Mr. Emerson's Wife

By: Amy Belding Brown

Narrated by: Gabrielle de Cuir

Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

In this novel about Ralph Waldo Emerson’s wife, Lidian, Amy Belding Brown examines the emotional landscape of love and marriage. Living in the shadow of one of the most famous men of her time, Lidian becomes deeply disappointed by marriage, but consigned to public silence by social conventions and concern for her family’s reputation. Drawn to the erotic energy and intellect of close family friend Henry David Thoreau, she struggles to negotiate the confusing territory between love and friendship while maintaining her moral authority and inner strength. 

In the course of the book, she deals with overwhelming social demands, faces devastating personal loss, and discovers the deepest meaning of love. Lidian eventually encounters the truth of her own character and learns that even our faults can lead us to independence.

©2005 Amy Belding Brown (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing

Best book I have heard

Mrs. Emerson's voice gripped my attention immediately because it gave the story a credible account of what a woman of that era would have written in her diary and thought in her mind.

Brilliant

I love historical novels. However this one was especially interesting and well written. Narration was also excellent.

Outstanding Novel

Really enjoyed this book. Lidian was a woman way ahead of her time. To see her independent, lose her way and regain it was phenomenal. She was quite a lady. Mr. Emerson displayed all the signs of Narcissistic Personality Disorder which i am sure he had; no question about it. A worthwhile read. The narration was beautifully done.

brilliant, intimate peek into the past

against the backdrop of the underground railroad, Mrs. Emerson discovers how enslaved she is in the strictures of her ears and the emotional abandonment of her famous husband. her resolution is thrilling

A beguiling and masterful work in words....

Beautifully written and perfectly narrated, this mournful tribute to the human condition should be on everyone's list. Be prepared for love, tears, joy and anger. The repression and confusion of women during this time in history was epic. Passive aggression was the emotion of the day because these women all knew they could never have what they really yearned for...freedom to live and love as they choose...

Astoundingly compelling

What a fabulous book! First, the 'reader' was amazing. She added so much with her nuanced performance. But the story, holy crap, what a great tale. It brought up every emotion I have, and more. I had to google every character in the book to learn more. Prepare to meet Ralph Waldo Emerson, his amazing wife, Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott, and many others. But the story itself is almost a case study in so many psychiatric disorders, told in such breathtaking clarity. I literally could not put it down. Such a great book, so highly recommended..

Loved the story

I had been looking for a great read for sometime and stumbled on this book. I was a pleasure to listen. When it ended I was saddened.
If you love historical romance novels try this one

A gift to listen to … a real story of life.

I love this book - crying as it ended. Something I don’t remember doing.
As always, we all wish we could have know years before what we know now.

very slow read

The book was not bad but was very slow with seemingly no climax. The main character starts out very likeable and becomes increasingly frustrating.

Wonderful vocabulary !

Supered writing! I really wish it didn’t end.
It was so life like I had a hard time deciphering was made up.
Did they die that way? So excellent I hope she has more historical novels

Captured my interest all the way through

A beautfiully written and narrated book. Five stars all round for me. The subject matter was captivating and gave interesting insight into two very intriguing characters. This is my favourite type of book, an historical account blended with a lttle fiction. Thank you Audible.

Thoroughly enjoyable

The narrator brought the story to life. The language was exquisite, words so uncommonly used !
A wonderful insight into the lives of these famous people. The lives of women. The relationship between Mr Emerson and Lydian was at times exasperating and in the last chapter made me smile. What a woman !! What an author Thankyou.

Fascinating and insightful

A Fascinating and insightful look back in time, with wonderful characters and great narration. Loved the descriptions, scene setting, and references to activities back so many years ago. I felt transported in time.
Loved it.

Loved this book

Excellent story and narrator! I loved hearing about Lydia Emerson and Waldo and Thoreau. I loved the way it was delivered through the excellent author’s writing. The narration was good, although I wish audible would invest in delivering male voices to represent those parts in a story. Overall an excellent story.

it drew me in

Not at all my usual listening genre and wasn't sure I'd continue after the first few chapters, but the characters are so richly drawn that I couldn't help but want to know how they faired as domestic and world dramas unfolded into their lives. A well observed book about marriage struggle and inner conflict, I particularly liked the way the author developed Mr Emerson's wife's growing confidence in her own beliefs.

An engrossing journey

This was a beautifully written book, and the reader certainly did it justice. I enjoyed the well-paced story, the meticulous historical research behind it, and the author’s use of language: both poetic and precise. A hidden gem, which I am sure I will re-read more than once.

Made me want to read the biographies

Really enjoyed this historical novel. Tragic at times and beautiful prose. Narration excellent and the story kept my interest.

Fascinating Story

What a glimpse into the life of a fascinating woman. My only niggle would be it’s very long. But it’s all essential in hindsight…

listened for six chapter's.....

Listened to six chapter's and I thought that I would like this book very much, but, unfortunately I could not listen to the narrator's voice for the rest of the book!
Shame. Nothing personal Gabrielle de Cuir, just different
people have different tastes..

Not for me

Found it hard keep going. I like something with a bit more pace and this was slow.
The narrator was very good, easy to listen to.