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Rites of Passage

To the Ends of the Earth: A Sea Trilogy, Book 1

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Rites of Passage

By: William Golding
Narrated by: William Golding
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About this listen

Lose yourself in an epic naval journey in the final novel in the Booker Prize-winning Sea Trilogy, by the author of Lord of the Flies. Read by the author in 1989, this recording was re-mastered in 2022.

I grow a little crazy, I think, like all men at sea who live too close to each other and too close thereby to all that is monstrous under the sun and moon....

Edmund Talbot is sailing to Australia in the early 19th century. In his journal, he records mounting tensions aboard the ancient, stinking warship, as officers, sailors, soldiers and emigrants jostle in the cramped darkness below decks. But when something happens to Reverend Colley that brings him into a 'hell of self-degradation', it seems that shame is a force deadlier than the sea itself....

©1980 William Golding (P)2022 Faber Audio Classics Fiction Historical Fiction Sea Adventures Adventure Sailing

Critic Reviews

"Golding writes the past as present [with] uncanny skill and tremendous intuition." (Ben Okri)

"A master at the full stretch of his age and wisdom - necessary, provoking, urgent, rich, complex and rare." (The Times)

"An extraordinary novel." (Observer)

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Low quality audio

I really liked this book, however the ‘remastering’ of Golding’s original recording from the 80’s is not excellent and at times is very low in sound level. From about half way through I had to really crank up my sound system to hear the audio.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.