Trustee from the Toolroom

By: Nevil Shute

Narrated by: Frank Muller

Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

Keith Stewart, a retiring and ingenious engineer, could not have been happier in his little house in the shabby London suburb of Ealing. There he invented the mini-motor, the six-volt generator, and the tiny Congreve clock. Then a chain of events sweeps him into deep waters and leads him to his happiest discovery yet.

©1960 Heather Felicity Norway and Union Trustee Company of Australia, Ltd. (P)1988 Recorded Books, LLC

Great escape!

What made the experience of listening to Trustee from the Toolroom the most enjoyable?

it's a story with a happy ending after some turns and twists.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Trustee from the Toolroom?

The 28 day voyage of the main character by sloop from Hawaii to Tahiti

Which character – as performed by Frank Muller – was your favorite?

Keith, the main character.

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

Made me happy! Such a wonderful story, almost a fairy tale.

Any additional comments?

Nevil Shutes books provide great escape. As all of his books I have read, they have interesting settings in far away countries with a cast of characters you enjoy meeting. There is a gentleness and heart to his stories, which makes me come back to him as an author over and over.

Lovely and well written in and for gentler time.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I was immediately invested in all the characters. The narrator did a bang-up job with the voices and the story was delightful and courageous.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Keith, absolutely. Such an unwavering moral compass in a man who has almost no opinion of himself.

Have you listened to any of Frank Muller’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but I will!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

That's not my favorite thing to do. I like to stop in the middle of a really good part and go do something. That allows me to look at what's happening from a lot of different angles. I often remember hearing things that went right into my subconscious as unimportant but upon further examination - they come more to the surface to play an important part in what's happening.

Best Book Ever - Perfectly Narrated

I have listened to this book so many times I probably have it memorized. The narration is so beautifully done that the main character comes to life in a loving way. I highly recommend this book and particularly this recording.

it's a Charming little story

it's a Charming little story and it's not here to change your life but it was a very enjoyable way to spend time

Nevil Shute is a favorite

Nevil Shute wrote such human stories and I listen to them again and again, enjoying them every time.

A wholesome feel good book with good people.. I can’t find anything like this in today’s books! Thank you!.. more!!

Loved it.. wholesome.. not boring one bit..great adventure featuring very likable decent people. Thank you.

a lovely adventure

great characters and story. just enjoyable all around. great story arc and well read.

Hologram of a Decent Man

Where does Trustee from the Toolroom rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's in the top 20% of all books I've read, and I've been reading books for almost 60 years.

What other book might you compare Trustee from the Toolroom to and why?

At first I thought 'Cinderella', but that's not correct because Cinderella is a decent person who wants to marry the prince, and in the end she gets what she wants.

Keith Stewart already has the life he wants, centered around making miniature machines and living with his wife of many years. He wants nothing else until a tragedy forces him to take massive risks for the benefit of a small child.

Really, this book is more like 'The Lord of the Rings'. While there are no 'dark forces', like Frodo, Keith must leave his happy home and set off to strange and dangerous places for the benefit of others. Like Frodo, the last thing Keith wanted was a quest.

Keith doesn't risk his life to monsters, but he risks his entire meager net worth and his life in his quest to fulfill his duty as a trustee.

Richard Bach once wrote that Neville Shute's writing is 'a hologram of a decent man'. Nowhere is that hologram more visible than in this book.

Which scene was your favorite?

I enjoyed the sailboat voyage from Hawaii to Tahiti quite a bit.

If you could take any character from Trustee from the Toolroom out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I'd like to take the BOAC navigator out to lunch, because I used to be a Navigator also.

Any additional comments?

This book takes place in the immediate period following World War II. It is startling to the modern reader to read how difficult, time-consuming, and expensive travel and communication was only a short time ago.

Besides the wonderful story, this book provides a fasinating look at how many of the everyday aspects of life have become so much easier in recent years.

I only gave the narration four stars. Frank Muller is just about the best American reader there is, but he's still an American. He reads the European characters as well as any American could, but not as well as a Brit would have.

I'm a Texan who had the happiness of living in England for several years. I don't think all Americans appreciate the hundreds of different accents and dialects that we just combine in to a 'British Accent'. I assure you, regional and class accents are a huge deal in UK.

While he can't read every book, I sure wish Patrick Tull had read this one,

Favorite book in ages!!

So this is a clever book, but a simple book, about a brilliant but simple man. Simple courtesy and kindness creates opportunities and brings kindness from unexpected directions! This is a must listen!!

Joy, Humility, and Just Pure Goodness

I just become more and more impressed with the writing of Nevil Shute. I'm not an engineer or a skilled craftsman. But I VALUE that which a person puts their mind and heart into and strives to do their best at. And I fully understand and appreciate a person who does not build their self worth on material things. As for readers/listeners who were bored because they were not engineers, I find that a bit odd, because this wonderful book, though it includes some technical data, is so very much MORE than a procedural manual. It is the story of a simple man, who is full of skill and talent, yet chooses family, joy, and the simple goodness of continued work with his hands in lieu of selling himself to the highest bidder. I couldn't foresee the outcome of his journey, but oh, how I enjoyed traveling along, as Keith Stewart, humbly accepted new responsibilities and sailed half way around the world to fulfill them. The flow of the book, the narration, and the culmination were absolutely perfect. So satisfying.