Listen to Most Popular Audiobooks in Fiction, Contemporary

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Title: The Shop on Blossom Street

Author: Debbie Macomber

Narrator: Linda Emond

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-06-05

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 335 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

For owner Lydia Hoffman, the shop represents her dream of beginning a new life free from the cancer that has ravaged her twice. A life that offers a chance at love, and maybe marriage.

Jacqueline Donovan is stuck in a marriage that has dwindled into an arrangement of separate rooms and separate lives. She disapproves of the woman married to her only son, but if she knits a baby blanket, she can at least pretend to like her pregnant daughter-in-law.

For Carol Girard, the baby blanket brings a message of hope as she and her husband make a final attempt at in vitro pregnancy.

And tense-looking Alix Townsend, that's Alix with an "i", is learning to knit her blanket for her court-ordered community service project.

Brought together by an age-old craft, these four women make unexpected discoveries, about themselves and each other. Discoveries that lead to love, to friendship and acceptance, to laughter and dreams.

Critic Reviews:

"Clearly capturing each woman as she supports the others and searches for the answers to her own troubles, Emond outdoes herself in portraying counterculture proponent Alix....The warmth of Emond's voice so embodies the tenacious characters as to deliver a worthwhile story of change and hope." (AudioFile)

Members Reviews:

Shop on Blossom Street

I have read this book in print before. But, the abridgment takes away a lot. If the full book were here, I would give it four stars, but the abridgement rates only one star.

loved it! a real FEEL GOOD book!

looking forward to the sequel, love Debbie macomber books! thank you very much!!!! buh bye

A wonderful story

A truly wonderful story that was very well read.

The characters were interesting and varied. I cannot wait to listen to the next one. most enjoyable.

Inspired me to take up a new craft

I'm normally a slow reader but this story kept my attention and I wanted more. It also led to find my own local knitting group and started knitting. I've met great people and patronize a few of my local businesses.

Debbie Macombre...

...has this way of bringing her characters to life in her writing. I love how I can plug in my earbuds and pretend to be in Seattle while I'm sweating it out on the treadmill in Georgia. Thank you for the endless hours of listening pleasure. Your books are music to my ears.

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Title: Sideways

Author: Rex Pickett

Narrator: Scott Brick

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-27-05

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 452 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

A raucous and surprising novel filled with wonderful details about wine, Sideways is also a thought-provoking and funny book about men, women, and human relationships.

Critic Reviews:

"Pickett takes his readers on a jolly ride." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

A brilliant comic novel about midlife crises

This is a brilliant comic novel about two sadsacks who take off to the Santa Barbara County wine country. One is a failed novelist who has replaced his remorse over his divorce to his soulmate with a romance with wine. His best friend is a semi-successful TV director in Hollywood. The book is hilarious, but there's a depth of sadness that this is going to be the last time they get together in this way. The equally brilliant movie changed some things, and not always for the best -- Sandra Oh's character changes tipped it a little more toward ugliness -- but the book cuts deeper than its comedy; it's a soul-searching tragedy of lives lost in the balance. Reviewers who complain about profanity shouldn't be allowed to review this; it just isn't objective reviewing. This book, aside from being the definitive novel -- I didn't say nonfiction -- written about wine is going to go down as a classic comic story, one that will last for years to come. I saw the film several times and it cut deeper every time. But I think the book stands up to the movie and may even be better in some way because it interiorizes the main character of Miles in a way that the movie can't. There's something deeply archetypal about Jack and Miles; we both know guys like this. The women may border on fantasy at times, but they're just as flawed and just as lonely and aliented in their own lives and it's not hard to buy why they would all want to have a good time. For people who think "real" characters like this don't exist, they're living in some faith-based bubble where they want their art to represent some ludicrous fantasy of goodness. Well, it ain't like that out there, folks. This is a tremendous book from a truly gifted author.

if you liked the movie, you will like the book

If you liked the movie, I think you will like the book, even though the book is very different in some respects. I loved the movie and I am tempted to give the book five stars. but the book does have flaws/lapses. There's a lot more drunkeness. Some incidents are not credible and are distracting. There is lots more on specific wines, which is great. I completely disagree that the book is poorly written. There are parts that are extremely well-written. Very memorable. You may want to keep a dictionary handy. The first person voice is very much that of writer. A well read one, with a large and expressive vocabulary. Among other things, it is interesting to see where the moviemakers altered and streamlined the novel. The novel "explains" parts of the movie, for instance, some of the motivations of characters that were unclear. But the characters also clearly evolved into different people in the transition from book to movie. The relationship between Jack's wife to be and Miles' former wife is much more developed in the book. Probably unnecessarily. The character of Jack's wife to be is much more three dimensional and explains Jack's character quite a bit, in a way that makes sense.

