Audiobook · read by volunteers
Mansfield Park
Jane Austen (1775–1817)
Read by Tina Tilney, Kristin Hughes (1974-2021), Kara Shallenberg (1969-2023), Laurie Anne Walden, Cori Samuel, Karen Savage, Kristen McQuillin, Michelle Crandall, Judy Bieber, Sarah Key-DeLyria · 48 chapters · 16 h 03
About the book
Fanny Price, the shy eldest daughter of a poor family, is sent at the age of ten to live with her wealthy relatives at Mansfield Park. Looked down on by most of the household, she grows into a quiet, observant young woman who holds to her principles when everyone else seems to be losing theirs. When a glamorous brother and sister arrive in the neighbourhood, and the young people begin to plan a private theatrical, Fanny's firm sense of right and wrong is tested. Jane Austen's novel is witty, serious and wise about money, manners and moral courage. Ten LibriVox volunteers, among them Tina Tilney and Kristin Hughes, share the reading of its forty-eight chapters across roughly sixteen hours, a rich and absorbing way to spend time in Austen's world.
Introduction
Jane Austen (1775-1817) published Mansfield Park in 1814, and it was her third novel to appear. It features her frailest and perhaps most scrupulous heroine, Fanny Price. As the eldest daughter in a poor family, Fanny is sent to rich relatives when she is just old enough to appreciate the shame of her circumstances. Without pride or prejudice, to use the phrase that echoes Austen's other title, she sticks to her principles in all matters, and matters certainly put her to the test.
The novel has always divided readers. Fanny is quieter than Austen's livelier heroines, and some find her hard to like, while others admire her steadiness and her clear sight. The book is also a social novel, concerned with the sources of wealth, the education of young people and the idea of duty. Its set pieces, from the amateur play to the visit to a country estate, are brilliantly managed.
The recording has 48 chapters and lasts about 16.1 hours. The cast is ten LibriVox volunteers, who share the chapters in turns.
Why listen now? Mansfield Park rewards patience. It is long and not as sparkling on the surface as some of Austen's other works, but its irony is sharp and its moral questions are still real. Heard aloud, the conversations come alive, and the slow growth of Fanny's confidence is moving. Listeners who enjoy Austen's other novels will find here a more serious tone, and those who are new to her can begin with confidence, since the story is clear and the characters are sharply drawn. The long recording, spread among ten readers, is best enjoyed in sessions of a few chapters, allowing the slow-burning plot to build.
Public domain
Jane Austen died in 1817: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive · Original text