The Warden
by Anthony Trollope, originally published in 1855, read by Simon Vance, 2005, Blackstone Audiobooks, Inc.
I enjoyed listening to this audio book as the author writes well and the reader did a good job also. I was a bit confused at the beginning by all of the characters and their relationships as it was a bit complex, although not nearly as complex as The Forsyte Saga, by Galsworthy.
At the beginning of the story it seemed as though Trollope was out to pillory the established Church of England and all of its clergy. As the book progressed, however, it became evident that the “Warden” (an ordained minister who had been appointed to manage a rest home for retired workers) was an extremely moral fellow. He had for years been receiving an overly generous salary for a position that provided him with a very comfortable life without the need to work much at all. Despite his liking for this kind of life, he was devoid of virtually any other vice. Of course there are other pillars of the church who are less likable in this novel, but Trollope is fairly even-handed in his overall treatment of the Church. The ending is far more positive than I would have predicted.
The book is one of those well-written British novels of the 19th century that, in addition to being a delightful story to read, provides considerable insight as to the living conditions of the era.
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