The Black Obelisk

By: Erich Maria Remarque

Narrated by: T. Ryder Smith

A hardened young veteran from the First World War, Ludwig now works for a monument company, selling stone markers to the survivors of deceased loved ones. Though ambivalent about his job, he suspects there's more to life than earning a living off other people's misfortunes.

A self-professed poet, Ludwig soon senses a growing change in his fatherland, a brutality brought upon it by inflation. When he falls in love with the beautiful but troubled Isabelle, Ludwig hopes he has found a soul who will offer him salvation - who will free him from his obsession to find meaning in a war-torn world.

But there comes a time in every man's life when he must choose to live - despite the prevailing thread of history horrifically repeating itself.

©1998 Erich Maria Remarque (P)2018 Recorded Books

It had the perfect ending.

I loved the story and the perspective from which it was told. The story was great, the characters were great, the ending was sadly beautiful.

Excellent book, well read

This is a fantastic book by EMR, maybe his best.
The story is full of great images, good jokes and warm humanity in tough times.
The reader is excellent, giving just the right amount of emotion.
The only downside is the butchering of the few german words and names.

The storyline

The storyline makes you feel a lot of emotions, joy,happiness,sadness, laughter and etc.
When I listened to the story it was so enticing, like I was in the story too firsthand.
Overall I loved it.