Buy new:
$11.98
FREE delivery Sunday, May 19 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Sunday, May 19 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Saturday, May 18. Order within 5 hrs 42 mins
In Stock
$$11.98 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$11.98
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day easy returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Wednesday, May 22 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$11.98 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$11.98
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.

Reading, Writing, And Arithmetic

Sundays Format: Audio CD
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 381 ratings
Amazon's Choice highlights highly rated, well-priced products available to ship immediately.
Amazon's Choice
$11.98
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime
FREE Returns
See all formats and editions Hide other formats and editions
Price
New from Used from
Audio CD, CD
$129.99
— $25.00
Extra Savings Amazon Music offer with this purchase 1 Applicable Promotion
  • Amazon Music offer with this purchase Shop items
Includes FREE MP3 version of this album. Provided by Amazon Digital Services LLC. Terms and Conditions. Does not apply to gift orders. Complete your purchase to save the MP3 version to your music library.
Available at a lower price from other sellers that may not offer free Prime shipping.

Frequently bought together

Reading, Writing, And Arithmetic
$11.98
Get it as soon as Sunday, May 19
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Blind
$18.95
Get it May 16 - 21
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Ships from and sold by sterlingcds.
+
Static & Silence
$11.61
Get it May 16 - 21
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Ships from and sold by sterlingcds.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

From the brand

Previous page
  2. HIT ME HARD AND SOFT (Amazon Exclusive Red Vinyl)
    Glorious [Amazon Exclusive]
    Forever [Black/Clear Split LP] [Amazon Exclusive]
    Can We Please Have Fun (Amazon Exclusive Opaque Bone Vinyl)

    Amazon Exclusive Vinyl

  3. Dark Matter
    Let It Be
    Stick Season (We'll All Be Here Forever) [Black Ice 3 LP]
    Back to Black

    Best Sellers

  4. NCT DREAM 'DREAM( )SCAPE' [Jewel Case Ver.] [Amazon Exclusive]
    Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration Of Tom Petty [Tangerine 2 LP] [Amazon Exclusive]
    LOOM [Translucent Coke Bottle Green LP]
    Rock Montreal + Live Aid [2 Blu-ray/4K]

    New Releases

  5. ROOM UNDER THE STAIRS [Explicit]
    Back To Black: Songs From The Original Motion Picture [Explicit]
    Forty Licks
    Higher

    Digital Albums on Amazon Music

Next page

Track Listings

1 Skin & Bones
2 Here's Where the Story Ends
3 Can't Be Sure
4 I Won
5 Hideous Towns
6 You're Not the Only One I Know
7 A Certain Someone
8 I Kicked a Boy
9 My Finest Hour
10 Joy

Editorial Reviews

Product description

Delightful 1990 debut features "Can't Be Sure" & "Here's Where The Story Ends".

Amazon.com

Like the album's title, this music is about the basics. This seminal release from 1990 rerouted pop music for several years, and for the better. This simple guitar/bass/drum/vocal affair cut like a searchlight through the fog of tortuously overproduced music of the time, as The Sundays proved that more is often merely more. Harriet Wheeler's lilting, swooningly sweet voice is clearly the strong driving factor behind this debut's appeal, fore-grounded through spare arrangements and an almost timid rhythm section, though the timbre of Wheeler's voice is perfectly matched to David Gavurin's terrific 12-string guitar. Taken as a whole, the album bears repeated listening, even though some of the songs tend to blur together. The hit single "Here's Where the Story Ends" is rivaled by, if not equal to, "You're Not the Only One I Know," "I Kicked a Boy," and "Joy." --Alan E. Rapp

Product details

  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.88 x 5.59 x 0.47 inches; 3.1 ounces
  • Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Universal Music Group
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ 2319644
  • Original Release Date ‏ : ‎ 1990
  • Date First Available ‏ : ‎ December 7, 2006
  • Label ‏ : ‎ Universal Music Group
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000003TA0
  • Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 2
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 381 ratings

