The Pallisers - Anthony Trollope

Written by Anthony Trollope
Read by Timothy West
Format: M4B
Bitrate: Variable
Unabridged

The Palliser novels are six novels by Anthony Trollope. The common thread is the wealthy aristocrat and politician Plantagenet Palliser and (in all but the last book) his wife Lady Glencora. The plots usually involve English politics in varying degrees, specifically in and around Parliament. Commonly known as the Parliamentary novels prior to their 1974 television dramatisation by the BBC broadcast as The Pallisers. Marketed as “polite literature” during their initial publication, the novels encompass several literary genres including: family saga, bildungsroman, picaresque, as well as satire and parody of Victorian (or English) life, and criticism of the English government’s predilection for attracting corrupt and corruptible people to power.

This series (and torrent) consists of the following books:

1 - Can You Forgive Her?

Length: 28 hrs and 8 mins

In Can You Forgive Her? Trollope inextricably binds together the issues of parliamentary election and marriage, of politics and privacy. The values and aspirations of the governing stratum of Victorian society are ruthlessly examined and none remain unscathed. Above all Trollope focuses on the predicament of women. ‘What should a woman do with her life?’ asks Alice Vavasor of herself, and this theme is echoed by every other woman in the novel, from the uncomfortably married Lady Glencora to the coquettish Mrs Greenow and Alice’s clear-headed cousin, Kate.

2 - Phineas Finn

Length: 23 hrs and 23 mins

Phineas Finn, an irresistible but penniless young Irish barrister enters Parliament and comes to London leaving behind him an Irish sweetheart, Mary Flood-Jones. In London, Phineas wins friends on all sides and is admitted into high society. However, he also falls more-or-less in love, first with politically-minded Lady Laura Standish, then with Violet Effingham, and finally with wealthy widow Madame Max Goesler.

With his character, reputation and prospects at stake, Phineas must make some ethical choices in regards to his career, political beliefs and romantic life - but what must he sacrifice?

3 - The Eustace Diamonds

Length: 25 hrs and 38 mins

Who owns the Eustace Diamonds? Lizzie Eustace claims that Sir Florian Eustace, her late husband, gave them to her. But Mr. Camperdown, the family solicitor, insists that they are an heirloom, to be passed down from generation to generation. Lizzie is both beautiful and clever, yet Mr. Camperdown believes her to be a scheming liar. And Mr. Camperdown is right! The battle for the diamonds rages until a robbery intervenes and they disappear. Or do they…? Will the scheming and manipulative Lizzie ever get what she deserves?

4 - Phineas Redux

Length: 23 hrs and 50 mins

Phineas Finn returns to the dangerous world of Westminster politics after the death of his wife, Mary.

His career takes a turn for the worse when his political rival is murdered. With all the circumstantial evidence pointing at Phineas, he is thrown under suspicion and eventually finds himself standing trial at the Old Bailey. The situation is complicated by the presence of two women in his life: his old flame Lady Laura, whose estranged husband is determined to destroy Phineas’ reputation, and the wealthy and enigmatic widow, Madame Max.

5 - The Prime Minister

Length: 27 hrs and 6 mins

Plantaganet Palliser, Prime Minister of England - a man of power and prestige, with all the breeding and inherited wealth that goes with it - is appalled at the inexorable rise of Ferdinand Lopez. An exotic impostor, seemingly from nowhere, Lopez has society at his feet, while well-connected ladies vie with each other to exert influence on his behalf - even Palliser’s own wife, Lady Glencora. But when the interloper makes a socially advantageous marriage, Palliser must decide whether to stand by his wife’s support for Lopez in a by-election or leave him to face exposure as a fortune-hunting adventurer.

6 - The Duke’s Children

Length: 21 hrs and 27 mins

Plantagenet Palliser, the Duke of Omnium and former Prime Minister of England, is widowed and wracked by grief. Struggling to adapt to life without his beloved Lady Glencora, he works hard to guide and support his three adult children. Palliser soon discovers, however, that his own plans for them are very different from their desires. Sent down from university in disgrace, his two sons quickly begin to run up gambling debts.

His only daughter, meanwhile, longs passionately to marry the poor son of a squire against her father’s will. But while the Duke’s dearest wishes for the three are thwarted one by one, he ultimately comes to understand that parents can learn from their own children.

******

Please seed and keep the torrent alive. Drop me a PM on the forum if you have any issues or if the torrent needs seeding. Thanks! :)