The Rise of Silas Lapham Audiobook

" A good start to my American Realism and Naturalism class. "

" Studied this at University. Found it a bit plodding, to be honest. "

" I am so completely in love with this book that I can't believe that I made it this far in my life having never read it. My students are enjoying it as well, which tickles me to pieces here. I want to just immerse myself in Howells now. "

" I was forced to read this as an undergrad. I'm glad she made me---Howells is a rare critic who could actually produce good fiction. Not great. Good. "

" I never finished this - it was for a class - I found it insufferable at the time. Maybe I was wrong, though I'll probably never find out. "

" This novel deals with the rise of the newly rich and socislly aspiring families in the years following the Civil War in the time of rapid growth of industry and business "

" Forced to read it as an undergraduate. Hated it. "

" I loved it. I love the writing, the way it represents the classes during this time period, I love the characters. I can see why Howells was popular, and he should be more so today. "

" Read for American Novel class spring 2012. I had never heard of this book before doing my book shopping for the class, but it was a pleasant surprise of a novel. "

" I respect Howells, and I respect his project of realism. I greatly enjoy the work of those he influenced. But this gets to be a fairly dull story. "

" I just love going back to another period in history. "

" I've never found as well-matched a fictional kindred spirit as Penelope Lapham. Subtle humor is everywhere in this novel, which displays layers of perception and points of view without ever really saying who is "right" and "wrong." I loved it because it was a study of the everday mundane, and it was writing that knew it was writing. "

" I loved this book. It's about a man who makes his money in the paint buisness somewhere between 1880-19-something. He makes all this money and starts building this beautiful house to compete with the other rich folks, but in the end he goes bankrupt. "

" The realism was very refreshing, and the characters engaging. Nice pearls of wisdom here and there as well. "

" This book was all right. I had difficulty in the beginning of the novel but it got better throughout. "

" I have no desire to write anything nice or enlightened about this text. It was stupid and frustrating. "

" The realism was very refreshing, and the characters engaging. Nice pearls of wisdom here and there as well. "

" I read this because I had to. Forcing kids to read books like this makes them dislike reading. "

" I loved this book. It's about a man who makes his money in the paint buisness somewhere between 1880-19-something. He makes all this money and starts building this beautiful house to compete with the other rich folks, but in the end he goes bankrupt. "

" Read for American Novel class spring 2012. I had never heard of this book before doing my book shopping for the class, but it was a pleasant surprise of a novel. "

" not very engaging and rather dry book. Story premise interesting but narrative kills it. Would not recommend. "

" Predictable at times, but overall an enjoyable read. I liked how many times they insisted the new house would be on the water side of Beacon Street. "

" It was quite readable(not always true of older works), and it has what has become a favorite quotation of mine, that jumped off the page at me, about our manners and customs probably counting for more than they should. "It was written in...1895?? How remarkably forward-thinking Howells was!" "

" Howell's authority on realism is "truly" realized in what ironically becomes Laphaps fall into the class he best suited. A look at conservative complacency at its finest. A recommended read. "

" I read this because I had to. Forcing kids to read books like this makes them dislike reading. "

" An understated novel of morals, manners, money and fin de siecle Boston. My students will hate me for it, but I found it a great character study. "

" A minor classic about a New England businessman who overreaches and pays the price. Very enjoyable, but not on a par with James or Flaubert, whose realist style was clearly a major influence. "

" Poking fun at the self-made man...who actually turns out to be the most moral character in the book. "

" Studied this at University. Found it a bit plodding, to be honest. "

" Howell's authority on realism is "truly" realized in what ironically becomes Laphaps fall into the class he best suited. A look at conservative complacency at its finest. A recommended read. "

" This book may have been very relevant around the turn of the century because of its portrait of self-made versus inherited status in Boston. But now it's just a bit boring. There was a melodrama about a man but it fizzled into nothing. "

" I listened to this classic. I liked it very much: it verifys what we mean by literature. The ending wrapup was a little too quick. "

" It was quite readable(not always true of older works), and it has what has become a favorite quotation of mine, that jumped off the page at me, about our manners and customs probably counting for more than they should. "It was written in...1895?? How remarkably forward-thinking Howells was!" "

" I am so completely in love with this book that I can't believe that I made it this far in my life having never read it. My students are enjoying it as well, which tickles me to pieces here. I want to just immerse myself in Howells now. "

" A minor classic about a New England businessman who overreaches and pays the price. Very enjoyable, but not on a par with James or Flaubert, whose realist style was clearly a major influence. "

" This my friends was a delightful read. Howells American Hero?? The executor of the true American dream? TOM COREY! "

" I never finished this - it was for a class - I found it insufferable at the time. Maybe I was wrong, though I'll probably never find out. "

" A great story that really shows the characteristics of the Realistic Era in American. Post-Civil War, it is incredible the plugs Howells gives for realism right in the text. The story was fun, the characters were even better! "

" The end was rather lack luster.....grrrr old books.. "

" The romance was weak, but the story of Silas's business dealings in the latter half was quite good. William Dean Howells should let loose more; the few times he does are quite good. "

" I thought it wes really good. I didn't see the end coming. "

" 3 1/2 starsI am thankful that my American Lit survey showed me that there ARE some decent American novels written before 1900... I just generally have no patience for American Lit and tend to be an British snob. I'm a terrible American. :P "

" I read this because I had to. Forcing kids to read books like this makes them dislike reading. "

" Howell's authority on realism is "truly" realized in what ironically becomes Laphaps fall into the class he best suited. A look at conservative complacency at its finest. A recommended read. "

" The realism was very refreshing, and the characters engaging. Nice pearls of wisdom here and there as well. "

" A minor classic about a New England businessman who overreaches and pays the price. Very enjoyable, but not on a par with James or Flaubert, whose realist style was clearly a major influence. "

" A great story that really shows the characteristics of the Realistic Era in American. Post-Civil War, it is incredible the plugs Howells gives for realism right in the text. The story was fun, the characters were even better! "

" This novel deals with the rise of the newly rich and socislly aspiring families in the years following the Civil War in the time of rapid growth of industry and business "