The Velvet Sledgehammer
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Narrated by:
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Edward Savio
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By:
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Edward Savio
About this listen
Sex. Commitment. The Fate of the World Economy.
It’s December, 1993—a pivotal moment in human history—and these are the things hijacking Billy Gerrick’s brain.
The Wall Street Journal calls him “The best thing to happen to international trade since the boat.” The President praises him as: “A great American.” His brilliant, beautiful, well-connected girlfriend thinks he’s the kindest, most generous man alive.
Only Billy Gerrick knows the truth…he’s a ticking time bomb. An overachieving bundle of fear, denial, and desire who has held it together for three-plus decades by sheer will.
Now, on the eve of finalizing the most comprehensive, far-reaching global agreement ever proposed, Billy Gerrick is forced to confront a past he’d rather forget—the painful childhood, the embarrassing failures, the impressive string of romantic flameouts—when his perfect fiancée chooses this historic moment to pressure him about settling down, getting married, and having kids. But if Billy Gerrick knows anything, it’s that he’s the last person on earth that should be in charge of raising a child.
Edward Savio’s return to mainstream adult fiction takes us on a hilarious, unbridled, unapologetic journey to find love, understanding, and redemption through the eyes of a flawed hero who is part Holden Caulfield, part Alexander Portnoy, part Sun Tzu all rolled into one.
A relentless, raw, surprisingly poignant exploration of the turning point we all must face: finally coming to terms with growing up.
©2023 Edward Savio (P)2023 Babelfish PressListeners also enjoyed...
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- Length: 3 hrs and 53 mins
- Original Recording
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Alice's journey begins as all good journeys do: hitting on the sales guy at REI. After a tumultuous breakup, a quick career transition, family upheaval, and a sobriety journey that didn't fix her life quite as much as she expected it to, Alice decides that the only way to solve all her problems is to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. But as she begins preparing for the months-long quest, she realizes the answers she's seeking might not be on top of a snow-covered mountain. Especially since she just learned there was snow in California.
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Chuck full of laughs to lift anyone's spirits.
- By Laura Boogaert on 09-22-24
By: Ginny Hogan
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I Can't Make This Up
- Life Lessons
- By: Neil Strauss - contributor, Kevin Hart
- Narrated by: Kevin Hart
- Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Superstar comedian and Hollywood box-office star Kevin Hart turns his immense talent to the written word by writing some words. Some of those words include: the, a, for, above, and even even. Put them together and you have the funniest, most heartfelt, and most inspirational memoir on survival, success, and the importance of believing in yourself since Old Yeller.
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Best Audiobook I Ever Listened To
- By Sam Clear on 07-13-17
By: Neil Strauss - contributor, and others
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American Psycho
- By: Bret Easton Ellis
- Narrated by: Pablo Schreiber
- Length: 16 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Patrick Bateman moves among the young and trendy in 1980s Manhattan. Young, handsome, and well educated, Bateman earns his fortune on Wall Street by day while spending his nights in ways we cannot begin to fathom. Expressing his true self through torture and murder, Bateman prefigures an apocalyptic horror that no society could bear to confront.
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Fanntastic book but maybe not for everyone....
- By So Fain on 03-27-11
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The Perfect Find
- By: Tia Williams
- Narrated by: Wesleigh Siobhan
- Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Jenna Jones, former It-girl fashion editor, is broke and desperate for a second chance. When she’s dumped by her longtime fiancé and fired from Darling magazine, she begs for a job from her old arch nemesis, Darcy Vale. The beyond-bitchy publisher of StyleZine.com, Darcy agrees to hire her rival - only because her fashion site needs a jolt from Jenna’s old school cred. But Jenna soon realizes she’s in over her head.
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A-FREAKING-MAZING!!!
- By Bernadette on 05-30-21
By: Tia Williams
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Breakfast of Champions
- By: Kurt Vonnegut
- Narrated by: John Malkovich
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Breakfast of Champions (1973) provides frantic, scattershot satire and a collage of Vonnegut's obsessions. His recurring cast of characters and American landscape was perhaps the most controversial of his canon; it was felt by many at the time to be a disappointing successor to Slaughterhouse-Five, which had made Vonnegut's literary reputation.
