Toilers of the Sea (Version 2)


Read by John Greenman

(3.8 stars; 5 reviews)

The book is dedicated to the island of Guernsey, where Victor Hugo spent 15 years in exile. Hugo uses the setting of a small island community to convert seemingly mundane events into drama of the highest caliber. Set just after the Napoleonic Wars, Toilers of the Sea deals with the impact of the Industrial Revolution upon the island. The story concerns a Guernseyman named Gilliatt, a social outcast who falls in love with Deruchette, the niece of a local shipowner, Mess Lethierry. When Lethierry's ship is wrecked on a perilous reef, Deruchette promises to marry whoever can salvage the ship's steam engine. Gilliatt eagerly volunteers, and the story follows his physical trials and tribulations, as well as the undeserved disapproval of his neighbors.
This is a recording of the Isabel Hapgood translation, long considered the best of early translations of the work. - Summary by John Greenman (17 hr 4 min)

Chapters

Volume I - Dedication & Preface 2:17 Read by John Greenman
Book First - What a Bad Reputation is Composed of - Chapter I - A Word Written … 4:50 Read by John Greenman
Chaptef II - The Bû de la Rue 11:07 Read by John Greenman
Chapter III - For your Wife when you Marry 8:11 Read by John Greenman
Chapter IV - Unpopularity 20:52 Read by John Greenman
Chapter V - Other Suspicious Things about Gilliatt 7:18 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VI - The Paunch Boat 12:21 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VII - For a Haunted House, a Visionary Inhabitant 7:19 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VIII - The Chair of Gild-Holm-'Ur 6:25 Read by John Greenman
Book Second - Mess Lethierry - Chapter I - A Restless Life and a Quiet Conscien… 5:44 Read by John Greenman
Chapter II - A Taste which he had 4:41 Read by John Greenman
Chapter III - The Ancient Dialect of the Sea 6:15 Read by John Greenman
Chapter IV - One is Vulnerable through what one Loves 3:42 Read by John Greenman
Book Third - Durande and Déruchette - Chapter I - Chatter and Smoke 8:24 Read by John Greenman
Chapter II - The Eternal History of Utopia 5:05 Read by John Greenman
Chapter III - Rantaine 9:31 Read by John Greenman
Chapter IV - Continuation of the History of Utopia 5:42 Read by John Greenman
Chapter V - The Devil-Boat 11:59 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VI - Entrance of Lethierry into Glory 5:17 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VII - The same Godfather and the same Protectress 5:33 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VIII - "Bonny Dundee" 8:25 Read by John Greenman
Chapter IX - The Man who had seen through Rantaine 3:00 Read by John Greenman
Chapter X - Tales of Long Voyages 7:00 Read by John Greenman
Chapter XI - A Glance at Possible Husbands 3:12 Read by John Greenman
Chapter XII - An Exception in the Character of Lethierry 11:43 Read by John Greenman
Chapter XIII - Heedlessness adds New Grace to Beauty 3:33 Read by John Greenman
Book Fourth - The Bagpipe - Chaprer I - The First Gleams of Dawn, or a Conflagr… 6:25 Read by John Greenman
Chapter II - An Entrance, Step by Step, into the Unknown 5:59 Read by John Greenman
Chapter III - The Air "Bonny Dundee" finds an Echo on the Hill 3:15 Read by John Greenman
Chapter IV - A Nocturnal Serenade 5:20 Read by John Greenman
Chapter V - Well-Merited Success is always Hated 3:29 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VI - The Luck of a Shipwrecked Crew in meeting a Sloop 5:39 Read by John Greenman
Book Fifth - The Revolver - Chapter I - The Conversation at the Jean Tavern 18:27 Read by John Greenman
Chapter II - Clubin perceives some one 5:58 Read by John Greenman
Chapter III - Clubin Carries Away and does not Bring Back 6:49 Read by John Greenman
Chapter IV - Plainmont 18:07 Read by John Greenman
Chapter V - The Bird-Nesters 22:07 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VI - The Jacressarde 17:17 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VII - Nocturnal Purchasers and a Shady Vendor 7:29 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VIII - The Red Ball and the Black Ball Carom 22:39 Read by John Greenman
Chapter IX - Information Useful to Persons who await or who fear Letters from A… 10:11 Read by John Greenman
Book Sixth - The Drunken Helmsman and the Sober Captain - Chapter I - The Douvr… 8:13 Read by John Greenman
Chapter II - Unexpected Brandy 8:42 Read by John Greenman
Chapter III - Interrupted Conversations 17:20 Read by John Greenman
Chapter IV - In which Captain Clubin displays all his Qualities 12:59 Read by John Greenman
