The Old Maid  By  cover art

The Old Maid

By: Edith Wharton
Narrated by: Eleanor Bron

Publisher's summary

The story follows the life of Tina, a young woman caught between the mother who adopted her - the beautiful, upstanding Delia - and her true mother, her plain, unmarried ‘aunt’ Charlotte, who gave Tina up to provide her with a socially acceptable life.

The three women live quietly together until Tina’s wedding day, when Delia’s and Charlotte’s hidden jealousies rush to the surface. Originally serialized in The Red Book magazine in 1922, The Old Maid is an examination of class and society as only Edith Wharton could undertake.

©2010 BBC Audiobooks Ltd (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about The Old Maid

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  • Overall
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Wonderful Story-Riveting!

Edith Wharton never disappoints! I really enjoyed this story. Ms. Wharton‘s writing style is amazing! It is so deliciously descriptive! And the subject matter was something I would never have thought of in a million years—but was so very appropriate for the time in which the story was set. I loved everything about it, especially the fact that it was a short story. I highly recommend this!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Touching story, well read

Edith Wharton doesn't disappoint. This story is not long, but it is packed with insight, and beautifully written. Eleanor Bron does a fine job of interpreting the text.

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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A Superb Tale

I thoughly enjoyed this wonderful story read with such care by Eleanor Bron. Fans of Edith Wharton should enjoy this immensely.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

No Old Maid: Wharton Remains Young &Timeless

This is just the outline of a story, lacking depth for all but the two main characters, yet it is rich in striking turns of phrase and psycholgical and emotional complexity.

Interestingly it seem very personal to Wharton as her sympathies seem clear and less at arms length.

If I had to some up the story, "no good deed goes unpunished."

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3 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Solid Novella/Short Story

This was a very good short story/novella. As an adoptee whose biological mother was also a family member, I can relate to much of the story line, even though it was set in a historical time period. Some things never change, such as the speculation of parentage and conflicted feelings. This was my first Edith Wharton story and I would definitely read me. The characters were interesting and the story moved along at a good pace.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Dated and Sad

This story is sad. Set in high society NYC when women were exiled for getting pregnant out of wedlock.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A moving classic

A brilliant performance of a deeply moving story about two women and their long, emotionally fraught relationship.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Simple and Sweet

What a wonderful novella. I loved how developed the characters seemed, even in such a short piece.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Powerful

A beautiful, heartbreaking and powerful story. Beautifully written and beautifully read, it moved me to tears.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Love Edith Wharton

I love her writing style so much. And all the details make for a great read.

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