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Doctor Thorne cover art

Doctor Thorne

By: Anthony Trollope
Narrated by: Timothy West
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Summary

Exclusively from Audible

Doctor Thorne is the third audiobook in Anthony Trollope's series known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire. Long regarded as one of Trollope's greatest works, it is a complex story of love, greed and illegitimacy. Set in fictional Barsetshire, it concerns the romantic challenges facing Doctor Thorne's penniless niece, Mary, and Frank Gresham, the only son of the impoverished squire of Greshambury. Mary falls in love with Frank but he is constrained by the need to marry well to restore the family fortunes and Greshambury estate. Despite the promptings of his family to consider a Miss Dunstable, heiress to a fortune, Frank's affections persist, and the humane Doctor Thorne, as Mary's protector, must confront the prejudices of the mid-Victorian society.

Timothy West's narration enhances all the wit and satire that one expects from Trollope. Full of snobbery and hypocrisy, it is a social comedy full of some of Trollope's most brilliant characters.

Narrator Biography

Timothy West is prolific in film, television, theatre and audiobooks. He has narrated a number of Anthony Trollope’s classics, including the six Chronicles of Barsetshire and The Pallisers series. He has also narrated volumes of Simon Schama’s A History of Britain and John Mortimer’s Rumpole on Trial. Timothy West’s theatre roles include King Lear, The Vote, Uncle Vanya, A Number, Quarter, and Coriolanus. His films include Ever After, Joan Of Arc, Endgame, Iris, The Day of the Jackal. On television, Timothy has appeared in Great Canal Journeys, Last Tango in Halifax and Bleak House.

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

" Doctor Thorne is engaging, witty, profoundly moving, and full of emotional strands that seem as relevant today as when it was written. I love it." (Julian Fellowes)

What listeners say about Doctor Thorne

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Hooray! Real Trollope

After the infuriating 1950's-British-film readings of Simon Vance, made worse by his not remembering from chapter to chapter what eccentric accent he has given the minor characters, and, in Dr Thorne, his giving Roger Scatcherd, born and bred in West Country Barchester, a northern accent (presumably because he is a railway contractor) we have the impeccable and absorbing reading of Timothy West. Double three cheers, can we have the rest, and can we also have his readings of the Palliser novels?

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42 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The definitive Trollope!

What a pleasure! This reading is every bit as wonderful as I remembered - far superior to the two other unabridged Barchester versions I am aware of. Please, please can we have the rest? Timothy West does everyone from the slimy Slope to the shirty Archdeacon with enormous humour and understanding but without falling into parody (which soon becomes tedious).

I remember vividly how he did the babytalk in the main chronicle, Barchester Towers - completely convincing, somehow very feminine, very delightful and silly - can't wait to hear it again. And Lily Dale, and a host of other characters. What a genius the man is, worthy of Trollope himself! Bring him on....

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34 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The definitive Trollope

I know this reading from audiocassettes and it is superb. It would be wonderful to have all the Timothy West readings of Trollope available - the complete Barchester and the complete Palliser chronicles. He is a marvellous reader and manages to give a distinct personality to every character who speaks. Please let's have the complete set.

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31 people found this helpful

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

An absolute delight!

A faultless performance but then Timothy West has no rival in the reading of Trollope and he conveys the author's wickedly sly humour with relish.His voices are wonderful whatever the novel...the de Courcy menage are particular favourites! Can I add my voice to all the others and ask that we have everything Timothy West has recorded as soon as possible, please?

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Quite wonderful

Dr Thorne is one of the less well know of the Barchester Chronicles series, but having listened to this superb reading by Timothy West it's hard to know why. The story is straight forward, but the humour and characterisation make it both believable and compelling as the hoped-for ending is worked towards with great style. Beyond that the book is also a telling exploration of a part of Victorian society that was driven by a desperate need to maintain the status quo at almost all costs, utterly ignoring such mundane matters as personal happiness! This is so good it almost makes a lifelong Dickens devotee changes his allegeance.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Genius!

What a performance! A thrilling story beautifully narrated. Every character brought to life, resulting in complete engagement in the story by the listener. I can't rate this narration highly enough.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

total bliss

timothy west is born to read trollope. he brings the characters to life so wonderfully.
Please add all his Trollope readings to the site as soon as possible.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Doctor thorne

There isn't anyone better than Timothy West to read these novels. I echo the reviews of others who would like all the Trollope books on audible.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Simply Brilliant

I won't write too much as Timothy West has been deservedly well reviewed by other listeners. Suffice too say the praise he has previously received is amply justified - I will be listen to all the Trollope titles I can find!

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Delightful Trollope

In truth this is not a great novel - the plot is ponderous and predictable, the characters are interesting but generally without great depth.Yet Trollope is a compassionate and often acute observer of human nature and Victorian society,and Timothy West's superbly judged and always entertaining reading lifts what might otherwise seem prolix mediocrity into a most enjoyable audiobook. Trollope read so well is a rare treat.

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7 people found this helpful