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The American Senator

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About this listen

In the 1880's, an American senator observes, with some perplexity, English country life and all of its social echelons. To add some spice along the way, we follow the romances and intrigues of the flirtatious Arabella Trefoil.

Public Domain (P)1987 Audio Book Contractors, LLC Classics Drama & Plays European World Literature
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Many parts of the story were engaging but it is strung out to the degree which tests a readers patience very disappointed in the narrator and mispronunciation of so many English names and words surely and narrator does some preparation for a recording.

Love and romance where Man and woman respected one another.

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The American Senator is not one of Trollope's most well known titles, but it has all the classic Trollope themes - the power of money, the significance of social class, 19th century snobbery, and the pressures on women to marry as well as possible. The American Senator is a somewhat marginal character, used by Trollope to provide an outsider's perspective on the peculiarities of English life, particularly fox-hunting, (to which he devotes many pages, including a tale of poisoned herrings on which he hangs reflections of the English justice process). The two main female characters are well contrasted; Arabella Trefoil is an aristocratic anti-heroine who is simultaneously highly manipulative but also lonely, desperate and rather sad, and her counter-part, the more humble Mary Masters, (who rises in status just as Arabella falls), and has a satisfyingly happy ending. Trollope also includes a favourite theme of his - critical reflections the role of the clergy, this time as seen through the eyes of the Senator. Be warned, the entire novel is set in England, and there is only one American character, the Senator! Unfortunately Flo Gibson, the narrator, has an American voice and is not skilled at producing the multiple English accents of the various characters - the story would certainly benefit from a more modern recording, using a more appropriate actor, and this is why I have not given this version five stars.

A very enjoyable Trollope novel

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Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Fabulous characters and beautiful romantic scenes. Despite the title, felt the time devoted to the American Senator was less enjoyable. Wasn’t sure about the narrator but by the end my opinion had changed. I felt she was excellent.

Wonderful Romantic Novel

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Just because it is about an American - it is set in England and therefore it would make far more sense to have an English narrator. Not Trollope’s best - but worth a read anyway.

Spoilt by annoying narrator

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Really enjoyed this - it is a lovely book and the narration (despite other comments concerning the narrator being American - funny given the book’s purpose!) is excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed it

Classic Trollope

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