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Bliss and Other Stories cover art

Bliss and Other Stories

By: Katherine Mansfield
Narrated by: Miriam Margolyes
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Summary

'Lottie and Kezia stood on the patch of lawn just inside the gate, all ready for the fray in their coats with brass anchor buttons....'

In the realm of the short story, Katherine Mansfield established a highly original style. Undramatic, poetic, and lyrical, her writing is exquisitely subtle in its treatment of human behaviour. When these 14 short stories were published in 1920, she had already effected a transformation in this form of fiction, and her influence has been deeply felt by subsequent writers.

©1923 Katherine Mansfield (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Bliss and Other Stories

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Bliss

I have always loved the stories of Katherine Mansfield and to hear Miriam Margoyles read them was a great treat. She is one of my very favoutite actors and when I noticed she was the reader of 'Bliss', I just had to have it.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

narrator

Big fan of Katherine Mansfield but this narrator is hard to listen to, would be better suited to jackanory.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Mansfield Makes Good Audio

What made the experience of listening to Bliss and Other Stories the most enjoyable?

Her stories really thrive on audio and seem to gain even more life and grace

Who was your favorite character and why?

Dull question.

What about Miriam Margolyes’s performance did you like?

Excellent

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Really? Silly question - as if that were the destiny of all books

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Miriam Margolyes Narration is Excellent!

Let me say Miriam Margolyes is a wonderful narrator and calls upon her abilities to fit each story with the correct emotion and sensibilities. I thoroughly enjoyed her reading. New Zealand born Katherine Mansfield certainly can put words together into engaging writing. Her focus is human behavior and personal frailties. But after a few stories, it becomes a very familiar theme. . I have mixed feelings there are some lovely vignettes such as in the café in Je ne parle pas française but overall there is the same theme of the sourness of human relationships and life. And the stories quickly become rather like a delicious meal that after receiving it at every mealtime the pleasure wears thin.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Eye opening

Never read any Mansfield before and this was a revelation. Some of the stories are absolute gems. Takes you right back in time to early 20th century.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great distraction, lovely short stories

Narrated beautifully by Miriam margolyes, she really brings the stories to life. The only thing is the short gap between stories, while you are listening it is really hard to tell when one begins and another ends.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Too Sweet

This is no comment on the writing of the book but rather on its narration: Its saccharine quality makes it impossible to continue further. This is unfortunate.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely Fab

I love Katherine Mansfield and this reading by Miriam Margolyes is evidence that she does too. Brilliant and illuminating.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Superb observer of the human condition

No writer in my experience can match Katherine Mansfield's genius in observing the divided selves of her characters. Superb eye for detail and for depicting the inner lives of children. Here, she is served perfectly by narrator Miriam Margolyes whose vocal range is astonishing. This is a great treat I. shall listen to again and again, any time in fact when I need to smile.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Now we are three

I love KM so was greatly looking forward to this. Unfortunately, Miriam Margolyes narrates as if she’s reading an exciting bed-time story to some three-year olds. I couldn’t bear it and had to stop; I’ll read it instead

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