Butterfield 8 (1935) - John O’Hara

Written by John O’Hara
Read by Gretchen Mol
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 64 Kbps
Unabridged

Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Release date: April 29, 2014
Duration: 08:07:11

Lorin Stein - Author of introduction, etc.

A masterpiece of American fiction and a best seller upon its publication in 1935, Butterfield 8 lays bare with brash honesty the unspoken and often shocking truths that lurked beneath the surface of a society still reeling from the effects of the Great Depression.

One Sunday morning, Gloria wakes up in a stranger’s apartment with nothing but a torn evening dress, stockings, and panties. When she steals a fur coat from the wardrobe to wear home, she unleashes a series of events that can only end in tragedy. Inspired by true events, this novel caused a sensation on its publication for its frank depiction of the relationship between a wild and beautiful young woman and a respectable, married man.

It’s a pleasure to encounter BUTTERFIELD 8 in this new audio version, especially if your most recent memory of it is the image of a young Elizabeth Taylor in high heels and a slip. The 1935 novel is dated but no less entertaining for that, and narrator Gretchen Mol inhabits this time capsule with ease. She deftly distinguishes between male and female voices with just a subtle shift of tone. Making the young women sound distinct, however, is less successful. Mol’s men also sound much alike, and you can’t always hear that one scene has ended and entirely different characters are speaking. Nevertheless, Mol’s pacing and dialogue are effective, and this tale of a beautiful doomed club kid of the Prohibition era is engaging. B.G. © AudioFile 2014,