The E. F. Benson Ultimate Collection (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. 30 Novels and 70+ Short Stories, Illustrated—featuring Mapp and Lucia, the Dodo Trilogy, The Room in the Tower, Paying Guests, The Relentless City, historical works, and a biography of Charlotte BrontëBy E. F. Benson
Length334h 30m
About this audiobook
The E. F. Benson Ultimate Collection gathers the remarkable breadth of Benson's fiction, from the sparkling social warfare of the Mapp and Lucia novels to his elegant ghost stories and sharply observed comedies of manners. Written in a prose style at once urbane, ironic, and deceptively light, these works occupy a distinctive place in late Victorian, Edwardian, and interwar literature, where drawing-room wit, class performance, and the supernatural often reveal the anxieties beneath polite society. Edward Frederic Benson (1867–1940), son of Archbishop Edward White Benson and brother of A. C. and R. H. Benson, was formed by an intellectually ambitious, socially observant milieu. Educated at Cambridge and widely travelled, he brought to fiction both cosmopolitan experience and an intimate knowledge of English provincial life. His residence in Rye, later fictionalized as Tilling, helped shape his enduring comic vision of rivalry, snobbery, and self-invention. This collection is highly recommended for readers seeking both entertainment and literary sophistication. Benson's genius lies in making trivial disputes feel epic and spectral visitations feel psychologically exact. It is an indispensable volume for admirers of English social satire, classic supernatural fiction, and the subtle absurdities of human vanity.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A comprehensive Introduction outlines these selected works' unifying features, themes, or stylistic evolutions.
- A Historical Context section situates the works in their broader era—social currents, cultural trends, and key events that underpin their creation.
- A concise Synopsis (Selection) offers an accessible overview of the included texts, helping readers navigate plotlines and main ideas without revealing critical twists.
- A unified Analysis examines recurring motifs and stylistic hallmarks across the collection, tying the stories together while spotlighting the different work's strengths.
- Reflection questions inspire deeper contemplation of the author's overarching message, inviting readers to draw connections among different texts and relate them to modern contexts.
- Lastly, our hand‐picked Memorable Quotes distill pivotal lines and turning points, serving as touchstones for the collection's central themes.
Audiobook details
GenreLiterary Classics
Length334 hrs 30 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateAug 11, 2015
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
26Lucia's Progress or The Worshipful Lucia (pt. 4)
2Introduction
27Trouble for Lucia (pt. 1)
3Historical Context
28Trouble for Lucia (pt. 2)
4Synopsis (Selection)
29Trouble for Lucia (pt. 3)
5Make Way For Lucia
30Trouble for Lucia (pt. 4)
Show all chaptersShow less
6Queen Lucia (pt. 1)
31The Male Impersonator
7Queen Lucia (pt. 2)
32Desirable Residences
8Queen Lucia (pt. 3)
33Dodo Trilogy
9Queen Lucia (pt. 4)
34Dodo A Detail of the Day
10Miss Mapp (pt. 1)
35Volume I (pt. 1)
11Miss Mapp (pt. 2)
36Volume I (pt. 2)
12Miss Mapp (pt. 3)
37Volume II (pt. 1)
13Miss Mapp (pt. 4)
38Volume II (pt. 2)
14Lucia in London (pt. 1)
39Dodo's Daughter or Dodo the Second (pt. 1)
15Lucia in London (pt. 2)
40Dodo's Daughter or Dodo the Second (pt. 2)
16Lucia in London (pt. 3)
41Dodo's Daughter or Dodo the Second (pt. 3)
17Lucia in London (pt. 4)
42Dodo's Daughter or Dodo the Second (pt. 4)
18Mapp and Lucia (pt. 1)
43Dodo's Daughter or Dodo the Second (pt. 5)
19Mapp and Lucia (pt. 2)
44Dodo Wonders (pt. 1)