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Title: House of Sand and Fog

Author: Andre Dubus III

Narrator: Andre Dubus III, Fontaine Dollas Dubus

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-25-03

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 718 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Drawn by their competing desires to the same small house in the California hills and doomed by their tragic inability to understand one another, the three converge in an explosive collision course. Combining unadorned realism with profound empathy, House of Sand and Fog marks the arrival of a major new voice in American fiction.

Critic Reviews:

"We've got all the ingredients for an old-fashioned tragedy. Brilliantly written, and presented with feeling, this is one of the saddest stories ever told." (AudioFile)

"Dubus has created a novel that is nearly perfectly suited to the audio format....The reading by the author and his wife is sublime." (Publishers Weekly)

"Dubus sets out the growing confrontation with chilly ingenuity and a remarkably observant compassion....[A] fine and prophetic novel." (Los Angeles Times)

"Dubus writes gorgeous prose with a noirish edge." (Booklist)

"An enthralling tragedy." (Kirkus)

"Dubus...is clearly a talent to be reckoned with....House of Sand and Fog is a page-turner with a beating heart." (Boston Golobe)

Members Reviews:

Astounding characterizations, and wonderfully read

I found this audiobook absolutely riveting -- almost perfectly read, with the important twist of having separate male and female voices, given that the book is mostly a series of interior monologues from the various characters. Yes, you know they are all spiraling down to disaster, but the author has caught the internal voices of the characters very well, sometimes exquisitely. The Irani ex-colonel is particularly finely wrought, but I found the others well done also. The book is a meditation on the many different ways we organize our relationships with others, and how many different ways those relationships can fall apart. Father, mother, husband, wife, child, sibling, lover, immigrant, native, boss, subordinate, trainee, soldier in a strict military hierarchy -- Dubus manages to explore and say something interesting about all of these ties, with a bit of political and economic commentary that is subordinate to the more important themes. An amazing audiobook, one of the most satisfying I have listened to. My only criticism -- the brief interludes of music between sections are jarringly inappropriate. One caveat to this review: I have not seen the movie, so I came to the book without any movie-induced preconceptions.

Tremendous!

I believe the relatively low customer rating of this book is misleading. Just because the story is a TRAGEDY, doesn't make it any less of a wonderful literary effort. Just because a reader doesn't like the morality the characters, the story is nonetheless brilliant! I am a longtime Audible member. I have never been compelled to review a book before online. I feel that House of Sand and Fog is one of the best works I have had the pleasure to listen to. The back-and-forth voices of the male and female combatants work wonderfully. The reader is steered into the lives of two completely opposite characters to look through their eyes from conflicting points of view. Each adversary contributes to the deterioration of the problem that leads to a shocking crescendo. After listening to this book, I went to see the "critically acclaimed" movie. The film cannot hold a candle to the depth of this book.

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Title: The Kalahari Typing School for Men

Subtitle: More from the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Author: Alexander McCall Smith

Narrator: Lisette Lecat

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-21-03

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1031 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Precious Ramotswe's comfortable existence as the only detective in Botswana is suddenly rattled when the Satisfaction Guaranteed Detective Agency opens, and its brochure proclaims, "Don't take any chances! Entrust your enquiries to a MAN!" As if the development isn't enough, Mma Ramotswe has also taken on two difficult cases, one of which hits close to home. But with wisdom on her side, Mma Ramotswe figures to crack both cases and upstage her competition.

Critic Reviews:

"A dose of easy humor laces the pages, as McCall Smith throws in wry observations, effortlessly commenting on the vagaries his protagonist encounters as she negotiates Botswana bureaucracy. This is another graceful entry in a pleasingly modest and wise series." (Publishers Weekly)

"Lisette Lecat, a native South African, offers a near perfect narration...Lecat handles male voices exceptionally well, and her version of Mma Ramotswe is the definitive voice of that remarkable woman." (AudioFile)

"One of the most entrancing literary treats of many a year...A tapestry of extraordinary nuance and richness." (Wall Street Journal)

Members Reviews:

Audiobooks don't get any better than this

The Alexander McCall Smith books are jewels, and Lisette Lecat, the reader, makes every facet sparkle. Pick one. Pick them all. They are gems.

Another World

As in each of the A.McCall books, this one, again, takes me to a place of peace/without boredom; learning and discovery/without condescension; and, excitement/without adrenaline. The Reader, Lizette, is not "good." She is brilliant. I would love to see her perform, for she must be a splendid actress onstage/film, as well as on recorded books. Give yourself a wonderful treat with all these Botswana books...careful though, might make you want to move there - soon.

