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The Warden

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About this listen

 Anthony Trollope's classic novel centers on Mr. Harding, a clergyman of great personal integrity whose charitable income far exceeds the purpose for which it was intended. On discovering this, young John Bold turns his reforming zeal toward exposing what he regards as an abuse of privilege, despite the fact that he is in love with Mr. Harding's daughter, Eleanor. Set in the world of the Victorian professional and landed classes he portrayed so superbly, Trollope explores the complexities of human motivation and social morality.

The Warden is the first of the six classic Chronicles of Barsetshire novels, Trollope's best-loved and most famous work.

(P)2005 Blackstone Audiobooks Classics Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Satire Fiction Comedy

Critic reviews

  • Audie Award Finalist, Classic, 2007

"Critics found The Warden a new voice among novelists; the book was acclaimed as clever, spirited, and promising much for the author's future as a writer of significance."(Donald Smalley, Anthony Trollope: The Critical Heritage)
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Septimus Harding, the Warden of this story is a kindly, mild and some would say weak man, definitely a follower. That is until his his position as Warden and the remuneration he receives for this role is questioned and he is alleged to be in receipt of misappropriated charitable monies and therefore by association a dishonest man. The Warden is deeply shaken by the scandal and faces a moral dilemma which causes him to struggle with his own conscience and forces him to act. A great read, humane, quiet and as relevant today as when it was written in the 1860's. Highly recommended.

A Story of Conscience

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Another wonderful tale from Trollope. At about half the price of the Timothy West reading I found Simon Vance more than adequate as narrator.

Another wonderful tale

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A most wonderfully written book wit, pathos and so clergy!
Simon Vance - such Superb narration

My favourite Trollope novel

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Oh dear. Why does Simon Vance feel impelled to make all the characters sound as though they have stepped from a 1950's British film? Eleanor is made particularly unattractive, with priggish clipped vowels at their worst. A pity, because it is a good book and he's not a bad reader in many ways.

1950's Trollope

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