20Mapp and Lucia (pt. 3)
45Dodo Wonders (pt. 2)
21Mapp and Lucia (pt. 4)
46Dodo Wonders (pt. 3)
22Mapp and Lucia (pt. 5)
47David Blaize Trilogy
23Lucia's Progress or The Worshipful Lucia (pt. 1)
48David Blaize (pt. 1)
24Lucia's Progress or The Worshipful Lucia (pt. 2)
49David Blaize (pt. 2)
25Lucia's Progress or The Worshipful Lucia (pt. 3)
50David Blaize (pt. 3)
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
An Act in a Backwater (Annotated)E. F. Benson7h 21m$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
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
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee12h 18m4.5 (7.4M)$29 · $0.00
These Precious DaysAnn Patchett11h 14m4.5 (45.2K)$29 · $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
The Ladies' Paradise (Vizetelly Translation, Unabridged) (Annotated)Émile Zola19h 34m4.5 (1.2K)$2 · $0.00
You may also like
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora ZengKylie Lee Baker8h 47m4.2 (57K)$29 · $0.00
Spoon River AnthologyEdgar Lee Masters3h 20m4.1 (40.2K)$2.30
The Ghost and Mrs. McClureCleo Coyle7h 5m4.0 (10.3K)$20
In A Glass DarklyJoseph Sheridan Le Fanu13h 34m4.0 (8.6K)$1 · $0.00
The Body SnatcherRobert Louis Stevenson35m3.7 (7.1K)$2
When the Reckoning ComesLaTanya McQueen8h 44m3.8 (16.2K)$26 · $0.00
Nightmare at 20,000 FeetRichard Matheson10h 18m4.2 (9.3K)$20
A Stir of EchoesRichard Matheson6h 45m4.0 (16.7K)$14 · $0.00
Rainbow in the MistPhyllis A. Whitney9h 2m3.8 (1.5K)$20
Can Such Things Be?Ambrose Bierce6h 38m4.0 (1.6K)$14
Supernatural Mysteries: 60+ Horror Tales, Ghost Stories & Murder MysteriesThéophile Gautier, Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Wilkie Collins, Anton Chekhov, Arthur B. Reeve, Anna Katherine Green, Sir Robert Anderson, Thomas W. Hanshew, Mary E. Hanshew, Villiers de l'Isle Adam, Cleveland Moffett, Florence Marryat, William Archer, Fitz-James O'Brien, Robert Louis Stevenson, Guy de Maupassant, Pliny the Younger, William F. Harvey, M. R. James, Katherine Rickford, Ralph Adams Cram, E. F. Benson, Rudyard Kipling, Daniel Defoe, Lord Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Leopold Kompert, Ambrose Bierce, Vincent O'Sullivan, Ellis Parker Butler, E. T. A. Hoffmann, Thomas Hardy, A. T. Quiller-Couch, Margaret Oliphant, Erckmann-Chatrian, Fiona Macleod, Amelia B. Edwards, Frederick Marryat, Jack London, William T. Stead, Gambier Bolton, Andrew Jackson Davis, Nizida, Helena Blavatsky, Walter F. Prince, Mark Twain, Chester Bailey Fernald46h 21m4.2 (10)$1 · $0.00
Seven Kinds of DeathKate Wilhelm8h 18m3.4 (306)$17
The Darkness of a Christmas Eve: Ghost Stories, Supernatural Mysteries & Gothic HorrorsRobert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, M. R. James, Thomas Hardy, Saki, Sabine Baring-Gould, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Charles Dickens, Fergus Hume, John Kendrick Bangs, Jerome K. Jerome, Leonard Kip, Catherine Crowe, Lucie E. Jackson, William Douglas O'Connor, Frank R. Stockton, James Bowker, Grant Allen, Louisa M. Alcott, Florence Marryat, Katherine Rickford, J. M. Barrie, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, George MacDonald, Bithia Mary Croker, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Catherine L. Pirkis, E. F. Benson, Algernon Blackwood44h 34m$1 · $0.00
Four Classic Horror StoriesEdith Wharton, Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Louis Stevenson2h 15m$15
Was it a ghost? The murders in Bussey's woodHenry Johnson Brent3h 14m3.8 (21)$1 · $0.00
From Out the Vast Deep (Annotated)Marie Belloc Lowndes8h 55m3.9 (47)$1.99 · $0.00
Spirits Do ReturnIda Belle White3h 48m$2 · $0.00
The NecromancersRobert Hugh Benson9h 12m3.8 (541)$2.30
Madam Crowl's Ghost and the Dead SextonJoseph Sheridan Le Fanu1h 28m4.2 (28)$2.30
The Birthing HouseChristopher Ransom10h 58m2.7 (4.8K)$21