Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

By: Jonathan Safran Foer

Narrated by: Jeff Woodman, Barbara Caruso, Richard Ferrone

Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

Jonathan Safran Foer's best-selling debut novel, Everything Is Illuminated, wowed critics on its way to winning several literary prizes, including Book of the Year honors from the Los Angeles Times. It has been published in 24 countries and will soon be a major motion picture. Foer's talent continues to shine in this sometimes hilarious and always heartfelt follow-up.

Nine-year-old Oskar Schell is a precocious Francophile who idolizes Stephen Hawking and plays the tambourine extremely well. He's also a boy struggling to come to terms with his father's death in the World Trade Center attacks. As he searches New York City for the lock that fits a mysterious key his father left behind, Oskar discovers much more than he could have imagined.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a masterfully imagined novel from an author Time hails as "a certified wunderkind".

©2005 Jonathan Safran Foer (P)2005 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

• 2005 Audie Award Nominee, Multi-Voiced Performance

"Piercing and so funny." (The Bookseller)
"[Oskar's] first-person narration of his journey is arrestingly beautiful, and readers won't soon forget him." (Booklist)
"Jonathan Safran Foer's second novel is everything one hoped it would be: ambitious, pyrotechnic, riddling, and above all...extremely moving. An exceptional achievement." (Salman Rushdie)
"Brilliant....Unafraid to show his traumatized characters' constant groping for emotional catharsis, Foer demonstrates once again that he is one of the few contemporary writers willing to risk sentimentalism in order to address great questions of truth, love, and beauty." (Publishers Weekly)

unique

this is perhaps the most unique book I have ever listened to or read. the family is both dysfunctional and functional. the boy's struggle to reconcile his father's death paralled his grandparents' struggle to reconcile their losses. I recommend this read.

different perspective

While I wouldn't say this changed my life, it was good. offered a different point of view and first person accounts of dealing with living and death. I'd reccommend this as a listen.

Not for everyone

a story about the survival. of the family of a 9/11 victim. Somewhat revolving and somewhat confusing at times.

Mostly a very enjoyable listen.

I really liked the core story of the book, and Jeff Woodman is one of most talented narrators in the business. We follow the story of Oskar Shell on his journey, and it is riveting. Not so much is the story of his grandparents. While I am sure that, taken by itself, it is entertaining to some, in this reviewer's opinion, it was more of a distraction than anything else. There is a connecting thread, but it is weak at its strongest point.

Disappointing.

I really was expecting a more “finished” ending. A new discovery, or rekindled relationships, maybe even some real character development. Unfortunately I was left unsatisfied with the ending. It took me a month to get through 11 hours of this book because of the constant switching between narratives, which was extremely tedious to keep up with at first. I wish we could have been told initially that the other narrators were the boy’s grandparents, because the first few chapters were a complete mess for me to decipher. I love Oscar. He’s so sweet and deserves more from the adults around him. And I did feel the hurt he was going through, throwing himself in a quest in hopes that whatever he’d find would heal his grieving heart. However, the story felt really drawn out, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the grandparents side story, and the end made me really upset. I was just hoping I’d love this book, but it was more unnerving than anything.

What a book!

I had a really long, incredible review written about this book, the performances in it, the story, the characters, the fact that I believe we need more “God” in our lives as a society…..and I feel asleep! Hit the wrong button and lost the whole thing. Ugh. This book was just perfect. I wish it was a series. So well done by ALL! Thank you for this gift!

Funny Heartbreaking Wonderful Book

OMG, okay..... I really loved this book. The main character Oskar is part Eloise meets Edgar Mint meets Oscar Wao meets Owen Meaney. I laughed, I cried, I didn't want it to end. What more can one ask of a book?
I haven't seen the movie so I cannot compare, but listen to this wonderfully narrated book, you will be so very glad you did!

Like one hundred dollars

This book is told in 3 voices - a boy and his grandmother and grandfather. It describes horrific events, revealing them bit by bit, from different points of view. The horror is interspersed with hilarious moments. It is the first fiction I have been able to read that deals with the aftermath of September 11th in a realistic way. It jumps around in time and viewpoint, but that is part of the magic. Towards the end, I couldn't tear myself away.

The best performance ever!

The characters in this story are wonderful. Oscar's observations and storytelling are precious. Did not want this book to end!

Touching, funny beautifully narrated

I listened to this while on a recent rod trip and couldn't wait to get back in the car to continue listening. The narration is as good as it gets, and the writing is superb. The book beautifully interweaves the stories of a young boy whose father died in the 9/11 attacks, and the stories of his grandfather, grandmother, father, the people the boy meets, and the boy himself. Foer loves and respects his characters. It is by turns funny and heartwrenching, and always deeply human. I heartily recommend this one.