The Beginner's Goodbye

By: Anne Tyler

Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne

Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Anne Tyler gives us a wise, haunting, and deeply moving new novel in which she explores how a middle-aged man, torn apart by the death of his wife, is gradually restored by her frequent appearances: in their house, on the roadway, in the market.

Crippled in his right arm and leg, Aaron spent his childhood fending off a sister who wants to manage him. So when he meets Dorothy, a plain, outspoken, self-dependent young woman, she is like a breath of fresh air. Unhesitatingly he marries her, and they have a relatively happy, unremarkable marriage. But when a tree crashes into their house and Dorothy is killed, Aaron feels as though he has been erased forever. Only Dorothy's unexpected appearances from the dead help him to live in the moment and to find some peace.

Gradually he discovers, as he works in the family's vanity-publishing business, turning out titles that presume to guide beginners through the trials of life, that maybe for this beginner there is a way of saying goodbye.

A beautiful, subtle exploration of loss and recovery, pierced throughout with Anne Tyler's humor, wisdom, and always-penetrating look at human foibles.

©2012 Random House Audio (P)2012 Anne Tyler

Good read

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

Yes. It's a gentle book, accepting of all its characters' quirks and gently read. I was sorry it ended.

Have you listened to any of Kirby Heyborne’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

Fan of Anne

Is there anything you would change about this book?

It was a disappointment...it seems to drone on...perhaps it is the fact that the narrator in the book is somewhat of a whiner and loser...and it difficult to listen to.

Would you be willing to try another book from Anne Tyler? Why or why not?

I read all her books. Absolutely.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No....too sad.

Another Winner For Anne Tyler

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

Anne Tyler's stories are consistently good ,these are the ones you re-read and pass around to friends.I have been a fan for many years Her characters are quirky and lovable .Her plots are all different and connect with parts of all of us. I just love it when they are made into movies. My favorite is "Back when we were Grown-ups "

What did you like best about this story?

As all of Anne Tyler"s Books the characters are so real and touch a deep part of us and who we are . I can connect with their feelings and failings.

Which character – as performed by Kirby Heyborne – was your favorite?

Aaron...he gave his character such depth...he was an excellent narrator reminded me of the narrator for "Patchwork Planet" which I also loved. Kirby 's voice seemed perfect for the mood of the story. I would definitely listen to him again.

If you could rename The Beginner's Goodbye, what would you call it?

I Think The Title is perfect. It really made sense after reading the book.

Any additional comments?

Often times I read the book and listen to the Audio...listening to a GOOD narrator really enhances the story and brings out all the emotions and feelings the author is trying to convey in the text. Thank you Audible!!! I am a very satisfied customer.

Waiting for the Next Great Novel

What did you like best about The Beginner's Goodbye? What did you like least?

I liked the accessibility of the main character, and the references to the city of Baltimore where I used to live.

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

I would have added more scenes of the couple intereacting. The finale seemed random without that.

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

He shapes my impression of the main character. The reading was well-done.

Did The Beginner's Goodbye inspire you to do anything?

No.

Any additional comments?

I'm always waiting for the next great Anne Tyler book.

not her best work

Anne Tyler is a wonderful storyteller. And this is a good story, But it's not her best work. It drags a little and the protagonist is something of a whiner

Introspective While Enjoyable

Any additional comments?

This is just a wonderful story about couples and family. While telling ourselves that we treat them fairly with kindness and thoughtfulness we learn lessons along the way that we were not nearly as kind to them as we were ourselves.

This is a well written story about human nature. I enjoyed it a great deal, while complipating the story long after the final words in the book. It would be lovely if we could all see the bigger picture like many of the characters in this book fortunately got to see.

Life Goes On

A good (and short) book by Anne Tyler about a widower dealing with the ghost of his wife - She's dealt with this topic before to greater success, but her characters are always so vivid and interesting, it's difficult to not like an Anne Tyler novel.

Wonderful as ever but too short

Where does The Beginner's Goodbye rank among all the audiobooks you???ve listened to so far?

Any book by Anne Tyler is worth the ride. Her books are unfailingly warm, funny and insightful. That said, I must add that this one is not my favorite. I prefer Noah's Compass as well as several of her earlier works to this one.

Which character ??? as performed by Kirby Heyborne ??? was your favorite?

I especially liked the contractor who ended up marrying the quirky sister. He alone showed the sort of sweet, flawed humanity that her other books have in more abundance.

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

That would be the character I just mentioned, although I cannot recall his name.

Any additional comments?

Please try other books by Anne Tyler such as Ladder of Years, Saint Maybe, Accidental Tourist and Patchwork Planet. I love them all and have returned to them many times.

Anne Tyler at her Best

Where does The Beginner's Goodbye rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This latest book by Anne Tyler ranks equal highest (with Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca") amongst the audiobooks I've listened to so far.

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favourite charater was the main protagonist, Aaron. He showed his vulnerabilites, his weaknesses and strengths. He travelled his journey of grief and rediscovered the love he had for his wife, as well as discovering and finally accepting that their marriage was not a happy one.

What about Kirby Heyborne’s performance did you like?

The narrator was excellent. His voice complemented the character of Aaron well, and expressed the shifting moods of the story.

If you could rename The Beginner's Goodbye, what would you call it?

I wouldn't rename the book, as the title is intrinsically linked to the life of the main character Aaron, and his family business. The title forms another story strand within the book, where the family business publishes a wide selection of "The Beginner's ...." titles. Aaron as the main character, is unconsciously following the contents of such a book as he confronts the untimely death of his wife and his new life as a widower.

Any additional comments?

I first met Anne Tyler in "Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant" when this was a high school text for my daughter way back when, and it was followed closely by the very moving "The Accidental Tourist". Since then I have devoured Tyler's work, and more lately have had to do this via Audible because of some vision problems. Recently I have caught up with two of Tyler's early works prior to reading "The Beginner's Goodbye". I believe Tyler's maturity as a writer has peaked in this latest book, with her sensitive, but still quirky, approach to grief and relationships. And Kirby Heyborne as the narrator enhances this work as an audio book.

Least Favorite Tyler

I didn't like this novel as much as all the other books Tyler has written. I didn't feel like Tyler, nor myself, connected as deeply with this character nor was able to make him fully dimensional.