An Act in a Backwater (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Provincial Manners, Quiet Town Secrets, and Edwardian Social SatireBy E. F. Benson
Length7h 20m
About this audiobook
An Act in a Backwater is one of E. F. Benson's finely poised studies of provincial manners, moral hesitation, and the subtle violence of social expectation. Set within a seemingly quiet community, the novel turns a local incident into an examination of conscience, reputation, and emotional self-deception. Benson's style is lucid, ironic, and observant, belonging to the late-Victorian and Edwardian tradition of social fiction while anticipating the psychological precision of modern domestic comedy. E. F. Benson, born into an eminent clerical and intellectual family, was unusually alert to the hypocrisies and rituals of respectable society. The son of Archbishop Edward White Benson and a member of a gifted literary household, he brought to fiction both social intimacy and satirical distance. His long career, ranging from ghost stories to the celebrated Mapp and Lucia novels, reflects a persistent fascination with performance, status, and hidden desire. Readers who value elegant prose, restrained irony, and acute moral observation will find An Act in a Backwater especially rewarding. It is recommended for admirers of Henry James, Mrs. Humphry Ward, and Benson's own social comedies, as well as for anyone interested in how small communities magnify private acts into public dramas.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreHumor, Literary Classics
Length7 hrs 20 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateDec 2, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
15CHAPTER XI
2Introduction
16CHAPTER XII
3Synopsis
17CHAPTER XIII
4Historical Context
18CHAPTER XIV
5CHAPTER I
19CHAPTER XV
Show all chaptersShow less
6CHAPTER II
20CHAPTER XVI
7CHAPTER III
21CHAPTER XVII
8CHAPTER IV
22CHAPTER XVIII
9CHAPTER V
23CHAPTER XIX
10CHAPTER VI
24CHAPTER XX
11CHAPTER VII
25Analysis
12CHAPTER VIII
26Reflection
13CHAPTER IX
27Memorable Quotes
14CHAPTER X
The Werewolf Blood Trail: Tales of Gore, Terror & HuntE. F. Benson, Marie de France, Alexandre Dumas Père, George W. M. Reynolds, Eugene Field, Émile Erckmann, Alexandre Chatrian, Rudyard Kipling, Robert E. Howard, Gladys Gordon Trenery, Clifford Ball, Clemence Housman, Caroline Taylor Stewart61h 23m$1.99 · $0.00
Paying Guests (Unabridged) (Annotated)E. F. Benson10h 22m3.9 (244)$2 · $0.00
Premium Short Stories Collection - Blackmailing, Crank, Spook & Classic Tales (Annotated)E. F. Benson17h 19m$2 · $0.00
Mrs. Ames (Annotated)E. F. Benson11h 4m$2 · $0.00
Paying Guests (A Satirical Novel) (Annotated)E. F. Benson10h 26m3.9 (243)$2 · $0.00
MAPP AND LUCIA (Annotated)E. F. Benson60h 38m4.3 (466)$2 · $0.00
DAVID BLAIZE TRILOGY - Complete Collection (Illustrated) (Annotated)E. F. Benson24h 27m4.5 (14)$2 · $0.00
Complete Short Stories of E. F. Benson: 70+ Classic, Ghost, Spook, Supernatural, Mystery and Other Tales (Annotated)E. F. Benson41h 46m4.4 (22)$2 · $0.00
