The Warden: Timothy West Version

By: Anthony Trollope

Narrated by: Timothy West

Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

Exclusively from Audible

The first of six in Trollope's series of the Chronicles of Barsetshire introducing the fictional cathedral town of Barchester and the characters of Septimus Harding, the Warden, and his son-in-law Archdeacon Grantly.

The Warden concerns the moral dilemma of the conscientious Reverend Septimus Harding, who finds himself at the centre of a bitter conflict between defenders of Church privilege and the reformers of the mid-Victorian period.

His daughter's suitor, John Bold, is a political radical and passionate reformer who launches a campaign against Harding's management of the financial affairs of the charity, thus shattering the atmosphere of the once tranquil town of Barchester. The scandal is not improved when Harding's indelicate son-in-law, Archdeacon Grantly, leaps to his defence.

The audiobook is a charming social comedy and love story that portrays life in an English cathedral town whilst looking at the larger social and political issues.

The Warden was Trollope's first literary success which paved the way for him to later leave his career as a Post Office Inspector and become a prolific and much-respected author of the Victorian era. He eventually published 47 novels, many of which are still popular and well-loved today due to their timeless quality and parallels with contemporary society.

Narrator Biography

Timothy West is prolific in film, television, theatre, and audiobooks. He has narrated a number of Anthony Trollope's classic audiobooks, 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 theatrical credits include King Lear, The Vote, Uncle Vanya, A Number, Quarter, and Coriolanus and his films include Ever After, Joan Of Arc, Endgame, Iris, and The Day of the Jackal. On television, Timothy has appeared in Broken Biscuits (BBC), Great Canal Journeys (across 3 Series), and the regular role of Stan Carter on EastEnders (BBC).

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

A Perfect Rendition!

This is my third time reading the Warden but my first time hearing it as an audiobook.

My mom suggested that I get the version narrated by Timothy West and I’m so glad I did!

He did an excellent job - a beautiful reading!

Marvellous Book

The book is simply beautiful and the narration is perfect. A sheer joy from start to end.
If you like Trollope, you must read this book and the others in the series. Timothy West is the perfect reader for this work. Brilliant!

Enjoyable story!

This is a beautifully written story, reminding us once again how easily things can go wrong, even when we're minding our own business, thinking we're living good lives. Not only is the warden a good man, but he does everything he can to make up for the wrong he's accused of doing, In some way, he's the "everyman" who is going about his life in the best way he can, when someone else comes along and spoils it. Intertwined relationships only send the suspense higher. I enjoyed listening to this story partly because the narrator is excellent. I'll be looking for other books by Timothy West, and I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys authors like Anthony Trollope. I'm going to listen to all the Barchester Towers series.

As timely today as it was in the 1800s.

What did you love best about The Warden: Timothy West Version?

A splendid story, with splendid narration. Utterly enchanting from beginning to end. Trollope is timeless. No one wrote with more wit, understanding, and capacity about both politics and religion.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Warden: Timothy West Version?

The archdeacon was done to perfection.

What about Timothy West’s performance did you like?

Everything.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Impossible to do so with Trollope! This is a book meant to be savored, and listened to again and again.

My First Anthony Trollope

And possibly my last, although I must say I really enjoyed this one. The plot is kind of silly, as are the characters, but the writing style is superb and made me want to keep listening.

I picked the Timothy West version after studying the reviews of the various narrators and I was not disappointed - he gave a splendid performance. I did notice the long pauses at the ends of the chapters (someone else mentioned) but this was not a problem for me.

I will probably look for another Anthony Trollope book next time I need a break from my usual murder mysteries.

Marvelous !

As always, a great story with warm and interesting characters. Trollope
once again addresses morals and money.
I loved “ The Warden “.

This story is an absolute gem

The modest basis for the story is adorned with picturesque language and leaves room for the most spectacular characters one can relate to. They are complex and faulty,
Rarely have I read a book that elicited such heart felt sympathy for the characters.
It is a story of the triumph of moral virtue and humility.
For the life of me, I cannot figure out why English professors and teachers feed their students the direct that they do while overlooking this inspiring gem!
The narration and performance are excellent as well.

Surprisingly good

I heard this was dated and only relevant to Victorians, but I thought it had a lot to say to today's reader. Trollope was very funny and sharp - much like Dickens for wit, but definitely his own style. Such a lovable character in the Warden.

A witty Story

This book was written in 1852. I was unaware of A. Trollope until I read a comment about him in a book I recently finished "The Invisible Women" about Ternan and Dickens. I looked him up on Audible and read the various reviews by readers and decided to give him a try. The book is a beautifully written satire. I enjoyed the more flowery language of the Victorian age and I also got side tracked noting the societal change that have occurred since the 1850s. The story is of Reverend Septimus Harding who got caught up in the conflict between defenders of church privilege and the reformers of the Victorian age. Enjoyed the repartee between the characters. Timothy West did a great job narrating the story.

An absolute delight - and wonderful performance

Would you consider the audio edition of The Warden: Timothy West Version to be better than the print version?

Not better, just equally excellent. Although, if you are not used to reading 19th-century literature, perhaps the audio would make the text slightly more accessible. Timothy West's performance hit all the right notes and he really gets the wry humour of Trollope. Just a delightful performance. I'm so glad I chose his version over some of the other narrators available.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Warden, of course. How could one not fall in love with West's version of him as a gentle, kindly man? Although as performed by West, the Archdeacon was great fun as well.

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

Well, as mentioned above, I think Mr West understands Trollope, who infuses his social insights with the most deliciously wry and gentle sense of humor. West's reading also sounds completely natural in its delivery and I believe this could make the prose seem less stilted to an unaccustomed 21st-century ear.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

An irrelevant question.

Any additional comments?

I noticed in reading through Trollope reviews that some listeners complained that "nothing happened." Well, yes, exactly. This is c19 literature, not Die Hard. It's gentle and subtle and witty and, dare I say it, slow, It luxuriates in the minutiae of daily life. If that's not appealing to you, there are hundreds of thousands of other books out there. But know going in, these are small stories about daily life from a brilliant author born 200 years ago. They are quiet and leisurely and free from murders, terrorist organizations, bombs and rapid plot developments. To be treated to a performance of one of these gems as delivered to us by a classically-trained actor such as Mr West is, to me, one of life's small yet great pleasures.