"The Return of the Native" may be Thomas Hardy’ s finest writing. His descriptive and lyrical powers are at their height, his evocation of the wilds of Egdon Heath unmatched, his dissection of Eustacia and Clym’ s marriage unimpeachable. Perhaps nowhere else is Hardy’ s point that the universe is simply indifferent more compellingly made. Winner of the British Spoken Word Publishing Association’ s “ Talkie Award” for Best Unabridged Classic Recording, this performance was commended by the Financial Times as “ right for this tragic story of passion and loss.”