
Parnassus on Wheels
Parnassus, Book 1
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $6.96
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Kitty Hendrix
About this listen
Parnassus on Wheels is Christopher Morley's first novel and a favorite among book enthusiasts.
Helen McGill lives with her older brother, Andrew. Andrew is a former businessman, turned farmer, turned author. One day, Roger Mifflin, who travels around the New England countryside of 1915 with his book wagon named Parnassus on an itinerant mission of enlightenment, shows up on their farm. Mifflin's delight in books and authors is infectious.
"When you sell a man a book," says Mifflin, "you don't sell him just twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue; you sell him a whole new life."
Helen arranges to buy Parnassus, partly to prevent Andrew from buying it, but mostly to treat herself to a long-overdue adventure of her own.
The prequel to a later novel (The Haunted Bookshop), and the first of two novels to be written from a woman's perspective, it offers a glimpse at a proto-feminist perspective from the early 1900s. Inspired by the novel The Friendly Road by David Grayson (pseudonym of Ray Stannard Baker), it starts with an open letter to Grayson, taking him to task for not concerning himself (except in passing) with his sister's opinion of and reaction to his adventure.
Public Domain (P)2022 Post Hypnotic Press Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Plot Against America
- By: Philip Roth
- Narrated by: Ron Silver
- Length: 13 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In an astonishing feat of empathy and narrative invention, our most ambitious novelist imagines an alternate version of American history. In 1940 Charles A. Lindbergh, heroic aviator and rabid isolationist, is elected president. Shortly thereafter, he negotiates a cordial "understanding" with Adolf Hitler while the new government embarks on a program of folksy anti-Semitism.
-
-
Life is imitating Roth's art
- By Matthew on 08-04-16
By: Philip Roth
-
Sweep
- The Story of a Girl and Her Monster
- By: Jonathan Auxier
- Narrated by: Sarah Coomes
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For nearly a century, Victorian London relied on “climbing boys” - orphans owned by chimney sweeps - to clean flues and protect homes from fire. The work was hard, thankless, and brutally dangerous. Eleven-year-old Nan Sparrow is quite possibly the best climber who ever lived - and a girl. But when Nan gets stuck in a deadly chimney fire, she fears her time has come. Instead, she wakes to find herself in an abandoned attic. And she is not alone. Huddled in the corner is a mysterious creature - a golem - made from ash and coal. This is the creature that saved her from the fire.
-
-
Thank you.
- By Tim Smith on 01-20-19
By: Jonathan Auxier
-
The Penderwicks
- A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
- By: Jeanne Birdsall
- Narrated by: Susan Denaker
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This summer the Penderwick sisters have a wonderful surprise: a holiday on the grounds of a beautiful estate called Arundel. Soon they are busy discovering the summertime magic of Arundel's sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts. But the best discovery of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel's owner, who quickly proves to be the perfect companion for their adventures.
-
-
Happy Accident
- By Neily on 01-14-13
By: Jeanne Birdsall
-
The Beatryce Prophecy
- By: Kate DiCamillo
- Narrated by: Finty Williams
- Length: 4 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
And so it is that a girl with a head full of stories - powerful tales-within-the-tale of queens and kings, mermaids and wolves - ventures into a dark wood in search of the castle of one who wishes her dead. With its timeless themes, unforgettable cast, and magical medieval setting, Kate DiCamillo’s lyrical tale is one for all ages.
-
-
Masterful storytelling
- By tgcatmr on 10-01-21
By: Kate DiCamillo
-
The House at Riverton
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Emilia Fox
- Length: 20 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Summer 1924. On the eve of a glittering Society party, by the lake of a grand English country house, a young poet takes his life. The only witnesses, sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford, will never speak to each other again. Winter 1999. Grace Bradley, 98, one-time housemaid of Riverton Manor, is visited by a young director making a film about the poet’s suicide. Ghosts awaken and memories, long consigned to the dark reaches of Grace’s mind, begin to sneak back through the cracks. A shocking secret threatens to emerge – something history has forgotten but Grace never could.
-
-
Pleasantly surprised!
- By amber on 05-30-23
By: Kate Morton
-
The Bookshop Murder
- An Absolutely Gripping Cozy Mystery (A Flora Steele Mystery, Book 1)
- By: Merryn Allingham
- Narrated by: Charlie Norfolk
- Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The young man with the shock of white-blond hair lay spread-eagled on the floor, surrounded by fallen books. His hand reached out to the scattered pages, as though he was trying to tell her something. But who is he? How did he come to be killed in Flora’s ordinary little bookshop? Flora finds out he was staying at the Priory Hotel, and when the gardener suddenly dies in its beautiful grounds only a few days later, she is certain that something untoward is happening in her quiet village by the sea.
-
-
Good start to a cozy series
- By twoseagreeneyes on 01-17-22
By: Merryn Allingham
-
The Plot Against America
- By: Philip Roth
- Narrated by: Ron Silver
- Length: 13 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In an astonishing feat of empathy and narrative invention, our most ambitious novelist imagines an alternate version of American history. In 1940 Charles A. Lindbergh, heroic aviator and rabid isolationist, is elected president. Shortly thereafter, he negotiates a cordial "understanding" with Adolf Hitler while the new government embarks on a program of folksy anti-Semitism.
