Fanny Herself


Read by J. M. Smallheer

(4.8 stars; 252 reviews)

Fanny Herself is the story of Fanny Brandeis, a young girl coming of age in the Midwest at the turn of the 20th century. It is generally considered to have been based on Ferber’s own experiences growing up in Appleton, Wisconsin. Regarded by many as the “greatest American woman novelist of her day,” Ferber would go on to win the Pulitzer Prize in a 1925 for her book So Big, and is also the author of Showboat and Cimarron, which along with other of her later works were successfully adapted for stage and screen. (summary by J. M. Smallheer) (9 hr 26 min)

Chapters

Preface 2:40 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 1 12:48 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 2 19:23 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 3 36:18 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 4 14:06 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 5 30:42 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 6 34:06 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 7 22:18 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 8 Part 1 28:05 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 8 Part 2 27:07 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 9 38:06 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 10 38:08 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 11 27:17 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 12 11:09 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 13 Part 1 33:40 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 13 Part 2 15:06 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 14 25:11 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 15 37:03 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 16 23:43 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 17 Part 1 23:42 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 17 Part 2 27:55 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 18 13:08 Read by J. M. Smallheer
Chapter 19 24:21 Read by J. M. Smallheer

Reviews

Soooo gooood!!


(5 stars)

Wonderful! I've lost count of all the Librivox books I've read. I started with Jane Eyre, read by Elizabeth Klett, and that still remains my favorite, I think, but this - is a very close second! Beautifully read! I got completely lost in this unusual, different, lovingly crafted tale. 5 Full Stars from me for this excellent reader and captivating story. Couldn't put it down, and am grieving it's completion, but oh so happy for its conclusion!

just as good each time i listen


(5 stars)

i don't know why this book (and the Emma McChesney Series Edna Ferber) have not been made over and over into movies and series. they are TIMELESS! thanks to Librivox, at least i can enjoy over and over. (Feb 21)

excellent reader and enjoyable end to end


(5 stars)

I had never heard of this author. I now plan to read all her works. it was funny, tender, thoughtful, and thoroughly enjoyable. As a Chicago native, I especially relished her sketches of the city I love during a fascinating era of growth. The reader did an admirable job.

Wonderful story, great American writer


(5 stars)

Edna Ferber is one of THE American writers of the early 20th century. Her concise, almost journalistic prose is a breath of air after the wordy Victorians. Her stories, which move along at good pace, tend to be about small town people in the big city. This one is a real pleasure for its smart but tender heroine Fanny Brandeis from Winnebago, Wisconsin. Too bad Ferber didn't write more about this character who didn't let the prejudices of the era stand in her way! I'll certainly be reading more from this great writer. Thanks to the reader whose glottal stops (e.g., "moun-in" for mountain) make for interesting listening. TheBookworm (Manchester, UK)

Amazing how timeless many of her struggles are.


(5 stars)

I love Molly and Danny Brandeis. The straight forward way they behave. their candor and sensitivity. The book is occupied mostly by them so that is the way the story is told, with erect posture, but never too haughty to bend over and help. I have been focused on Sinclair Lewis works from this same era and regions. wonderful. Also since this was written at the start of the first world war..It is amazing how much is foretold.


(5 stars)

Brilliant! I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. As another review already says, it isn’t often that you find a book that can tell you the end in the beginning and yet keep you interested throughout, but this book does just that! I thoroughly enjoyed the matter-of-fact tone of the author. It’s refreshing to find a book of this kind that isn’t overly romanticized. The narrator is superb; she brought this story to life with her clear reading and distinct voices.

Good story


(5 stars)

Excellent story of the life of Fann. from her growth and nurturing by her single mother . her understanding of human nature . and her strive for the success she thought she wanted . all woven in a time before War, and during war. ultimately finding what can truly make her happy. I thoroughly enjoyed it

Very Engaging, complex characters


(4 stars)

An engaging story of a girl growing up in small town Midwest and making a go of it in the big city. It sounds trite and tired, but it managed to keep my attention. There’s a bit of romance without being maudlin or saccharine. Very well narrated.