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Barchester Towers

By: Anthony Trollope
Narrated by: Timothy West
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Publisher's Summary

Exclusively from Audible

Barchester Towers is the second of six in the series known as Chronicles of Barsetshire. Narrator Timothy West brings life to the story, begun in The Warden, of Mr. Harding and his daughter Eleanor. It chronicles the struggle for control of the English diocese of Barchester after one Bishop dies and a new one is selected.

The rather incompetent new Bishop, Dr. Proudie, led by his formidable wife, and ambitious chaplain, Mr. Slope, begin to create turmoil with their desire to shake up the church establishment in Barchester with new policies and practices. However, the established clergy of Barchester, led by Archdeacon Grantly, the son of the previous Bishop, are equally determined to keep things just as they've always been. Archdeacon Grantly declares 'War, war, internecine war!' on Bishop Proudie, but who will win the battle between the archdeacon, the bishop, Mr. Slope, and Mrs. Proudie?

The Guardian included Barchester Towers in its list of '1000 novels everyone must read'. Full of humour and extraordinary characters, it is no wonder it continues to be Trollope's best-loved work.

Narrator Biography

Timothy West is prolific in film, television, theatre and audiobooks. He has narrated a number of Anthony Trollope’s classics, including the six Chronicles of Barsetshire and The Pallisers series. He has also narrated volumes of Simon Schama’s A History of Britain and John Mortimer’s Rumpole on Trial. Timothy West’s theatre roles include King Lear, The Vote, Uncle Vanya, A Number, Quarter, and Coriolanus. His films include Ever After, Joan Of Arc, Endgame, Iris, The Day of the Jackal. On television, Timothy has appeared in Great Canal Journeys, Last Tango in Halifax and Bleak House.

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"It was in [Trollope's] fifth book, Barchester Towers, in which he blended his satirical gifts with disdain for evangelical puritanism, that he found himself." ( Washington Post)

What listeners say about Barchester Towers

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Great story wonderfully narrated

Trollope knows how to write a story and he does so in a most leisurely way. Lots of details about people, many digressions and authorial interceptions. Set in the cathedral town of Barchester it deals with mainly with Church people, Anglican. Weak, tentative Bishop Proudie, completely under the control of his formidable wife, the abominable, ambitious, unctuous villain, Mr Slope, hopes to marry a rich woman and become bishop or dean. Forthright Dr Grantly, gentle, kind Mr Harding, his widowed daughter Eleanor and the Oxford man, Francis Arabin. There’s also the ghastly, flirtatious Signora Madeleine Neroni, a handicapped woman who lies about seductively on chaise longues. And there’s more, much more. Yes, the manners and mores of the 1850’s are somewhat different from ours and the class system was respected, but human nature is the same. So much to enjoy and relish and superbly read by Timothy West.

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  • Overall
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Loved this reading

I hadn’t been inclined to re read this novel myself but have been delighted to listen to West read it for me. Beautiful reading, dry and funny and serious too, exactly as Trollope intends but perhaps more palatable. Perfect characterisation- not a whit too far - and an intelligent interpretation. I have become very fixated in listening and now feel bereft!

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Great listen

Extremely well read by Timothy West. So entertaining. Trollope writes in such a witty way. I read this book years ago but enjoyed it even more now to listen too.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Splendid as Trollope is always & brilliantly read

Those coming new to Trollope might consider the Palliser series or better yet The Way We Live Now. Then again, it was here that Trollope made his name. One cannot go wrong - I personally will keep going for what that's worth. Those who know Trollope but wonder only about the narrator should wonder no more! This fellow is exquisite (in my head he IS the author's voice and I have to remind myself that it is not actually Trollope speaking lest I someday say 'Oh Trollope, yes, I love him - beautifully spoken man too').

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Wonderful reading of verbose classic

I read BarchesterTowers about 40 years ago, but found it has lost its charms in the intervening period. It has some famous characters like Mrs Proudie and Mr Slope, but neither they nor some of the other charcters undergo much development, and the Archdeacon for example does little but disapprove of Mr Slope and Eleanor. She and Mr Arrabin are the best characters by far. There are too many digressions, too much padding, for me, much as I like Trollope's style and insights. Timothy West's reading is an utter delight - if he were reading the phone book I could listen to him for hours.

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