Chapter V - Clubin puts the Finishing Touch to Admiration 9:35 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VI - The Interior of an Abyss Illuminated 20:59 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VII - The Unexpected intervenes 9:46 Read by John Greenman
Book Seventh - The Imprudence of asking Questions of a. Book - Chapter I - The … 19:27 Read by John Greenman
Chapter II - Much Astonishment on the Western Coast 11:19 Read by John Greenman
Chapter III - Tempt not the Bible 20:39 Read by John Greenman
Volume II - Part Two - Gilliatt The Crafty - Book First - The Reef - Chapter I … 13:24 Read by John Greenman
Chapter II - The Thoroughness of the Disaster 7:20 Read by John Greenman
Chapter III - Sound but not Safe 3:54 Read by John Greenman
Chapter IV - A Preliminary Exmination 7:19 Read by John Greenman
Chapter V - A Word as to the Secret Cooperation of the Elements 10:22 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VI - A Stable for the Horse 5:54 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VII - A Chamber for the Traveller 18:20 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VIII - Importunaeque Volucres 5:36 Read by John Greenman
Chapter IX - The Reef, and the Manner of Using it 8:01 Read by John Greenman
Chapter X - The Forge 10:44 Read by John Greenman
Chapter XI - A Discovery 10:20 Read by John Greenman
Chapter XII - The Interior of a Submarine Edifice 5:33 Read by John Greenman
Chapter XIII - What one sees there, and what one gets a Glimpse of 14:53 Read by John Greenman
Book Second - Labor - Chapter I - The Resources of one who lacks Everything 7:03 Read by John Greenman
Chapter II - How Shakespeare and Aeschylus can meet 4:42 Read by John Greenman
Chapter III - Gilliatt's Masterpiece comes to the succor of Lethierry's Masterp… 9:09 Read by John Greenman
Chapter IV - Sub Re 15:42 Read by John Greenman
Chapter V - Sub Umbra 16:50 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VI - Gilliatt brings the Paunch into Position 6:31 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VII - A Danger at Once 8:24 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VIII - Change rather than Conclusion 8:48 Read by John Greenman
Chapter IX - Success snatched away as soon as granted 4:04 Read by John Greenman
Chapter X - The Warnings of the Sea 7:41 Read by John Greenman
Chapter XI - A Word to the Wise is Sufficient 7:06 Read by John Greenman
Book Third - The Battle - Chapter I - Extremes Meet 4:13 Read by John Greenman
Chapter II - Sea Breezes 9:17 Read by John Greenman
Chapter III - Explanation of the Noise to which Gilliatt Listened 8:51 Read by John Greenman
Chapter IV - Turba, Turma 6:07 Read by John Greenman
Chapter V - Gilliatt has his Choice 2:32 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VI - The Combat 51:20 Read by John Greenman
Book Four - The Pitfalls of the Obstacle - Chapter I - A Man who is Hungry is n… 11:37 Read by John Greenman
Chapter II - The Monster 20:49 Read by John Greenman
Chapter III - Another Form of Combat in the Gulf 7:13 Read by John Greenman
Chapter IV - Nothing is Hidden and Nothing is Lost 9:48 Read by John Greenman
Chapter V - In the Interval which Separates Six Inches from Two Feet there is R… 8:41 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VI - De Profundis ad Altum 16:56 Read by John Greenman
Chapter VII - There is an Ear in the Unknown 4:48 Read by John Greenman
Part Third - Déruchette - Book First - Night and Morn - Chapter I - The Bell of… 37:45 Read by John Greenman
Chapter II - Again the Port Bell 21:15 Read by John Greenman
Book Second - Gratitude in Full Despotism - Chapter I - Joy Surrounded by Angui… 24:41 Read by John Greenman
Chapter II - The Leather Trunk 5:14 Read by John Greenman
Book Third - Departure of the "Cashmere" - Chapter I - The Havelet quite close … 7:31 Read by John Greenman
Chapter II - Despairs in Presence of Each Other 18:25 Read by John Greenman
Chapter III - The Foresight of Abnegation 12:13 Read by John Greenman
Chapter IV - "For your Wife when you Marry" 8:34 Read by John Greenman
Chapter V - The Great Tomb 21:47 Read by John Greenman

Reviews

a tragic hero


(4 stars)

amazing book I think it's a wonderful period piece displaying the culture of that shore of the strait and setting up an exemplary tragic hero

Very sad story


(4 stars)

much more tragic than the hunchback of notre-dame - reading is fine but technically poor as the volume is too low

A Great Story


(5 stars)

Full of passion and unique characters. I fell in love (again) with the sea and its people. We'll read too.

Not what I expected


(1 stars)

Too many references to superstitions of ignorant folk!