Master of the Vineyard
Myrtle Reed
Read by Celine Major
"Why don't you sell the vineyard?" she asked, though her heart sank at the mere suggestion.
"Sell it? Why didn't the Ancient Mariner sell his albatross and take a nice little trip around the world on the proceeds? Mother would die of a broken heart if I mentioned it to her. The Marsh family have been the slaves of that vineyard since the first mistaken ancestor went into the grape business. We've fertilised it, pruned it, protected it, tied it up, sat up nights with it, fanned the insects away from it, hired people to pick the fruit and pack it, fed the people, entertained them, sent presents to their wives and children—we've done everything! And what have we had for it? Only a very moderate living, all the grapes we could eat, and a few bottles of musty old wine.
"Mother, of course, has very little to do with it, and, to her, it has come to represent some sort of entailed possession that becomes more sacred every year. It's a family heirloom, like a title, or some very old and valuable piece of jewelry. Other people have family plate and family traditions, but we've got a vineyard, or, to speak more truthfully, it has us." (8 hr 9 min)
Chapters
The Hill of the Muses | 16:42 | Read by Celine Major |
Brown Alpaca | 19:45 | Read by Celine Major |
The Crystal Ball | 21:26 | Read by Celine Major |
April's Sun | 20:31 | Read by Celine Major |
The House of the Broken Heart | 19:44 | Read by Celine Major |
More Stately Mansions | 18:47 | Read by Celine Major |
A Letter and a Guest | 19:45 | Read by Celine Major |
'Whom God Hath Joined' | 22:08 | Read by Celine Major |
A Spring Day | 19:10 | Read by Celine Major |
A Little Brown Mouse | 21:28 | Read by Celine Major |
The Hour of the Turning Night | 21:58 | Read by Celine Major |
Asking - Not Answer | 20:05 | Read by Celine Major |
The Stain of the Rose | 18:53 | Read by Celine Major |
The Light Before a Shrine | 19:39 | Read by Celine Major |
The Inlaid Box | 19:57 | Read by Celine Major |
One Little Hour | 20:10 | Read by Celine Major |
The Last Tryst | 19:21 | Read by Celine Major |
Starbreak | 18:04 | Read by Celine Major |
If Love Were All | 19:22 | Read by Celine Major |
'The Lady Traveller' | 19:34 | Read by Celine Major |
The Weaving of the Tapestry | 17:27 | Read by Celine Major |
Each to His Own Work | 19:13 | Read by Celine Major |
Betrothal | 19:04 | Read by Celine Major |
The Minister's Call | 19:17 | Read by Celine Major |
A Wedding | 17:43 | Read by Celine Major |
Reviews
infidelity is sweet??
Dahlia
The narrator is great, she's a 5 star for sure. My rating is for the actual story. ***spoiler*** An affair between a married woman and a man engaged to another woman is not my idea of sweet or romantic like this book tried to portray it. Even though they eventually "do what's right" doesn't erase the disgusting things they did. And happy ending?? Nah, what woman wants to be settled for because a man couldn't have the woman he really wanted? I wasted my time listening to this book and wanted to warn others who may not enjoy infidelity being praised. Gross...
Enjoyable
Wendy Mathieu
I enjoyed this book. Rosemary's aunt and grandmother's conversations gave me a chuckle a few times. Some of it was predictable but I wasn't sure how it was all going to end. It was the first time listening to this reader and once I adjusted to her style, found her very easy to listen to.
surprisingly interesting
Jennifer Ortman
engaging reader, solid ending, a bit preachy/philosophical, but the context is well developed.
great reading. reader made this book especially enjoyable, thank
A LibriVox Listener
master of the vineyard
A LibriVox Listener
good reader