Beautiful Ruins

By: Jess Walter

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

Length: 12 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Nominee, Fiction and Best Solo Narration, 2013

The story begins in 1962. On a rocky patch of the sun-drenched Italian coastline, a young innkeeper, chest-deep in daydreams, looks out over the incandescent waters of the Ligurian Sea and spies an apparition: a tall, thin woman, a vision in white, approaching him on a boat. She is an actress, he soon learns, an American starlet, and she is dying.

And the story begins again today, half a world away, when an elderly Italian man shows up on a movie studio's back lot - searching for the mysterious woman he last saw at his hotel decades earlier.

What unfolds is a dazzling, yet deeply human, roller coaster of a novel, spanning 50 years and nearly as many lives. From the lavish set of Cleopatra to the shabby revelry of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Walter introduces us to the tangled lives of a dozen unforgettable characters: the starstruck Italian innkeeper and his long-lost love; the heroically preserved producer who once brought them together and his idealistic young assistant; the army veteran turned fledgling novelist, and the rakish Richard Burton himself, whose appetites set the whole story in motion - along with the husbands and wives, lovers and dreamers, superstars and losers, who populate their world in the decades that follow.

Gloriously inventive, constantly surprising, Beautiful Ruins is a story of flawed yet fascinating people, navigating the rocky shores of their lives while clinging to their improbable dreams.

©2012 Jess Walter (P)2012 HarperCollins Publisher

wonderfully woven

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

Yes. This book kept me engaged. I like a story that is cleverly organized. This is one of those stories, weaving from present time to earlier times in the lives of the characters. Really nicely crafted.

What did you like best about this story?

The book also gives a little insight into how Hollywood runs, now and in decades past. Interesting.

Beautiful writing, Beautiful reading

If you could sum up Beautiful Ruins in three words, what would they be?

Only 3 words!? Loved it when I was not prepared to like it.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Beautiful Ruins?

Dee and Pasquale's shared moments in the abandoned German bunker especially the second time with the light moving on the paintings. Dee's acceptance of Bender, flaws and all. Near the end of the book when all the tangled story lines are brought together when Dee and Pasquale finally meet again.

What does Edoardo Ballerini bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Ballerini became each character, not just with accents, also in inflections and pacing. I was stunned at the variety of nuances he brought to each character with his voice; he really made each character come alive for me.

Who was the most memorable character of Beautiful Ruins and why?

Pasquale was the most memorable character because the reader initially views Dee, Michael Dean, Richard Burton and Bender through his eyes. Very early in the book and in his life, he seemed to "get it" (understand taking responsibility for one's actions and how that would impact overall satisfaction in life), while other characters took longer and in some cases never got it. And maybe because he was an innkeeper and I was too.

Any additional comments?

I almost quit listening early on, but remembering the reviews I had read on Audible, I persevered and so glad I did! Because of the varied characters and intricacy of their relationships, this is not an easy book to sum up. However, I'm sure this will be one of those books that remains in my thoughts for a very long time and keeps coming back to me again and again.

A great woven tapestry of many lives and dreams

What made the experience of listening to Beautiful Ruins the most enjoyable?

I wasn't sure what to expect. I pretty much went off Audible's recommendation and was very pleased with the work.

Have you listened to any of Edoardo Ballerini’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Sometimes his voices seemed to bleed over into different characters but it was very subtle.

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

I don't think there was a time when listening that I wanted to turn it off. On the other hand nearly all of my listening is done in 20 to 30 minutes pieces as I travel between work and home. That time has always passed quickly, however.

Great narrator, so-so book

What did you like best about Beautiful Ruins? What did you like least?

Edoardo Ballerini is a terrific reader/actor. I especially liked his beautiful pronunciation of Italian (which makes sense since I found out that his father is a well-known Italian poet and academic). I have been studying Italian, so I know a good accent when I hear it. All the voices he did were very differentiated and even the female voices were very believable.I was quite engaged with the book initially but as it went on, especially in the sections involving the son up in Idaho (I don't remember the names since I listened to this several months ago), I found the story began to bore me and I had more and more trouble getting through to the end (though I did). I did enjoy the fact that I have actually been in Porto Venere for a short visit in 2009 (right near the Cinque Terre) and immediately guessed that Porto Vergogna must be based on the real place. Also I live in Santa Monica and have had relatives working in the film industry so that part also gave me a feeling of connection with the book initially. But as I said, the book becomes less and less compelling as it goes along.

Would you recommend Beautiful Ruins to your friends? Why or why not?

I would recommend the audio version because the narrator is very good. I might recommend the novel as a pleasantly engaging read on the airplane or on the beach.

Have you listened to any of Edoardo Ballerini’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I started listening to the Swerve but have gone on to something else. He does have a very engaging voice and reading style and I would look for other books narrated by Ballerini.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

This might indeed be a very enjoyable movie. I suspect it's already been optioned for film.

WONDERFUL LOVE STORY-of the non-traditional kind

If you could sum up Beautiful Ruins in three words, what would they be?

Sad it ended.

What other book might you compare Beautiful Ruins to and why?

I can't even compare this to another book.

What does Edoardo Ballerini bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Inflection, drama, proper pronunciation!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

WONDERFUL LOVE STORY-of the non-traditional kind

Any additional comments?

Such a great experience. I was honestly sad when it ended. I fell in love with the characters.

Great author

loved how author wove all plots and timelines, and characters together. great read... received 8 of 10 points rating at book club

Truly beautiful!

What did you love best about Beautiful Ruins?

This was a story that made me laugh and cry while constantly admiring the talent of the writer and the amazing performance of Edoardo Ballerini. I have never seen an author so skillfully switch between past and present finding clever ways to fill in the missing pieces and having it all make sense.

Any additional comments?

I knew nothing about this book when I chose it by the positive reviews. It was one of the best books I have heard in a long time!

Loved it.

Any additional comments?

Its got something for everyone. I told my boyfriend he'd like it. Fiction and non-fiction mixed together - great! Romance, comedy, sad parts, happy parts. Enjoy!

Good, inspired reflection

The first couple sections of the audiobook were tough to get through for me. They really felt disjointed and i could not connect with the story. I felt confused and wanted to just toss the book. I forced itself to stick with it and the story eventually started to connect.
The narrator was good and his ability to do several very different accents was admirable. The story was good too, and I found myself recognizing how one man's story could find parallels in another's, and could inspire yet another.
I liked the story well enough, though I would not read it again.

Loved this book. I cried when it ended.

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

oh yes!

What did you like best about this story?

how the author played with time, and how he created his themes through the characters.

Have you listened to any of Edoardo Ballerini’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

he was wonderful. great Italian accents, authentic AND understandable for a non Italian speaker.

Any additional comments?

one of the best books I've listened to in a long time. I plan to listen or read more of this author.