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    All the King's Men
    All the King's Men
    All the King's Men
    Audiobook20 hours

    All the King's Men

    Written by Robert Penn Warren

    Narrated by Michael Emerson

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    This landmark book is a loosely fictionalized account of Governor Huey Long of Louisiana, one of the nation's most astounding politicians. All the King's Men tells the story of Willie Stark, a southern-fried politician who builds support by appealing to the common man and playing dirty politics with the best of the back-room deal-makers. Though Stark quickly sheds his idealism, his right-hand man, Jack Burden -- who narrates the story -- retains it and proves to be a thorn in the new governor's side. Stark becomes a successful leader, but at a very high price, one that eventually costs him his life. The award-winning book is a play of politics, society and personal affairs, all wrapped in the cloak of history.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateSep 11, 2006
    ISBN9781436100915
    All the King's Men
    Author

    Robert Penn Warren

    Robert Penn Warren (1905–1989) won three Pulitzer Prizes, the National Book Award, the National Medal for Literature, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1986 he was named the country’s first poet laureate.

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    Reviews for All the King's Men

    4.5/5

    66 ratings42 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Accidentally picking this up at the library in the audio book section, I gave the first CD a listen and was hooked throughout all 18 CD's in this large, vast and powerful read.All The King's Men was originally pulped in 1946 by Robert Penn Warren, and it is a tale about the corruption of a powerful manI have to get really geeky here and talk about some pop TV for a second. The character Benjamin Linus on ABC's Lost is played by Michael Emerson is one of my favorite TV characters of all time.I was pleased to find out that All The King's Men, the audio book version is read by none other than the Michael Emerson. And since the story is told in first person, Emerson becomes the central charaacter of the story, Jack Burden. There was a movie made recently based on this book, and Burden was played by Jude Law, I believe, and the movie tanked.I'll tell you why it tanked, because Emerson didn't play Jack Burden. His voice and inflection are perfect and it would be hard to imagine no other as the character because Emerson embodies Burden so well, simply by audio. Imagine what he could do on the big screen.That being said, let me tell you how awesome this book was. Coming at it from a point where I knew nothing of the story, it was a great trip into mind of Burden. Burden is a news reporter who, as a young man, gets hooked up with Willie Stark, a politician on the rise who begins his career as a straight shooter, someone even Lincoln would be proud of.But as the story goes on, flashing back and forth from the past to the present, making the book feel timeless and move quickly despite its length, we find Stark turning into the thing we feared he would become most, a politician. Stark's rise and downfall are chronicled by Burden, who tells how his past and present life mix in and blend together with Starks, touching at all points.Burden's thoughts and comments about life and the goings on in the story are often pessimistic and hopeless, and that's perhaps what this book does so well, in that it eventually saves Jack Burden but allows Stark to fall off the deep end, and not a page too late for either.Warren can write southern dialect with the best of them: McCarthy, Faulkner, and the conversations in the book feel real and genuine. Nothing reads so good as some southern fried dialog.This book is deep and touches on many aspects of life: parenthood, death, pride, love, loss of love, philosophy, history, and politics. The characters are singular, and I don't think we'll see another Jack Burden in literature for a long time--someone so callused on the outside but vulnerable as well, with quick wit, a lack of regard for any authority, and one who eventually admits he was wrong about everything.I loved this book, and will read it again in the future. If you are a fan of audio books, you must do this one in your ears. I never experienced a better experience with a narrator than I did with Emerson's Burden. Pick it up, and enjoy.
    • 4/5
      A fictionalized account of the idealistic country lawyer, Huey Long, who entered Louisiana politics at the invitation of invidious plutocrats who thought they could use him to split the "rube" vote. In Penn's novel, Willie Stark rises to power, as narrated by his close right arm Jack Burden. This is a lyrically written tragedy which takes on the big issues of life.
    • 1/5
      i'm rating this book 1 star because i hated it when i read it in high school; however, i picked it up at a used book sale with the intention of giving it a second chance. we'll see.
