In Brief Authority

F. Anstey

Read by Anna Simon

(4.5 stars; 21 reviews)

Satiric comedy from 1915 about a nouveau riche British family and their nanny who get whisked off to Maerchenland ('the land of Fairy Tales') one evening in a car drawn by storks. The matron of the family, a thorough snob, is crowned Queen of the country by mistake. She is quick to accept her new position and is determined to introduce British social niceties in her realm. And this really is the land of Fairy Tales, with gnomes, giants, a dragon, magic, a fairy godmother and more. Trouble quickly starts to brew as the royal couple and their son introduce things like capitalism and golf. When gradually a few people find out who should actually have been the new ruler, things get more and more complicated. A bit of romance is thrown into this mixture as well. You'll have to listen to find out whether everyone lives happily ever after.
In the preface and epilogue, the author won't let his audience forget the troubled times in the real world, in the heat of World War I. (Summary by Anna Simon)

Proof-listeners were Rapunzelina and April Gonzales. (11 hr 13 min)