The Eustace Diamonds
Anthony Trollope
Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Lizzie Greystock, a fortune-hunter who ensnares the sickly, dissipated Sir Florian Eustace, is soon left a very wealthy widow and mother. While clever and beautiful, Lizzie has several character flaws; the greatest of these is an almost pathological delight in lying, even when it cannot benefit her. Before he dies, the disillusioned Sir Florian discovers all this, but does not think to change the generous terms of his will.
The diamonds of the book's title are a necklace, a Eustace family heirloom that Sir Florian gave to Lizzie to wear. Lizzie attempts to hold onto them, much to the irritation of the longtime family lawyer, Mr Camperdown. The Eustaces find themselves in an awkward position. On the one hand, the diamonds are a valuable heirloom to which Lizzie may not have a legal claim, but on the other, they do not want to antagonize the mother of the heir to the family estate (Lizzie having only a life interest).
Meanwhile, after a respectable period of mourning, Lizzie searches for another husband, and "the plot thickens". (Summary from Wikipedia)
This is the third of Trollope’s six “Palliser” novels. LibriVox recordings of other novels in the series are available:
1-Can You Forgive Her?
2-Phineas Finn, the Irish Member
3-The Eustace Diamonds
4-Phineas Redux
5-The Prime Minister
6-The Duke’s Children (27 hr 30 min)
Chapters
Lizzie Greystock | 24:59 | Read by Laura Koskinen |
Lady Eustace | 21:56 | Read by Philippa |
Lucy Morris | 21:39 | Read by Notelrac |
Frank Greystock | 18:18 | Read by cvd |
The Eustace Necklace | 30:04 | Read by Philippa |
Lady Linlithgow's Mission | 18:56 | Read by Philippa |
Mr. Burke's Speeches | 21:47 | Read by Philippa |
The Conquering Hero Comes | 16:16 | Read by par2323 |
Showing What the Miss Fawns Said, and What Mrs. Hittaway Thought | 27:06 | Read by Philippa |
Lizzie and Her Lover | 32:13 | Read by Hannah Dowell |
Lord Fawn at His Office | 16:18 | Read by Laura Koskinen |
"I Only Thought of It" | 15:10 | Read by Lee Ann Howlett |
Showing What Frank Greystock Did | 21:50 | Read by DianaJMB |
"Doan't Thou Marry for Munny" | 21:31 | Read by Philippa |
"I'll Give You a Hundred Guinea Brooch" | 24:48 | Read by Philippa |
Certainly an Heirloom | 18:46 | Read by Catherine Millward |
The Diamonds Are Seen in Public | 18:02 | Read by TriciaG |
"And I Have Nothing to Give" | 27:03 | Read by Catherine Millward |
"As My Brother" | 26:19 | Read by Catherine Millward |
The Diamonds Become Troublesome | 15:23 | Read by Laura Koskinen |
"Ianthe's Soul" | 20:30 | Read by Christine Blachford |
Lady Eustace Procures a Pony for the Use of Her Cousin | 13:37 | Read by Lee Ann Howlett |
Frank Greystock's First Visit to Portray | 20:05 | Read by skellie |
Showing What Frank Greystock Thought About Marriage | 15:46 | Read by TriciaG |
Mr. Dove's Opinion | 16:16 | Read by Catherine Millward |
Mr. Gowran Is Very Funny | 27:45 | Read by Catherine Millward |
Lucy Morris Misbehaves | 15:21 | Read by Catherine Millward |
Mr. Dove in His Chambers | 28:19 | Read by Catherine Millward |
"I Had Better Go Away" | 20:04 | Read by Catherine Millward |
Mr. Greystock's Troubles | 21:46 | Read by Catherine Millward |
Frank Greystock's Second Visit to Portray | 27:45 | Read by Catherine Millward |
Mr. and Mrs. Hittaway in Scotland | 13:57 | Read by Catherine Millward |
"It Won't Be True" | 21:35 | Read by Catherine Millward |
Lady Linlithgow at Home | 20:03 | Read by Sage Tyrtle |
Too Bad for Sympathy | 23:54 | Read by Sage Tyrtle |
Lizzie's Guests | 20:10 | Read by Catherine Millward |
Lizzie's First Day | 28:25 | Read by Catherine Millward |
Nappie's Grey Horse | 30:27 | Read by Simon Evers |
Sir Griffin Takes an Unfair Advantage | 9:55 | Read by Simon Evers |
"You Are Not Angry?" | 11:05 | Read by Laura Koskinen |
"Likewise the Bears in Couples Agree" | 21:55 | Read by Andrew Coleman |
Sunday Morning | 13:16 | Read by Lee Ann Howlett |
Life at Portray | 22:31 | Read by Lee Ann Howlett |