Great series, great narrator

I usually only buy audible books that have 10 hours plus listening time (more for the money!) but bought The Kalahari Typing School for Gentlemen when I was sick with a cold and wanted to listen to something light (I had read the previous 4 books the old-fashioned way). But after listening to Ms. Lecat's narration, I've ordered the next in the series from Audible too. Both she and Mma Ramatswe rock!

If you haven't listened to a No. 1 Detective Agency Series, i recommend it. Not exciting crime here --just human foibles investigated by a delightful cast led by the traditionally build Mma Ramatswe.

I have never had much interest in visiting Africa but after reading this series (and seeing the HBO/BBC television mini series), I find myself wishing I could go to Botswana and walk the streets of Gabarone, visit the African mall, and drink bush tea on the porch of a nice, traditionally built Botswanan woman, though I doubt if any real person could measure up to Precious Ramatswe.

No. 1 Ladies Det. Agency keeps you smiling

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

If you want a fun read without expectations of fast moving adventure and deep mystery, this book will keep you interested and smiling at the two ladies and their friends and the pictures the book conjures in your mind of the African bush country.

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Title: Morality For Beautiful Girls

Subtitle: More from the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Author: Alexander McCall Smith

Narrator: Lisette Lecat

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-21-03

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1109 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Between intriguing new cases and troubling personal developments, Precious' hands are full. The four Miss Beauty and Integrity pageant finalists may have questionable moral fiber, and the brother of an important government worker has allegedly been poisoned. On top of all that, Precious' reliable fianci might be hiding something.

Life is more difficult than ever at the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, but it's nothing a little clear thinking and a few mugs of bush tea can't candle.

Critic Reviews:

"Thoroughly engaging and entertaining." (Los Angeles Times)

Members Reviews:

Refreshing view of life in a small country

Precious Ramotswe, a "traditional" African lady solves the many problems that crowd into her life with grace and intelligence. Although her main mystery is that of an important government worker who fears his brother is being poisoned by an unworthy sister-in-law, Mma Ramotswe finds time to deal with a handicapped foster child, a fiance with health problems, and the needs of her valued assistant. She sails through adversity and washes away the muddles with bush tea and common sense.

The book is beautifully read by Lisette Lecat. Smith's musical prose is enhanced by her talents, and life in Botswana comes alive. It is a wonderful listening experience.

#3 in the Series . . . I'm Loving Botswana

One of the most soothing and relaxing thing about this series is the narration by Lisette Lecat. I feel like I am there in Botswana, drinking bush tea, and contemplating the the mysteries that need to be solved at No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. The kindness, forethought, and wisdom these two women use in exploring and solving their cases warms the heart. And it gives you insight into the lives of the people of Africa, their customs and beliefs. I am SO enjoying this journey.

a beautiful voice, a fascinating culture

These stories are not so much mysteries as they are windows into faraway cultures. Precious Ramotswe is a real Miss Marple -- she deals with people's problems based on her knowledge of human nature. This engaging book is full of fascinating characters and you'll want to see how Mma Ramotswe handles them all. Listening to these books really heightens the experience as you'll find out how Molepole and Gabarone and all these wonderful names should be pronounced. I love these books in print and I love them on audio.

Perfection in a Series

Occasionally I get a bit tired of No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books, though after a break I soon return. Morality For Beauitful Girls exceeds any caution I may have held. I believe it presents the maturation of McCall Smith's approach in this series at his best: well-timed and well-tuned wit, character self-analysis in just the right balance with the unfolding narrative, and the presentation of all to admire in Botswanan culture and world outlook. This is the one novel I would recommend to a somewhat reluctant newcomer: "Read this one first and you'll revel and wish to emulate surprising characteristics of Mme Ramatswe, her associates, and one nation's realism mingled with hope."

Love this series.

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Title: The Incredible Journey

Author: Sheila Burnford

Narrator: Megan Follows

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-10-03

Publisher: Listening Library

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 114 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Instinct told them that the way home lay to the west. And so the doughty young Labrador retriever, the roguish bull terrier and the indomitable Siamese set out through the Canadian wilderness. Separately, they would soon have died. But, together, the three house pets faced starvation, exposure and wild forest animals to make their way home to the family they love. The Incredible Journey is one of the great children's stories of all time and has been popular ever since its debut in 1961.

Critic Reviews:

"Captivating! A tale of charm, high drama and some revelations of the love existing between man and beast." (The New York Times)

Members Reviews:

Love the book, but beware background music!

