Adam Bede (version 2)


Read by Tom Denholm

(4.7 stars; 59 reviews)

George Eliot was the pen name of Mary Ann Evans – an ironic ‘deception’ given that Adam Bede, her first novel, is written unashamedly from a feminist standpoint.

The story centres on a pastoral love triangle. Two young men, carpenter Adam Bede and squire Captain Arthur Donnithorne, are both in love with the mercurial Hetty Sorrel. There’s a further love interest between Adam and beautiful lay preacher Dinah Morris.

The setting is a country village in the north of England in the last years of the eighteenth century. The author paints a wonderful landscape of contemporary life as it really was, and excels in the portraits of her characters. Each is flawed, each has their own passions, each is unique, and through this great novel, Eliot put her stamp on literature and on the way we view the vagaries of character, helping us to see people as they really are.

This is one of the greatest novels in the English language. First published in 1859, Adam Bede has never been out of print since, which speaks volumes about its timeless quality. - Summary by Tom Denholm (25 hr 44 min)

Chapters

Book 1, Chapter 1, The Workshop 23:52 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 2, The Preaching, Part i 30:42 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 2, The Preaching, Part ii 28:35 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 3, After the Preaching 18:44 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 4, Home and its Sorrows, Part i 24:08 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 4, Home and its Sorrows, Part ii 20:46 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 5, The Rector, Part i 20:12 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 5, The Rector, Part ii 28:40 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 6, The Hall Farm 34:42 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 7, The Dairy 15:01 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 8, A Vocation 23:02 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 9, Hetty's World 20:06 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 10, Dinah Visits Lisbeth 34:13 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 11, In the Cottage 23:00 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 12, In the Wood 33:48 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 13, Evening in the Wood 15:35 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 14, The Return Home 26:09 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 15, The Two Bed-Chambers 39:28 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 16, Links 37:18 Read by Tom Denholm
Book 2, Chapter 17, In Which the Story Pauses a Little 28:47 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 18, Church, Part i 32:10 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 18, Church, Part ii 34:11 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 19, Adam on a Working Day 19:22 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 20, Adam Visits the Hall Farm, Part i 26:46 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 20, Adam Visits the Hall Farm, Part ii 24:25 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 21, The Night-School and the Schoolmaster, Part i 20:06 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 21, The Night-School and the Schoolmaster, Part ii 23:18 Read by Tom Denholm
Book 3, Chapter 22, Going to the Birthday Feast 30:43 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 23, Dinner-Time 13:39 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 24, The Health-Drinking 23:00 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 25, The Games 23:34 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 26, The Dance 31:15 Read by Tom Denholm
Book 4, Chapter 27, A Crisis 32:52 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 28, A Dilemma 22:44 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 29, The Next Morning 23:25 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 30, The Delivery of the Letter 37:36 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 31, In Hetty's Bedchamber 28:33 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 32, Mrs Poyser 'Has Her Say Out' 26:58 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 33, More Links 19:25 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 34, The Betrothal 13:10 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 35, The Hidden Dread 16:57 Read by Tom Denholm
Book 5, Chapter 36, The Journey of Hope 25:53 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 37,The Journey in Despair 36:26 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 38, The Quest 40:37 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 39,The Tidings 22:12 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 40, The Bitter Waters Spread 25:25 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 41, The Eve of the Trial 15:20 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 42, The Morning of the Trial 13:47 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 43, The Verdict 21:54 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 44, Arthur's Return 21:23 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 45, In the Prison 32:14 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 46, The Hours of Suspense 18:01 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 47, The Last Moment 3:08 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 48, Another Meeting in the Wood 27:16 Read by Tom Denholm
Book 6, Chapter 49, At the Hall Farm 27:12 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 50, In the Cottage 31:43 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 51, Sunday Morning 35:11 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 52, Adam and Dinah 25:16 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 53, The Harvest Supper 37:16 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 54, The Meeting on the Hill 16:04 Read by Tom Denholm
Chapter 55, Marriage Bells 7:20 Read by Tom Denholm
Epilogue 10:22 Read by Tom Denholm

Reviews


(5 stars)

Amazing reader, incredible story. I laughed, cried and grew to love all the characters in the book, faults and all.

6 Star Review


(5 stars)

One of the best, most expressive readers. He read this beautiful, moving classic with such heart, it seems he must've read it many times before. This was my first George Eliot novel, and I was moved by the characters, the description of the land and its folks. This book has earned its addition to my Listen Once More list.


(5 stars)

A slow. detailed, enjoyable story narrated by a expert.

a great book read by a masterful narrator


(5 stars)

An epic story of love and tragedy in the rural 17th Century north of England. Tom Denholm captures the rural northern voice perfectly with Adam, Pastor Irwine and Martin Poyser all being stand out characters. However his portrayals of Lisbeth Bede and Rachel Poyser, so perfectly capture the voices I remember from my own childhood in the countryside of Northern England, that I was transported back there with every line. Magical.

New Favorite Book


(5 stars)

I have never read a book by George Elliot before, which now seems like a great loss. I enjoyed both the story and the reader immensely.

Brilliant


(5 stars)

Brilliantly read. Amazing gift of bringing each character to life. The novel is exquisite. I wish there were writers today who could write like George Eliot.

Great story, great reader.


(5 stars)

I've always loved George Eliot's style of writing and her insights. I thought the reader was well suited to the story.

Wonderfully read


(5 stars)

Thoroughly enjoyable reading, evocative of the time and places of the novel, I enjoyed every minute.