the setup…
It’s the spring of 2020 and also the early rages of the Covid-19 pandemic. Lara’s three daughters, Maisie, Emily and Nell, have returned to their family cherry orchard and home in Northern Michigan to shelter in place. While the four of them are picking cherries, the girls beg Lara to tell them about the time in her life when she knew Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared the stage and a romance while at a theater company called Tom Lake.
the heart of the story…
At the beginning, I kept trying to figure out where the story was going or the point of it all. After a bit, I let go of that and just immersed myself in the characters, Lara’s rich recollections and the elegance of all of it. Her daughters had unique personalities and all shared a love of their home and childhood. But they were highly curious about their mother’s time when she portrayed the role of Emily in the Our Town theater production, first in her New Hampshire home town and later in Tom Lake. They never imagined her life to have been so colorful and were fascinated, as was I. Lara doesn’t keep to a linear timeline so you have to pay attention and she doesn’t share everything with her daughters, though we get the benefit of those details. Her perspectives about that were interesting, thought provoking and illuminating.
the narration…
This book couldn’t have been narrated by anyone other than Meryl Streep! She was Lara. I expected her storytelling skills to be excellent but her characterization of Lara was just…breathtaking.
the bottom line…
I’m not sure what I was expecting but this was a gem, even though it took a minute for me to get engaged. I’ve never seen Our Town, theater or film, but it wasn’t necessary to understand Lara’s story despite its significance. Her relationship with Peter Duke marked an important time in her life, defining so much of what she later came to appreciate and the paths she chose to take. I loved her relationships with her daughters and the life she gave them and herself. It’s an extraordinary character study, presented with insight, eloquence and intelligence. And, I’m grateful I let Meryl Streep do the telling.
Book Info
- Release Date: August 1, 2023
- Narrator: Meryl Streep
- Audio Length: 11 hours, 22 minutes
- Publisher: HarperAudio
Listen to a Sample!
Blue Mood Café 
I loved listening to Meryl Streep’s voice for this audiobook. I found it added immensely to the story. Great review.
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Thanks, Jodie💜 She made such a difference.
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Wonderful review Jo! I’ve had this on my audible wishlist for ages but haven’t managed to get to it yet!
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Thank you, Nicki💜 I dawdled over it, too, so when one of my groups chose it for a group read, I thought it was time.
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I’m so glad you reviewed this book and liked it. It’s on the list my book club will read soon. I’m looking forward to reading it now.
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Oh, Jerrie, it will be wonderful for a club discussion💜
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I really enjoyed this one too. Can imagine Meryl Streep would have been wonderful.
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Oh, that’s good to hear, Joanne💜 Yes, she delivered the goods.
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This sounds very different than my normal fare. I love that Meryl Streep does the audio version. That’s so cool!
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This is literary fiction, which can be hit or miss for me but this time, it was a big win. Streep didn’t hurt😏
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I’ve been on the fence (I don’t typically gravitate toward literary fiction), but I’ve heard wonderful things about Meryl Streep’s narration, and now your review makes me think I really should give it a try!
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Everything you heard was all that, Lisa💜 Be patient with the beginning and just immerse yourself into the characters.
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This one wasn’t on my radar, but I’ll definitely listen to it if Meryl Streep narrated it. She is incredible.
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Suzanne, this is lovely and Streep was perfection💜
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