she openly confesses to being very nosy and liking knowing what's happening with everyone around her. There are fascinating sections where she describes her working routine or how she sometimes struggles to come to grips with characters, but then she backs away again, as if to say "that's all you're getting".

What does clearly emerge is her lively and mischievous sense of humor. She has an ongoing gag with Tim Piggott-Smith where they arrange to surprise one another (usually on stage) with the appearance of a black glove. She encourages her fellow castmates to slip Russian names into their lines during a production of The Cherry Orchard. She revels in a farting horse on the set of Mrs Smith. We also get glimpses of occasional diva like tendencies: dressing down journalists who ask inane questions or directors who expect her to learn new lines at short notice. She comments, "I can really be difficult when I want to be."

The focus is very much on Dame Judi's professional career. She mentions her husband often, but there is very little about their relationship or how his passing affected her (what she doesn't say somehow makes it more moving). In fact we learn very little of substance about any of her friends. There's no gossip here. If she doesn't like someone, she'll simply skip over them. So what do we get? Fascinating insights into the different ways that directors operate (a 23 year old Sam Mendes confidently tells her that the way she wants to play a scene won't work and he won't watch), how she interprets famous characters, the plays and theaters she likes and doesn't, how she motivates herself when she doesn't feel inspired. It's highly readable, extremely interesting and well worth a read. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (16)

judi dench book
This is a must have book for any Judi Dench fan.Lots of photos from both her personal life and professonial
career.

Mother Loved It.
A big Judi Dench fan, my mother received from me for a special occasion. She said she could not put it down. I paid less than $6 new, and now see I got a bargain.

Photos are excellent
This came on time with more photos than the American version.She is multitalented and is ageing better than I am and I am younger.Awesome actress worth buying.

Lovely book about a lovely lady
Any fan of Dame Judi Dench will enjoy this beautiful picture book showing candid photographs as well as more formal pictures of this great actress. The book makes a wonderful "coffee table" book for guests to peruse. Dame Judi has written comments about each picture and in those comments and the pictures chosen, she shares a bit of insight into both her professional life and personal life. A winner of a book.

Too many photos, too little info
Judi Dench is a favorite actress and I wanted to know more about her life. Too many photos and not enough about the person. ... Read more

Product Description
Whether it is her sunny temperament, her gift of laughter, her wide-ranging abilities, or all three, Judi Dench is without doubt a star. Shortlisted for a 1998 Oscar for her performance as Queen Victoria in MRS BROWN, she then won one for her role as Queen Elizabeth in SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE.Judi Dench is widely loved, and not only among the theatrical profession. Her long-running appearance opposite Geoffrey Palmer in the TV situation comedy AS TIME GOES BY has run to four series and gained her a TV TIMES readers' award as 'the actress we most wish see more often on television'. She juggles the National Theatre (a sell-out season in Sondheim's A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC and David Hare's AMY'S VIEW) with TV and films (she is now established as 'M' in the latest James Bond series). Since the paperback edition was published, John Miller has written a new chapter, bringing what is fast becoming a classic biography completely up-to-date. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Miller, John, Judi Dench: With A Crack in Her Voice
For anyone interested in Dame Judi Dench's long career firstly on stage, then television and film, this is the ultimate book on the subject! Moving along chronologically, Mr. Miller interviews her many friends and colleagues, with her permission, and goes back to her for illuminating corroboration and/or further insight.Known for years in her native England, her career blossoms into the world-renowned actress who truly has worked diligently; this was not a career in any way "handed" to her....she toiled daily for her craft.Paralelling her career, the book illuminates her long, successful marriage to the Shakespearean actor Michael Williams and their daughter Finty.For a theatre buff, many familiar names appear with whom she not only works but who, due to her jovial and kindly demeanor, become life-long friends who admire her talent and strength of character.It is a fun read: you will find it difficult to put down as it is so full of interesting details.

Judi Dench: With a Crack in Her Voice
This book arrived in a timely manner, was in great shape and is a wonderful read. Any and all Dame Judi fans should add this to their library.

