The Colour of Life

audiobook

The Colour of Life

by Alice Meynell

EN·~1 hours·15 chapters

Chapters

15 total

THE COLOUR OF LIFE

0:14

THE COLOUR OF LIFE

7:06

A POINT OF BIOGRAPHY

7:42

CLOUD

8:55

WINDS OF THE WORLD

7:10

THE HONOURS OF MORTALITY

1:58

AT MONASTERY GATES

8:31

RUSHES AND REEDS

5:20

ELEONORA DUSE

9:09

DONKEY RACES

8:08

Description

In this lyrical essay the narrator invites listeners to reconsider what we call the colour of life. Moving beyond the familiar symbolism of red, the prose drifts through clouds, grasses, and the muted hues of a fog‑laden London, suggesting that true vitality lives in the subtle, almost invisible shades that colour everyday moments. The language is rich with sensory detail, comparing the fleeting glow of a child's skin to sunrise, ivory, and wild rose, and it sets a tone of quiet wonder at how nature and humanity intertwine.

The heart of the piece follows a young London boy as he steps onto the Serpentine at dusk, shedding the city's drab tones for a brief, radiant flush of life. His simple, barefoot laugh in the waning summer light becomes a meditation on renewal, showing how nature can easily reclaim its palette. Listeners will feel the tug of sunlight, the scent of grass, and the promise that even small gestures can restore colour to a world clouded by soot and routine.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~1 hours (108K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Release date

Feb 1, 1998

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Alice Meynell

Alice Meynell

1847–1922

A poet, essayist, editor, and suffragist, she wrote with unusual precision and quiet feeling. Her work often blends spiritual reflection with sharp observation, making even brief poems feel carefully distilled.

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