Flight Behavior

By: Barbara Kingsolver

Narrated by: Barbara Kingsolver

Length: 16 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best seller

Indie best seller

Barnes & Noble best seller

National best seller

Amazon Best Book of the Month

Indie Next Pick

Best book of the year: New York Times Notable, Washington Post Notable, Amazon Editor’s Choice, USA Today’s Top Ten (#1), St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Kansas City Star

Prize-winning author: Pulitzer Prize Finalist, Dayton Literary Peace Prize (Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award), Orange Prize for Fiction

Prize-winning author: National Humanities Medal, Pulitzer Prize Finalist, Orange Prize for Fiction, Dayton Literary Peace Prize (Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award)

"Kingsolver is a gifted magician of words." (Time)

The extraordinary New York Times best-selling author of The Lacuna (winner of the Orange Prize), The Poisonwood Bible (nominated for the Pulitzer Prize), and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Barbara Kingsolver returns with a truly stunning and unforgettable work.

Flight Behavior is a brilliant and suspenseful novel set in present day Appalachia; a breathtaking parable of catastrophe and denial that explores how the complexities we inevitably encounter in life lead us to believe in our particular chosen truths. Kingsolver's riveting story concerns a young wife and mother on a failing farm in rural Tennessee who experiences something she cannot explain, and how her discovery energizes various competing factions - religious leaders, climate scientists, environmentalists, politicians - trapping her in the center of the conflict and ultimately opening up her world.

Flight Behavior is arguably Kingsolver's most thrilling and accessible novel to date, and like so many other of her acclaimed works, represents contemporary American fiction at its finest.

©2012 Barbara Kingsolver (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers

Fiction--but fine writing & a learning experience

What did you love best about Flight Behavior?

As the main character learns about the butterflies, she discovers herself.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I was raised in the north so I'd like to have seen a more realistic approach to dressing for the weather, tromping around in cold and snow.

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

Kingsolver has such a sense of place. She knows the lives, the social problems and the strengths of the people of Appalachia. Since she herself reads the work, she does the local accents so well.

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

Taking wing

Any additional comments?

I agree with critics who have called the work a bit preachy on environmental/ecology/education issues, but it is still a wonderful read, and I cared about the main characters.

Great Narration

Would you listen to Flight Behavior again? Why?

Barbara is a very good reader. I don't often care for author narration. But this book couldn't be read better.

What did you like best about this story?

The story line of the Monarch Butterflies

Don't Quit Reading

What did you love best about Flight Behavior?

It's a very important novel about real world concerns about climate change. Slow to get into but worth the effort.

What did you like best about this story?

While a novel, the story educates one about the monarch butterflies flight and plight as well as the world's current precarious hold.

Any additional comments?

Read by the author makes it a bit more special.

Fantastic reading by the author!

Which character – as performed by Barbara Kingsolver – was your favorite?

I think anyone who listens will immediately think of Kingsolver's performance of Ovid. Certainly, it was entertaining and interesting to hear Kingsolver perform what she was undoubtedly hearing as she wrote the words.

As far as my favorite character, I'd have to go with Dovey. Oh, Dovey.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There is a sheep birthing scene that is particularly moving. Kingsolver has a talent for making the potentially mundane meaningful.

I love Dellarobia

Where does Flight Behavior rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Flight behavior is a wonderful book! It is typically the kind of book that I prefer to read than to listen to. The words are beautiful, but the story doesn't move quickly. That said, I enjoyed listening to this a lot.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Dellarobia Turnbow is a wonderful character. She is brilliant and her non-pretentiousness makes her an easy character to cheer for.

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

Kingsolver's voice is beautiful and her narration adds depth the story. The only issue I had was that her voice is so velvety and relaxing, that I would be overly-relaxed on my commute.

Beautiful writing

Rich characters, beautiful descriptions that weave the plight of the climate , crisis the struggles of poverty, and the resilience of human nature.

The narration is a huge loss

The story itself is probably well written and interesting, but the way she reads in accents (not very good accents no less) ruins it. Which is too bad because I see that she’s narrated quite a few of her other books as well, so I’ll be skipping them.

Started slow but loved it!

The story was hard to connect with at first but the characters grow on you until you feel like they are family. The science and nature parts are amazing and I learned so much. I sure wish Dr Byron was based on a real person, I would love to meet him.

Interesting story

The story was fantastic. Very well researched. I loved learning about the monarchs. The characters were interesting. The narration was a little boring at times. It sometimes made me sleepy, not good while driving. Barbara's narration of the voices was the best part and I enjoyed that very much.

Beautifully Read

Lovely combination of science and story. Gently read by the author, who clearly cherishes the gentle souls of her characters, human or animal, alive or departed.