
Howards End
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Narrated by:
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Steven Crossley
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By:
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E. M. Forster
About this listen
Considered by many to be E. M. Forster's greatest novel, Howards End is a beautifully subtle tale of two very different families brought together by an unusual event. The Schlegels are intellectuals, devotees of art and literature. The Wilcoxes are practical and materialistic, leading lives of "telegrams and anger". When the elder Mrs. Wilcox dies and her family discovers she has left their country home - Howards End - to one of the Schlegel sisters, a crisis between the two families is precipitated that takes years to resolve.
Written in 1910, Howards End is a symbolic exploration of the social, economic, and intellectual forces at work in England in the years preceding World War I, a time when vast social changes were occurring. In the Schlegels and the Wilcoxes, Forster perfectly embodies the competing idealism and materialism of the upper classes, while the conflict over the ownership of Howards End represents the struggle for possession of the country's future.
Forster refuses to take sides in this conflict. Instead he poses one of the book's central questions: In a changing modern society, what should be the relation between the inner and outer life, between the world of the intellect and the world of business? Can they ever, as Forster urges, "only connect"?
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Story
Adam Bede (1859), George Eliot's first full-length novel, marked the emergence of an artist to rank with Scott and Dickens. Set in the English Midlands of farmers and village craftsmen at the turn of the 18th century, the book relates a story of seduction issuing in "the inward suffering which is the worst form of Nemesis". But it is also a rich and pioneering record - drawing on intimate knowledge and affectionate memory - of a rural world that we have lost.
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Very good book
- By Terri Tinkham on 03-11-19
By: George Eliot
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Middlemarch
- By: George Eliot
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
- Length: 31 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Middlemarch is a recognized masterpiece that explores the complex social world of 19th century England. It is concerned with the lives of several ordinary people, albeit ones with high social standing. The novel explores the very fabric of Victorian society in the 1800s, showing how various human passions, heroism, egotism, love, and lust, interrelate within this society.
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Engrossing, non-stuffy entertainment!
- By Jennifer on 06-21-06
By: George Eliot
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The Woman in White
- By: Wilkie Collins
- Narrated by: Josephine Bailey, Simon Prebble
- Length: 25 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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One of the greatest mystery thrillers ever written, Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White was a phenomenal best seller in the 1860s, achieving even greater success than works by Charles Dickens. Full of surprise, intrigue, and suspense, this vastly entertaining novel continues to enthrall audiences today.
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Gripping novel, excellent production
- By David on 01-18-11
By: Wilkie Collins
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The Machine Stops
- By: E. M. Forster
- Narrated by: Carey Mulligan
- Length: 1 hr and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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"The Machine Stops" is a short science fiction story. It describes a world in which almost all humans have lost the ability to live on the surface of the Earth. Each individual lives in isolation in a "cell", with all bodily and spiritual needs met by the omnipotent, global Machine. Most humans welcome this development, as they are skeptical and fearful of first-hand experience. People forget that humans created the Machine, and treat it as a mystical entity whose needs supersede their own.
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Riveting
- By Terrilin on 03-09-21
By: E. M. Forster
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Howards End
- By: E. M. Forster
- Narrated by: Emma Thompson
- Length: 3 hrs and 2 mins
- Abridged
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At the heart of Forester's masterpiece lie two families: the wealthy and business-minded Wilcoxes and the cultured and idealistic Schlegels. When the beautiful and independent Helen Schlegel begins an impetuous affair with the ardent Paul Wilcox, a series of events is sparked: some very funny, some very tragic, that results in a dispute over who will inherit Howards End, the Wilcoxes' charming country home.
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Something's Missing in this Abridged Version
- By Deborah on 09-14-09
By: E. M. Forster
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The Bostonians
- By: Henry James
- Narrated by: Elisabeth Rodgers
- Length: 16 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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From Boston's social underworld emerges Verena Tarrant, a girl with extraordinary oratorical gifts, which she deploys in tawdry meeting-houses on behalf of "the sisterhood of women". She acquires two admirers of a very different stamp: Olive Chancellor, devotee of radical causes, and marked out for tragedy; and Basil Ransom, veteran of the Civil War, with rigid views concerning society and women's place therein. Is the lovely, lighthearted Verena made for public movements or private passions?
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insightful and intricate portrayal of women from multiple perspectives in history of womens suffrage movement
- By Sharryn Bowman on 08-24-24
By: Henry James
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Madame Bovary: A Signature Performance by Leelee Sobieski
- By: Gustave Flaubert
- Narrated by: Leelee Sobieski
- Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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A Signature Performance: Leelee Sobieski’s Emma is sultry but vulnerable, offering a sympathetic rendering of the heroine and her plight, allowing the listener to draw his own conclusions about Madame Bovary in this cautionary tale of love, passion, and desperation.
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Never touch your idols: the gilding will stick
- By Darwin8u on 07-25-15
By: Gustave Flaubert
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Agnes Grey
- By: Anne Brontë
- Narrated by: Emilia Fox
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Having lost the family savings on risky investments, Richard Grey removes himself from family life and suffers a bout of depression. Feeling helpless and frustrated, his youngest daughter, Agnes, applies for a job as a governess to the children of a wealthy, upper-class, English family. Ecstatic at the thought that she has finally gained control and freedom over her own life, Agnes arrives at the Bloomfield mansion armed with confidence and purpose.
