The Bell Jar cover art

The Bell Jar

 Preview

Get 30 days of Standard free

£5.99/mo after trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options

The Bell Jar

By: Sylvia Plath
Narrated by: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Try for £0.00

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £12.32

Buy Now for £12.32

Summary

 READ BY THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED ACTRESS MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL

'A modern classic.' Guardian

'A near-perfect work of art.' Joyce Carol Oates

I was supposed to be having the time of my life . . .

Working as an intern for a New York fashion magazine in the summer of 1953, Esther Greenwood is on the brink of her future. Yet she is also on the edge of a darkness that makes her world increasingly unreal. Esther's vision of the world shimmers and shifts: day-to-day living in the sultry city, her crazed men-friends, the hot dinner dances . . . The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath's only novel, is partially based on Plath's own life. It has been celebrated for its darkly funny and razor sharp portrait of 1950s society, and has sold millions of copies worldwide.

ONE OF THE BBC'S '100 NOVELS THAT SHAPED OUR WORLD'

'As clear and readable as it is witty and disturbing.' New York Times Book Review

©2015 Sylvia Plath (P)2015 Faber & Faber Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Mental Health Awareness Women's Voices Heartfelt Thought-Provoking Witty Emotionally Gripping Tear-jerking Mental Health
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_c
All stars
Most relevant

What made the experience of listening to The Bell Jar the most enjoyable?

The book is deep, honest and sensitive. Performance is great and really matches the personality of the author. It is not a boring reading at all. It makes you want to listen to everything at once and you end up very sad when it is done. We all wish we could have stayed with her a little longer. Sylvia Plath is a fantastic writer and her words will stay in your mind for a while.

One of the best books I have read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
well read and characterised, but why the music between each chapter? very annoying. a shame.

why the music?

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The story is a whirlwind of emotion and Maggie's narration brings it all together seamlessly. I would easily listen to her reading the yellow pages.

Perfect in every way!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book is a must read & the narration by Maggie Gyllenhaal is a great performance. I didn’t want it to end!

The Bell Jar

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A compelling and thought provoking classic wonderfully brought to life by Maggie Gyllenhaal. Fascinating narrative of life in 1950s America and the treatment of the mentally ill.

Powerful story and beautiful narration

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews