Barchester Towers

By: Anthony Trollope

Narrated by: Timothy West

Length: 19 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

Exclusively from Audible

Barchester Towers is the second of six in the series known as Chronicles of Barsetshire. Narrator Timothy West brings life to the story, begun in The Warden, of Mr. Harding and his daughter Eleanor. It chronicles the struggle for control of the English diocese of Barchester after one Bishop dies and a new one is selected.

The rather incompetent new Bishop, Dr. Proudie, led by his formidable wife, and ambitious chaplain, Mr. Slope, begin to create turmoil with their desire to shake up the church establishment in Barchester with new policies and practices. However, the established clergy of Barchester, led by Archdeacon Grantly, the son of the previous Bishop, are equally determined to keep things just as they've always been. Archdeacon Grantly declares 'War, war, internecine war!' on Bishop Proudie, but who will win the battle between the archdeacon, the bishop, Mr. Slope, and Mrs. Proudie?

The Guardian included Barchester Towers in its list of '1000 novels everyone must read'. Full of humour and extraordinary characters, it is no wonder it continues to be Trollope's best-loved work.

Narrator Biography

Timothy West is prolific in film, television, theatre and audiobooks. He has narrated a number of Anthony Trollope’s classics, 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 West’s theatre roles include King Lear, The Vote, Uncle Vanya, A Number, Quarter, and Coriolanus. His films include Ever After, Joan Of Arc, Endgame, Iris, The Day of the Jackal. On television, Timothy has appeared in Great Canal Journeys, Last Tango in Halifax and Bleak House.

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"It was in [Trollope's] fifth book, Barchester Towers, in which he blended his satirical gifts with disdain for evangelical puritanism, that he found himself." ( Washington Post)

Simply superb

The book itself, of course, is a perennial classic for its elegance and wit. Timothy West has comprehended the book magnificently and his reading of it is a triumph. Listening is sheer, unadulterated pleasure.

I thought I'd read all the classics.

It is wonderful to find this gem of a tale. I will immediately purchase the next book.

best of trollope

always a favorite novel, a clear eyed celebration of simple goodness in a complex world.

What a treat!

Beautiful, gentle story! Trollope treats his protagonists with gentle, kindly humor. Wonderful narration! What a treat!

The best narrator as ever was

I can’t imagine a narrator better suited to this delightfully droll novel than Timothy West.

Beautiful book with a perfect narrator

This is a fantastic audiobook. I’ve read this book many times, but hearing it read by this fine actor was a whole different experience. There’s so much humor that I might’ve missed when I just read it myself.

Great book: very well read

Listening to this book convinced me that Trollope is a fine writer, and I plan to listen to many more of his works. In all cases I'll choose the Timothy West version. This reader is excellent. I especially like the way he conveys character through the various voices he uses. His Mr. Slope and Bishop Proudie are especially good.

Brilliant Performance

The story is wonderful and describes the setting with a perfect amount of detail. The characters are fully developed and their foibles are both comical and infuriating but above all presented as people that we care deeply about as the story proceeds. Money and love play a part in the story. The moral questions of life are sifted and answered and although this all occurs in a time past, the universal nature of such struggles makes this book engrossing for today's reader. The narration is simply perfection.

A wonderful book and a great performance

Timothy West brings out all of the humor and poignancy of Trollope, and this has to be the best of all of Trollope's books. I did something I never do: simply sat at my kitchen table listening. A compelling page turner, with wonderful characters, brilliant witty comentary and the, even romance.

West is a brilliant reader.

You’ll Love It!

Trollope’s best novel. And Timothy West’s narration is superb. His unique and colorful voices for Bishop Proudie, Mr. Slope, Archdeacon Grantly and Signora Neroni are memorable and entertaining. A rare treat!