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  • Washington Square (Blackstone Audio Edition)

  • By: Henry James
  • Narrated by: Lloyd James
  • Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (144 ratings)
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Washington Square (Blackstone Audio Edition)

By: Henry James
Narrated by: Lloyd James
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Summary

On New York City's Washington Square lives Catherine Sloper, a shy and plain-looking young woman who is tyrannized by her wealthy, overbearing father. When young Morris Townsend begins to court her, Dr. Sloper, distrusting his motives, threatens to disinherit Catherine.

In accordance with her father's suspicions, young Townsend disappears, leaving Catherine to humiliation, heartache, and lonely spinsterhood. Years later, after her father's death, Townsend returns, and Catherine must make up her own mind about his intentions.

This 1881 novel was adapted into the popular movie The Heiress.

(P)1999 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"Washington Square is a perfectly balanced novel...a work of surpassing refinement and interest." (Elizabeth Hardwick)
"It's James at the top of his form." ( AudioFile)

What listeners say about Washington Square (Blackstone Audio Edition)

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

impeccable reading<br />

is difficult to imagine a better reading. Lloyd James reads quite slowly with slight pauses to allow the listener to take in the meaning. Even though this is one of Henry James' more straightforward works, it is ideal to have these half seconds to absorb the prose. only negative is that this was a cassette recording, and we get the end of side or tape announcements. Audible needs to sort out these issues.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great listen to a classic

Well written and extremely well narrated. A real classic and a good listen. Highly recommended. Gave it 5 stars

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3 people found this helpful

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

this book is about NOTHING!

I wasted all my time listening to this book and nothing, nothing happens in the end! literally, NOTHING!

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1 person found this helpful

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

Curious story

Well written story and typical of its time.
Well narrated.
Still not convinced about the ending....

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A story of two halves

I am in a phase of enjoying this period in New York’s social life. Both James and Edith Wharton are wonderful writers in comparison modern authors seem to lack the depth of vision and power of observation. When people say that a book is ‘well written’ these books should form the template of their view. I don’t believe that I make these remarks with judgement obscured by the novelty of the style or fascination with the period in which they were written!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

James or Wharton?

Who used this plot first, Henry James or Edith Wharton? Word minimum word minimum word minimum

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Henry James at his best; moving text full of irony

I wish Henry James had written more books like this. IMO (in my opinion) his short stories (e.g. 'Turn of the Screw' 'The Aspern Papers') and shorter novels are his best work before he got lost in endless sentences...Yes there's always something going on under the surface & it's an acquired taste but not mine.
This book actually moves, and full of sharp, piquant dialogues; There are six main characters and in a book of this length each has space to be developed.
Very well read by somebody from the seemingly endless pool of excellent USA readers / actors.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Haunting

Involving story of a very ordinary, unloved young woman targeted by a fortune hunter

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

Dreary story, Dreary narrator.

This is not the place to start with James.
It lacks his exquisite prose and it really is a slog of a tale that goes nowhere.
The narrator puts an extremely dower and depressing tone to the story and I don't know if it was James' intention but the father is void of all emotion.

Rather dull, monotonous and unrewarding view of life and the usual pains and obsession with who should marry who and why and does it really matter when all is said and done.

For comparison, Trollope on the other hand at least injects a bit of humour into the same themes.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very good

Great reading of this book. Well done! I hope to hear more of Henry James.

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