Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: A Signature Performance by Elijah Wood

By: Mark Twain

Narrated by: Elijah Wood

Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

Earphones Award Winner (AudioFile Magazine)

Ernest Hemingway said, “All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn". One hundred years after its author’s death, this classic remains remarkably modern and poignantly relevant. In this new edition, Elijah Wood reads Huck in a youthful voice that may be the closest interpretation to Twain’s original intent. His performance captures the excitement and confusion of adolescence and adventure. Best of all, the immediacy of Wood’s energetic reading sweeps listeners up and makes them feel as though they’re along for the ride, as Huck and Jim push their raft toward freedom.

Public Domain (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

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Public Domain (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Elijah Wood’s performance is my nominee for the Narrators’ Hall of Fame. Wood’s unself-conscious reading doesn’t sound like a reading at all. He creates an entire world filled with people who cross class and color lines. His accents range from British to faux-British to all manner of regional affectations, twangs, and drawls. Wood’s delivery makes Mark Twain’s delicious wit and twisty language sound completely natural, especially as Huck invents plausible words to suit the moment. The journey down the Mississippi with Huck and Jim is pure pleasure, as the boy who won’t be "sivilized" and the runaway slave encounter scoundrels, slip out of scrapes, and invent outrageous tales. The listening couldn’t be better if Huck read the story himself." (AudioFile Magazine)

Wonderfully Narrated

I already owned a different narration of "Huck Finn" when this one came out. After listening to the sample of Elijah Wood reading I had to buy this one. Was it worth it? It certainly was! What a difference an actor makes. His dialects and voices were wonderful and I was on that river with Huck and Jim.

Outstanding Adventure

This tale is funny, unassuming, timeless. Worth a listen whether to rediscover Huck & Jim travelling down the river or to read/listen for a class. Elijah Wood emotes a capricious air to Huck and flows seamlessly between Pap, Jim, and all the other characters. Happy with purchase.

Great Narration of a Classic

It's been decades since I've even thought about Tom and Huck . . . and what better way to meet up with Huck Finn again that this great performance by Elijah Wood. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Delightful

It has been many years since I read this book, and to encounter it again via an audiobook was wonderful. And Elijah Wood is the PERFECT reader for this story, delivering a masterful performance. Highly recommended!

Excellent narration, but the last 1/3 is tiresome

What made the experience of listening to Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: A Signature Performance by Elijah Wood the most enjoyable?

The performance is good. Elijah Wood does a fine job with distinctive voices for the characters, and his accents are spot-on. The first two-thirds of the book relates an enjoyable set of adventures. The last third, though, was a painful slog through an "adventure" that goes on far too long.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I've read this book several times. For some reason, listening rather than reading made me aware how tiresome the last third of the book is. Trying to avoid spoilers, but... one character takes a fairly simple, straightforward task and turns it into a complex nightmare, just so the end product will match his idea of the "proper" way to do things. This goes on and on and on and on and... you get the idea. It stopped being funny or charming long before this section ended.

What about Elijah Wood’s performance did you like?

The voices he creates for the various characters. I particularly liked the pseudo-English accents mangled by the Midwestern twang of the "King" and the "Duke." I also liked the way he portrays the warm friendship between Jim and Huck, which is the heart of the story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Huck's sweet crush on the daughter of the rich man who died, and his conversation with her as he tries to save her inheritance from the two scalawags.

Any additional comments?

This book has received criticism for the use of racial slurs, particularly the "n word." Of course, this usage was right in keeping with the times in which it was written, and reflects the reality of how white Americans saw people of color at that time. But it was shocking and uncomfortable to hear that word said repeatedly through the book. It would be interesting to see how Elijah Wood felt about having to say it repeatedly.

Listen to Adventures of Huckleberry Finn also

Such a good listen. This story is the basis for much of American literature. Elijah Woods is the best narrator for the story. Invest your time well and listen to this story as soon as you can.

Phenomenal!

A classic, and deservedly so. And still hysterically funny. Twain's use of the black epithet is simply a non-issue. That's what blacks were called prior to the Civil War. How else would Twain refer to them?

Elijah Wood's narration is simply superb. I don't think anybody could have performed Twain's masterpiece better. Well recorded as well.

Great narration!

Loved this narration. At first I felt like he was struggling a little to differentiate the characters, but after about an hour or two, Elijah really hit his stride and he did a fabulous job. I hope he narrates more books.

The Quintessential American Novel Revisited

The American novel you should read first as an early adolescent, again in your 40s, and finally when, like me, you are older than, well, you'd like to admit. This was my third reading and this time, I also listened to parts of it. I appreciate it more with each reading. The current consensus is that it is a flawed masterpiece. The modern library paperback has an excellent critique by George Saunders which most readers should not read until they first finish the book. It was an especially interesting read this week with all the media attention focused upon Ferguson, Mo. and the Michael Brown grand jury decision and aftermath. Huck and Jim adrift on the mighty Mississippi, into the heart of America and of themselves. The narration by Elijah Wood is excellent as far as Huck and the other younger male characters are concerned. However, there are a number of fantastic characters of various ages and both genders in this book. It struck me that the narration would be improved by employing a full cast of male and female narrators. As I read I contemplated how we might fashion ways to live freely and morally in an American society which, on certain levels, is inclined to such violence and ignorance. While the novel may seem dated and not as enlightened as how we like to think of ourselves, this book was radical in its day and remains highly relevant today. More people should read it. As timeless as anything in American literature.

Its a classic for a reason.

I read this having cheated my way through 10th grade literature, to see what I missed. It was great. I would read it soon, though, because in our politically correct society books like this and Uncle Tom's Cabin, as important as they are in literature and history will soon be publicly banished.