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The Expedition of Humphry Clinker
- Narrated by: June Whitfield, Suzy Aitchison, Hywel Simons, Ioen Meredith
- Length: 17 hrs and 29 mins
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The Expedition of Humphry Clinker
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Summary
Written as the letters of the five members of Squire Bramble's household sent as they journey around Britain, The Expedition of Humphry Clinker is a grouchy, very funny examination of how one story varies depending on who's doing the telling.
The tale is centered around the arrival of Mr. Clinker into the otherwise uneventful household, who never speaks and does not even enter the novel until a third of the way through. In spite of this, the duels, imprisonments, failed romances and jealousies and an inconveniently overturned carriage, all recounted with Smollett's characteristically coarse and satirical verve, manage to make Mr. Clinker one of classical literature's best-loved characters. This was Tobias Smollett's last novel.
Published in 1771, the year of the author's death, it brought together all the qualities of Smollett's work - his renowned gravelly style, his knowledge of the travails of a doctor beset by hypochondriacs,(being a qualified surgeon and MD himself), his lengthy and varied travels and a recent stay at the fashionable and increasingly ridiculous spa at Bath - all combine to make a very funny read.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jamie Barron
- 10-02-23
Immersive and atmospheric
I really enjoyed this! It’s full of the fun and chaos of the 18th Century, described here in an immersive way through letters written by five of the main characters who are on a journey around Wales, England and Scotland. We get to hear some episodes from their different points of view which adds an extra level of enjoyment, and each is consummately read by a different actor. This isn’t something to listen to for plot (although there is a satisfying ending), but more to feel immersed in the world of the 18th Century - relationships, money, health, fashion, and buckets of local customs and culture.
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