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Less Than Angels

By: Barbara Pym
Narrated by: Patience Tomlinson
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Summary

Less Than Angels follows the loves, works and hopes of a group of young anthropologists.

Catherine Oliphant is a writer and lives with handsome anthropologist Tom Mallow. Their relationship runs into trouble when he begins a romance with student Deirdre Swann, so Catherine turns her attention to the reclusive anthropologist Alaric Lydgate, who has a fondness for wearing African masks.

Added to this love triangle are the activities of Deirdre's fellow students and their attempts to win the competition for a research grant. The course of true love - or academia - never did run smooth.

©1955 Barbara Pym (P)2013 Library Magna Books Ltd
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Critic reviews

"A modern Jane Austen." (Alexander McCall Smith)

What listeners say about Less Than Angels

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Perfect reading

Patience Tomlinson’s reading (performance really) of this and other wonderful Barbara Pym’s novels is utter perfection. Gentle and so funny.

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Comedy of Manners at its best

A gently witty and enjoyable story, beautifully read by the narrator. I love all Barbara Pym's novels, and this one is up there with the best. Loved it!

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Ways of living

If the author’s other novels could be collectively described as wry comedies of English middle class life in the 1940s and 50s, then this book might be her attempt to add a dash of complexity to the recipe.

This tale about fustian anthropologists and those that know them combines amusement with a thread of melancholy, as we are asked to consider that if life is for living how should that living be evaluated. In the telling I felt that there may well also be a hint of self portrait in the character of Catherine.

A well performed, amusing and consistently interesting excursion into a bygone time.

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Fabulous!

This was the most enjoyable of all the Barbara Pym audio books I've listened to. She has an amazing insight into human nature and as with her other novels, I found myself laughing out loud. I wish there were more... extremely highly recommended. I think I even prefer her as an author to Muriel Spark.

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Classic Pym

A wonderful performance of a great novel by Barbara Pym. It was so enjoyable hearing about the progress of other characters from the anthropological world, whom we met in previous novels. A real escape from the stresses of everyday life in the 2020's.

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A delightful 'old fashioned' novel , entertaining but providing food for thought.

The author has great skill in describing situations, characters, appearance in a way that brings them to life. The book is full of wry humour and perceptive observation of a way of life and an ordering of society which is long gone, yet in a way seems bang up to date. It has the flavour of everyday life with added piquancy!

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Disappointing.

I adore Barbara Pym but found this book had dated gracelessly and the cultural racist arrogance was more than I felt able to make allowances for in the context of the era when it was written.

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