Barry Lyndon

Written by William Makepeace Thackeray

Narrated by John Cormack

Set in the 18th century, Barry Lyndon is the fictional autobiography of an adventurer and rogue. Born into the petty Irish gentry, and outmanoeuvred in his first love-affair, a ruined Barry volunteers for the British army. After seeing service in Germany, he deserts and, following a brief spell as a spy, pursues the career of a gambler in the dissolute clubs and courts of Europe. In a determined effort to enter fashionable society, he marries a titled heiress only to find himself easily outwitted. This is a masterful work of fiction, reflecting Thackeray's belief that true art can represent a subject, however unpleasant, with accuracy and wit, without moralising.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Isis Publishing Ltd Audio
• Release date: Nov 1, 2002
• ISBN: 9781445061818

William Makepeace Thackeray

William Makepeace Thackeray (1811–1863) was a multitalented writer and illustrator born in British India. He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, where some of his earliest writings appeared in university periodicals. As a young adult he encountered various financial issues including the failure of two newspapers. It wasn’t until his marriage in 1836 that he found direction in both his life and career. Thackeray regularly contributed to Fraser's Magazine, where he debuted a serialized version of one of his most popular novels, The Luck of Barry Lyndon. He spent his decades-long career writing novels, satirical sketches and art criticism.