Barchester Towers

By: Anthony Trollope

Narrated by: Timothy West

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)

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!

Better than modern novels!

I love the pace and tone of Trollope novels, and this is no exception. GREAT reader! One of my favorites!

A Superior Interpretation

Timothy West’s brilliant rendering of Barchester Towers is superb in every way. His voices are perfect, and he had me laughing aloud many, many times! This interpretation sets the highest standard.

an entertaining listen

I enjoyed The Warden first so this was like coming back to old friends. Mr. West does an excellent job with the text and voicing the characters and it blends very well with Trollope's style of speaking with the reader directly. The character names are as entertaining as ever, though I confess that the Lookalofts might edge out the Quiverfulls for my favorite. The story was well-conceived and well-told and I enjoyed the light-hearted look into the church and cathedral town life of the mid-century.

A justly loved book read by a superb reader.

This reading illuminates the comic dimensions of the book beautifully. Each character is fully realized.

Timothy West owns Trollope

Once again Timothy West brings forth another great performance of this delightful and entertaining novel about the English clerics in the diocese around Barchester cathedral. A sequel to THE WARDEN, this novel with West performing kept a smile on my face page by page, chuckling at the misdirection, laughing at the sarcasm, tearing up in the end. Audible brings this novel to life as it should be experienced for the reader. What extraordinary fun.

Narrator’s voice too quiet

My only complaint is that the narrator’s volume frequently drops too low. It made listening a challenge while doing other things unless I had earbuds in, even when the volume was all the way up.