A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom Audiobook By John Boyne cover art

A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom

A Novel

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A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom

By: John Boyne
Narrated by: Tim McInnerny
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From the best-selling author of A Ladder to the Sky - “a darkly funny novel that races like a beating heart” (People) - comes a new novel that plays out across all of human history: a story as precise as it is unlimited.

This story starts with a family. For now, it is a father and a mother with two sons, one with his father’s violence in his blood, one with his mother’s artistry. One leaves. One stays. They will be joined by others whose deeds will determine their fate. It is a beginning.

Their stories will intertwine and evolve over the course of 2,000 years. They will meet again and again at different times and in different places. From Palestine at the dawn of the first millennium and journeying across 50 countries to a life among the stars in the third, the world will change around them, but their destinies remain the same. It must play out as foretold.

From the award-winning author of The Heart’s Invisible Furies comes A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom, an epic tale of humanity. The story of all of us, stretching across two millennia. Imaginative, unique, heartbreaking, this is John Boyne at his most creative and compelling.

©2020 John Boyne (P)2020 Random House Audio Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Sagas Destiny Heartfelt

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Witty Humor • Unique Storytelling • Historical Richness • Philosophical Depth • Intriguing Characters
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Very unique story. Lovely book and performance. Definitely worth a listen. John Boyne is a great author.

Unique

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I was disappointed with the progression of the story when it traced 2016 AD. Up to this point, the story and characters were intriguing— full of exciting encounters and historical figures. In 2016 AD, I completely lost interest in the story. While some aspects of the story were amusing, it would have been more interesting had it followed a different narrative.

AD 2016

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Enjoyed the story but disappointed with the 2016 chapter turning book into a political discussion. The rest of the book was good and that chapter just didn’t fit.

Good story but disappointed with ending

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While a little disorienting at first, the novel just gradually pulled me in until I could not stop listening. A truly wonderful John Boyne experience!

Loved the jumps!

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The description may scare you away from this wonderful novel but it’s extremely clever. Love John Boyne

Extremely clever

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A most exquisite work of humanized historical fiction with lots of both practical and philosophical challenges, this book describes the long lifespan of one soul, facing some of mankind's most troublesome existential dilemmas: creativity, as opposed to violence, family, as the cradle for love, loyalty, opression, abuse, the individual quest for redemption, the societal punishment for breaking the rules generally agreed upon, and many others.
Written with candor and witty humor, the book is a testament to the enduring power of craftsmanship and artistic expression,, through time and space, despite the lacking understanding and appreciation of their inherent value, by the common folk, as the human society evolves from the dark ages to present day and even further, into the future.
Revolving around ideas from different spiritual systems, without attaching to any particular one, the book brings forward notions such as: memory of the soul, continuous learning, destiny, katharsis, healing, starting anew.
A gorgeous voyage towards and beyond the far and wide limits of human awareness.

Remarcably Spiritual, Deep, Insightful

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The story unfolds using an interesting and mostly engaging historical device, but concludes with a rather tendentious caricature of modern American politics and then flickers out with a view of a very bland extraterrestrial utopia that feels more than a little dystopian.

Engaging story that ended with a thud

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It was interesting but confusing. I didn’t read what the book was about so didn’t get what was happening for several chapters

Not my favorite but good story

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the protagonist in this is portrayed as not very intelligent which is a little annoying but it does give an authoritative pov of the church crisis with child abuse. the writing flows, as always with Boyne. The narration was very good.

Inside view of Catholic abuse

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John Boyne is so incredibly clever. I wish I had written this book! Such an interesting way to view history. Took me a few chapters to figure out what he was doing... Open minded and spiritual minded people will appreciate this very much!

So Clever and Fascinating

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