Saint Judi - as Seen by Her Friend
Parts of this book are very interesting and supremely funny.This is not a biography (or, at least, not a good one), however, and to call it that is an error.John Miller is Dame Judi Dench's friend, and has clearly written this book with an eye to her approval and favor.Because of this leash on his research, the book is not anything approaching even-handed.The first half is a laundry-list of her early stage roles, and the second is a series of anecdotes regarding a lady I began to refer to as Saint Jude.If Miller is to be believed, she has never set a foot wrong, never been less than generous and perfect, and everyone in the world loves her.Come now.I adore Judi Dench, but there are no perfect people in the world, and that's just a fact.

Even the pranks that Judi pulls onstage, which when read one after the other after the other, take on the sheen of the childish, are mentioned as adorable things that that scamp Judi loves to do to keep her actor friends happy.Backstage tantrums, which are alluded to, only occur because she's so darned concerned about "getting it right," not because she's a human, and therefore inherently imperfect, human being, who sometimes loses her cool.

In addition to the above, this is an incredibly slow read.John Miller is not a particularly compelling writer, and there are times when it takes 30 minutes just to travel 15 pages in her life, because the prose is so stilted and dull.

Judi Dench is the greatest living British actress.There is no disputing that.She is someone with a fantastic sense of humor; someone I'd love to know.She is also human, and I would have preferred to read a biography that explores her less-stellar moments in a more objective way.Judi Dench: With a Crack in Her Voice is not that biography.

Interesting insight into this Dame's career
I read a review that had said this book doesn't go very far into Dame Judi Dench's private life, but rather sticks with her professional career, and this is very true. The book highlights Judi Dench's career from the very beginning by focusing on all that she has accomplished professionly. The book isn't totally void of private tidbits about Judi Dench, few have been generously exposed and are pleasant to read. My favorite parts of the book are told about how Judi Dench loves to play funny tricks on her costars, she will go far for a laugh. I have seen quite alot of her work and it is really neat to read about the behind the scenes antics and dramas that went on. Overall, great read and very enjoyable for anyone who is a Judi Dench fan, you will learn alot from reading this book.

Interesting if one dimensional.
This is a gently and beautifully written book and embues a real sense of how the great Lady has developed her craft and how it has developed her as a person. I found it particulary interesting in terms of Dame Judi's early life as she and I hail from the same city (York) and her Father was my Grandmother's family Doctor.
What you get from this book is really what moulded Judi as an actor, by and large it steers away from her personal life and personal expose. I for one am glad of this as too often the style of the modern biographer is to seek out skeletons lerking in cupboards first and foremost, however tenious the evidence.
This is more of a celebratory style of the working aspect of Judi's life, how it developed and what traits lie at her core, what it is that makes her one, if not "the" finest living British actress.
It is a compliment of a book and collaborative overhaul of her career form it's inception. It manages not to be sychophantic and feels, moreover like a gentle but very interesting conversation with Judi. It delicate style almost certainly reflects Judi's personality to some degree, a private and retiring woman not given to self inflation nor aduration. It's a hark back to respectful style of biography and chronicals a remarkable career superbly. A very different genre of modern biography and worth it for this reason but moreover for it's outstanding and wonderful subject. ... Read more

Product Description
A tribute to the acclaimed British actress. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

If you love Judi, you will love this book
Anyone who has enjoyed Dame Judi Dench's work over the 40+ years will surely enjoy reading this book.In this book, many of Judi's co-workers, directors, and friends write their own personal views on Judi and what makes her so special.Read it, enjoy it, and get another glimpse into this remarkable artist's life and work.

Darling "Darling Judi"
Being a super fan of Dame Judi Dench, I bought this book and have read it multiple times.It is wonderful to read the words said of this wonderful lady by those who know her.Having met her and found her to be so kind and caring to her fans, I have to agree with all of their good words.Everyone seems to just love her and I can see why.

Darling Judi: ACelebration of Judi Dench
Everything about Judi is covered in this book.If you like Judi Dench, you will love this book.

A Celebration of Judi's Acting Career.
Those of us who enjoy reading about Judi's life will be a little disappointed,for this book deals mainly with her acting career.Her many friends in theprofession have written amusing stories of their contact with her during various stage and film roles,which are quite entertaining and highlight their view of her as an individual.Judi Dench fans will,no doubt,find it quite an enjoyable read and well worth the price.

