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The Warden

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The Warden

By: Anthony Trollope
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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The Warden is the first of the six classic Chronicles of Barsetshire novels, Trollope's best-loved and most famous work.

Anthony Trollope's classic novel centers on Mr. Harding, a clergyman of great personal integrity, whose charitable income far exceeds the purpose for which it was intended. On discovering this, young John Bold turns his reforming zeal toward exposing what he regards as an abuse of privilege, despite the fact that he is in love with Mr. Harding's daughter, Eleanor.

Though the bishop and archdeacon stand behind him, the honest Reverend Harding is caught in a moral dilemma, questioning whether he truly deserves the money or should resign.

Set in the world of the Victorian professional and landed classes that Trollope portrayed so superbly, The Warden explores the complexities of human motivation and social morality.

(P)2005 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Classics Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Satire Fiction Comedy
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Critic reviews

“The incomparable Simon Vance parses Anthony Trollope’s famously circumlocutory, phrase-filled style with aplomb…His ability to create character-revealing accents, from the illiterate grumble of a local farmer to the nasal bray of a highborn clergyman, makes the nineteenth century come alive…Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”

(AudioFile)

“A clever, spirited, sketchy story...and smartly told.”

(Athenaeum, 1855)

“There is considerable talent displayed in this volume.”

(Electric Review, 1855)

“Keen observation of public affairs, a pungent closeness of style, and great cleverness in the author, are the distinguishing features of The Warden.”

(Spectator, 1855 )
All stars
Most relevant
Another wonderful tale from Trollope. At about half the price of the Timothy West reading I found Simon Vance more than adequate as narrator.

Another wonderful tale

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Septimus Harding, the Warden of this story is a kindly, mild and some would say weak man, definitely a follower. That is until his his position as Warden and the remuneration he receives for this role is questioned and he is alleged to be in receipt of misappropriated charitable monies and therefore by association a dishonest man. The Warden is deeply shaken by the scandal and faces a moral dilemma which causes him to struggle with his own conscience and forces him to act. A great read, humane, quiet and as relevant today as when it was written in the 1860's. Highly recommended.

A Story of Conscience

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A most wonderfully written book wit, pathos and so clergy!
Simon Vance - such Superb narration

My favourite Trollope novel

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Oh dear. Why does Simon Vance feel impelled to make all the characters sound as though they have stepped from a 1950's British film? Eleanor is made particularly unattractive, with priggish clipped vowels at their worst. A pity, because it is a good book and he's not a bad reader in many ways.

1950's Trollope

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