Maurice cover art

Maurice

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Maurice

By: E. M. Forster
Narrated by: Ben Whishaw
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About this listen

Maurice by E.M. Forster is the story of a young man struggling with his sexuality at the beginning of the 20th century.

Written between 1913 and 1914, it was published over 50 years later, the author believing that due to public and legal attitudes to homosexuality, to publish it in his lifetime would signal an end to his career.

Maurice is now considered to be one of the most groundbreaking and significant novels of the LGBT+ canon, and in this brand-new recording Ben Whishaw (Mary Poppins Returns, Paddington, A Very English Scandal) gives an emotive and mesmerising performance.

Photo Credit: Tomo Brejc

©1971 E. M. Forster (P)2020 Audible, Ltd Classics LGBTQIA+ Creators Literature & Fiction Heartfelt Inspiring

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All stars
Most relevant
Maurice is a favourite book of mine. Ben's performance suits the text perfectly. Highly recommended.

Magnificent reading of a splendid novel

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What a beautifully read story. It was perfect. Especially the explanation at the end. A period piece that must have been revolutionary at the time when it were written.

Maurice

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This is beautifully written, beautifully read and very moving. I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend it.

Mesmerising

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I’ve known of Maurice for some 30+ years but never got around to reading it. I’m so glad, because I’ve just enjoyed the supreme experience of Ben Wishaw reading to me every night as I drop off to sleep. Not that I did fall asleep. I set my timer for 30 minutes and heard every word of my nightly segment.

The story is so unusual because as Forster himself says in the afterword, if he’d chosen to kill the two men off or had a suicide pact between them, then he might have had this published many years sooner. He chose a different path and gave his two men a happy ending.

Forster insisted that the book remained unpublished until after his death; this despite the Wolfenden Report in 1957. A published work from such a respected author, such as Maurice may well have ‘persuaded’ Parliament to change the Victorian law that criminalised homosexuality much earlier than it did in 1967.

The story is both genteel and gentle, but there’s always the threat of exposure and potential ruin. The nearest the reader/listener gets to anything too exciting (or ‘pornographic’ as Forster puts it) is the two late characters waking-up entangled in each other’s limbs.

Ben Wishaw is completely sympathetic in his interpretation of the text. His voice is always warm, his pronunciation perfect, and he lets the story do all the heavy lifting. There are times when you really want to cry out “Just stop it, Maurice!” At the same time you realise that these are feelings and situations still experienced today by so many people today.

Wishaw has a lovely voice to listen to and his pacing is perfect.

This is a ‘must listen’ and I urge you to add this to your library.

Wishaw and Forster, both in 5* form

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E.M Forster lays the body down in this groundbreaking volume in a most beautifully intellectual way. I was taken in from the first chapter.

The battle for the rights of those in the LGBTQ I+ community has been a slog and this book really shines the brightest light on it.

The dynamics of how homosexuality is handled back in Forster's England is no different to now, only that he would be glad that the demonisation has lessened.

Ben Whishaw narrates the book with dexterity and a tonal power with the softness of a butterfly. I felt this book deeply because it isn't just about sex but about a life to hang it on to.

Maurice is an open book in closed times.

An open book in closed times

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