"Incredible Journey" has been one of my favorite books since I first read it as a child; I can always count on weeping happily by the end. This audio version was read decently by Megan Follows, but I found the occasional addition of musical tracks to be annoying and, in some cases, so loud that they overwhelmed the vocals. That's why I'm only giving four stars instead of five on this one, but it's a great story anyway...

Captivating and Enthralling to listen to.

This is one book I always going to get around to reading to one day, and decided to try it in it's audio format. It was thoroughly enjoyable. It's a book you can't go wrong on. I loved the way Megan read it, and enjoyed seeing how the 3 animals interacted together. This is a great feel good book. You won't want to miss it.

Good book, good reader, weird music.

Would you listen to The Incredible Journey again? Why?

Yes, its a good story that ends happy with just enough drama in between.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The old dog of course.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

no comment

Who was the most memorable character of The Incredible Journey and why?

The old dog and the cat.

Any additional comments?

Background music that they plan in some scenes was distracting.

AMAZING!!!!

That was the best book I have ever read in my life. I encourage everyone to read it

Slow start, exciting, adventurous finish.

Too much description and exposition in the beginning. Once the story got going, it was exciting and gripping. Reader was okay, a bit soporific. Our kids liked the music that came on at dramatic moments. Also liked that it was full of action, but also had sad moments.

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Title: Sons of Fortune

Author: Jeffrey Archer

Narrator: Paul Michael

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-09-03

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 449 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

During the 1950s and 1960s, the two brothers grow up apart, following similar paths that take them in different directions. Nat leaves college to serve in Vietnam, then finishes school, earns his MBS, and becomes a successful currency dealer. Fletcher, meanwhile, graduates from Yale with a bachelor's and a law degree, going on to distinguish himself as a criminal defense lawyer before becoming a senator.

At various times in their lives, both men are confronted with challenges and obstacles, tragedy and betrayal, loss and hardship, before they both decide to run for governor, unaware they are brothers...

Critic Reviews:

"A master at mixing power, politics, and profit into fiction." (Entertainment Weekly)

"Cunning plots, silken style... Archer plays a cat-and-mouse game with the reader." (The New York Times)

Members Reviews:

A Total Disappointment

This is definitely no "Kane and Abel". In fact I will go as far as to say that this has been my biggest disappointment in two years at audible.com. After almost 14 hours of listening I still couldn't keep even the two main characters straight in my mind.....mostly because I couldn't have cared less about them. Fell asleep during the last twenty minutes (and innumerable other times) and almost didn't bother going back to see how it ended.

Old fashioned clean entertainment

It has been more years than I can count since I have had the privilege of listening to such a great story. It was not the normal murder mystery or suspense novel nor was it a thriller or a boring drama.

The character development was superb and the presentation of the two brothers as men of honor and integrity was a pleasant surprise.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the presentation of the audio program and the choice of music. Both hinted at the old radio dramas without actually imitating them.

I would recommend this book to anyone of any age. There is no content here that I would not be proud to present to my own children.

A Great Story!

Although the story was not a complicated trail of characters and twisting storylines, it was just an outstanding well done story that I enjoyed from start to finish. There were enough surprises to keep you listening from chapter to chapter.

I think if you would like to listen to a very expertly written and narrated story you will love this.

A little predictable, and cliche

I like Jeffrey Archer usually, but this was a bit trite. I felt like I could see what was around every corner...even the "big shockers". And, I have listened to Archer on audible twice now, and I could do without the dramatic, yet warbly and scratchy mood music between chapters.

Horrible

The characters are shallow, the plot is predictable and the story is sophomoric. It was a total waste of time and money. Steer clear...

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Title: Girl in Hyacinth Blue

Author: Susan Vreeland

Narrator: Loren Lester, Sheryl Bernstein

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 02-28-03

Publisher: HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 132 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Vreeland's characters remind us, through their love of the mysterious painting, how beauty transforms and why we reach for it, what lasts, and what in our lives is singular and unforgettable.

Critic Reviews:

"Intelligent, searching, and unusual...filled with luminous moments...it has a way of lingering in the reader's mind." (The New York Times Book Review)

"One of the best books of the year." (Publishers Weekly)

Contact me for any questions: [email protected]

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Title: Standing in the Rainbow

Author: Fannie Flagg

Narrator: Fannie Flagg

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-20-02

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 382 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

The time is 1946 until the present. The town is Elmwood Springs, Missouri, right in the middle of the country, in the midst of the mostly joyous transition from war to peace, aiming toward a dizzyingly bright future.

Once again, Fannie Flagg gives us a story of richly human characters, the saving graces of the once-maligned middle classes and small-town life, and the daily contest between laughter and tears. Fannie truly writes from the heartland, and her storytelling is, to quote Time, "utterly irresistible."