-
-
Life is imitating Roth's art
- By Matthew on 08-04-16
By: Philip Roth
-
Sweep
- The Story of a Girl and Her Monster
- By: Jonathan Auxier
- Narrated by: Sarah Coomes
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For nearly a century, Victorian London relied on “climbing boys” - orphans owned by chimney sweeps - to clean flues and protect homes from fire. The work was hard, thankless, and brutally dangerous. Eleven-year-old Nan Sparrow is quite possibly the best climber who ever lived - and a girl. But when Nan gets stuck in a deadly chimney fire, she fears her time has come. Instead, she wakes to find herself in an abandoned attic. And she is not alone. Huddled in the corner is a mysterious creature - a golem - made from ash and coal. This is the creature that saved her from the fire.
-
-
Thank you.
- By Tim Smith on 01-20-19
By: Jonathan Auxier
-
The Penderwicks
- A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
- By: Jeanne Birdsall
- Narrated by: Susan Denaker
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This summer the Penderwick sisters have a wonderful surprise: a holiday on the grounds of a beautiful estate called Arundel. Soon they are busy discovering the summertime magic of Arundel's sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts. But the best discovery of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel's owner, who quickly proves to be the perfect companion for their adventures.
-
-
Happy Accident
- By Neily on 01-14-13
By: Jeanne Birdsall
-
The Beatryce Prophecy
- By: Kate DiCamillo
- Narrated by: Finty Williams
- Length: 4 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
And so it is that a girl with a head full of stories - powerful tales-within-the-tale of queens and kings, mermaids and wolves - ventures into a dark wood in search of the castle of one who wishes her dead. With its timeless themes, unforgettable cast, and magical medieval setting, Kate DiCamillo’s lyrical tale is one for all ages.
-
-
Masterful storytelling
- By tgcatmr on 10-01-21
By: Kate DiCamillo
-
The House at Riverton
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Emilia Fox
- Length: 20 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Summer 1924. On the eve of a glittering Society party, by the lake of a grand English country house, a young poet takes his life. The only witnesses, sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford, will never speak to each other again. Winter 1999. Grace Bradley, 98, one-time housemaid of Riverton Manor, is visited by a young director making a film about the poet’s suicide. Ghosts awaken and memories, long consigned to the dark reaches of Grace’s mind, begin to sneak back through the cracks. A shocking secret threatens to emerge – something history has forgotten but Grace never could.
-
-
Pleasantly surprised!
- By amber on 05-30-23
By: Kate Morton
-
The Bookshop Murder
- An Absolutely Gripping Cozy Mystery (A Flora Steele Mystery, Book 1)
- By: Merryn Allingham
- Narrated by: Charlie Norfolk
- Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The young man with the shock of white-blond hair lay spread-eagled on the floor, surrounded by fallen books. His hand reached out to the scattered pages, as though he was trying to tell her something. But who is he? How did he come to be killed in Flora’s ordinary little bookshop? Flora finds out he was staying at the Priory Hotel, and when the gardener suddenly dies in its beautiful grounds only a few days later, she is certain that something untoward is happening in her quiet village by the sea.
-
-
Good start to a cozy series
- By twoseagreeneyes on 01-17-22
By: Merryn Allingham
-
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street
- By: Karina Yan Glaser
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Vanderbeekers have always lived in the brownstone on 141st Street. It's practically another member of the family. So when their reclusive, curmudgeonly landlord decides not to renew their lease, the five siblings have 11 days to do whatever it takes to stay in their beloved home and convince the dreaded Beiderman just how wonderful they are. And all is fair in love and war when it comes to keeping their home. A modern classic in the making reminiscent of the Penderwicks series.
-
-
I really like it!
- By Joy Faber on 10-24-21
-
A Morbid Taste for Bones
- By: Ellis Peters
- Narrated by: Patrick Tull
- Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Cadfael's return to his Welsh homeland for a visit proves a rather discomfiting homecoming when an honorable nobleman turns up in a patch of forest with an arrow embedded in his chest. There are questions about the arrow, the man's daughter needs Cadfael's help, and a very odd burial takes place.
-
-
Very pleasant if not much of a mystery.
- By Zenjen on 04-15-10
By: Ellis Peters
-
Case of the Missing Marquess
- An Enola Holmes Mystery
- By: Nancy Springer
- Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren
- Length: 4 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Meet Enola Holmes, teenaged girl turned detective and the younger sister to Sherlock Holmes. When Enola Holmes, sister to the detective Sherlock Holmes, discovers her mother has disappeared, she quickly embarks on a journey to London in search of her.
-
-
Original, Bold, Brilliant New Heroine
- By Dirk Turgid on 02-25-13
By: Nancy Springer
-
East of Eden
- By: John Steinbeck
- Narrated by: Richard Poe
- Length: 25 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This sprawling and often brutal novel, set in the rich farmlands of California's Salinas Valley, follows the intertwined destinies of two families - the Trasks and the Hamiltons - whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel.
