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Vanity Fair

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Vanity Fair

By: William Makepeace Thackeray
Narrated by: John Castle
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About this listen

Exclusively from Audible

Set during the time of the Napoleonic Wars, this classic gives a satirical picture of a worldly society. The audiobook revolves around the exploits of the impoverished but beautiful and devious Becky Sharp who craves wealth and a position in society. Calculating and determined to succeed, she charms, deceives and manipulates everyone she meets.

A story of early 19th-century English society, it takes its title from the place designated as the centre of human corruption in John Bunyan's 17th-century allegory Pilgrim's Progress.

Receiving popular and critical success on first publication, the novel is considered Thackeray's masterpiece, and this satire of society is as relevant now as when it first appeared. In 2003, Vanity Fair was listed at Number 122 on the BBC's The Big Read poll of the UK's best-loved books.

Thackeray was born in Calcutta in 1811. After his father's death, he was sent to be educated in England at five years old, while is mother remarried in India. The canings and abuses he received in private boarding schools formed a basis for some of his work as did the culture of Anglo-Indians which also featured prominently.

Narrator Biography

After training at RADA, John's professional career began in 1964 at the Regent's Park Theatre.

Film credits include Michelangelo Antonioni's Blow Up, The Lion in Winter, Man of La Mancha, King David, Antony and Cleopatra, Robocop 2 and The Sparrow. Theatre credits include Bloody Sunday (The Tricycle Theatre), Claudius in Hamlet (National Theatre), Rat in the Skull (Duke of York's Theatre), End Game (Tron Theatre, Glasgow), Shylock in The Merchant of Venice (London Shakespeare Group), Infidelities (The Boulevard Theatre), and Breaking the Code (The Comedy Theatre). Television credits include Tracate Middoth, The Fixer, Spooks, Poirot, Silent Witness, The Holocaust on Trial, Casualty, Princes in the Tower, Gods and Generals, Fight Against Slavery, Ben Hall, I, Claudius, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, and Lillie.

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.
Classics England Witty Funny Comedy
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What listeners say about Vanity Fair

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Great fun

It reminded me of Jane Austin at her best and most humorously cynical. Odd that although you feel for the heroine you symutaniously want to punch her in nose. Enjoyed it immensely.

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Excellent novel, superbly told

Easy listen, John Castle has a great voice and handles the voice of the narrator expertly.

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Excellently read classic

excellently read classic dig at society and its hypocrisy. I never got round to reading this myself so it was great to have it brought alive by such a super narrator.

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Vanity Fair - what a good story.....a good old fashioned story of love and life.

This was a pleasure to hear .
Long books so daunting to read - but to listen to the spoken word is a joy.
Love the historical detail and language, read v.pleasingly.

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Nineteenth Century Masterpiece

I enjoyed every minute of this book, although I knew nothing about it but the name Becky Sharp. I was captivated by the characters and the story moved along quickly. This is expertly performed and enjoyable.

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    5 out of 5 stars

A novel without heroes

John Castle narrates splendidly. He deals with the diverse characters without histrionics. The long interventions of the omniscient observer are read with immaculate clarity. Vanity Fair merits narration of this high quality.

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Epic but brilliant tale

Thank you audible for this delectable rendition of Vanity Fair . A great novel brought to life by an excellent audio , well read !!!!!!

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Tremendous

John Castle captures perfectly the satirical tone of this classic novel. Becky Sharp is one of my favourite characters and she is brought to life in all her self-centred, manipulative, materialistic glory. The pompous, foolish Jos Sedley is also beautifully read. Highly recommended.

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epic read worth every second

absolutely love this story of love loss and vanity.
may you enter vanity fair and leave with your heart, finances and reputation intact.

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Brilliant story and brilliant narration

Love this story and the narration was so good. A long but worthwhile listen. Great stuff.

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