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Title: Beneath the Bamboo: A Vietnam War Story

Author: Stan Taylor

Narrator: Michael Driggs

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-15-15

Publisher: Jonathon Jones

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 28 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

Excerpt: I watched two point men take 50-caliber machine gun bullets to the head and watched the third being grabbed and taken behind enemy lines. Two of the enemy soldiers, whom we often referred to as gooks, quickly came after me. As I mowed them down with my automatic rifle, I crawled backward, away from the enemy gunfire, using my helmet to push sand in front of me as I went, which made it possible to look behind me. But as I looked back, I realized my safety net was no longer safe. I saw my entire company falling like dominoes. Medics were running left and right, risking their lives to help others with bravery that even the most amazing soldier couldn't hope to match.

Some of the events I witnessed during that moment were beyond comprehension. I watched a young, courageous black medic take an 81-millimeter round to his head, and his whole body instantly turned to smoke. Nineteen- and 20-year-olds were crying like children but fighting like someone had raped their sisters. So many things were going through my head at that moment, and in one single heartbeat I was overwhelmed with a flashback of my entire life. This is the story, from point A to B, of my life and times in the midst of hell on Earth.

Members Reviews:

How the Vietnam War turned a boy into a man.

BENEATH THE BAMBOO: A Vietnam War Story

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

~ I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

"This is the story, from point A to B, of my life and times in the midst of hell on Earth."

This audiobook was written by the author late in life and published by his son, Jonathan. When Stan returned from Vietnam, he chose to not speak of or even think of, his experiences during the Vietnam War. In fact, he was so adamant in his avoidance of the topic that he even avoided all movies and books on the subject.

Because of this, BENEATH THE BAMBOO may have some flaws. The author is not a historian nor is he a professional writer. He is just an average guy who survived some not-so-average experiences after fighting in the Vietnam War.

I actually found this audiobook fascinating. I liked the fact that it was not the story of some famous battle or told by a famous soldier. Because it was told by a regular guy and not a career soldier, I found that I could more easily relate to the story.

The narrator, Michael Driggs has the perfect voice for this story. In fact, his narration is so convincing that I had to check to see if he was also the author. His pacing is terrific and he is a master of inflection. He seems to instinctively know when to speed up and when to slow down as well as which words need to be emphasized. I give the narration 5 out of 5 Stars.

I read some of the other reviews of this book and saw that some negative comments were made regarding inconsistencies with what other Vietnam War veterans experienced. I have to point out that this book was written by Stan Jones' son and not by Stan himself. It is for that reason that I am fully willing to forgive and forget about these errors. Any memoir, especially one written by a non-professional writer will contain "errors".

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Title: Love and War

Author: Adrienne Berard

Narrator: Kathleen Gati

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-05-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

Love and War is the unbelievable true story of one man's desperate hunt for Osama bin Laden and the woman who was fatally drawn to his side. From the backwoods of New York State, to the confines of an Afghan prison and a drug-fueled sex den in Mexico, the story charts the wild life of Jonathan "Jack" Keith Idema, a Special Forces Reservist turned bounty hunter, convict, and kingpin. In this riveting narrative, journalist Adrienne Berard takes the listener deep into Jack's twisted world and deeper still into the heart of the woman who loved him.

Members Reviews:

Adrienne Berard did an excellent job of relating the story of a romance that turns deadly.

I can't believe it!

I read the whole novella in about an hour!

This is the true story of the last chapter in the life of the infamous Jack Idema, and his relationship with Penny Alesi, is a real page turner that holds the interest of the reader.

What I liked best was Ms. Berard's fast paced detective school of writing that reminded me of the old Dragnet series where Sergeant Friday goes after the facts of a complex case.

Best of all the ending was POWERFUL.

I wouldn't be surprised if this story becomes a movie.

A powerful short story!

Adrienne writes in a style that allows the reader to be involved with, and feeling, the action. It was an excellent story mixed with factual events that kept me wondering what would happen next!

