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The Return of the Soldier
- Narrated by: Nadia May
- Length: 2 hrs and 57 mins
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Publisher's summary
When Captain Chris Baldry, a World War I soldier, is sent home with a severe case of shellshock amnesia, he is a stranger to his wife, Kitty, and his adoring cousin, Jenny. Recoiling from the horrors of war and disillusioned with years of superficial married life, his mind has regressed 15 years into the past, where his heart may take refuge once again in the magic circle of his youth and of his first love, Margaret Allington.
In this lyrical and poignant story of a wounded man and the three concerned women who seek to heal him, Rebecca West explores the complexity of the mind and its subtle strategies for coping with life's painful realities. Only when Chris has the courage to face one pivotal moment of truth in his married life will he be able to awaken from his boyish fantasy and become, indeed, "every inch a soldier".
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Villette
- By: Charlotte Brontë
- Narrated by: Davina Porter
- Length: 22 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Hailed as Charlotte Brontë’s “finest novel” by Virginia Woolf, Villette is the timeless semi-autobiographical tale of Lucy Snowe. Left with no family and no money, Lucy goes against her own timid nature and travels to the small city of Villette, France, where she becomes a school teacher in Madame Beck’s school for girls. During her stay, she falls in love—twice—and discovers an independent, inner strength rarely seen in women of her time.
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The Divine Ms. Porter delivers as always
- By peachnmario on 03-17-15
By: Charlotte Brontë
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The Dead Travel Fast
- By: Deanna Raybourn
- Narrated by: Charlotte Parry
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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With a modest inheritance and the three gowns that comprise her entire wardrobe, Theodora leaves Edinburgh—and a disappointed suitor—far behind. She is bound for Romania, where tales of vampires are still whispered, to visit an old friend and write the book that will bring her true independence. She arrives at a magnificent, decaying castle in the Carpathians, replete with eccentric inhabitants, including the castle’s master, Count Andrei Dragulescu.
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Process vs getting their
- By Aryn on 04-29-11
By: Deanna Raybourn
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Jenny
- By: Sigrid Undset
- Narrated by: K. G. Cross
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Jenny is the story of Jenny Winge, a talented Norwegian painter who lives a free and independent life in Rome. Betraying her own ideals, she has an affair, resulting in a child out of wedlock, and decides to raise the child on her own. Undset gives a gripping portrayal of a woman struggling towards fulfillment and independence, who at the same time wrestles with mental problems. It is written with unflinching honesty, which makes her story as compelling today as it was nearly a century ago.
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Undset is an Astute Observer of Human Nature
- By Amazon Customer on 08-05-17
By: Sigrid Undset
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The Belly of Paris
- By: Émile Zola, Ernest Alfred Vizetelly - translator
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Although it is little known in this country, The Belly of Paris is considered one of Émile Zola’s best novels. Set in the newly built food markets of Paris, it is a story of wealth and poverty set against a sumptuous banquet of food and commerce. Having just escaped from prison after being wrongfully accused, young Florent arrives at Paris’ food market, Les Halles, half starved, surrounded by all he can’t have, and indignant at his world, which he now knows to be unjust. He finds that the city’s working classes have been displaced to make way for bigger streets and bourgeois living quarters, so he settles in with his brother’s family.
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Not keen on Davidson’s voice
- By Jeff Lacy on 05-08-21
By: Émile Zola, and others
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Tess of the D'urbervilles
- By: Thomas Hardy
- Narrated by: Jennifer Dixon
- Length: 17 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Tess of the d'Urbervilles is the 19th century novel lately thought to be one of the inspirations of E .L.James' Fifty Shades of Grey. It depicts the life of an impressionable, naive, somewhat educated young woman who yearns to be free to live her own life, but finds herself constricted by the bonds of the sexual, religious and socially hypocritical customs that have surrounded her from birth.
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Jenny Dixon
- By Amazon Customer on 08-09-15
By: Thomas Hardy
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The Forsyte Chronicles, Vol. 2
- A Modern Comedy
- By: John Galsworthy
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 34 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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John Galsworthy's magnificent trilogy of power and passion chronicles the wealthy Forsyte family. The complete Chronicles are divided into three volumes, containing nine books and four interludes in total. Volume 2, A Modern Comedy, focuses on Soames's vivacious daughter, Fleur. Soames tries constantly to protect her but is baffled by the carefree attitudes in post-war London. Fleur and her husband Michael Mont host society gatherings, but her previous affair with Jon Forsyte leaves embers of a passion that are ready to ignite - with dreadful consequences.
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Very worthwhile
- By Jonathan Kalkstein on 09-27-22
By: John Galsworthy
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South Riding
- By: Winifred Holtby
- Narrated by: Carole Boyd
- Length: 19 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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In this rich and memorable evocation of the fictional South Riding of Yorkshire are the lives, loves and sorrows of the central characters. There is Sarah Burton, fiery young headmistress; Robert Carne of Maythorpe Hall, a councillor tormented by his own disastrous marriage; Jo Astell, a socialist fighting poverty and his own illness; and Mrs Beddows, the first woman Alderman of the district (like Winifred's own mother).
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Worth Revisiting
- By Ilana on 11-04-12
By: Winifred Holtby
What listeners say about The Return of the Soldier
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- William
- 05-15-24
Where is the real insanity?
