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Keep the Aspidistra Flying

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About this listen

Gordon Comstock loathes dull, middle-class respectability and worship of money. He gives up a 'good job' in advertising to work part-time in a bookshop, giving him more time to write. But he slides instead into a self-induced poverty that destroys his creativity and his spirit. Only Rosemary, ever-faithful Rosemary, has the strength to challenge his commitment to his chosen way of life. Through the character of Gordon Comstock, Orwell reveals his own disaffection with the society he once himself renounced.

©2011 CSA Word (P)2011 CSA Word Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Political
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What did you like most about Keep the Aspidistra Flying?

I picked this up in an audible sale and I am so glad I did. Firstly this has outstripped 1984 as my favorite Orwell novel. The writing is sharp, gives a great flavour for the period but as is always the case with a true classic - the themes and characters transcend the original era.But great books do not always make great audio books. Richard E Grant's performance is one of the best I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. The talk of booze soaked poverty and frustrated creativity is pure Withnail and I (or Withnail is pure Orwell, you choose). As a long time fan of that film I was delighted by his reading.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Gordon Comstock, the money obsessed creative snob whose every decision seems to bring him closure to the edge of self destruction. Thoroughly hateful and utterly sympathetic.

What does Richard E. Grant bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Grant brings every ounce of the drunken narcissistic creative kamikaze passion that made Withnail and I unforgettable to a generation of cinema goers.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Gordon's idiotic series of bad judgement calls when he finally gets paid for a writing assignment. Hearing him plunge into a self destructive frenzy as his loved ones look on and suffer is incredibly sad.

Any additional comments?

This is really good, you should give it a try!

Withnail fans - this is a must listen

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Really good narration from a very good British actor. The story paints a very real picture of thirties London. You do feel like telling the main character to buck his ideas up though.

Depressingly good

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Obviously a classic. And who better to narrate than Richard E Grant? I read this book for the first time about 50 years ago when I first came to London and could still see the remains of the "aspidistra" culture that this book centres around. Although today it is hard to imagine what life must have been like in 1930's London, before the NHS and when down and out really meant just that. I would recommend that this book be read every few years to remind us how people with "principles" end up foresaking them (and why) and also because it is simply a literary gem. And of course Richard E Grant's narration is somply a bonus. Wonderful.

Wonderful book, superb narration

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This is not the strongest of Orwell's fine selection of novels, but is still an enjoyable listen. However the narration by Richard E. Grant is superb and really brings the characters to life.

Richard E. Grant is a great narrator.

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I was infuriated with Gordon on his self destruct mission but found the ending a little unrealistic. Nevertheless Orwell’s powerful prose brilliantly narrated by Grant is enough to overcome any dissatisfaction with plot .

A powerful voice

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