Two Stars

Just not my kind of book

Crazy

I felt like the author was throwing things at me so fast that everything was a blur. Difficult to make sense of it all.

A must-read

In a world where we are quick to judge and media too quickly turns to hatred and fear to color a story, it is refreshing to read a piece of non-fiction that finds a love story despite a more obvious narrative of insanity and violence. This incredible piece of writing forces you to sympathize with people left in the gutters of society and showcases a perspective which would have otherwise remained hidden from the public eye. Ms. Berardâs talent as a storyteller combined with her thorough and thoughtful work as an investigative journalist creates an impressive standard for non-fiction, long-form writing. Simply said, I highly recommend this.

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Title: Hiroshima Diary

Subtitle: The Journal of a Japanese Physician, August 6-September 30, 1945

Author: Michihiko Hachiya, MD

Narrator: Robertson Dean

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-26-14

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 37 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

The late Dr. Michihiko Hachiya was director of the Hiroshima Communications Hospital when the world's first atomic bomb was dropped on the city. Though his responsibilities in the appalling chaos of a devastated city were awesome, he found time to record the story daily, with compassion and tenderness. Dr. Hachiya's compelling diary was originally published by the UNC Press in 1955, with the help of Dr. Warner Wells of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who was a surgical consultant to the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission and who became a friend of Dr. Hachiya. In a new foreword, John Dower reflects on the enduring importance of the diary 50 years after the bombing.

Critic Reviews:

"An extraordinary literary event." (The New York Times)

Members Reviews:

Skip the 30min intro.

First 30min segment is filled with spoilers and foreword writer tries to explain things to you like you are five that what you must think of each situation that foreword writer picks from the actual book. Book part it self is excellent listen.

Hiroshima Diary

I specifically read this in preparation for my visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. And yes, it obviously enriched my experience. For anyone planning to visit Hiroshima I would make this an essential pre-visit read.

The tone of the writing is fascinating. Extremely unemotional; a little detached even. Which, in itself, is a really curious window into the mind of the author. Its hard to say this one man represents the fortitude of the entire population of the time but through Dr. Hachiyas lens the Japanese people definitely do seem stoic. Interestingly, most of the anger for their plight seems to be reserved for the Japanese armed forces with very little animosity toward the United States.

For those with any kind of scientific or medical bent a good percentage of the diary describes the clinical symptoms of those survivors suffering from radiation poisoning, which is both mesmerizing and horrific. I say survivors but in reality, many of those who survived the blast but were exposed to radiation, eventually died.

"There is only one way in which one can endure man's inhumanity to man and that is to try, in one's own life, to exemplify man's humanity to man."

-- Alan Paton

Good Point of View

I had read a similar book but it was narrated by an European POV staying in Hiroshima on the day of the events. This gave more insight into a Native's emotions about the bomb, losing the war, the love for their Emperor, the distrust of their military, and the quick adaptation to the occupation forces.

I enjoyed it.

It was also entertaining to hear the narrator try to speak like old Saeki-san :)

Interesting find

I just stumbled upon this book and I'm glad I did, what an interesting account from Hiroshima in the hours, days, weeks, months after the bomb was dropped. I love reading first hand accounts of history like this, written in the moment and not done with a revisionist agenda, it's just a diary of the day to day happenings and news as it occurred. I only wish it covered more territory, in particular more about the occupation, etc.

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Title: Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara

Author: Captain Terry Reece

Narrator: Joshua Bennington

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 06-25-14

Publisher: Captain Terry Reece

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 24 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

How can one pilot cram so much into a single lifetime? Climb into Captain Terry Reece's cockpit, fasten your seatbelt, and hold on for an exciting journey into the world of aviation.

Born to a family of transplanted North Carolinians who moved to Washington State, a young Reece explored the hills of the Pacific Northwest. Hiking in the mountains and being a fire lookout gave him a taste of adventure, but he craved more - and he got it.

