Lay Down My Sword and Shield

By: James Lee Burke

Narrated by: Will Patton

Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

The hero of James Lee Burke's recent best-seller Rain Gods, cousin to lawman Billy Bob Holland and a genuine product of the South, both old and new, Hackberry Holland makes his first appearance in this early gem from "America's best novelist" (The Denver Post).

Against the backdrop of growing civil rights turmoil in a sultry border town, the hard-drinking ex-POW attorney yields to the myriad urgings of his wife, his brother, and his so-called friends to make a bid for a congressional seat - and finds himself embroiled in the seamy world of Texas powerbrokers. And when Hack attempts to overturn an old army buddy's conviction, and crosses paths with a beautiful union organizer who speaks to his heart in a way no one else has, he finds both a new love and a new purpose as he breaks free from the shackles of wealth and expectation to bring justice to the underserved.

©2010 James Lee Burke (P)2010 Simon & Schuster

So well written very grateful interesting story

Will Patton is the best reader I have ever listened to
He has a very special gift
I only listen to this author's books narrated by him
He brings a special sense of interest to each character
So great writing wonderful narrator
Can't go wrong

this book broke my heart

Ok, I'm a sucker this author's rendering of Texas border country and its characters. Burke brings an unapologetic empathy to his stories that is rare in this genre. His novels are full of humanity at its worst and best, and somehow he never lets us slide into the dull hum of desensitized overload that can muffle the mind. I love the voice of Patton for these books, a pitch perfect reader for the dignity and imperfection of Holland and his fellows.

In living color

This is another perfect conjoining of Burke and Patton, vivid in intensity and clarity. The audio-book was made for them. The voices are all there with nothing held back. The language is rough and necessary giving the listener the reality demanded by the characters. Burke and Patton never hold back; they flood our senses to overload making it up to us as the audience to rise to the occasion. Never look for an apology from these two. If you love what you hear, there is much more Burke / Patton out there. Hosanna, life is good.

great read

The narrator, Will Patton is my favorite and he takes on the charactors and makes them come to life. This book is full of history and Will tells the saga with a great performance.

"Bush" League

After several attempts over a number of weeks, I was finally able to listen to what very clearly sounds like a Saturday Night Live George Bush imitator reading a novel about a gravely traumatized, alcoholic Texan. I found it exceptionally difficult to take the novel seriously with this narrator. Before you buy the book, listen to the sample and make sure you can overcome the urge to laugh or, if you are a Democrat, the urge to scream. The novel has merit but may be better read than heard.

Gritty, ugly and beautiful at the same time

There is no better "marriage" between an author and narrator than James Lee Burke and Will Patton! Burke's ability to turn a phrase and Patton's ability to bring it to life are astounding! When I read an arc of the yet to be released Another Kind of Eden, it was Patton's voice I heard telling the story.

Hackberry Holland, what a character he is. Sometimes he needs a smack and others he needs a hug. So many people trying to run his life, his older brother, his wife, the congressman.



***********spoiler alert ******************


So, what does Hack do? He leaves all of them waiting at home while he goes off to join the fight of the cotton and citrus fruit workers who are trying to start a union! He meets a lovely young woman, Rie, and falls head over heels in love with her all while getting himself in a heap of trouble with the locals and the sherriff. Did I mention he is married?

Good writing for time and place

This is an excellent book on life in the south during a tumultuous time period. Great characters. Can't think of a better narrator for this than Will Patton. Read one other, 1st book in the Robicheaux series. This one is a stand alone. Will read many more. Quality writer. Listen too it. You can't lose.

Well Written and Spoken but Dark

Another James Lee Burke and Will Patton winner. So why only 3 stars. This is not the typical good guy - bad guy book. It is a bit dark about the inner sole of a man, Hackberry Holland and his inner deamons.

greast new character

Would you listen to Lay Down My Sword and Shield again? Why?

yes-great new character. 2nd time through, I often pick up new details

What other book might you compare Lay Down My Sword and Shield to and why?

Similar in feel to other Burke characters. Conflicted, tortured, but fundamentally principled. In other words, like a lot of us.

Any additional comments?

The combination of Will Patton as a reader, with Burke's slow but methodical revelation of character and conflict is irresistible to me. Have done the Dave Robicheaux books, now have a new series to look forward to.

Rough road to a great ending

I think the problem many of us are having with this book is that Burke's heroes are all invariably reformed alchoholics on the right side of everything. They are sensitive, intelligent and wise, yet can kick a bad guy's a-- at just the right time. Sure, they all make some colossal blunder during any given book, but we know they have hearts of gold. When he dipped back into Hackberry Holland's back-story for this one, I had a hard time identifying with the young Hack because he seemed despicable to me. I had a doubly hard time understanding how a beautiful young East Coast liberal activist could fall for boorish drunken lout (I guess you had to be there). His transition from drunken slob to enlightened soul was not quite as well handled by the Author (who's many books I have thoroughly enjoyed) as usual, but I'll give him credit, because it was outside of his normal formula. The ending and epilogue were worth the price of admission for me and should be worth a few more Hackberry Holland books down the road. He can turn a beautiful phrase. Well read, as usual.