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Title: The Custom of the Country (BBC Radio 4: Classic Serial)
Author: Edith Wharton
Narrator: uncredited
Format: Original Recording
Length: 2 hrs and 49 mins
Language: English
Release date: 05-06-11
Publisher: BBC Worldwide Limited
Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 2 votes
Genres: Radio & TV, News, Business, & Culture
Publisher's Summary:
A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Edith Whartons 1913 satire of marriage and money in early-20th century American society. The Custom of the Country was originally broadcast as the Classic Serial from 3 - 17 January 2010.
The play follows the beautiful Undine Spragg as she arrives in New York and sets her sights on Ralph Marvell, then travels to Paris where she meets a charming French aristocrat. Will Undine ever find real happiness?
Starring Rebecca Night as Undine Spragg and Barbara Barnes as Mrs Spragg. Also included in the cast are Lorelei King, Jonathan Keeble, William Houston, Lucy Gaskell, Paul McCleary, Provence Maydew, Tom Hollander, Dan Stevens, Tessa Nicholson, Olwen May, Joseph Kloska and Daniel Rogers. Dramatised by Jane Rogers and directed by Nadia Molinari.
Members Reviews:
Mainly for Wharton Fans
The book is of unlikely interest except to those who want to dig deeper into Edith Wharton's writings. This seems like a middle-tier book for her: not as good as Age of Innocence or House of Mirth, but stars an unsympathetic female (hard to call her a protagonist) who lacks any emotional qualities or empathy and who dedicates herself to acquiring luxury and status regardless of whom she hurts in doing so. Of course, luxury and status leaves her feeling empty and wanting to find even more. She is not the most realistic character, but she would make an even better character if recast today.
Scarlett O'Hara worthy!
I didn't want to enjoy the nasty manipulations, the thoroughly narcissistic preoccupation with self at the sacrifice of others, and the vanity of the beautiful Undine, but I did! Thoroughly entertaining. A few surprises in the plot twists although the characters remained solidly who they are, as Maya Angelou said...
Great summer read
I chose this book because Edith Wharton is a gem of a writer, and because I wanted to lose myself in another time. she is so wonderful at explaining how the character feels, and why they do the things they do. I gave this book 4 stars because of the writing, not the storyline.
The main character is a selfish brat that only cares about herself, to the detriment of her parents and her child as well as her husbands. The time period (era) was well written and you can see yourself as if you were there with the characters. This book is considered one of Ms. Wharton's best works, if not the best. For being written more than 100 years ago, this is a great beach read.
If you like the novels of Edith Wharton
If you like the novels of Edith Wharton, this is another in that line - a moral story told through the lens of a very flawed main character. This one does not have the 'happier' endings of some of her other novels, and I can't guarantee you won't hate the main character by the end, but it's an interesting statement of American 'Society' at the end of the 20th century. The main character wants what she wants, never content, not aware of the needs of others around her. She seems to be oblivious to the true path to happiness and contentment as shown by the people around her. Like I said, a 'healthy' kind of a book to read, but not sure it's everyone's cup of tea.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. The (anti)heroine
This was my first read of an Edith Wharton novel, and, I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
