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

Anne Tyler at Her Same

I'll be the first to say that Anne Tyler is one of America's finest contemporary novelists, but I couldn't help feeling a lot of been-there-read-that while listening to 'The Beginner's Goodbye'.

While Tyler's honed storytelling style and Heyborn's fine narrative got me through the book, I was bored by a too familiar cast of characters involved in yet another long, slow slide toward healing.

(huh: maybe I'm getting jaded in my old age....)

Another Anne Tyler Success

I am a huge fan of all books written by Anne Tyler, but this is the first one I've listened to versus read. While the experience is equally enjoyable in both modes, I think the nature of her stories are excellent ones to listen to. Yes, as critics have mentioned, her characters are always not quite what is considered 'normal', but they are not evil or mean spirited. And the characters in this novel are no exception. While this story may not have the depth in the plot line found in her earlier work, it fully holds the reader's/listener's attention. The narrator performed excellently, allowing me to picture each character as the story unfolded. I know I've really enjoyed listening to a book when I turn on my car and am sorry to discover I'm on to another book. I really liked 'The Beginner's Goodbye' and regret having finished it so quickly.

Dealing with Loss can be Painful but Enlightening

Would you consider the audio edition of The Beginner's Goodbye to be better than the print version?

I did not read the print version (this is the only Anne Tyler book I have listened to in audio) but as a devoted fan of Ms. Tyler's writing, believe that either version could deliver the emotional effect commonly found in Ms. Tyler's books.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The protagonist Aaron Woolcott. The true sorrow and love he describes when speaking of his wife, in spite of all the imperfections in their relationship-and themselves-was beautiful and heart wrenching.

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

I loved the narration. Mr. Heyborne's reading brought me to tears.

Typical Tyler, but not her best

The Beginner's Goodbye is a completely enjoyable, typical Tyler book. Aaron, the reserved, reclusive main character, loses his wife Dorothy in a freak accident when a tree crashes through their roof. The story unfolds when Aaron deals with his grief surrounded by slightly quirky family, co-workers, and neighbors. Dorothy appears to Aaron after her death, which begins to help him recover from his understandably crushing grief and loss. In one of the sadder aspects of the story, Aaron doesn't really seem to know and understand Dorothy well until after her death. The Hallmark ending was far too pat and predictable.

While this was a very pleasant read, it doesn't hold a candle to some of Tyler's best, like Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant and Breathing Lessons

Anne Tyler is my favorite author, this is her best

Would you consider the audio edition of The Beginner's Goodbye to be better than the print version?

The narrator gave so much to the character and this performance was excellent

What did you like best about this story?

The strange characters

What about Kirby Heyborne’s performance did you like?

He made the book seem real

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When the tree fell

Not Anne Tyler's best work

What did you love best about The Beginner's Goodbye?

The author did a good job of describing grief after losing a loved one.

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

Yes - Gone Girl. Performance was about the same, but better story.

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

I would pick the contractor. He seemed the best adjusted.

a short, pleasant novel

This novel is what I expect of Anne Tyler - quirky but very believable characters that I care about. The gimmick is that a widower in his mid-30's starts to see his recently deceased wife at various times. Most of this novel, though, is a series of flashbacks about the narrator Aaron's relationship with his wife Dorothy. I was drawn into the world of the main and secondary characters, through Aaron's early relationship, marriage, and then his grief after the freak accidental death of his wife. The least engaging part of the novel was Aaron's encounter with his dead wife. I liked this novel quite a bit in spite of the ghost theme. The reader is not easy to listen to, but the narrator is not the most likable, and so I suppose the voice does match the character. I did get used to hearing him.

Sweet book but disappointing

What a sweet little book! Anne Tyler is certainly good at describing the small details of life and relationships. I found myself nodding and agreeing with so many of her observations about some of the smallest but telling details about life. However, overall these telling moments didn't really add up to much of a plot or make me particularly fond of the characters.

By the end, or the last 1/4 I'd say, I did feel a connection with Aaron and felt happy that he seemed to learn, in the end, that the most important thing about a relationship, with all of its human flaws and problems, is that both people need to appreciate each other while they still have the chance. The author has a minor character, Luke, state this theme overtly at the very end:
"My friend Luke told me once that he’d been considering my question about whether the dead ever visit. It was true that I had asked him, back around the time I asked Nate, but this was weeks and weeks later. Apparently he had been deliberating the issue ever since. “I’ve decided,” he said, “that they don’t visit. But I think if you knew them well enough, if you’d listened to them closely enough while they were still alive, you might be able to imagine what they would tell you even now. So the smart thing to do is, pay attention while they’re living. But that’s only my opinion.”


It is so simple and tried and true, and I WILL say that this book DOES do a good job of SHOWING that lesson. It just that it's a bit of a bore, with insightful moments breaking it up, along the way. Then, in the end, it packs a powerful, emotional lesson. I hope it sticks with me.

Anne Tyler Is Consistently Terrific

I have read all of Anne Tyler's books. She's one of my favorite authors. This book is terrific like her others. The protagonist is a stubborn young widower who walks with a cane and has trouble overcoming his grief. He is fully fleshed out, and surrounded by fun, quirky friends, coworkers, and relatives. If you like smart, character-driven novels with humor and poignancy, you can't do much better than an Anne Tyler novel such as this one.

Unravel the complicated knot!

Sometimes when two people tie the knot, they overdo it and the knot gets awfully complicated. Then a freak accident occurs, and one person is left behind to unravel the mess they made together. So it goes for Aaron and Dorothy, a couple whose marriage was built on misconceptions. Despite these misconceptions, they manage to piece together a life slathered with the glue of commitment and love. Lucky couples get a whole lifetime to fix what is wrong in their marriage. But when a tree falls onto their house and Dorothy is abruptly killed, Aaron is left to sort out the reality of what they had.

Anne Tyler has a written a beautiful book about a broken marriage. The language is simple and clean. In scenes with dialogue between Aaron and Dorothy, Tyler captures the reality of marital angst and, if we’re honest, even reminds us of our own marriages. Along with this reminder comes a poignant question: if your marriage ended tomorrow, would you be comfortable with where it stands? If the answer is “no,” Tyler quietly urges us to do the work now to fix it, before it’s too late.

Narrator Kirby Heyborne breathes life into Tyler’s narrative. He allows us to feel all the tension and bliss that married life can bring. At times the narration feels dated, thus surprising the reader when modern conveniences like the Apple store are mentioned. I’m not sure if this is a result of Heyborne’s narration or Tyler’s writing. Luckily, it is only a slight distraction from an otherwise flawless performance.

If you are married now, or once were, or ever hope to be, you must read The Beginner’s Goodbye. This intimate portrayal of one couple will give you perspective on what is really important in life.