
A Dance to the Music of Time: First Movement
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Buy Now for £25.99
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Narrated by:
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Simon Vance
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By:
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Anthony Powell
About this listen
Anthony Powell's universally acclaimed epic encompasses a four-volume panorama of twentieth century London. Hailed by Time as "brilliant literary comedy as well as a brilliant sketch of the times," A Dance to the Music of Time opens just after World War I. Amid the fever of the 1920s and the first chill of the 1930s, Nick Jenkins and his friends confront sex, society, business, and art.
In the second volume they move to London in a whirl of marriage and adulteries, fashions and frivolities, personal triumphs and failures. These books "provide an unsurpassed picture, at once gay and melancholy, of social and artistic life in Britain between the wars" (Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.).
The third volume follows Nick into army life and evokes London during the blitz. In the climactic final volume, England has won the war and must now count the losses. Four very different young men on the threshold of manhood dominate this opening volume of A Dance to the Music of Time. The narrator, Jenkinsa budding writer shares a room with Templer, already a passionate womanizer, and Stringham, aristocratic and reckless. Widermerpool, as hopelessly awkward as he is intensely ambitious, lurks on the periphery of their world. Amid the fever of the 1920s and the first chill of the 1930s, these four gain their initiations into sex, society, business, and art. Considered a masterpiece of modern fiction, Powell's epic creates a rich panorama of life in England between the wars. Includes these novels: A Question of Upbringing, A Buyer's Market, The Acceptance World.
As an added bonus, when you purchase our Audible Modern Vanguard production of Anthony Powell's book, you'll also receive an exclusive Jim Atlas interview. This interview – where James Atlas interviews Charles McGrath about the life and work of Anthony Powell – begins as soon as the audiobook ends.
This production is part of our Audible Modern Vanguard line, a collection of important works from groundbreaking authors.©1951 Anthony Powell (P)2010 Audible, inc.Critic reviews
A mixed bag
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Would you try another book written by Anthony Powell or narrated by Simon Vance?
Anthony Powell is playing the long game with this twelve book series - I would be interested to see what becomes of his characters as they go through the second world war. Simon Vance is an excellent narrator - capable of dealing with complex plots and large casts without overemphasis or confusion. I would always consider something he has narrated.Which character – as performed by Simon Vance – was your favourite?
Widmerpool, the gangly awkward and socially inept schoolboy who nevertheless seems to rise and rise in society. Vance gets the tone just right.Do you think A Dance to the Music of Time: First Movement needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
It has follow-up books - it is a vast literary work - considered a classic by many, although I find the author's voice so objective and devoid of emotion that it is hard to care about any of the characters.Beautiful language, empty characters
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Awesome Epic
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I''m not sure
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As one of the critics says during the end review - 'There's nothing quite like this in modern English Literature - is there?' My answer would to completely agree. There are something like 300 characters in this series (across novels written over a 25 year period, c. 1920 - 1960) and Powell's mastery in keeping multiple 'plates' spinning as characters are introduced, develop, change (some drastically) and occasionally die is an absolute tour de force.
Very often the settings - London, Country Houses, Venice - are sketchily painted but that is probably to keep focus on the characters and dialogue.
I feel certain that reading the novels will be my next step - much of the humour is (like Austen) not apparent on a first listen and the subtitles of the characters' dialogue and behaviour would no doubt emerge on a 'physical' reading the series.
A staggering achievement - an absolute must for lovers of modern literature - and if you loved Boyd's 'Any Human Heart' then this is a must.
Made it to the end of the series!
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Absolutely excellent
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Skip the commentary, though; they don’t really get the social nuances and make a significant factual error about the narrator’s love life.
Definitive rendering of a modern classic
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In any event, the whole thing makes for a lovely treat, and I'm genuinely sad not to be keeping the company of Nick and his fellow karass (members?) any more.
A very good book, a very good audiobook
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If I had found this in its original episodic form I am sure that I would have found it quite fascinating but as a continuous narrative it just seems to go on and on and on without conclusion.
I did finish it and do not regret the time spent on it.
Interesting
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What a joy
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