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What's Bred in the Bone

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What's Bred in the Bone

By: Robertson Davies
Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
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About this listen

Francis Cornish was always good at keeping secrets. From the well-hidden family secret of his childhood to his mysterious encounters with a small-town embalmer, an expert art restorer, a Bavarian countess, and various masters of espionage, the events in Francis' life were not always what they seemed.

This wonderfully ingenious portrait of an art expert and collector of international renown is told in stylish, elegant prose and endowed with lavish portions of Davies' wit and wisdom.

Robertson Davies (1913 - 1995) was an internationally acclaimed author, actor, publisher, and, finally, professor at the University of Toronto. The author of 12 novels and several volumes of essays and plays, he was the first Canadian to be inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

©1985 by Robertson Davies (P)1996 by Blackstone Audiobooks Biographical Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction

Critic reviews

"Extraordinary....A gripping story of artistic triumph and heroic deceit, told with deep insight into the worlds of art and international espionage. This work is tailor-made for the eloquence of narrator Frederick Davidson." ( Library Journal)
"Davidson's carefully modulated, vocalized reading brings to life the gallery of players in Cornish's world, working together with Davies's rich prose to peel back layer after layer of deceit." ( Kliatt)
All stars
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Excellent book, very well narrated. Couldn't stop listening. Very inspiring for any artist. Beyond the obvious.

A book greater than the sum of its words

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Gentle pace, but gripping and full of surprising turns, fascinating array of characters. Unfortunately Audiobooks does not offer the rest of the trilogy.

An excellent read. More please!

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Why oh why is this the only one of the trilogy?? C'mon, more please. I love this trilogy & this is a good reading.

Very good!

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I’m constantly surprised that Davies isn’t better known, but perhaps that’s because most of his books are too challenging for Hollywood to monetise. He is a great writer, engaging and inventive, with a pleasant style and the ability to conjure vivid images in the reader’s mind. The Cornish trilogy is my favourite of his trilogies and this is my favourite of those three, with its story of the entire life of Francis Cornish. I particularly enjoyed the parts inspired by Han van Meergeren’s activities and I suspect Davies borrowed a lot for Saraceni’s techniques. It is a surprise that the first and third books aren’t available but perhaps they will come. Highly recommended.

Probably the best of Robertson Davies’s books and an excellent story.

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I had forgotten what a truly amazing novelist Robertson Davies was. Please, get more of this amazing author.

Audible needs more Davies

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