Martin Chuzzlewit
The Audible Dickens Collection
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Martin Chuzzlewit
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Narrated by:
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Derek Jacobi
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William Boyd - introduction
About this listen
This exclusive recording of Martin Chuzzlewit starts with a unique introduction written and narrated by William Boyd, author of Any Human Heart and A Good Man in Africa.
First published in 1842, Martin Chuzzlewit is the last of Charles Dickens' picaresque novels. Despite poor sales at the time, Dickens considered it his best work, and it is now regarded as one of the most significant literary depictions of 19th-century America.
Horrified by the ongoing use of slavery in the self-professed 'land of the free', Dickens returned home after his first trip abroad with an extreme distaste for American laws and, equally, their frequent use of spitting tobacco. Dickens turned to his pen once again and created a story which satirically centres around the selfish and greedy Chuzzlewits.
About the book:
Deeply distressed at thought of his singularly money-minded family circling around his inevitable death bed, when Old Martin Chuzzlewit comes across a young and kindly orphan girl, he immediately decides to take her into his employment. Offering her a comfortable living in exchange for her care and protection, Martin rests easy in the knowledge that her comfort will last only as long as he does; upon his death, Mary the orphan will find herself on the cold and dirty streets from whence she came. To his great dismay, Old Martin's plan is foiled when his own grandson and main heir, Martin Chuzzlewit Junior, declares his undying love for Mary and his consequent intention to marry her.
This Audible Original dramatisation follows the Chuzzlewit household from this point on, as relationships are born and tested, old feuds are reignited and the ever-present vultures start to close in. A lesson in the dangers and consequences of looking only after number one, the narrative remains highly relevant to this day and is expertly narrated by Sir Derek Jacobi.
About the author:
With his father incarcerated, Charles Dickens had to abandon his studies at a young age and set to work in a factory so as to support himself. Despite his short-lived education, Dickens went on to write 15 novels, various articles, novellas and short stories. These include Hard Times, Bleak House, Oliver Twist, Barnaby Rudge, Little Dorrit and A Tale of Two Cities. He lectured and led campaigns for children's rights and education and arguably became the ultimate self-made man.
About the narrator:
Sir Derek Jacobi is an English actor and stage director, best known for his illustrious stage career and his appearance in films such as The Day of the Jackal, Gladiator, Gosford Park and, most recently, Murder on the Orient Express. He is the recipient of two Laurence Olivier Awards, a Tony Award and a Primetime Emmy, and in 1994 he was knighted.
Sir Derek has also recorded over 100 audiobooks, including Roald Dahl's George's Marvellous Medicine, Anthony Horowitz's Moriarty, and many works of classic fiction. A lifelong Dickens fan, Sir Derek is delighted to lend his dulcet tones to this recording of Martin Chuzzlewit as part of Audible's Definitive Dickens collection.
©2018 Charles Dickens (P)2018 Audible, LtdListeners also enjoyed...
Summary
This exclusive recording of Martin Chuzzlewit starts with a unique introduction written and narrated by William Boyd, author of Any Human Heart and A Good Man in Africa.First published in 1842, Martin Chuzzlewit is the last of Charles Dickens' picaresque novels. Despite poor sales at the time, Dickens considered it his best work, and it is now regarded as one of the most significant literary depictions of 19th-century America.
Horrified by the ongoing use of slavery in the self-professed 'land of the free', Dickens returned home after his first trip abroad with an extreme distaste for American laws and, equally, their frequent use of spitting tobacco. Dickens turned to his pen once again and created a story which satirically centres around the selfish and greedy Chuzzlewits.
About the book:
Deeply distressed at thought of his singularly money-minded family circling around his inevitable death bed, when Old Martin Chuzzlewit comes across a young and kindly orphan girl, he immediately decides to take her into his employment. Offering her a comfortable living in exchange for her care and protection, Martin rests easy in the knowledge that her comfort will last only as long as he does; upon his death, Mary the orphan will find herself on the cold and dirty streets from whence she came. To his great dismay, Old Martin's plan is foiled when his own grandson and main heir, Martin Chuzzlewit Junior, declares his undying love for Mary and his consequent intention to marry her.
This novel follows the Chuzzlewit household from this point on, as relationships are born and tested, old feuds are reignited and the ever-present vultures start to close in. A lesson in the dangers and consequences of looking only after number one, the narrative remains highly relevant to this day and is expertly narrated by Sir Derek Jacobi.
About the author:
With his father incarcerated, Charles Dickens had to abandon his studies at a young age and set to work in a factory so as to support himself. Despite his short-lived education, Dickens went on to write 15 novels, various articles, novellas and short stories. These include Hard Times, Bleak House, Oliver Twist, Barnaby Rudge, Little Dorrit and A Tale of Two Cities. He lectured and led campaigns for children's rights and education and arguably became the ultimate self-made man.
