Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(3.3 stars; 42 reviews)

"Now first published in order to cultivate the Principles of Virtue and Religion in the Minds of the Youth of Both Sexes.
A Narrative which has its Foundation in Truth and Nature; and at the same time that it agreeably entertains, by a Variety of curious and affecting Incidents, is intirely divested of all those Images, which, in too many Pieces calculated for Amusement only, tend to inflame the Minds they should instruct."(From the frontispiece of the first edition)
Pamela tells the story of a 14 year old lady's maid named Pamela whose master, Mr. B., makes unwanted advances towards her. She rejects him continually. In Pamela's letters to her "poor but exemplary parents" the story unfolds and we learn her fate. (summary by Annise)
(22 hr 10 min)

Chapters

01 36:48 Read by Ann Boyer
02 42:35 Read by Ann Boyer
03 36:33 Read by TriciaG
04 32:57 Read by John Nixon
05 40:42 Read by TriciaG
06 38:05 Read by TriciaG
07 38:07 Read by TriciaG
08 28:16 Read by TriciaG
09 35:10 Read by TriciaG
10 37:48 Read by TriciaG
11 37:44 Read by Melanie Schleeter McCalmont
12 40:38 Read by Grant Hurlock
13 35:43 Read by Grant Hurlock
14 32:19 Read by Grant Hurlock
15 55:33 Read by Annise
16 37:40 Read by hpark
17 25:34 Read by hpark
18 25:33 Read by hpark
19 35:06 Read by hpark
20 28:27 Read by hpark
21 28:42 Read by Annise
22 39:04 Read by Grant Hurlock
23 43:01 Read by Celena Arter
24 35:28 Read by Celena Arter
25 53:22 Read by Celena Arter
26 44:56 Read by Annise
26a 54:18 Read by TriciaG
26b 34:24 Read by TriciaG
26c 49:33 Read by TriciaG
26d 38:54 Read by TriciaG
27 19:45 Read by Grant Hurlock
28 20:47 Read by Magdalena
29 19:28 Read by Lucy Burgoyne (1950 - 2014)
30 20:13 Read by valli
31 31:18 Read by Annise
32 37:55 Read by TriciaG
33 38:08 Read by Annise

Reviews

Response to "Suffering"


(5 stars)

It IS an agonizing work to to read. That's why listening to this recording is so much better. I can bake bread, tidy up the house, or sit in traffic--all while listening to Pamela's adolescent patter. I feel the reader does a fine job of capturing Pamela's personality. And I'm still amazed at Richardson's ability to channel a sweet, bright young girl's thoughts. While the very notion that Pamela, or anyone, ought to be writing pious letters to her parents on her wedding night is laughable--I hope for her sake Mr. B has drunk himself into unconsciousness--I believe this novel provides some wonderful insights into British eighteenth-century popular culture.

Good story, insufferable reading!


(0 stars)

I know I'm looking a gift horse in the mouth, but had I known there were other versions of this audio book I might have switched. Only one of the readers was truly talented or delightful to listen to (John Nixon), others were inaudible for thick accents, one breathless and lilting, another droning and clipped, and one quite good but their pronunciation of pretty basic words like "portmanteau" and "halcyon" could have used an edit. Another broke into English accent at times but not others and was wholly American in her own (cringe-worthy "acting" to be sure). At times it was torturous enough to make me find the place in the novel and read for myself. And this is how I finished the novel. This said, I do love the freedom Libravox affords. I generally use it when my eyes tire of reading or am so enthralled by a story but I need to get things accomplished in life. I realize it's all volunteer, it's not perfect, but there were no less than 10 different readers on this one and only a few were not aggravating. Pick another version, I'd say.

the first half of the book was great but the second half was not


(2 stars)

the first half of the book was good and fast paced and easy to get through but the second half was unbearable. it was slow and dry and repetitive and was just very difficult to get through, but I did and I'm glad I did. it really didn't need to be that long though.

I Couldn't Finish It


(1 stars)

Thank you to the good readers but I couldn't couldn't bear being dragged to the inevitable conclusion, and couldn't stand hearing Pamela refer to herself in the third person, having her drop to her knees, or being reminded that she comes from poor but honest family one more time. Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. A sick twisting of that good verse

A Gaslighter and Narcisist


(4 stars)

Very interesting story! For the first half of the novel, I viewed Mr. B as a scoundrel and vilian. It's truly incredible that I was able to stomach this character by the end of the book; however, I simply find it unbelieveable that a relationship which started as this did could result in a happy marriage. I'm just not convinced!

getting me through my master's


(4 stars)

As others have already noted, this text is hard to get through. Which is why I'm so grateful that, as my Brit Lit class is requiring it, I was able to read along to the recording rather than trudge through on my own. I only wish the quality of recording was more uniform throughout


(4 stars)

first, thank you to all the volunteers! I truly appreciate all of you!!! As far as the story goes I enjoyed it


(3 stars)

The introduction should’ve been a separate audio track, so the listener can listen to chapter one immediately