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A Painted House

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A Painted House

By: John Grisham
Narrated by: David Lansbury
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About this listen

The hill people and the Mexicans arrived on the same day. It was a Wednesday, early in September, 1952. The Cardinals were five games behind the Dodgers with three weeks to go, and the season looked hopeless.

The cotton, however, was waist-high to my father, over my head, and he and my grandfather could be heard before supper whispering words that were seldom heard. It could be a "good crop".

Thus begins the new novel from John Grisham, a story inspired by his own childhood in rural Arkansas. The narrator is a farm boy named Luke Chandler, age seven, who lives in the cotton fields with his parents and grandparents in a little house that's never been painted. The Chandlers farm 80 acres that they rent, not own, and when the cotton is ready they hire a truckload of Mexicans and a family from the Ozarks to help harvest it.

For six weeks they pick cotton, battling the heat, the rain, the fatigue, and, sometimes, one another. As the weeks pass Luke sees and hears things no seven-year-old could possibly be prepared for, and finds himself keeping secrets that not only threaten the crop but will change the lives of the Chandlers forever.

A Painted House is a moving story of one boy's journey from innocence to experience.

©2001 Belfry Holdings, Inc. (P)2001 Random House, LLC Fiction Historical Fiction

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Critic reviews

"...prose as clean and strong as any Grisham has yet laid down…and a drop-dead evocation of a time and place that mark this novel as a classic slice of Americana." ( Publishers Weekly)
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All through the eyes of a small boy and the secrets he had to keep. Brilliant. My first Grisham novel. Will I like the others? They look different. Took a while to adjust to the narrator. All in all he did a good job though. Highly recommended.

Beautiful book. A peek at 1950 s farming life USA

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A beautiful book, painting a vivid picture of a way of life in 1950s Arkansas. There is a murder, but this is a very un-Grisham book.

Perfect

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A master at work, beautiful story and from a 7 year old boys mouth, still made it one of his best stories

you gotta love john grisham.

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a bit slow
a the beginning. but well worth sticking
with it. excellent story from an excellent author

lovely story.

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Such a random topic, not my usual but just so well written that it just draws you in. A master at work

Beautiful book; so well written

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

Yes. Grisham is one of few great modern writers who maintains quality writing with many varied themes. Not just legal jurist themes but baseball, Italy or in this case a poor cotton farming family struggling through the picking season, divergent migrant and local hired hands and family differences. Many modern writers seem to get lazy with their success in writing-following old themes, well worn characters and shorter novels

What other book might you compare A Painted House to, and why?

Grapes of Wrath. Patiently builds characters of interest and depth to whom you have a genuine sympathy

Which character – as performed by David Lansbury – was your favourite?

The boy protagonist

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No - too big and rich-enjoyed coming back to it like an old friend

Great writer with great characters

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John Grisham made this account of rural life in the 1950s in Arkansas as gripping as his other novels. A good story and an education in other lives in other times

A vivid account

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John Grisham has a fine ability and talent when it comes to writing but this simple tale of “A Painted House” is Grisham at his best. A beautifully crafted story about life on a cotton farm, and the long and arduous harvest, David Lansbury provides narration that helps to bring to life each of the many characters, a charming story that will transport you to another time and remind you of how our fore fathers toiled on the land.
Superbly presented.

This will become a Classic!

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Story is very well written and read, quite engaging but at the same time does not feel overwhelming.

Story it self is quite interesting and feels believable, emotions of the narrator who is a 7 year old boy are well expressed and translated to make it relevant to us the readers.

Do recommend!

Nice easy but engaging

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I read this book a few years back and absolutely loved it. I was worried the imagery and characters would seem different when read by someone else.
I needn't have worried, this is a rich and warm performance of one of my favourite John Grisham stories....absolutely brilliant!

Superb story, brilliant performance!

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