Skip to content
Opens in a new window
Bleak House (version 4)

Public domain audiobook

Bleak House (version 4)

by Charles Dickens

English· 34:04:35· 68 chapters
Bleak house is one of Dickens finest achievements. It was written for serialisation in 1853 when Dickens was at the peak of his career. Monthly sales substantially exceeded his previous bestseller David Copperfield.

Dickens' mastery of the English language comes to the fore in this book. It is an energetic book: a complex mystery story revolving around the heroine Esther Summerson and her path from childhood to marriage. During the course of Esther’s narration Dickens introduces some wonderful and unforgettable characters, and at the same time provides a searing indictment of the laws’ corruption and self-serving interests which prevailed during that time. He pokes fun at the languid and landed aristocracy and questions the societal indifference to the poor. Detection, black comedy, farce, and tragic ruin run through the story. Critics at the time were unenthusiastic but the public were enthralled by it! - Summary by Peter John Keeble
View on LibriVoxRead the source textReport content

LibriVox recordings are public domain in the United States; copyright status may differ elsewhere.

Chapters

  1. Chapter 1

    Preface

    05:47
  2. Chapter 2

    In Chancery

    16:55
  3. Chapter 3

    In Fashion

    18:09
  4. Chapter 4

    A Progress

    44:33
  5. Chapter 5

    Telescopic Philanthropy

    28:00
  6. Chapter 6

    A Morning Adventure

    32:19
  7. Chapter 7

    Quite at Home

    49:56
  8. Chapter 8

    The Ghost's Walk

    24:59
  9. Chapter 9

    Covering a Multitude of Sins

    46:48
  10. Chapter 10

    Signs and Tokens

    34:25
  11. Chapter 11

    The Law-Writer

    26:22
  12. Chapter 12

    Our Dear Brother

    34:14
  13. Chapter 13

    On the Watch

    34:15
  14. Chapter 14

    Esther's Narrative

    34:29
  15. Chapter 15

    Deportment

    47:51
  16. Chapter 16

    Bell Yard

    33:47
  17. Chapter 17

    Tom-all-Alone's

    21:10
  18. Chapter 18

    Esthers Narrative

    32:02
  19. Chapter 19

    Lady Dedlock

    39:06
  20. Chapter 20

    Moving On

    32:16
  21. Chapter 21

    A New Lodger

    33:31
  22. Chapter 22

    The Smallweed Family

    40:19
  23. Chapter 23

    Mr Bucket

    30:06
  24. Chapter 24

    Esther's Narrative

    42:10
  25. Chapter 25

    An Appeal Case

    40:34
  26. Chapter 26

    Mrs Snagsby Sees It All

    21:46
  27. Chapter 27

    Sharpshooters

    29:40
  28. Chapter 28

    More Old Soldiers Than One

    29:26
  29. Chapter 29

    The Ironmaster

    27:36
  30. Chapter 30

    The Young Man

    22:36
  31. Chapter 31

    Esther's Narrative

    37:16
  32. Chapter 32

    Nurse and Patient

    35:28
  33. Chapter 33

    The Appointed Time

    31:12
  34. Chapter 34

    Interlopers

    34:55
  35. Chapter 35

    A Turn of the Screw

    35:48
  36. Chapter 36

    Esther's Narrative

    35:12
  37. Chapter 37

    Chesney Wold

    37:48
  38. Chapter 38

    Jarndyce and Jarndyce

    43:14
  39. Chapter 39

    A Struggle

    23:56
  40. Chapter 40

    Attorney and Client

    39:58
  41. Chapter 41

    National and Domestic

    28:59
  42. Chapter 42

    In Mr. Tulkinghorn's Room

    20:47
  43. Chapter 43

    In Mr. Tulkinghorn's Chambers

    17:26
  44. Chapter 44

    Esther's Narrative

    36:16
  45. Chapter 45

    The Letter and the Answer

    15:41
  46. Chapter 46

    In Trust

    30:03
  47. Chapter 47

    Stop Him!

    19:31
  48. Chapter 48

    Jo's Will

    32:23
  49. Chapter 49

    Closing In

    38:00
  50. Chapter 50

    Dutiful Friendship

    31:55
  51. Chapter 51

    Esther's Narrative

    22:44
  52. Chapter 52

    Enlightened

    25:57
  53. Chapter 53

    Obstinacy

    24:16
  54. Chapter 54

    The Track

    27:03
  55. Chapter 55

    Springing a Mine

    48:28
  56. Chapter 56

    Flight

    36:41
  57. Chapter 57

    Pursuit

    19:35
  58. Chapter 58

    Esther's Narrative

    40:31
  59. Chapter 59

    A Wintry Day and Night

    33:46
  60. Chapter 60

    Esther's Narrative

    29:56
  61. Chapter 61

    Perspective

    29:21
  62. Chapter 62

    A Discovery

    24:35
  63. Chapter 63

    Another Discovery

    20:17
  64. Chapter 64

    Steel and Iron

    17:47
  65. Chapter 65

    Esther's Narrative

    25:29
  66. Chapter 66

    Beginning the World LXVI.

    16:08
  67. Chapter 67

    Down in Lincolnshire LXVII.

    11:13
  68. Chapter 68

    The Close of Esther's Narrative

    09:53