The Summer Before the War
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Fiona Hardingham
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By:
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Helen Simonson
About this listen
New York Times best seller
"A novel to cure your Downton Abbey withdrawal... a delightful story about nontraditional romantic relationships, class snobbery and the everybody-knows-everybody complications of living in a small community.” (The Washington Post)
The best-selling author of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand returns with a breathtaking novel of love on the eve of World War I that reaches far beyond the small English town in which it is set.
Named one of the Best Books of the Year by The Washington Post and NPR
East Sussex, 1914. It is the end of England’s brief Edwardian summer, and everyone agrees that the weather has never been so beautiful. Hugh Grange, down from his medical studies, is visiting his Aunt Agatha, who lives with her husband in the small, idyllic coastal town of Rye. Agatha’s husband works in the Foreign Office, and she is certain he will ensure that the recent saber rattling over the Balkans won’t come to anything. And Agatha has more immediate concerns; she has just risked her carefully built reputation by pushing for the appointment of a woman to replace the Latin master.
When Beatrice Nash arrives with one trunk and several large crates of books, it is clear she is significantly more freethinking - and attractive - than anyone believes a Latin teacher should be. For her part, mourning the death of her beloved father, who has left her penniless, Beatrice simply wants to be left alone to pursue her teaching and writing. But just as Beatrice comes alive to the beauty of the Sussex landscape and the colorful characters who populate Rye, the perfect summer is about to end. For despite Agatha’s reassurances, the unimaginable is coming. Soon the limits of progress, and the old ways, will be tested as this small Sussex town and its inhabitants go to war.
Praise for The Summer Before the War
“What begins as a study of a small-town society becomes a compelling account of war and its aftermath.” (Woman’s Day)
“This witty character study of how a small English town reacts to the 1914 arrival of its first female teacher offers gentle humor wrapped in a hauntingly detailed story.” (Good Housekeeping)
“Perfect for readers in a post-Downton Abbey slump...The gently teasing banter between two kindred spirits edging slowly into love is as delicately crafted as a bone-china teacup.... More than a high-toned romantic reverie for Anglophiles - though it serves the latter purpose, too.” (The Seattle Times)
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Critic reviews
"At once haunting and effervescent, The Summer Before the War demonstrates the sure hand of a master. Helen Simonson's characters enchant us, her English countryside beguiles us, and her historical intelligence keeps us at the edge of our seats. This luminous story of a family, a town, and a world in their final moments of innocence is as lingering and lovely as a long summer sunset." (Annie Barrows, author of The Truth According to Us and coauthor of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society)
"Helen Simonson has outdone herself in this radiant follow-up to Major Pettigrew's Last Stand. The provincial town of Rye, East Sussex, in the days just before and after the Great War is so vividly drawn it fairly vibrates. The depth and sensitivity with which she weighs the steep costs and delicate bonds of wartime - and not just for the young men in the trenches, but for every changed life and heart - reveal the full mastery of her storytelling. Simonson is like a Jane Austen for our day and age - she is that good - and The Summer Before the War is nothing short of a treasure." (Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife and Circling the Sun)
"Narrator Fiona Hardingham breathes life into a huge cast of characters.... She's especially adept with accents; the American author who is trying to downplay his heritage sounds appropriately ambiguous, and a Belgian refugee who speaks halting, heavily accented English is convincing.... This is storytelling at its finest, with a narration to match." (AudioFile)
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
1938: She was one of the six sparkling Mitford sisters, known for her stinging quips, stylish dress, and bright green eyes. But Nancy Mitford’s seemingly dazzling life was really one of turmoil: with a perpetually unfaithful and broke husband, two Nazi sympathizer sisters, and her hopes of motherhood dashed forever. With war imminent, Nancy finds respite by taking a job at the Heywood Hill Bookshop in Mayfair, hoping to make ends meet, and discovers a new life.
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Perfectly Voices, Upliftingly Fun
- By Syd Young on 04-15-22
By: Eliza Knight
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Alex and Eliza
- The Alex & Eliza Trilogy
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- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
As battle cries of the American Revolution echo in the distance, servants flutter about preparing for one of New York society's biggest events: the Schuylers' grand ball. Descended from two of the oldest bloodlines in New York, the Schuylers are proud to be one of their fledgling country's founding families and even prouder still of their three daughters - Angelica, with her razor-sharp wit; Peggy, with her dazzling looks; and Eliza, whose beauty and charm rival those of both her sisters, though she'd rather be aiding the colonists' cause than dressing up for some silly ball.
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Meh...