Reece's first flying lesson ended in a cloud of billowing dust, ripped metal, and broken Plexiglas. But that didn't keep him grounded. Over the next few years, he navigated his Lockheed C-130 to steamy nights in Rangoon, risky undercover aircraft deliveries to Libya, icy Arctic expeditions, and desperate flights out of the desert with machine guns pointed at his gut, to landing Boeing jets on short, icy runways on Alaska's Aleutian Chain.

Reece's entertaining biography delves into the fast-paced world of aviation and is filled with compassion, danger, bits of humor, and the follies of youth. It's also the remarkable tale of how Reece and his wife, Nancy, sought to keep his dream of flying alive through the years. From the freezing, isolated North Pole to the heat and heart of Africa, Flying North South East and West takes you to every direction on the compass and leads you to the adventure of a lifetime.

Members Reviews:

Narrator Fail

The narrator of this book lacked a basic knowledge of Alaska and aviation. As these were the two constants through out. The narrator detracted from the story line.

A great story...poorly read

Where does Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

A great story of a lifetime of flying.

What did you like best about this story?

The variety of aircraft and operations Capt Reece flew.

Would you be willing to try another one of Joshua Benningtons performances?

No. I did not enjoy his performance as a reader. He mispronounced many words and chopped up sentences so that their meaning was lost or confused.

Any additional comments?

By the hard copy or Kindle...skip the audio version.

MEMOIRS OF A PILOT

Would you listen to Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara again? Why?

YES, IT WAS ENJOYABLE THE FIRST TIME AND I AM SURE IT WOULD BE AGAIN IF I HEARD IT A SECOND TIME

What was one of the most memorable moments of Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara?

EVERYTIME THE AUTHOR LANDED ON THE ICE OR A RIVER BED OR ON A "ICE ISLAND"

What about Joshua Benningtons performance did you like?

THE NARRATOR GIVE THE CHARACTERS A LITTLE MORE LIFE THAN THE WORDS ALONG COULD GIVE

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

FLYING IN ALASKA

Any additional comments?

I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN FLYING

Alaskan Aviation

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I have recommended this book to a friend who is a retired pilot. He also enjoyed both the comedy and the narration

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scenes were when the author was learning to fly and the problems he ran into.

Any additional comments?

Capt.

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Title: Romany and Tom

Author: Ben Watt

Narrator: Ben Watt

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-27-14

Publisher: Audible Studios for Bloomsbury

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

Ben Watts father was a working-class Glaswegian jazz musician - a politicized left-wing bandleader and composer - whose heyday in the late 1950s took him into the glittering heart of Londons West End. His mother, Romany, the daughter of a Methodist parson, was a Shakespearean actress who had triplets in her first marriage before becoming a leading showbiz feature writer and columnist in the 60s and 70s. They were both divorced and from very different backgrounds, and they came together at a fateful New Years Day party in 1957 like colliding trains.

Romany and Tom is Ben Watts honest, sometimes painful, and often funny portrait of his parents exceptional lives and marriage, depicted in a personal journey from his own wide-eyed London childhood, through years as an adult with children and a career of his own, to that inevitable point when we must assume responsibility for our own parents in their old age. Spanning several decades - and drawing on a rich seam of family letters, souvenirs, photographs, public archives, and personal memories - it is a vivid story of the postwar years, ambition and stardom, family roots and secrets, big band jazz, depression and drink, life in clubs and nursing homes. It is also about who we are, where we come from, and how we love and live with each other for the long term.

Members Reviews:

Stories help us make a difference.

The compelling stories of both his Mom and Dad and all his family will help many have multiple connections to to the challenges faced by the author, Ben Watt and his family. They were also entertainning! For me...reading about his passionate parents and how Ben watches them grow old shows the need for compassion for those around us who are facing similar challenges. Giving those who are earlier on that path, some of the wisdom from Bens empathy and compelling story telling. Wisdom will help to make a difference. Thankyou.

Ben Watt delivers another heart-felt treasure.

Super captivating listening as Ben lovingly and candidly shares his family's fascinating, relatable history. What a beautiful human being he is as he reflects on his mum and dad!

