The Age of Innocence (Unabridged)
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4.3 • 12 Ratings
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- $15.99
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
Exclusively from Audible
Countess Ellen Olenska, separated from her European husband, returns to old New York society. She bears with her an independence and an awareness of life which stirs the educated sensitivity of the charming Newland Archer, engaged to be married to her cousin, May Welland. Though he accepts the society's standards and rules he is acutely aware of their limitations. He knows May will assure him a conventional future but Ellen, scandalously separated from her husband, forces Archer to question his values and beliefs. With their love intensifying where does Archer's ultimate loyalty lie?
Wharton's audiobook is a love story that accurately portrays upper-class New York society in the late 19th century due to her insider's view of America's privileged classes. Having grown up in upper-class society, Wharton ended up becoming one of its most shrewd critics. Her depiction of the snobbery and hypocrisy of the wealthy elite, combined with her subtle use of dramatic irony, propelled The Age of Innocence to the position of an instant classic, winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1921 and making Wharton the first woman to win the prize.
Narrator Biography
Having studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, David Horovitch has had a television career spanning over 40 years. One of his most notable roles was in 1984 as Detective Inspector Slack in the first BBC Miss Marple adaptation The Body in the Library. Due to the success of his character, he returned for four Christmas specials. He has had roles in other shows such as Just William (1994), Foyle's War (2002) and Wire in the Blood (2005) as well as film appearances in The Young Victoria (2009), 102 Dalmatians (2000) The Infiltrator (2016) and Mike Leigh's Mr Turner (2014). A long time star of the stage, in 2015 he played the role of George Frideric Handel in All the Angels by Nick Drake at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. As well as narrating numerous audiobooks, David Horovitch also appeared in Audible's multicast drama The Oedipus Plays.
Customer Reviews
a beautiful book beautifully read
FIRST of all - HEY ITUNES! WTH is a Parental Advisory doing on this book?!!! Are you KIDDING me? It's WHARTON, people. The entire book is ABOUT being buttoned-up, repressed, and restrained. I had no idea that children would be scarred by exposure to discussion of rigid table manners, social norms of the 19th century, and occassional pristine hand kissing. The only thing a parent needs to worry about from this is that their child will be exposed to the some of the most beautiful prose ever written.
THAT said - the narrator does an exceptional job - never rushed, never forced, he does a great job differentiating the characters without declining into caricature. Occasionally his American accent has weird turns, and some of his women's voices can sound twee, but then again it isn't easy for a grown man, however talented, to effectively play a teenage girl - but David Horowitch does an admirable job.
This is one of my favorite books, and this reading does it every inch of justice it deserves. HIGHLY recommended!
The Age of Innocence
The mellifluous voice of this superb narrator, silky and subtle, lends itself so beautifully to express the divine prose of Edith Wharton that I cannot imagine a more perfect marriage of author and interpreter. Just a sublime read (or rather, just a sublime listen). Bravo !
Five star story, one star narrator :(
The story is magnificent, and well worth your time, but pick a different narrator. This reading was so pedantic and uninspired, and his voices were as annoying as his lack of understanding of pace.