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Far from the Madding Crowd
- Narrated by: Nathaniel Parker
- Length: 13 hrs and 25 mins
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Far from the Madding Crowd
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Summary
Exclusively from Audible
Hardy's first major literary success, here brought to life by narrator Nathaniel Parker, is the story of the independent and spirited Bathsheba Everdene, who inherits her uncle's farm, the largest estate in the area. She surprises the villagers of Weatherbury by deciding to run it herself rather than hire a manager. Attracted to this bold young woman are three very different suitors all vying for her affections. They include the lonely gentleman-farmer Boldwood, the young and handsome but inconsiderate Sergeant Troy and the faithful shepherd Gabriel Oak. Serving to unsettle and complicate her life, the three contrasting men show the many facets of love. But Bathsheba's indecision and inability to commit leads to some disastrous consequences.
The first of Hardy's works set in Wessex (south-west England), Far from the Madding Crowd presents evocative descriptions of rural life and landscapes.
Thomas Hardy was an English writer and poet in the Romantic era who was greatly influenced by Charles Dickens and William Wordsworth.
Narrator Biography
Screen and stage actor Nathaniel Parker, trained with LAMDA before becoming a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. On stage, he has co-starred alongside actors such as Dustin Hoffman and Dame Helen Mirren. In 2014 he played King Henry VIII in Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies for the Royal Shakespeare Company. This earned him an Olivier Award for the London production and a Tony Award nomination when the show moved on to Broadway.
On screen, Nathaniel Parker is widely known for starring in period dramas but is best known for playing Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley (2001-2007). Most recently he has appeared in the TV series Of Kings and Prophets (2016), and The Outcast (2015). Over the years he has lent his voice to a large number of classic and contemporary audiobooks including John Wyndham’s The Midwich Cuckoos in 2016.
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What listeners say about Far from the Madding Crowd
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- ms
- 06-12-15
Brilliant
It took a while for me to get into the story and more densely descriptive English prose, however I persevered and it was so amazing , I loved every minute and learnt a lot about Harry's England . it's a masterpiece .
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- kassy4
- 15-10-15
Amazing narration!
The reader has different voices for the various characters. It was amazing. Listened over 3 days!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Meghan Wilson 1992
- 22-04-15
timeless , gripping , wonderful
absolutely loved it. was transported into the story and enjoyed all of it. wonderful ending !
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- comp lit
- 30-07-21
Excellent reading of a forgotten favourite
The narration is so good that I could ‘see’ all the characters, as well as Hardy’s brilliantly described village life and landscape. It took a while to settle in to the slower pace but once the scene was set it was the perfect read. I loved these books when I was younger but find it harder to read them
now with so many distractions. This audiobook was the perfect way back in. I am going to listen to all my old Hardy favourites now. What a treat!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Richard Whale
- 15-10-21
Beautiful story
I really enjoyed this tale of love and death - it’s really one of Thomas Hardy’s most uplifting stories and I’ve read or listened to it several times.
Nathaniel Parker does an excellent job narrating the tale and his reading and characterisations adds to the enjoyment.
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- D Vernon
- 21-07-23
Loved it!
It’s a long time since I read any of Thomas Harry’s novels so I read this book alongside Audible. I enjoyed every minute. Also these older classics are free of charge to download….an added bonus!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mrs B
- 29-09-24
An excellent narration of this Hardy classic.
I have read this a couple of times before over my (60+) lifetime, and enjoyed, but it came up at book club and I chose to use this audible version to help me through this time. I'm glad I did, as the truly excellent narration cuts through the wordiness of the pages, and the story swings along with all the humour and pathos brought to life. The pastoral setting and bygone times is enjoyed alongside the, still relevant today, struggle of suitable, unsuitable, and downright dodgy attractions between Bathsheba and her suitors. I've heard people refer to Hardy as dreary or depressing, and there's certainly a fair share of tragedy here, but appropriate to that time, but also intense romance and true love, and the parts played by some of the background characters are hilarious. Brilliant.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Nadia
- 03-12-21
absolutely wonderful
Genuinely felt such joy at the ending I couldnt stop smiling absolutely wonderful piece of literature
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1 person found this helpful
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- Bugzy
- 16-07-21
Great story excellently told
It took a few earlier chapters to get hooked, especially with the dialogue but the flourishing descriptive language is quite poetic. The main characters are strong and the turmoils and conflicts kept me gripped.
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- TonyG
- 17-02-21
Rich & colourful story, exquisitely read
Hugely enjoyable
Hardy at his best. Narration is especially critical to making a Hardy text atmospheric, bringing out that period Dorset atmosphere, and as a long-standing Dorset resident I need authenticity. Nathaniel Parker’s narration really added to the whole experience. So much so, that I shall actively seek out other examples of his work.
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