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A Theatre for Dreamers

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A Theatre for Dreamers

By: Polly Samson
Narrated by: Polly Samson
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About this listen

The Sunday Times best seller and an Observer Fiction Highlight 2020

Featuring bonus track and original music from Pink Floyd's David Gilmour.

1960: The world is dancing on the edge of revolution and nowhere more so than on the Greek island of Hydra, where a circle of poets, painters and musicians live tangled lives, ruled by the writers Charmian Clift and George Johnston, troubled king and queen of Bohemia.

Forming within this circle is a triangle: its points the magnetic, destructive writer Axel Jensen, his dazzling wife, Marianne Ihlen, and a young Canadian poet named Leonard Cohen. Into their midst arrives teenage Erica, with little more than a bundle of blank notebooks and her grief for her mother. Settling on the periphery of this circle, she watches, entranced and disquieted, as a paradise unravels.

Burning with the heat and light of Greece, A Theatre for Dreamers is a spellbinding novel about utopian dreams and innocence lost - and the wars waged between men and women on the battlegrounds of genius.

© 2020 Polly Samson All music by David Gilmour 'Yes, I Have Ghosts' Lyrics by Polly Samson. Performed by David Gilmour with Romany Gilmour. The moral right of the author has been asserted (p)

2020 Polly Samson under license to W.F. Howes Ltd All music (p) 2020 David Gilmour Music Ltd. All songs Pink Floyd Music Publishers Ltd

©2020 Polly Samson (P)2020 Polly Samson under license to W.F. Howes. All music (P) David Gilmour Music Ltd. All songs Pink Floyd Music Publishers Ltd Ltd. All music to David Gilmour Music Ltd Coming of Age Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Greece Royalty

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Critic reviews

"Delicious." (Nigella Lawson)

"A glorious novel." (Kate Mosse)

"If summer was suddenly like a novel, it would be like this one." (Andrew O'Hagan)
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The way the author has blended fiction and true events is extremely clever. The story is captivating, you feel like you are on the island with all of the gang.

Brilliantly executed and touching

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I was totally absorbed by this book. it's true nothing much happens but I loved the writing and entering their world for a bit.
It's a real shame they didn't get an actor to read it. The narrator's voices are poor and quite annoying.

immersive escapism

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The book really conjures up the atmosphere of the island, and the time. I already knew quite a bit about the real life characters, but found them unengaging and the story line lacking.

very atmospheric

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Beautifully read by the author and lovely music . I was able to escape from the doom of Covid in Croydon to Hydra and very different people. Loved Polly’s song with her husband at the end. I learned a lot about Leonard Cohen too and re read my book of poems from the sixth form

Wonderful escapism

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Loved it, took a few listens to get into the story but then I was swept up into the beautiful island and the stories of all the people on it. I always love when an author narrates too. Great!

Great story for summer

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This book not only sweeps you away to a beautiful Greek Island but captivates you in the story of the characters interwoven life’s. Loosely based around the story of Leonard Cohan and his muse Marianne, but told from the perspective of Erica, experiencing her heady days into the world of adulthood and all the bohemian ways of the artists and musicians around her that the 1960s has to offer.

Polly Samson has written a masterpiece of a novel that will certainly stay with you long after the last page. She narrates it beautifully and her husband (Pink Floyds David Gilmour) beautiful guitar pieces and music he has written to compliment the audio version of this book make for memorable read.

A fantastic book that you will want to read again!

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I loved it! Totally recommend it. Really does transport you to Hydra! The best pandemic escape in audio form!

Perfect listen

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Whilst clearly beautifully written, I was actually horrified by the narration, and then to realise it was read by the author! Exacting pronunciation, simpering and over expressive intonation - I had to put it on at 1.3 speed to get it over and done with. Huge shame.

A book to read, not to listen to

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My second book I’ve read (listened to) by Polly Samson loved losing myself to the island mesmerising voice of Polly and beautiful music by David Gilmore
This book has everything you could hope for and more
The only disappointing part is it ends x

Beautiful book to lose yourself in

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Beautiful prose and beautifully read by the author herself. I would definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone!

One of my favourite audiobooks

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