    • 5/5
      This is a classic of Southern American literature that can hold its head proudly next to other works in the genre, Faulkner among them. This 1947 Pulitzer Prize winner tells the tragic parallel tales of Wille Stark, a boy from the farm who rises to great political power, and Jack Burden, an aristocratic journalist who becomes his right-hand man. It is a moving and complex tale of love, corruption, loss and redemption caught up in family, history and the quest for power. Although it's a commitment to read a book this long and dense, tit pays off with a great story, a brilliant subtext on humanity, a powerful peek into the excesses of political life, and a clear sense of what Southern literature can offer. Books like this are why I read: to understand just a little of what makes human beings tick. Marvelous.
    • 4/5
      Each blurb on the back of my copy of "All the King's Men" lauds the enduring character of Willie Stark. For me, claiming this book is about Willie Stark is like claiming that "Sunset Blvd." is about Norma Desmond; each story would be nothing without the singular perspective of its narrator and his relation to the "main" character. Unlike William Holden's Joe Gillis, however, Warren's (aptly named) Jack Burden is a narrator with a lot of baggage. Sometimes, as in his research into the historical figure of Cass Mastern, this takes you way off course from the story, which already has enough of the complexity of a Hollywood noir film to be able to keep up with who the characters are and what they've all done wrong. Other times, as when Burden delves into his love for Anne Stanton, the reminiscences are not only pertinent to the plot but to the lives of every reader who has felt the same emotion, and one can't help but sit back and let the Joycean flow of words wash over them. I am not of Warren's school of New Criticism; I can't disentangle a book from authorial intent, and so the bizarre mishmash of Christianity and belief in the "Big Twitch" spouted by Burden and other characters in the book makes me wonder what on earth Warren was going for with some of the philosophy injected into the story. For its lack of clarity in the relationship of beliefs and memories and events throughout the whole of the novel, I can't quite say it felt like a five-star work; I felt like the character development was weakened by the narrative structure, as if Jack Burden were a French press whose coffee grounds filtered through to colour every other character's perspective, and I think this is a book that, however adroitly, merely describes a facet of what has become par for the course of American political life, rather than changing its reader's ideals. But for getting the nitty-gritty so right decades before the Kennedys put this kind of political scandal on the map, it is definitely worth a look.
    • 5/5
      This is a great book that took me by surprise. I read it because I'm an archivist, and I was charged with preparing the papers of a recently retired governor for research. The themes of the inevitable interaction between idealistic public service and the practicalities of politics and power really struck home to me as I read. I found the novel's treatment of the whole idea of the power of truth-telling (for good and ill) simply fascinating.The writing is beautiful, and the characters feel authentic. This is one of my favorites.
    • 4/5
      A superb novel about American politics.
    • 5/5
      Best political novel I ever read.
    • 5/5
      A reviewer for The Boston Globe wrote that "Many passages are famous, but just about every page has something in it that deserves to be." I admit, when I read that review on the first page of my edition, tucked into other reviews, I nearly rolled my eyes: what higher praise could there be? Yet, at a few points in the novel, I remembered the quote, and still, having finished the book....I wholeheartedly agree.Warren's book is an epic book in scope, language, character, depth. From page one, his language sucks you in, and this book kept me up reading on more than one night. Besides having an intricate and engaging plot that you can't help getting involved with (which you can't predict), and that you can't help feel is as relevant today as it was sixty years ago--the book was originally published in 1946--the characters Warren creates are heartbreakingly real. Yet, for an epic and serious tale, there's humor on nearly every page, and the dialogue Warren creates is utterly memorable. I can't remember the last time I left a book feeling so full and satisfied, so renewed by language and poetry, and so much looking forward to exploring the rest of an author's library (for yes, this was my first dive into Warren).In closing, I can't really do the book justice. This book is what every literary author strives for, and what so few reach, and it is both beautiful and awesome in every respect. It is without doubt something to read, remember, and return to.
