The Mayor of Casterbridge (version 2)


Read by Bruce Pirie

(4.7 stars; 216 reviews)

Irritated and drunken, an itinerant farm-worker sells his wife and child to a stranger. Thus begins The Mayor of Casterbridge, set in rural and small-town England in the mid-1800s. In the original subtitle, Hardy called this the story of "a man of character," and the central character, Michael Henchard, is one of English fiction's greatest creations. Henchard is deeply developed as a realistic character, but also larger-than-life in the manner of a Greek or Shakespearean tragic hero — huge in his determination and huge in his failings. The novel deals with the struggles between individual will, the hold of the past, and the relentless control of circumstances in a changing society. (Summary by Bruce Pirie) (12 hr 51 min)

Chapters

Chapter 01 30:50 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 02 10:41 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 03 11:19 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 04 17:25 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 05 14:15 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 06 10:34 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 07 16:35 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 08 16:14 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 09 18:55 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 10 9:30 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 11 12:49 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 12 12:48 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 13 11:33 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 14 21:45 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 15 15:42 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 16 15:26 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 17 16:57 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 18 11:31 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 19 19:20 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 20 23:12 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 21 17:11 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 22 24:30 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 23 18:44 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 24 20:10 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 25 12:21 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 26 24:49 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 27 20:13 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 28 10:27 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 29 19:47 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 30 11:58 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 31 11:03 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 32 18:59 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 33 18:28 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 34 19:13 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 35 11:15 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 36 22:02 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 37 16:08 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 38 16:34 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 39 16:39 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 40 14:19 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 41 24:00 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 42 18:27 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 43 22:56 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 44 25:58 Read by Bruce Pirie
Chapter 45 17:45 Read by Bruce Pirie

Reviews

Classic Hardy


(5 stars)

Anything that can go wrong does go wrong... but we all know what to expect from Thomas Hardy. A great book and this version is very well read.

Moving and Well-read


(5 stars)

I've been a Hardy fan for several years, and this novel is truly the bee's knees. It's a poignant tale with lively and occasionally comical intermezzos. You'd feel the tension and see the pain coming, but as the plot is so gripping, you may actually begin to enjoy the agony (disclaimer: I'm an English major with slightly masochistic tendencies). Of course, the relish is heightened by Bruce Pirie's exceptional reading, in part due to his deep, sonorous voice that hypnotised me. 11/10 would recommend this classic :) Have a beautiful day!

Well read


(4.5 stars)

Well read. I had watched the 2003 A&E movie version with Ciaran Hines. I wanted to know the rest of the story details that had been left out of the movie. Alas, I was much disappointed. The movie is almost word-for-word the book. This was my first Thomas Hardy. I've learned a bit about him as a writer. I've learned what he likes to leave out.... is a lot of what a woman wants to know!! ;)


(4 stars)

Good story, told slowly and in incredible detail. *Extremely wordy* so beware if you are not familiar with Hardy. People say that the ending is grim but it depends on how you look at the sentiment he is expressing. Quite a stoic notion-- appreciate the small things, and the people in your life.

depressing story well read


(3 stars)

a very long story that has moments of happiness and a few twists in story line - but overall it is a very depressing story! i even found myself frustrated at the characters behavior and line of thought. but it was an amazing reader, great job.

My first Thomas Hardy


(5 stars)

What a revelation, the storylines, the descriptive writing bound together by an excellent reading brings to life a novel that is hard to stop listening to. This is my first ever Hardy novel, it certainly will not be my last!

the Mayor of.....


(5 stars)

Well read. CAN’t Stand the commercials. Loud , excited , disrespectful. I will probably stop listening here. Ruins the mood. A calm listing at the end would make me appreciative, but these brutal interruptions are classless and tasteless

a deep unraveling narrative


(4.5 stars)

This story continued to deepen and like the old yarn analogy, unwind. Hardy is a great writer and the tale is very engaging. It is certainly a commentary on the dangers of falsehoods and imbibing.