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A Laodicean by Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy’s *A Laodicean* offers a quiet yet profound meditation on the friction between heritage and modernity, set against the decaying grandeur of…

A Laodicean by Thomas Hardy
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Runtime: 14 hr 19 min · Watch the full audiobook on YouTube · Subscribe to Ion Books

Thomas Hardy’s *A Laodicean* offers a quiet yet profound meditation on the friction between heritage and modernity, set against the decaying grandeur of Stancy Castle. Written during a period when Hardy was deeply engaged with architectural restoration, the novel translates his professional sensibilities into literary form. It explores how we inhabit the past, whether through romantic nostalgia or pragmatic renewal. The title, drawn from the biblical description of lukewarm faith, frames the central emotional conflict: a hesitation that is neither cold indifference nor burning passion, but a troubled middle ground. This narrative invites readers to listen and follow the text as it navigates the subtle tensions of Victorian social ambition. The prose moves with a measured pace, allowing the atmospheric details of the estate and the psychological nuances of the characters to emerge naturally. It is a work that rewards slow attention, particularly when read alongside the recording, where the rhythm of Hardy’s sentences reveals his careful craftsmanship.

Summary generated by AI model Qwen 3

Public domain & narration

A Laodicean was first published in 1881. Works first published before 1931 are in the public domain in the United States, so the text is free to read, share and adapt. The edition shown here comes from Project Gutenberg, which publishes only books that are in the US public domain.

The narration is the LibriVox recording read by Simon Evers. LibriVox volunteers dedicate their recordings to the public domain.

Ion Books adds the synchronized scrolling text and video, so you can read along while you listen, for free.

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A slower-paced, warm-lit version of this audiobook on the IonNocturne channel — designed for bedtime listening, with the same scrolling text on a sleep-friendly palette.

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Chapters

  1. Chapter 1: Preface (1:56) · watch
  2. Book the First, Part 1 (14:05) · watch
  3. Book the First, Part 2 (25:14) · watch
  4. Book the First, Part 3 (12:46) · watch
  5. Book the First, Part 4 (23:09) · watch
  6. Book the First, Part 5 (22:50) · watch
  7. Book the First, Part 6 (14:33) · watch
  8. Book the First, Part 7 (15:06) · watch
  9. Book the First, Part 8 (17:55) · watch
  10. Book the First, Part 9 (14:10) · watch
  11. Book the First, Part 10 (10:03) · watch
  12. Book the First, Part 11 (15:57) · watch
  13. Book the First, Part 12 (16:08) · watch
  14. Book the First, Part 13 (12:43) · watch
  15. Book the First, Part 14 (12:28) · watch
  16. Book the First, Part 15 (20:10) · watch
  17. Book the Second, Part 1 (16:50) · watch
  18. Book the Second, Part 2 (18:15) · watch
  19. Book the Second, Part 3 (10:45) · watch
  20. Book the Second, Part 4 (17:33) · watch
  21. Book the Second, Part 5 (19:37) · watch
  22. Book the Second, Part 6 (9:55) · watch
  23. Book the Second, Part 7 (8:30) · watch
  24. Book the Third, Part 1 (16:45) · watch
  25. Book the Third, Part 2 (19:06) · watch
  26. Book the Third, Part 3 (18:03) · watch
  27. Book the Third, Part 4 (17:00) · watch
  28. Book the Third, Part 5 (14:40) · watch
  29. Book the Third, Part 6 (18:04) · watch
  30. Book the Third, Part 7 (7:35) · watch
  31. Book the Third, Part 8 (11:49) · watch
  32. Book the Third, Part 9 (12:59) · watch
  33. Book the Third, Part 10 (16:08) · watch
  34. Book the Third, Part 11 (20:37) · watch
  35. Book the Fourth, Part 1 (15:55) · watch
  36. Book the Fourth, Part 2 (9:41) · watch
  37. Book the Fourth, Part 3 (13:18) · watch
  38. Book the Fourth, Part 4 (13:14) · watch
  39. Book the Fourth, Part 5 (10:06) · watch
  40. Book the Fifth, Part 1 (14:04) · watch
  41. Book the Fifth, Part 2 (12:48) · watch
  42. Book the Fifth, Part 3 (12:35)
  43. Book the Fifth, Part 4 (12:26)
  44. Book the Fifth, Part 5 (13:20)
  45. Book the Fifth, Part 6 (9:30)
  46. Book the Fifth, Part 7 (13:50)
  47. Book the Fifth, Part 8 (10:14)
  48. Book the Fifth, Part 9 (13:13)
  49. Book the Fifth, Part 10 (23:15)
  50. Book the Fifth, Part 11 (23:03)
  51. Book the Fifth, Part 12 (12:47)
  52. Book the Fifth, Part 13 (10:12)
  53. Book the Fifth, Part 14 (11:39)
  54. Book the Sixth, Part 1 (15:39)
  55. Book the Sixth, Part 2 (16:59)
  56. Book the Sixth, Part 3 (20:11)
  57. Book the Sixth, Part 4 (12:23)
  58. Book the Sixth, Part 5 (15:39)

Full text

This work is too long to show on one page. Read it on Project Gutenberg · download ebook.txt

Sources

Raw pipeline data (admin)