Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • A Handful of Dust

  • By: Evelyn Waugh
  • Narrated by: Andrew Sachs
  • Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (157 ratings)

$0.00 for first 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
A Handful of Dust cover art

A Handful of Dust

By: Evelyn Waugh
Narrated by: Andrew Sachs
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
activate_primeday_promo_in_buybox_DT

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Evelyn Waugh BBC Radio Drama Collection cover art
The Friendly Air cover art
My Life and Times cover art
Conquests cover art
The Three Clerks cover art
The Light Years cover art
Staying On cover art
An American Marriage (Oprah’s Book Club) cover art
The Moon And Sixpence cover art
Cakes and Ale cover art
High Rising cover art
Mrs. Tim of the Regiment cover art
Anna Karenina cover art
The Complete Short Stories cover art
The Proposal cover art
Empire Falls cover art

Summary

After seven years of marriage, the beautiful Lady Brenda Last has grown bored with life at Hetton Abbey, the Gothic mansion that is the pride and joy of her husband, Tony. She drifts into an affair with the shallow socialite John Beaver and forsakes Tony for the Belgravia set.

In a novel that combines tragedy, comedy, and savage irony, Evelyn Waugh indelibly captures the irresponsible mood of the "crazy and sterile generation" between the wars.

©1934 Evelyn Waugh (P)2015 Hachette Audio

What listeners say about A Handful of Dust

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    97
  • 4 Stars
    39
  • 3 Stars
    17
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    116
  • 4 Stars
    21
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    83
  • 4 Stars
    32
  • 3 Stars
    23
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Superb

Waugh's lacerating tragi-comedy of 30's society and a genteel marriage falling apart is brilliantly read by Andrew Sachs.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A good listen

My first experience of the author and a pleasant surprise. Despite being filled with despicable characters or another time and social class there was enough to make it a page turner, if only in the hope that they would reap their deserts. Certainly well construct and written to make the story and characters believable. I found the first half of the book much better than the second and until halfway considered this a very rare 5 star listen. I felt that the second half lost its way and really didn't flow from the first part, with a very dissatisfying conclusion.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A disturbing tead about unlikeable people

Rather disturbing and tragic .almost gave up half way before pace quickened after first tragedy.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A Great Narration

A typical witty and well crafted Waugh yarn. Some language of its time
Narrator makes the characters come alive

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

wonderfully cruel

This is a wonderfully cruel satire excellently read. Comic and tragic. probably Waugh's best book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A brilliant narration of a gripping book.

Andrew Sachs did a great job reading this English classic. Beautifully written sparse prose that said so much.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic narrator

This isn’t a book I would normally read but I did enjoy it. The narrator does an amazing job of telling the story and realising the characters, each with their own accent, speech pattern, and tone of voice. Really enjoyed it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

first class

brilliant narration of a great tale. I absolutely loved it. one of Evelyn Waugh's best.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Handful of Dust

Brilliantly read by Andrew Sachs, he reads so clearly and with feeling. Interesting story with a twist at the end

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Story By the hand of a Master

Superbly told a joyful encounter !
Each character came to alive and will stay with me !
A Great Pleasure !

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!