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  • The Portrait of a Lady

  • By: Henry James
  • Narrated by: John Wood
  • Length: 23 hrs and 55 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (34 ratings)

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The Portrait of a Lady

By: Henry James
Narrated by: John Wood
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Publisher's Summary

Exclusively from Audible

When Isabel Archer, a beautiful, spirited American, is brought to Europe by her wealthy aunt Touchett, it is expected that she will soon marry. But Isabel, resolved to enjoy the freedom that her fortune has opened up and to determine her own fate, does not hesitate to turn down two eligible suitors, declaring that she will never be wed.

It is only when she finds herself irresistibly drawn to the cultivated but worthless Gilbert Osmond that she discovers that wealth is a two-edged sword. She becomes a victim of her own provincialism and the scheming of her friends, learning only too late that there is a price to be paid for independence. A tragic tale of love and betrayal, it still resonates with audiences today.

With its subtle delineation of American characters in a European setting, The Portrait of a Lady is considered the masterpiece of the first phase of James's career and arguably his most popular story. Within it we find a reflection of James's interest in the differences between the New World and the Old, often to the detriment of the former.

A film adaptation was made in 1996 by New Zealand director Jane Campion, starring Nicole Kidman, John Malkovich, and Barbara Hershey.

Narrator Biography

Having begun his career on stage, John Wood spent seven years in television before eventually playing lead roles in Tom Stoppard's teleplays in 1967. After two Tony nominations for his performances in Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead and Sherlock Holmes, he won the award for Best Actor for his role in Stoppard's surrealistic farce, Travesties, in 1976. He also had a long career with the Royal Shakespeare Company and continued his theatre work in both America and the UK, eventually receiving a Laurence Olivier Award nomination in 1997 for his role in Stoppard's Invention of Love.

In 1996, Wood performed in BBC Radio 3's audio production of Man and Superman by George Bernard Shaw and in 2010 he narrated audiobook The Portrait of a Lady with Audible Studios. His appearances in feature films have included Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) and, later, television appearances have included Foyles's War (2004) and Lewis (2007). In 2007 he was appointed Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE).

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about The Portrait of a Lady

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Superb.

Amazing employment of the English language. On a par with Middlemarch by George Eliot, highly recommended.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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So dam good

Did not want this one to stop! story was awesome, great build up, beautifully written, wholesome characters, eloquently read, all and all brilliant! Highly recommended for a period piece lover .
Get amongst it !

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Love love loved this

Couldn’t put my phone down - was carrying it with me everywhere lest I find 5 mins to listen to another snippet. Wonderful story and unlike some Classics, this is just so easy and entertaining. It’s funny and sassy and smart and observant - has left me quite a lot to think about regarding women’s rights and expectations and social mores. How long it took for women in western countries to move fwd from these days. Such a wide social commentary.
And so entertaining.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Over a century old and hasn’t aged a day

A sensitive reading of a powerful story about independence, love, hate and manipulation that is still just as relevant today as when it was written.

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Struggling with Narrator

I am having a hard time getting through this Henry James novel. Having really enjoyed The Wings of the Dove, I was prepared for James writing style but I think it all comes back to the patronising sound of the narrator's voice that is making it so hard to listen to. While I know that many of the novel's characters are just such characters of condescension, his voice grates on my nerves.. I think I might just give up and watch the movie instead.

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