The Best of Connie Willis
Award-Winning Stories
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The Best of Connie Willis
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By:
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Connie Willis
About this listen
Few authors have had careers as successful as that of Connie Willis. Inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame and recently awarded the title of Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Willis is still going strong. Her smart, heartfelt fiction runs the gamut from screwball comedy to profound tragedy, combining dazzling plot twists, cutting-edge science, and unforgettable characters From a near future mourning the extinction of dogs to an alternate history in which invading aliens were defeated by none other than Emily Dickinson; from a madcap convention of bumbling quantum physicists in Hollywood to a London whose Underground has become a storehouse of intangible memories both foul and fair.
Here are the greatest stories of one of the greatest writers working in any genre today. All ten of the stories gathered here are Hugo or Nebula award winners - some even have the distinction of winning both. With a new Introduction by the author and personal afterwords to each story, plus a special look at three of Willis' unique public speeches - this is unquestionably the collection of the season, an audiobook that every Connie Willis fan will treasure, and, to those unfamiliar with her work, the perfect introduction to one of the most accomplished and best-loved writers of our time.
The full list of narrators includes Graham Winton and Suzy Jackson.
©2013 Connie Willis (P)2013 Recorded BooksPeople who viewed this also viewed...
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Doomsday Book
- By: Connie Willis
- Narrated by: Jenny Sterlin
- Length: 26 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 6,820
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 5,684
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 5,704
For Oxford student Kivrin, traveling back to the 14th century is more than the culmination of her studies - it's the chance for a wonderful adventure. For Dunworthy, her mentor, it is cause for intense worry about the thousands of things that could go wrong.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
Timely, beautiful, terrible and haunting
- By mudcelt on 11-02-09
By: Connie Willis
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Passage
- By: Connie Willis
- Narrated by: Erin deWard
- Length: 31 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 36
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 34
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 35
A psychologist specializing in near-death experiences, Dr. Joanna Lander has spent two years recording the experiences of those who have been declared clinically dead and lived to tell about it. A new doctor has arrived at Mercy General, one with the power to give Joanna the chance to get as close to death as anyone can. Dr. Richard Wright has come up with a way to manufacture the near-death experience using a psychoactive drug. Dr. Wright is convinced that the NDE is a survival mechanism and that if only doctors understood how it worked, they could someday delay the dying process.
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4 out of 5 stars
-
interesting listen. Different from her other books.
- By Stuart on 02-10-24
By: Connie Willis
-
The Road to Roswell
- A Novel
- By: Connie Willis
- Narrated by: Jesse Vilinsky
- Length: 14 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 276
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 236
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 236
When level-headed Francie arrives in Roswell, New Mexico, for her college roommate’s UFO-themed wedding—complete with a true-believer bridegroom—she can’t help but roll her eyes at all the wide-eyed talk of aliens, which obviously don’t exist. Imagine her surprise, then, when she is abducted by one. Odder still, her abductor is far from what the popular media have led her to expect, with a body like a tumbleweed and a mass of lightning-fast tentacles. Nor is Francie the only victim of the alien’s abduction spree.
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2 out of 5 stars
-
Connie Willis must be really losing it
- By Mary E Waitrovich on 07-15-23
By: Connie Willis
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Bellwether
- By: Connie Willis
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
- Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,997
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,554
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1,553
Sandra Foster studies fads and their meanings for the HiTek corporation. Bennett O'Reilly works with monkey group behavior and chaos theory for the same company. When the two are thrust together due to a misdelivered package and a run of seemingly bad luck, they find a joint project in a flock of sheep. But a series of setbacks and disappointments arise before they are able to find answers to their questions - with the unintended help of the errant, forgetful, and careless office assistant Flip.
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4 out of 5 stars
-
Pattern Recognition" Meets "Office Space
- By Pam on 07-04-12
By: Connie Willis
-
The Winds of Marble Arch
- By: Connie Willis
- Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
- Length: 1 hr and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 171
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 104
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 101
Tom, an American, is in London for a conference when he begins to experience unusual forces in the Underground. Is it an easily-explained phenomenon - or ghosts from Britain's past?
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3 out of 5 stars
-
Hugo award winner
- By Katherine on 07-09-12
By: Connie Willis
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Crosstalk
- By: Connie Willis
- Narrated by: Mia Barron
- Length: 18 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,202
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,089
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1,088
In a not-too-distant future, a simple outpatient procedure that has been promised to increase empathy between romantic partners has become all the rage. So when Briddey Flannigan's fiancé proposes that he and Briddey undergo the procedure, she is delighted! Only, the results aren't quite as expected. Instead of gaining an increased empathetic link with her fiancé, Briddey finds herself hearing the actual thoughts of one of the nerdiest techs in her office. And that's the least of her problems.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
It doesn't work like that.
