The House of Mirth

By: Edith Wharton

Narrated by: Anna Fields

The House of Mirth was Edith Wharton's first great novel. Set among the elegant brownstones of New York City and opulent country houses like gracious Bellomont on the Hudson, the novel creates a satiric portrayal of what Wharton herself called "a society of irresponsible pleasure-seekers" with a precision comparable to that of Proust. And her brilliant and complex characterization of the doomed Lily Bart, whose stunning beauty and dependence on marriage for economic survival reduce her to a decorative object, becomes an incisive commentary on the nature and status of women in that society.(P)2001 Blackstone Audiobooks

Wonderful book, mediocre reader

This book is an incisive portrayal of high society life, written from the vantage point of a woman without the means to sustain such a life. It is gripping, elegant, and tightly written. I did not give this book 5 stars because its narrator, Anna Fields, is the wrong choice for this (and most) audiobooks. I've listened to several of her readings, and I am always astounded by how poorly she produces male voices. All men sound the same when she reads them, and they sound comical. The voice of one of the protagonists in this text can hardly be distinguished from the Native American voices she produced for a Louise Erdrich text I listened to. This book should have been read by someone who is very good at imitating Anglicized high-society voices, since such voices would have been consistent with the time period and used by these characters. If you can, I'd purchase the audiobook on Audible of this text that is read by a different reader.

Enjoyed this

I enjoyed this even more than I expected to. The detailed descriptions of New York society of that time where interesting, and Wharton's writing is really lovely. The narrator also has a beautiful voice and I hope to hear more of her work.

Fine reading of a great classic

Invited into the opulent New York society of 1905, beautiful Lily Bart seems irresponsibly to engage in the life of pleasure, parties, summering in country homes, and beautiful clothes. It's not clear at first (either to the reader or to Lily) whether she is looking for love, independence, or a rich husband. However, every time an opportunity presents itself, she squanders it or blunders, or simply oversleeps. It is one of the wonders of this novel that the reader cares so very much for Lily Bart. When the rich New York society unfairly betrays her and abandons her, her life begins to disintegrate. Her acceptance of each loss is dignified, and her realization of all of her missed opportunities, especially to unite with the one man in her life she loved, are deeply felt. The narration by Anna Fields is admirable.

ethan frome

even knowing that it's a tragedy before starting, the end is shocking. Edith's narrative and descriptions are wonderful.

Great book - but skip the intro - big spoiler

I loved the book and intend to download more Edith Wharton. What a strong and timeless emotional resonance. But I write this review to steer people away from my mistake - do NOT listen to the introduction. There's a huge spoiler that diminished the book for me - and not alot of insight overall - much more boring than the book itself, which is kind of a page turner.

Wonderful novel and excellent reader

I regularly listen to audiobooks, and I loved every second of this one. I highly recommend it and can't wait to listen to Age of Innocence next.

What would Edith Wharton write about today?

You can learn more about the era in which Wharton lived from reading a single one of her books than you can from a whole semester in a history class. I'm talking here about understanding the social forces that dictated how people had to live their lives and conform their behavior; forces that ultimately determined the kinds of political decisions which are the main residue we are left to study from history. Wharton's focus on the problems of her time can make her work seem superficially dated, but it really just illuminates how human nature reacts to a specific set of environmental circumstances. From that perspective, Lily Bart's story is still meaningful to us today, and is still a meaningful reflection on life and how we are able to cope with our own set of circumstances.

Amazing Narration of a Classic

While there was a certain lack of vocal regionality which would’ve given greater depth to some (especially male) characterizations, the emotional and tonal range be of the narrator and her incredible timing gives this challenging classic a completely nuanced interpretation than I’ve ever heard it given.

Twentieth Century Ophelia

The not unpleasant gravelly character of Narrator Anna Fields's voice evokes the same hypnotic effect as does the pleasant purring of one's beloved cat. Its lure subtly weaves the listener deeper and deeper into the fabric of the dilemma, begging the answer to the question of where the responsibiity for personal tragedy lies: within oneself or the conspiracy of higher powers.

Anna Fields makes all stories even better!

A bit dated of a story - but beautifully read. And a wonderful ending to the book.