The Last Chronicle of Barset

Chronicles of Barsetshire, Book 6

By: Anthony Trollope

Narrated by: David Shaw-Parker

In The Last Chronicle of Barset, Trollope concludes his saga of ecclesiastical life. At the heart of the novel is the plight of Josiah Crawley, a proud, impoverished clergyman who faces difficult legal circumstances. Caught amid poverty, Josiah appears to have stolen a check and is forced to stand trial - despite the fact that he cannot remember its origins. To make matters worse, his daughter, Grace, desperately seeks the approval of Archdeacon Grantly, whose son she intends to marry. The Last Chronicle is a joyful end to the Chronicles of Barsetshire. Here Trollope skillfully weaves together plot threads and characters from earlier novels in the series and provides a fond farewell tour of his cherished diocese.

Download the accompanying reference guide.Public Domain (P)2015 Naxos AudioBooks

Wow! David Shaw-Parker

I like Anthony Trollope novels. I like historical fiction, particularly of the.18th the 19th century period when the English language was still a thing of beauty. Having said that, the right reader makes all the difference and David Shaw-Parker is the right reader. What a shame Trollope never got to hear his words come to life but I have no doubt that this reading is just as he would have it.
I purchased 2 versions of the Warden AND the BBC cast version of the Chronicles, trying to find a good interpretation. I regret wasting the money now that I discovered David Shaw-Parker. I listen to anything he reads.

Granted, I'm a huge Trollope fan...

What made the experience of listening to The Last Chronicle of Barset the most enjoyable?

David Shaw-Parker is one of my favorite narrators ever. His voice suits Trollope so well. I made the mistake of downloading a Trollope that wasn't narrated by him and I only made it through 15 minutes or so (I thought I would at least give it a try before I had to stop and return it!

Who was your favorite character and why?

I loved Miss Dunstable. I think she would be so much fun to know as a real person! Just so no-nonsense and witty.

Which character – as performed by David Shaw-Parker – was your favorite?

SOWERBY! I could see him so clearly in my mind's eye from his voice. Sooo creepy and oozy and just stay-far-away-from-y. (Yes, that is a word.)

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Mark, you should get what you deserve, but you won't because your wife is a saint and your friends are too good for you.

Any additional comments?

Don't waste your time on any other narrator. And listen to all of them. I avoided Trollope when I was younger - scared off by the size of the books - but I'm always wanting to hear more when I'm listening to them!

Money well spent!

I have spent a full week listing to this charming English Story. My kind of classic tale.

sorry that it had to end

Thoroughly enjoyed the whole series! Beautifully read by David Shaw-Parker. He takes his time and let's Trollope's writing shine through and his characters come to life. I was intrigued by this picture of country life, in particular the clergy, in 1860's England, thinking of what changes will come to that way of life, and that all this took place exactly at that time of the US Civil War. I listened to the whole series in order, starting with the Warden, and I'm glad I did, but each volume can stand alone. I'm excited to see that the 3rd volume, Dr. Thorne, has been produced as a television drama by Julian a Fellowes. There are stories about royalty, Revolution, and so on, but few stories of ordinary people going about their lives, meeting happiness and adversity, and by their actions revealing their character and much of the foundation of how we live today. The series is absolutely my best listen to date!

A Fitting End To A Fantastic Series

Trollope was such a genius. Every single character is so well drawn and memorable. What a gift it is to have discovered this author and these wonderful narrations by the enormously talented David Shaw-Parker. His performance is a tour de force.