The Mosquito Coast

By: Paul Theroux

Narrated by: David Aaron Baker

Allie Fox is going to re-create the world. Abominating the cops, crooks, junkies and scavengers of modern America, he abandons civilisation and takes the family to live in the Honduran jungle. There his tortured messianic genius keeps them alive, his hoarse tirades harrying them through a diseased and dirty Eden towards unimaginable darkness.

©1982 Cape Cod Scriveners (P)2010 Recorded Books LLC

Riveting Exploration of Madness & Masculinity

Creepy and captivating exploration of dogma, madness, and toxic masculinity. The story of a hubristic, tyrannical father who drags his family of six to Honduras to build a utopia free from the degradation of capitalism and consumerism. The novel works perfectly as an audiobook because it's written in first person, narrated by the 14-year-old son, and plays like a terrible, vivid dream that stays with you.

David Aaron Baker reads beautifully, capturing both the guilelessness and slow dawning of the narrator and the vituperative rants of Father. He reads the latter with a sneering, indignant tone that evokes Jack Nicholson circa Five Easy Pieces, and the former with a gentle, curious voice that brings to mind River Phoenix (who played the son in the film adaptation). The recording is crisp and flawless. Perfect for summer, especially for long walks under the hot sun, as you stroll warily, eyeing the birds overhead.

This is a great adventure, if you enjoy the movie-the book is better.

It's fine, but if I wanted to hear lip smacking and swallowing I'd listen to ASMR instead. Narration is only a level above amateur, I enjoyed it enough, but this guy needs to learn not to swallow, smack his lips and otherwise moisten his mouth into the microphone.

Love and Fury

When dreams and passion and strong opinions go awry. You want to love and relate to this genius Allie, but you want to protect his family from a disaster. A classic, masterfully written and performed from beginning to the end!

a vey good book.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Mosquito Coast to be better than the print version?

i never read the print version but think i saw the movie.

What did you like best about this story?

the characters were so well developed. allie reminded me of an exagerated archie bunker but he was still believable. it was an unusual setting.

Have you listened to any of David Aaron Baker’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

yes he is consistantly good!

If you could take any character from The Mosquito Coast out to dinner, who would it be and why?

allie's wife. i would like to know why she stayed married to such a egotistical,crazy, offensive man--even tho he was a genius.

Any additional comments?

i will read this book many times! it was so good i read it in two days.

Dreadful in every sense of the word.

Would you listen to The Mosquito Coast again? Why?
Unlikely. This book is a painful look into family dynamics that would break most of us.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
For anyone who has personally experienced verbal battery, this book will be instantly recognizable. My continuing thought was "Mom, how can you stay and allow this to continue?" Which, of course, is always the question.

Any additional comments?
I rate this book as 5 only because of its power - not because it is "good". It is very like being in a continuous train wreck, bruised and bloody.. Or like having a 707 go down in your neighborhood in a ball of fire, and being unable to do anything but watch in horror..