-
-
Why have I avoided this Beautiful Book???
- By Kelly on 03-25-17
By: John Steinbeck
-
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
- A Novel
- By: Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer, Susan Duerden, Rosalyn Landor, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb.... As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends - and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is.
-
-
MUCH better than I ever expected! Give it a try!
- By Kent on 10-19-09
By: Mary Ann Shaffer, and others
-
At Home in Mitford
- A Novel
- By: Jan Karon
- Narrated by: John McDonough
- Length: 19 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It's easy to feel at home in Mitford. In these high, green hills, the air is pure, the village is charming, and the people are generally lovable. Yet Father Tim, the bachelor rector, wants something more. Enter a dog the size of a sofa who moves in and won't go away. Add an attractive neighbor who begins wearing a path through the hedge. Now, stir in a lovable but unloved boy, a mystifying jewel theft, and a secret that's 60 years old.
-
-
Loved it
- By Sara on 01-29-14
By: Jan Karon
-
The Wind in the Willows
- By: Kenneth Grahame
- Narrated by: Michael Hordern
- Length: 6 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here is a timeless tale of waterside Britain that has been loved by generations of children and acclaimed as a classic. The story of Mole, Ratty, Badger, and Toad, and their escapades, whether messing about on the river or poop-pooping in Toad's shiny new car, cannot fail to enchant.
-
-
We were all Toad, once.
- By Dan Harlow on 03-25-15
By: Kenneth Grahame
-
Freddy and the Bean Home News
- By: Walter Brooks
- Narrated by: John McDonough
- Length: 4 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Freddy and the Bean Home News, Freddy's friend Mr. Dimsey, the editor of the Guardian, is ousted for publishing news of Bean Farm in the local newspaper. Freddy takes it upon himself to found a newspaper of his own and calls it The Bean Home News. But it turns out that being a newspaperman isn't quite as easy as Freddy thought it might be.
-
-
Wonderful!
- By Thoughtful Shopper on 07-19-17
By: Walter Brooks
-
Peace Like a River
- By: Leif Enger
- Narrated by: Chad Lowe
- Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The quiet 1960s midwestern life of the Land family is upended when son Davy kills two marauders who have come to harm the family. The morning of his sentencing, Davy (a hero to some, a cold-blooded murderer to others) escapes from his cell, and the Lands set out in search of him. Their journey is touched by serendipity and the kindness of strangers, and they cover territory even more extraordinary than the Badlands, where they search for Davy from their Airstream trailer.
-
-
Poetic Coming Of Age Story
- By Menno on 06-11-08
By: Leif Enger
-
Not Under the Law
- By: Grace Livingston Hill
- Narrated by: Anne Hancock
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Immediately after the death of the aunt who raised her, Joyce Radway's cousins treat her like a servant. They even attempt to block her from taking exams to qualify as a teacher and earn her own living. Angered by their constant demands, she impulsively grabs her hat and purse and runs to her aunt's grave to weep and rest. But she's not alone; thieves are using the cemetery to hide stolen goods, and she's heartsick to discover their leader is a man she once knew and admired.
-
-
The writter that helped be along in my struggles.
- By Kindle Customer on 10-06-21
-
Crossing to Safety
- By: Wallace Stegner
- Narrated by: Richard Poe
- Length: 12 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the finest American authors of the 20th century, Wallace Stegner compiled an impressive collection of accolades during his lifetime, including a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, a National Book Award, and three O. Henry Awards. His final novel, Crossing to Safety is the quiet yet stirring tale of two couples that meet during the Great Depression and form a lifelong bond.
-
-
Amazing Stegner and his beautiful last book
- By Rebecca on 11-16-13
By: Wallace Stegner
-
Hidden Places
- By: Lynn Austin
- Narrated by: Ruth Ann Phimister
- Length: 15 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Fragrant blossoms herald spring, but the orchard is also a place of secrets and heartache. After the death of her husband Frank, Eliza is left with three young children and mounting debts. When a gentle stranger enters her orchard, she experiences a peculiar sensation of familiarity with the man. But will his unknown past jeopardize all that she has fought for?
-
-
Austin is Wonderful
- By Karen on 06-24-07
By: Lynn Austin
What listeners say about Parnassus on Wheels
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- 1.5 Trick Pony
- 01-11-23
Feel-good story that made me smile
This is a lovely story. Set in 1907, a "spinster" whose brother regularly goes on adventures, leaving her alone and overworked, decides to give him a taste of his own medicine. Impulsively buying a book-peddler's wagon, she has adventures and broadens her horizons. There's a romance in here too, but the true romance is with herself, as she grows and finds a life philosophy. I was smiling as it ended, and will listen again.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- chris wimer
- 12-13-24
A sweet little feel good story
This was a fun little read, narrated beautifully. Plenty of literary allusions and witty dialogue. I was surprised by how much I was rooting for the characters by the end.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!