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  • Old Filth

  • By: Jane Gardam
  • Narrated by: Bill Wallace
  • Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (216 ratings)
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Old Filth cover art

Old Filth

By: Jane Gardam
Narrated by: Bill Wallace
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Summary

Long ago, Old Filth was a Raj orphan - one of the many young children sent 'home' from the East to be fostered and educated in England.

Jane Gardam's novel tells his story, from his birth in what was then Malaya to the extremities of his old age. In so doing, she not only encapsulates a whole period from the glory days of British Empire, through the Second World War, to the present and beyond, but also illuminates the complexities of the character known variously as Eddie, the Judge, Fevvers, Filth, Master of the Inner Temple, Teddy and Sir Edward Feathers.

©2004 Jane Gardam (P)2015 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"A magnificent, deeply moving and compassionate portrait of an era and a sentimental education. Please read it." ( Daily Mail)
"Beautiful, vivid and defiantly funny." ( The Times)

What listeners say about Old Filth

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Lovely Tale of an Interesting Life

I did enjoy this story, it was really well crafted to keep us guessing about various oarts of Old Filth's life, I loved the character of Filth, and it was a joy to follow him through his often sad life. I don't usually read this type of book which was, I suppose, like a biography, but I did find it held my attention and I did not want to put the book down.

I do like the way that Jane Gardam writes - the story isn't forced upon you - it gently unfolds.

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6 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

My favourite audio book

What made the experience of listening to Old Filth the most enjoyable?

After at least five years, this is still my favourite audio book, along with A Thousand Splendid Suns.

A lovely story and very well read.

What did you like best about this story?

Everything

Have you listened to any of Bill Wallace’s other performances? How does this one compare?

His best

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It's like a warm hug from an old friend now

Any additional comments?

Try it - you really won't be disappointed

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5 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

Memory and desire

Thoroughly enjoyed this novel which reminds me of Moving and a God in Ruins. I am a big fan of the narrator. I am sad that it has ended.

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3 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

Superb in every way

A wonderful life told in glorious descriptive prose that painted characters and scenes with extraordinary clarity, and read absolutely superbly. I am not one for superlatives, but this was truly a great listen. I can't recommend Old Filth highly enough.

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3 people found this helpful

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

Purpose??

This book looks back at the life of an old barrister and judge as he comes to the end of his life, so prepare for jumping around in time and location, and only having answers to some questions posed at the beginning resolved at the end.

The narrator was great. I easily listened to this through a number of car journeys, but would probably have been frustrated if I'd read this as a book, ie dedicating time and effort especially for this. The end result feels like, life is pretty pointless. There seems to be no reason put forward by the author for life, or a moral of sorts, so felt a bit empty by the end.

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2 people found this helpful

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

Interesting read

Very interesting, especially if you like Passage to India. Supplements one's understanding of the Raj well. The boy's childhood makes one's heart ache.

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2 people found this helpful

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

Gentle, funny - with an edge

A captivating little story, nicely observed. Gardam has the skill of looking in on her characters with a degree of detachment, which I found engaging. She has a rich sense of humour which makes the story very funny. Well crafted, credible. That said, I'm not tempted to listen to any other books of hers.

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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 reminiscences and life story

Bill Wallace does an excellent job of portraying Old Filth and revealing his past life. A story gently told despite the terrible events of Feathers' young life. Events unravel in a subtle, gradual way and you can feel desperately sorry for the young boy while at the same time understanding Old Filth's lack of emotion in the living of his later life, and the telling of it. I felt quite close to Teddy in the end.

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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

Brilliant and deeply moving

Ringing a bell with everyone who experienced life as the child of the Empire and the cruelty of parents who sent their children “home”.

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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

Highly recommended

This is a great listen; a really good book, brilliantly narrated. The writing is sensitive and engaging.

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