Two on a Tower

By: Thomas Hardy

Narrated by: Michael Kitchen

Exclusively from Audible

Two on a Tower is Hardy's ninth novel and contains perhaps his most complete use of the theme of love across the class and age divide, to beautifully depict Hardy's reverence for science and astronomy.

The unhappily married Lady Constantine breaks all the rules of social etiquette when she falls in love with young Swithin St. Cleeve, an astronomer and her social inferior. Despite their differences that society deems unacceptable, together, from an astronomical observatory, the lovers 'sweep the heavens'. But work, ambition and the pressures of the outside world intrude upon the pair.

Swithin is faced with a cruel choice. The death of Lady Constantine's husband leaves them free to marry but it's not that simple. He has the option of furthering his education with an inheritance that will propel his career into the highest levels of astronomical science. Does he choose love or ambition?

Within Two on a Tower, Hardy creates a wonderful and timeless contrast between the infinite reaches of the universe and the infinitesimal scale of human affairs. Hardy's intention, in his own words, was to 'set the emotional history of two infinitesimal lives against the stupendous background of the stellar universe'.

Hardy was a Victorian realist whose novels and poetry were greatly influenced by Romanticism, especially the poet William Wordsworth. His critical thoughts on Victorian society can be seen throughout much of his work.

Narrator Biography

Michael Kitchen is an accomplished actor of stage and screen. He is best known for his role as Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle in the ITV drama series Foyle's War (2002-2015). He has also starred as Bill Tanner in the Bond films GoldenEye (1995) and The World Is Not Enough (1999) as well as Berkeley Cole in the film Out of Africa (1985). Other notable television appearances have included roles in BBC Four's critically acclaimed comedy series Brian Pern (2017) and Channel 4's comedy Hacks (2012). Michael Kitchen's stage performances have included Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet for the Royal Shakespeare Company and roles in Tom Stoppard's plays On the Razzle and Rough Crossing. He has narrated many classic and contemporary audiobooks including Thomas Hardy's Two on a Tower, Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights and Robert Lewis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"The foremost novelist of his time." (Geoffrey Harvey, The Complete Critical Guide to Thomas Hardy)

Must Read

I love the way Hardy introduces characters and you not only hear the story of the main characters but also of their loved ones and friends.

Two in a Lovely Lovely Tower Looking at Stars

Michael Kitchen did a magnificent job of narrating Thomas Hardy's heart breaking love story. For any guy, or non-perfumed and non-powered male who happens to read my first sentence, I hasten to add, this is a guy's book, a real man's book. It is about astronomy and gadgets and stuff. Old Tom knew a great deal about the science. OK they fall in love looking at the stars, this older unhappily married woman and the young single man with a single minded devotion to astronomy. They got married in secret because of the difference in their status which changes occasionally. Then, it turns out their marriage wasn't quite valid due to some odd or another husband being still alive at the time. Thomas Harding wrote a delicious book which if you do not like says a great deal more about yourself than about Thomas Harding.

Finally, I want to say something about Micheal Kitchen. He made this book live! I have read this book many times but Mr. Kitchen made me understand things I have overlooked before. There are things which can only be brought out by the human voice. Perhaps a story can only be truly told around a campfire 30,000 years ago. Mr. Kitchen and Mr. Harding were at that campfire. I was there also and I am very thankful to them both.

Star-crossed lovers

Took a little time getting into the story.. but it showed both high morals, low morals and a perplexing story of what age differences can do to a couple. A woman full of passion, yet conscious of her being married before and ‘wiser’ about a lot of things, trying to hook up with an innocent young man, who is naive about romance and sex, draws out a complex story bound to entertain.

Amazing story

This is one of the best audible books ever. I have read a lot of Hardy but never before discovered this gem

beautiful

some of his phrases are so stunningly beautiful...you just think: how did he think of saying it like that?

and a very good story too.