Midnight Cowboy cover art

Midnight Cowboy

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Midnight Cowboy

By: James Leo Herlihy
Narrated by: Michael Urie
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About this listen

Midnight Cowboy is considered by many to be one of the best American novels published since World War II. The main story centers around Joe Buck, a naive but eager and ambitious young Texan, who decides to leave his dead-end job in search of a grand and glamorous life he believes he will find in New York City. But the city turns out to be a much more difficult place to negotiate than Joe could ever have imagined. He soon finds himself and his dreams compromised. Buck's fall from innocence and his relationship with the crippled street hustler Ratso Rizzo form the novel's emotional nucleus. This unlikely pairing of Ratso and Joe Buck is perhaps one of the most complex portraits of friendship in contemporary literature.

The focus on male friendship follows a strong path cut by Twain's Huck and Jim, Melville's Ishmael and Queequeg, Fitzgerald's Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby, and Kerouac's Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarity. Midnight Cowboy takes a well-deserved place among a group of distinguished American novels that write - often with unnerving candor - about those who live on the fringe of society.

©1965 James Leo Herlihy (P)2018 Audible, Inc. Classics Heartfelt cowboy

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All stars
Most relevant  
Not quite what I like expected but a good listen. A perspective on how a mind works.

Thoughtful…

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Liked it all and disliked nothing. Brilliant characterisation story well worth a listen
and very moving

The writing

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As most will know the film is legendary, so it was interesting to listen to a reading of the book it was based on. The film is a faithful rendition but abridges or skips some lengthy passages that occur in the book. And I can see why this was done. Problem is the rather disagreable even poisonous characters that feature in these passages. Made worse in the reading due to the skilful realisation of these characters by the excellent narrator. Still the book is worth a listen, even if like I did, you skip over a few of these troublesome chapters yourself.

Great film, Book hmm

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Loved the story and the narrator. Listened to this in three sittings. Very funny in parts too.

Wonderful story, wonderful narration

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The excellent narration brought the book to life. I must go and watch the film again now.

Excellent

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Having just finished listening to this brilliant reading I feel so flat I am starting it again. Everything about the writing is brilliant but the delivery is a piece of magic. The voices all so pitch perfect on accent you can visualise the characters. The nuances with which the narrative develops Joe Buck's being is masterful and compelling. Its years since I saw the film and I don't remember it being as gripping as this. Just mindblowing, funny and sad .

Utterly brilliant in every respect.

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I loved the portrayal of Joe and Ratso’s friendship and the view of America seen through the eyes of such a dumb but sweet man. Really well read as well!

Sad but beautiful

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I’m really enjoying this book - I’m not finished it yet - it’s a sad book IMHO and I now know why it’s a classic. Joe Buck is so naive and I wonder why he doesn’t see obvious things coming…looks for the good in people I suppose. Ratso had Dustin Hoffman’s voice in my head but that’s not a bad thing…the narrator is good…it’s just that I’ve seen the movie!

Well worth my credit!

Midnight Cowboy

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||What can I say, most of us have watched the movie which does do the book justice... The audio version is superb, the narration is the best I' 've ever heard from an American novel. I have over 45 books in my audio library and this is in my top 5. Highly recommended.

Simply brillliant

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The film of the book deals with the final third. So I was treated to a story I thought I knew but didn't.
The narration is excellent and really brings the story alive.
Excellent :)

Not what I expected.

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