The Ring and the Book, by Robert Browning, presented by Voices of Today.

The Ring and the Book is a verse novel of sex, lies, and murder, authored by Robert Browning, and it is widely considered to be one of the greatest literary works of the 19th century. It’s a “true crime” story based on the proceedings of a Roman murder trial held in 1698.

Each of the 12 books consists of a dramatic monologue in the voice of a different character involved in the tale, a wide range of personalities including: Pompilia, a beautiful young bride, unhappy in her marriage; the cruel Count Franceschini, her older husband; Caponsacchi, a handsome young priest who helps her escape from her husband’s tyranny; two lawyers; and the pope, who renders ultimate judgment.

“It is the great epic of the age, because it is the expression of the belief, it might almost be said, of the discovery, that no man ever lived upon this earth without possessing a point of view.” (G. K. Chesterton)

Contents:

1. "The Ring and the Book" - Narrated by John Burlinson
2. "Half-Rome" - Narrated by Bob Neufeld
3. "The Other Half-Rome" - Narrated by Sara Morsey
4. "Tertium Quid" - Narrated by David Stifel
5. "Count Guido Franceschini" - Narrated by Peter Tucker
6. "Giuseppe Caponsacchi" - Narrated by Tomas Peter
7. "Pompilia" - Narrated by Erin Louttit
8. "Dominus Hyacinthus de Archangelis" - Narrated by Alan Weyman
9. "Juris Doctor Johannes-Baptista Bottinius" - Narrated by Denis Daly
10. "The Pope" - Narrated by Tovarisch
11. "Guido" - Narrated by Peter Tucker
12. "The Book and the Ring" - Narrated by John Burlinson