    • 4/5
      I went into this expecting a novel about a political corruption and, instead, walked into a novel about people. That’s not a bad thing. I’m not sure what I expected. I think I was expecting a story about a corrupt man becoming governor and his eventual downfall. Not the plot at all. Instead, this is an involving story of the people surrounding a man who got into politics for the right reasons, but quickly believed his own press clippings. So, while you will often read about how this is loosely based on the life of Huey Long, Willie Stark (the surrogate Long) is not the focus. Instead, this novel focuses on the life and transformation of a Stark associate – Jack Burden. And this focus allows the book to far transcend the muckraking status that might have been associated with it. I was misled going into the novel. But, when I allowed myself to realize what kind of novel I was actually reading, I allowed myself (and the writer allowed me) to become involved in these lives. (Next stop; watch the original movie with Broderick Crawford, then the remake with Sean Penn. I’m putting money on the former over the latter.)
    • 5/5
      I read this book the first time while in college. I read it again shortly after the latest movie adaptation. Not surprisingly, I prefer the book.
    • 5/5
      For my money, I think this is the greatest book in Southern Literature exceeding Faulkner. All the King's Men is much more than the usual purported centrality of Willie Stark's political motives and final demise, and the usual shallow analogies to Huey Long; if anything, the novel's narrator, Jack Bundren, is a cynical person whose life has unraveled. I think the one scene with Jack's father will always stay vivid as the epitome of Southern Grotesque. It is a multi-layer novel--with clarity and a moral revelation. The first paragraph is riveting, and last paragraph unforgettable.
    • 4/5
      This Pulitzer Prize winning novel is a thinly veiled, fictionalized account of the life of the former populist Governor of Louisiana, Huey Long, written by an aide, Jack Burden. Burden is something of an idealist who has somehow become attached to the political machine of southern Governor Willie Stark, known throughout the story as simply “The Boss”. Also playing a prominent part is Burden’s relationship to Adam and Anne Stanton, two childhood friends who were the children of a former Governor. The narrator of the story, Burden, seems to wander aimlessly through the events of the book, often as not doing much of the Governor’s dirtiest work, while seldom seeming to question the morality or legality of his actions. There is much talk of good, bad and evil between repeated scenes of political graft, bribery and corruption.Much of the book is fascinating in its portrayal of raw political power and manipulation. However, far too frequently the author diverts to almost stream of consciousness prose with little or no advancement of the underlying story line. One hundred pages of such florid drivel could have easily been excised from the novel, resulting in a far more captivating tale. As it was, I’d immensely enjoy fifty pages of narrative only to be faced with ten pages of garbage that could literally be skimmed over.So, how to rate such a book? I give the approximately 80% of the book that contained actual narrative, five stars. The remaining 20%, which consisted primarily of meaningless babble, earns one star. That comes to 4.2 stars. Read the book, skim the garbage.
    • 4/5
      An eye opener to the concept that "power corrupts". An absolute joy to read. I remember hoping that Willie would find a way to put things right. Later, I learned that Robert Penn Warren was an appointee in the Huey Long state government. He distilled Long's career with amazing success. The recent Sean Penn movie is quite good... any relation to the author?
    • 5/5
      As Willie Stark, 1930s governor of a Southern state (Huey Long?) spirals downward from idealistic populist to powerful master of graft and corruption, the protagonist, Jack Burden, his chief aide, completing his own downward spiral, comes to terms with his family and himself. Well-written and compelling. Pulitzer Prize winner.
    • 5/5
      Author Robert Penn Warren took pains in the preface to say that his character Willie Stark is not based (at least not solely) on Huey Long ... but with the basic story of Long that I know it's hard to believe. The book was published in 1946 (and awarded the Pulitzer in 1947) after having started as a play (never published) begun in 1937-38. It's set in the 1930's in Lousiana and, I think, does a good job of evoking the setting through the language it uses (which is cringe worthy to the modern ear). The main character is Jack Burden, aide to Governor Willie Stark. We share Jack's life from when he leaves the university just short of a Ph.D. in History until middle-age. We get a close-up view of Louisiana politics of the age through which we are made to reflect on the choices society always must make. Pragmatism vs. idealism, good vs. evil Some of the descriptions in the book are lovely IMHO -- here's a sample ...a big pale apple-green moth, big as a bullbat and soft and silent as a dream--a Luna moth, the name is, and it is a wonderful name--came flying in. Somebody had left the screen door open, and the moth drifted in over the tables and chairs like a big palegreen, silky, live leaf, drifting and dancing along without any wind....I found the several main characters to be well drawn and compelling, the story interesting and well-paced and the book thought provoking. It's old but not dated. I highly recommend it.
