
A Dance to the Music of Time: First Movement
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Buy Now for $38.99
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Narrated by:
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Simon Vance
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By:
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Anthony Powell
About this listen
Anthony Powell's universally acclaimed epic encompasses a four-volume panorama of twentieth century London. Hailed by Time as "brilliant literary comedy as well as a brilliant sketch of the times," A Dance to the Music of Time opens just after World War I. Amid the fever of the 1920s and the first chill of the 1930s, Nick Jenkins and his friends confront sex, society, business, and art.
In the second volume they move to London in a whirl of marriage and adulteries, fashions and frivolities, personal triumphs and failures. These books "provide an unsurpassed picture, at once gay and melancholy, of social and artistic life in Britain between the wars" (Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.).
The third volume follows Nick into army life and evokes London during the blitz. In the climactic final volume, England has won the war and must now count the losses. Four very different young men on the threshold of manhood dominate this opening volume of A Dance to the Music of Time. The narrator, Jenkinsa budding writer shares a room with Templer, already a passionate womanizer, and Stringham, aristocratic and reckless. Widermerpool, as hopelessly awkward as he is intensely ambitious, lurks on the periphery of their world. Amid the fever of the 1920s and the first chill of the 1930s, these four gain their initiations into sex, society, business, and art. Considered a masterpiece of modern fiction, Powell's epic creates a rich panorama of life in England between the wars. Includes these novels: A Question of Upbringing, A Buyer's Market, The Acceptance World.
As an added bonus, when you purchase our Audible Modern Vanguard production of Anthony Powell's book, you'll also receive an exclusive Jim Atlas interview. This interview – where James Atlas interviews Charles McGrath about the life and work of Anthony Powell – begins as soon as the audiobook ends.
This production is part of our Audible Modern Vanguard line, a collection of important works from groundbreaking authors.©1951 Anthony Powell (P)2010 Audible, inc.Critic Reviews
BUT - Negative stars and loud "Boo!" for the excruciating commentary by American "experts" following the conclusion, wherein academic Charles 'Chip' McGrath makes a completely erroneous reference to the affair between Nicholas Jenkins and the 'sister of *Charles Stringham* (sic).'
How could such a blatant mistake pass the editing or proofreading stage and be included in this otherwise excellent audiobook?
(* it was the sister of Peter Templer, of course).
If commentary were considered necessary, why not go to the acknowledged expert, Hilary Spurling?
I advise Audible (American and international sites) to correct this glaring error - or better yet, delete the commentary entirely!
Correction needed
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As good as reading the book.
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Complex and utterly compelling
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Overall a commendably performed marathon
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Simon Vance's reading is beautifully modulated in a way that both draws you in but is also soothing. Occasionally one of his character voices is a bit odd but overall he conveys the mind and the character of the Nick Jenkins very well.
Undoubtedly, Powell has some period faults such as racism (especially a few African characters glimpsed from afar) but don't get hung up on them. His meditations on motivations and interactions, sometimes quite convoluted, have a quietly absorbing and sympathetic quality that I can happily listen to (and fall asleep to) time and time again.
A very good sleepmaker
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Alright performance, slow start to the saga.
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