The Beginner's Goodbye

By: Anne Tyler

Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne

Anne Tyler gives us a wise, haunting, and deeply moving new novel in which she explores how a middle-aged man, ripped apart by the death of his wife, is gradually restored by her frequent appearances—in their house, on the roadway, in the market.

Crippled in his right arm and leg, Aaron spent his childhood fending off a sister who wants to manage him. So when he meets Dorothy, a plain, outspoken, self-dependent young woman, she is like a breath of fresh air. Unhesitatingly he marries her, and they have a relatively happy, unremarkable marriage. But when a tree crashes into their house and Dorothy is killed, Aaron feels as though he has been erased forever. Only Dorothy’s unexpected appearances from the dead help him to live in the moment and to find some peace.

Gradually he discovers, as he works in the family’s vanity-publishing business, turning out titles that presume to guide beginners through the trials of life, that maybe for this beginner there is a way of saying goodbye.

A beautiful, subtle exploration of loss and recovery, pierced throughout with Anne Tyler’s humor, wisdom, and always penetrating look at human foibles.

I could barely hear this reader

My headphones were cranked all the way up and I still had to strain to hear. I had to stop listening.

Typical Tyler, but not her best

The Beginner's Goodbye is a completely enjoyable, typical Tyler book. Aaron, the reserved, reclusive main character, loses his wife Dorothy in a freak accident when a tree crashes through their roof. The story unfolds when Aaron deals with his grief surrounded by slightly quirky family, co-workers, and neighbors. Dorothy appears to Aaron after her death, which begins to help him recover from his understandably crushing grief and loss. In one of the sadder aspects of the story, Aaron doesn't really seem to know and understand Dorothy well until after her death. The Hallmark ending was far too pat and predictable.

While this was a very pleasant read, it doesn't hold a candle to some of Tyler's best, like Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant and Breathing Lessons

Anne Tyler is my favorite author, this is her best

Would you consider the audio edition of The Beginner's Goodbye to be better than the print version?

The narrator gave so much to the character and this performance was excellent

What did you like best about this story?

The strange characters

What about Kirby Heyborne’s performance did you like?

He made the book seem real

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When the tree fell

Not Anne Tyler's best work

What did you love best about The Beginner's Goodbye?

The author did a good job of describing grief after losing a loved one.

Have you listened to any of Kirby Heyborne’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes - Gone Girl. Performance was about the same, but better story.

If you could take any character from The Beginner's Goodbye out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I would pick the contractor. He seemed the best adjusted.

Another Winner For Anne Tyler

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Anne Tyler's stories are consistently good ,these are the ones you re-read and pass around to friends.I have been a fan for many years Her characters are quirky and lovable .Her plots are all different and connect with parts of all of us. I just love it when they are made into movies. My favorite is "Back when we were Grown-ups "

What did you like best about this story?

As all of Anne Tyler"s Books the characters are so real and touch a deep part of us and who we are . I can connect with their feelings and failings.

Which character – as performed by Kirby Heyborne – was your favorite?

Aaron...he gave his character such depth...he was an excellent narrator reminded me of the narrator for "Patchwork Planet" which I also loved. Kirby 's voice seemed perfect for the mood of the story. I would definitely listen to him again.

If you could rename The Beginner's Goodbye, what would you call it?

I Think The Title is perfect. It really made sense after reading the book.

Any additional comments?

Often times I read the book and listen to the Audio...listening to a GOOD narrator really enhances the story and brings out all the emotions and feelings the author is trying to convey in the text. Thank you Audible!!! I am a very satisfied customer.