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The Executioner's Song
- Narrated by: Maxwell Hamilton
- Length: 42 hrs and 37 mins
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The Executioner's Song
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Summary
Norman Mailer's Pulitzer Prize-winning and unforgettable classic about convicted killer Gary Gilmore now in a brand-new edition.
Arguably the greatest book from America's most heroically ambitious writer, The Executioner's Song follows the short, blighted life of Gary Gilmore who became famous after he robbed two men in 1976 and killed them in cold blood. After being tried and convicted, he immediately insisted on being executed for his crime. To do so, he fought a system that seemed intent on keeping him alive long after it had sentenced him to death. And that fight for the right to die is what made him famous.
Mailer tells not only Gilmore's story, but those of the men and women caught in the web of his life and drawn into his procession toward the firing squad. All with implacable authority, steely compassion, and a restraint that evokes the parched landscape and stern theology of Gilmore's Utah.
The Executioner's Song is a trip down the wrong side of the tracks to the deepest source of American loneliness and violence. It is a towering achievement - impossible to put down, impossible to forget.
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What listeners say about The Executioner's Song
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- aleisha
- 27-09-21
Just as good as reading it.
I have read this book 2 times and watched the movie even more times. My adhd found it irritating how the performer pronounced Gilmore and Excecution. other than that small thing I loved it all!!!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Stop the lights
- 30-01-19
OK but very long
I thought some of the dialogue was repetitive and made the book unnecessarily long.
Good story and well written by Mailer.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Charles Lyall
- 13-09-23
Impressive but too long
This was a sprawling, disturbing and overly detailed story. Brilliant narration, but ultimately tiresome listen.
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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
- amberannie
- 12-09-23
Worth it
A long long read but for the most part worth sticking with, some annoying bits where characters name listed before every line they have in a conversation with another person? Who else is in the conversation, between 2 persons???
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- John
- 21-03-23
Exhaustive
An epic telling of the Gary Gilmore story. So many characters and detail. I must confess I skipped significant chunks of it because they took me away from the core narrative. That was a personal choice and no reflection on the quality of the work.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Victoria Coley-Abdukayumova
- 05-04-22
Highly recommended
Totally got immersed in this book. Poignant, perfectly long, never boring. Wonderfully dramatised, and not a detail missed.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Rebekah Poole
- 10-03-21
This could have been interesting
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the plot. In fact, Gilmore’s fighting for death is of interest to any true crime fan but don’t get this. It was beyond drawn out. We did not need the huge level of detail (which I’m sure was years of research). It was a chore and I got too far in to stop.
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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
- Jackie
- 11-03-20
...an amazing work....
...having, sadly, been living next door to a sociopathic narcissist for 20 years, i was once again able to advance my own understanding of complicated personality disorders....while being taken on an amazing journey in literature. unlike my neighbor, or should i say through the knowledge gained from being targeted by her warped mind, i was able to feel gary's potential and humor and pain...while still holding on to the believe that no one has the right to cause havoc in other peoples lives without facing justice....and so, all one can do when encountering these people is to stay away....sad....
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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
- JohnWK
- 03-03-20
Entertaining to the end
Firstly if you are listening on speakers make sure there are no children or anyone of a delicate disposition around!
It is very good, very interesting. There is no spoiler here but at the end there is a most bizarre disclaimer about it being fiction and similarity to any living person to any of the characters portrayed is purely co-incidental - what?! Presumably the publisher got cold feet and decided they had better put that in to try and cover themselves at the end!
That said as you listen you wonder how some of the events and dialogue has been sourced, especially prior to Gilmore's arrest when he is out free?
But highly enjoyable and thoroughly recommended.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- W Perry Hall
- 21-05-18
Pulitzer-winner spoiled by numskulled narration
I'm not going to waste my time or yours with another rant about yet another case of an audiobook publisher's clear disregard for the greatness of a book--such as THE EXECUTIONER'S SONG--in refusing to hire a narrator who would rate even a decent job in the reading.
The mispronunciations in this audiobook are staggering. The last straws, ironically for me, came 23 hours in with SEVERAL references to the blowhard self-promoter Geraldo Rivera--using a hard G as with the word "gist" or "joke," as in Jeraldo Rivera, instead of the silent G for Geraldo. Unbelievable!
The ignorance of the narrator and the audiobook's director of the correct pronunciation of such simple words is stupefying. What a shame!
Writing a real review of the book's substance would, to my mind, countenance this type of callousness toward, and insult to the intelligence of, other Audible customers and me.
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67 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
- Callerins
- 28-07-18
WAITED YRS FOR AUDIOBOOK, TERRIBLE NARRATION!
I have *zero* idea what audible was thinking producing and/or buying this reading. Is the man cold reading? Is he a robot??!! Bizarre pauses and inflection, it's outrageous that I waited literally years for audible to have this title, and now I'm returning it after a few hours. The only other book I've returned to audible was ANOTHER horrendous Norman mailer reading. .....and it's not cause I don't like the story, I read them both before listening to the audio. Welp, here is another subpar offering ill be returning. PATHETIC. You have many average or poor narrations, audible. That's unacceptable. Do better!
