Snobs, Julian Fellowes, Narrator, Richard Morant

                                                               

Snobs
Julian Fellowes
Richard Morant
BBC Audiobooks of America

10 hours. 17 minutes

Richard Morant

Richard Morant, did a marvelous narration of Snobs by Julian Fellowes, , he strikes just the right balance from the clarity in his speech, to his nice British accent.  Perhaps,  the British don't consider they have an accent, and it's those from other countries that have the accent. Morant's speech is cultured, clear, and suave. He reads at a good conversational pace. He does a sensational, snooty, tone for the 'gentry', without his own character losing his place as being one of them.


Sadly Richard Morant, passed away November 9, 2011. A great loss indeed, for the performing arts. I enjoyed the interview at the end of the book with the author, Julian Fellowes. He was charming, witty, and knows how to take command of a conversation. This surely works in his favor when writing. He achieves this in Snobs. Julian Fellowes is one author, I personally feel, is capable of narrating  his own book, and it will be just as expertly done, as Richard Morant's narration.

Audio Book Review: Snobs, Julian Fellowes

Julian Fellowes Author

I was completely captivated, with, Snobs, it's a very long book, and yet, there are no dull or boring parts. It's witty, insightful, charming and revealing of the inner circles, rules of the aristocracy. Edith Lavery's mother Stella, fills Edith's head with fantasies of marrying well and gaining a title. Her mother, had neither married well, nor married up and had no entree into the society she yearned to be a part of. She gets in her mind that if Edith could succeed where she failed, then, through her daughter she would have a robust upper mid-class social life.

When Edith does succeed, and marries, Lord Charles Broughton, she daydreams, of being the sought after, and deeply envied, lady of the manor. What, she gets is a life living in Broughton Hall with an overbearing mother-in-law, and a not too bright husband.  She is deeply disappointed when she finds her husband, although charming,  is not only a total bore, he is not a skilled lover. His habit of saying thank you, after each sex act, drives her crazy. On their wedding night, sex lasted a minute or two, in time it increases to around five minutes, barely time to know anything happened at all.

Between her sexual frustration and the tedium of daily life, she is ripe for being swept off her feet, by the handsome Simon, a mediocre actor. Simone sees Edith as his ticket to the upper crust of society, with the possibilities of meeting people who can help him further his acting career. Not realizing, that Edith, without her husband Lord Charles, has no entree to the people he is hoping to mingle with. With stars in their eyes, they run off together and live in a cramped London apartment.

In time, Edith, is not as happy with her new life, as she thought she would be, she mentally starts comparing his friends and the parties they go to, to the people she knew with Charles. Slowly, she starts seeing that she has given up a good and comfortable life, for, what, boils down to a good sex life. Realizing she made a horrible mistake, she resolves to contact Charles but is thwarted at every turn. Edith, takes some desperate steps to reunite with Charles, after all he is still her husband.

I couldn't help to being sympathetic to Edith, her mother raised her on romantic dreams and Barbara Cartland tales. Julian Fellowes, skillfully brings to life a glimpse into the amusing mixture of social classes in Snobs. Richard Morant, makes it blossom into a believable and exciting tale. I loved this book, and will be looking for more by Julian Fellowes and Richard Morant. Both are extremely talented in their own fields.

Snobs, Julian Fellowes Narrated by Richard Morant

Bringing up Bebe Pamela Druckerman Narrator: Abby Craden

Bringing up Bebe
Pamela Druckerman

Narrator: Abby Craden                                    
Duration:  9 hours, 8 minutes
Release date:  Feb 07, 2012

Pamela Druckerman

Abby Craden Narrator

I thought Abby Craden did an amazing narration of Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting.  Her voice is strong and clear. She did everything a good narrator does to bring out the very best of a book. Ms. Craden, makes it easy to follow the thoughts and conversations, and conveys just the right amount of inflection, so every sentence melds into the next without interruption.

Nonetheless, there are enough pauses, to mull over what the author is presenting. Her reading is very smooth, and melodious, it is a listening pleasure, for the ears. I enjoyed Bringing Up Bebe, and found it so enlightening that I listened a second time. I admire the way the French people, attempt to keep their language and culture, unpolluted by outside influences. I hope they succeed and they will if they keep up the good fight. In the U.S. I frequently hear mothers bewailing the struggle of making their children mind them. The constant fights, and the constant conflicts over everything, making daily life a tedious struggle of the wills.

Therefore, it was refreshing, to listen to good, solid, advice, in a well written book. I don't think, American children are as much spoiled, as they are untrained. Parents seem reluctant to start early enough, if at all, to teach children the necessary tools, they will need as they get older, to have happy and productive lives. Anyone with a sincere intent to change their child rearing patterns, should read or listen to Bringing Up Bebe. The book is sometimes funny, and scoots along to a very satisfying conclusion. You, have to love some of the tips like the "Look" and "the Pause", Very funny stuff. Best of all, it works.

By Pamela DruckermanNarrator, Abby Craden