Oldtown Folks


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(4.3 stars; 36 reviews)

1870's rural Massachusetts communities became famous as “Oldtown” in Harriet Beecher Stowe's 7th novel and national bestseller. Based partially on her husband Rev. Calvin Stowe's childhood memories and other old timers' recollections, this story of growing up in rural New England just after the American Revolution is one of the earliest examples of local color writing in New England. Young Horace Holyoke, the novel's narrator, describes life during the early Federalist years, capturing its many rich ideas, customs, and family lore. Villagers wrestle with loyalties to the fledgling government, and with the new secular rationalism provoked by the young nation’s Founders. Clashes between Puritanism, Calvinism, and Arminianism abound. This book helped with the depreciation of Calvinism in that time. Summary by Michele Fry (22 hr 46 min)

Chapters

Preface 3:49 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.1 Old Town And The Minister 22:20 Read by Lynne T
Ch.2 My Father 12:40 Read by Denise Nordell
Ch.3 My Grandmother 17:46 Read by Denise Nordell
Ch.4 The Village Do-Nothing 25:22 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.5 The Old Meeting-House 52:49 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.6 Fire-Light Talk In My Grandmother's Kitchen 54:21 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.7 Old Crab Smith 27:28 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.8 Miss Asphyxia 26:48 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.9 Harry's First Day's Work 10:36 Read by Denise Nordell
Ch.10 Miss Asphyxia's System 24:22 Read by Denise Nordell
Ch.11 The Crisis 15:45 Read by Colman Shew
Ch.12 The Lion's Mouth Shut 15:16 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.13 The Empty Bird's-Nest 9:00 Read by Crystal Rogers
Ch.14 The Day In Fairy-Land 28:22 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.15 The Old Manor-House 21:56 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.16 Sam Lawson's Discoveries 21:58 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.17 The Visit To The Haunted House 43:29 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.18 Tina's Adoption 31:14 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.19 Miss Mehitable's Letter, and the Reply, Giving Further Hints of the Story 52:30 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.20 Miss Asphyxia Goes In Pursuit, and my Grandmother Gives Her Views on Educ… 32:00 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.21 What is to be Done with the Boy? 27:34 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.22 Daily Living In Old Town 34:36 Read by Colman Shew
Ch.23 We Take a Step Up In The World 35:07 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.24 We Behold Grandeur 32:43 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.25 Easter Sunday 45:31 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.26 What "Our Folks" Said At Oldtown 25:00 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.27 How We Kept Thanksgiving At Oldtown 35:01 Read by Denise Nordell
Ch.28 The Raid On Oldtown, And Uncle Fliakim's Bravery 29:58 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.29 My Grandmother's Blue Book 55:00 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.30 We Begin To Be Grown-Up People 30:59 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.31 What Shall We Do With Tina? 18:55 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.32 The Journey To Cloudland 15:39 Read by Gnomesb
Ch.33 School-Life in Cloudland 47:32 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.34 Our Minister in Cloudland 36:11 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.35 The Revival Of Religion 27:58 Read by Colman Shew
Ch.36 After The Revival 24:28 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.37 The Minister's Wood-Spell 20:58 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.38 Ellery Davenport 26:32 Read by Gnomesb
Ch.39 Last Days In Cloudland 21:28 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.40 We Enter College 23:50 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.41 Night Talks 11:46 Read by Crystal Rogers
Ch.42 Spring Vacation At Oldtown 25:59 Read by Gnomesb
Ch.43 What Our Folks Thought About It 28:01 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.44 Marriage Preparations 22:27 Read by Kathrine Engan
Ch.45 Wedding Bells 25:28 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.46 Wedding After-Talks At Oldtown 13:00 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.47 Behind The Curtain 17:40 Read by Kathrine Engan
Ch.48 Tina's Solution 16:51 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.49 What Came Of It 23:19 Read by Michele Fry
Ch.50 The Last Chapter 16:51 Read by Michele Fry

Reviews

Oldtown Folks


(4 stars)

As usual, a very enjoyable book by Ms Stowe. A tad difficult to get into, but once got into, well worth the trouble. Always interesting to me, the insight into the days of the earlier times, the hardships of the ‘foundling’ children, the toughness of the lower working class and the privileges of the upper class. The religious theme could prove tedious to many folk, but, in my opinion, I think our world of today needs moral guidance to sort it out. The readers are excellently suited to the script, apart from one chapter, but it could be the fact that the female readers are so good that the gentleman rather stands out. Their accents are interesting, but being used to varying accents, this did not distract from the reading. Thank you all for an enjoyable reading!

great book! mostly good readers!


(5 stars)

great book made even better with the chapters read by Michele Fry. she is truly gifted and I am lucky enough to get to listen to Ms Fry. thank y'all and thank you Librivox


(3 stars)

sweet and enjoyable. h b stowe wrote a simple but well written book, here