Joseph Andrews

The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and His Friend Mr. Abraham Adams

By: Henry Fielding

Narrated by: Rufus Sewell

Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

Riotous, sexy and groundbreaking, Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews: The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and His Friend Mr. Abraham Adams, published in 1742, was one of the first English novels.

Fielding was melding and parodying the two major forces battling for control of the fiction market at the time - the mock heroic, neoclassical tradition as practiced by Pope and Swift and the popular and populist fiction of the new novelists such as Defoe and Richardson.

Richardson's Pamela had just taken Britain by storm, and following on the success of Fielding's parody of the novel, Shamela, the story of Joseph Andrews follows Pamela’s brother in his journey as footman to the rather dippy Parson Adams.

In style and form, it imitates Cervantes' Don Quixote, with the servant and master undertaking their major journey together, but the sexual adventures of the young Joseph Andrews and his sorely tested chastity provide the real meat of the book's plot.

Described by Fielding as 'a comic-romance', Joseph Andrews is a bawdy and merry book, but it is also wrought through with Fielding's devotion to the Greek and Roman classics and with his social conscience, which shines through in its fresh approach to the stifling moral hypocrisies of the day.

Public Domain (P)2007 Silksoundbooks Limited

Virtue sorely tested

Published almost 20 years before both The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy and Voltaire's Candide, in different ways, Fielding's novel anticipates each of those better known works.

A rambling, episodic account of Joseph A, a young man of low birth but staunch virtue and pure love for his sweetheart, it has fun with hypocrisy. On the road from London to re-unite with his love, he is assailed from all quarters by every form of human mendacity and folly. Confronted by high lust and low guile, his only support is the ever present moral guidance supplied by his mentor, a long-winded clergyman with a propensity for Latin quotation and getting into scrapes.

Prolix (in the manner of the day) at times, but never less than entertaining. Enhanced by a good reading, it is a witty listening experience.

Joseph Andrews

I'm more or less in love with works by Fielding, but Joseph Andrews, while hilarious, needs a careful reader. Rufus Sewell brings out each character, and the humour of the situations, clearly. This version has the reader it deserves and is well worth the listen.

This is why audiobooks can outshine the original

Would you listen to Joseph Andrews again? Why?

Yes. If a book makes you laugh out loud 250 + years on it deserves to be read again, and this owes nearly as much to Mr. Sewell's performance as to the hilarious text. The story as a whole, despite all the misadventures and hi-jinks, nevertheless gives you a real feel for this period in England.

What did you like best about this story?

All great books feel modern, and this one does in many ways. I particularly enjoyed his searing attacks on the hypocrisy his observed, and the attitudes of the characters he describes are people you recognize today.

What about Rufus Sewell’s performance did you like?

His comedic timing, his phrasing. He absorbs all this beautiful prose and adds his own energy and a fantastic array of voices. I will certainly look for other performances by Mr. Sewell.

If You Like Don Quixote...

...you will like this! Very similar in style and tone, the reader will follow Joseph Andrews (and the true star of the book, Parson Adams!) on many hilarious adventures. Admittedly, the CONSTANT indignities laid against poor Fanny and her chaste virtue can be a bit cringe worthy sometimes, but it all works out end the end. Highly recommend!

A perfect reader for Henry Fielding

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Plot-wise, I far prefer Tom Jones, Either Fielding hadn't perfected his gifts or he was constrained by trying to keep his plot at least somewhat related to Richardson's Pamela. But there's lots of action, as well as classic Fielding-isms such as mistaken identities, hypocrites, sexually rapacious women and men. There are also the digressions into important points about human nature that are oftentimes BORING. The good news is that Joseph Andrews has far fewer of these than Tom Jones.

Any additional comments?

Henry Fielding + Rufus Sewell is a simply ideal conversation. He gets the tone and the humor just right.

Fantastic, Hilarious Story!

I loved this audiobook! The story was engaging and funny; I stayed engaged until the very end. Rufus Sewell is a very good narrator and made the story even more enjoyable.

Rufus Sewell's performance is sheer genius!

The rich, moving and nuanced performance by Mr. Sewell is eclipsed only by Fielding's tale.

The story meanders, but is entertaining.

Rufus Sewell is the only reason I was able to get through the entire book. His reading of it is excellent. He brought the characters to life. The story itself lost my attention a few times, but I’m glad I stuck it out as it was an enjoyable and funny book.