- By Joel on 10-31-16
By: Connie Willis
-
Doomsday Book
- By: Connie Willis
- Narrated by: Jenny Sterlin
- Length: 26 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 6,820
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 5,684
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 5,704
For Oxford student Kivrin, traveling back to the 14th century is more than the culmination of her studies - it's the chance for a wonderful adventure. For Dunworthy, her mentor, it is cause for intense worry about the thousands of things that could go wrong.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Timely, beautiful, terrible and haunting
- By mudcelt on 11-02-09
By: Connie Willis
-
Passage
- By: Connie Willis
- Narrated by: Erin deWard
- Length: 31 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 36
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 34
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 35
A psychologist specializing in near-death experiences, Dr. Joanna Lander has spent two years recording the experiences of those who have been declared clinically dead and lived to tell about it. A new doctor has arrived at Mercy General, one with the power to give Joanna the chance to get as close to death as anyone can. Dr. Richard Wright has come up with a way to manufacture the near-death experience using a psychoactive drug. Dr. Wright is convinced that the NDE is a survival mechanism and that if only doctors understood how it worked, they could someday delay the dying process.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
interesting listen. Different from her other books.
- By Stuart on 02-10-24
By: Connie Willis
-
The Road to Roswell
- A Novel
- By: Connie Willis
- Narrated by: Jesse Vilinsky
- Length: 14 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 276
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 236
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 236
When level-headed Francie arrives in Roswell, New Mexico, for her college roommate’s UFO-themed wedding—complete with a true-believer bridegroom—she can’t help but roll her eyes at all the wide-eyed talk of aliens, which obviously don’t exist. Imagine her surprise, then, when she is abducted by one. Odder still, her abductor is far from what the popular media have led her to expect, with a body like a tumbleweed and a mass of lightning-fast tentacles. Nor is Francie the only victim of the alien’s abduction spree.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Connie Willis must be really losing it
- By Mary E Waitrovich on 07-15-23
By: Connie Willis
-
Bellwether
- By: Connie Willis
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
- Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,997
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,554
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1,553
Sandra Foster studies fads and their meanings for the HiTek corporation. Bennett O'Reilly works with monkey group behavior and chaos theory for the same company. When the two are thrust together due to a misdelivered package and a run of seemingly bad luck, they find a joint project in a flock of sheep. But a series of setbacks and disappointments arise before they are able to find answers to their questions - with the unintended help of the errant, forgetful, and careless office assistant Flip.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Pattern Recognition" Meets "Office Space
- By Pam on 07-04-12
By: Connie Willis
-
The Winds of Marble Arch
- By: Connie Willis
- Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
- Length: 1 hr and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 171
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 104
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 101
Tom, an American, is in London for a conference when he begins to experience unusual forces in the Underground. Is it an easily-explained phenomenon - or ghosts from Britain's past?
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Hugo award winner
- By Katherine on 07-09-12
By: Connie Willis
-
Crosstalk
- By: Connie Willis
- Narrated by: Mia Barron
- Length: 18 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,202
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,089
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1,088
In a not-too-distant future, a simple outpatient procedure that has been promised to increase empathy between romantic partners has become all the rage. So when Briddey Flannigan's fiancé proposes that he and Briddey undergo the procedure, she is delighted! Only, the results aren't quite as expected. Instead of gaining an increased empathetic link with her fiancé, Briddey finds herself hearing the actual thoughts of one of the nerdiest techs in her office. And that's the least of her problems.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
It doesn't work like that.
- By Joel on 10-31-16
By: Connie Willis
Tremendously enjoyable and varied. As expected.
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Surprisingly fantastic
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excellent
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Where does The Best of Connie Willis rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
I've been a huge fan of Connie Willis since I read Doomsday Book over a decade ago. I've read most of her novels, but never got around to running down her shorter works, which evidently was a huge mistake.I repeatedly found myself laughing, then crying, then laughing again. I can not recommend this collection enough.Truly the best of Connie Willis
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Would you try another book from Connie Willis and/or the narrators?
This was my first encounter with this author and she is a bit too "quirky" for my taste, although I do like her humor. I would probably not try another of her books.Was The Best of Connie Willis worth the listening time?
Some of the stories were engaging; others not so much.A Bit Too Unusual
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However, several seemed to have been dragged out unnecessarily, being almost novelas where short stories would do.
Interesting, but some were a bit long
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I usually dislike short story collections because they seem to be all depressing and incomplete. These short stories feel just like small, complete books. Connie Willis is so talented and so good at crafting interesting, surprising situations and complex, lifelike characters. I can't get enough.
This collection also includes short messages from the author after each story. I loved these, particularly the one that talked about how she became a successful author. Inspirational and fascinating.
One qualm with the audiobook: My tracks were out of order for parts of two stories--the numbers were in order, but the reading jumped from the end of one story to the middle of "The Winds of Marble Arch" and then put in the afterward to the earlier story before jumping back to the start of the "Winds:. I'm still a little confused about "The first (middle) track I heard form Winds, but since everything else made sense, I didn't worry about it.
Probably the best short story collection ever
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Connie Willis rocks!
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The best short stories by a great SF writer
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A great collection
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