MAKE WAY FOR LUCIA - Complete Mapp and Lucia Series (6 Novels & 2 Short Stories) (Annotated)E. F. Benson60h 39m4.5 (1.6K)$2 · $0.00
The Luck of the Vails (Annotated)E. F. Benson12h 34m4.3 (12)$2 · $0.00
Premium Short Stories Collection - Blackmailing, Crank, Spook & Classic Tales (Unabridged) (Annotated)E. F. Benson17h 23m$2 · $0.00
E. F. Benson: Complete Short Stories Collection: 70+ Classic, Ghost, Spook, Supernatural, Mystery, Haunting and Other Tales (Annotated)E. F. Benson41h 46m$2 · $0.00
The Relentless City (Annotated)E. F. Benson10h 26m3.7 (11)$2 · $0.00
The Complete DODO TRILOGY: Dodo - A Detail of the Day, Dodo's Daughter & Dodo Wonders (Annotated)E. F. Benson27h 44m3.4 (103)$2 · $0.00
The Relentless City (Unabridged) (Annotated)E. F. Benson10h 26m3.7 (11)$2 · $0.00
The E. F. Benson Ultimate Collection (Annotated)E. F. Benson334h 30m$2 · $0.00
Spook Stories - Complete Collection: 25 Supernatural, Mystery, Ghost and Haunting Tales (Annotated)E. F. Benson16h 6m$2 · $0.00
MAPP AND LUCIA SERIES – Complete Make Way For Lucia Collection: 6 Novels & 2 Short Stories In One VolumeE. F. Benson60h 34m4.4 (1.4K)$1 · $0.00
E. F. Benson: Complete Short Stories Collection: 70+ Classic, Ghost, Spook, Supernatural, Mystery, Haunting and Other TalesE. F. Benson41h 37m4.4 (136)$1 · $0.00
Lost In TranslationAudrey Davis9h 15m4.4 (235)$17 · $0.00
Love That StoryJonathan Van Ness5h 44m4.2 (10.4K)$24 · $0.00
Kingsblood Royal (Annotated)Sinclair Lewis14h 42m4.6 (264)$2 · $0.00
This Is Going to HurtAdam Kay5h 47m4.4 (444.7K)$24 · $0.00
You Will Get Through This NightDaniel Howell6h 56m4.4 (11.8K)$24 · $0.00
Northanger Abbey (Annotated)Jane Austen10h 7m4.5 (1.6K)$2 · $0.00
My Dear HamiltonStephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie23h 7m4.4 (63.6K)$46 · $0.00
THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS & SCREWTAPE PROPOSES A TOAST (Annotated)C. S. Lewis5h 6m4.4 (471K)$2 · $0.00
BufferingHannah Hart5h 55m4.4 (12.4K)$24 · $0.00
The Office BFFsJenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey8h 26m4.3 (45.4K)$26 · $0.00
The Collected Stories of Dorothy ParkerDorothy Parker8h 36m4.3 (13.6K)$1 · $0.00
LambChristopher Moore15h 22m4.3 (211.3K)$33 · $0.00
#IMomSoHardKristin Hensley, Jen Smedley7h 19m4.3 (7.3K)$24 · $0.00
Mixed PlateJo Koy8h 18m4.3 (7.1K)$26 · $0.00
Over the TopJonathan Van Ness5h 50m4.3 (87.3K)$24 · $0.00
It Never EndsTom Scharpling8h 53m4.4 (2.3K)$20 · $0.00
More Tales of the CityArmistead Maupin8h 23m4.3 (22.6K)$26 · $0.00
Joyful Recollections of TraumaPaul Scheer6h 38m4.3 (8.2K)$7 · $0.00
More Than a WomanCaitlin Moran9h 31m4.3 (16.8K)$29 · $0.00
FamesickLena Dunham11h 46m4.3 (49.7K)$29 · $0.00
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee12h 18m4.5 (7.4M)$29 · $0.00
These Precious DaysAnn Patchett11h 14m4.5 (45.2K)$29 · $0.00
Twelfth Night (The Unabridged Play) + The Classic Biography (Annotated)William Shakespeare, Sidney Lee16h 38m4.6 (1.4K)$2 · $0.00
