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Original poster

Any Anthony Trollope fans?

60 replies

Canyouforgiveher · 21/04/2015 23:41

Just that. I have been reading him for more than 30 years and love nearly all of his novels (see my username :))

Anyone else a reader? I know he isn't George Eliot but I love his language, his plots, the way his authorial voice moves in and out of the story, and I love the way he creates characters who you can believe live even after the page is closed.

OP posts:
cornflakegirl · 22/04/2015 00:11

I'd agree about The Warden. I actually really liked it in the end, but it is very slow. It's much worse in the BBC adaptation - there you don't even have the lovely authorial ramblings and absolutely nothing happens! So much better once Slope and Mrs Proudie show up!

keepingmum121 · 22/04/2015 00:03

Would love a thread to talk about TWWLN. There is so much I would love to say.

Re. the others, I think I'll just start with the second book of the series. I just can't enjoy The Warden. Maybe I'd come back to it...

keepingmum121 · 22/04/2015 00:01

Prunella Scales also read Wives and Daughters. I love that too, though I hate that Gaskell died before finishing it :(

Cooroo · 21/04/2015 23:58

Wow, cross postings in a Trollope thread! My faith in humanity is restored.

Cooroo · 21/04/2015 23:56

Yes! I'm a huge fan of Timothy West. Also his wife Prunella Scales read the perfect Emma, not sure if it's available now.

Persevere with The Warden (try audio?) because after that you will be able to read BT and the other Barchester novels!

Becca19962014 · 21/04/2015 23:55

I love him too just started reading them again after a long break.

Try barchester towers first even though it's the second book, I found it much better and then went back and read the warden. I've recently begun them again after getting them on kindle for free.

Original poster
Canyouforgiveher · 21/04/2015 23:55

Keepingmum121, I loved those too. Try Can You Forgive Her. I echo Cooro, Mrs. Proudie is one of the great comic characters of literature. The entire Barchester series is fab (Warden is a bit piano, start with Barchester Towers), culminating with the wonderful The Last Chronicle of Barset.

Also although Lily Dane can be a bit of a pill at times, The Small House at Allington is great. as is Three Clerks.

The Warden isn't really typical of his wonderful big, intense, character-filled novels. Ski and try one of the bigger ones.

OP posts:
keepingmum121 · 21/04/2015 23:53

Cooroo, was it read by Timothy West? He narrates it perfectly, doesn't he?

keepingmum121 · 21/04/2015 23:51

I love love love The Way We Live Now. Have read it at least 20 times. Also read He Knew He Was Right. Enjoyed that too.
Can you persuade me to read others? I tried The Warden but couldn't get into it for some reason!

Cooroo · 21/04/2015 23:51

Hi, I think we spoke before! I've recently listened to The Way We Live Now on audio and I'm now reading your own special book - Can You Forgive Her!

My favourite has to be Barchester Towers for the unforgettable characters - Mrs Proudie, the awful Slope, the divine Signora and her lovely heartless brother. And the wonderful Archdeacon Grantley exclaiming 'Good heavens' as steam comes out of his ears.

I love Trollope for his kindness, his understanding of what makes us human, for his warm and funny authorial voice chatting with us about the characters and what he should do next.

Any plans for the coming bicentennial?