William—the fourth

audiobook

William—the fourth

by Richmal Crompton

EN·~5 hours·15 chapters

Chapters

15 total

WILLIAM—THE FOURTH

1:16

CHAPTER I

18:58

CHAPTER II

20:20

CHAPTER III

21:56

CHAPTER IV

21:06

CHAPTER V

16:31

CHAPTER VI

22:55

CHAPTER VII

21:23

CHAPTER VIII

25:08

CHAPTER IX

19:57

Description

A whimsical, fast‑moving tale opens with a chorus of “William” in every imaginable guise—conqueror, outlaw, detective, pirate—setting the stage for a delightfully absurd world where identity seems both fluid and relentless. The story quickly lands in a cramped drawing‑room where a young William, barely eleven, is thrust into a heated debate among earnest teenagers about equality, wealth, and the promise of a new social order. Their impassioned leader, Jameson Jameson, waxes lyrical about Bolshevism and justice, while the bewildered youth listen, half‑amused and half‑confused, as the boy’s presence becomes both an intrusion and a catalyst.

Through witty dialogue and exaggerated caricature, the narrative explores the clash between lofty ideals and the messy reality of youthful ambition. It captures the restless energy of a generation eager to reshape society, all filtered through a lens of playful satire that keeps the tone light even as serious questions surface. Listeners will find themselves both laughing at the absurdity and pondering the earnestness hidden beneath the chaos.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~5 hours (304K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Original publisher

United Kingdom: George Newnes Limited, 1924.

Credits

deaurider, Alan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net

Release date

Dec 20, 2021

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Richmal Crompton

Richmal Crompton

1890–1969

Best known for creating the endlessly mischievous schoolboy William Brown, this English writer brought sharp humor and warmth to children's fiction. Her stories stayed popular for decades and helped make the Just William books into classics.

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