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Summerset Abbey
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1913: In a sprawling manor on the outskirts of London, three young women seek to fulfill their destinies and desires amidst the unspoken rules of society and the distant rumblings of war.... Sir Philip Buxton raised three girls into beautiful and capable young women in a bohemian household that defied Edwardian tradition. Eldest sister Rowena was taught to value people, not wealth or status. But everything she believes will be tested when Sir Philip dies, and the girls must live under their uncle’s guardianship....
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Great for Downton Abbey fans, but…
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Gone with the Wind
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Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Literature, Margaret Mitchell's great novel of the South is one of the most popular books ever written. Within six months of its publication in 1936, Gone With the Wind had sold a million copies. To date, it has been translated into 25 languages, and more than 28 million copies have been sold. Here are the characters that have become symbols of passion and desire....
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not to miss audible experience
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The Fire Rose
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- Narrated by: Kate Black-Regan
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Accepting employment as a governess after hard times hit her family, medieval scholar Rosalind Hawkins is surprised when she learns that her mysterious employer has no children and only wants her to read to him through a speaking tube.
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Great story, poorly presented
- By Che on 02-26-10
By: Mercedes Lackey
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Winter Collection
- Six Historical Short Stories (A Timeless Romance Anthology, Book 1)
- By: Sarah M. Eden, Heidi Ashworth, Annette Lyon, and others
- Narrated by: Karen Peakes
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Six award-winning authors have contributed brand new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: Winter Collection. A collection unlike any other, listeners will love this compilation of six sweet historical romance novellas, set in varying eras, yet all with one thing in common: Romance.
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Winter
- By Manila J. Dobbs on 08-12-23
By: Sarah M. Eden, and others
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Silver Wattle
- By: Belinda Alexandra
- Narrated by: Caroline Lee
- Length: 16 hrs and 15 mins
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In fear for their lives after the sudden death of their mother, Adéla and Klára must flee Prague to find refuge with their uncle in Australia. Later, Adéla becomes a film director at a time when the local industry is starting to feel the competition from Hollywood. But even while success is imminent, the issues of family and an impossible love are never far away.
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Groan, Snore and Wince!
- By OrangeWisteria on 02-12-12
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Three Souls
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- By: Janie Chang
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- Length: 11 hrs and 47 mins
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We have three souls, or so I'd been told. But only in death could I confirm this.... So begins the haunting and captivating tale, set in 1935 China, of the ghost of a young woman named Leiyin, who watches her own funeral from above and wonders why she is being denied entry to the afterlife. Beside her are three souls - stern and scholarly yang; impulsive, romantic yin; and wise, shining hun - who will guide her toward understanding. She must, they tell her, make amends.
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Very different but compelling point of view.
- By Kevin Wickline on 06-08-23
By: Janie Chang
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Secrets of Nanreath Hall
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- By: Alix Rickloff
- Narrated by: Lauren Irwin, Laura Waddell
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
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Cornwall, 1940. Back in England after the harrowing evacuation at Dunkirk, WWII Red Cross nurse Anna Trenowyth is shocked to learn her adoptive parents, Graham and Prue Handley, have been killed in an air raid. She desperately needs their advice, as she's been assigned to the military hospital that has set up camp inside her biological mother's childhood home - Nanreath Hall. Anna was just six years old when her mother, Lady Katherine Trenowyth, died. All she has left are vague memories that tease her with clues she can't unravel.
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Well done both narrators and Author !
- By Andover Meadow on 09-17-16
By: Alix Rickloff
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Moonlight over Paris
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- By: Jennifer Robson
- Narrated by: Jane Copland
- Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
It's the spring of 1924, and Lady Helena Montagu-Douglas-Parr has just arrived in France. On the mend after a near-fatal illness, she is ready to embrace the restless, heady allure of the City of Lights. Her parents have given her one year to live with her eccentric aunt in Paris, and Helena means to make the most of her time. She's quickly drawn into the world of the Lost Generation and its circle of American expatriates, and, with their encouragement, she finds the courage to pursue her dream of becoming an artist.
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A pleasant trip to 1924 Paris
- By RueRue on 05-09-16
By: Jennifer Robson
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South Riding
- By: Winifred Holtby
- Narrated by: Carole Boyd
- Length: 19 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
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
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Revealed
- By: Kate Noble
- Narrated by: Alison Larkin
- Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Phillippa Benning is the unrivaled beauty of the Season. But when another lady challenges her for a marquis's attentions, Phillippa entices him to a secret rendezvous only to stumble upon The Blue Raven, England's most famous spy, lurking at the site of her planned tryst. The Blue Raven has uncovered an enemy plot directed at upcoming society functions, but he's unable to infiltrate London society.
