Howards End

By: E. M. Forster

Narrated by: Cate Barratt, Craig Franklin, Amanda Friday, Steve Gough, Elizabeth Klett, Arielle Lipshaw, David Prickett

Howard's End By E. M. Forster

Presented by The Online Stage

"Only connect!" E. M. Forster's classic 1910 novel follows the lives and loves of the Schlegel sisters, Margaret and Helen, as they attempt to make connections with members of two very different families: the conservative, wealthy Wilcoxes, and the working-class Basts.

Cast:

Narrator - Elizabeth Klett

Helen Schlegel - Amanda Friday

Margaret Schlegel - Arielle Lipshaw

Aunt Juley - Cate Barratt

Charles Wilcox - David Prickett

Mrs. Wilcox - Erin Louttit

Paul Wilcox - Jeff Moon

Tibby Schlegel - Russell Gold

Leonard Bast - Craig Franklin

Jacky Bast - Elizabeth Klett

Dolly Wilcox - Elizabeth Chambers

Evie Wilcox - PJ Morgan

Henry Wilcox - Steve Gough

Audio edited by Elizabeth Klett

Public Domain (P)2019 The Online Stage

Because the English are boring

I really want to like E.M. Forester. I really do.

There is no doubting the beauty of the language and he does wonderfully describe locale such as he did in a Passage To India and here in his word pictures of the English countryside.

And you do get the sense of the times, this story written and set in 1910 and post-Victorian England as carriages are having to yield to motorcars and money and class are being uncomfortably acknowledged and discussed as Europe's industrial and monarchial powers are inching toward inevitable conflict played out among the moneyed set in their parlor chatter and drawing room rebellions.

This Audiobook version was made more interesting in that it featured a full cast. But I've come to the conclusion that I have nothing but contempt for the idle wealthy, particularly English ones who seem so caught up in both their self importance and insufferable conventions. Were it not for its placement on the Modern Library Top 100, I probably would have avoided it despite its classic nature.

Like I stated earlier, I want to like Forester, but I've just grown tired of the opinions of upper class English. Because they're boring.

Stilted and Not Well performed

Didn’t finish this one. I found the actors too formal and difficult to follow. Nice idea but not well executed.