Bartleby, the Scrivener (version 2)
Herman Melville
Read by Bob Neufeld
Bartleby, the Scrivener is a thought-provoking novella that explores the complexities of human behavior and the nature of work through the eyes of a Wall Street lawyer. The story centers on Bartleby, a quiet and enigmatic scrivener who initially performs his duties with diligence but gradually begins to refuse tasks with the simple phrase, "I would prefer not to."
Set against the backdrop of 19th-century New York, Melville's narrative delves into themes of isolation, conformity, and the struggle for individuality in a rapidly industrializing society. The lawyer's perplexing relationship with Bartleby raises questions about compassion, responsibility, and the limits of societal expectations.
With its stark yet poignant prose, Bartleby, the Scrivener remains a powerful commentary on the human condition, inviting listeners to reflect on their own lives and the choices they make within the constraints of modern existence.
Chapters
Select a chapter to play
| Part 01 | 35:27 | Read by Bob Neufeld | |
| Part 02 | 33:44 | Read by Bob Neufeld | |
| Part 03 | 25:29 | Read by Bob Neufeld | |
| Part 04 | 20:46 | Read by Bob Neufeld |
Reviews
A perfectly matched reading
Honest John
The reading and the story were a petfect match. The behaviour of the lawyer in tolerating the ultimate passive resistor is only made explicable by the humane tones of the narrator. A wonderful story, superbly read in the manner of those times abnd the style of the prose.
An Odd Old Story With an Excellent Reader
Recluse_Rambler
Bob Neufeld performs brilliantly as always. The story itself is somewhat perplexing and bleak, an interesting listen to be sure.
A haunting story
TheBookworm
...excellently read by Bob Neufeld whose tone is supremely suited to the subject. TheBookworm (Manchester, UK)
YES!
QuikiWikiMan
I agree with everyone else in that Mr Neufeld gives a fine reading and I just wish other Libri Vox recordings could match his quality. Melville can indeed be a bit tricky.
More Greatness from Mr. Neufeld
Alessandro Serenelli
Mr. Neufeld's readings are consistently wonderful! He imparts such subtle power to this great short work; a very good job indeed!
azura
the voice acting was nice and there wasn’t any problems understanding what was being said or unusual noises or breathing.
Wonderfully Read
Bleussarian
I've never read anything by Melville, but the way this was read made it entertaining and easy to follow. It was easy to find the humor in the story because of this. I was pleasantly surprised and am inspired to look into more works by Melville and those read by this man.
very good reading of this very good story
A LibriVox Listener
Well done. Nice narration with a great voice for the story. Thanks for contributing.