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The Reading
- Narrated by: Melinda Cumming
- Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
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The Reading
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Summary
An unexpected—and unrecognized—visitor attends veteran writer Esmé’s reading and brings events of 40 years past squarely into her present. Struggling with writer’s block and uncertain about a future with her romantic partner, Esmé undertakes a journey through her own history. Esmé revisits a particular year she had written off as the worst of her life as well as her whirlwind early marriage. In the process, Esmé ultimately overcomes the wounded hesitancy that has characterized her life and rediscovers her former courage and openness to risk.
Critic reviews
“With striking sensitivity, humor, and superb awareness, Barbara Monier brings to life the trials of a young creative woman finding her way in the world… The author weaves past and present beautifully.... A literary gem with the kinds of characters you deeply care about.... It’s a masterful story from a masterful writer.” (David Berner, author, Sandman: A Golf Tale)
“Monier’s style of writing is compelling, filled with details and occurrences of everyday life that most people don’t notice…. This is a book that will make you examine your own values, and is a must read.” (Pat Camalliere, author, Cora Tozzi Historical Mystery Series)
“[Monier is] a writer who loves language and crafts stories that deeply mine a character’s past.… Her heavily Salinger-inspired experiences are wry, painful and relatable.… A deeply personal and ‘quiet’ story that goes in and out of time and arrives at less a climax than a massive epiphany.… A positive message in our turbulent times.” (Rita Dragonette, author, The Fourteenth of September)