The Secret Garden

Frances Hodgson Burnett

Sep 2020 · William Collins · Narrated by Glenda Jackson

About this audiobook

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly abridged and remastered stories are now available to download for the first time.

After the death of her parents, Mary Lennox is sent to live in the remote Yorkshire countryside with her rarely seen uncle. With no one to play with, she resents the landscape and the gloomy house. But then she discovers a key, which unlocks the hidden door to a secret garden...

Academy Award Winner Glenda Jackson captures the magic of the story that has been adored by adults and children alike for generations.

Ratings and reviews

When I first started listening to this audiobook, I didn't realize it was of an older recording that has been abridged and remastered. Since I didn’t know, this made me somewhat surprised to hear the very old-fashioned music that wove throughout the narrative as bridges between scenes and chapters. (I did like the character’s pipe playing, though.) I am used to more modern-style audiobooks that have very little sound except for the narrator's voice. While I wasn't wild about the old-fashioned music, I did like the sound effects that made parts of the story sound like an old radio play. Glenda Jackson, of course, is a fantastic narrator for this book. She did different voices very well, making the children sound distinct. It felt like an English nanny was tucking me into bed and reading me a bedtime story. It had been a while since I’d read the book, but whoever did the abridging did an excellent job as I do not feel like this story lacked cohesion or consistency. This was a charming revisitation of a delightful classic children's tale. I received a free copy of this book, but that did n ot affect my review.

About the author

Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849–1924) was an English-American author and playwright. She is best known for her incredibly popular novels for children, including Little Lord Fauntleroy, A Little Princess, and The Secret Garden.