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65 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kelli Stone
- 28-08-18
Helpful Hint for Those Suffering Thru This Narr
In complete transparency, I haven't yet finished this book I'm about half way through it. The story is riveting. The book is so well written. Unfortunately the narrator is almost impossible to listen to. Other reviewers have captured my thoughts about him so I won't repeat them here. Here's some good news though. If you're using the Audible app, you can increase the narration speed up to 1.25 and it's better. It eliminates the ill placed - I guess intended to be - dramatic pauses and even helps a bit with the odd voice inflections. Doesn't do a thing for the mispronunciations though. I guess Scott Brick or some of the other masters weren't available for this Pulitzer Prize winner.....???? Sooooooo disappointed after waiting on this book for so long.
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53 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- VanLivingScooterUser
- 12-07-18
Great book, weak performance
The reader doesn’t know how to pronounce many words, including famous names of people and places. Stress is put on words at random and not in keeping with the meaning of the sentence they are in. It’s almost like listening to a robot read, though he does a consistent job with voicing the various characters who are quoted.
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31 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Bill
- 09-08-18
Good Listen
Don't know why there was so much hate in the reviews of the narrator. Yes, it could have been edited better, but I think he did a great job.
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17 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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Story5 out of 5 stars
- G8rmorgan
- 22-08-19
Great Story and the narrator is really good IF...
This book sat in my library for a year because I was hesitant about the narrator and everything you will read here. The story is fantastic and well written.
The narrator is Really Good IF...
1. I listened to the entire book on 1.20X and it was as if it were meant to be listened to at that speed. His voice inflection, changes of characters and southern accent for Gary Gilmore are excellent.
2. You have to overlook some REALLY BAD pronunciation. I was giving the narrator a pass for most of the book and chalking it up to his interpretation of dialogue. Most of the mistakenly pronounced words happen during dialogue in the beginning. HOWEVER, when he gets to Geraldo Rivera he pronounces the silent G like the J in "jury" I realized it wasn't his creative license. Geraldo covered this trial and execution and his name is in this book AT LEAST 50 times I'd say. I mean, who doesn't know how to say Geraldo?
So, in the end, the book is WELL WORTH THE LISTEN, in spite of the narrator gaffs. It's 42+ hours so the 1.2x speed will get you there faster.
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12 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- night owl
- 04-06-18
Still 5 Stars
I still have to give this five stars despite the imperfect narration. This outstanding book is more than worth ones time and a credit. It may not be for everyone. It touches real life like no other story.The unconditional love of Gary's family is unbelievable. The narrator doesn't convey th e charm and charisma Gilmore must of had, but there aren't many Tommy Lee Jones out there. I don't go along wit the system not giving Gary a chance.He never gave himself a chance. His alcoholism played a part in him not getting away with things and not working well for long when give the opportunity. I'm blown away by Nicoles honesty. Besides her promiscuity , She comes across as not too bright and a bit lazy.Of course these are a result of sexual abuse and depression. I found myself really liking her and caring about her. All the other characters are real people I became attached. I'm not sure if this this is an anti death penalty book.I don't think it's meant to be. If so it didn't work with me. I think the death penalty is unfairly and over used. However Gary Gilmore had it coming. Also there are things worse than death.
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12 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Fala Roosevelt
- 18-07-18
Maxwell Hamilton mispronounces multiple words
query; corollary; piqued
And I'm only halfway through. But it's too good a story to pass up. And I have a long drive ahead of me.
uneducated narrator; shoddy editing.
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11 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Kelly
- 28-02-19
Mispronounced names drive me a bit crazy.
I read this one as part of my personal challenge to read all of the Pulitzer prize winners. Although it was good I cannot say that I loved it, and did not like it nearly as much as I liked Capote's [book:In Cold Blood|168642]. This one is obviously very well researched, and I appreciated that it has a very real and accurate feel. Unfortunately I thought it was much too long. If it were cut by 1/3 it would still be 600+ pages and in my opinion would be far stronger. At times I just wanted to hit fast forward.
When a person is hired to read an audiobook one of the first things they should do is learn to pronounce words and names in the book. Mr. Hamilton mispronounced both the name of the angel Moroni -- a very important name in the Mormon faith, and the name of Geraldo Rivera! Over and over and over again. Ugh!
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ann
- 23-12-18
An extraordinary book
This is an unabridged audiobook of Mailer's book which won a Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction in the late '70's. It's written in the style of New Journalism and is a very long and detailed account of events surrounding the execution of Gary Gilmore by firing squad in Utah. For those of us who remember this era and are familiar with the voice Mailer had given these Western speakers, the young California narrator does a reasonably good job. Local names and places such as Kanab are sometimes mispronounced. This is not a book for the squeamish.
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7 people found this helpful