Excellent rendition of a masterpiece

Outstanding performance of one of the great novels of the 20th Century by Nobel Prize winner, Patrick White.

I do hope Audible record more of White’s novels. He was a genius.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

Hardly noticed the hours slip by

Amazingly easy to listen to considering the breadth of issues and characterization. Another PW down.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A brilliant novel superbly read

This superb rendition of this granitic novel has brought alive what had previously been for me a rather forbidding masterpiece. Humphrey Bower brings a cast of characters superbly to life with all their variegated voices and class-, age- and gender- based variations on the Australian accent across the 20th Century. Two magicians meet!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

a wonderful study of a tortured fabulous life

great characterisations by the reader(s). And And an insightful observation into class distinction in Australia in the first half of the 20 th century.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

God, art, cats and an outdoor funny

It’s a masterwork by Australia’s greatest writer. Despite the patented misogyny it is wonderful to be reacquainted with this great novel after 50 years and it is superbly read.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Disgraceful

Publications such as this is of VERY poor taste. There is no reason Paedophilia should be condoned in any way.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Brilliant reading of disappointing novel

The Vivisector was the first novel by Patrick White which I really enjoyed, having failed to do so, with Voss and The Tree of Man. This was in the early 70s. However, nearly 50 years later I find the novel quite distasteful, though full of White's characteristic poetic prose. There is little doubt that White enshrined his vision of the artist in the mind of the painter Hurtle Duffield of The Vivisector. He sees the artist as almost a godlike figure, to whom ideas and paintings are 'given'. Duffield paints as he is 'meant to' - choice and rational processes have nothing to do with it. And he believes his role and talents (genius, rather) give him the right to sneer constantly at all the 'ordinary' people with their banal lives and boring utterances. His disgust for his sister Rhoda, from the moment he sets eyes on her, is reported as being quite forgiveable, and his attitude to the unfortunate Cutbush is never less than lordly. I had a great sense of letdown while reading this novel. White no doubt counts as a genius himself, but my once-high view of his writing has gone way down.
However, Humphrey Bower's reading of the novel, with the myriad voices he assumed, was quite brilliant from beginning to end.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Inspiration in a turgid flow

As the basis for this long novel two big themes are ever present: the nature of art and the life of the artist. In dealing with these themes White seldom strays far from a steady plod along the path of gravitas. Even his interludes of florid excess, as he attempts to describe the process and experience of making art, become heavy with ponderous verbiage. Bower's nuanced reading is excellent but, with more than eleven hours remaining, I decided that life is too short to maintain patience with books like this, however fine the reading.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!