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

A man deals with his wife's death.

This is a moving story of a man coming to terms with his wife’s sudden death in the prime of their lives. Not only must he deal with his grief, but he must deal with his own remembering of their time together, and his conclusion that they really did not have a happy marriage. In the meantime, his sister, who has never married, meets someone and falls in love. A very sensitive portrayal of a man who has great difficulty letting his feelings be known, or in feeling those feelings himself. I highly recommend this book.

A Great Story that will Surprise!

I had no idea what this book was. . . bought it on sale on a whim. . . and it turned out to be quite a nice experience. The story line draws you in quickly and because it is a short listen, a book you'll want to finish in one sitting if you can. No complaints here on the performance; but full disclosure is merited: after the first 30 minutes, I used Audible's 1.5 speed -- the narration was just as good a little faster in my view.

An Engaging Listen

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

This story was interesting and easy to follow while driving.

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

I liked the lead character. He was quirky and vulnerable without being wimpy.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I enjoyed listening to the book, but it did not evoke an extreme reaction in me.

Enjoyed this Anne Tyler story!

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

Since I have been a fan of Anne Tyler's beautiful writing since I was a young adult and discovered that I loved quirky, heart-warming stories about difficulty lives. Each of us can relate to moments throughout each of her stories. This beautiful story, well- performed will be something that you will look forward to listening to till the very end. So glad I own it.

Disappointing story and narration

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The story had very little plot and moved extremely slowly. Given the quality of the work, even the best-quality narration wouldn't have improved the experience. However, and unfortunately, the narrator made the story even more ponderous.

What was most disappointing about Anne Tyler’s story?

The description was poetic, but the plot was thin and the pace slow.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

His voice was annoying and his pace made a slow story even slower.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Frustration that I couldn't move the story along, and disappointment that Anne Tyler's work this time around couldn't hold a candle to past work.

Awful

I remember howling out loud years ago when I read Accidental Tourist. And for some reason I never went back to any other of her books after that one. But this book does not have that same draw. It is a dull story of a dull man who married a dull woman and had a dull sister. I gave up. Narration was fine but it didn't help this boring, awful book.

Hated, HATED this book

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I honestly don't think anyone could like this book. The main character is so whiny and bratty. The guy reading the book I think did a really excellent job of being annoying, and whiny, and bratty, that's why I gave him 5 stars.

What could Anne Tyler have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

She would have to completely re-write the book for me to have enjoyed this more.

What about Kirby Heyborne’s performance did you like?

I hated his performance, because it was spot on. He was exactly who the main character was meant to be. Too bad for me that I hated the main character.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Beginner's Goodbye?

The entire thing.

Any additional comments?

In the beginning, he talks about how his wife came back from the dead and he says that other people can see her too. Then the next several chapters are backstory, and when he finally gets to the part where she "comes back from the dead", absolutely nothing is mentioned about others being able to see her. In the beginning of the book he also makes it out to see like him seeing her is a regular occurrence, when in reality it only happens maybe 4 times.