About the narrator:
Sir Derek Jacobi is an English actor and stage director, best known for his illustrious stage career and his appearance in films such as The Day of the Jackal, Gladiator, Gosford Park and, most recently, Murder on the Orient Express. He is the recipient of two Laurence Olivier Awards, a Tony Award and a Primetime Emmy, and in 1994 he was knighted.
Sir Derek has also recorded over 100 audiobooks, including Roald Dahl's George's Marvellous Medicine, Anthony Horowitz's Moriarty, and many works of classic fiction. A lifelong Dickens fan, Sir Derek is delighted to lend his dulcet tones to this recording of Martin Chuzzlewit as part of Audible's definitive Dickens collection.
©2018 Charles Dickens (P)2018 Audible, Ltd
What listeners say about Martin Chuzzlewit
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mark Finn
- 03-12-20
Brilliant
I dont understand why the boring poorly delivered preface is the sample of such brilliantly comic novel
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- caroline bruce
- 30-04-19
Exquisite
Could see each character in my minds eye so clearly. Life was lived so differently in Charles Dickens time. Laughed out loud a number of times at some of the predicaments Tom Pinch and Mark Taply found themselves in. Overall a long but thoroughly engrossing book. Loved the outcome.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- marj
- 30-05-21
Not Dickens’s best
I can see why this is one of his less-loved novels. There are some pretty tedious chunks of narrative - could have done without the America section altogether, especially as Derek Jacobi’s American accents were annoying. Other sections of description seemed to ramble on for unnecessarily long periods too.
Would have preferred Derek Jacobi to have stuck to reading this story rather than trying to act it. He has a lovely voice which I normally appreciate but the over emphasised character voices of this recording made it more of a “performance” than a reading. Felt relieved to get to the end.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- susan hornsby
- 16-07-22
review of Martin Chuzzlewit
This was a great listen I could never read it as too wordy. i would recommend listening to it. The narrator,Derek Jacobi was just right,he gave the characters different voices and brought the story to life.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Redglass
- 23-01-24
Brilliant performance
This isn't my favourite Dickens, though it has some very funny moments. The American section, in particular, is basically a single joke, a mockery of unscrupulous and ignorant 'patriots'. And Ruth Pinch is surely the most annoying, saccharine little angel-wife that ever twittered sweet consolations while sewing up a shirt. But as a study of selfishness, and what it can lead people to, it can be gripping. There are also some deceptively dark characters such as Mrs Gamp (God help any vulnerable sick person entrusted to her loving care). Derek Jacobi's reading is astonishingly good. He manages to sound Victorian as well as to convey all the different characters convincingly, and he brings out all the different shades of humour. Fantastically well done.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Roy Taylor
- 29-10-21
Upon My Word!
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Obviously quite a lengthy book and at times required some determination to keep going, but was ultimately rewarded with a great story and was disappointed to reach the end. The book was read brilliantly by Derek Jacobi. His voice for Mrs Gamp was very funny.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- S.Fellows
- 12-06-21
Jacobi was Superb
Not my favourite Dickens. I couldn't really get on with this one. But Derek Jacobi was superb. Probably the best reader I have heard on Audible.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- lilybabe
- 16-10-24
One of Dickens' best.
This was a wonderful story with many characters, good and bad, but absolutely brilliantly narrated by Derek Jacobi.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tabby Cat
- 05-11-23
Dickens on America
Derek Jacobi is the most brilliant reader of this not-so-familiar classic. Here we have all the usual elements: greed and selfishness defied by morality, comical caricatures, star-crossed lovers, and in addition a gloriously horrific portrayal of American society, with frightening resonance for the modern audience - here there are Trump-like characters and a damping expose of the hollow promise of the American dream. I didn’t know before what a low view Dickens took of the New World. I think this must be one of his funniest books, as William Boyd says in his enlightening introduction.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Head Coach
- 26-12-18
Wonderful Book - Worth Persevering
I tried to read this book some years ago and didn't make it past the first 50 pages which are full of very airy-fairy early Dickens writing. Little structure, little solid plot.
This nearly happened again with the talking book but I stayed with it and gradually the most wonderful novel emerged with tremendous characters and a plot with plenty of surprises.
It almost seems as though this was the moment when Dickens developed from his Pickwickian sketch-writing into the amazingly powerful author of novels he became. You can sort of see the change happening. Many of the characters will stay with me for the rest of my life, they are so well-drawn and so particular.
Excellent reading, as you would expect from Derek Jacobi. He sounds as though he really enjoyed the book.
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14 people found this helpful