The Hour I First Believed

A Novel

By: Wally Lamb

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 25 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

When high-school teacher Caelum Quirk and his wife, Maureen, move to Littleton, Colorado, they both get jobs at Columbine High School. In April 1999, while Caelum is away, Maureen finds herself in the library at Columbine, cowering in a cabinet and expecting to be killed. Miraculously, she survives. But when Caelum and Maureen flee to an illusion of safety on the Quirk family's Connecticut farm, they discover that the effects of chaos are not easily put right.

While Maureen fights to regain her sanity, Caelum discovers five generations' worth of diaries, letters, and newspaper clippings in his family's house. As unimaginable secrets emerge, Caelum grapples with the past and struggles to fashion a future from the ashes of tragedy. His quest for meaning is at once mythic and contemporary, personal and quintessentially American.

©2008 Wally Lamb (P)2008 HarperCollins Publishers

Good story, not-so-good narrator...

When I first found that another novel by Wally Lamb was available I couldn't wait to download it, only to find when visiting audible, that the scratchy-voiced George Guidall was the messenger.

This man just sounds too old to be mid-forties, and brings to mind curmudgeonly versions of Andy Rooney or Morley Safer. However, it's a good listen that not even an older voice can ruin, even with his renditions of female voices that all sound like Edith Bunker.

It's an excellent story, but a long story, and too long in places, so reader beware, you have to like the voices of an older generation.

Emotional

This was wrote with so much emotion, I really felt true sorrow for both Moe and Kalem. They went through so much tragedy but yet both showed incredible strength.The writer really did a great job drawling me in. I could not stop listening to it and had it finished in less than 2 days.

Love it

It was long at times, but I love long books. By the time it was over, I was a blubbering idiot, and not in a super sad way, but in a great way.
I love Wally Lamb!

One of the best ever!

I really enjoyed this book - it was one of the best I've ever listened to! Even though it is on the longer side, it is captivating beginning to end. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough.

Wally Lamp has impressed me again!

If you could sum up The Hour I First Believed in three words, what would they be?

Very emotional book!

What did you like best about this story?

Wally lamb is my favorite author. I have read all his books. I really like how he ties all his books together by re-introducing characters from previous books. His setting is always near, in or around Three Rivers. And he always discusses the issues of spirituality, morality and religion. I actually read this book then downloaded the audible to see if it were different.

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

I really like his performance.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

If I had the time I would

Difficult to push through, but glad I did

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes.. Having read She's Come Undone, We Are Water, and I Know This Much is True, I forced myself to go through this very slow, rich read and get to the finish line. It seemed the more I listened (and I mean well into the book), the more interested I became in the characters. I would have to say, I agree with an earlier reviewer that the narrator threw me off. It sounds like a grandpa reading the story, and the majority of the book is takes place in middle adult age and flashbacks. I would have enjoyed this more with a man's narrative, not a grandpa. Did not fit. If you are looking for a edge of your seat experience, this book is not for you.. it is incredibly layered and deep with details and "pages" worth of flashbacks and inner thoughts.

Would you be willing to try another book from Wally Lamb? Why or why not?

I gave this book a go because of his other fabulous reads!

What didn’t you like about George Guidall’s performance?

Too old for this story line. Did not fit even a little. Maybe a chapter or two at the end.

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

Yes

Any additional comments?

Love Wally Lamb!! :)

Captivating

As a Wally Lamb fan, this wasn't his best. I found the switchbacks to K's origins confusing at times. However, as usual I was captivated by the weaving of the story. 4 stars, compared to other Wally Lamb novels.

Where did my Wally go?

This certainly lacks the greatness of Wally Lambs other novels. If he wrote an outline or had a concept in mind, he sure got distracted. This book tells several stories at once and becomes tedious and unmercifully boring. By the latter part of the book, well into the civil war bore, I found myself skipping chapters. Oddly enough, one would want to feel sorry for the wife who was a victim at Columbine, but even she becomes a cliche. The main character is not terribly likable either, but that could be due to the narration which was the worst I had ever heard. The narrator sounds like a booze laden, smarmy old man who has a voice that would be better off narrating a book about a guy who lures children into his windowless van with the promise of candy. Thrown uncomfortably into the book is "humorous" banter between the main character and his long time friend. Though some of the comments are mildly amusing, they are mostly cringe worthy and seem pushed into the novel in odd places because the author felt funny that night or had a few drinks.

Overall....this is not a horrible read. It just drones on and requires someone who is easily entertained and has a lot of patience......and....has never read another Lamb novel to have to make the sad comparison.

Worth 2 Credits

I listened to this book on my commute to and from work. I found myself on more than a few days, sitting in my garage at home or the company parking garage not wanting to stop listening. The narrator was very easy to listen to and the story was excellent. Highly recommend.

Heartbreaking yet beautiful story

Would you consider the audio edition of The Hour I First Believed to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version

Any additional comments?

This is not a lift you up, happy ending story. It really is heartbreaking but a great read. I love Wally Lamb's writing, I Know This Much Is True is one of my all time favorites and I wish it was an audio book! This is a great story and the fiction and non fiction come together very nicely.