Heartfelt and Genuine story

What made the experience of listening to Romany and Tom the most enjoyable?

I liked Ben Watt's Englishness and attention to detail and use with words.

I actually met Ben and Tracey in 1996 when they came to Houston. I was an aspiring musician then and gave them one of my demo cassettes. Nice gentleman.

What did you like best about this story?

This is about real life and it should be talked about more often. What happens when your parents get old?

Any additional comments?

The only negative for me is when Watt gives great detail about locations in England that I have no idea where they are.

Very Moving

What did you like most about Romany and Tom?

A really moving account of the lives of Ben Watt's mother and father.

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Title: Running Away

Author: Robert Andrew Powell

Narrator: Robert Andrew Powell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-15-14

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 56 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

When journalist Robert Andrew Powell finished his first marathon, he cried, cradled in his fathers arms. Long distance runners understand where those tears come from, even if there are others who will never understand what drives someone to run 26.2 consecutive miles in a grueling mental and physical test. Powells emotional reaction to completing the race wasnt just about the run, though. It was also about the joy and relief of coming back up after hitting rock bottom.

Running Away is the story of how one decision can alter the course of a life. Knocked down by a painful divorce and inspired by his father, Powell decided to change his mindset and circumstances. He moved to Boulder and began running in earnest for the first time in his life. Over the 26.2 chapters that follow, Powell grapples with his past relationships, gaining insight and hard-won discipline that give him hope for the future.

Members Reviews:

The true grit of the Marathon and the training.

I try to listen to all the athletic endurance books. I put this off for a while but, just like running, there is someone in a running novel for all runners. We all get something out of it that is unique to ourselves. I have been on a running peak for awhile running marathons and it was great to be reminded of the reward of qualifying for Boston.

Pretty good

At first I didn't like the way he was reading or wrote his book but it quickly grew on my and I enjoyed listening to his story.

Real

Loved it! Loved the writing style! I will listen to this again and again because I understand where his head is.

Middle aged crisis cure.

interesting story from a man whose life goes belly up! Not a training manual. Mixing with the running elite.

Running as salvation

I liked the coverage of actual running - this is what drew me to the story. The author is trying to qualify for the Boston marathon as salvation or balm to his battered ego from relationships and work.

I have heard this story often from young American men - trying to equalise or get from under the shadow of their father (running ransom road also feels v similar).

The author doesn't seem to have much substance to his story and it feels a bit repetitive.

The read is a bit too low-key. I got tired of the old girlfriend bit -- seems a bit whiney for a 40 year old!

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Title: Yasmeena's Choice

Subtitle: A True Story of War, Rape, Courage and Survival

Author: Jean Sasson

Narrator: Parisa Johnston

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-21-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 36 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

This is the true story of Yasmeena, a bright and beautiful young Lebanese woman who was imprisoned in Kuwait during the first Gulf War. Yasmeena's shocking journey is a tale of the madness of war, of the sexual brutality unleashed by chaos, and of one womans courage to stand in dangers way to aid her fellow sufferers. This is an explicit, graphic, and honest book. It is for mature audiences only.

Jean Sasson has spent her career sharing the personal stories of courageous Middle Eastern women. Princess: Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia

After Yasmeena was brutalized by the captain of the prison, she thought she was the most unfortunate woman on earth. But that was before she befriended Lana, whose brutal rapist took glee in inflicting hurt. Yasmeena used her position as the captain's favorite to protect her friend, though she also was forced into a wrenching decision.

Yasmeena's Choice reads like a thriller. As the Americans and other allies march into Kuwait and the Iraqis flee, Yasmeena escapes. Eventually she finds a safe harbor where Sasson interviews her and records every horrific element of her experience. Sasson has wanted to write this story for many years. But she knew that the sexual explicitness and violence would make the tale difficult to publish. A year ago, Yasmeena's story and the choices she was forced to make invaded Sassons dreams. She realized that now was the right time to share the story. And so here it is, Sasson's testament to an articulate, angry, brave young woman who not only survived but who was eager to share her story with the world.

