Bleak House
Bleak Houseis a satirical look at the Byzantine legal  system in London as it consumes the minds and talents of the greedy and  nearly destroys the lives of innocents--a contemporary tale indeed.  Dickens's tale takes us from the foggy dank streets of London and the  maze of the Inns of Court to the peaceful countryside of England.  Likewise, the characters run from murderous villains to virtuous girls,  from a devoted lover to a "fallen woman," all of whom are  affected by a legal suit in which there will, of course, be no winner.  The first-person narrative related by the orphan Esther is particularly  sweet. The articulate reading by the acclaimed British actor Paul  Scofield, whose distinctive broad English accent lends just the right  degree of sonority and humor to the text, brings out the color in this  classic social commentary disguised as a Victorian drama. However, to  abridge Dickens is, well, a Dickensian task, the results of which make  for a story in which the author's convoluted plot lines and twists of fate play out in what seems to be a fast-forward format. Listeners  must pay close attention in order to keep up with the multiple  narratives and cast of curious characters, including the memorable  Inspector Bucket and Mr. Guppy. Fortunately, the publisher provides a  partial list of characters on the inside jacket.  (Running time: 3  hours; 2 cassettes)--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.