    • 5/5
      This novel has compelled me to return to it several times since I first read it, and every time I seem to discover something new. The characters are as richly drawn as you will find, especially Willie and Jack. Even Tiny Duffy, who you think (like Willie) you have safely tucked away in a box, turns out to surprise you with his sudden ruthlessness. The story--with its arc of fall and the search for redemption--beautifully sets the main characters on a collision course with the destinies they have forged for themselves, yet nonetheless hope to avoid.I agree with the other reviews here that the Cass Mastern material is a confusing digression, but I cannot help but think that someday I'm going to figure out its place in the overall sweep of the novel.
    • 5/5
      This is among my favorite books of all times. The narrative is compelling enough, but more than anything, it shows off Warren's mastery of the language. There are sentences peppered all over the book that made me stop and marvel at the perfect word choice. This is a master at his best.
    • 4/5
      This is an instant classic. There is no wonder why everyone loves this book. Although it is fiction, it is based on reality and the main character is similar to Huey Long. Robert Penn Warren really gets the reader into the story, into the politics and the betrayal. I was completely sucked in from page one. It is fairly long but its worth the read. I love fictional books like this. Fictions that have a hard archor in reality.The book is amazing and the movie that was just recently done on the book is equally as good.
    • 5/5
      A wonderful character story. Is Willie Stark a power hungry despot who uses his oration to deceive others? Or does he actually care about the little guy? Do his ends justify his means? The psychological profile of Stark and Jack Burden, his gopher/journalist probe at human nature and question if anyone can and does live a moral or principled life. Based on the story of Louisiana governor Huey Long, this novel has been turned into two powerful movies as well.
    • 4/5
      Listened to this on the way to work for nearly a month. Great reader, great book.
    • 4/5
      Excellent from start to finish. My favorite section: the summertime courtship of Anne Stanton.
    • 5/5
      One of the all-time great books of political fiction. Primary Colors, eat that! Tightly written, with beautiful language, and a plot that keeps you turning the pages.
    • 5/5
      I'm jumping over here! This book spans 50 years and has some of the richest, gooiest descriptions I've ever read. Writing about the humidity, I swear I thought I was sweating despite the fact that my apartment was like 10 degrees. I could read this book over and over. History, politics, really great sly humor.
    • 4/5
      What, I found myself wondering at its conclusion, is All The King's Men about? Is it about Huey Long stand-in, Willie Stark, the powerful, populist governor? Is it about Jack Burden, his fractured aide and narrator? Is it about how to create good in this world when everything has a little bit of bad in it? Or is it about the holes in people, and what we try to fill them with? At the end of it all, I still don't really know. All The King's Men is a staggeringly - wildly - ambitious novel, but at times it struggles to contains its multitudes. It's a one of a kind, and perhaps the prototypical Great American Novel, but it's also flawed, maddening, hysterical and somnolent in addition to being sublime, heady, vivid, and exciting. "Cousin Willie" is a local representative with dreams of making it to the governorship after a corrupt contract job collapses and kills some local kids, but he's going to need to become "The Boss" if he wants to win. His transformation from patsy to patriarch is faster than lightning over the bayou, and before long the state is in his hands. Jack Burden, one-time historian, journalist and now political aide is the cynical and bemused chronicler to all this. But Jack himself - like most of the people around Willy - is a flawed and unhappy person. The story is as much about Jack - striving with an urgency that at times makes the prose hum like live wire - to make sense of the world, and his place in it. Faulkner's writing casts a very long shadow indeed over All the King's Men. Warren's prose is rushed, all long sentences