From AudioFile
In the early days of Puritan Boston Hester Prynne braves the stigma of adultery by wearing the embroidered scarlet "A" on her clothing. Hill's reading captures the story's pathos and gives the reader empathy for the characters while clarifying Hawthorne's views. Hill distinctly portrays each character and reads the narration clearly and swiftly. The pace conveys a sense of urgency and breathlessness. After hearing this novel, readers will understand why it continues to be a classic. P.A.J. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine


Review
"[Nathaniel Hawthorne] recaptured, for his New England, the essence of Greek tragedy." --Malcolm Cowley


From the Trade Paperback edition.

FROM OUR EDITORS

Hawthorne's masterpiece about Hester Prynne, hapless victim of sin, guilt and hypocrisy in Puritan New England.

ANNOTATION

In early colonial Massachusetts, a young woman endures the consequences of her sin of adultery and spends the rest of her life in atonement.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

When it first appeared in 1850, The Scarlet Letter enjoyed scandalous success. New England critics condemned its passionate subject matter. One critic complained that Nathaniel Hawthorne invested adultery with all the fascination of genius, and all the charms of a highly polished style. My preliminary chapter, wryly noted the author, has caused the greatest uproar that has happened here since witch-times.

As she emerges from the prison of a Puritan New England town, Hester Prynne defies the dark gloom much as the rose blooms against the prison door. With her illegitimate baby, Pearl, clutched in her arms and the letter A—the mark of an adulteress—embroidered in scarlet thread on her breast, Hester holds her head high as she faces the malice and scorn of the townsfolk. Her powerful, bittersweet story is an American classic that continues to touch the hearts of modern readers with its timeless themes of guilt, passion and repentance.

SYNOPSIS

The Scarlet Letter is the story of three New England settlers at odds with the puritan society in which they live. Roger Chillingworth, an aging scholar, arrives in New England after two years' separation from his wife Hester to find her on trial for adultery. For refusing to reveal her lover's identity, she is condemned to wear a letter 'A' sewn onto her clothes. Roger resolves to discover and destroy the man who has stolen his honor.

For the next seven years the participants in this bizarre love triangle privately suffer the consequences of betrayal, cowardice, and humiliation. Slowly but surely, the need for redemption grows in each as the story hastens toward its dramatic close. The Scarlet Letter is Nathaniel Hawthorne's masterpiece.

The handsome volumes in The Collectors Library present great works of world literature in a handy hardback format. Printed on high-quality paper and bound in real cloth, each complete and unabridged volume has a specially commissioned afterword, brief biography of the author and a further-reading list. This easily accessible series offers readers the perfect opportunity to discover, or rediscover, some of the world's most endearing literary works.

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FROM THE CRITICS

AudioFile - Melody Moxley

Gibson reads Hawthorne￯﾿ﾽs story with a gravelly, yet gentle voice. Although most of her characterizations are fine, her voice for the child, Pearl, sounds distractingly affected. M.A.M. ￯﾿ﾽAudioFile, Portland, Maine

AudioFile - Pam A. Johnson

In the early days of Puritan Boston Hester Prynne braves the stigma of adultery by wearing the embroidered scarlet A on her clothing. Hill￯﾿ﾽs reading captures the story￯﾿ﾽs pathos and gives the reader empathy for the characters while clarifying Hawthorne￯﾿ﾽs views. Hill distinctly portrays each character and reads the narration clearly and swiftly. The pace conveys a sense of urgency and breathlessness. After hearing this novel, readers will understand why it continues to be a classic. P.A.J. ￯﾿ﾽAudioFile, Portland, Maine

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