| Stolen from Gypsies Lib/E Library Edition Contributor(s): Smith, Noble (Author), Davidson, Frederick (Read by) |
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ISBN: 0786198362 ISBN-13: 9780786198368 Publisher: Blackstone Publishing OUR PRICE: $50.40 Product Type: Compact Disc - Other Formats Published: September 2000 Annotation: We are in the early 19th century: the era of the Napoleonic Wars -- the backdrop for the works of Jane Austen and Patrick O'Brian. The narrator of Stolen from Gypsies is no dashing Mr. Darcy or heroic sea captain, however. Instead, he is the comical Ambrogio Smythe, a hypochondriacal British nobleman who is "rich as a Fugger" (defined in the helpful and edifying glossary). Obsessed by childhood memories of Gypsies, the frail but determined Ambrogio leaves his ancestral estate in Warwickshire and makes his way to Italy during the Peace of Amiens, always aware of the lurking menace of the hated Napoleon Bonaparte. When the war between France and England begins again in earnest, Ambrogio finds himself "happily marooned in Tuscany". Here, he meets a wandering storyteller who spins him a magical yarn about a Gypsy babe kidnapped by a demon. Ambrogio buys a shred of parchment as evidence and begins to write his own florid version of the saga, vowing one day to publish it in the finest morocco leather. Noble Smith takes us back and forth from Ambrogio's Florentine abode to the "The Gypsy's Tale", a rousing adventure full of action and insight. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Fiction | Historical - General |
| Dewey: FIC |
| Physical Information: 10.12" H x 6.54" W x 6.97" (0.56 lbs) |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: A twisted tale of love lost, alluring demons, idiotic servants, beautiful ladies, magicians, spells, pirates, and duels, Stolen from Gypsies has been called a comedic tour de force comparable to Shakespeare. The unusual hero is British nobleman Ambrogio Smythe, a rich but comical hypochondriac. Obsessed by childhood memories of Gypsies, the frail but determined Ambrogio leaves his ancestral estate in Warwickshire and makes his way to Italy during the Napoleonic Wars. Happily marooned in Tuscany, Ambrogio meets a wandering storyteller who spins him a magical yarn about a Gypsy babe kidnapped by a demon. Ambrogio buys a shred of parchment as evidence and begins to write his own florid version of the saga, vowing one day to publish it in high style. Skillfully weaving back and forth between Ambrogio's Italian sojourn and "The Gypsy's Tale," this rousing adventure is full of action and insight. |
Contributor Bio(s): Smith, Noble: - Noble Smith is an author and award-winning playwright who has worked as a video-game writer, a documentary film executive producer, and the media director of an international human rights foundation. He is the author of the novella Stolen from Gypsies, the nonfiction book The Wisdom of the Shire: A Short Guide to a Long and Happy Life, and the first book in the Warrior Trilogy, Sons of Zeus. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and children. Davidson, Frederick: -Frederick Davidson (1932-2005), also known as David Case, was one of the most prolific readers in the audiobook industry, recording more than eight hundred audiobooks in his lifetime, including over two hundred for Blackstone Audio. Born in London, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and performed for many years in radio plays for the British Broadcasting Company before coming to America in 1976. He received AudioFile's Golden Voice Award and numerous Earphones Awards and was nominated for a Grammy for his readings. |