A Widow for One Year: A Novel
A Widow for One Year: A Novel (Random House Large Print) John Irving,
Publisher: Random House Large Print
ISBN: 037570289X
DDC: 813.54
Edition: Paperback; 1998-05-05
Summary:
John Irving's A Widow For One Year is the epic story of a family,
dysfunctional at best, unable to cope with tragedy--or with each
other. The unabridged audiobook, narrated by George Guidall (The Cat
Who Sang for the Birds, The Inner Sanctum, The Legacy) draws the
listener in with a crisp, methodical vocal presentation. Guidall
portrays each character with a convincingly distinct voice,
accurately impersonating the characters' intonations and verbal
habits. The interaction between characters is both conversational and
believable. We first meet Ruth Cole in the summer of 1958 when she
walks in on her mother having sex with 16-year-old Eddie O'Hare, the
assistant to Ruth's alcoholic father. The death of Ruth's older
brothers (years before she was born) turns her mother, Marion, into a
zombie who is unable to love her surviving daughter. Ted Cole is a
semisuccessful writer and illustrator of disturbingly creepy
children's novels. His womanizing habits prove he's "as deceitful as
a damaged condom," but he remains the only stable figure in Ruth's
life. The tempestuous tale fast-forwards to the year 1990 when Ruth's
soaring writing career is faring far better than her lackluster love
life. The final segment of the novel ends in 1995 when 41-year-old
Ruth is ready to fall in love for the first time. This profoundly
absorbing story expresses the depths of misery and the healing power
of love. Irving writes as a true storyteller, and Guidall executes
the narrative with vigor and enthusiasm. (Running time: 24.5 hours,
14 cassettes) --Gina Kaysen
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