Bartleby, the Scrivener
A Story of Wall Street
-
- $3.99
Publisher Description
A masterpiece of short fiction, Bartleby is as relevant today as it was when it was first published anonymously in 1853. Melville wrote the story during the Guilded Age, a time when inequality between the haves and have-nots stretched the fabric of society. Today, instead of Vanderbilt and Carnegie we have Bezos and Zuckerberg. Economic injustice has sparked protests worldwide and capitalism seems tenuous. Bartleby, the first occupier of Wall Street, is a frustrated man of our times.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
When the nameless narrator an elderly Manhattan attorney hired another scrivener named Bartleby, he hoped the new employee would have a positive effect on scriveners Nippers and Turkey. However, Bartleby's curious tendencies and obstinate attitude plagued and confounded the narrator. Lackey turns in a workmanlike performance in this audio edition of Melville's famous story. His emphasis and delivery will keep listeners engaged, and he lends distinctive voices to the characters. His rendering of Bartlebly's famous repeated line, "I would prefer not to," captures the matter-of-fact delivery emphasized in the text. However, Lackey's voice sounds a bit too young for story's narrator. Still, this is an enjoyable take on the classic tale.
