The Excellent Lombards

By: Jane Hamilton

Narrated by: Erin Cottrell

A new classic from the author of Oprah's Book Club picks A Map of the World and The Book of Ruth.

"This is the book Jane Hamilton was born to write... [it is] magnificent." —Ann Patchett, New York Times bestselling author of Commonwealth

Mary Frances "Frankie" Lombard is fiercely in love with her family's sprawling apple orchard and the tangled web of family members who inhabit it. Content to spend her days planning capers with her brother William, competing with her brainy cousin Amanda, and expertly tending the orchard with her father, Frankie desires nothing more than for the rhythm of life to continue undisturbed. But she cannot help being haunted by the historical fact that some family members end up staying on the farm and others must leave. Change is inevitable, and threats of urbanization, disinheritance, and college applications shake the foundation of Frankie's roots. As Frankie is forced to shed her childhood fantasies and face the possibility of losing the idyllic future she had envisioned for her family, she must decide whether loving something means clinging tightly or letting go.

"Everything you could ask for in a coming-of-age novel-- funny, insightful, observant, saturated with hope and melancholy." —Tom Perotta, author ofLittle Childrenand The Leftovers

"Tender, eccentric, wickedly funny and sage...gives full voice to Jane Hamilton's storytelling gifts." - Nancy Horan, author of Loving Frank and Under the Wide and Starry Sky

Critic reviews

"Tender, astute...[Frankie is] expertly rendered...an inquisitive, imperious but loveable girl akin to Harper Lee's Jean Louise Finch."—New York Times Book Review

"Tender and rueful...Richly characterized, beautifully written, and heartbreakingly poignant-another winner from this talented and popular author."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"This is the book Jane Hamilton was born to write, and it is a book that thrilled me to read. THE EXCELLENT LOMBARDS is, in fact, magnificent."—Ann Patchett, New York Times bestselling author of State of Wonder

"Hamilton's lushly pleasurable novel of radiant comedy, deep emotions, and resonant realizations considers the wonders of nature, the boon and burden of inheritance, and the blossoming of the self."—Booklist (starred review)

"A book with so much grace, wit, and resonance -- this is one you'll read and reread. I surely did. I laughed, I cried, I pondered, I mourned. I took these characters deeply into my heart. Hamilton at her amazing best. A timeless classic, in its first appearance."—Karen Joy Fowler, bestselling author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves and winner of the 2014 PEN / Faulkner Award

"Ms. Hamilton has written what's known as a 'quiet' novel, yet this beautiful coming-of-age story offers a more trenchant narrative."—New York Times

"Peopled with vivid characters...Hamilton gets it, all of it, about life and love and growing up when you just don't want to. She writes with compassion and warmth about how we see our family compared with how they really are, and who we can become when we finally cut the cord and fly free--like it or damn well not."—The Globe and the Mail

"This coming-of-age story is captivating and passionate, taking us back to being a child and believing in one thing wholeheartedly. Simply put, this is a book you won't be able to put down."—BookPage

"Jane Hamilton spins this coming-of-age tale with the same sort of poignancy that earned her previous six novels high praise."—Entertainment Weekly, "10 Books You Have to Read in April"

"Hamilton's lovely coming-of-age tale is a tender portrayal of complex, believable people facing up to change."—People

"THE EXCELLENT LOMBARDSis everything you could ask for in a coming-of-age novel--funny, insightful, observant, saturated with hope and melancholy. Jane Hamilton's novel about a young girl's life on an apple orchard is full of oddball characters and tender scenes that will linger in your memory."—Tom Perrotta, author of Little Children and The Leftovers

Remarkable

Hamilton turns the ordinary into the sublime. Everything happens in within the simplest acts. And Cottrell's narration is masterful.

To Be a Kid Again

Jane Hamilton did an excellent job of making me feel as if I were on the apple farm and in the family house with sweet, young, Frankie Lombard, her brother, William, and all the complicated and ordinary members of the Lombard family. This poignant coming of age story was full of humor and the complexities of growing up.

Just Delightful and the Narrator was Perfect for the Voice

I just enjoyed it all and couldn't wait till I could take time to listen to it again. I could envision it all so clearly in my mind's eye. I heard the author interview on NPR and decided to get the book. Now I need to check out some of her other books. I think she will be another favorite!

I hated the performance

I think I would have enjoyed the story if it hadn't been read by someone who thought she was reading to a kindergarten class

Unusual

This is a good tale but unusual. The biggest problem most farm families face today is that no children want to come back/stay on the family farm. This is the story of an extended family all of whom want to lay claim to the orchard. The characters are interesting and well developed.