The Book of Ruth

By: Jane Hamilton

Narrated by: Angela Jayne Rogers

Award-winning author Jane Hamilton touched readers' hearts with her emotionally-charged novel, A Map of the World. She intimately involves her readers, again, with The Book of Ruth, winner of the PEN/Ernest Hemingway Award.

Growing up in a world of physical and emotional poverty, Ruth believes her shrewish mother's assessment of her - that she is dimwitted and worthless. When she marries an emotionally unstable ne'er-do-well, her troubles only multiply. Her job at the dry cleaners can't afford her little family the luxury of moving out of her mother's house. As the incessant bickering between her troubled husband and her abusive mother reaches a violent climax, Ruth must find a way to survive. The Book of Ruth shines as a bittersweet testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

©1988 Jane Hamilton (P)1997 Recorded Books, LLC

A Story of Survival

Although the protagonist is verbally beaten down by her mother and those around her, she never plays the victim. She and the other characters were wonderfully developed and the narration was great. I enjoyed listening to the story and was left wanting more at then end. It was touching how she began to become more confident, but like all of us still had her doubts.

Beautifully read touching story

I highly recommend this listen, the story is poignantl and heartfelt and the narration is superb.

Overcoming difficulties

A soulful telling of tragedy and poverty woven with words that made the characters and scenes come to life.

Beautiful writing, narrated so well

This is a stunningly beautiful book dark, yet written and narrated so strongly it rises above the darkness. It’s slow, but almost every sentence is a winner. The narrator did an amazing job binging the characters to life.

One of my all-time favorite books 📚

I'm always awestruck by the story itself and its retelling. They want 15 words in a review, but this book never fails to leave me speechless.