Sarah Thompson

I listened to this book years ago on cassette tape from the library and was excited to find it here on Audible only to be disappointed that it was abridged. I wrote to Audilbe asking for the unabridged, but received no feedback. Just as I was about to give in and get the abridged version, I discovered that the unabridged had just been added. : )

The combination of science and historical fictions makes for an engrossing tale the details of which I don't recall exactly, but which I look forward to rediscovering!

Charms for the Easy Life, like most of Gibbons' books, centers on the lives of unique and interesting women. In this case, three generations: matriarch Charlie Kate, a feisty, independent folk healer, her daughter, Sophia, and her daughter, Margaret, who tells the tale of their struggles and triumphs in the North Carolina in the first half of the 20th century. There are plenty of positive reviews on line by writers far more skilled than I at telling what makes this book great, so I encourage you to utilize the google.

Although I don't usually like or recommend abridgments, Kaye Gibbons' own voice adds so much to my enjoyment of this book, that I will recommend this one. Kaye Gibbons has the kind of Southern accent that is at once soothing, sultry, and sincere, and which conveys a sense of wisdom. And although her books stand on their own, I believe her voice helped a Yankee like me further appreciate the Southern setting which is so much a part of the story.

Listening to this book "on tape" from my library years ago introduced me to Kaye Gibbons' wonderful literal and figurative voice. After finishing it, I immediately got the unabridged print version from the library. I subsequently listened to every one of Gibbons's books that were available and followed each with the unabridged print versions. You can get the unabridged version right here on Audible, but I highly encourage you to start with Gibbons' own reading.

I was enthralled by this book! I listened to it at home at bedtime, and I loved being taken into this mesmerizing dream-world as I detached from all the real-world concerns of my day. Certainly the great storytelling, and I think the period setting as well, eased my acceptance of the magical aspect, as the skeptic in me didn't bother trying to draw my attention away from total absorption. It did have a bit of a slow start, but I guess I don't mind that, as many of my favorite listens have begun this way. I have given up on a few books before, though, so there had to be something promising. I look forward to enough distance from this book that I can listen again.

Great detail on an interesting subject, but the delivery is so monotonous! I can't tell if it's the author's fault as well, but the reader sounds like he's detailing an endless Staples order. Also, as noted by others, there is an annoying background din throughout the recording.

I always read the customer review here, but somehow skipped them before ordering this. I can't say you didn't try to warn me!

Honestly, I have stopped taking my Ambien as after about 15 minutes of this book I am in a deep slumber! I need to get a new audio book for enjoyment, but I'll keep using this one right before I want to sleep. I reckon I'll finish it in about a year.

I wanted to love this book, but for the most part, it did not fulfill its promise. There were some interesting details, but I didn't care for any of the characters, who were mostly selfish, annoying, dimwitted, and/or dull.

Also, I did not like the choice of narrator at all! Almost all of the characters were female, so the crusty-voiced old man reader made the characters seem more coarse than I think the author intended. I would have chosen a female with a British accent.