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Kurt Was Right to Grade This a C
- By Dubi on 01-10-16
By: Kurt Vonnegut
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Black Friend
- Essays
- By: Ziwe
- Narrated by: Ziwe
- Length: 4 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Ziwe made a name for herself by asking guests like Alyssa Milano, Fran Lebowitz, and Chet Hanks direct questions. In Black Friend, she turns her incisive perspective on both herself and the culture at large. Throughout the book, Ziwe combines pop-culture commentary and personal stories that grapple with her own (mis)understanding of identity. From a hilarious case of mistaken identity via a jumbotron to a terrifying fight-or-flight encounter in the woods, Ziwe raises difficult questions for comedic relief.
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Something for everyone
- By Happy on 10-21-23
By: Ziwe
What listeners say about The Velvet Sledgehammer
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Bryan
- 10-28-23
Billy the Kid!
I first found out about Edward Savio through the Battle for Forever series. I really enjoyed those books so I was interested when I had a chance to read (listen to) his new book, The Velvet Sledgehammer. While the story is very different and you have to be ready for some of the NSFW content, the writing was still as good. I
I thought Billy - the main character as well as the other characters were strong and the interactions between them were both funny and believable. The interactions between Billy and his family were somewhat painful at times and while touching at others! The Princess was both funny and frustrating - for Billy! Billy had to work through his relationships with women both past and present. At times the reader is rooting for him while at others, not so much. Ultimately, it was a book that I wanted to keep listening to so that I could learn what would happen to Billy at the end of his journey.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 10-31-23
Family, relationships, and lots of humor with a side of international intrigue!
Definitely not for everyone as it includes quite a bit of adult content and language but Savio’s tale made 12 hours of driving fly by. I originally listened to his Alexander X series with my kids and follow him on social media so I already knew I liked his humor. I jumped at the opportunity to listen to his latest book and it didn’t disappoint. He certainly knows how to tell a story! He weaves his character’s adolescent experiences into the story in a way that had me thinking about the things I experienced with family growing up. The author does a great job narrating as well, adding his own flair to the performance. I had no idea I could be interested by international trade agreements! I’m looking forward to more from Savio!
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2 people found this helpful
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- Michael Gehman
- 03-05-24
Definitely not PG13 rated
I thought it was a great book. The main character is flawed like many of us are. He blames people for his problems but ultimately comes to grips with them. I kept hoping things would go one way and swerved another but always interesting. Shows somewhat of what goes on behind the scenes of negotiations if it is to be believed but is never boring. Oh and from someone who used to work on French cars they do suck.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Dr
- 08-15-24
The most honest story I’ve read
The author manages to encompass my entire teenage and young adult life !!! This is truth telling and should be shared at schools.
I’m telling my 18 year old son to read it.
Well done
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- Angelica
- 10-26-23
Some of Edward Savio’s best work
This book is definitely different than his other work, but capture the perfectly imperfect moments of our lives. He also encapsulate how one decision can impact the trajectory of rest of our lives.
I rooted for Billy. I swore at Billy. I cried with Billy. I definitely identified with Billy. Check out this book, you will not be disappointed.
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2 people found this helpful
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- DanDLWR
- 07-25-24
Storytelling was rich and powerful
I have read the three ancient among us books and have enjoyed Savio’s storytelling style. This book takes it to another level with moving and funny anecdotes spread along the narrative. He took what could have been another standard romantic comedy and added a complexity and humanity to the story.
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- Anonymous User
- 12-12-23
Good, bad, indifferent
I tried to like this book. I tried to return this book after starting it over time and again. I was unsuccessful in both. I realize now, after finally finishing it after listening to it 3 or 4 times in parts and piece, is that at times it was soft core porn, romance, arrogance and ego blended into a soup of coming-of-age who am I treacle. There were pieces I laughed at out loud but pieces that seemed unnecessary. I like Savio’s other work and I’m annoyed with myself that I just couldn’t, no matter how I tried, enjoy this as anything more than a pulpy read. If you want to fill time, it passes but to me his other works are far better.
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