The Memory Keeper

By: Larry K. Collins, Lorna Collins

Narrated by: A. W. Miller

The Memory Keeper is the story of Tomas Romero, a native of the Acjachemen band whom the Spanish rename Juaneno. Born in 1820 in San Juan Capistrano, Tomas attends the mission school where, in addition to the catechism, he learns to read, write, and cipher - uncommon for the Indians in San Juan at the time.

Because Tomas assists the padres, he becomes aware of the world outside the small religious community. During his lifetime he experiences the rule of Spain, Mexico, and finally the United States. He survives drought, floods, plagues, the secularization of the mission property, and its return to the church. He also marries, raises two children, makes many friends, and provides assistance to the priests. He becomes co-owner of a mercantile. Although his story is rich with local history, it is, in the end, an engaging family saga with characters who come alive.

©2014 Larry K. Collins (P)2015 Lorna Collins

well done!

loved the story, I grew up in San Juan Capistrano and I remember stories and history lessons about the Misson and other places in our very special town. Larry and Lorna did an amazing job of weaving a story and our history together! Thanks for the memories!

Good review

Good review of local history so of la and area around Ora be ca and early development of Ora ge business

A pleasant experience

Would you consider the audio edition of The Memory Keeper to be better than the print version?

Yes.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Tomas met the new majordomo.

If you could take any character from The Memory Keeper out to dinner, who would it be and why?

It would have to be Tomas due to his rich life experience.

Any additional comments?

The narrator added realism to the story.

Great voice and story.

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

Yes, I would. At first, I was listening to the voice (s), but soon, I just enjoyed the story. This was my first audio book, and I will be using this media in the future.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Memory Keeper?

When he lost his wife and son to the plague. I could feel his anguish and pain of losing them both.

Which character – as performed by A. W. Miller – was your favorite?

the main character's voice was the most compelling, and it was hard to believe each character was spoken by the same person, some of the time.

If you could rename The Memory Keeper, what would you call it?

The title is okay, and lets people know that the book is about someone talking about his life, from childhood to old man.

Any additional comments?

I sampled a few other audio books, but some of the voices weren't as good. A, W. Miller's voice is compelling to listen to. He kept in character throughout the book, and when he was talking in the other character's voices, it was easy to follow along. I will look for his other audio books in the future.