Critic Reviews:

"Everything is infused with the good humor and joie de vivre that are Flagg's stock-in-trade." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Standing in the Rainbow

A wonderful, old-timey feel-good flavor with an ultimate affection for each character

Utterly Charming

I didn't want the book to end. I loved all the characters in the book. And also enjoyed listening to Miss Flagg's reading of her book.

Like Finding a Pot of Gold

Standing in the Rainbow is a wonderful book. Especially for someone who just got her Medicare card, it is wonderfully nostalgic and heart warming. Fanny Flagg's characters are drawn lovingly, frequently showing a realistic mixture of likeable and unlikeable traits. I actually first got this as an audio CD set from the library but enjoyed it so much I want my own copy.

Rockin' Chair . . . Lite Fare

This is a fun easy listen . . . good for sittin' out on the porch in the rockin' chair . . . or just listening while you cook or clean. Country people, fun stories . . . you don't have to get all worked up about any of it . . . this book was a nice break from more serious southern books, the ones where you the characters wiggle their way deep into your heart . . . books like "Looking for Me" or "Saving CeeCee Huneycutt" . . . I like that Fannie Flagg tells her stories without leaving out the quirks and shortcomings of the towns people. It's just who they are, and it seems like back then, people just accepted that, instead of trying to psychoanalyze everything. Good book.

Fannie Flagg-Always a Treat

Fannie's books are always a treat and this one is no exception. Although it is a little more far reaching than others I have read, it is no less fascinating. She captures the life of average America and punches a little humor into it. She also captures the era in which she has staged her story. This book follows the lives of several people. It was a treat to read (hear)!

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Title: The Cold Six Thousand

Author: James Ellroy

Narrator: Craig Wasson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 23 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-22-01

Publisher: Random House AudioBooks

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 271 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Wayne Tedrow Jr., a young Vegas cop, arrives with a loathsome job to do. He's got $6,000 in cash and no idea that he is about to plunge into the cover-up conspiracy already brewing around Kennedy's assassination, no idea that this will mark the beginning of a hellish five-year ride through the private underbelly of public policy.

Ellroy's furiously paced narrative tracks Tedrow's ride: Dallas back to Vegas, with the Mob and Howard Hughes, south with the Klan and J. Edgar Hoover, shipping out to Vietnam and returning home, the bearer of white powder, plotting new death as 1968 approaches...

Tedrow stands witness - as the icons of an iconic era mingle with cops, killers, hoods, and provocateurs. His story is ground zero in Ellroy's stunning vision: historical confluence as American Nightmare.

Members Reviews:

Plausible history

You should not listen to this book if you are looking for entertainment and diversion. "The Cold Six Thousand" deals with greed, corruption, perversion, cruelty, and violence. However, if you have any interest in what was really going on in the 1960's -- how the J.F.K. assassination, the M.L.K. assassination, the Bobby Kennedy assassination, heroin, the Vietnam war, the Mafia, Las Vegas, and Cuba all related to one another -- then I highly recommend this book to you. Yes, James Ellroy definitely has his own unique style of writing -- kind of a cross between Hemmingway and Joyce -- with much profanity and slang, but "The Cold Six Thousand" vibrates with gritty reality, and sounds a whole lot more plausible than the Warren Commission report. I think college American history courses should assign this book as required reading.

Two-Fisted Adaptation of an Awesome Novel

I have previously read (& love!) "American Tabloid" and "The Cold Six Thousand." I knew I wanted to see what the audiobook had to offer & am glad I did! The reader really does a good job of characterizing the numerous figures in the book consistently & convincingly. He does J.Edgar Hoover & Dwight Holly particularly well. The book is a little overwhelming at first, with the angry writing style and mutitudes of characters, but eventually you get the hang of this "world" & everything fits together after the first hour or so. Too bad the first book in the series ("Tabloid") wasn't made into an audiobook!

An Achievement That Won't Insult Your Intelligence

At first I thought I wouldn't be able to listen to this because of Ellroy's sentence style. I counted something like 15 sentences in a row that began with the word WAYNE. At first the style seemed like a parody but later I realized how brilliant it was. The style captures the blunt and brutal character of the key individuals portrayed and of the roll bigotry and hatred played in 1960's USA. If you listen to this you must pay attention. Ellroy's unique style, the complexity of the story, and the fact that this author (refreshingly) doesn't insult his reader's intelligence all demand that you think as you listen. This is an amazing story told poetically. You might back up the audio to catch an important sentence you missed, (Ellroy claims there is not an unnecessary or wasted word in the book.