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The Genius

Gelesen von Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

(4,45 Sterne; 40 Bewertungen)

"The only figure of literary repute who ever rated The "Genius" as first among the novels of Theodore Dreiser was Theodore Dreiser," literary historian Larzer Ziff observed. His fifth published novel, The "Genius" was actually the third novel Dreiser began work on and, as his most autobiographical work, remained the novel closest to his heart. He worked on it in stages over a four-year period. The credit he felt he deserved (and did not receive) for his honesty about sexual urges and damaged relationships and his original publisher's decision not to stand by the novel in the face of criticism contributed to his lifelong feeling that the book had never been given its due. After An American Tragedy, it is his longest book; the final draft ran to over 700 pages in a close-set type. While the protagonist of the book is in many ways a portrait of its author, Dreiser also loosely based Eugene Witla on some of the painters, artists working in an Ashcan realist style, whom he knew in New York at the time and whose studios he visited. The most likely candidate for a model is Everett Shinn, who painted urban scenes of the kind attributed to Witla and who was known as a promiscuous man.

The novel is divided intro three sections: "Youth," "Struggle," and "Revolt." In Book I, Eugene Witla (like Sister Carrie, in Dreiser's earlier novel) escapes the confines of the small town in Illinois where he has been raised to make his way in Chicago. There he studies painting at the Chicago Art Institute and enjoys the excitement of the city and his first sexual experiences. He becomes engaged to a young woman, Angela Blue, with whom he is intimate before their marriage but, at all times, he finds it difficult to remain faithful. A life based on monogamy seems beyond him. In Book II, Eugene and Angela move to New York City, where he makes a name for himself in the art world as an urban realist but finds his marriage with the increasingly conventional Angela painfully limiting. They travel to Europe, he suffers a breakdown, and they return to New York where Eugene attempts to make a better living in the advertising world. Book III chronicles the deterioration of Eugene and Angela's marriage as he begins an affair with Suzanne Dale. (Wikipedia) (32 hr 54 min)

Chapters

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 1

28:25

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 2

29:04

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 3

13:54

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 4

23:50

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 5

9:12

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 6

17:36

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 7

16:47

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 8

11:55

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 9

14:39

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 10

10:45

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 11

15:47

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 12

13:31

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 13

14:19

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 14

12:46

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 15

12:26

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 16

13:51

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 17

21:48

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 18

21:38

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 19

13:26

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 20

21:15

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 21

16:39

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 22

13:02

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 23

15:02

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 24

14:04

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 25

22:14

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 26

21:48

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 27

15:16

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 1 - Youth - Chapter 28

18:25

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 1

16:35

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 2

22:54

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 3

18:52

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 4

12:27

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 5

20:36

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 6

13:37

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 7

14:55

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 8

21:04

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 9

10:45

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 10

14:42

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 11 Part 1

16:43

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 11 Part 2

21:26

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 12

12:25

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 13

10:12

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 14

17:31

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 15

24:04

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 16

9:38

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 17

13:47

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 18

21:03

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 19

21:49

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 20

20:03

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 21

16:09

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 22

26:14

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 23

17:44

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 24

18:42

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 25

20:21

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 26

25:25

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 27

14:40

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 28

21:01

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 29

18:43

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 30

17:16

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 31

13:58

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 32

22:01

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 33

15:33

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 34

17:04

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 35

14:00

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 36

30:47

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 37

20:59

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 38

26:29

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 39

21:58

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 40

18:03

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 41

7:42

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 42

21:37

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 43

23:10

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 2 - Struggle - Chapter 44

13:49

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 1

26:46

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 2

20:43

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 3

15:06

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 4

21:51

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 5

18:52

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 6

22:49

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 7

19:07

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 8

23:19

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 9

28:36

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 10

32:34

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 11

30:15

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 12

29:29

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 13

26:21

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 14

33:56

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 15

19:48

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 16

8:53

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 17

17:06

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 18

17:12

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 19

31:03

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 20

10:29

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 21

20:31

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 22

33:08

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 23

18:02

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 24

25:26

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 25

23:08

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 26

30:46

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 27

37:58

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 28

25:25

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Book 3 - Revolt - Chapter 29

4:41

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

L'ENVOI

9:26

Read by Richard Kilmer (1942 - 2022)

Bewertungen

Good solid reading of a landmark work of American fiction

(5 Sterne)

Much appreciation to Mr Kilmer for thinking to complete a reading of The Genius. There's a certain melancholic tone in the reader's delivery that suits works like this quite well.

Enjoyable Lon Book

(4,5 Sterne)

This is very long story but Richard Kilmer makes it a worthwhile listen. His voice suits the story quite well and pulls the listener into every aspect of the protagonist's life. The tragedy created by the "wandering eye" of the main character is astonishing in its range and scope. The ending will not surprise those who have ever dealt with someone who seemingly does not want to see past their own instant gratification.

Absorbing, compelling story

(4,5 Sterne)

I found the main character intriguing, infuriating and endearing in turns. The story is long winded and at times meandering, but in my view worth reading. plenty of food for thought on human nature and condition, and much more.Tour de force for the excellent reader, who has an unusual style of delivery.

(3 Sterne)

Long book. Sound about one man’s theology struggle with himself and his life pursuit of true love.

Marathon reading

(5 Sterne)

Well done! Thank you for your labor of love.

(5 Sterne)

wonderful narration & the book is pure GENUIS.

Wikipedia Synopsis rings true

(3 Sterne)

Egotistical narcissist with artistic "genius" has "tough" life. Saga-like narration makes some chapters longer than others, cudos for the effort.