and descriptions falling over each to get to your eyes. Every sentence has emotion coming off it like alcohol vapour and it's about as heady. Warren can barely finish a paragraph without launching into the next one, straining to capture every sight, thought and feeling. It lends the novel an incredibly vivid aspect; you'll be riding along with the Boss and Sugar Boy when they take to the hustings and wandering the lonely streets at night with Jack.By the same token, however, you'll also be taking the long highway journeys with endless bitumen riding resinous in your nostrils, aimlessly plunging into Jack's aborted Phd (was this the key to the novel? I don't know. It sure was a long sixty-odd pages though), and drifting through an existence that lacks much meaning at times. Also, you're going to get very intimate with Jack - for a novel of 550 pages, there's only about 20 people in the entire book, and none of the others are sketched so well. I cannot lie; the long digressions, endless descriptions and existential ennui of Jack, whilst they make the book so unique, also make it feel like damned hard work at times. The narrative, echoing the cadence of real life, is largely purposeless and seemingly arbitrary through many patches, its conlcusion somewhat foregone and pat. This is not a political novel, and those looking for one will be bitterly disappointed; the ins-and-outs of power-taking and making are left unexamined and uncared for. Ironically for the state's top aide, Jack is an apolitical animal. His almost instinctual attachment to Willie rings true, but it's primarily an emotional attachment. What Jack believes in is unclear, even to Jack himself, and it's not much clearer in Willie - whose transformation from hayseed to powerbroker happens largely off page. What All the King's Men reminded me of most was actually Maugham's Of Human Bondage. The threadless narrative, wandering scope and fairly banal metaphysical musings counterbalanced by the brilliance in capturing feeling, the sympathetic, almost lambent gaze cast on its motley crew of characters, and its plaintive, young, daring in _feeling_ its feelings to their full power. It's a big book; literally, thematically, linguistically, and when you cast a net so wide you cannot help indiscriminately drawing in the boots next to pearls. But a strength of that is there's something in there for everyone. You don't see many books published with such fire in the belly, such a go-big-or-go-home mentality. It's exhilarating to read, and undeniably exhausting at times. But All the King's Men will stay with me, I know that much.
    • 4/5
      A brilliant and classic portrayal of corrupt politicians and politics.
    • 5/5
      This isn't the copy I had, oh well. As a nonfiction lover, this was the best work of fiction I have ever read- not only because his daughter, poet Rosanna Warren was later my English Prof at B.U. ; I was captivated by how he wove poetic phrasing and imagery throughout his prose...it was seamless.
    • 4/5
      'All the King's Men' is not a political novel; rather it is a detective novel written in a style similar to Raymond Chandler's.Furthermore, I don't think that Willie Stark's story is a study of personal corruption. On the contrary - Willie remained almost saintly in his convictions and behavior until his end. The novel indicts the Southern nobility and the world of politics in general, rather than Willie in particular.A couple of chapters (the civil war chapter, and the trip to Long Beach/ teenage romance chapter) could've been cut right out with no detriment to the book. In fact, the book would have been better if it focused on Willie and not on Jack Burden.
    • 5/5
      I was assigned to read this book in college, and was perhaps the only person in my class that actually liked it. Granted, the Cass Mastern excursion is difficult to wrap your head around if you're looking for a straightforward plot. But it still contains one of the more touching descriptions of young love I've yet encountered. "I felt that I was right on the verge of knowing the the real and absolute truth about everything. Just one instant and I would know it. Then I got my breath. 'Jesus,' I said out loud, 'Jesus!' I stretched my arms out as wide as I could, as though I could grab the whole empty air."Yeah. That's pretty much what it feels like.
    • 5/5
      This is often classified as a political novel, a fictional account of Huey Long's life, but the political ambiance is in many ways incidental to core theme of difficult personal choices, ethics, and moral development. At the outset the main character, Jack Burden, regards himself as just another corporate/organizational operative, but he is compelled by circumstances to confront himself and decide if he is more or less than that. If the book is successful, readers will recognize Burdens in themselves and realize that the same confrontations await us all. Warren was mainly a poet and his sentences flow in rhythmic patterns, adding sensual appeal.