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  • The History of Mr Polly

  • By: H. G. Wells
  • Narrated by: Paul Shelley
  • Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (120 ratings)
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The History of Mr Polly cover art

The History of Mr Polly

By: H. G. Wells
Narrated by: Paul Shelley
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Summary

Mr Polly is an ordinary middle-aged man who is tired of his wife's nagging and his dreary job as a gentleman's outfitter in a small town. Faced with the threat of bankruptcy, he concludes that the only way to escape his frustrating existence is by burning his shop to the ground and killing himself. Unexpected events, however, conspire at the last moment to lead the bewildered Mr Polly to a bright new future - after he saves a life, fakes his death, and escapes to a world of heroism, hope, and ultimate happiness.

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about The History of Mr Polly

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

Character-led novel of escaping a hopeless life

Not at all what I was expecting, but I'm glad I chose this audiobook nonetheless. It's a fairly gentle tale of one man's experience of letting life pass him by, how he finally attempts to change his circumstances, and the aftermath of this attempt. Wells is a classic author for good reason and his characterisations are very real throughout. I found this book particularly relevant for my life right now, albeit not quite so drastically, and this added to my enjoyment of the novel.

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15 people found this helpful

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

Charming tale.

Beautifully crafted story, gently amusing and professionally read. Well drawn characters and a charming tale.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

delightful in every way

loved it from beginning to end. beautifully read. funny in parts. sorry when it finished.

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3 people found this helpful

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

Wonderful story that captures the human condition.

Great narration. We can drift along with no sense that we can change anything and everything with one action and often in the most unlikely ways. Mr Polly is probably reflective of most of us, measuring our life against an unwritten standard, that we never question / basic in the rut of life, missing its real beauty and simplicity. Thoroughly enjoyed.

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1 person found this helpful

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

very enjoyable

Highly recommended. Very funny made me laugh out loud. Narrator made it come to life.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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joy

I can see where the idea of the rise and fall of Reginald Perrin came from. The narration was superb and very engaging. A delightful light heart story. There's probably a little of the Mr Polly in all of us.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Joyous

The philosophy of Mr Polly - a gentle tale, well told. The narration matched the narrative perfectly. Loved it all!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Pure pleasure - memories of day dreaming in school

Nostalgia - Mr Polly has always been my hero - at school I envied him wandering off into the countryside. The book was narrated perfectly - I was there with Mr Polly - drifting - so beautifully written and mispronounced. A beautiful escape from this modern woke world.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Lovely ending

It is a sad story of a weak young man. However, he changes his lifestyle. Excellent writing. All’s well that ends well

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

A great book ; well narrated

This is a classic and as its listened to I picture John Mills in the fine old black and white film .
Ive listened to many of the chapters over and over. H G Wells was obviously an accomplished author with a brilliant mind - particularly powerful is the start of chapter nine where Wells considers the ability for people to change their lives . The book steadily improves towards the final chapters. Five stars all round.

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