How It All Began

By: Penelope Lively

Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren

Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

A vibrant new novel from Penelope Lively - a wry, wise story about the surprising ways lives intersect.

When Charlotte Rainsford, a retired schoolteacher, is accosted by a petty thief on a London street, the consequences ripple across the lives of acquaintances and strangers alike. A marriage unravels after an illicit love affair is revealed through an errant cell phone message; a posh yet financially strapped interior designer meets a business partner who might prove too good to be true; an old-guard historian tries to recapture his youthful vigor with an ill-conceived idea for a TV miniseries; and a middle-aged central European immigrant learns to speak English and reinvents his life with the assistance of some new friends.

Through a richly conceived and colorful cast of characters, Penelope Lively explores the powerful role of chance in people's lives and deftly illustrates how our paths can be altered irrevocably by someone we will never even meet. Brought to life in her hallmark graceful prose and full of keen insights into human nature, How It All Began is an engaging, contemporary tale that is sure to strike a chord with her legion of loyal fans as well as new readers. A writer of rare wisdom, elegance, and humor, Lively is a consummate storyteller whose gifts are on full display in this masterful work.

©2012 Penelope Lively (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Katherine Kellgren is an agile, appealing narrator who navigates the many characters with ease. Whether voicing a native Londoner or an English-language learner from the Continent, Kellgren exudes effusive and consistent energy…This is a well-paced, fun recording of an entertaining novel.” ( AudioFile)

Wonderful and beautifully written

This was such a great surprise. I loved all the characters to the point of missing them when the novel was over and the story is compelling. I wouldn't miss this one if you want to have a good literary romp.

Superbly crafted.

I just gulped this book-- the writing was marvelous, the reader superb. The concept was developed with skill and humor. I lose traction on books fairly easily and often find popular writing to be contrived and inane but this book was everything one could hope-- except perhaps too short. I am going to go back and listen to all of the Penelope Lively titles that are available through Audible (and hope they add additional ones!)

A story that evokes smiles

A tale of the light side of life. Quirky, funny, all too human. Nice listen when you don't want to think too much.

Great story, superb narration

I loved this book!!! It could be that I listened to it on a great audio recording, but I believe it to be much more than that. Fluid, insightful writing, a well-integrated storyline, and the examination of the meaning of story and fiction are close to my heart. A storyline about a random act that has repercussions across several lives could be predictable, but this felt fresh to the very last sentence. I did find that this theme was mentioned explicitly by several characters over time, and normally that might annoy me. But here, it worked. It all did.

Have already urged others to pick this up.

Easy listeneing

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

Yes - I already recommended it as an interesting "slice of life" story.

What was one of the most memorable moments of How It All Began?

The parakeet's on Hampstead Heath - being described as "immigrants, like me" by the reading student.

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

I can't imagine having that much time!

Any additional comments?

Not deep and meaningful, but intriguing and very pleasant.

Great book!

Excellent story, well written, another example of Lively’s amazing talent. Please continue with your writing as it hasn’t in any diminished in its effectiveness.

Wanted to like it more than I did

I had thought that this would be one of those six-degrees-of-separation deals, where the effects of the mugging ripple directly outward. Instead, it felt more as though the affected were a closed circle, some of whose members I did not care for much. Kellgren's accents were good, especially the mugging victim Charlotte, and Czech immigrant Anton. However, at other times, she spoke in a "plummy" voice which I found a bit irritating. Others' mileage may vary on this one, but my experience was that it filled time, and not much else.

Delightful mixture of the funny and poignant

The premise of this novel is that a single event -- the mugging of an elderly lady -- can through its ripple effects change the lives of several people. Because Rose needs to convalesce at her daughter's home, her daughter meets one of Rose's pupils (she teaches immigrants to read English) and falls in love for the first time in middle age; unfortunately, she's already married. This is very sensitively and movingly handled. Other plots include Rose's employer, a prominent semi-retired historian, getting involved with plans for a television series -- that part is often hilarious as the slick TV producer decides he's so awful ("That waistcoat!") he could be a great presenter.

The events/plot of the story are not momentous or even especially tense, but I was always eager to get back to the characters and their lives and enjoyed every minute of Kellgren's performance. I'd recommend this book to people who like Ruth Rendell or Muriel Spark, but would occasionally like a less dark version or their view of human nature. Lively is not too sweet, but neither is she as harsh as those writers can be.

Narration impossible to understand

What did you like best about How It All Began? What did you like least?

A good book spoiled by unacceptable audio delivery

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The text was impossible to understand.

Any additional comments?

Please consider having someone else narrate this book.

Penelope Lively at her liveliest

What did you love best about How It All Began?

I loved the way the characters lives interacted with each other, each affecting the other without even knowing it. And what characters they were!

What was one of the most memorable moments of How It All Began?

When Marion realizes she doesn't have to give into despair and finally dumps Jeremy and prepares to move on with her life.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Rose and Antoine realize they love each other but at the same time realize they can't express that love aloud.

Who was the most memorable character of How It All Began and why?

I loved Charlotte because, like me, she is older but she is utterly independent and understanding. She knows something is going on with her daughter but is saavy enough not to say anything.

Any additional comments?

The narration is a bit fast in that hurried clipped way the Brits have, but once you get used to it, Kellgren's narration is spot on.