The Circle of Reason
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The Circle of Reason Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Amitav Ghosh (Author), Simon Vance (Narrator), Brilliance Audio (Publisher)
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 238 ratings
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Amitav Ghosh’s extraordinary first novel makes a claim on literary turf held by Gabriel García Márquez and Salman Rushdie. In a vivid and magical story, The Circle of Reason traces the misadventures of Alu, a young master weaver in a small Bengali village who is falsely accused of terrorism. Alu flees his home, traveling through Bombay to the Persian Gulf to North Africa with a bird-watching policeman in pursuit.

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  1. Listening Length
    14 hours and 29 minutes
  2. Author
    Amitav Ghosh
  3. Narrator
    Simon Vance
  4. Audible release date
    February 15, 2011
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Brilliance Audio
  7. ASIN
    B004NRJWAA
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 14 hours and 29 minutes
Author Amitav Ghosh
Narrator Simon Vance
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date February 15, 2011
Publisher Brilliance Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B004NRJWAA
Best Sellers Rank #191,573 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#7,005 in Literary Fiction (Audible Books & Originals)
#45,045 in Literary Fiction (Books)

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
238 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Anthony Bowen
5.0 out of 5 stars A most enjoyable read
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2019
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This is the second book I have read by Mr Gosh having never heard of him before. His writing is very real and be has a beautiful use of the English language.
I would recommend his books to everyone who simply enjoys an excellent read
4 people found this helpful
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Tanstaafl
4.0 out of 5 stars A well woven story.
Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2009
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I became a fan of Ghosh after reading "Sea of Poppies." That was his most recent novel and "Circle of Reason" was his first. The two books cannot be directly compared - they're about different times and places.

This book, though a little rough, is very well written for a first novel. Typically Indian, the book has tons of detail and takes a while to make any point. What is untypical, though, is that you don't have to have a glossary at hand. There are a few words from Hindi, but compared with most books by Indian authors, this is amazingly "English" throughout.

The book is about the people. They wander from India to the Middle East and on to Africa. Their lives and relationships move the story along. Well developed, there is quite a mix brought together by the events.

I kept turning pages from start to finish. I don't think you should pass on this one just because it's not as polished as his later books. It's well worth your time.
26 people found this helpful
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P. McGraw
3.0 out of 5 stars Not so Interesting
Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2014
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I am waiting eagerly for Ghosh's third volume in the trilogy that starts with Sea Of Poppies and River of Smoke. While flummoxed by the vocabulary (there is, thank God, a section in the end of Sea of Poppies) the scope of the story was massive and the interplay of characters fascinating.

For me, The Circle of Reason was more opaque. I could not understand why people did what they did, or thought what they thought. I managed to get all the way through, but this book, an earlier book, didn't engage me the way more recent books have.
5 people found this helpful
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George Matthews
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2018
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Book is in great condition.
One person found this helpful
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Michael
4.0 out of 5 stars I did not enjoy the story as much as I did Sea of ...
Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2014
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Extremely readable therefore, four stars. I did not enjoy the story as much as I did Sea of Poppies, River of Smoke and The Glass House. The plot and characters were not bound as well as in the other novels.
2 people found this helpful
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Susan Bergh
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2014
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Superb.
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Margaret Chicoine
2.0 out of 5 stars Tough to follow
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2019
I picked it up and put it down about 10 times before it started engaging me. I had a very hard time following the block seems like it bounced around a very lot and uses so much Indian lingo but it is hard to keep up with I was very very much enjoying it until I got to the last part when I got to part III I was bored out of my mind and couldn’t follow anything that was happening so I never finished the book I don’t like things I can’t finish I love this author normally but I did not love this book at all.
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Vikram Singh
2.0 out of 5 stars Verbose, unpolished
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2022
Verbose, tangled…..boring , unnecessary
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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L.A. Galerie Lothar Albrecht
5.0 out of 5 stars First book by Amitav Ghosh
Reviewed in Germany on January 16, 2017
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I think this is the first booky by Amitav Gosh and I am astonished that he is the same rich story-teller like in his later works. But of couse I learn a lot about India (and beside the main characters who are suffering or just try to live their life it is a dark information).
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Arvind S
5.0 out of 5 stars Well narrated story with levels of meaning
Reviewed in India on July 10, 2016
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I am really not sure about how to describe this book (and I must confess that it was not too clear to me what the bottom line story was either). At one level it is about Alu and, (in lesser detail) about the ASP (Jyoti Das). From another angle it is about politics, (no holds barred, bare knuckled politics similar to that described in Raag Darbari, as well as about political concepts) and at the same time it takes a long hard look at society and interpersonal relationships. Then there are various asides on cotton and weaving etc. But it makes for good reading. In fact, personally, I prefer it to The Shadow Lines (which admittedly I merely skimmed through.) Nice descriptions and handling of language, particularly in representing the characters.
2 people found this helpful
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Giovanna Castelli
5.0 out of 5 stars Transazione ottima
Reviewed in Italy on September 2, 2015
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Transazione ottima. Il Libro è arrivato nelle condizioni descritte dal venditore e in modo veloce. Buono e sicuro anche il packaging
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A>M> Richards
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Service
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 8, 2013
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Quick service, but I now have a complaint - my last order for a childs cook apron, boys cookbook and childs chefs hat is still incomplete. I have received the book and apron,but no chefs hat- help i am not good with the computer. I am 100 % sure I ordered the hat.....
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subhadip majumdar
5.0 out of 5 stars The Masterpiece First Book of Amitav Ghosh, one of the finest Novelist of Our times!
Reviewed in India on June 11, 2022
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The Masterpiece First Book of Amitav Ghosh, one of the finest Novelist of Our times!
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