I Love You, Judi, But...
Dame Judi Dench is a superbly talented actress and a lovely human being, and she earned every bit of the acclaim sent her way. But in this book, her biographer asked a bunch of associates to write about her, and an endless series of essays oozing with praise gets old fast. I wouldn't even read it if it was DARLING MICHAEL LaROCCA. Sorry. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Whether it is her sunny temperament, or her gift of laughter or her wide-ranging abilities, or all three, Judi Dench is a star. Shortlisted for a 1998 Hollywood Oscar for her performance as Queen Victoria in Mrs Brown,she is widely loved and not only among the theatrical profession. Her long-running appearance opposite Geoffrey Palmer in the TV situation comedy AS TIME GOES BY has run to four series and gained her a TV Times readers' award as "the actress we most wish see more often on television". Her range is far greater than her rival Maggie Smith (Dench was created a Dame in 1988 two years before Smith). She juggles the National Theatre (a sell-out season in Sondheim's A Little Night Music andDavid Hare's Amy's View) withb tv andfilms (she is now established as 'M' in the latest James Bond series).

Judi Dench has always declined to write her memoirs, but agreed to co-operate with John Miller, whose life of Ralph Richardson was highly praised on publication in 1995. The only previous biography (by Gerald Jacobs and published in 1985) causes her to wrinkle her nose and laugh. "It didn't tell me anything I didn't know about myself. "John Miller's does that. The final chapter includes Dench's own diary she kept in the run-up to the Oscar ceremony in Hollywood in March 1998. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A treasure as an actress
This book says a lot about Judi Dench. People who worked with her are more honest than friends. She seems to be a joy to work with. ... Read more

Product Description
Look to the Lady examines the careers, talents, and styles of three women who were acknowledged, each in her time, as the greatest interpreter of Shakespeare's heroines: Sarah Siddons, Ellen Terry, and Judi Dench. In the eighteenth century, Siddons was celebrated for playing Shakespeare's tragic women in a heroic, even "sublime" style. Terry, who reigned over the late nineteenth-century stage, had a softer, "beautiful" style and is remembered best for her roles in Shakespeare's comedies. Dench, who still performs, has amassed a more varied résumé than either of her predecessors. Not only has Dench had the advantages of variety offered by film and television roles, says Russ McDonald, but she may also command a greater artistic range.

One of McDonald's interests is in the ways Shakespearean performance influences, and is influenced by, critical and popular appraisal of the works. He also discerns parallels and distinctions in the approaches of Siddons, Terry, and Dench to the vocation of acting—specifically to Lady Macbeth and other great Shakespearean roles.Look to the Lady also helps us to better understand the place and function of the theater in British national life and what constitutes "great acting" at various historical moments. Further, by examining across time the varied attitudes of actors, critics, and audiences toward Shakespearean texts and roles, McDonald offers insights into how external forces combine with the inherent appeal of the plays to keep them fresh and new centuries after they were first written and performed.

Throughout, McDonald blends learned commentary on the history and culture of the stage with entertaining details about the appearance, personality, genealogy, and private life of each actor. Including some rarely seen images and drawing on previously untapped reviews and anecdotes, this is a lively introduction to the burgeoning field of performance criticism. ... Read more

Product Description
read by David Benedictus Four cassettes Running time: 4 hours ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

The most definitive Pooh audio books ever!
This is THE audio book collection to have to fully appreciate the English A.A. Milne stories in all its gentle ironies, witty humour, characterisations etc. There is so much wealth in the original stories and the performance by the excellent well-directed cast truly brings the stories to life and does the stories justice.The most important thing is: they are so entertaining that parents will never tire of listening to the stories while the kids are totally absorbed and tickled.The CDs are full of songs with clever tunes that are often sung by the kids (and parents) with great enjoyment.This is most suitable for you especially if the limited Disney portrayal leaves you cold.

