Heft

By: Liz Moore

Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne, Keith Szarabajka

Length: 11 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Nominee, Literary Fiction, 2013

A heartwarming novel about larger-than-life characters and second chances....

Former academic Arthur Opp weighs 550 pounds and hasn’t left his rambling Brooklyn home in a decade. Twenty miles away in Yonkers, seventeen-year-old Kel Keller navigates life as the poor kid in a rich school and pins his hopes on what seems like a promising baseball career - if he can untangle himself from his family drama. The link between this unlikely pair is Kel’s mother, Charlene, a former student of Arthur’s. After nearly two decades of silence, it is Charlene’s unexpected phone call to Arthur - a plea for help - that jostles them into action. Through Arthur and Kel’s own quirky and lovable voices, Heft tells the winning story of two improbable heroes whose sudden connection transforms both their lives. Like Elizabeth McCracken’s The Giant’s House, Heft is a novel about love and family found in the most unexpected places.

©2012 Liz Moore (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“A suspenseful, restorative novel from one of our fine young voices.” (Colum McCann, National Book Award–winning author)

“In Heft, Liz Moore creates a cast of vulnerable, lonely misfits that will break your heart and then make it soar. What a terrific novel!” (Ann Hood, best-selling author of The Red Thread)

“This is the real deal, Liz Moore is the real deal - she’s written a novel that will stick with you long after you’ve finished it.” (Russell Banks, Pulitzer Prize finalist)

Loved this story!

Emotionally honest. This story is divided between homebound 500 lb academic Arthur and conflicted 17 yr old Kel Keller who has been taking care of his trainwreck mother. This tender story will leave you aching in many parts. There's not a ton of THINGS that happen but it sure has emotion and story development. Excellent narrators.

Multiple Perspectives

This book kept my attention with the different characters. I love the way it flowed back and forward from character to characters and past and present events. I really to you on a journey.

Beautiful story!

The best book yet! I am new to audible and didn’t know if I could adapt to being read too ( missing the whole act of curling up and reading a book). This story was so captivating and the narrators so adept at drawing me in that I found myself not wanting the book to end. Both characters were read well but Arthur’s character was perfect! I can’t imagine that character sounding any different. The book itself is a beautiful story of 3 lonely lives, together-separate-dependent on each other and a slow rumbling turn of events. An excellent choice for anyone new to audible.

Soothing and so well done

I loved this book and I am sad it ended. it captures the feelings of so many lonely people in the world. Touching.

I loved this book, but

This book pulled me in from the start. Although much of it is about depressing subjects, the book is not depressing and you can hear that hope is struggling to come forward. There are two main characters with very different lives who don't know about each other. They are connected through one troubled woman - mother to one, deep friend to the other. Both have struggles, doubts and fears. But they also have deep strength and strong capacity for love.

My only negative is that the book didn't seem finished. It just stopped just as the two are about to meet and an important scene was about to happen. You are left to wonder at the conclusion of events that have been unfolding throughout the book. That's annoying when you are invested. Maybe there's to be another book that gives the conclusion?

Don't panic, not all books answer the questions

This is a good book. It is a character study, not an action novel, but as long as you go in knowing that, you should enjoy this book.

Some people's lives are just junk. That's it. There's no reason, no rationale, no "fairness" involved.

We can always ask why, but we won't get an answer.

This book doesn't even pretend to try to answer... it just explores a couple realities that a couple characters who represent societal misfits experience.

It is believable. It is depressing and the ending makes sense because, really, how could an author answer the questions she's asked in this story in any way that would satisfy everyone? Her approach to leave the answer up to us is perfect.

Too Heavy

I am an addicted audio book listener but couldn't get through this one. The book is written and narrated well but listening made me feel a huge weight on my shoulders. I was so committed to the main character and felt such sympathy that I didn't want to continue to hear his emotional pain. Struck an odd nerve with me.

Heartbreakingly Happy

I loved this book. I enjoyed listening to Arthur as much as I enjoyed listening to Kell and usually I tend to like 1 characters POV more than another. Both of these guys are so heartbroken but also so desperately hopeful that you cant help but have hope for them.

As always Kirby Heyborn was great and i thought Keith Szarabajka was such a wonderful match for the character of Arthur.

So, i don't write many reviews although I am always listening to books. I think my new years resolution is to start writing reviews here because I rely heavily on my fellow Audible members for recommendations. That said, listen to this book. well worth a credit!

Great book, disappointing ending

This book kept me enthralled all the way through. The two main characters’ lives were so separately interesting that both story lines were wonderful.

However, I am completely disappointed with the ending (or should I say lack of ending?). I immediately went to the Audible website for book two, thinking there’s no way this could really be the end.

Apparently, it is. Just be prepared for a very abrupt ending that will leave you wanting more.

Great characters make a great story!!

Although filled with sad and bittersweet moments, this book was such a joy to listen to. I genuinely cared for each and every character and enjoyed going on these painful but worthwhile journeys with them. The narration for Arthur's character was particularly excellent. It's true that everyone is struggling with their own burdens that others may not see, and I think this book illustrated that perfectly. A great story and a great listen - definitely worth the credit!