Vanity Fair
- Author William Makepeace Thackeray
- Narrator Frederick Davidson
- Publisher Craig Black
- Publish Date 1 January 2006
- Run Time 29 hours and 52 minutes
- Format Audio
- Genre Classic fiction.
Click to open directly in the xigxag app.
Flexible Pricing & Rewards For Listening
At xigxag, the more you read, the less you pay* on select audiobook and x-book® titles, as in the table below. Pricing updates automatically in the app and resets one year after your first purchase. And you can always find a selection of brilliant titles available for only $7.95.
*Only the full price titles you buy count toward your personal pricing tier. Full price titles don’t include Listen for Less or other books bought with a voucher or discount code.
Titles Purchased
- 1-5
- 6-10
- 11-15
- 16-20
- Over 20
Price p/Title
- $13.95
- $12.95
- $11.95
- $10.95
- $9.95
Listen to a sample
What to expect
“Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire? or, having it, is satisfied?”
Generally considered to be Thackeray’s masterpiece, Vanity Fair is a resplendent social satire that exposes the greed and corruption raging in England during the turmoil of the Napoleonic wars. Subtitled A Novel without a Hero, it traces the changing fortunes of two unforgettable women: the scheming opportunist Becky Sharp—one of literature’s most resourceful, engaging, and amoral heroines—and her foil, the faithful but naïve Amelia Sedley. Amid the swirl of London’s posh ballrooms and affairs of love and war, their fortunes rise and fall. Thackeray’s subversive, comic attack on the hypocrisy and “dismal roguery” of an avaricious world still resonates, more than 150 years later, with implications for our own times.
Critics Review
u201cThe Ur-text of toxic female friendship, and the template for fictive femalenrelationships from Gone With the Windnto Gossip Girl, thenstory of a sweetu200au2014u200abut dimu200au2014u200aheiress and her ruthlessly amoral social-strivingnbest friend takes our two, deeply different heroines, through the whirlwind ofnNapoleonic War-era England. While Amelia Sedley marries an undeserving cad butncloses her eyes to the truth, Becky Sharp remains flint-eyed: sleeping andnconniving her way to the top of the social heap. The novelu2019s final image: thentwo women meeting on opposite sides of the titular charity-fair-table, theirndiverging paths through life rendering them ultimately equal, challenges us tonwonder what way is best.u201d
u201cVanity Fair, though it does not include the whole extent of Thackerayu2019s genius, is the most vigorous exhibition of its leading characteristicsu2026There is not a person in the book who excites the reader's respect, and not one who fails to excite his interest.u201d
More from the same
About xigxag
Experience the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed for seamless discovery, purchase, and enjoyment of your favorite titles. Our flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less, providing affordable prices and the best audiobook deals without requiring a subscription. Perfect for gifting, xigxag also features convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.
Beyond the listening experience, xigxag stands as an exciting alternative to big tech, embodying a strong commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we ensure a guilt-free listening experience from a leader in audiobook innovation.
Effortlessly search audiobooks, access honest audiobook reviews that evaluate both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. Whether you prefer to download or stream top audiobook titles, xigxag provides the best possible listening experience anytime, anywhere, on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Discover the future of audiobooks today.