Perfect Pooh--wish I could give it 10 stars!
I really cannot imagine how anyone could ever dramatize Pooh any better. Do not believe any negative reviews out there--this is the greatest. I have it because my sister and her kids love it and gave it to us. They have bought a second copy in case anything happens to the first as it is the FAVORITE on all car rides or even around the house.

You will love this audiobook as much as your kids do(unlike alot of kids stuff out there!) as it perfectly captures the gentle, playful, whimsical, loving tone of these stories. It also captures the funny English-isms which preschoolers LOVE (kids really get a kick out of wordplay and are fascinated by new words at this age)Put it on at 5:00 pm or on a long car ride when the kids are going banannas and you won't be disappointed.

best Pooh recording out there
Terrific casting - top-drawer firepower! - on all voices except Tigger, who alas is over the top and irritating, but one ignores it in favor of the wonderful rest.Clever use of the actors as both narrators and characters.Stephen Fry as Pooh is perfect and Geoffrey Palmer as Eeyore is revelatory - after nearly 50 years, I finally "get" Eeyore!

IGNORE THE AUDIOFILE REVIEW!
These are WONDERFUL tapes, as is the first (Pooh Goes Visiting), especially for anyone who loves the real Pooh and is disgusted by the Disney version (talk about repellently cutesy!). Now, Tigger's voice here--that does hit the wrong note. But we (post-grad educated) grownups and our four (2 to 8 year old) children think Piglet's and Eeyore's voices are priceless, and Owl's and Rabbit's and Christopher Robin's and others' are just right,too. Over the last few years these tapes have been the most requested of the car-ride playlist, for which we parents are grateful because they're as much fun for us as for the kids. By far the best Pooh tapes I've heard.

The most wonderful Pooh ensemble performance!
These four tapes will find a permanent place in your collection. They represent an amazing dramatization of the two Pooh books (including all the stories in their original order) by this talented group of British performers. My favorite is probably Piglet -- Jane Horrocks's amazing Piglet is really understated. Every endearing "Oo-ooh-oh" makes me laugh and want to listen again. I also adore the quiet, loving rendition of Pooh by Stephen Fry and the wonderful curmudgeonly Eeyore of Geoffrey Palmer. But I love everybody involved here (except Tigger in his entrance, which is a little strong) and am delighted to have discovered them. If for some reason you only want one or two of these tapes, the same recordings are available on four separate tapes, starting with "Pooh Goes Visiting." If you are a fan of Pooh, by all means try these wonderful tapes! ... Read more

Product Description
This entertaining introduction to Shakespeare's work weaves biographical information with excerpts from 33 of his plays. Informative, well-researched commentary written by two Royal Shakespeare Company actors provides a glimpse of the man and little-known lore about his work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Shakespeare Audio Book
This audio book provides biographical information about William Shakespeare, background information about Elizabethan England and a short, succinct synposis for each play with bonus readings by Timothy West and Judi Dench, one of the very best Shakespearean actors of the latter part of the 20th century. Good Shakespearean actors "obey the metre." The dramatic readings from the plays allow you to hear spoken Shakespeare while learning about each play, one bonus being that you can listen as you drive.

Works on all levels
What motivated me to hear (Audio Partners) was the presence of Judi Dench and Timothy West in "performances from 33 plays," as the cover states. I have long admired Mr. West ever since an old Masterpiece Theater portrayal of Edward VII and many appearances on other British TV imports. Of Ms. Dench, little has to be said--she is the supreme actress.

I really doubted if the contents of these two cassettes or CDs with a running time of only 2.5 hours could do justice to either Shakespeare's life or work; and of course it does not. What it does accomplish works on two levels. For both beginner and Ph.D. holder, there are the readings of the two stars. Granted, each selection is very short indeed, sometimes only two or three lines. But what a joy it is to hear Mr. West take on so many roles with so many voices from the young Coriolanus to the ancient Lear. And Dame Judi's enunciation should be a lesson to all actresses who are taught to mumble and whisper by recent directors who wish to keep the dialogue a secret from the audience.

