Bliss by Mansfield

 

Bliss & Other Stories / Katherine Mansfield
read by Juliet Stevenson
Naxos, 2008, c1920

I haven't been a huge audiobook fan in the past, but have started listening to books while doing other things like sewing & crafting. I've found a few great ones, with readers I really enjoy. And Juliet Stevenson is one of those narrators -- she is fantastic and I'll listen to anything she reads. Luckily for me, she read some Katherine Mansfield, an author I really enjoy!

This edition of Bliss includes 6 stories: 

• Bliss
• Mr. Reginald Peacock's Day
• Pictures
• The Little Governess
• Feuille D'album
• The Dill Pickle 

The stories are read very well - Stevenson puts so much character into her reading. And since it's Naxos, there is also music added. Just a bit, to separate out the stories. I think this works nicely in a short story collection. It gives you a good sense of the beginning and ending of a story. And the musical choices seem to fit the feel and era of these stories as well. 

I enjoyed each story - Mansfield has a great eye for pathos and relationships. In so many of the stories, we see characters who are great at self-deception, or at keeping secrets from others. The first two in particular focus in on marriage & changing experiences, with the others looking at unexpected encounters or reunions. These are set in England and across Europe, and evoke a sense of the era (20s) in which they were written - especially the social expectations on women and the difficulties of living fully.  

I would listen to this collection again, it was so good. The stories are not always happy, but not fully tragic either  - except maybe The Little Governess, which I always find devastating. Definitely recommend this listening experience. You can listen to samples of this recording by checking out the listing on Naxos as well, if you want to get a taste.