Riceyman Steps (Unabridged) (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. A Postwar Clerkenwell Novel of Miserly Possession, Marriage, Poverty, and Tragedy in a Second-Hand BookshopBy Arnold Bennett
Length11h 32m
About this audiobook
Set in the shabby precincts of Clerkenwell after the First World War, Riceyman Steps is a taut study of possession, deprivation, and moral constriction. Its central figure, Henry Earlforward, a miserly second-hand bookseller, marries the widow Violet Arb in a union shadowed less by romance than by economy, appetite, and fear. Bennett's prose is characteristically exact: domestic objects, bodily habits, and London topography become instruments of psychological revelation. In the tradition of naturalist realism, the novel turns an ordinary household into a tragic field of social and spiritual pressure. Arnold Bennett, born in the Staffordshire Potteries in 1867, made his reputation as one of England's most disciplined realists, attentive to provincial and metropolitan life alike. His career as journalist, novelist, critic, and man of letters gave him a sharp eye for commerce, class behavior, and the routines by which people imprison themselves. Riceyman Steps, published in 1923, reflects Bennett's mature interest in how environment and temperament shape destiny. This unabridged edition is recommended to readers who value subtle social observation, unsentimental characterization, and fiction that finds tragedy in the commonplace. It is one of Bennett's finest late achievements.
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
GenreLiterary Classics, General Fiction
Length11 hrs 32 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateAug 20, 2013
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
32Chapter 5 Tea
2Introduction
33Chapter 6 Evening
3Synopsis
34Part 4
4Historical Context
35Chapter 1 At the window
5Part 1
36Chapter 2 Elsie's motive
Show all chaptersShow less
6Chapter 1 Riceyman steps
37Chapter 3 Charity
7Chapter 2 The customer
38Chapter 4 No verdict
8Chapter 3 The bookseller at home
39Chapter 5 Midnight
9Chapter 4 Elsie
40Chapter 6 Henry's plot
10Chapter 5 The gift
41Chapter 7 The night-call
11Chapter 6 Mrs Arb's case
42Chapter 8 On the landing
12Chapter 7 Under an umbrella
43Chapter 9 Violet's victory
13Chapter 8 The carving-knife
44Chapter 10 Departure
14Chapter 9 Sunday morning
45Part 5
15Chapter 10 Riceyman Square
46Chapter 1 The promise
16Chapter 11 Elsie's home
47Chapter 2 The refusal
17Chapter 12 The benefactress
48Chapter 3 The message to Violet
18Chapter 13 The passion
49Chapter 4 Out of the rain
19Chapter 14 A man's private life
50Chapter 5 The two patients
20Part 2
51Chapter 6 The second refusal
21Chapter 1 The day before
52Chapter 7 Malaria
22Chapter 2 Elsie's retreat
53Chapter 8 A climax
23Chapter 3 Waxworks
54Chapter 9 The kiss
24Chapter 4 Vacuum
55Chapter 10 The safe
25Chapter 5 The priestess
56Chapter 11 Prison
26Chapter 6 The next day
57Chapter 12 Asleep
27Part 3
58Chapter 13 Disappearance of T.T's
28Chapter 1 Early morning
59Analysis
29Chapter 2 After breakfast
60Reflection
30Chapter 3 International
61Memorable Quotes
31Chapter 4 Afternoon
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