There is little new for the advanced English major in the portions that are narrated by the authors, Richard Hampton and David Weston, both of whom are actors and directors with the Royal Shakespeare Company. At best, their script is a miracle of concision, telescoping both the life and works into a cohesive narrative that must leave out so much of the life to leave time for the works. Yes, every one of the plays (except "Two Noble Kinsmen") is treated with varying degrees of brevity; and a listener totally unfamiliar with any (or all) of them can get a decent idea of what the play is about both in plot and theme. Those thoroughly familiar with the plays might smile at some of the simplifications required to carry off this recording (is Iago really the most evil villain in the plays?) while still admiring how the writers got right down to the essential points without too much editorializing.

All in all, I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in our language's greatest poet or in the art of reading his lines. Thank you, Audio Partners. ... Read more

Product Description
TIGER COMES TO THE FOREST and other stories
Story 1 In which a house is built at Pooh Corner for Eeyore

Story 2In which Tiger comes to the forest and has breakfast

Story 3In which Tiger is unbounced

Story 4In which Eeyore finds the Wolery and Owl moves into it

Story 5In which Christopher Robin and Pooh come to an enchanted place

POOH INVENTS A NEW GAME and other stories
Story 1In which Rabbit has a busy day

Story 2In which Pooh invents a new game

Story 3In which it is shown that Tiggers don’t climb trees

Story 4In which a search is organdized

Story 5In which Piglet does a very grand thing ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Thrilled this is out on CD
We had copies of this when my son was little it a fabulous audio book for Pooh lovers.My son listened to his copy until the tape wore out.The cast is wonderful and the reading is charming. ... Read more

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Product Description
From the moment Judi Dench appeared as a teenager in the "York Mystery Plays", it was clear that acting would be her career. This title tells her story. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

A Useful Pocket Sized Resource- Despite the Small Font
I still use mySimon and Schuster Pocket Companion to Shakespeare's Plays (1989) to check on the date of a particular play, to glance over a synopsis, or the find the name of a character that I have forgotten, despite my increasing use of Wikipedia now days.

The plays are arranged chronologically. (We should be thankful for those meticulous Victorian scholars a century ago that helped create the now accepted sequence of Shakespeare's works.In fact, there is a 35-page biography section that briefly outlines the contributions of key Shakespearean actors, directors, critics, and scholars.)There is small section on Shakespeare's poetry and sonnets.

Three or four pages, sometimes more, are devoted to each play with sections titled Synopsis,In Performance, In Other Terms (e.g., films), and Chief Characters.

There are two brief sections on major Shakespearean Theatres and Shakespearean Festivals.The Select Glossary on Shakespeare's English (roughly 900 terms) might prove useful as a study guide, although I typically rely on footnotes and my favorite dictionary when reading for pleasure.There is even a genealogical chart for the House of Lancaster and the House of York.

The Simon and Schuster Pocket Companion to Shakespeare's Plays is not without defects.Most noticeably, the font size is small to the point that good lighting is essential, especially if you are old enough to have read a good many Shakespearean plays more than once.

As the forward indicates, this guidebook targets readers developing a kinship with Shakespeare's works. Scholars and theatrical professionals will likely require more elaborate studies, but for many readers this small book will prove most satisfactory.And it will fit in a pocket.

Newer Edition: A fully revised 2005 edition titled The Pocket Companion to Shakespeare's Plays is available from Mitchell Beazley Publishing.The revisions were by Stanley Wells; the forward was written by Dame Judi Dench. ... Read more

