Listen to a sample
The Aspern Papers
- Author
- Henry James
- Narrator
- David Thorn
- Publish Date
- 20 February 2014
- Run Time
- 4 hours 42 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
Henry James’ acclaimed suspense novel
Set in a crumbling Venetian villa, The Aspern Papers is the story of an American editor’s determination to acquire a collection of unpublished letters … at any cost. The letters were written by the editor’s favorite Romantic poet, Jeffrey Asper, to his mistress.
In hopes of gaining access to the letters, he presents himself to the now elderly mistress, Miss Bordereau, who lives a modest existence in a dilapidated old palazzo. Posing as a prospective lodger, he introduces himself to Miss Bordereau and begins courting her spinster niece, Tina. As the editor’s obsessive mission leads him into increasingly unscrupulous behavior, he finds that his desire can be obtained only at the price of his honor. A brilliant work of psychological fiction, The Aspern Papers is Henry James at his most suspenseful.
Critics Review
-
“The Aspern Papers is haunted by the specter of past and future consummations, both achieved and desired, sexual and literary.”
Guardian (London)
-
“The narrator…experiences a sense of mystical fraternity with the spirit of Aspern, who he believes has ‘returned to earth to assure me he regarded the affair as his own no less than as mine’…At the close of the tale he is forced to seek consolation in the portrait of his deceased hero; however, his final words…illustrate the extent of his disillusionment and frustration.”
Dr. Claire Seymour, University of Tokyo
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Henry James
- Narrator
- David Thorn
- Duration
- 4 hours 42 minutes
- Release Date
- 20 February 2014
- ISBN
- 9781483011882
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Classic fiction, Fiction: general and literary, Thriller / suspense fiction
Synopsis
Henry James’ acclaimed suspense novelSet in a crumbling Venetian villa, The Aspern Papers is the story of an American editor’s determination to acquire a collection of unpublished letters … at any cost. The letters were written by the editor’s favorite Romantic poet, Jeffrey Asper, to his mistress.In hopes of gaining access to the letters, he presents himself to the now elderly mistress, Miss Bordereau, who lives a modest existence in a dilapidated old palazzo. Posing as a prospective lodger, he introduces himself to Miss Bordereau and begins courting her spinster niece, Tina. As the editor’s obsessive mission leads him into increasingly unscrupulous behavior, he finds that his desire can be obtained only at the price of his honor. A brilliant work of psychological fiction, The Aspern Papers is Henry James at his most suspenseful.
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.