Members Reviews:

Not what I expected.

I would like to start out by saying I think what these innocent women were forced to endure is an abomination. My heart aches for them and their tribulations. I think it's equally abhorrent what their own families do to them as a result. I don't think it's prideful to be ashamed of your own daughter, sister, friend for being the victim of a horrendous, violent crime. I find it to be culturally and willfully ignorant and grotesque.

Having said all of that, I found it nearly impossible for me to be compassionate towards Jasmeena regarding anything other than her capture and rape. The ridicule that comes from her culture and family and HERSELF is no different from the arrogant way, I felt, that she treated people that aren't as thin, as pretty, as affluent as her or her family.

It was obvious to me that, by the way the author beat the dead horse again and again, that being rich, pretty and thin made her better than most in her own eyes. She simply saw this as fact. I get that she's small, but did we have to hear about it again and again and again? The materialistic nature of the descriptions of people and possessions made it difficult for me to be as sympathetic as I probably should be.

Although I'm incredibly empathetic and sickened by the kidnap, rape and torture these women had to endure, it was difficult for me to set aside Jasmeena's thoughtlessness and lack of humility towards anyone outside of her caste and feel as much compassion for her as I truly wanted to.

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Titre: Ru

Auteur: Kim Thúy

Narrateur: Kim Thúy

Format: Unabridged

Durée: 2 hrs and 52 mins

Langue: Français

Date de publication: 02-12-14

Éditeur: Coffragants

Evaluation: 4.5 sur 5 sur 10 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Résumé de l'éditeur:

Ru est composé de très courts récits liés un peu comme dans une ritournelle : la première phrase du chapitre reprend le plus souvent l'idée qui terminait le chapitre précédent, permettant ainsi de faire le pont entre tous les événements que la narratrice a connus : sa naissance au Vietnam pendant la guerre, la fuite avec les boat people, son accueil dans une petite ville du Québec, ses études, ses liens familiaux, son enfant autiste, etc. La vie de l'auteure est bourrée de gens charmants, singuliers, de situations difficiles ou saugrenues vécues avec un bonheur égal, et elle sait jouer à merveille avec les sentiments de l'auditeur, oscillant entre le tragique et le comique, entre le prosaïque et le spirituel.

Écrit sur un ton féminin, maternel, chaleureux, poignant et très original, qui dépasse la tranche de vie traditionnelle, Ru dénote un grand talent dans l'art de raconter, où le souvenir devient prétexte tantôt au jeu, tantôt au recueillement. Un récit d'une adorable et candide survivante, un récit qui contient toute la grandeur de la vie.

©2011 Éditions Libre-Expression (amérique); Liana Levi (Europe) (P)2013 Les Éditions Alexandre Stanké inc.

Revues par les critiques:

Ru, le premier livre de Kim Thuy, est un best-seller au Québec et en France. Ce livre a vu ses droits vendus dans vingt pays, en plus d'avoir été finaliste de plusieurs prix littéraires, dont le Prix des cinq continents de la francophonie 2010 et le Grand Prix littéraire de la relève Archambault. Il a obtenu le prestigieux prix du Gouverneur général 2010, le grand prix RTL-Lire 2010 et le grand prix du Salon du livre de Montréal 2010.

Avis des membres:

Lovely story; problems with the recording

I would not listen to Ru again. I would prefer to read the book. The recording wasn't very professional; at numerous points I could hear background noise (doors closing, mumbles of conversation) that made me wonder about the person in charge of editing the performance. In addition, there were several instances in which the audio would pause and then repeat the last sentence before continuing.

That being said, the actual story and the performance by the author (who read it) were lovely. It's a shame that there were so many issues with the quality of the recording.

