The Flamethrowers

A Novel

By: Rachel Kushner

Narrated by: Rachel Kushner

* Selected as ONE of the BEST BOOKS of the 21st CENTURY by The New York Times * NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST * New York magazine’s #1 Book of the Year * Best Book of the Year by: The Wall Street Journal; Vogue; O, The Oprah Magazine; Los Angeles Times; The San Francisco Chronicle; The New Yorker; Time; Flavorwire; Salon; Slate; The Daily Beast

“Superb…Scintillatingly alive…A pure explosion of now.”—The New Yorker

Reno, so-called because of the place of her birth, comes to New York intent on turning her fascination with motorcycles and speed into art. Her arrival coincides with an explosion of activity—artists colonize a deserted and industrial SoHo, stage actions in the East Village, blur the line between life and art. Reno is submitted to a sentimental education of sorts—by dreamers, poseurs, and raconteurs in New York and by radicals in Italy, where she goes with her lover to meet his estranged and formidable family. Ardent, vulnerable, and bold, Reno is a fiercely memorable observer, superbly realized by Rachel Kushner.

Ambiguity

A thoughtful read; worthy of your time; intriguing connections in the storyline. I enjoyed it.

Beautifully descriptive. Captivating narration

Nothing. Enjoyed listening to it every day while walking. The author is an excellent writer

Love her.

Her performance is really good. Some parts of her book were confusing and hard to follow, others were really well written.

Awful reader

This is a fantastic book ruined by this performance. I couldn’t get through more than a couple chapter a I found it so grating. Every single sentence ends with the same intonation.

intelligent innocence

Kushner's ability to capture innocence through the narrator is what drew me in. That quiet insight of a young person in an unfamiliar crowd of characters that are all compelling, yet obviously on display - and the questions this brings to what art is and what separates it from the artist. All through the lens of a burgeoning artist caught in the rapids, clinging to the safety of observation while she cultivates an understanding of how she fits into an ever-widening "it" - and what she will contribute.