Bartleby, the Scrivener

By: Herman Melville

Narrated by: B.J. Harrison

Length: 1 hr and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

The life of a scrivener can be a dull one. After all, your entire occupation has to do with the handwritten copying of law documents. But when Bartleby arrives, he turns the office upside down with the enigmatic phrase: “I prefer not to.”

Public Domain (P)2008 B.J. Harrison

good story

Very well spoken, a very good story. A good example of gothic office fiction. yay!

great literature and wonderful narrator

This story should be a prologue to Moby Dick as it captures the humorous and dramatic tones as well as the main themes prevalent in Melville's masterpiece. the narrator's performance is also very entertaining and conveys, with great attention, the tone of the characters and story.

a must listen!

So Melville doesn't just write about the sea.

This was a very interesting tale about humanity and our responsibility to our fellow man.

Iconic Character, Still Funny Over a Century Later

What a great character. So iconic. Dark comedic storytelling it super on point, even over a century later. I love this one. Narrator is good, though sometimes he glazes over some of the subtler sections. [AUDIBLE]

A funny, sad, and powerful tale of humanity in the modern workplace

I feel a sense of connection to this short, touching, and at times hilarious tragedy of life (and the frequent lack thereof) in the society of the backroom of a professional office. I appreciate the story so much, I own two different Audible versions! Probably similar to others who, like me, have found themselves in such places,
I identify with, at times, not only with the well-intentioned yet exasperated narrator, but also with the self-alienated Bartley and even the hopelessly comic fellow clerks. I think it’s what a 19th century an episode of “The Office” might have looked like.

Listen to this version

The narrator is very good, and the other versions are far too pricey for a tale of this length.

Haunting...

The first chapter was a bit detailed and slow (which seems about right, given the period this book was written) and then the story became so strangely amusing and Kafka-esque. But Melville wraps the story up in a beautifully haunting way that I will not soon forget. I'm so glad I listened to this novella. The narrator was pitch perfect and the story will stay with me for a long time.

perhaps a classic...

I enjoyed the narrator, but while this may be a beloved classic I struggled to finish. I sped up the reading by 50% or I could not have.

Masterful storytelling

Very well written and narrated story. This version is inexpensive and better than other that cost more money.
B.J. Harrison does a wonderful job.

not my cup of tea

I enjoyed listening to the narrator and the story seemed to be well written but it was I guess a little two deep for me not really sure of the appeal. maybe it's a comment on the humans distain for change.