Mouth to Mouth

A Novel

By: Antoine Wilson

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

A NATIONAL BESTSELLER * ONE OF BARACK OBAMA’S FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE SUMMER * An NPR and TimeBest Book of the Year * Longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize (Canada) * Finalist for CALIBA’s Golden Poppy Awards

A successful art dealer confesses the story of his meteoric rise in this “powerful, intoxicating, and shocking” (The New York Times) novel that’s a “slow burn à la Patricia Highsmith” (Oprah Daily). “You’ll struggle not to rip through in one sitting” (Vogue).

In a first-class lounge at JFK airport, our narrator listens as Jeff Cook, a former classmate he only vaguely remembers, shares the uncanny story of his adult life—a life that changed course years before, the moment he resuscitated a drowning man.

Jeff reveals that after that traumatic, galvanizing morning on the beach, he was compelled to learn more about the man whose life he had saved, convinced that their fates were now entwined. But are we agents of our fate—or are we its pawns? Upon discovering that the man is renowned art dealer Francis Arsenault, Jeff begins to surreptitiously visit his Beverly Hills gallery. Although Francis does not seem to recognize him as the man who saved his life, he nevertheless casts his legendary eye on Jeff and sees something worthy. He takes the younger man under his wing, initiating him into his world, where knowledge, taste, and access are currency; a world where value is constantly shifting and calling into question what is real, and what matters. The paths of the two men come together and diverge in dizzying ways until the novel’s staggering ending.

Sly, suspenseful, and “gloriously addicting” (BuzzFeed), Mouth to Mouth masterfully blurs the line between opportunity and exploitation, self-respect and self-delusion, fact and fiction—exposing the myriad ways we deceive each other, and ourselves.

NPR featured it.. Just as good as promised

The writer said that he wanted to be sure each page was as interesting as the page before it. He accomplished the task.The story makes one think about our own motivations.

Not really sure other than one was a very good listener and the other letting go of a haunting past

I wained a few times throughout the story. Thinking do I keep listening and in the end did finish the book. Like most the main twist the jest was in the very end

Interesting story

I liked this story but thought it should have had a little more spice to the ending.

I'd like to give it 10 stars

This was a great book. Truly one of the best books I've read in years.

Short delicious read

Mr. Ballerini always narrates very well. I like that the writer did not try to prolong the story with more “filler chapters” but rather stuck to a tighter storyline. It made the impact even greater. I also liked that the ending leaves you wondering, questioning unexpressed and perhaps, even inadmissible motives.