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Really enjoyed this one — terrific listen — ignore the negative reviews
- By Pamela on 08-31-20
By: Kate Noble
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Delicious
- By: Sherry Thomas
- Narrated by: Virginia Leishman
- Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Delicious presents Verity Durant, an irresistible woman of a more elegant age. Verity is renowned from London to Paris for her succulent cuisine - and for her rapacious carnal appetite. And she's determined to tempt prim and proper politician Stuart Somerset with forbidden fruits he's never tasted.
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Sherry Thomas, Wonderful as Always!
- By Shoppermom on 06-04-18
By: Sherry Thomas
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The Girl from the Savoy
- A Novel
- By: Hazel Gaynor
- Narrated by: Jennifer Jones, Lucy Rayner, Paul Fox
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
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Overall
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Dolly Lane is a dreamer, a downtrodden maid who longs to dance on the London stage, but her life has been fractured by the Great War. Memories of the soldier she loved, of secret shame and profound loss, by turns pull her back and spur her on to make a better life. When she finds employment as a chambermaid at London's grandest hotel, The Savoy, Dolly takes a step closer to the glittering lives of the Bright Young Things who thrive on champagne, jazz, and rebellion.
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WONDERFUL‼️❤️❤️❤️
- By Leslie Gail Mnich on 12-05-19
By: Hazel Gaynor
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What listeners say about The Summer Before the War
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Sally
- 04-13-16
Great read
Would you listen to The Summer Before the War again? Why?
This is a great book. It drew me in from the start. The characters come alive, story line good. Narrator is excellent too.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Retired teacher
- 04-11-16
Excellent
After reading Major Pettigrew I have searched and anticipated another treasure from Mrs. Simonson and this story lives up to all my expectations! I am sure I will listen to it many times and hope for more!
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3 people found this helpful
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- Grete
- 04-10-16
Well written, well read
I was thoroughly absorbed in this picture of England before the war. The resilience of both men and women facing not only the horrors of war, but also the barriers of class, sexism, intolerance and social injustice. Strong characters, well drawn, show how life was changing as the war approached, and as it wore on. A very satisfying listen.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Quin Stringham
- 07-29-16
Fabulous book and audible!
Helen Simonson is an amazing writer who has woven a beautiful story with incredible character development! The people come out of the pages and become real life people with whom I enjoyed spending time with, and some whom I disliked immensely, and cried with and celebrated with! The only bad part of the book was when it ended! This is must read for anyone who loves a beautifully researched and written story that will capture your attention and your heart! Our very discerning book club gave it a five thumbs up out of five and that does not happen often!
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2 people found this helpful
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- mumsy
- 01-04-19
Charming WWII Story
It was a lovely story, a bit predictable ending but with rich character development and enough twists along the way to be interesting and entertaining. Would recommend.
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- Emily
- 05-12-16
Slow start
Initially I had some difficulty getting pulled into the book but as I continued to listen the story captured me. The fact that Sussex and particularly Rye are places I've visited brought the story to life for me.
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- shewhoreads
- 11-11-16
comfortably old fashioned with polite manner
comfortably old fashioned with polite manner and soft love story. enjoyed the simplicity and graciousness.
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- Jess
- 04-28-23
A Good, Solid Book!
This was a very enjoyable book to read although there was a lot of sadness in it. This would make a good Downton Abbey type production for PBS. I hope they do one!
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- RueRue
- 06-02-16
Sophomore Slump
I'm not sure why, but this book just didn't keep me engaged, until the last 2-3 hours ( and, for a 15 hour listen, that's a long struggle to keep listening). The author's first book, "Major Pettigrews Last Stand" was charming, the characters warm and sympathetic. Maybe that's what I found lacking here; there is really no one who captures the heart and interest of the reader. The only character who came close was Snout, and *spoiler* he comes to a tragic end. I can't falter the narration, it was quite good. This just didn't live up to the high standard of "Major Pettigrew".
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8 people found this helpful
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- Jeanie M. Phillips
- 09-19-16
Wonderful!
Every now and then my inner Anglophile, the one who loves Austen, Trollope and Gaskell, demands a solid British novel. One with humorous social commentary as well as a pastoral setting. This book fit the bill!
Beatrice is hired to teach Latin in the small seaside town of Rye just before the start of the first World War. As with many great British novels, the town is full of social champions and villains, examples of moral fortitude and hypocrisy. Simonson handles all with a deft but light touch, humorously shedding light on all of societies best and worst qualities as members reject or conform to strict social norms and morays. As I read I was strongly reminded of A.S. Byatt's The Children's Book- a book I adored. Both capture the limitations for women of this time, but also the possibilities around the corner. And both are strong stories in their own right, regardless of the social statements they may make along the way.
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3 people found this helpful