Product Description
Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Dame Judith Olivia "Judi" Dench, CH, DBE, FRSA (born 9 December 1934) is an English film, stage and television actress. Dench made her professional debut in 1957 with the Old Vic Company. Over the following few years she played in several of William Shakespeare's plays in such roles as Ophelia in Hamlet, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth. She branched into film work, and won a BAFTA Award as Most Promising Newcomer, however most of her work during this period was in theatre. Not generally known as a singer, she drew strong reviews for her leading role in the musical Cabaret in 1968. During the next two decades, she established herself as one of the most significant British theatre performers, working for the National Theatre Company and the Royal Shakespeare Company. In television, she achieved success during this period, in the series A Fine Romance from 1981 until 1984 and in 1992 began a continuing role in the television romantic comedy series As Time Goes By. Her film appearances were infrequent until she was cast as M in GoldenEye (1995), a role she has played in each James Bond film since. She received several notable film awards for her role as Queen Victoria in Mrs. Brown (1997), and has since been acclaimed for her work in such films as Shakespeare in Love (1998), Chocolat (2000), Iris (2001), Mrs Henderson Presents (2005) and Notes on a Scandal (2006), and the television production The Last of the Blonde Bombshells (2001). Regarded by critics as one of the greatest actresses of the post-war period, and frequently named as the leading British actress in polls, Dench has received many award nominations for her acting in theatre, film and television; her awards include ten BAFTAs, seven Laurence Olivier Awards, two ... More: http://booksllc.net/?id=85432 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Simplified for little ones, but faithful to the original
When I went to introduce my preschooler to Winnie-the-Pooh, I bought the big book with the complete stories and poems. It didn't take long for me to figure out that it wasn't quite right for my 3-year-old. Reading a story out of the original works takes a good 15-20 minutes, which is more than one can really expect from a preschooler or toddler. Also, the original Pooh is a bit like Sesame Street, in that there are phrases and indeed entire sections of the stories that adults will find amusing but which will just go over a child's head.

And yet, I didn't want to break down and go the route of the Disney-fied Pooh books, with their cartoonish illustrations and watered-down plots and characters.

That's why I was so pleased to find the Easy-to-Read series. There are six easy-to-read titles from two publishers. They are:

Winnie-the-Pooh and Some Bees
Pooh Goes Visiting
Eeyore Has a Birthday
Tigger Comes to the Forest
Christopher Robin Leads an Expedition
Pooh Invents a New Game

Each book is based on one chapter from the complete works. These little books are divided into four chapters, although it should be no problem to read one from start to finish in one sitting.

The print is large and well spaced, and there are ample illustrations (the original drawings by E.H. Shepard) on every page spread to keep little eyes engaged in the story. Most important, the editor has removed most of the passages that aren't so kid friendly and has simplified the stories without giving them a Disney style candy coating. One could read the original story and then the easy-to-read version and get the same basic plot; when going from the Milne works to the Disney versions, the same is certainly not true.

I didn't give these books five stars because the editor retained some language and dialogue that may be a bit confusing for children in the intended age range. Nevertheless, these books are a wonderful introduction to a classic cast of characters for the preschool set.

Say "Ho" for the wonderful Pooh!
This amazing dramatization of the Pooh books is performed by a marvelously talented group of British entertainers who truly bring the Pooh characters gently and lovingly to life. As for this tape, I finally got this figured out. This is part of a four-tape program that represents the complete two-book Winnie-the-Pooh story collection, except the stories are out of order (probably so that they would fit equally on the tapes). Book 1, "Winnie-the-Pooh," is represented by "Pooh Goes Visiting" (stories in order: 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10) and "Piglet Meets a Heffalump" (stories: 5, 6, 7, 8). Book 2, "The House at Pooh Corner," is dramatized by "Tigger Comes to the Forest" (stories in order: 1 2, 4, 3, 9, 10) and "Pooh Invents a New Game" (stories 5, 6, 7, 8). When stories that depend on previous information are out of order, it gets confusing. My suggestion: Get the "Winnnie-the-Pooh" / "The House at Pooh Corner" gift pack, which is also four tapes (the same recordings), but in the proper order.

The finest Pooh audiotapes ever recorded!
[This is a review of the Hodder/Headline audiocassette version] I learned to read by listening (again and again and again and again) to a pair of well-loved and well-worn LPs of the Pooh stories read by Maurice Evans. I always considered them the finest Pooh audiobooks ever recorded. Up untilnow! Now there's this wonderful series of fully-dramatized adventures ofPooh featuring a brilliant cast of wonderful British actors: Stephen Fry("Jeeves and Wooster") as Pooh, Geoffrey Palmer ("TheMadness of King George") as Eeyore, Judy Dench ("Shakespeare inLove") as Kanga...and best of all, the *incomparable* Jane Horrocks("Little Voice" and Bubbles from "AbFab") as a squeaky,alarmed, and altogether adorable Piglet. You don't have to be a kid toappreciate these fine recordings (and there are plenty of adult Pooh fansout there who will *love* these versions). Accept no substitutes: this issimply the finest Pooh audio series yet created, beating by a *far*distance the Alan Bennett and (ugh!) Charles Kuralt versions. There's morethan just this one tape in the series, too. The series includes"Tigger Comes to the Forest" (ISBN: 1840322195); "PigletMeets a Heffalump" (ISBN: 1840320524) and "Pooh Invents a NewGame" (ISBN: 1840322268). Type the 10-digit ISBN number into theAmazon search field to go directly to the webpages for these cassettes. ... Read more

