The History of Mr. Polly


Read by Adrian Praetzellis

(4.4 stars; 101 reviews)

A funny and touching account of the imaginative Mr. Polly who, bored and trapped in his conventional life, makes a U-turn –- and changes everything.

H.G. Wells’ early life as the son of a semi-insolvent shopkeeper and as a draper’s apprentice fueled his novels of the lower middle class: The Wheels of Chance (1896), Kipps (1905), and The History of Mr. Polly (1910). These works evoke the desperation of apprentices, clerks, and small traders in their monotonous toil behind shop counters. And, like Mr. Polly, his protagonists make a break from their mundane lives with more or less success.

H. G. Wells (1866-1946) was a prolific writer in history, general and science fiction, and politics. He was a lifelong socialist. (Summary by Adrian Praetzellis) (9 hr 8 min)

Chapters

Chapter 1 Section 1 27:04 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 1 Section 2 26:54 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 2 25:29 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 3 27:19 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 4 Section 1 20:01 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 4 Section 2 34:03 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 5 Section 1 20:57 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 5 Section 2 16:18 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 5 Section 3 13:31 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 6 Section 1 23:25 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 6 Section 2 28:26 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 6 Section 3 19:19 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 6 Section 4 9:16 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 7 Section 1 18:52 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 7 Section 2 18:49 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 7 Section 3 28:52 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 8 Section 1 28:32 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 8 Section 2 24:16 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 9 Section 1 28:55 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 9 Section 2 24:25 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 9 Section 3 25:10 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 9 Section 4 28:51 Read by Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 10 29:55 Read by Adrian Praetzellis

Reviews

A great story. Perfectly performed.


(5 stars)

An interesting, enjoyable story and funny as hell. This was my first Wells story other than scifi. It will not be my last. The narration (performance, really) is simply superb and overwhelmingly suited to the story. If you don't laugh out loud at the fist fight between Mr. Polly & his neighbor, go out & borrow a sense of humor and re-listen to it.

Funnier than Three Men in a Boat


(5 stars)

An utterly delightful reading of a classic Wells novel that one always finds recommended but one never quiet gets round to. No more excuses. This expert narration makes the novel portable and is more enjoyable than any mere print version. Adrian P’s voice is all the illustration you’ll ever need.

Perfect read with many voices and accents by the narrator! Thank


(5 stars)


(5 stars)

WHAT A HOOT🐲🐲🐲 THE BEST NARRATOR EVER!!!

Thought provoking and funny.


(5 stars)

An entertaining book. It was a review and narration of life, Mr. Polly's life to be exact, but I found many things in there to relate to my own. At times it was also very funny and I couldn't help but laughing aloud. Also the narrator was one of the best I have come across, very clear with great expression and captured the characters very well.

worthwhile


(4 stars)

Thanks to the reader who has brought Mr Polly and his world to life. It's a salutary contrast if you have recently been listening to writers such as Henry James (as I have been) because Mr Polly belongs to the "lower middle class". He is imaginative but a poor education squeezes him into a very limited life until ... (you will enjoy listening to find out what happens).

good but chapters clumsily labelled


(4 stars)

Chapter 5 section 2 for example, is read incorrectly. It doesn't matter hugely but if you need to check the text to see the things you missed, which I do quite often, then it is highly confusing. the narrator is very good and the novel psychologically very interesting (and funny).

Delightful Reading


(5 stars)

The reading and characterisation is perfect. The life we live may become a trap. Courage to escape may come from unforeseen directions. Mr. Polly gradually grows into a person who we can understand if not necessarily admire. All this (and more) from Adrian Praetzellis's rich interpretation. Thank you. Montez