The Given Day

By: Dennis Lehane

Narrated by: Michael Boatman

From Dennis Lehane, New York Times bestselling author of Mystic River and Shutter Island, comes the paperback edition of The Given Day, an unflinching family epic that captures the political unrest of a nation caught between a well-patterned past and an unpredictable future. This beautifully written novel of American history tells the story of two families—one black, one white—swept up in a maelstrom of revolutionaries and anarchists, immigrants and ward bosses, Brahmins and ordinary citizens, all engaged in a battle for survival and power at the end of World War I.

Great Historical Fiction

Is isn't very often that I listen to a very lengthy book and it holds up without bogging down. This story has broad appeal, bridging the masculine/feminine divide adeptly. My husband and I listened to it together and were both duly entertained! THE GIVEN DAY takes place at the end of WWI when the country is undergoing a transformation, for better and worse. Several stories are at work here. Dennis Lehane is a master of the material, telling of an Irish legacy, Boston and it's finest Blue. The story of the Irish immigrant is great because it differs so little from that of the Italian, or the Jewish, and so on. Impossible to tell of this time and place without revealing the issues of utter racism. Unimaginably recent, slavery was abolished but the black people of the age are treated as second class citizens. A fierce tete-a-tete ensues between a crooked, evil cop and a young black man trying to follow the right path, often a nebulas one. A feminine perspective is provided through a feisty woman who is accused of lying about her past, although admission of such would have resulted in no chance at life beyond poverty, life in the slums. The overall message in the book is especially poignant, a parallel established between the early 20th century and current America.

Historically interesting, NOT engaging fiction.

This book just never engaged me; interesting historical information on the ethnic, racial & social structure of post WWI, primarily Boston, but the characters & dialogue get lost in the author's effort to educate.
I read fiction to be entertained, and if I'm fortunate enough to learn something in the process, excellent. But this book sacrifices entertainment for facts.
Lots of history, but no soul.

I loved it

I loved everything about the book from the narration, to the historical referencing, and the the characters.

Great story--captivating and well-written

If you could sum up The Given Day in three words, what would they be?

However; too much profanity. Otherwise, a great story and a heart-warming ending.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Given Day?

Luther killing the "Deacon".

Which character – as performed by Michael Boatman – was your favorite?

Luther--and of course, Danny.

If you could rename The Given Day, what would you call it?

A tale of two men

Any additional comments?

The reader did an incredible job narrating and changing his voices to fit each character.

Amazing!

This book was tremendous! I was completely absorbed by the story from beginning to end. I feel like I lived through all the event with the characters . Michael Bowman was absolutely amazing in his narration. He made the book truly come alive with his incredible ability and spot on accents!