Product Description
Discover Shakespeare's best-loved plays. These tales are the perfect introduction to Shakespeare's greatest plays. Charles and Mary Lamb vividly bring to life the power of "Hamlet" and "Othello", the fun of "As You Like It" and the drama of "Pericles". They never lose the feel of his beautiful language and humanity and convey all of his wit and wisdom. These tales are classic literature in their own right. ... Read more

Product Description
POOH GOES VISITING and other stories
Story 1In which we are introduced

Story 2In which Pooh goes visiting and gets into a tight place

Story 3In which Pooh and Piglet go hunting and nearly catch a Woozle

Story 4In which Eeyore loses a tail and Pooh finds one

Story 5In which Piglet is entirely surrounded by water

Story 6In which Christopher Robin gives a Pooh Party, and we say good-bye

PIGLET MEETS A HEFFALUMP and other stories
Story 1In which Piglet meets a Heffalump

Story 2In which Eeyore has a birthday and gets two presents

Story 3In which Kanga and Baby Roo come to the forest, and Piglet has a bath

Story 4In which Christopher Robin leads an exploration to the North Pole ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Wonderful dramatization, but misses some of the charm
My 2-year old son absolutely loves listening these before he goes to sleep, while he's playing, in the car... pretty much any time.The actors all do a fabulous job of bringing the characters to life.However, if you've read the originals, there's something special about the way Milne writes that's left out in the dramatization.The rhythm of his writing, with the "He said...said he" and such is so much fun to read, as are his descriptions of how the characters said things, which are all left out in this production.I love these, but I'm going to get the Peter Dennis recordings so we can hear the stories as Milne wrote them.

Charming dramatization of Winnie-The-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner
My five-and-a-half year old daughter loves listening to books on CDs, especially when she is lying in bed (after we've read a book together)at bedtime. It calms and soothes her, and she seems to prefer listening to stories than some soothing music. It usually takes her about 20-30 minutes before she falls into a deep sleep, so I was looking for something that she could listen to over a couple of days. I looked at some of her favorite stories and Winnie-the-Pooh has definitely stood the test of time - she's been reading and listening to Pooh and company's adventures for the past four years, and can never have enough!

This particular audio CD consists of a full-cast unabridged dramatization of Winnie-The-Pooh and The House At Pooh Corner. The cast is as follows:

Pooh: Stephen Fry
Piglet: Jane Horrocks
Eeyore: Geoffrey Palmer
Kanga: Judi Dench
Tigger: Sandi Toksvig
Roo: Finty Williams
Rabbit: Robert Daws
Owl:Michael Williams
Christopher Robin: Steven Web

There are 4 CDs altogether:
CD 1: Stories 1-6 (67:30)
CD 2: Stories 7-10 (57:06)
CD 3: Stories 1-5 (68:52)
CD 4: Stories 6-10 (74:10)

Though the recommended age group on the CD is ages 8 to 11, I think younger listeners who are familiar with the stories and are keen (and patient enough) to listen to the stories will also enjoy this dramatization as my daughter has. The voices are rich and and lovely to listen to - one truly feels like the Hundred Acre Woods and its inhabitants have come alive, and I found myself enjoying it too! Recommended!

The Real Pooh
So delightful...these actors bring Pooh, Piglet and the 100 Acre Wood to life in such a way you will forget you ever even heard of the Disney versions. It's like a whole new story to discover. We have been listening to these with our kids for about 10 years, and we wore out the tapes, so we need the cds to replace them. One nice side effect is that out kids learned to imitate a variety of english accents very well! ... Read more