I’m taking sick days. The cat is ecstatic and insists on following me everywhere. She stands by the closed door when I’m in the bathroom, crying pitifully.
I’m making cherry pie and listening to Trollope’s Sir Harry Hotspur of Humblethwaite (1871). It’s very similar to Can You Forgive Her? which is my favorite Trollope, so I can’t complain. I listen to whichever Trollope novel is available on Audible for free at any given time, and this was there today. I felt a strong desire to read something by this author after finishing Bothelford’s Gone. Of course, rich, cherished and protected women like Emily in Sir Harry Hotspur of Humblethwaite were a small minority. Sexual outrages of the most shocking nature were visited on lower-class women of the Victorian era. But at least Emily existed. A whole way of life was created around making sure that Emilys never saw or heard anything ugly.
That Bothelford’s Gone and Sir Harry describe the same country truly boggles the understanding.
Clarissa's Blog 
Reading *Can You Forgive Her* now!
-ethyl
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I truly think that the author was at the height of his talent in it. Why he’s not better known is something I’ll never understand. People say that the canon is sexist but if that were true, the names of prolific and famous male authors of 150 years ago would be more widely known.
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Feeling really stupid here. I’ve had Audible for years and never saw any way to get free books. Just now went all over the site and still could not find that category. I did enter Sir Harry Hotspur and so found that I could listen to it so I will start it in just a minute. But please tell me how to get notified of free authors. Thanks.
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Never mind! I asked google and after several attempts found out how to find the Free Listens page.
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I still posted for other people.
The best thing is that it’s mostly great books that are free. It’s the recent crap that’s expensive. 😆😆
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There’s a rotating catalog of free books called “Audible Free Listens.” They have some really cool stuff, and it rotates, so new things will be available after a while.
https://www.audible.com/ep/FreeListens
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OMG. This is fantastic. I’ve been getting my audiobooks from my public library’s app, which has a lot of stuff but not much classic literature. Thank you!
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“Sexual outrages of the most shocking nature were visited on lower-class women of the Victorian era.”
Really — who, what, when, where, why?
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Nevermind the feminist nonsense, Dickens or maybe even Llewellyn’s writings are probably a more accurate picture of working class life during that era. Historically, the early efforts of most trade union activities and parliamentary legislation was targetted at providing women and children with some protection in the mines and industry.
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