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Loved it
- By Kerry on 05-22-10
By: Anne Brontë
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Daisy Miller
- By: Henry James
- Narrated by: Flo Gibson
- Length: 2 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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When pretty but unsophisticated Daisy Miller comes to Rome from her home in Schenectady, New York, the enclave of Europeanized Americans find her brash and daring. In this, one of Henry James's finest novels of manners and morals, he portrays with elegance and wit the clash between the different societies of Europe and America. The Europeans, so steeped in propriety and old world values, are inimical to the vibrant and often careless nature of the young American society. Daisy must not only discover these deep differences, but she must also learn to recognize the dangers of thwarting convention and tradition.
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low sound quality
- By Customer J on 10-07-07
By: Henry James
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Martin Chuzzlewit
- The Audible Dickens Collection
- By: Charles Dickens, William Boyd - introduction
- Narrated by: Derek Jacobi, William Boyd - introduction
- Length: 41 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Deeply distressed at thought of his singularly money-minded family circling around his inevitable death bed, when Old Martin Chuzzlewit comes across a young and kindly orphan girl, he immediately decides to take her into his employment. Offering her a comfortable living in exchange for her care and protection, Martin rests easy in the knowledge that her comfort will last only as long as he does; upon his death, Mary the orphan will find herself on the cold and dirty streets from whence she came.
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Least enjoyable Dickens' books I've ever read or listened to.
- By Brain on 12-06-18
By: Charles Dickens, and others
What listeners say about Howards End
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- DFK
- 11-01-19
Beautiful writing, master narration
I read A Passage to India oh, so many years ago. I don’t remember much other than I enjoyed it a lot. I recently saw the mini-series Howards End and was intrigued enough to get this audiobook. The writing is beautiful, and the story overall lovely with excellent character development. I do have a big quibble with Margaret’s relationship with Henry, how she, such an independent woman could choose to subjugate herself that way, but in some ways sh didn’t. I suppose one can find excuses for her, but she did have enough of an income (not from hard work, mind you) that she didn’t have to marry. But I let the story take over (I knew it from the mini-series, which was quite true to the book, for a TV production), and enjoyed it a lot, and the narration was masterly. Excellent voices, women’s voices, too, were done well. Here and there, his voice dropped off too much at the end of a sentence, but that is a really minor point. The story also has some rather modern ideas, considering that it was written over 100 years ago. Margaret does an excellent job of pointing out the double-standards for men and women that exist still.
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- Benjamin P Romney
- 04-09-20
Terrible narration
The narrator’s voice would constantly shift between very loud and very soft, requiring me to turn my volume WAY up to be able to hear the quiet parts, thus hurting my ears during the loud parts. This should be part of book reading 101: relatively even volume. Made for a terrible listening experience.
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1 person found this helpful
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- EJH
- 07-27-13
Good story. Poor production.
Where does Howards End rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Top half.
Any additional comments?
The reader has a tendency to trail off at the end of a sentence. I had to raise the volume on many occasions to understand what he was saying. I thought maybe my earphones were going but I am listening to another book now and it is fine. It is a good novel. I recommend another recording. Audible has several.
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6 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 05-17-19
Problems with volume
Volume is too varied either too loud or too soft; disturbing to what would be otherwise a totally enjoyable audio book.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Skippy
- 11-11-24
Well read
I don’t think I’ll ever love EM Forster, but this book was well read and I appreciated the themes portrayed by the characters.
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- Reginald Williams
- 12-24-18
A Tough, But Stately "Read" With Bad Narrator
Unfortunately, my first Forster book on Audible was a struggle to finish.
Henry Wilcox was my favorite character full of characters that, in my opinion, were not fleshed out enough in personality or given much to do. Henry at least had some nice words.
My favorite part was when Henry proposed to Margaret/Meg. Nicely paced with perfect pitch.
I think as nice as Crossley's voice sounds, his bad performance sunk this book for me. A book written by men with females as the main protagonists requires a male narrator who is excellent in creating different female voices. Crossley is worst than any narrator I have yet to hear on audible. All the female voices sound the same. With so many back and forth conversations between Margaret and Ellen without personal identification of who is speaking, the narrator needs to make voices distinctive since I dont have the book in front of me to know which character is speaking. Consequently, things got confusing thus making this talk-driven story hard to follow thus trying my patience and interest.
I would highly recommend another version of this classic book. I am getting my money back for this one.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Lee
- 10-09-18
I am sure I will be listening to it again!
Have seen two film versions and finally listened to it! It is now one of my favorite novels. I understand so much more than when exposed to the Emma Thompson Anthony Hopkins film version when I was young. Brilliant writer and lively narrator. Also, the newest mini series film version lovely to as the mini series format allows for these compression of the story.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Michael
- 06-18-19
Good but Dated
A view of social tensions in the Edwardian era. There is not a lot of story, and virtually no action, instead there are characterizations illustrating the various ideals permeating Edwardian English upper classes. The prose are very good, but not exceptional. The power of the book is the subtle unfoldings of each point of view with equal judgement upon all. The narrator is not nonjudgmental, but very mildly judgmental of all.
Of course this does not make for a gripping and enjoyable read. It was interesting in its way, but I did not find this a Great Book. I sure it was an important book for its time.
I did not notice issues with the sound quality and I found the narration more than adequate and not annoying.
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- Mana Amir
- 04-03-21
Completely MEH
I honestly don’t understand how this is considered a classic. The story is fairly unimaginative and none of the characters, save Helen, are not very likable. I read it back to back with Brideshead Revisted and found the latter far more engaging. This was not a favorite.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Kindle Customer
- 07-13-19
Definitely worth listening to again... And again!
Big ideas and truths falling into your lap with ease. Loved every moment of it.
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