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The Custom of the Country

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The Custom of the Country

By: Edith Wharton
Narrated by: Grace Conlin
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About this listen

 One of Edith Wharton's most acclaimed works, The Custom of the Country is a blistering indictment of materialism, power, and misplaced values. Its heroine, Undine Spragg, is one of the most ruthless characters in all of literature, as selfishly unscrupulous as she is fiercely beautiful. As she climbs the class ladder through a series of marriages and affairs, she shows little concern for who she has to step on. Her rise to the top of New York's elite society provides a poignant and scathing commentary on the unquenchable ambitions of America's nouveau riche.Public Domain (P)1995 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Classics Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Romance

Critic Reviews

"Of all Edith Wharton's novels, The Custom of the Country is my absolute favorite....Grace Collin's reading of Blackstone's unabridged version is splendid, her voice fruity, elegant and utterly ruthless." ( Forbes)
Named a Staff Pick, Selected by the Staff at the Mid-Manhattan Branch of the New York Public Library, November, 2007
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i enjoy Henry James although found some novels can be a little hard going. I loved the story and the narration, can't believe the indulgence of the period and the self absorption of Undine

insight into the mind of a narcissist

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A century on, Edith Wharton's insightful portrayal of American expats, is observed in modern context.

A Favourite

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Great reading. Wonderful writing. Always thought Wharton could have ended the book far sooner but seeing as it keeps on being diverting and well written it’s easy to read to the end.

Wonderful reading of a classic

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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.