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A Passage to India
- Narrated by: Sam Dastor
- Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins
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A Passage to India
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Summary
Exclusively from Audible
Dr. Aziz is a young Muslim physician in the British Indian town of Chandrapore. One evening he comes across an English woman, Mrs. Moore, in the courtyard of a local mosque; she and her younger travelling companion Adela are disappointed by claustrophobic British colonial culture and wish to see something of the 'real' India. But when Aziz kindly offers to take them on a tour of the Marabar caves with his close friend Cyril Fielding, the trip results in a shocking accusation that throws Chandrapore into a fever of racial tension.
Set against the backdrop of the British Raj and the Indian independence movement in the 1920s it deals with the common racial tensions and prejudices between Indians and the British who ruled India.
Many of Forster's novels observed class difference and hypocrisy in early 20th-century British society including A Passage to India, the novel which brought him his greatest success. A secular humanist, Forster showed concern for social, political, and spiritual divisions in the world.
Time magazine included A Passage to India in its All-Time 100 Novels list and it was selected as one of the 100 great works of 20th century English literature by the Modern Library.
Directed by David Lean, a film adaptation was released in 1984 that won numerous awards including two Oscars.
Narrator Biography
A Cambridge graduate who trained at RADA under the direction of Sir Laurence Olivier, Sam Dastor has long featured on screen and stage. He is best known for The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004) and for twice portraying Gandhi in both Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy (1986), and Jinnah (1998).
Sam Dastor has starred in many West End productions with roles such as Ariel in The Tempest, and Orlando in As You Like It. His most recent work has included starring on stage at the Wolsey Theatre in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2016). He has narrated a large catalogue of audiobooks including V.S. Naipaul’s A House for Mr Biswas.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- ERIC
- 01-07-22
A Passage to Deeper Understanding
I previously read this story in the early 1960's when I was in my early 20's. Now that I have listened to the audio version, my fuller and deeper appreciation of its meanings have been a revelation to me.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- MLC
- 18-01-15
Excellent presentation
A challenging novel, superbly narrated. Great writing brought to life with skill and sensitivity. Highly recommended.
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Nifty
- 07-08-16
A wonderfully crafted story, wrought in beautiful prose
The last peaceful days of the British Raj is the pretext, but the language and imagery is what makes this book unforgettable.
The last 12 chapter endings all could easily have ended the book. Poignant, and emotive.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mr. R. E. Towers
- 24-04-21
A story of British racism & hypocracy
This is a story of British racism, bigotry, prejudice, entitlement and hypocracy in India at the time of the Raj.
The story starts slowly and uneventfully exploring the privileged lives of the British in India and their relationships with the Indians over whom they rule.
Then there is a day trip to see some caves where the central characters, Cyril Fielding, his Indian friend Dr. Azuz and a visiting British lady Miss Adela Quested, become separated.
Essentially nothing happens here but Miss Quested panics and believes she has been assaulted. Dr Aziz is blamed for the incident and he is arrested and charged. There is an assumption of guilt because he is Indian.
Subsequently there is an extremely devisive show trial at which the issues of colonialism and racism are exposed. Fielding is the only British person supporting Aziz and is ostracised accordingly. We see how the process of colonialism works.
However, the trial collapses when it becomes apparent that Miss Quested was mistaken.
Following the trial Feilding tries to mediate between Aziz and Miss Quested, seeking forgiveness from one and reparations from the other. But a gap grows in the friendship between Fielding and Aziz who asserts they can't be friends until India is free.
This book is an uncomfortable because of its themes. Forster writes dismissively about women (calling Miss Quested an ugly hag) whilst writing lustfully about young, semi-naked Indian men. But he is an accomplished writer and this book is a comprehensive study of how prejudice, racism and bigotry operate.
The reader does his best with a variety of voices.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- roger Manifold
- 21-03-21
Undecided
For the most of this story I wanted to connect with the characters and feel enveloped in their tangled tale, instead I found myself annoyed with the pomp and prejudice bluster of the colonial rule, only in the final few chapters did I actually feel a connection and warming to this story, well that's probably the genius of a novelist, I'll probably go on to read Howard's End after this so it obviously hasn't been a failing.
The audible narration was well suited to this too
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Sheri Haward
- 30-08-19
Brilliant!
Beautifully narrated, extraordinary modern classic, which is extraordinarily perceptive about the uncomfortable relationship between coloniser and colonised in India.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Saxena
- 17-07-19
classic on India in British raj
Average listen though Sam has done justice in his voice over. story is flat. English simple and easy. Foster is typical of himself. No knowledge gained, none lost either. avoidable.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- KT
- 02-01-20
E. M. Forster at his finest
A triumph - this story will stay with me for a very long time. Brilliantly read.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 12-04-23
Absolutely captivating!
My favourite book & film, beautifully read by Sam Dastor.
I've always loved this book and can highly recommend this audio version.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Angela Lovegrove
- 01-12-17
A Passage to India
Story line a bit tired. Narrator was awful at woman's voices and spoilt it completely.
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2 people found this helpful