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
Rating★★★★ 4.0 (969)
Includes Goodreads, LibraryThing, Amazon, StoryGraph
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
26Chapter 6 The next day
2Introduction
27Part 3
3Synopsis
28Chapter 1 Early morning
4Historical Context
29Chapter 2 After breakfast
5Part 1
30Chapter 3 International
Show all chaptersShow less
6Chapter 1 Riceyman steps
31Chapter 4 Afternoon
7Chapter 2 The customer
32Chapter 5 Tea
8Chapter 3 The bookseller at home
33Chapter 6 Evening
9Chapter 4 Elsie
34Part 4
10Chapter 5 The gift
35Chapter 1 At the window
11Chapter 6 Mrs Arb's case
36Chapter 2 Elsie's motive
12Chapter 7 Under an umbrella
37Chapter 3 Charity
13Chapter 8 The carving-knife
38Chapter 4 No verdict
14Chapter 9 Sunday morning
39Chapter 5 Midnight
15Chapter 10 Riceyman Square
40Chapter 6 Henry's plot
16Chapter 11 Elsie's home
41Chapter 7 The night-call
17Chapter 12 The benefactress
42Chapter 8 On the landing
18Chapter 13 The passion
43Chapter 9 Violet's victory
19Chapter 14 A man's private life
44Chapter 10 Departure
20Part 2
45Part 5
21Chapter 1 The day before
46Chapter 1 The promise
22Chapter 2 Elsie's retreat
47Chapter 2 The refusal
23Chapter 3 Waxworks
48Chapter 3 The message to Violet
24Chapter 4 Vacuum
49Chapter 4 Out of the rain
25Chapter 5 The priestess
50Chapter 5 The two patients
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