Ballads of a Bohemian
Robert W. Service
Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021)
Ballads of a Bohemian is a collection of poems tied together by the narration of the "author" Stephen Poore. The poems speak of bohemian life in Paris before the war, his experiences during World War I and its aftermath. (Summary by Kristin Hughes) (5 hr 4 min)
Chapters
| Book One – Spring Part 1 | 15:34 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book One – Spring Part 2 | 11:36 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book One – Spring Part 3 | 9:58 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book One – Spring Part 4 | 16:52 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book One – Spring Part 5 | 14:37 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book Two – Early Summer Part 1 | 14:17 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book Two – Early Summer Part 2 | 17:30 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book Two – Early Summer Part 3 | 12:37 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book Two – Early Summer Part 4 | 14:05 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book Two – Early Summer Part 5 | 20:34 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book Three – Late Summer Part 1 | 16:51 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book Three – Late Summer Part 2 | 14:45 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book Three – Late Summer Part 3 | 15:36 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book Three – Late Summer Part 4 | 14:53 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book Three – Late Summer Part 5 | 18:50 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book Four – Winter Part 1 | 16:45 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book Four – Winter Part 2 | 14:11 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book Four – Winter Part 3 | 12:32 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book Four – Winter Part 4 | 12:55 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
| Book Four – Winter Part 5 | 19:26 | Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) |
Reviews
SQ
The reading is excellent. The content is of mixed quality. The only ballad that stood out to me was, "The Spirit of the Unborn Babe." But perhaps this preference is anachronistic, viewing an old idea in light of modern biases. I do not know the state of affairs in France at that time, but what comes to mind is Elvis Presley's in the ghetto song -- with the addition of our culpability and the omission of the cyclical presentation. Near the end, the focus shifts to the Great War where the poems (though the poet's pen was never altogether free from tragedy) are heavier and less willing to market themselves; yet, they still retain their story-telling quality.