The Secret Places of the Heart

H. G. Wells (1866 - 1946)

Richard Hardy, a member of the British gentry, tries to resolve problems in his marriage as he travels with a psychiatrist. The book is to a great extent autobiographical. H. G. had read some brilliantly composed articles by a writer who wrote under the name Rebecca West. In one piece she called H. G. "pseudo-scientific." He contacted her and asked what she meant. When they met for lunch, it was the beginning of a very intense and volatile relationship. Soon she was pregnant, so he divided his time between her and his wife Jane with their two sons. After World War I, Rebecca became more demanding. She wanted him to divorce Jane. Finally, in 1923 Wells told Rebecca she should either get serious about her writing or break off their relationship. The criticism stung her. After a speaking tour in the U.S., she returned newly independent, and the two went their separate ways. In this novel H. G. based the character Martin on Rebecca, who both mesmerized and repelled him. (Summary by Bill Boerst)

Genre(s): Published 1900 onward

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 01 01 - Ch First Sec 1-2 A. J. Carroll
00:13:18
Play 02 02 - Ch First Sec 3-4 A. J. Carroll
00:15:25
Play 03 03 - Ch Second, Ch Third Sec 1 Jacquerie
00:22:38
Play 04 04 - Ch Third Sec 2-3, Ch Fourth Sec 1 Jacquerie
00:17:05
Play 05 05 - Ch Fourth Sec 2-3 MostafaRazavi
00:21:40
Play 06 06 - Ch Fourth Sec 4-6 Mike Pelton
00:24:09
Play 07 07 - Ch Fourth Sec 7-8 Mike Pelton
00:33:54
Play 08 08 - Ch Fifth Sec 1-2 Mike Pelton
00:19:26
Play 09 09 - Ch Fifth Sec 3-4 Christopher Maust
00:12:30
Play 10 10 - Ch Fifth Sec 5, Ch Sixth Sec 1 Christopher Maust
00:14:37
Play 11 11 - Ch Sixth Sec 2-3 KarlHenning
00:19:00
Play 12 12 - Ch Sixth Sec 4-5 DannyHauger
00:17:13
Play 13 13 - Ch Sixth Sec 6 Matthew Wall
00:16:43
Play 14 14 - Ch Seventh Sec 1-3 Matthew Wall
00:19:42
Play 15 15 - Ch Seventh Sec 4-6 KarlHenning
00:15:58
Play 16 16 - Ch Seventh Sec 7-8 KarlHenning
00:27:16
Play 17 17 - Ch Seventh Sec 9-11, Ch Eighth Sec 1 L D Hamilton
00:24:35
Play 18 18 - Ch Eighth Sec 2-4 KarlHenning
00:17:34
Play 19 19 - Ch Eighth Sec 5-6 L D Hamilton
00:28:45
Play 20 20 - Ch Eighth Sec 7-8, Ch Ninth Sec 1 L D Hamilton
00:20:12
Play 21 21 - Ch Ninth Sec 2-4 L D Hamilton
00:16:31
Play 22 22 - Ch Ninth Sec 5-8 L D Hamilton
00:25:56