Sample
  • The Hour I First Believed

  • A Novel
  • By: Wally Lamb
  • Narrated by: George Guidall
  • Length: 25 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (1,222 ratings)

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The Hour I First Believed

By: Wally Lamb
Narrated by: George Guidall
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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

What listeners say about The Hour I First Believed

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    619
  • 4 Stars
    362
  • 3 Stars
    150
  • 2 Stars
    60
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    31
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    561
  • 4 Stars
    194
  • 3 Stars
    78
  • 2 Stars
    17
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    11
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    464
  • 4 Stars
    236
  • 3 Stars
    96
  • 2 Stars
    48
  • 1 Stars
    19

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

So good!

Wally Lamb is my favorite author and this is one of my favorites of his. The story is so deep and the characters so well crafted. I have re-read and listened to it multiple times. And the narrator is incredible. 10/10 recommend.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

So good !

Loved the pacing, the character arcs, the weaving of the story through so many real and true events. What great insight in man’s mind and emotions.
A very honest and realistic view on pain and loss.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

A Journey

This isn't a book. Like Wally Lamb's others, it was a journey. When you finish, your brain is tired. But it's very well-written and interesting. It wasn't one of my favorite books but I'm glad I listened to it. I also love George Guidall, the narrator. Don't expect this to be a book about Columbine - it's not. What happened at Columbine is the event that sets the book in motion and weaves it's way throughout the story of Calum Quirk. Enjoy!

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

overwhelming

I often wonder what type of life Wally Lamb has lived. His books are full of mental illness and incredible adversity. Sad lives across generations. Strength in loss. sometimes it was just too sad to read and too real. Well written and engaging.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Another Great Adventure from WL

At first, I thought this book is not as good as "She Come Undone" and " I Know This Much is True" but I could not put it down and I could not wait to start reading it again. It grabbed my full attention gradually. I was not disappointed and liked this book in a different way than the others.
Don't expect the same approach the other books had.
It was a pleasure to read.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful

This is the best book I've listened to this year, Wally Lamb at his best, its just a shame we have had to wait so long.
This book captured me from the beginning and then got better and better, George Guidall did an excellent job bringing all the characters to life.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Plots .. so many

Good read but you need to make sure you are ready to keep track of all the plots within the plots.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Not as good as his other books

I was disappointed by this book. It certainly did not live up to his previous books. The main characters were not very interesting and although they went through some harrowing experiences it seemed distant and not very emotionally involving.

The story within the story was very interesting though and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the history of that period and especially women's roles in the early 20th century.

I didn't particularly care for the narrator. He seemed old and it didn't fit with the character he was narrating.

It still was a riveting listen that kept me interested through many long hours of cooking and housework!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

I felt the horror of Columbine

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

I would recommend it for the mature reader who is looking for more than just a good story.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Alphonse: honest and real ...also though a limited appearance Aunt Lollie for the same reason

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

Velvet calling Mo "Mom"

Any additional comments?

Although at times the horror of Columbine made me wonder why I kept listening to the story I was drawn to finish it due to the excellent character development and narration.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This book makes one look at like just a little differently.

Great story telling. Wally Lamb can span the generations and still keep the reader on the edge of the seat. Whether listening to moments of The Columbine story or hearing of the horrors of the hospitals during the Civil War, this book kept up a fast pace from beginning till the end. I felt that this book even may have changed me a little. I highly recommend this book. Makes you stop and think about a lot of things.

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