Rebecca West published this novel 1918 at the age of 26. The basic plot is very simple. 36-year old Chris Baldry owns a substantial estate but as the novel opens has been fighting in World War I while his wife, Kitty, and his cousin Jenny, who greatly admires him, eagerly wait on letters from him. Jenny is the narrator of this story. Chris has written regularly but lately they have not received any letters and they have begun to worry a bit, though they remind each other that, in war, it is not always easy to write and sometimes letters get lost. But now, a woman named Margaret, whom Jenny describes as “repulsively furred with neglect and poverty, as even a good glove that has dropped down behind a bed in a hotel and has lain undisturbed is repulsive when the chambermaid retrieves it from the dust and fluff,” arrives with news that they are loath to believe.
She says that she has received a telegram informing that Chris is in a military hospital in England after a shell exploded nearby and he is physically uninjured but he has forgotten the past 15 years of his life. He does not remember that he is married to Kitty and, we find later, that he had had a child who had later died. She received the telegram because his last memory was of her. Kitty and Jenny immediately sense some kind of scam. How could that possibly be true? They demand to see the telegram and the letters he has since written, which she refuses because they contain information too personal and that would be hurtful to Kitty.
That is the opening to the book and the rest is a narration of how the 4 of them deal with the complicated love triangle along with the responsibility that Chris recognizes to his wife, though he does not remember her. In a sense, it is an early exploration of PTSD, though Chris’ symptoms and amnesia go further than simple PTSD. It is an exploration of the prejudices between the different classes as they immediately make assumptions about Margaret’s motives simply based on her dress and status, and this is emphasized by the author’s treatment of Jenny who, though she can’t completely break out of the class distinctions, still begins to verbalize some of the false assumptions later and even begins to favor Margaret and even respect her. There is also the struggle with what should be done with Chris and they do decide to allow Margaret to visit him regularly, and though she hesitates to participate in that at first, eventually she agrees. But, is an acceptance of the “truth” of the situation more important than his happiness?
And interestingly, though this is a “war novel,” the war is almost a backdrop. It is barely mentioned and you might even think that if Chris had suffered a head injury in a vehicle accident, the story would be the same. But as you read on, you find that isn’t true. They don’t say so directly, but there is an implication that maybe it is better not to try to “cure” him, and not only because he can still enjoy time with Margaret but because a cure likely could mean his return to the front and exposing his life to danger. Then you realize that, for the three women, the war is distant. They theoretically know of the horror and grief, but it is “over there” and only men participate in the war. They have been protected from the fighting and any exposure to the danger (unlike in World War II when bombing brought the war to Britain), so why should they think of it now other than as something to protect Chris from.
It is also an exploration of grief and in that, West shows a clear understanding and empathy that belies her age at the time (only 26 when it was published). She writes, “...grief is not the clear melancholy the young believe it. It is like a siege in a tropical city. The skin dries and the throat parches as though one were living in the heat of the desert; water and wine taste warm in the mouth and food is of the substance of sand; one snarls at one’s company; thoughts prick through one’s sleep like mosquitos.”
The novel was an expression of its time more than a century ago and though some of the thinking is very modern, some is very foreign to us. It’s easy to understand not wanting to send Chris back to war, but their way of handling him and his situation will seem strange and even contradictory to us, especially as they invite Margaret to visit regularly. But it is a well-crafted parable with good character development and a good plot. It is well written, not too long, and engaging.
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- Caleigh
- 07-24-23
I love this prose
ms. west writes amazing prose - narrator portrays it so well! highly recommended this.
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- Bill
- 12-11-23
Wonderfully written and read
Poignant story of grief and PTSD and their effects on not just the victims but also the family and friends. The narration was excellent.
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- Robert S. Becker
- 06-12-21
Very touching
After years of wanting to read a book by Rebecca West, finally I got to do it. Return of the Soldier was deeply satisfying. The story of innocence lost, innocence regained, and innocence lost again more painfully and profoundly.
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- Jacqueline
- 09-14-24
Many Layers
A story of much depth and superb craftsmanship that explores as many or as few things as the reader dares to think about.
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- beatrice
- 09-08-21
a gem
Wanda McCaddon (not Nadia May as per the description) is exemplary. I had previously enjoyed this book with a different reader, but McCaddon can't be beat. Her Kitty is perfectly catty, the comical Dr. Anderson amuses, and McCaddon's quick-as-thought narration conveys multiple levels of meaning. Brilliant debut novel by Rebecca West—I wish more of her work were available in audiobook form. There were a couple breaks in the narration that were distracting, but this audiobook was included with my subscription so I can't really complain.
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1 person found this helpful
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- whatcha.listening.to
- 07-06-20
The Return of the Soldier
This was an interesting story. Set in the period of WWI, it is some insight into how a wounded soldier is treated. Not wounded of body but of mind.
I quiet enjoyed the way this book was told. It was from the perspective of an outsider but not it was interesting for sure.
Classics are not really my thing but I am glad I picked this book.
The narration was great it kept me engaged and wanting to know more.
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- Kristina
- 12-06-22
Interesting
Well written and descriptive. Even though there was little action it was full of emotions.
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- blue_river @AudiobookObsession
- 04-25-20
The Return of a Soldier
I listened to this book for a reading challenge this year and will be the first to tell you I am not a fan of classics in any way. Although I wouldn’t normally give this book four stars, I feel that even though it was not my preference, the book would be getting this if it were. There is depth and emotions that would grip a person who likes these type books and I cannot give it a low star rating knowing it would be hard for me to enjoy before I even started.
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- Ron L. Caldwell
- 05-03-19
A gem of Modernism
This is a beautifully written, heartbreaking novel that would probably be of interest to anyone who is curious about the WWI period. But, in fact, it's a worthy book from any era. The three women in the life of Chris (the titular soldier) each have a peculiar relationship with him. Jenny, the narrator, is our window onto their world and these relationships.
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