Dr Wortles School

By: Anthony Trollope

Narrated by: Peter Joyce

Dr. Wortle's School... is Trollope's most merciless attack on the false moralising and hypocrisy of the Victorian age. When Dr. Wortle, in good faith, hires a couple as teacher and matron at his school, scandal about their marriage is subsequently brought to light. Will the doctor submit to the social pressures brought to bear on him by the gossip, the local newspaper and the bishop or hold true to his humanism, perhaps losing his respect, school and livelihood as a result? In this story Trollope invites discussion of the prevailing doctrines of English society in the late 19th century. It is one of his best works, truly a classic of literature.

©2011 Assembled Stories (P)2006 Assembled Stories

Critic reviews

About Assembled Stories: Over the years the national press have reviewed Assembled Stories titles as "excellent", "remarkable", "entrancing", "superb", "magic for sure", "masterly", "wonderful", "a class act" and "a splendid example of audio at its best".

"Peter Joyce is the most remarkable one-man band in audiobook publishing. Joyce, an experienced actor, reads them all himself." (The Independent)

Fascinating

The narration was excellent. The story poses dilemmas that are universal but that are made more difficult by the times in which the story occurs. Of course the story is beautifully written and the prose just flows effortlessly. I really enjoyed this book even though it is not a major work, it is interesting.

One dimensional story, ho-hum

Let me start off by saying that I am a big fan of Anthony Trollope. This is the 10th book of his that I have listened to . Regretfully, I must say that I cannot reccommend it. The story is one dimensional in the extreme. One knows how it will end from the first chapter. Lots of rhetoric and re-hashing the same theme, which isn't all that compelling in the first place. Also, the narrarator must have felt the same way, because his voice is quite sing-song through many passages. There are far better Trollope titles than this one, don't waste your time.