The Age of Innocence

By: Edith Wharton

Narrated by: Lorna Raver

Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Pulitzer Prize Winner, The Novel, 1921

Newland Archer is about to announce his engagement to the docile May Welland when he meets her cousin, the mysterious, nonconformist Countess Ellen Olenska. Edith Wharton's elegant portrait of desire and betrayal in Old New York earned her the first Pulitzer Prize for literature ever awarded to a woman.

©2007 Public Domain (P)2006 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Classic, But Why Would I care?

Man married one woman, falls for her cousin. No real connection with any of characters. we might understand their motivation but there's no depth to characters. We don't really get the depth of their personality..

The Best of Its or Any Day

This is the best. I am an audiobook addict, and it gets no better than this. If you saw the Jeremy Irons movie by Scorsese, it is a very pale copy. Wharton's prose is rich, her characters fully alive, her acute observations succinctly worded, and her multi-generational plot quietly devastating. By the final pages of the last chapter, I had a steady lump in my throat. The reader is masterful in her pacing, clarity and array of voices...almost like listening to the author herself, communicating to us her large-canvas, minutely described vision of a world we will never see again--old New york..

Elegant landscape of New York society 19th century

The historical look into New York society at the turn of the century is illuminating, humorous and revealing. The character of Newland Archer is well developed, while the others are presented as two dimensional shadows, where the author does not reveal their thoughts or intentions.
The details of society, lifestyles, amenities are very interesting which lend value to the novel, but the story is not very compelling.

A well narrated classic!

I am a Wharton fan and this is one of my favorites. The narrator did a good job and really enhanced the story. Kick back with a cup of tea and just let the words wash over you.

Manners in America's Golden Age

What made the experience of listening to The Age of Innocence the most enjoyable?

This story is set in the 1890's, New York city. It follows the inner thoughts and workings of Newland Archer, a well to do young man in the upper society, during that precarious stage of life before he has committed himself to what sort of life he will live. Will he settle, for better or worse with May Welland? Or will he fling caution and standards to the wind to be with Ellen Olenska?
The real delight of this story, is the peek at the inner workings and mores of the upper crust, a narrow society with very strict rules. I love the way Edith Wharton describes the characters, there subtle dialog and the manners of the times. To be honest, Newland Archer drove me crazy, and I didn't care what choice he made, but the very careful way that Wharton laid out the choices and the consequences was a treat.

Also, the narrator, Lorna Raver, was masterful.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes, it did, both.

wonderful classic

I have listened to it several times through the years. such a perfectly performed classic

Reflections on a very repressed era.

I enjoyed the inside look, at an era I had avoided, because of it's repression of women and men. All things revolved around ones status, family connections and wealth. In short, similar to today's hierarchy of social media fame, stardom, etc.

Better Than Austen

This is definitely an old classic worthy of time to isten. I was fearful that it began much like the Jane Austen novels, but it has more meat to grab your interest. The narration was interesting. There was good diferentiation between characters. I did find it odd having a woman narrate a story told by a man.

A sociological and psychological journey!

Wharton's words painted a picture that captured a time in history that was delicately rich and impoverished at once. Great!

People have always been self centered

interesting book about nothing other than self centered rich people. I enjoyed listening, but honestly walked away with a feeling of disgust for the characters and our society.