A Midnight Adventure | 21:14 | Read by Bethany Simpson |
The Journey to London | 17:12 | Read by Bethany Simpson |
Lucy Morris in Brook Street | 23:53 | Read by Bethany Simpson |
Matching Priory | 24:11 | Read by Laura Koskinen |
Lizzie's Condition | 13:13 | Read by Lee Ann Howlett |
Bunfit and Gager | 22:56 | Read by Mil Nicholson |
In Hertford Street | 20:55 | Read by Andrew Coleman |
Confidence | 13:13 | Read by Andrew Coleman |
Mrs. Carbuncle Goes to the Theatre | 27:54 | Read by Andrew Coleman |
Lizzie's Sick-Room | 28:02 | Read by Andrew Coleman |
"I Suppose I May Say a Word" | 23:59 | Read by Laura Koskinen |
Quints or Semitenths | 11:41 | Read by Laura Koskinen |
Job's Comforters | 21:21 | Read by TriciaG |
Humpty Dumpty | 26:25 | Read by Mil Nicholson |
"The Fiddle with One String" | 11:03 | Read by Mil Nicholson |
Mr. Gowran Up in London | 20:13 | Read by Philippa |
"Let It Be As Though It Had Never Been" | 24:51 | Read by Philippa |
Lizzie's Great Friend | 32:14 | Read by TriciaG |
"You Know Where My Heart Is" | 16:26 | Read by Lee Ann Howlett |
The Corsair Is Afraid | 17:37 | Read by Lee Ann Howlett |
Lizzie's Last Scheme | 13:33 | Read by Lee Ann Howlett |
Tribute | 19:15 | Read by Lee Ann Howlett |
The Aspirations of Mr. Emilius | 19:20 | Read by TriciaG |
The Eye of the Public | 18:47 | Read by Hoosemon |
The Major | 19:36 | Read by TriciaG |
"I Cannot Do It" | 25:46 | Read by TriciaG |
Alas! | 15:02 | Read by Maire Rhode |
Lizzie Is Threatened with the Treadmill | 27:32 | Read by Maire Rhode |
Lizzie Triumphs | 20:01 | Read by Maire Rhode |
Lizzie's Last Lover | 24:16 | Read by LC |
Lizzie at the Police-Court | 13:13 | Read by Bethany Simpson |
Lord George Gives His Reasons | 12:40 | Read by Bethany Simpson |
Lizzie Returns to Scotland | 25:30 | Read by TriciaG |
The Story of Lucy Morris Is Concluded | 18:44 | Read by cvd |
The Trial | 21:42 | Read by Andrew Coleman |
Once More at Portray | 20:09 | Read by Lee Ann Howlett |
What Was Said About It All at Matching | 14:17 | Read by Laura Koskinen |
Reviews
interesting, witty and eventful
שמעון עין גל
I like the Palliser series better than the Barchester Chronicles, better crafted, more interesting characters and livelier. A very funny and cynical portrait of 1860's high society. Excellent readers, better than version 2 of the same book . A pity about the blatant anti-Semitism, but that's what the world is like, mustn't let it chaff my hooked nose!
Another good Trollope
Champagnolle
This book is a little different from the usual Trollope love stories, but it is still good. Chapter 34 is a gem. Listen to it even if you don't have time for the whole book. It's correct name is "Lady Linlithgow at Home." It is mis-titled in the Librivox listing.
overall good
reader
Even volunteer should learn how to pronounce all names and words before embarking. Lady LinLITHgow. GROVE-ner (not Grows-vee-nor!) Legge ("leg") Wilson, not "leggy" or "ledgy." The "oe" in Madame Max Goesler's name is the umlaut O - it is never "Goosler" or "Gosler" or "Gowsler." And many others.
A LibriVox Listener
I was just going to comment after listening to chapter 34 and now I see someone else marked that chapter out for special mention. Sage Tyrtle does a marvelous job of acting out by voice the characters in the chapter. Delightful! Brilliance rising to combine with Trollope’s brilliance.
compelling Story
Kelvin Broad
An epic tale of lies, love and loss. The majority of the readers are very good some using excellent voices for the various characters. A few chapters have quite low volume making for difficult listening.
A LibriVox Listener
Some readers are so much better than others. The sound quality for some readers was poor. Please review the readers' work before including in the presentation.
not my favourite by anthony Trollope
Nat
The story is somewhat slow at times. Some of the readers are exellent.
Thanks - title error fixed
librivoxbooks
Thank you for spotting that, Champagnolle. The error has now been fixed.