Elena @ `a casarella

This will be the book I recommend to everyone in 2021...

Revisado: 02-06-21

... okay, perhaps not *everyone*. The appeal might not be universal (people who are easily offended by sexual content should avoid) but if you’re looking for something to sink your teeth into, this is a great listen.

In fact I’ll start with the *listen* part. Hawke is a fantastic narrator. Wow. It makes sense. He’s an actor, and he’s the author, but listening to this book is like getting your own one man show. Truly the best book I’ve ever listened to in terms of the narration.

The story... I’m not even sure how to describe it. On the surface it seems simple, but in truth there’s so much more than meets the eye. A NY based film actor has been unfaithful to his rock star star wife while shooting a movie in South Africa. As they separate and head towards divorce, he returns to NYC to perform Shakespeare on Broadway. The story is set against the backdrop of the play, from the first table read to the closing performance, and the book is divided into acts and scenes as opposed to chapters. Listening gives you the added bonus of hearing music play between each act and during “intermission.”

As William, the main character, who clearly shares a lot in common with Hawke himself, navigates his first Broadway performance, the listener learns about his history, his thoughts, and so much more.

I don’t want to say too much. Honestly, you need to read/listen to it yourself (I highly recommend listening) to see what you get out of it. As I listened I thought of former colleagues (teachers) who I know would enjoy the story. I also thought of actor friends who would definitely relate and probably get more out of it than I did. And then there are other people, like me, members of GenX, who know Ethan Hawke’s work and might be curious about what he has to say. (A lot of people probably don’t realize how incredibly smart and talented he is, not just as an actor, but in a number of other areas as well.)

Okay, if that doesn’t convince you, Just listen to the sample!

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esto le resultó útil a 5 personas

Beautifully written and read...

Revisado: 02-08-20

Please don’t judge this book without reading or listening to it yourself. It is beautiful and unique. There is room for this story as well as stories written by native Mexicans and other immigrants. We need them all.

The audio book is particularly compelling as the narrator has a beautiful voice and cadence. I’m tempted to listen to it a second time.

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