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Black Beauty
- An Audible Original Drama
- Narrated by: Samuel West, Samantha Bond, Tamzin Outhwaite, Paul Thornley, Matt Stokoe
- Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Classics
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Publisher's Summary
Framed as a first-person narrative from the eponymous horse, this much-loved family classic follows Black Beauty's journey from a well-born colt to a painfully overworked cab horse. Brimming with vivid detail and relatable characters, each chapter of Black Beauty's long and varied life communicates an important message about kindness, sympathy and understanding.
Following the success of the double Audie award-winning Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book: The Mowgli Stories, Audible Originals UK are excited to announce this reimagination of Sewell's unique concept as an animal-based audio drama for all the family.
Black Beauty features lead performances from Samuel West (BAFTA nominated; Mr Selfridge, Howards End), Samantha Bond (SAG nominated; Downton Abbey, James Bond), Paul Thornley (Harry Potter & the Cursed Child, Les Misérables) and Tamzin Outhwaite (EastEnders, Great Expectations, Foyle's War) as well as the original theme music 'Galloping Home' by Denis King.
Critic Reviews
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What listeners say about Black Beauty
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jason Trippier
- 27-03-19
Wonderful!
I watched the reruns of the Black Beauty television show as a kid in the 80’s and loved it, but I had never read the original book. This was an amazing story adaptation that was extremely well done! I now have a favorite book!!!
3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- janedoegrayson
- 27-10-17
Loved it
Made me cry i love how it felt like i was watching a movie !! Both in my head, and in audio form :)
3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Allison Perrault
- 23-05-19
A classic all should read
This is a wonderful book that should be required reading for all. The performance was spectacular and paced well. I really enjoyed this audio book.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Utilisateur anonyme
- 07-01-18
Excellent.
Really ally loved this radio drama... The book is really brought to life in thia stunning pw performance.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Maud
- 02-01-18
Loved the various voices
Would you consider the audio edition of Black Beauty to be better than the print version?
Yes, because of the voices.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Black Beauty because I could hear the emotions in his voice of kindness, exhaustion, happiness and sometimes disgust at the ignorance of people and lack of thought for an animal. I also loved Ginger. Her voice showed so much emotion too.
Have you listened to any of the narrators’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
I have not listened to any of the narrator's prior performances. I am new to Audible.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
It brought me to tears several times when life became hard for the horses. I love horses and own one. I hate when they are mistreated.
Any additional comments?
I read Black Beauty as a child, but would recommend this audio book to anyone. It also teaches a lot.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amanda Telesco
- 06-01-21
Greatest book and performance
Loved everything about it and the sound effects, the ending was perfect, but poor Ginger.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sandra
- 24-12-20
Oscar ‘Best’ quality, without visuals!
This is one of the best Audible productions I’ve experienced - and from the horses’ point of view! Great story, great cast, great audio background sounds and a top-movie-worthy music production! I will be sharing this and hope to recruit more Audible patrons. I can only hope this is just the start of a whole new audio product line....engrossing and wonderful.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Carla Johnson
- 22-12-20
Beautiful
I never read the book Black Beauty as a child and probably wouldn’t have listened to the audiobook had it not been free BUT I’m so glad I listened to it. I have an hour drive to work each direction so audiobooks have become my comfort before and after each shift and Black Beauty was by far the very best Audible Original that I’ve listened to. The book is a timeless classic that I didn’t know that I would fall in love with. I experienced so many emotions listening to it... happiness, sadness, anger, and happiness again. The story, the presentation, the narrators were all superb. I will listen to is over again and will definitely recommend to my sons to listen to it. Beautiful story all the way around with wonderful life lessons.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- David Dahl
- 13-12-20
A Childhood Favorite
Black Beauty was a favorite read as a kid. I picked it up in Audible and was not disappointed. The characters were fresh, and the dramatization was enjoyable.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous5
- 03-12-20
Heartwarming classic
This was an excellent performance! The only thing I would have preferred differently is the wild overuse of horse whinnies. Anyone familiar with horses would know that they aren’t making constant vocalizations. It was distracting and piercing in an otherwise delightful presentation. Overall, well done!
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Karena Zoe
- 24-04-17
Wow! This is just awesome!
What made the experience of listening to Black Beauty the most enjoyable?
Sensitive adaptation; excellent cast; beautiful narration!
What was one of the most memorable moments of Black Beauty?
the happy ending
What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
Sensitivity; kindness; beauty and power.
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
It made me laugh and cry. I loved it.
Any additional comments?
A beautiful, sensitive and awesome performance of this timeless classic. Well done.
11 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jane
- 02-05-17
Clearly enjoyable story
It was so great to listen to Black Beauty.
I couldn't make up my mind if I should buy the audiobook or not. I like audiobooks very much but I was never much into horse stories and I was not familiar with the story of Black Beauty.
I am glad I bought It. The speakers and the production is excellent. It is about animal cruelty and the importance of kindness. I also learned a lot about the care of horses, which I found to my surprise interesting. I think Black Beauty can be listened to by children and adults.
7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Nigel
- 23-04-17
Samuel West portrays Black Beauty wonderfully
Any additional comments?
As I hadn’t read Black Beauty I was under the impression it was a whimsical horse story for girls - a equine equivalent of Lassie the Wonder Dog. It isn’t.
Written in 1877 it chronicles the life of Black Beauty and is told by the horse itself.
A theme of animal welfare and human kindness runs throughout the life of Black Beauty, though on a few occasions it did sound a little preachy. The only other minor criticism is that as I know what Tamzin Outhwaite looks like, when Ginger spoke an image of Ms Outhwaite was speaking in my head rather than a horse. Samuel West portrays Black Beauty wonderfully.
An enjoyable listen and am glad to have used a credit for it.
A big thanks to Audible, please keep producing audio dramas as they are really appreciated!
[ If you would like to hear more audio stories from the viewpoint of a horse have a look at ‘Warhorses of Letters’ starring Stephen Fry. ]
15 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dunnill
- 28-04-17
A great listen
A very enjoyable book I, was surprised how good it was, a lot of action in this story. So glad I downloaded it, would highly recommend it., it's not just for the young one's , older one's too.
5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- shamsher ali
- 25-04-17
listened to it none stop
It's fantastic story basic yet short but beautiful excellent performance Well told very well told only wished it was longer n how wished other book be like this one with music and sound effect more please from the author most welcome
8 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jyoti Salhan
- 21-05-17
Enjoyed it!!
Superb book, beautifully narrated ! Love it, enjoyed it thoroughly ... love the book from start to finish.
3 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Ms K Grist
- 25-11-17
Not keen
Not keen on the human ‘horse’ at all. No real need for a person to stand neighing...!
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Hannah Green
- 17-05-17
Black Beauty
Brilliant, Ginger is a very brave horse! You should do a folowing book!!!!!!!! Super BLAK-BEATY!!!!!🐴🐰🐏🐄🐰🐇
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- AJ
- 16-06-17
Love it
I have read Black Beauty before but I enjoyed this Adaptation of this book. It was nice to hear from the horses point of view. I hadn't realised that Bath was one of the distinations In the book.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- D Heywood
- 06-03-20
#bestbook!
Such an inspiring story! Lifts my heart to hear black beauty, the film I watched when I was 6 or something!
1 person found this helpful