A Passage to India

By: E. M. Forster

Narrated by: Sam Dastor

Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Exclusively from Audible

Dr. Aziz is a young Muslim physician in the British Indian town of Chandrapore. One evening he comes across an English woman, Mrs. Moore, in the courtyard of a local mosque; she and her younger travelling companion Adela are disappointed by claustrophobic British colonial culture and wish to see something of the 'real' India. But when Aziz kindly offers to take them on a tour of the Marabar caves with his close friend Cyril Fielding, the trip results in a shocking accusation that throws Chandrapore into a fever of racial tension.

Set against the backdrop of the British Raj and the Indian independence movement in the 1920s it deals with the common racial tensions and prejudices between Indians and the British who ruled India.

Many of Forster's novels observed class difference and hypocrisy in early 20th-century British society including A Passage to India, the novel which brought him his greatest success. A secular humanist, Forster showed concern for social, political, and spiritual divisions in the world.

Time magazine included A Passage to India in its All-Time 100 Novels list and it was selected as one of the 100 great works of 20th century English literature by the Modern Library.

Directed by David Lean, a film adaptation was released in 1984 that won numerous awards including two Oscars.

Narrator Biography

A Cambridge graduate who trained at RADA under the direction of Sir Laurence Olivier, Sam Dastor has long featured on screen and stage. He is best known for The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004) and for twice portraying Gandhi in both Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy (1986), and Jinnah (1998).

Sam Dastor has starred in many West End productions with roles such as Ariel in The Tempest, and Orlando in As You Like It. His most recent work has included starring on stage at the Wolsey Theatre in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2016). He has narrated a large catalogue of audiobooks including V.S. Naipaul’s A House for Mr Biswas.

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[Narrator Sam] Dastor's performance is outstanding. A huge cast of characters of all classes and nationalities comes vibrantly alive as he takes the voice of each.... His eloquent reading transforms into powerful performance literature." ( AudioFile)

What?

I listened to half the book while drivi and I can’t figure out what is going on. I know this is a classic book but I could not get into it. Maybe cause of driving but I listen to all books driving. Maybe it’s better to read. Maybe all the voice changes.

Missing the point.

I loved the book, but the irony of an English Actor using racist impressions of Indians for a book about the racist and cruel English oppression of India left me a bit taken aback.

interesting, but I struggled with the structure

I found the story to be interesting. But I was lost while reading it myself. This reading helped alot with the dialogue between 2 or more people, as the writer gives no cues to who is speaking. I also struggled with the structure of the chapters, as they bounce between the unknown narrator,l and the other characters with little indication. I did immensely enjoy the reader. His voice was clear and the voices he gave to the characters were excellent

A Pleasure

Would you listen to A Passage to India again? Why?

Yes. The lyrical quality of Forster's prose combined with the skills of Mr Dastor make this book a real treat.

What does Sam Dastor bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I read and enjoyed this book many years ago, but Mr Dastor's narration made the book new for me. He perfectly captured the various characters and the clash of cultures. Mr Dostal's ability to give pitch perfect voices to male and female English and Indian characters was impressive.

First audio book. A Passage to India.

This audio book has lived up to my expectation for it. I had found it a difficult book to read so have enjoyed the experience of having it read to me. Sam Dastor does an amazing job of reading all the different characters.

Transported

As with all EM Forsters works, the language and descriptions took me to another time and place. Whilst some of the reading was a little too heavily accented to be pleasant listening the reading style in general was perfect, languid where necessary, excited as needed to convey this wonderful novel. The underlying political message was not lost.

History worth remembering novel form

A great story with depth and complexity that could still serve our Global efforts today. We are bound to repeat the history we ignore.

A Classic on Colonialism

I had not read A Passage to India in school, although I understood it was a classic. Now that I’ve listened to it, I’m sorry I waited so long. This was a brilliant tale of conflicting cultures and attempts to “only connect” (using Forster’s epigram from his novel Howard’s End, which I did read in school).

The novel takes place in Colonial India, before Gandhi and independence from the British. Many of the British bureaucrats running the region were openly racist. Forster showed sensitivity and insight in his portrayal of the Indians, both Hindu and Moslem, who responded to British rule with apparent accommodation but deep latent resentment. Characters like Mrs. Moore, Dr. Aziz and Miss Quested were well-drawn and sympathetic. The novel has scenes of high drama and tense interactions, but it also includes lengthy descriptions of landscape and mood.

The narrator was able to distinguish each of the characters’ voices, which was helpful, but sometimes I thought the voices bordered on caricature.

Overall, a beautifully written book that shows the devastating impact of colonialism on a nation, as well as the inevitable frustrations of trying to develop good interpersonal relationships.

"Tribes" within the British Raj - relevant today

Classic by E.M. Forster.

Very insightful about "tribes" - and the cost of "siding with your Tribe" - keeping the line straight and etc. In a different context as relevant today as when it was written - about the difficulties and challenges of Anglo Indian relationships in early 20th Century India.

A charge made (and later withdrawn) by an Englishwoman against and Indian - is a major frame of this story - with the attendant implications to both sides.

Both sides - English and Indian did not like each other - did not trust each other. Very difficult to bridge that gap. A few characters in the book Mrs Morse - Fielding - and Dr. Azziz try to bridge that gap and become 'friends' but it is difficult - very difficult.

Got a feel for the resentment towards the British Raj.

Major takeaways for me:

* When an issue arises - people return to their Tribe's corner - need to support 'their own' - right or wrong isn't the/an issue - just winning showing that our side is right - showing that you are loyal to our side - is what's expected/demanded.

* Paraphrasing - the Mediterranean basis (Sea) is the 'baseline' for Civilization - I interpret this as meaning that the descendants of the (Holy) Roman Empire are the 'baseline for normality' concerning how civilizations flourish. This may have been a very British worldview - that the British Empire was the 'gold standard'. It wasn't widely recognized that the British Empire had peaked in the late 1880's - and had suffered dramatically during WW1 and was in decline - (See "The Weary Titan").

Nevertheless a great read - a classic narrative very descriptive, story and message as relevant today as when it was published - the message is a variant of 'only connect' of "Howard's End".

Carl Gallozzi
[e-mail]

Portrait of an Empire in Decline

I was not terribly enthusiastic about diving into this novel as I had just finished Rudyard Kipling's Kim which also was set in India. But, as it was next on my list from the Modern Library Top 100 and it did provide the perspective from a different era I pushed on despite my misgivings. I am glad I did.

Kim was penned by an author who sincerely loved the British Empire and the important role it played as colonizer of India. Though Kipling loved India he sincerely viewed it as a net plus to its colonies.

Forster takes a wholly different views, seeing the classism and racism endemic in colonization. As Indians make every attempt to be liked and accepted by their English colonizers, the English who find themselves relegated to the an imperial backwater vent their resentment against the masses they are trying to govern. This inevitably leads to conflict.

Originally published in 1924, the novel ultimately reveals the tension and duel disdain and distrust both the English and Indian feel towards each other exacerbated when a respected Muslim Indian doctor finds himself accused and tried for an assault against an English woman. The case finds itself on the forefront of a growing desire for Indian self governance and the desperate intent of England to maintain its hold on the subcontinent. It does prove prophetic as those forces of independence patiently await the time when England no longer has the resources or will to dominate India.

A phenomenal novel and a wonderful preview of what to expect from the other E.M. Forster works on my very long list of future reads.