From Library Journal
This 19th-century classic, read by Andrew Sachs, is a tale of betrayal, gold, and love, encased in the elegant symmetrical structure so popular in traditional English fiction, featuring Marner, the weaver, who is framed for theft by his best friend and becomes a recluse, focusing his strong affections only on the store of golden coins he receives in payment for his work. As usual, Chivers has produced an excellent audio presentation of a literary masterpiece. Alas, in this day and age fewer and fewer readers not enrolled in literature classes actually read the works of what are frequently referred to as "dead white males" even if, as in this case, they were actually written by a woman. For this reason, this title is recommended for all academic but only larger public libraries.-I. Pour-El, Iowa State Univ., Ames Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From AudioFile
In her lifetime, Marian Evans (1819-80) was celebrated under her pen name of George Eliot as England's greatest living novelist. Today, she is known primarily as the bane of school kids who, having SILAS MARNER thrust down their throats, learn to despise the written word. Dove seeks to make palatable the dreaded tome, about a reclusive miser redeemed by the orphan girl he raises, by engaging Stephanie Beacham to narrate its cassette version. And what a job she does! Thoroughly nuanced and idiomatic. Unfortunately, sloppy editing destroys most of her rhythms and blunts the power of her performance. However, Beacham so excels that one willingly endures the botched surgery on her pauses to hear her breathe dimensional life into the old bogey-book. If you're a former school kid wondering just what the heck makes this novel living literature, you may find out by picking up this audiobook. Y.R. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Review
"I think Silas Marner holds a higher place than any of the author's works. It is more nearly a masterpiece; it has more of that simple, rounded, consummate aspect. . .which marks a classical work." -- Henry James

FROM OUR EDITORS

In this story of a reclusive weaver in a small English town who learns to trade his love of money for the love of those around him, the author explores such philosophical issues as the value of human relations and the connection between souls.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

After suffering betrayal and rejection, Silas Marner leaves his community to settle in a strange place. There the lonely weaver becomes obsessed with accumulating money, until one day a little golden-haired orphan girl wanders into his home... Set at the beginning of the industrial revolution, Silas Marner weaves a telling social commentary into an inspiring tale of love and redemption.

SYNOPSIS

Story of a lonely and embittered old man and the orphaned child who helps him find love and hope.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal

This 19th-century classic, read by Andrew Sachs, is a tale of betrayal, gold, and love, encased in the elegant symmetrical structure so popular in traditional English fiction, featuring Marner, the weaver, who is framed for theft by his best friend and becomes a recluse, focusing his strong affections only on the store of golden coins he receives in payment for his work. As usual, Chivers has produced an excellent audio presentation of a literary masterpiece. Alas, in this day and age fewer and fewer readers not enrolled in literature classes actually read the works of what are frequently referred to as "dead white males" even if, as in this case, they were actually written by a woman. For this reason, this title is recommended for all academic but only larger public libraries.--I. Pour-El, Iowa State Univ., Ames Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.\

AudioFile