Phineas Finn

By: Anthony Trollope

Narrated by: Timothy West

Length: 23 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

Exclusively from Audible

In Phineas Finn, the second of the Palliser series, Trollope balances the rival demands of public and private life, entangling political ambitions with the experiences of love.

Phineas Finn, an irresistible but penniless young Irish barrister enters Parliament and comes to London leaving behind him an Irish sweetheart, Mary Flood-Jones. In London, Phineas wins friends on all sides and is admitted into high society. However, he also falls more-or-less in love, first with politically-minded Lady Laura Standish, then with Violet Effingham, and finally with wealthy widow Madame Max Goesler.

With his character, reputation and prospects at stake, Phineas must make some ethical choices in regards to his career, political beliefs and romantic life - but what must he sacrifice?

Trollope deals with a diverse set of topics including reform and the Irish question, the position of women in society, and the conflict that integrity and ambition pose, the latter still being as relevant today as it was in the 1860s.

Phineas Finn is the first of Trollope's works to feature the affairs of the parliamentary world as a major interest. Three of the main characters are based on Benjamin Disraeli, William Gladstone, and the English reform politician John Bright.

Narrator Biography

Timothy West is prolific in film, television, theatre, and audiobooks. He has narrated a number of Anthony Trollope's classic audiobooks, including the six Chronicles of Barsetshire and The Pallisers series. He has also narrated volumes of Simon Schama's A History of Britain and John Mortimer's Rumpole on Trial.

Timothy's theatre includes King Lear, The Vote, Uncle Vanya, A Number, Quarter, and Coriolanus and his films include Ever After, Joan Of Arc, Endgame, Iris, The Day of the Jackal. On television, Timothy has appeared in Broken Biscuits (BBC), Great Canal Journeys (across 3 Series), regular role of Stan Carter on EastEnders (BBC); Last Tango in Halifax; Bleak House, Bedtime and Brass.

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Phineas Finn and West: 5 stars; Audible: 1 star

As others have written, this is another extraordinary recording by Timothy West. The problem is, only 3 of the 4 parts are available. Audible customer service knows this -- or knew it -- and pulled the download for a month or so. Now it's back up, but part 4 is still not available (August 20, 2010). One star to Audible for making any Trollope narrated by West available -- one star, that is, if Audible tells their customers that this is incomplete.

'Love...does not often run...yoke with prudence.'

The politics of the time period was a fascinating intrigue.
The characters were as varied as they were entertaining.
The love story, as seen through a young man who wears his heart on his sleeve, most endearing and in some ways like a comedy of errors but which seem to highlight Trollope's amazing understanding of the difficulties set before his heroines, and accords them much sensitivity and empathy in his portrayal of them. He creates for each a strong character, with intelligence and wit, and each with a stout heart. My own heart aches for the rigidity these women had to bear when their marriages became/become as like a choke chain. I feel my next statement will not give anything away so I will say it - while I had admiration for each of Phineas' venerated 'lovers', Mary Flood-Jones always had my vote. Perhaps it was that soft Irish accent! :-) Thank you again to the excellent Mr West for bringing it all to life.

A most enjoyable story.

The entire book is in the 3 parts of download.

I purchased this book before reading the reviews, but now that I happened to read them, I downloaded Part 3, listened to the final chapter - "The Conclusion." The book is next to me on my desk and the end of the book is the same as my download, Chapter LXXVI, "The Conclusion." This is the 6th or 7th Timothy West narration of Trollope that I have bought. His performances are amazing. I hope "Phineas Redux" becomes available by the time I finish listening to "Phineas Finn." I'm glad I didn't read the reviews or I might have missed this one.

Another Fantastic Book by Trollope

Irishman Phineas Finn, a twenty-five year old law student in London, finds himself as a Member of Parliament, nearly by accident. This novel follows him for five years as he rises in his new profession, falls in and out of love, and finds his moral mettle tested and proven true.

Trollope is an excellent writer, creating believable characters and engrossing plots, while subtly examining current issues that were important to his times such as marriage, the role of women, and the working of politics. While not as humorous as Can You Forgive Her? (the first in this series), and full to bursting with politics that I didn't always understand, Phineas Finn is a fantastic novel. I thought about the book often when not reading it, and was completely involved all the way through the entire 23 hour audio book.

Timothy West is an outstandingly good narrator, and brings this novel to life.

enjoyed

very good best one sofar in series, excellent plot and story narrator had saidafining voice

The luck of the Irish

This book validates that well worn phrase "the luck of the Irish". The great metropolis, London, is Phineas' oyster. This poor, son of an Irish doctor, has prime ministers, beautiful wealthy women at his feet. What a guy, what a story. I just loved listening to it. Thank you Mr West for the great narration and thank you Mr Trollope for the great and so witty story.

TIMOTHY WEST OUTSTANDING

I see no one praises Trollope. Nor can I; he is quite beyond it. My wife could not listen to Trollope for as long as two minutes, but I am a thankful addict. I see everyone praises T West the narrator; me too, he is terrific and it is no mean feat to hold the listener's attention for thirty hours. I don't think Phineas is the most interesting character in his own book, and I really wish he had married Madam Max instead of choosing dear little Mary Flood.

Trollope is the best

Funny, insightful, tender.
Simon Vance is a perfect reader.
Social commentary still on the mark after
120 years.

Simply The Best Trollope Book Ever!

Loved every character Trollope described. One of his best books by far. All will enjoy.

Phineas Finn, the Irish Member

Trollope was fascinated by contemporary politics, which are the common undercurrent of the six Palliser novels. He in fact ran unsuccessfully as a Liberal candidate himself, and it's hard not to detect a particular fondess on the part of the author for Phineas Finn, who appears in several novels in the series, and who is the hero of two, this second installment, and book four, Phineas Redux.

Phineas Finn enters the House of Commons as an outsider on a number of counts: he is very young, he has no income (a real problem in the days when MPs received no salaries), he is not of particularly elevated social position, being the son of a country doctor, he is Irish, and he is a Roman Catholic. Despite these disadvantages, and repeated setbacks in the fields of politics, friendships and love, his charm, sociability, intelligence and determination drive a steady rise through the ranks of the House of Commons???until proposed legislation on the subject of Irish Tenant Rights poses a moral dilemma even Phineas cannot see a way out of.

All the Timothy West Trollope recordings are top notch, and this is no different. While this is probably one of the more "political" novels in the sequence, this should not put off anybody who has enjoyed the other novels, as it is all well explained, and the political side of the story is off-set with several subplots involving Phineas's private life--which, given that he is young, attractive, and has an irresistible eye for the ladies, is turbulent to say the least. Trollope is always sympathetic when depicting female characters, and Phineas's women friends, Lady Laura Standish, the beautiful heiress Violet Effingham, and the beguiling Austrian widow, Madame Max Goessler, are all fascinating in their own right.

It is worth listening to these novels in sequence if you can manage it, but not essential. The first in the series is Can You Forgive Her?, but you could easily start with Phineas Finn if you preferred.