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Outside, the Sky Is Blue
- A Family Memoir
- Narrated by: Christina Patterson
- Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
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Outside, the Sky Is Blue
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Summary
Outside, the Sky Is Blue is a beautifully drawn, heartbreaking yet also joyful memoir of growing up, of happiness and love, of living with physical and mental ill health, and of being the only one left of a family that had once had so much colour and life.
When Christina Patterson's brother, Tom, died a year ago, she was left clearing not only his flat but all the family papers and photographs he had stored. Christina, Tom and their other sister, Caroline, were the offspring of a British father and a Swedish mother, who started out life as young diplomats in Thailand, but when the children were young, returned to live in the UK. There, they struggled to adopt the stifling social mores of the 1950s while also dealing with an elder daughter who appeared to change overnight from a happy, outgoing child to a sullen, often tempestuous teenager who was soon to be diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Rich with the detail of wild summer holidays spent scrabbling for berries in Sweden, of watching the etiquette of dreary cocktail parties, of long car journeys and the exhilaration of discovering religion and boys, Outside, the Sky Is Blue is an audiobook full of honesty and humour, about the dismantling jigsaw of family life and the love that carries them through.
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What listeners say about Outside, the Sky Is Blue
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- George Le_Wolf
- 19-04-22
Beautiful family history account
I bought this recording / book, mainly as a result of seeing the author being interviewed about politics on BBC. I fell for Christinas love and empathy took to her passion for doing the right thing for those in society who were poor, displaced or abandoned by society.
I could not put this book down
For me it was like reading in Technicolor, I could see, all that was being written. an account of Christina and her family over the years , both hardship, but also utterly consuming love within her family.
I love this book so much that I recommend my own 30 old ish son and daughter to read., to help understand the family and the enduring gift of love and loss. To that end, when time moves on, and sadness and upset can be so unsettling, never forget, Outside the Sky is Blue.
Thank you Christina
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Sally
- 14-05-23
So damn glad I listened to this
Life can be brutal. This memoir tells it all, and we come away changed.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 24-02-22
Christina..stop making me cry!
This is such a lovely heartbreaking and heartwarming book. Beautifully written. I hope your life is less troubled from now, you've certainly had more than your fair share of problems! And coffee and cake to be honest! This book is a treat.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- AmeliaJ
- 29-06-23
moving
loved this, advertised on a radio interview, my struggle with mental health, and our family coping is what led me to listen.
very moving and beautifully written, I feel like part of the family!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- sc wycherley
- 01-03-22
Beyond Brilliant
I could not have loved it more
Now to buy the paper copy
Thankyou for your vulnerability
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- caroljane
- 14-09-22
Uplifting and courageous
Beautifully written and narrated. Heartbreakingly sad at times, but ultimately this is a story of gratitude and love. I am so glad Christina found her happy ever after.
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- Amazon Customer
- 15-07-22
A warm tribute to family
Loved this audio book which kept me company when I was poorly. A warm tribute to an extraordinary set of individuals who made a lovely family unit. Raw at times but always lovingly told with a vivid writing style.
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- Fiona Anaman
- 01-03-22
A very brave and courageous woman
Heart wrenching story. I hope many other people are able to read or listen to this book. People think they have problems but they don't know the half of it.
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- Aideen Nolan
- 06-07-23
Very interesting insight into family life
A detailed and honest narrative of the life of a remarkable family. l found it most relatable to my own family history. The author opens a window on family dynamics and allows us to accept how individual and unique each of us are.
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- Reluctant city dwellers
- 02-04-23
Listen and learn
This is an important book for anyone interested in the experience of people living with mental and physical illness. It also documents the dangers of religious fundamentalism - in this case the Baptist church. The daughter of an avid archivist, Christina has created a valuable record that should be required reading for all medics, academics, politicians and anyone else in a position of power over other people.
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