Henry V (The Play, Historical Background and Analysis of the Character in the Play)William Shakespeare, William Hazlitt8h 40m4.6 (1.3K)$1 · $0.00
H. P. LOVECRAFT Ultimate Collection: Novellas, Short Stories, Poetry & Essays (Annotated)H. P. Lovecraft12h 28m4.6 (2.3K)$2 · $0.00
Time RegainedMarcel Proust15h 54m4.5 (10.6K)$2 · $0.00
TORAH - Bilingual Edition: English/Hebrew (Annotated)Max Margolis, JPS28h 26m4.6 (1K)$2 · $0.00
Betty Crocker picture cooky bookBetty Crocker, Inc. General Mills2h 13m4.5 (6.5K)$1 · $0.00
The Complete Tales of Beatrix PotterBeatrix Potter3h 36m4.5 (75K)$3 · $0.00
Crime and Punishment (The Unabridged Garnett Translation) (Annotated)Fyodor Dostoevsky24h 25m4.5 (15.4K)$1.99 · $0.00
The North American IndianEdward S. Curtis, Frederick Webb Hodge6h4.5 (1.2K)$2 · $0.00
The Picture of Dorian Gray: The Uncensored 13 Chapter Version + The Revised 20 Chapter Version (Annotated)Oscar Wilde16h 12m4.5 (2.8K)$1.99 · $0.00
Grimoire Of The Everyday WitchIsadora Lys / Virginia Santos5h 35m4.5 (3.9K)$9 · $0.00
Winnie-the-PoohAlan Alexander Milne2h 52m4.5 (401.1K)$3 · $0.00
Sitting PrettyRebekah Taussig7h 33m4.5 (18.9K)$26 · $0.00
The Poetic Edda & The Prose EddaSnorri Sturluson, Saemund Sigfusson9h 34m4.5 (4K)$1 · $0.00
The Complete Satires & Essays of Mark Twain (Annotated)Mark Twain23h 21m4.5 (1.1K)$2 · $0.00
Rilla of InglesideLucy Maud Montgomery10h 58m4.5 (46.7K)$1 · $0.00
The Posthumous Memoirs Of Brás CubasMachado De Assis7h 39m4.4 (120.4K)$5 · $0.00
The Iliad & The OdysseyHomer25h 12m4.4 (39K)$12 · $0.00
You may also like
The Complete NovelsJane Austen73h 18m4.6 (52.8K)$4.70 · $0.00
CranfordElizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell7h 21m4.0 (60.6K)$1.20 · $0.00
Jutland Cottage (Annotated)Angela Margaret Thirkell12h 17m4.3 (1.7K)$2 · $0.00
The Diary of a Provincial Lady (Illustrated)E. M. Delafield6h 11m4.0 (10.6K)$2 · $0.00
The Diary of a Provincial Lady (Illustrated) (Annotated)E. M. Delafield6h 23m4.2 (16.3K)$2 · $0.00
The Diary of a Provincial Lady (Illustrated)E. M. Delafield5h 30m4.1 (10.9K)$2 · $0.00
PersuasionJane Austen8h 59m4.3 (918.4K)$3 · $0.00
Adam BedeGeorge Eliot22h 17m3.9 (100.8K)$21 · $0.00
Cranford (Annotated)Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell8h 4m4.0 (58.2K)$2 · $0.00
The Diary of a NobodyGeorge Grossmith, Weedon Grossmith4h 32m3.9 (26.9K)$1 · $0.00
Where Angels Fear to TreadE. M. Forster5h 36m3.7 (23.3K)$2.30 · $0.00
Adam Bede (Annotated)George Eliot24h4.1 (84.1K)$2 · $0.00
Rainbow ValleyL. M. Montgomery8h 49m4.2 (66.5K)$2.30 · $0.00
Miss MarjoribanksMrs. Oliphant21h 22m4.0 (4.3K)$2.30 · $0.00
Rachel RayAnthony Trollope15h 6m4.0 (1.9K)$2.30
CranfordElizabeth Gaskell11h 5m4.0 (82.9K)$1 · $0.00
The Diary of a NobodyGeorge Grossmith, Weedon Grossmith5h 16m3.9 (24.5K)$1 · $0.00
The Diary of a Provincial Lady: Humorous Classic from the Renowned Author of Thank Heaven Fasting, Faster! Faster! & the Way Things Are (Summarized Edition)E. M. Delafield2h 35m4.0 (9.3K)$1
Love and FriendshipJane Austen3h 34m3.7 (25.7K)$2.30 · $0.00
The Letters of Jane AustenJane Austen7h 32m4.3 (4K)$1 · $0.00