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Title details for The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton - Available

The House of Mirth

by Edith Wharton
Anna Fields
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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Set among the elegant brownstones and opulent country houses of turn-of-the-century upper-class New York, Edith Wharton's first great novel is a precise, satiric portrayal of what the author herself called "a society of irresponsible pleasure-seekers."

Her brilliantly complex characterization of the doomed Lily Bart, whose stunning beauty and dependence on marriage for economic survival reduce her to a decorative object, is an incisive commentary on the status of women in that society. Lily is all too much a product of the world indicated by the title, a phrase taken from Ecclesiastes: "The heart of fools is in the house of mirth." From her tragic attraction to bachelor lawyer Lawrence Seldon to her desperate relationship with the social-climbing Rosedale, it is Lily's very specialness that threatens the fulfillment she seeks in life.

Time after time, Lily fails to make the ultimate move, to abandon the possibility of a greater love and enter into a mercenary union. This masterful novel from one of literature's greatest voices is a tragedy of money, morality, and missed opportunity.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    November 9, 2004

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781483088990
      • File size: 394298 KB
      • Duration: 13:41:27

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • Lexile® Measure: 1230
    • Text Difficulty: 9-12

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Ecclesiastes puts it this way: "The heart of fools is in the house of mirth," and Edith Wharton's 1905 classic reinforces this precept. Set in that time, the novel deals with the idle rich, save for protagonist Lily Bart, one of literature's great heroines, whose beauty and wit provide some, but not enough, compensation for her lack of money. Lily's misadventures create a shifting mix of poignancy, sadness, exhilaration, pity, even fear--for her and for the listener, who is well served in this audiobook by the truly marvelous narration of Anna Fields. She perfectly captures Lily and a largish cast, discriminating among them with such skill that you'll believe you're hearing a full-cast recording. Wharton's book, though dated, is fine, and Fields makes it even finer. T.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      February 25, 2013
      Actress Eleanor Bron played Aunt Julia in the 2000 film adaptation of this Edith Wharton classic, which she brings to life in an enjoyable audio production. At the start, Bron’s tones are cool and measured in keeping with heroine Lily Bart’s calculated manipulations in arranging her marriage to a fantastically rich—if fantastically dull—bachelor. But Lily’s efforts meet with little success, and Bron ably captures the desperate heroine as her suitor rejects her, her debts mount, and her options narrow. As Lily finds herself alone in what used to seem like a glittering world, Bron’s rendition of the character’s exhausted disappointment is pitch-perfect. This is a compelling audiobook with a memorable performance from Bron.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Narrator Laurel Lefkow turns her talents to the narration of Edith Wharton's best known novel. Lily Bart believes she is made for the finer things in life, but due to the financial challenges she faces upon losing her parents, she has to use her grace, beauty, and charm to climb her way up to New York's high society. Lily's morals, however, lead her to sabotage her every attempt to marry into wealth and comfort. Lefkow's soft, lilting voice guides listeners through the behaviors and expectations of the haves and the have nots featured in this work. She expertly expresses Lily's frustrations at being so close to a life of wealth and privilege. V.B. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:1230
  • Text Difficulty:9-12

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