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
381 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Tena J. Bellovich
5.0 out of 5 stars Just good music
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2024
Verified Purchase
Great music. Driving guitar. And Harriet Wheeler could sing the phone book and it would be a hit!
Helpful
 Report
Lorraine S. Moore
5.0 out of 5 stars OS Gear (Old-Time Media) is a Quality Company
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2023
Verified Purchase
The CD "Reading, Writing and Arithmetic" by The Sundays arrived a few days earlier than expected.
It appears to be new, flawless and at a great price. I'm very pleased!
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Remote buyer
5.0 out of 5 stars Masterpiece
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2023
Verified Purchase
This is an absolute marvel of a record.
Helpful
 Report
A. J. Hughes
4.0 out of 5 stars good for any day of the week...
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2010
Verified Purchase
This is the debut album by the Manchester quartet, THE SUNDAYS. Not unlike Manchester's finest, THE SMITHS, THE SUNDAYS play a similar brand of simultaneously shimmering and jangly brit-pop. in fact, i wonder if THE SUNDAYS name was taken from the "silent and grey" day MORRISSEY so easily described on this debut solo album _viva hate_ two years earlier. at it's very worst, _reading writing and arithmetic_ is a worthy tribute to THE SMITHS, with pleasant deviation in direction at the vocal position. as quirky and snarky and utterly brilliant as MORRISSEY was/is, vocalist harriet wheeler brings her own set of positives. his voice is cutesy and juvenile-sounding, in that CYNDI LAUPER sort of way. and yet there's a maturity in her composure. despite being pushed to the forefront in the mix, wheeler shows a good deal of restraint in never over-singing, but rather doing her part to pump out well-crafted, song-oriented jams. i find the production a bit stiff and muted-sounding; though it appears other reviewers see this as a high-point. it has a particular effect on the drums, as they tend to sound like they were recorded with pads on. wheeler and guitar-player david gavurin are definitely given center stage on the album's mix, while the rhythm section seems to have been ordered to lay low. nevertheless, it works. the production is certainly unique and could perhaps boost the perception of a grey, humdrum Manchester and the mixed feelings that go along with that. but in spite of the strength of the two singles and select others, i find _reading writing and arithmetic_ together lovely and a tad underwhelming. as mentioned in the editorial review, the album is a bit singular in sound and some songs seem to get lost in the shuffle. despite the catchy, feasible nature of the music, it's an album that requires a lot more of your attention than you would suspect, lest the album's finished playing and you're left wondering if it's a good as it was made out to be.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Lynette Lickley
5.0 out of 5 stars Quality
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2023
Verified Purchase
I enjoy hearing all of the songs and it has held up.
Helpful
 Report
melkents
5.0 out of 5 stars Reading Writing and music
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2012
Verified Purchase
The Sundays are a British band from the so called "art school"
stream that probably began with the Rolling Stones...et al.
This album of terrific music was originally pressed by Rough
Trade Records in 1990 before they went bankrupt circa 1991.
The Smiths were stablemates of The Sundays, and it is still
hard to believe, that with so many record sales Rough Trade
went belly up.

I just love the jingle jangle sound of The Sundays. Formed
in 1988, and lasting until 1997;Reading Writing and Arithmetic
is almost a work of Art itself. Most of the tracks sound the
same because the chords are all built around Major sevenths
Cadd9, D suspensions...and other complex chordal variations.
By multi tracking the guitar you acheive the whimsical,
floating in the breeze type of feeling the band became
synonymous with.The music and the breeze are intentionally
parallel.

The Sundays were headed by Harriet Wheeler on vocals and David
Gavruin on that masterful guitar. The bass and drums are tight
and fit perfectly. This CD really is a 5 star classic. After
22 years of release it sounds as fresh as shaved ice with your
favorite ice cold drink poured on the top. Please support vintage
eerie music!! If you purchase this CD and "Blind" you are in
for a relaxing couple of hours in a world full of tenseness.
16 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Thomas Kraus
5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic album...
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2022
Verified Purchase
I just discovered this band a few months ago and they are REALLY good. Very tight and well-crafted songs from this band. David Gavurin and Harriet Wheeler made three wonderful albums together and I wish they'd start releasing albums again. I can only imagine what they've written during their time away from the music scene, raising their kids.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Lewis Woolston
5.0 out of 5 stars Indie Magic
Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2018
Verified Purchase
I was already a fan of The Sundays but my collection was incomplete so I wanted their other albums.
This album is probably best known for the single "here's where the story ends" which is by far the stand out track but the whole album is quality. The Sundays were a group of students from Bristol University who got together and started writing cool indie tunes, the main musical input came from David Gavurin who has to go down in history as one of the finest guitar strummers ever. The vocals were provided by Harriet Wheeler who possesses one of the most beautiful voices ever recorded.
If you love heartfelt indie pop jangle songs that break your heart while making you sing along then this album is for you.
13 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Mark Fisher
5.0 out of 5 stars Just Great.
Reviewed in Canada on March 20, 2023
Verified Purchase
Just a wonderful cd. Band is better than expected.
Report
Marc
5.0 out of 5 stars Mitico disco.
Reviewed in Spain on November 15, 2022
Verified Purchase
Buena música.
Report
Kate Feeney
5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT ALBUM!!!!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 11, 2021
Verified Purchase
Love this album!!!! Cd is in great condition plays perfectly and looks stunning. Got it rlly cheap too!!! Defo recommended you give it a listen
Customer image
Kate Feeney
5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT ALBUM!!!!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 11, 2021
Love this album!!!! Cd is in great condition plays perfectly and looks stunning. Got it rlly cheap too!!! Defo recommended you give it a listen
Images in this review
Customer image Customer image Customer image
Customer imageCustomer imageCustomer image
One person found this helpful
 Report
Antonio
5.0 out of 5 stars fantastico!!!!!
Reviewed in Italy on March 29, 2018
Verified Purchase
Acquistato in vinile alla sua uscita....riacquistato in cd.... più bello che mai!!!!
Praticamente perfetto!! assolutamente da avere!!!! magica Harriet !!!
Report
Crazylegs5000
5.0 out of 5 stars Very Nice CD
Reviewed in Japan on October 2, 2022
Verified Purchase
Cd sounds very nice. Delivery was fast and efficient.
Report