The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
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The Secret Garden

Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett

Narrator: Alison Larkin

Unabridged: 8 hr 35 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/11/2020


Synopsis

The award-winning narrator of Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass brings the beloved classic The Secret Garden to sparkling new life in this delightful, highly accessible production.

When her parents die from cholera in India, orphan Mary Lennox is sent to live with her uncle in a cold, dark mansion in England. Then she discovers a secret garden that has been locked since her Aunt died ten years earlier…

Frances Hodgson Burnett was a British born American playwright and author best known for her children's stories Little Lord Fauntleroy, The Little Princess and The Secret Garden.

Alison Larkin is the award-winning narrator of over 200 audiobooks including The Complete Novels by Jane Austen and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

Narrator Alison Larkin expertly introduces this classic Yorkshire story to a new generation. At the turn of the twentieth century, friendship and the power of nature and gardening completely transform two lonely, difficult children into caring, thriving individuals. Larkin flawlessly portrays the personalities of the characters: sour Mary; the crotchety gardener, Ben; enchanting Dickon; ill-tempered Colin; and kindly Martha. Larkin is equally skilled at rendering the variety of necessary accents, ranging from upper-class British to Yorkshire. Listeners will clearly envision the wild beauty of the moors and the spookiness of Misselthwaite Manor--and will sense the magic of the secret garden and the children coming back to life. Larkin sensitively delivers the dialogue that touches on colonialist attitudes toward India. C.B.L. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2020]

About Frances Hodgson Burnett

English born novelist Frances Hodgson Burnett was best known for her children's stories, particularly Little Lord Fauntleroy, The Secret Garden, and A Little Princess. Many of her works have been and continue to be dramatized in film and video.

Frances Eliza Hodgson was born in Manchester, England, on November 24, 1849. When she was four, her father died, leaving her mother with five children and little money. They moved to America when she was sixteen and settled on a farm in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The family financial situation did not improve, and Frances felt that she had the ability to earn money from writing, so as a teenager, she sent her stories to an editor. She began with short stories based on her childhood days in Manchester. After "Surly Tim's Trouble" premiered in Scribner's Magazine in 1872, publishers pursued Frances; one successful story led to another.

Frances married Dr. Swan M. Burnett in 1873, and they had two sons. They traveled extensively throughout Europe and subsequently took up residence in Washington, D.C. Later, reporters criticized her lifestyle and turned public sentiment against her, despite her attempts to stay out of the public eye. Frances died October 29, 1924, at the age of seventy-four.


Reviews

The Secret Garden has been such a delightful read during the cold, dreary winter months. Who else is looking forward to the wonder of spring, the greenery, and warmer weather? The title "The Secret Garden" almost overshadows the magnificent characters. Colin always had at his disposal the grounds and......more

Goodreads review by Danila

This book is an ode to love, friendship and the unsurpassed beauty found in nature that fills every one of us with hope. It is inspiring, tender and guarantees the reader is going to relive the magic when you delve into the pages of this tale and find it as enchantingly satisfying as you expected. T......more

Goodreads review by Miranda

100 days into 2021 and 100 books have been read. Check out my latest BookTube Video to see which ones are my fave!The Written Review Orphaned Mary Lennox had a sour face, bitter temperment and dismal dispostion. But could you blame her? Nine years old and she was barely shown an ounce of affecti......more