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Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street

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Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street

By: Herman Melville
Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
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About this listen

Herman Melville’s tale of corporate discontent, Bartleby, the Scrivener, tells the story of a quiet, hardworking legal copyist who works in an office in the Wall Street area of New York City. The business where he works handles the official financial paperwork of wealthy men. One day, Bartleby’s employer requests he proofread one of the documents he has copied. Bartleby declines the assignment with the inscrutable “I would prefer not,” the first of what will become many refusals. The utterance of this remark sets off a confounding set of actions and behavior, making the unsettling character of Bartleby one of Melville’s most enigmatic and unforgettable creations.

Public Domain (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Anthologies Anthologies & Short Stories Classics Short Stories American Literature

Critic Reviews

“Herman Melville is one of American literature’s greatest figures.” ( The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English)
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I read this story many years ago and thought it was amusing. Listening to it again, with a greater awareness of neurodiversity, it’s a deeply sad tale of a man who is in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s a lesson for modern day managers. Wonderfully read.

Fascinating and sad story

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