Levi's Will

By: W. Dale Cramer

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Acclaimed inspirational author W. Dale Cramer pens the tale of an Amish prodigal's struggle for faith and forgiveness. As Will returns to bury his dad, his mind flashes back 42 years to when he fled his Amish heritage, abandoning his unborn child's mother and inflicting pain only a parent can fathom. Now he understands that pain. And he thinks of all those years of silence, all those words never spoken. But as his father lies cold and still, is all hope for healing gone?

©2005 Dale Cramer, published under license from Bethany House Publishers, a divison of Baker Book House (P)2006 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"[A] beautiful and original story that neither damns nor praises the Amish but simply presents them. This is accomplished work." (Booklist)
"Perhaps his best...Cramer writes with profound simplicity, with poetic rhythm and with demonstrated insight....An incredibly heartwarming story." (Library Review)

A masterful piece of writing

What made the experience of listening to Levi's Will the most enjoyable?

The reader was excellent, changing his voice expertly to represent the different characters.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I thought Helen was a wonderful combination of feminine characteristics and "Don't mess with me" attitude. She truly loved Will but was ready to take her children and leave if he laid a hand on one of them again.
Finding out about Will's deceptions threw her for a loop, but she stuck it out and stayed with him.
She was a formidable nurse to him after his near death and subsequent heart surgery. It had scared her so badly that she was determined to make him stick to a healthy diet. I loved it when Will called her "Helen the Hun" when he was complaining to Barefoot.

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

His skillful imitation of the characters' voices.

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

I think it would be an excellent film. I'm not sure what you mean by a "tag line" but I would say something like: "The story of one man's journey as he leaves the Amish life, learns to forgive himself for his mistakes, and how he comes full circle to a reunion with some members of his Amish family."

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed this audio so much that I immediately started it over and listened to it a second time. I felt it was extremely well written and skillfully merged the flashbacks with the present.

Powerful story the impact of fatherhood

Cramer has written a book that exposes roots of intergenerational conflict and yet offers hope because of the power of forgiveness. I highly recommend this book!

Inspirational

This is my second Dale Cramer and I enjoyed it as much as the first. His books are called inspirational and I'd agree. This isn't a thriller but in its own way you can't put it down or you, at least, keep thinking about it. The Amish have come to live in the part of Iowa where I grew up and this book gave me a better understanding of what they stand for. And, after listening to this book they stand for lots of good things, a good way of life. As Will strives for forgiveness and comes to accept his life, you can't help but feel good.........

Another winner for Dale Cramer!

This is our 3rd book by Dale Cramer. We highly recommend this book. The story is excellent, and you certainly get a glimpse into the Amish culture. So glad we have found this new author!

Awesome

This is based on the author’s father’s life. The Afterword in the Kindle version tells the rest of the story - what happened when his family read it.

Good book, easy to listen to, enjoyable story ,

Family life, generations, conflict, culture and spirituality well represented in book. Good pacing of story.

Engaging story

Worth reading but you can read Levi's history in the Caleb's Daughters series. It gives insight into this books characters

Well read/performed, but depressing story.

What did you like best about Levi's Will? What did you like least?

Best: Main character gets right with God, honors his family's ways, tries to make things right eventually.
Least: Usually really like Amish stories, but this one was depressing with all the trouble the rebellion caused, mostly blamed on Levi, the patriarch, but I see the truth of "Whoever you are bitter against is who you become like" played out the majority of the time since the book dwells mostly on the the rebellion and consequences and harshness of Levi, and his son, and not as much on the love and forgiveness and grace of God in most Amish books. Most Amish books challenge me to grow in those areas.

good story

I really enjoyed it. it was an Interesting story. i would recommend it. didn't drag on or anything.

Are You Curious About The Amish?

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

Absolutely! It satisfies some of the curiosity one may have about the Amish people. This book also brings one to contemplate about what's important in life.

What other book might you compare Levi's Will to and why?

I haven't read another book quite like this one, so I can't compare it to anything else.

Which character – as performed by George Guidall – was your favorite?

The story is about a man named Will. He is my favorite character.

If you could take any character from Levi's Will out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I would take Helen, Will's wife out to dinner. I would talk with her about why he is the way he is. I would help her to gain more of an understanding of him.