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survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74222310</guid><pubDate>Sun, 30 Aug 2026 09:00:46 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74222310/bible_asv_nt_05_acts_american_standard_version.mp3" length="75003280" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>9366</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Friendly Road, New Adventures in Contentment-Ray Stannard Baker</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/friendly-road-new-adventures-in-contentment-ray-stannard-baker--74196690</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74196690</guid><pubDate>Sat, 29 Aug 2026 09:00:49 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74196690/friendly_road_new_adventures_in_contentment_ray_stannard_baker.mp3" length="208054415" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>25980</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Characters Of Theophrastus-Theophrastus</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/characters-of-theophrastus-theophrastus--74167746</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74167746</guid><pubDate>Fri, 28 Aug 2026 09:00:47 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74167746/characters_of_theophrastus_theophrastus.mp3" length="43678350" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>5454</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Tale of a Tub-Jonathan Swift</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/tale-of-a-tub-jonathan-swift--74138856</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74138856</guid><pubDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2026 09:00:53 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74138856/tale_of_a_tub_jonathan_swift.mp3" length="128152840" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>16003</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Tom Playfair; or Making a Start-Francis J. Finn, S.J</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/tom-playfair-or-making-a-start-francis-j-finn-s-j--74086368</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74086368</guid><pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 09:01:05 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74086368/tom_playfair_or_making_a_start_francis_j_finn_s_j.mp3" length="182377241" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>22775</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town-Stephen Leacock</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/sunshine-sketches-of-a-little-town-stephen-leacock--74061969</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74061969</guid><pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:00:40 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74061969/sunshine_sketches_of_a_little_town_stephen_leacock.mp3" length="172850378" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>21585</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Hildebrand and his Times-William Richard Ward Stephens</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/hildebrand-and-his-times-william-richard-ward-stephens--74037516</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74037516</guid><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:02:02 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74037516/hildebrand_and_his_times_william_richard_ward_stephens.mp3" length="202388259" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>25273</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Borough-George Crabbe</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/borough-george-crabbe--74015569</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74015569</guid><pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 09:01:57 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74015569/borough_george_crabbe.mp3" length="247388211" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>30893</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Reconciliation of Races and Religions-Thomas Kelly Cheyne</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/reconciliation-of-races-and-religions-thomas-kelly-cheyne--73990722</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73990722</guid><pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:01:26 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73990722/reconciliation_of_races_and_religions_thomas_kelly_cheyne.mp3" length="206786794" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>25822</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Convivio-Dante Alighieri</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/convivio-dante-alighieri--73967588</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73967588</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:01:32 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73967588/convivio_dante_alighieri.mp3" length="266936512" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>33333</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Bobbsey Twins in the Country-Laura Lee Hope</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/bobbsey-twins-in-the-country-laura-lee-hope--73945069</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73945069</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:01:33 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73945069/bobbsey_twins_in_the_country_laura_lee_hope.mp3" length="125210873" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>15636</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Shelley Selected Poems and Prose-Percy Bysshe Shelley</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/shelley-selected-poems-and-prose-percy-bysshe-shelley--73920225</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73920225</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:01:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73920225/shelley_selected_poems_and_prose_percy_bysshe_shelley.mp3" length="201931411" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>25216</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Joseph Conrad-Hugh Walpole</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/joseph-conrad-hugh-walpole--73895538</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73895538</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:01:34 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73895538/joseph_conrad_hugh_walpole.mp3" length="66060154" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>8249</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>In the Garden of Delight-Lily Hammond</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/in-the-garden-of-delight-lily-hammond--73871469</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73871469</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 09:01:41 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73871469/in_the_garden_of_delight_lily_hammond.mp3" length="175845959" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>21959</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji)-Murasaki Shikibu</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/genji-monogatari-the-tale-of-genji-murasaki-shikibu--73851466</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73851466</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:01:32 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73851466/genji_monogatari_the_tale_of_genji_murasaki_shikibu.mp3" length="255865488" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>31951</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Agamemnon (Morshead Translation)-Aeschylus</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/agamemnon-morshead-translation-aeschylus--73834717</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73834717</guid><pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:02:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73834717/10437_agamemnon_morshead_translation_aeschylus.mp3" length="70910056" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>8855</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Amoretti A sonnet sequence-Edmund Spenser</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/amoretti-a-sonnet-sequence-edmund-spenser--73797857</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73797857</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 04:36:35 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73797857/amoretti_a_sonnet_sequence_edmund_spenser.mp3" length="53763461" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>6713</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Plea for Ragged Schools; or, Prevention Better than Cure-Thomas Guthrie</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/plea-for-ragged-schools-or-prevention-better-than-cure-thomas-guthrie--73342414</link><description><![CDATA["Plea for Ragged Schools; or, Prevention Better than Cure" by Thomas Guthrie is a compelling advocacy for the establishment of ragged schools, which aimed to provide education for impoverished children. Guthrie emphasizes the importance of prevention over cure, highlighting the transformative power of education in breaking the cycle of poverty. This message remains relevant today as society grapples with issues of inequality and access to quality education. Guthrie's passionate plea resonates with contemporary audiences, reminding us that investing in the education of the less fortunate is not just a moral obligation but a crucial step toward a better future for all.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73342414</guid><pubDate>Sun, 02 Aug 2026 16:47:10 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73342414/plea_for_ragged_schools_or_prevention_better_than_cure_thomas_guthrie.mp3" length="49347047" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Plea for Ragged Schools; or, Prevention Better than Cure" by Thomas Guthrie is a compelling advocacy for the establishment of ragged schools, which aimed to provide education for impoverished children. Guthrie emphasizes the importance of prevention...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Plea for Ragged Schools; or, Prevention Better than Cure" by Thomas Guthrie is a compelling advocacy for the establishment of ragged schools, which aimed to provide education for impoverished children. Guthrie emphasizes the importance of prevention over cure, highlighting the transformative power of education in breaking the cycle of poverty. This message remains relevant today as society grapples with issues of inequality and access to quality education. Guthrie's passionate plea resonates with contemporary audiences, reminding us that investing in the education of the less fortunate is not just a moral obligation but a crucial step toward a better future for all.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>6162</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Clayhanger - Arnold Bennett - Part 3</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/clayhanger-arnold-bennett-part-3--72388132</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72388132</guid><pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 09:00:20 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72388132/clayhanger_arnold_bennett_part_3.mp3" length="41007898" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>5126</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>amalgamated,bennett,clayhanger,edwin,literary,potteries,seasound11,stoke,thinly,towns</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Clayhanger - Arnold Bennett - Part 2</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/clayhanger-arnold-bennett-part-2--72388131</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72388131</guid><pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 09:00:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72388131/clayhanger_arnold_bennett_part_2.mp3" length="283101337" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>35388</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>amalgamated,bennett,clayhanger,edwin,literary,potteries,seasound11,stoke,thinly,towns</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Clayhanger - Arnold Bennett - Part 1</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/clayhanger-arnold-bennett-part-1--72388126</link><description><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72388126</guid><pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2026 14:52:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72388126/clayhanger_arnold_bennett_part_1.mp3" length="282411077" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Arnold Bennett</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[This first of a trilogy of novels is a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent.In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of.(Introduction by Wikipedia, summarised by seasound11)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>35302</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>amalgamated,bennett,clayhanger,edwin,literary,potteries,seasound11,stoke,thinly,towns</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/b91fd8f80d9717a2d1bd97961f93bbf3.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>
