Author(s): Meredith, George
Reader(s): Keeble, Jonathan
Label: Naxos AudioBooks
Genre: Classic Fiction
Period: 20th Century
Catalogue No: NA0656
Barcode: 9781781985519
Release Date: 05/2025

MEREDITH, G.: Egoist (The) (Unabridged)

Self-absorbed Sir Willoughby Patterne seeks a bride. After being jilted by his first fiancée he settles on the spirited Clara Middleton; but she starts to realise that he only wants a mirror for himself and his opinions. As she becomes desperate to disengage, and he becomes desperate to hold on to her, so a series of farcical, labyrinthine misunderstandings ensues. Meredith’s brand of satirical firepower won him the admiration of Robert Louis Stevenson, who read The Egoist (1879) multiple times, and Oscar Wilde, who wrote: ‘Ah, Meredith! Who can define him? His style is chaos illumined by flashes of lightning’.

Tracklist

Meredith, George - Author
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
1 The Egoist 00:09
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
2 Prelude: A Chapter of which the Last Page only is of any Importance 11:22
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
3 Chapter 1: A Minor Incident Showing an Hereditary Aptitude in the Use of the Knife 07:27
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
4 Chapter 2: The Young Sir Willoughby 13:15
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
5 Chapter 3: Constantia Durham 19:22
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
6 Chapter 4: Laetitia Dale 33:05
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
7 Chapter 5: Clara Middleton 21:37
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
8 Chapter 6: His Courtship 22:38
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
9 Chapter 7: The Betrothed 31:07
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
10 Chapter 8: A Run with the Truant; a Walk with the Master 17:35
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
11 Chapter 9: Clara and Laetitia Meet: They Are Compared 26:09
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
12 Chapter 10: In Which Sir Willoughby Chances to Supply the Title for Himself 39:17
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
13 Chapter 11: The Double-blossom Wild Cherry Tree 28:10
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
14 Chapter 12: Miss Middleton and Mr Vernon Whitford 11:30
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
15 Chapter 13: The First Effort after Freedom 27:42
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
16 Chapter 14: Sir Willoughby and Laetitia 22:19
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
17 Chapter 15: The Petition for a Release 25:51
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
18 Chapter 16: Clara and Laetitia 20:15
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
19 Chapter 17: The Porcelain Vase 16:35
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
20 Chapter 18: Colonel de Craye 18:10
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
21 Chapter 19: Colonel de Craye and Clara Middleton 25:01
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
22 Chapter 20: An Aged and a Great Wine 25:17
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
23 Chapter 21: Clara's Meditations 27:21
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
24 Chapter 22: The Ride 27:52
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
25 Chapter 23: Treats of the Union of Temper and Policy 28:47
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
26 Chapter 24: Contains an Instance of the Generosity of Willoughby 27:31
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
27 Chapter 25: The Flight in Wild Weather 32:22
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
28 Chapter 26: Vernon in Pursuit 12:03
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
29 Chapter 27: At the Railway Station 17:55
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
30 Chapter 28: The Return 15:20
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
31 Chapter 29: In Which the Sensitiveness of Sir Willoughby Is Explained: and He Receives Much Instruction 43:55
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
32 Chapter 30: Treating of the Dinner-Party at Mrs Mountstuart Jenkinson's 19:58
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
33 Chapter 31: Sir Willoughby Attempts and Achieves Pathos 28:28
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
34 Chapter 32: Laetitia Dale Discovers a Spiritual Change and Dr Middleton a Physical 20:44
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
35 Chapter 33: In Which the Comic Muse Has an Eye on Two Good Souls 15:51
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
36 Chapter 34: Mrs Mountstuart and Sir Willoughby 30:44
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
37 Chapter 35: Miss Middleton and Mrs Mountstuart 36:18
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
38 Chapter 36: Animated Conversation at a Luncheon-Table 22:07
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
39 Chapter 37: Contains Clever Fencing and Intimations of the Need for It 23:34
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
40 Chapter 38: In Which We Take a Step to the Centre of Egoism 11:08
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
41 Chapter 39: In the Heart of the Egoist 18:41
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
42 Chapter 40: Midnight: Sir Willoughby and Laetitia: with Young Crossjay under a Coverlet 25:38
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
43 Chapter 41: The Rev. Dr Middleton, Clara, and Sir Willoughby 33:24
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
44 Chapter 42: Shows the Divining Arts of a Perceptive Mind 30:03
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
45 Chapter 43: In Which Sir Willoughby Is Led to Think that the Elements Have Conspired Against Him 32:07
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
46 Chapter 44: Dr Middleton: The Ladies Eleanor and Isabel: and Mr Dale 21:54
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
47 Chapter 45: The Patterne Ladies: Mr Dale: Lady Busshe and Lady Culmer: with Mrs Mountstuart Jenkinson 17:56
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
48 Chapter 46: The Scene of Sir Willoughby's Generalship 30:18
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
49 Chapter 47: Sir Willoughby and His Friend Horace de Craye 22:59
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
50 Chapter 48: The Lovers 20:26
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
51 Chapter 49: Laetitia and Sir Willoughby 19:14
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
52 Chapter 50: Upon Which the Curtain Falls 08:24
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)
53 Outro 00:08
Keeble, Jonathan (Reader)

Total Playing Time: 19:47:03