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Title: Life with a Superhero

Subtitle: Raising Michael Who Has Down Syndrome

Author: Kathryn U. Hulings

Narrator: Heidi Paek

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-11-14

Publisher: University Press Audiobooks

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

Over 20 years ago, in a small Israeli town, a desperate mother told a remarkable lie. She told her friends and family that her newborn child had died. That lie became the catalyst for the unfolding truth of the adoption of that same baby - Michael - who is, in fact, very much alive and now 22 years old. He also has Down syndrome.

When Kathryn Hulings adopted Michael as an infant, she could not have known that he would save her life when she became gravely ill and was left forever physically compromised. Her story delights in how Michael's life and hers, while both marked by difference and challenge, are forever intertwined in celebration and laughter. With candor and a sense of humor, Life With a Superhero wraps itself around the raucous joy of Michael's existence with his four older siblings who play hard and love big; how Kathryn and her husband, Jim, utilize unconventional techniques in raising kids; the romance between Michael and his fiancee, Casey; the power of dance in Michael's life as an equalizing and enthralling force; the staggering potential and creativity of those who are differently-abled; and the mind-blowing politics of how Kathryn navigated school systems and societal attitudes that at times fought to keep Michael excluded from the lives of kids deemed "normal".

No other books about the parenting experience outline what to do when, say, a child runs across the roof of a tri-level house pretending he can fly, or shows up in a 7th grade social studies class dressed like Spiderman, or calls 911 when his girlfriend breaks his heart. But, as Michael's mom, Kathryn, has been trying to figure how to be a mother in just such circumstances - sometimes with success, sometimes with dismal failure - for over two decades.

Critic Reviews:

Make no mistake: This is a love story, one that is at once foreign and familiar, painful and poignant... I was taken on a truly incredible journey, one fraught with the sweetness of secrets and the necessity of betrayals.' Kathryn Hulings does, indeed, deserve way better than a plus sign'; she deserves a star. (Pamela K. Coke, Associate Professor of English Education, Colorado State University)

From the first page, this memoir that reads like a novel brims with characters who sometimes struggle mightily yet in the end perform lionhearted feats almost every day, year after year... By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, Kathryn Hulings' debut book is a moving portrayal of family and community dedication and love. (John Calderazzo, author of Rising Fire: Volcanoes and Our Inner Lives)

Life with a Superhero's greatest strengths are the aesthetic value of the writing-it's very lyrical and beautiful-and the uncommon perspective on parenting an older child with Down syndrome. (Kathryn Soper, author of The Year My Son and I Were Born)

Members Reviews:

Laugh out loud fun

This book is at times laugh out loud funny, heartwarming, thought-provoking and uplifting. Setting aside Kathryn's potty-mouth, I loved this book! There is something so wonderful about people with Trisomy 21 and the love and exuberance they have for life. I learned things about love, inclusion, motherhood and joy from reading this.

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Title: Crapalachia

Author: Scott McClanahan

Narrator: Scott Sowers

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-24-13

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 20 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs

Publisher's Summary:

When Scott McClanahan was fourteen he went to live with his Grandma Ruby and his Uncle Nathan, who suffered from cerebral palsy.

Crapalachia is a portrait of these formative years, coming-of-age in rural West Virginia. Peopled by colorful characters and their quirky stories, Crapalachia interweaves oral folklore and area history, providing an ambitious and powerful snapshot of overlooked Americana.

Critic Reviews:

" Crapalachia is the genuine article: intelligent, atmospheric, raucously funny and utterly wrenching. McClanahan joins Daniel Woodrell and Tom Franklin as a master chronicler of backwoods rural America." (

The Washington Post)

Members Reviews:

Great companion to the book!

Great narration that sticks true to the text. I listened to the audible version when I didnt have the text in front of me. Lively animations of the characters and their voices. Totally recommend!! The narration is especially during the funny parts - I awkwardly LOLed on the 2 train going downtown to Brooklyn...no regrets

Great book!

I really enjoyed this book. It was fun to read about somebody elses life and how they lived. The most important part of this book was the epilogue;it was so true. This book was fun, silly and some sadness. Most of all I could relate to some of my friends parents who were just like some of these people.