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Jane and Prudence

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Jane and Prudence

By: Barbara Pym
Narrated by: Maggie Mash
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About this listen

 BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR

INTRODUCED BY JILLY COOPER

'I'm a huge fan of Barbara Pym' RICHARD OSMAN

'I devoured all her books, but Jane and Prudence remains my favourite' JILLY COOPER

'Barbara Pym is the rarest of treasures; she reminds us of the heartbreaking silliness of everyday life' ANNE TYLER

If Jane Cleveland and Prudence Bates seem an unlikely pair to be walking together at an Oxford reunion, neither of them is aware of it. They couldn't be more different: Jane is a rather incompetent vicar's wife, who always looks as if she is about to feed the chickens, while Prudence, a pristine hothouse flower, has the most unsuitable affairs. With the move to a rural parish, Jane is determined to find her friend the perfect man. She learns, though, that matchmaking has as many pitfalls as housewifery.

'This comedy of manners is a salutary reminder of just how good Barbara Pym was . . . This book is a gem' THE TIMES©1953 Barbara Pym (P)2011 Hachette Digital Classics Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Marriage Village Funny
All stars
Most relevant  
This novel is hilarious, with such a sharply drawn social commentary still relevant for today. Fans of Jane Austen and Tracy Chevalier will love this. A real hidden gem, looking forward to reading more Barbara Pym.

Timeless social comedy

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Thanks to Audible, I've discovered that BP's novels lend themselves to live narration. I read and loved all her books about 30 years ago, but they are far better being read aloud, as the novels are full of dialogue. With the many different characters, some quite eccentric, the narrators need to be highly skilled. This one is. It's not the best Pym novel, but it's very entertaining. And if you haven't listened to A Glass of Blessings and Excellent Women, I urge you to do so.

Another wonderful rendition of a Barbara Pym novel

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The narrator was so theatrical and overly dramatic that it made the story sound stupid, outdated and not funny at all. I am really disappointed that I got to this book in this way, should have better just read it myself. Absolutely spoiled it for me.

Terrible narration spoiled the book

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Not one of my all-time favourite Pyms, but all Pyms are worthy in my opinion! I thought the narrator really captured so much of the humour inherent in these often mundane characters and their overly dramatic inner lives. Fantastic, and constantly entertaining, both from the narrator and the text

Fantastic

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.