The Adventures of Roderick Random
Tobias Smollett
Read by Arthur Krolman
I am Roderick Random. This is the contemporary story of my struggle against the adversity of orphan-hood, poverty, press gangs, bloody duels, rival fortune hunters, and the challenge to be well-dressed through it all. In the course of recounting my adventures to you, dear reader, I will give you a front row seat to the characters of English eighteenth century life including highway robbers, womanizing monks, debt-laden gallants, lecherous corrupt officials, effeminate sea captains, bloodthirsty surgeons, and my dear friend Miss Williams, a reformed prostitute. Educated in the classics, armed with a confident conscientious attitude and my long-suffering sidekick, Strap, I fight the good fight staying, on the whole, morally upstanding throughout. Today, if there be such a thing as true happiness on earth, I enjoy it -- and without having spent a fortune on college either. After hearing me out, I expect you'll be as wonderfully transported as one dear wealthy gentleman who listened to my whole story and then blessed God for the adversity I had undergone, which, he said, enlarged the understanding, improved the heart, steeled the constitution, and qualified a young man for all the duties and enjoyments of life much better than any education which affluence could bestow. Summary by Arthur Krolman. (19 hr 9 min)
Chapters
Author's Preface and Apologue | 13:02 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter I | 10:47 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter II | 10:39 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter III | 10:51 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter IV | 8:26 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter V | 12:23 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter VI | 15:55 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter VII | 15:07 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter VIII | 16:36 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter IX | 12:26 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter X | 14:20 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XI | 17:55 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XII | 19:03 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XIII | 17:04 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XIV | 15:51 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XV | 15:06 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XVI | 19:42 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XVII | 19:16 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XVIII | 14:48 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XIX | 8:52 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XX | 12:10 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXI | 21:34 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXII | 27:21 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXIII | 29:18 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXIV | 18:51 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXV | 11:02 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXVI | 9:39 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXVII | 17:35 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXVIII | 11:38 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXIX | 12:23 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXX | 18:28 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXXI | 8:31 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXXII | 11:09 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXXIII | 13:24 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXXIV | 21:35 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXXV | 11:45 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXXVI | 13:12 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXXVII | 10:35 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXXVIII | 17:06 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XXXVIX | 13:56 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XL | 12:25 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XLI | 19:58 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XLII | 15:02 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XLIII | 14:27 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XLIV | 25:35 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XLV | 33:19 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XLVI | 24:31 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XLVII | 19:36 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XLVIII | 9:05 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter XLIX | 16:56 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter L | 23:50 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LI | 18:41 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LII | 20:27 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LIII | 13:02 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LIV | 16:28 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LV | 20:57 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LVI | 20:51 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LVII | 18:13 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LVIII | 12:17 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LIX | 13:55 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LX | 14:47 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LXI | 13:00 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LXII | 21:08 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LXIII | 29:35 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LXIV | 16:01 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LXV | 19:25 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LXVI | 20:14 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LXVII | 23:03 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LXVIII | 13:50 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Chapter LXIX | 9:15 | Read by Arthur Krolman |
Reviews
On par with Richardson and Fielding, well-read, too!
GeorgianInterested
Well-read. Reader does many accents and changes tone and quality per character. Sometimes it’s a little silly but a great effort and much higher quality than many recordings. The book itself is very Georgian in scope and style, with a nod to Crusoe, Fielding, Richardson. The plot incorporated several distinct subjects, such as a naval background including slavery shipping, as well as apothecary or early medicine, prostitution, gambling, the advent of debt and debtors prison, the absurdity of social norms on the social ladder of English society. He does this all in a tongue-in-cheek farcical manner which leaves you wincing often at the hero’s obvious blunders in decision making. Smollett should be paired with Fielding and Richardson for a rounded explanation of the era.
Well-written and excellently-read
FB
The book is beautifully read...Many thanks to Arthur Krolman for his beautiful rendition of the book.
Greta
Extremely well read, the characters are all skillfully brought to life.