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  • The End of the Affair

  • By: Graham Greene
  • Narrated by: Colin Firth
  • Length: 6 hrs and 28 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (482 ratings)

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The End of the Affair

By: Graham Greene
Narrated by: Colin Firth
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Editorial reviews

Winner of the Audie Awards Audiobook of the Year 2013 and nominated for the Audie Awards Solo Narration of the Year 2013, The End of the Affair is written by British novelist Graham Greene and narrated by British actor Colin Firth. First published in 1951, this evocative novel has been adapted into two films by the same name in 1955 and again in 1999, as well as an opera. Set in London towards the end of World War II, it follows the ending of a love affair between a deeply religious, married woman and a writer at the outset of fame. Available now from Audible.

Publisher's Summary

Audie Award Winner, Audiobook of the Year, 2013.

Audie Award Nominee, Best Solo Narration, 2013.

Graham Greene's evocative analysis of the love of self, the love of another, and the love of God is an English classic that has been translated for the stage, the screen, and even the opera house.

Academy Award-winning actor Colin Firth (The King's Speech, A Single Man) turns in an authentic and stirring performance for this distinguished audio release. The End of the Affair, set in London during and just after World War II, is the story of a flourishing love affair between Maurice Bendrix and Sarah Miles. After a violent episode at Maurice's apartment, Sarah suddenly and without explanation breaks off the affair.

This very intimate story about what actually constitutes love is enhanced by Mr. Firth's narration, who said "this book struck me very, very particularly at the time when I read it and I thought my familiarity with it would give the journey a personal slant. I'm grateful for this honor," Firth said when this production was recognized by the Audie Awards as Audiobook of the Year for 2013, "and grateful for the opportunity to narrate one of my favorite stories. A great novel told in the first person makes for the best script an actor could imagine. None better than The End of the Affair.... Theater and film each offer their own challenges and rewards, but narration is a new practice for me and the audiobook performance provides exhilarating possibilities for both actors and listeners. I'm thrilled to be involved in bringing this remarkable work of fiction to a wider audience, and thankful to Audible for offering me the opportunity to perform it and to engage with so many who share my passion for storytelling."

©1951 Graham Greene (P)2015 Audible, Inc

What listeners say about The End of the Affair

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Colin Firth makes this story mesmerizing

I got this book purely because I wanted a British accent audio book to listen to so got this book with no idea what it was about other than it had been made into an award winning play.

The story itself had me wondering mid-way why i was listening to it but Colin's British 'proper' english kept me going with it and was an enjoyable, yet unusual book. Thank you from Australia!

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved this classic and the way it was read .

Narrated beautifully by Colin Firth. Smooth as silk, with wonderful words ebbing and flowing from the superb writer that is Graham Greene.

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5 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Outstanding performance

Colin Firth was the best thing about this audiobook for me. I can understand why it is so critically acclaimed, however it simply did not resonate with me personally.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent performance by Colin Firth

the story drags on a little but Colin Firth is nice to listen to anyway

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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brilliant

beautiful moving and so true. no better written understanding of the human condition and love

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Narration at its best

An amazing trip into life love loss. I listened to this book over and over again mainly because Colin's voice was so calming I used it to relax and sleep.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Human and heavenly love. Well read.

Listening to this novel felt like a kind of literary Bible reading. Greene's pen loves and judges his characters throughout. Hearts are exposed, yet there is grace, along with an overt catholic spirituality permeating the book.

(As a side note I did wonder if many of the evangelistic talks I heard growing up that included the idea of a spiritual leap of faith were the product of a generation that grew up on Greene's writing?)

Colin Firth has a good grip on reading with different voices for the individual characters and the female characters sound reasonably plausible.

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2 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Great narration but disappointing story

Colin Firth’s narration is excellent but I found the story quite boring and some of the author’s views questionable. It ended up being more of a musing on religion and belief than the description of a love affair (which might be what some people are looking for, but wasn’t particularly relevant to my interests).

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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Not as Good as I’d Hoped

The narration was lovely to hear Colin’s voice but the actual story I found a little average and monotonous.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

lovely voice and pronounciation!

a little depressing
loved the narrator though
whatever happened to happy endings.
I wasn't surprised as have read other Graham greene

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1 person found this helpful

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.