The Age of Innocence

Eighty-five years after it won the Pulitzer Prize, Edith Wharton's romantic novel remains as intriguing and captivating as ever. Unfortunately, its slow pace as it depicts turn-of-the-century New York will deter many of today's readers. For this reason, this audio edition is a delight. By what seems to be some magic trick or secret ingredient, Lorna Raver manages to present distinctive and perfectly modulated voices for over a dozen characters. Some audio publishers might have been tempted to use multiple narrators. But Blackstone has enough faith in the words and pace of the novel itself to trust that this extremely perceptive single reader has all the tools she needs. Raver is not yet a household name in audiobooks, but she should be. R.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, NEA Big Read Selection (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine


The time is 1873, the place New York City. The players are the city's wealthiest, who live from one elegant dinner party to the next, while exacting a stiff code of conduct for themselves and those like them. Among these people is Newland Archer, just engaged to May Welland when the Countess Olenska returns after 14 years in Europe. Newland falls for her. Will he break the code and run away with her? Wharton's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is superbly read by Alyssa Bresnahan, who renders Newland, May, and the Countess as unforgettable characters. She is equally able with dozens of minor figures. Bresnahan is particularly adept at portraying Newland Archer's dilemma: a choice between love of honor and love for a woman. Bresnahan's reading is thoroughly empathetic. T.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine