Listen to Most Popular Audiobooks in Fiction, Contemporary

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Title: The Christmas Box

Author: Richard Paul Evans

Narrator: Richard Thomas

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 30 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-14-00

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 188 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

The Christmas Box is the touching story of a widow and the young family who moves in with her. Together they discover the first gift of Christmas and learn what Christmas is really about. This book is also available in Spanish as El Regalo de Navidad.

©1995 Richard Paul Evans; (P)1995 Simon & Schuster Inc., All Rights Reserved, AUDIOWORKS is an Imprint of Simon & Schuster Audio Division, Simon & Schuster Inc.

Members Reviews:

A Gift

As I sat and processed AP checks, I just couldn't stop listening. It is a short read, but what a GIFT. Certainly makes one think twice about what we take for granted every day.

True meaning of Christmas

What did you like best about The Christmas Box? What did you like least?

Best - The ending and how the theme of the book really all came together.

The least - The narration was very boring and not captivating.

Would you be willing to try another book from Richard Paul Evans? Why or why not?

Absolutely, I have loved all of his books prior to this one, so I'll just chalk this one up to bad narration.

Was The Christmas Box worth the listening time?

Not really

Great Listen

I have really enjoyed listening to Richard Paul Evans books. This Book really lets you know what Christmas is all about. I think so often times we get caught up in the gift giving and forget the real spirit of christmas.

The first Christmas Gift

Do you know what the first Christmas Gift was? If not, this story will help you to remember; it's a great tale to help you focus on the important things in life!! everyone should read this story at least once a year :)

A Mothers Love

Listening to Richard Thomas narrate was a very relaxing story time. I so enjoyed the movie version that I could see all the actors as it is read. Recommend a yearly Christmas read.

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Title: Anne of the Island

Author: L. M. Montgomery

Narrator: Megan Follows

Format: Abridged

Length: 3 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 12-16-99

Publisher: Listening Library

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 75 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Wishing couldn't keep Anne Shirley from growing up. Her whole world was changing - her childhood friends marrying, Anne herself leaving her beloved island for the unknowns of college. But as much as life changed, the important things stayed the same - especially the irrepressible and high-spirited Anne Shirley.

Hear more stories in the

series.

©1990 David and Ruth MacDonald and Bantam Audio Publishing; (P)1990 Random House, Inc., Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, A Division of Random House, Inc.

Members Reviews:

Anne of the Island

As Amethysta said, Megan Follows is an amazing performer/reader in this delightful third book in the irrepressible and irresistible Anne series. Though this edition happens to be abridged, it is truly incredible; it's no wonder Megan won the Award for best actress for Anne of Green Gables! Anne is now growing up and facing decisions and obstacles in her life that she hadn't expected to find, but with the poise and grace that only Anne carries she succeeds and her honest innocence remains true to the end.

Loved hearing this read by Megan Followes!

I'm a big Anne fan from way back and it was even better to hear it read by Megan Followes. I think she does an amazing job reading Davy's voice and all the others in this book as well. Although I do prefer Unabridged books on the whole, this one is great! I've listened to this one many times and it's I turn to when I want to be comforted!

Wonderful!!

Read by Megan Follows herself. What could be better? A wonderful audio version. I love Anne Shirley!!:)

Terrible quality

I was thrilled to find that Megan Follows narrated this book. She did a suburb job. However, the quality of this book is garbage. It sounds like it's a recording of a recording. Every now and then the cheesiest most eye roll-inducing music plays very loudly in the background.

Megan Follows is the best

Yes, it's disappointing that this is an abridged version of the book and the sound quality is pretty poor (being, I believe, cassette recordings when first released). But Megan Follows is a brilliant narrator of these books and I enjoyed it immensely nonetheless. Please please please could Megan Follows be recorded reading the whole series of books unabridged? I'd buy them all!

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Title: Mrs. Mike

Author: Benedict Freedman, Nancy Freedman

Narrator: Kirsten Potter

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 33 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-14-09

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 456 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Recently arrived in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, after a long, hard journey from Boston, 16-year-old Katherine Mary O'Fallon never imagined that she could lose her heart so easily or so completely. Standing over six feet tall, with "eyes so blue you could swim in them", Mike Flannigan is a well respected sergeant in the Canadian Mounted Police and a man of great courage, kindness, and humor. Together, he and his beloved Kathy manage to live a good, honest life in this harsh, unforgiving land and to find strength in a love as beautiful and compelling as the wilderness around them.

©2002 Benedict and Nancy Freedman; (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic Reviews:

"Only once in a long while does the lover of books come across a novel like this one. Mrs. Mike is an unforgettable story." (Boston Herald)

"It is the personality of Sgt. Mike blowing through this account like a clear breeze that gives it a refreshing quality. Everyone's dream of a cop, he was also a romantic and understanding husband, the fondest of fathers, a man of honor and humor." (The New York Times)

Members Reviews:

How could I have missed this all these years?

This is a riveting book, a great one to listen to. The descriptions of the Canadian Northwest and living conditions are in great and realistic detail. Although it has some aspects of a novel for Young Adults, the complexities of the life and the ordeals faced by the main characters take it beyond that genre. Highly recommended.

Mothers favorite book

Mrs Mike is a refreshing story. My mother loved the book and allowed me to read it as a young teen. In todays busy times,I was thrilled to find it in audible. It is written in a simple way that lets you relax and imagine yourself living her life. You laugh and cry and persevere and when your done listening, you hug your family and feel blessed.

Reread from highschool

I love this book! I cry every time I read it or listen to it. I have read it in book form at least 15 times. It is real and touching and a glimpse of what life was like in the Canadian North at the turn of the century. It is well written and very enjoyable.

Lovely version of an old favorite...

I fell in love with this book decades ago. Listening to this audio version made me fall in love all over again.

Riveting Story of Life and Love in the Wild

This book impacts your life and helps to put all things into perspective. Somehow, what starts out as an almost sappy love story, turns into a fascinating account of the human condition. The Canadian North Woods in the early 1900s are a beautiful but brutal place to live, and this book does not spare you from either dimension. Eventually you understand that maybe love can conquer all, but not without changing you in the process. I first read Mrs. Mike as a young teenager, and the story was so compelling, I never forgot it. Reading it again forty years later the emotional impact remains the same. The narrator brings Katherine Mary O'Fallon (Mrs. Mike) to life, and I applaud her performance. So when you combine entertainment, literary refinery, and meaningful substance into a single story, than it earns 15 stars on my scale.

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Title: Beside Myself

Author: Ann Morgan

Narrator: Lisa Coleman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 2 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-14-16

Publisher: Audible Studios for Bloomsbury

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1053 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Find an exclusive Q&A session with the author at the end of this audiobook.

Six-year-old Helen and Ellie are identical twins, but Helen is smarter, more popular, and their mother's favorite. Ellie, on the other hand, requires special instruction at school, is friendless, and is punished at every turn. Until they decide to swap places - just for fun, and just for one day - and Ellie refuses to switch back. Everything of Helen's, from her toys to her friends to her identity, now belongs to her sister.

With those around her oblivious to her plight, the girl who used to be Helen loses her sense of self and withdraws into a spiral of behavioral problems, delinquency, and mental illness. In time, she's not even sure of her memory of the switch. Twenty-five years later, she receives a call that threatens to pull her back into her sister's dangerous orbit. Will she take this chance to face her past?

Members Reviews:

A brilliantly written but painful story.

This story is hard for me to rate. On the one hand, I LOVED the author's brilliant writing and psychological insight. On the other hand, it was a painful listen. For 12+ hours, I listened to the main character endure one psychological blow after another. I almost gave up on this one, because my empathy for the character made it a torturous listen! If I were rating the writing, I'd give it 5 stars for sure. In the end, I deducted one star because...frankly...I'm relieved to be finished with this one!

Excellent and unusual story of twins

Any additional comments?

This book takes an in-depth look at twins in an identity crisis. I've known identical twins who swapped places to take exams in high school because each was better at one subject or other, but never considered what would happen if one refused to switch back. This is quite a gripping story, and avoids the twin cliches present in other suspense stories I've read. A true psychological thriller, full of madness and sadness and love.

Dark story

This is a sad story and pretty dark and upsetting at times, but is well written and worth a listen, but only if ur not easily upset.

not a thriller or suspense

no twists or turns, just a story about a troubled twin and her family. A little hard to follow at first, a little confusing. I would categorize this as a dark drama. Interesting story but not what I thought and I'm rather confused about all the other reviews.

a creepy, twisted psychological thriller

Any additional comments?

I chose to listen to Beside Myself and loved the narrator Lisa Coleman. She did a fantastic job with character voices and it was not an easy task. I was able to identify who was speaking from young Ellie (Helen) to adult Ellie (Helen) and the many different personalities. She even captured Ellie and Helens cruel mother in all her venomous glory.

I will warn you, none of the characters are likeable or even reliable. Ellie and Helen have an awful mother and I had evil thoughts about her. Morgan puts forth a scenario that is freaking scary and shares the consequences. The stories told through Ellies perspective who is the real Helen. Morgan uses you rather than I when Ellie (Helen) relays the story and I found it clever. Her childhood is dark, and there are quite a few triggers for those who are sensitive. View Spoiler She grows up in the shadow of Helen the real Ellie and is cast into the role of underachiever, troublemaker and second best.

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Title: A Bend in the River

Author: V.S. Naipaul

Narrator: Simon Vance

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-16-04

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 366 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

In this incandescent novel, V.S. Naipaul takes us deeply into the life of one man, an Indian who, uprooted by the bloody tides of Third World history, has come to live in an isolated town at the bend of a great river in a newly independent African nation. Naipaul gives us the most convincing and disturbing vision yet of what happens in a place caught between the dangerously alluring modern world and its own tenacious past and traditions.

©1979 V.S. Naipaul; (P)2004 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic Reviews:

"A brilliant novel." (The New York Times)

"Confirms Naipaul's position as one of the best writers now at work." (Newsweek)

Members Reviews:

Beautiful, insightful, troubling

First of all, I love the beautiful simplicity of this story of change and spiraling evolution in a crossroads African village on a Bend in the River (Congo?).

Here is a modern novel, way above the class of the recent wave of complex and cliche ridden historical fictions. Here is a 'tip of the iceberg' novel, where so many layers of meaning and emotions arise out of an almost childlike diary-like narrative and run very deep. I was thinking about this book for a week after I read it and, could not, did not want to start another book until this one had settled a little in my psyche - A lot like listening to a great piece of music or having a spectacular meal and then not want to here or eat anything special for a while.

I found the experience of reading/listening to be nothing less than transendental, on the order of a Kawabata or Steinbeck. This is the counterpart to the difficult modern fiction of Joyce, Faulkner, Woolf, and even Rushdie. Here, less is more and absolutely no struggling is required on the part of the reader, yet the author seems to effortlessly take you to on a journey that is compared to Hearts of Darkness, but there is nothing murky here. The waters are clear and devastating.

Highly recommended

This story is presumed to be set in early post-colonial Congo (formerly Zaire, formerly the Belgian Congo.) Salim, through whose eyes we experience the story, is a young ethnic Indian from Eastern Africa, where he has few opportunities. He is given an opportunity to take over a small business in a town "at the bend in the river" in Central Africa, where he goes to live. There, he makes a living and forms friendships and liasons with others from the community and with outsiders, like himself, who have settled there. He earns respect as one who can be depended on. He takes in not only a younger member of his old boyhood household in the east, but also the teenage son of a trader. Through the eyes of Salim, we feel an optimism for this developing country and experience the sense of belonging and drive to survive of everyone living there: from the citizens of the region to the European ex-patriates. As the story shows the country beginning to dissolve into chaos and lawlessness, we have the feeling that we are witnessing close-up the human story behind the news reports we sometimes read about strife-torn countries. This is a well-told story, with an interesting plot, a varied cast of characters, and the fascinating backdrop of modern history in Africa.

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Title: The Dirty Book Club

Author: Lisi Harrison

Narrator: Joy Osmanski

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-10-17

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 10 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

From the author of the number one New York Times best-selling series The Clique comes Lisi Harrison's debut adult novel about four modern-day strangers who inherit a dirty book club that was started in the 1960s.

M. J. Stark's life is picture-perfect - she has a dream job as a magazine editor, a sexy doctor boyfriend, and a glamorous life in Manhattan. But behind her success, she can't shake a deep sense of loneliness. So when her boyfriend offers her a completely new life in California after a promotion does not go her way, she decides to give it try. Once there, M. J. is left to fend for herself in a small California beach town, with only the company of her elderly neighbor, Gloria.

One day M. J. receives a mysterious invitation and a copy of Prim: A Modern Woman's Guide to Manners. She recognizes the book as an outdated classic, but when she opens it, she discovers that it's actually a copy of Fear of Flying by Erica Jong, and the invitation is to join Gloria's secret book club - one that reads only erotic books. Out of curiosity, M. J. goes to the meeting at a local bookstore and discovers three other women who have also been selected by the club's original members - who have suddenly left the country to honor a 50-year-old pact. As these unlikely friends bond over naughty best sellers, each woman shares not only the intimate details of her own sex life but all areas of her life. Inspired by the characters in the novels they read - and the notes passed down by the club's original members - the new members of The Dirty Book Club help each other find the courage to rewrite their own stories and risk it all for a happy ending.

Members Reviews:

I enjoyed it, however I feel there could have been ...

An engrossing novel, fast paced, original and unpredictable. I enjoyed it, however I feel there could have been more character development on the other members of the âDBCâ. I think this book would be even better if they were told from each of their perspective, however Julesâs character fell rather flat for me. If youâre a fan of Lisi Harrison, give it a go! I did have some laughs while reading. Overall a good book.

Good Read

Well written. A bit different from my normal reads but entertaining and the story made sense.

I loved Lisi Harrisons books (the clique and Alphas) growing up ...

I am absolutely obsessed. I loved Lisi Harrisons books (the clique and Alphas) growing up and forgot what a wonderful writer she is. This books draws you in and leaves you rooting for every character. I'm so glad I purchased this book and hope that she continues writing again!

A husband enjoys the Dirty Book Club

After my wife devoured this book and couldn't stop talking about it - I had to read it and it was wonderfully complex, interesting and very entertaining.

Just Plain Fun and Thouroughly Enjoyable!!

The Dirty Book Club by Lisi Harrison is a 2017 Gallery Books publication.

A lighthearted and often hilarious story about the special bonds of friendship!

Now, donât let the title of this book fool you. This is not an erotic novel, at all. Instead, this is a book about relationships, focusing on the bond between women and true, enduring friendship.

The story begins in 1962 with the birth of âThe Dirty Book Clubâ.

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Title: Surrender the Pink

Author: Carrie Fisher

Narrator: Carrie Fisher

Format: Abridged

Length: 3 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-16-99

Publisher: Phoenix Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 86 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

The victim of a painful past and a fatherless childhood, Dinah Kaufman is searching for love that will last - or at least, a reasonable facsimile that comes with a warranty. She nearly found it in her marriage to hugely successful playwright Rudy Gendler. But when she fights to hold on to that now-extinct romance - or at least prevent Rudy from falling for someone new - Dinah finds herself in a variety of wild situations. She also discovers some hard-learned truths as she seeks to bridge the eternal chasm between men and women. Actress Carrie Fisher (the Star Wars trilogy, When Harry Met Sally) reads this follow-up to Postcards from the Edge, her stunning literary debut.

Copyright ©1990 by Carrie Fisher; Copyright (P)1990 by Dove Books on Tape, Inc.

Members Reviews:

Light-hearted But Heartfelt Relationship Drama

Would you consider the audio edition of Surrender the Pink to be better than the print version?

Yes, the author is in perfect form (and youthful voice) for this recording; it's like spending an evening or two listening to her character Marie from "When Harry Met Sally" regale you with her Bad Relationship stories.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Surrender the Pink?

Definitely the scene in which Dinah can't help going over to Rudy's house after finding out he has a new girlfriend. I found myself yelling in my car: "No! DON'T DO IT!!" as she went into his yard...then onto his porch...then tried the back door...then, finding the door unlocked, WALKED INTO HIS HOUSE...only to have her worst fears realized when he and his girlfriend return home while she is still inside the house!!!

Which character as performed by Carrie Fisher was your favorite?

Dinah, of course, but also her best friend Connie, who sounded just like Marie from When Harry Met Sally!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed out loud many, many times! Am still laughing at Dinah's new would-be boyfriend Roy saying "I'm going to cry...I'm going to cry like Nixon!"

The book also made me envious of Carrie's ability to take personal romantic tragedy (her breakup with on-again, off-again, on-again lover, husband and love of her life Paul Simon, thinly disguised here as famous playwright Rudy Gendler) and turn it into artistic triumph. Carrie, as always, inspires me to write!

I found Carrie's father's relationship advice (look for safe; look for happy; stop looking for passion; look at me--I ended up alone) unexpectedly moving. Was Eddie Fisher ever really so introspective and wise?

Any additional comments?

Who will not like this book: Most men; people who dislike analyzing relationships; people who need mystery or suspense to keep them engaged in a book.

Who will maybe LOVE this book: Carrie Fisher fans; women interested in exploring the male-female dynamic; anyone who has been disappointed in relationships and is interested in exploring the reasons why relationships fail and what makes us unwilling to let go of a lost love.

[PLEASE PRESS 'YES' IF YOU FOUND THIS REVIEW EVEN REMOTELY HELPFUL!! THANK YOU!!!]

Beautifully performed

I am not usually one for novels, but this one was great. I have read Carrie's other books and found that the audio version of this one was so well-performed that I could listen to it over and over again.

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Title: Again to Carthage

Author: John L. Parker Jr.

Narrator: Patrick Lawlor

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-24-09

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 147 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Quenton Cassidy thought he had left his athletic career far behind as he built a successful professional career in south Florida. But as several personal tragedies and the wear and tear of life began to weigh upon him, he wonders if perhaps he hasn't given up a special part of his life too soon. His return to the world of competitive running is dramatic and revelatory to both the protagonist and the listener, as is his desperate, all-out attempt to make on last Olympic team.

©2010 Brilliance Audio, Inc.; ©2010 John L. Parker Jr.

Members Reviews:

Again to Carthage

Along with Once a Runner this book Again to Carthage has insights in what makes a runner tick that only another runner will ever know. By that I`m talking about those of us who define ourselves by that name who come to life at the mention of it and never need to be asked twice to go training.There are chapters in this book that made me cry tears of joy as i tooled along one of my regular bush tracks as i heard what could have been my own words in how i described myself and what running meant to me. I felt myself becoming Quinten because i felt the same. I am an Ironman legend triathlete and a 30 time marathoner I am an undertaker of the difficult task, and the book enunciated perfectly. In the chapter of the marathon trials i felt and knew like an old friend every step, every feeling and emotion that Quinten had and Johns description of that was perfect for me. If you want a book about races splits times and results then read something else. This book is a continuation of the life and the real meaning of what a real runner feels and dreams about. In short to put in the effort he did demands a committment to running that trancends a race or a result. It is something much deeper than that. It is a book about looking into your heart and soul. I have it on my iPod and this book as well as Once a Runner are now my constant companions as day after day i take the miles of trials and trials of miles.

a relevant sequel

I read Once a Runner years ago when I was in High School and it was a great narrative to motivate me at the time. Now that I'm graduated from College, I liked the way Parker brings you through what it's like to have "commitment issues" with your running and get back into the sport.

Sadly not even close.

I loved Once a runner, listened to it 3 times. I fell a sleep more than once during Carthage, boring, boring boring. Should have quit whilst he was ahead.

Don't do it!

If you are thinking of purchasing this book and expect it to be about running with many motivational passages about training or racing.... don't do it! If you expect to read a story about an inspirational comeback to make you feel good.... don't do it! If you expect to be entertained with pages full of interesting characters and stories.... don't do it! If you expect to laugh, cry, applaud or anything other than yawn.... don't do it! That being said, if you can't possibly find any other book on which to completely waste a credit.... do it!

Third time listening to this one. Love it.

Love the story, love the characters, love the details runners will only get, love the descriptionsI'm and the dialog, love the performance. At once intelligent, articulate, scientific and witty. Classic book. I'm sure I'll visit again in a couple of years.

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Title: Diary

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Chuck Palahniuk

Narrator: Martha Plimpton

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-22-03

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 487 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Diary is a dark, hilarious, and poignant act of storytelling from America's favorite, most inventive nihilist.

Critic Reviews:

"...[the author's] last minute switching of gears...can turn a darkly ominous story into a source of heart-tugging inspiration." (The New York Times)

"A creative, unusual tale...the story is fresh." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

The uninitiated need not apply

Palahniuk has a knack for writing with a kind of obsessive feverishness that bleeds into the novels and, usually, the readers themselves. A trademark of his previous novels (most especially Choke and Survivor) are twisted, alluring central premises that start out too bizarre to wrap your head around and slowly resolve themselves into a satisfying internally consistent logic. Usually, this process leaves a few plot holes and loose ends in its wake, but what the hell, it's a good ride.

Diary is more mature than Palahniuk's former novels: the thematic structure is strong, the trademark gruesomeness is more subtlely and effectively applied, even the phrase repetitions are more significantly placed, if still used a bit liberally for my taste. But the novel still falls into the trap of biting off more than it can chew, and it raises an awful lot of questions, about the protaganist's husband, the town's history, and its own internal logic, that it never gets around to answering. Palahniuk's fans are used to chalking a few up to surrealism and not letting it get to them, but anyone who hasn't read Fight Club should be prepared to have the hell bugged out of them by the niggling questions.

As for the narration, it's competently done, which is saying a lot for the work: epistolary pieces by ANYONE are tough to narrate without infusing an emotion that obfuscates the significance of the words themselves, and lumping the wry sarcasm of the main character on top of that makes for a fairly difficult narration. I would have preferred less colour to it, but it doesn't get in the way. What did bother me (and may bother others who have read Palahniuk before they listen) is the pace: the author often spends pages spooling out a single twist in the plot amongst a bevy of meaningless detail, a device which works well on the page where you're free to rush through it, heart pounding, to get to the end of the segment, but which is simply torturous in audio form.

What a trip!

While I must admit that I liked Chuck Palahniuk's "Lullaby" more, I was really drawn into this story - especially by Martha Plimpton's wonderful narration. I simply had to know what the heck was at the root of all the chaos. When all was revealed, I was fairly satisfied. Chuck Palahniuk is clearly one of the most creative (if not twisted) minds of my generation and I look forward to his next novel with great anticipation.

Great Reading of Bizarre Story

Having just finished this story, I must say that this audiobook's greatest strength is it's reading by Martha Plimpton. Although I have read some reviews claiming her monotonous delivery took away from the experience, I feel that it was in line with what to expect from the main character and allowed the listener to delve deeper into her psyche.

Other reviews are correct in saying that the action does not pick up until later into the story.

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Title: Martin Marten

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Brian Doyle

Narrator: Travis Baldree

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-30-17

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 7 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Dave is 14 years old, living with his family in a cabin on Oregon's Mount Hood (or as he prefers to call it, like the Multnomah tribal peoples once did, Wy'east). Dave will soon enter high school, with adulthood and a future not far off - a future away from his mother, father, his precocious younger sister, and the wilderness where he's lived all his life.

And Dave is not the only one approaching adulthood and its freedoms on Wy'east that summer. Martin, a pine marten (of the mustelid family), is leaving his own mother and siblings and setting off on his own as well.

As Dave and Martin set off on their own adventures, their lives, paths, and trails will cross, weave, and blend. Why not come with them as they set forth into the forest and crags of Oregon's soaring mountain wilderness in search of life, family, friends, enemies, wonder, mystery, and good things to eat?

Martin Marten is a braided coming-of-age tale like no other, told in Brian Doyle's joyous, rollicking style.

Members Reviews:

A beautifully written tale

Doyle once again captured a true sense of communal harmony with nature, creating a balanced perspective that shares both human and animal personas. The warmth, authenticity and humor expressed in his storytelling is totally engaging. This writer will be sorely missed by so many devoted readers.