Ducks, Newburyport

De: Lucy Ellmann

Narrado por: Stephanie Ellyne

Baking a multitude of tartes tatins for local restaurants, an Ohio housewife contemplates her four kids, husband, cats and chickens. Also, America's ignoble past, and her own regrets. She is surrounded by dead lakes, fake facts, open carry maniacs, and oodles of online advice about survivalism, veil toss duties, and how to be more like Jane Fonda. 

But what do you do when you keep stepping on your son's toy tractors, your life depends on stolen land and broken treaties, and nobody helps you when you get a flat tire on the interstate, not even the Abominable Snowman? When are you allowed to start swearing?

With a torrent of consciousness and an intoxicating coziness, Ducks, Newburyport lays out a whole world for you to tramp around in, by turns frightening and funny. A heart-rending indictment of America's barbarity, and a lament for the way we are blundering into environmental disaster, this book is both heresy - and a revolution in the novel.

©2019 Lucy Ellmann (P)2020 Recorded Books

Amazing book

Tour de force of author and reader (performer). Excellent insights into life and the various characters. Plot was such a twist, I wouldn’t dream of giving any clues. Having parallel plot line with bobcat was stroke of genius. I can’t say enough praise. I’m still amazed at the whole thing.

Indescribable....

Must be listened to at 1.40x speed for the full effect of the main character's incessant stream-of-consciousness narration raging at the incredulity of current society. This isn't going to be everyone's cup of pepper pot soup, but for those it speaks to, I'll see you all in Newburyport.

Why not live in this woman’s mind?

If one doesn’t expect an elaborate plot and just listens to her inner monologue, it’s not often that one can get into someone else’s head so fully. There is _some_ plot development there. And the reading is terrific. I would never be able to read this book, only to listen, with long pauses.

I have consumed many other books in the interim, coming back to this one for a few chapters at a time. But the image of the woman, her kids, husband and other characters remained with me, so it wasn’t hard to resume listening. Not to mention all the pies and other recipes. Sugar gets onion smell out of your hands and other useful stuff ;-)

The fact that

I don’t know if there are awards for audiobook narration, but the reader of this book surely deserves best performance. The book itself is pretty much beyond description. Totally alluring and satisfying and brilliant and the reader, my God! Unsurpassable! (I’m only about 5 hours in, but looking forward to listening to this for a LONG time:)

works as audiobook

If you are are a fan of both David Markson and the talking tree on the campus of UCSD, this is the audiobook for you.