Flush cover art

Flush

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About this listen

 One of the most famous of all literary dogs, Flush was the golden cocker spaniel belonging to Elizabeth Barrett. In this charming and heartfelt biography, Virginia Woolf tells his story: his early days as Miss Mitford's puppy running across the fields in wild abandon and fathering another, the years spent in his invalid mistress' bedroom in Wimpole Street, the terror of his kidnap by a Whitechapel gang, the excitement of Miss Barrett's relationship with Robert Browning, and a subsequent very different and much happier life in Italy.

Flush, already immortalised in poetry, is vividly brought to life in this humorous, compassionate yet unsentimental portrayal of a dog's loves, fears, jealousies, and reconciliations. This is a triumph of imaginative, sympathetic and remarkably accessible writing.

(P)1995 CSA Telltapes Ltd. Art & Literature Authors Classics Dogs Essays European Literary History & Criticism Pets & Animal Care World Literature Nonfiction Heartfelt Witty

Critic reviews

"A most triumphant trespassing of human imagination into dog sensibilities....A book of irresistible grace and charm." ( Spectator)
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This was a lovely story, and very well read by Prunella Scales - found myself on the verge of tears in places.

Delightful story

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Great story and beautifully read, but the maximum volume is very low, making it difficult to listen to without earphones in an environment with any noise

Told from point of view of Barrett Browning's dog

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A lovely story and an outstanding narrator but oh, what idiot added the usual 'Audible hopes' etc within a fraction of a second of the last word. I was, up until that point.

Beautifully written and very beautifully read.

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Beautifully-written and reflective, we hear the story of Flush, a cocker spaniel, as he begins his life in the countryside and moves to London to live with Elizabeth Barrett Browning, a poet. The book flowed nicely, with some wonderful observations on society at the time, as told through Flush's eyes, Barrett Browning's diaries and through clever comparison between human and dog society.
Narration by Prunella Scales was beautiful. Enjoyed every moment!

Brilliant!

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Beautiful prose take us across the life and travels of a pedicreed dog at the heals of the poet Elizabeth Barrat Browning..
A slight tale but never the less pleasing on the ear and senses..An enjoyable short story.

an interesting journey of a dog across Europe.

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