The Unclassed

(4 stars)

Sheri Corbet

I enjoyed this story while sewing. it gives a vivid likeness of a bygone era. though poverty & bad landlords exist still the awful odours related are long gone in modern times, in this country at least though I'm sure many eastern countries still have the degradation described.

(4 stars)

arwei

The story was surprisingly good. However, some of the readers had a strong a foreign accent ( not English or American) which made the reading difficult to understand. Also two chapters were defective and could not be played on my computer.

A great novel

(5 stars)

dahszil

George Gissing writes suberbly and uniquely. Classifying him is a difficult pleasure. Like Dickens, Reynolds, Gaskell, Hardy there is sympathy for the fallen, those oppressed by socio-economic system and by hypocritical social norms, but more humour. His characters are more eccentric than those of most British writers of that time...Gissing's are to a lesser and greater degrees, sort of like those in the great Russian novelist Dostoevsky's novels, i suppose, whatever. "I think therefore I am" confused and have a headache, lol....sigh.... This novel has everything:"the good, the bad, the ugly," realism, a romanticism with changes of mood, circumstance, hope and tragedy which is analogous to lets say Tchaikovsky's 6th symphony. Mr. Waymark is writer who is both cynical and unreliable, yet other times dedicated and compassionate. He is that man who strides romanticism, to nihilism to realism and existentialism. If anyone becomes the beacon of light and heroine it is Ida Starr. However, the error of these critiques of social norms and divisions is that the betterment of society comes top down. History of the late 19th and 20th century proved that it was the struggles of the chartists and labour in general from the grass roots that brought to the working classes,and whether they believe it or not, also to the middle class a better standard of living. as always, grateful for all the volunteer readers, librivox and Internet archive. beyondutopia, you have a clear and charming voice and your character and emotional vocalizations are good which is better than overdone and cacophonous. there are things to advise i suppos4, but that would be premature and no doubt hypocritical .fine job beyondutopia(aka Susan Smith Nash?), i enjoyed listening to you. Also, as usual, enjoyed listening to reader Lynne Thompson And as always, gratitude to all the volunteers at librivox and internet archive(IA). dahszil male usa(dismantle the US empire and restore the US republic as a peaceful, contributor member within the world's family of nations) "We look forward to the time when the Power of Love will replace the Love of Power. Then will our world know the blessings of peace." ( William Gladstone 1809-1898 “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” (Jimi Hendrix 1942 – 1970)

Naturalism.. with satire?

(5 stars)

veinticuatro

George Gissing's influences are usually attributed to Zola, Flaubaire, and Balzac, especially considering the nuanced emotional landscape and the sympathy for women and women's roles. However, in The Unclassed, as well as in New Grub Street, there is a great deal of humor -- especially with respect to mannerisms and accents; and there are also moments of grotesqueries -- One can't help but think of both Voltaire and also Rabelais... beyondutopia's performance of the interactions in the school and the instructors definitely brought out the humor / absurdity / and the rather tragicomic situation. I won't go as far as to say that the reading was perfect -- the accents were pretty much butchered ... but it got the point across and I enjoyed her reading very much. The other readings were good - I always enjoy Lynne Thompson, too. I enjoy listening to lively voices.

Love George Gissing!

(1 stars)

KE Ford

Love George Gissing! Love the story. I don't know any other authors with such unfair recognition like him. but dear me... I couldn't stand the narration. I thought the narration will take turns and this terrible read would not carry on but it did. I quit in the CHAPTER IV CHRISTMAS IN TWO HOMES. hence given one star. my husband who just overheard this read, left the room. could not stand it after two min. 😑