Middlemarch

By: George Eliot

Narrated by: Kate Reading

Length: 31 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

Middlemarch is a recognized masterpiece that explores the complex social world of 19th century England. It is concerned with the lives of several ordinary people, albeit ones with high social standing. The novel explores the very fabric of Victorian society in the 1800s, showing how various human passions, heroism, egotism, love, and lust, interrelate within this society.

The novel is set in the small town of Middlemarch and follows the inter-related lives of several characters. At the heart of the book is Dorothea, a kind-hearted and honest woman, who longs to find some way to improve the world. She marries an older academic, Casaubon, against the advice of her friends and family. Casaubon tries to assert his influence over Dorothea, but she refuses to succumb to Casaubon's will. Casaubon soon dies of a heart attack, and Dorothea marries his cousin, Will. But, in a last attempt to control Dorothea's life, Casaubon's will states that if Dorothea marries Will, she will lose her claim to Casaubon's estate.

Other unforgettable characters in Middlemarch include the young doctor, Lydgate, who come to the town to start his own practice. He soon falls in love with Rosamund, a woman who has spent her life in Middlemarch, and they eventually marry. Fred Vincey, used to a lavish lifestyle but also a gambler, falls into debt as he waits to inherit money from a rich neighbor. He drifts toward the clergy, and longs to marry Mary Garth. But until he proves himself worthy, Mary will have nothing to do with him.

(P)2006 Tantor Media, Inc.

the best

this is one of the best books I've ever read, if you like a good romance with a strong female character, good story line you will love this book

19th century soap opera

Dig these classics. One reason is the flow of the prose is almost like listening ot poetry or made that was just the enchanting tones of Kate Reading. Another reason is the conficts between the classes and genders, which are so very differnet today. Also they show that basic human nature is the same as today. There are good hearted people, triffaling people, evil people and all other catagories. Like how this one talked about the political tensions at the time.

Middlemarch, Kate Reading

The books itself is a reflection on the transition from the ancient world to the modern society, with a characteristically modern emphasis on individual characters and their circumstances. The narrator is great! Her reading is fluid and nuanced. Kate Reading is able to bring the novel's characters to life in subtle ways. I highly recommend this.

wonderful

This book starts slowly, but one thing that I really appreciate about audio books is that you are a captive audience, and it takes little effort to let the audio keep running, even if the story is moving slowly. There are a plethora of characters, and at first this seems ponderous, but Eliot is genius at developing all of the characters to such an extent that you feel that you would know them if you met them on the street. I will remember these characters forever.

Worth every minute

What a pleasant surprise, to be reminded that a classic book is classic for a reason - it's good. Don't hesitate to jump in. It's long, but I didn't want it to end. The narrator's characterizations are wonderful. George Eliot had me laughing many, many times with droll wit and insight.

Also, Middlemarch delivers perhaps the most elegant final paragraph a novel could hope for. Wow.

Lovely rendering of a classic

As a proud anglophile, I love PBS and BBC -- so when there isn't anything on TV that feeds this need of mine, I start to search the classics.

Not counting Silas Marner, (which I read in middle school), this was my first George Eliot novel. It is a fascinating glimpse into rural village life in Victorian England, and as performed by Kate Reading, it is a treasure. All the characters are so well written that I had no difficulty seeing them in my minds eye. It's become a once a year re-read.

BTW, the last time this book got the mini series treatment was 1994. Hey BBC, it's time for an update!

Elliot at Her Best On the Institution of Marriage

Middlemarch by George Eliot, in its original edition was subtitled, “A Study of Provincial Life.”

The story has many sub-stories, which all bind together to create a village of personalities. Then the great George Eliot goes to work intermixing these personalities. This novel examines personalities and the interrelationship between personalities. After the opening story of our heroine Dorothea, it quickly adds a dozen different personalities and their intermixing in the Middlemarch society. This is very much a daytime soap opera. But one with brilliant display of the English language by a master; Ms. Eliot. This book is a perfect example of Romantic era’s ability to consider life with flowering words and a psychological understanding par excellence. It enraptures.

As to the overall plot, each of these dozen or so personal stories all get intermixed into a discombobulation. . . . And being a Romantic novel -- all gest sorted out somewhat satisfactorily in the end with a little tragedy here and a little happiness there. A most wonderful read!

In its primordial story we are confronted with the coming into being of a mid-nineteenth century marriage, between a good looking young woman and an older Ichabod Crane type man. It is the story of a bride to be, our Dorothea, and her family’s individual desires for her, which are distinct from her own. Dorothea, is going into a marriage that seems to be a monumental error for herself. Will this irregular relationship be in error? Dorothea is a woman with a thirst for knowledge, without the capacity to obtain that knowledge and a wrongful belief that as a woman she needs an educated man to guide her. Educated she gets, but much less than a man; and certainly not a lover.

Middlemarch concerns the status of woman and the institution of marriage; at least as such was discerned by our late nineteenth century author, Ms. George Eliot. Yet, all her considerations continue to hold true for us today.

The status of women and their position in marriage in the Victorian age is but one of the societal norms examined by Ms. Eliot. As in all Romantic Era novels the Depicted Lives must cover many topics. Ms. Eliot does that giving us much to consider about religion, hypocrisy, political reform, and education, as well as the virtues and vices of marriage. All these elements are sorted through in the dialogues between the characters.

This text is rich with much to consider. For example, and in addition to the above topics, Ms. Eliot discusses the various manners of becoming a medical doctor in the 1830s, how those systems have produced quackeries and how the charlatanisms make their way by prescribing and selling far too many preparations (i.e., prescriptions). We also have a full study into jealously, and how it creates the evil that was feared by the jealous, but that would not have come into being but for the jealousy.

The book is a comment on societal shortcomings. Many continuing into our present societies.

Be aware though. Ms. Eliot takes us on a biography of many of her characters, and we learn of their deep passions for success in their life long endeavors. Yet, for most of her characters there will be no success and in fact delusion. She does though very precisely explain what societal ill or personal fragility caused these failings in life. Thus, Middlemarch is a great book to do self-analysis thought.

Kate Reading did a magnificent job for 93% of the work. A Great listen, but on the subject of people speaking in anger and her chosen voice for two of the male actors was a disappointment.

Superb

Yes, probably the finest English novel ever. I wanted it to go on and on. Eliot created a profoundly romantic love story and several compelling sub-plots set in her fictitious English village populated with intriguing characters and rich details of life in Georgian England. It is beautifully read.

Worth the time it takes to read!

"Middlemarch" is a worthwhile albeit lengthy read. Eliot is excellent at detailing personality traits, giving you a familiarity with each character and there are quite a few that you get to know in "Middlemarch". It's easy to recognize people similar to those in the story.
This novel deals wide range of issues including selflessness, selfishness, greed, malevolence, benevolence, love, unsavory pasts, murder(or not?), and more.

Now This Is A Novel

What can you say - if you love great writing and a real novel - well, listen to this book. Well read and paced, it's a long listen but well worht it. I gave it a try and am very happy that I did.