Barchester Towers Audiobook By Anthony Trollope cover art

Barchester Towers

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Barchester Towers

By: Anthony Trollope
Narrated by: Timothy West
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Barchester Towers is the second of six in the series known as Chronicles of Barsetshire. Narrator Timothy West brings life to the story, begun in The Warden, of Mr. Harding and his daughter Eleanor. It chronicles the struggle for control of the English diocese of Barchester after one Bishop dies and a new one is selected.

The rather incompetent new Bishop, Dr. Proudie, led by his formidable wife, and ambitious chaplain, Mr. Slope, begin to create turmoil with their desire to shake up the church establishment in Barchester with new policies and practices. However, the established clergy of Barchester, led by Archdeacon Grantly, the son of the previous Bishop, are equally determined to keep things just as they've always been. Archdeacon Grantly declares 'War, war, internecine war!' on Bishop Proudie, but who will win the battle between the archdeacon, the bishop, Mr. Slope, and Mrs. Proudie?

The Guardian included Barchester Towers in its list of '1000 novels everyone must read'. Full of humour and extraordinary characters, it is no wonder it continues to be Trollope's best-loved work.

Narrator Biography

Timothy West is prolific in film, television, theatre and audiobooks. He has narrated a number of Anthony Trollope’s classics, 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 theatre roles include King Lear, The Vote, Uncle Vanya, A Number, Quarter, and Coriolanus. His films include Ever After, Joan Of Arc, Endgame, Iris, The Day of the Jackal. On television, Timothy has appeared in Great Canal Journeys, Last Tango in Halifax and Bleak House.

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.
Classics Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Funny Witty
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Critic reviews

"It was in [Trollope's] fifth book, Barchester Towers, in which he blended his satirical gifts with disdain for evangelical puritanism, that he found himself." ( Washington Post)
Witty Narrative • Elegant Prose • Engaging Plot • Insightful Commentary • Brilliant Performance • Exceptional Timing
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The book itself, of course, is a perennial classic for its elegance and wit. Timothy West has comprehended the book magnificently and his reading of it is a triumph. Listening is sheer, unadulterated pleasure.

Simply superb

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It is wonderful to find this gem of a tale. I will immediately purchase the next book.

I thought I'd read all the classics.

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always a favorite novel, a clear eyed celebration of simple goodness in a complex world.

best of trollope

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Beautiful, gentle story! Trollope treats his protagonists with gentle, kindly humor. Wonderful narration! What a treat!

What a treat!

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I can’t imagine a narrator better suited to this delightfully droll novel than Timothy West.

The best narrator as ever was

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This is a fantastic audiobook. I’ve read this book many times, but hearing it read by this fine actor was a whole different experience. There’s so much humor that I might’ve missed when I just read it myself.

Beautiful book with a perfect narrator

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My favorite Trollope novel read to perfection! The reading brought the characters to life & was so vivid ! Thank you!

Superb reading!

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Listening to this book convinced me that Trollope is a fine writer, and I plan to listen to many more of his works. In all cases I'll choose the Timothy West version. This reader is excellent. I especially like the way he conveys character through the various voices he uses. His Mr. Slope and Bishop Proudie are especially good.

Great book: very well read

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The story is wonderful and describes the setting with a perfect amount of detail. The characters are fully developed and their foibles are both comical and infuriating but above all presented as people that we care deeply about as the story proceeds. Money and love play a part in the story. The moral questions of life are sifted and answered and although this all occurs in a time past, the universal nature of such struggles makes this book engrossing for today's reader. The narration is simply perfection.

Brilliant Performance

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Timothy West brings out all of the humor and poignancy of Trollope, and this has to be the best of all of Trollope's books. I did something I never do: simply sat at my kitchen table listening. A compelling page turner, with wonderful characters, brilliant witty comentary and the, even romance.

West is a brilliant reader.

A wonderful book and a great performance

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