The Return of the Native (version 2 dramatic reading)
Thomas Hardy
Read by LibriVox Volunteers





Clym Yeobright returns home to Egdon Heath, a scattered collection of houses on the isolated Wessex moors, and is caught up in a "love pentagon" which includes: his cousin, Thomasin Yeobright; the shadowy inn-keeper, Damon Wildeve; the controversial and romantic Eustacia Vye; and the mysterious reddleman, Diggory Venn, whose skin is stained completely red from his work. This work has all the well-known marks of Thomas Hardy: the Wessex landscape, a choice of lovers, a wedding gone wrong, a particularly shy 30-something man, and a woman with an independent spirit. But, The Return of the Native is unique in its pagan undertones - the first five books take place over a year and a day, starting on All Hallow's Eve, and hints of magic and witchcraft. (Summary by Libby Gohn)
Characters:
Narrator: Bob Neufeld 
Clym Yeobright: Tadhg 
Eustacia Vye: Amanda Friday 
Damon Wildeve: Chris Cartwright 
Thomasin Yeobright: Rapunzelina 
Diggory Venn: Chuck Williamson 
Mrs. Yeobright: Michele Eaton 
Grandfer Cantle and "Saint George": alanmapstone 
Timothy Fairway: tovarisch 
Humphrey, Bonfire Boy, Party Guest, Raffle Woman, Inn Girl and Rachel: Elizabeth Klett 
Olly Dowden and Charley: Charlotte Duckett 
Susan Nunsuch: Beth Thomas 
Christian Cantle: TriciaG 
Sam: ToddHW 
Captain Vye,"Doctor", Driver, and Pedlar: Patti Cunningham 
Johnny Nunsuch: CaprishaPage 
Vye Servant and"Saracen": Libby Gohn 
"Father Christmas": David Olson 
"Valiant Soldier": Kristingj 
Chapman and Surgeon: Karen Savage 
Nurse: Availle  (15 hr 2 min)
Chapters
| Dramatis Personae and Preface | 3:53 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 1, chapter 1 | 10:38 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 1, chapter 2 | 14:32 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 1, chapter 3 | 49:00 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 1, chapter 4 | 11:54 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 1, chapter 5 | 29:07 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 1, chapter 6 | 32:08 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 1, chapter 7 | 16:35 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 1, chapter 8 | 12:07 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 1, chapter 9 | 23:14 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 1, chapter 10 | 22:05 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 1, chapter 11 | 19:15 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 2, chapter 1 | 10:54 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 2, chapter 2 | 9:45 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 2, chapter 3 | 10:38 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 2, chapter 4 | 21:04 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 2, chapter 5 | 15:24 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 2, chapter 6 | 25:01 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 2, chapter 7 | 20:22 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 2, chapter 8 | 21:31 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 3, chapter 1 | 11:11 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 3, chapter 2 | 18:23 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 3, chapter 3 | 29:06 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 3, chapter 4 | 16:56 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 3, chapter 5 | 14:43 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 3, chapter 6 | 15:55 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 3, chapter 7 | 30:32 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 3, chapter 8 | 17:44 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 4, chapter 1 | 14:46 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 4, chapter 2 | 21:48 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 4, chapter 3 | 27:24 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 4, chapter 4 | 16:18 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 4, chapter 5 | 10:37 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 4, chapter 6 | 22:29 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 4, chapter 7 | 16:39 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 4, chapter 8 | 17:34 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 5, chapter 1 | 16:52 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 5, chapter 2 | 20:06 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 5, chapter 3 | 16:50 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 5, chapter 4 | 10:55 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 5, chapter 5 | 14:34 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 5, chapter 6 | 14:22 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 5, chapter 7 | 19:29 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 5, chapter 8 | 22:13 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 5, chapter 9 | 24:17 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 6, chapter 1 | 20:27 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 6, chapter 2 | 7:29 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 6, chapter 3 | 11:07 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
| Book 6, chapter 4 | 22:41 | Read by LibriVox Volunteers | 
Reviews
hard to get into BUT worth it





jaded_grl
the readers did a good job with all their parts. yes, the man who reads for Venn's character makes him sound dark mysterious and like the bad guy. but i think at first it should come off like that. i mean the guy is stained red in a superstitious country and many think he is some sort of dark character unless they knew him before he took up the work that made him red. the story is genious! a lot of stories with this many characters i get lost, but i followed this book well. it starts off a little slow with heath descriptions and such, but once you get the bon fires lit it moves very good and always something to keep your attention. its a wonderful tale of love on venn's part and a case of the grass is always greener with Vye's. a classic that is not to sappy, so men and women alike may enjoy it.
Depressing tale, beautifully written and mostly well read.





A LibriVox Listener
A gorgeously sad novel depicting a bygone country life. Most of the voice actors are terrific, especially the narrator, whose deep tones lend the appropriate gravitas. But my god the reader for Diggory Venn is an atrocious overactor. Even the most mundane casual dialogue is delivered in breathy, halting gasps, making the good guy in the novel seem both creepy and annoying. My husband, who was half listening, thought he was supposed to be the bad guy based on the aggressive overacting. His parts are almost unlistenable. Still a good book, and the price (free) is right.





Scott
Excellent reading all; fantastic. If anybody is wondering which version of return of the native to download, make it this one.





ethel
Some of the readers were better than others but overall pretty good.