• The Whip: Inspired by the story of Charley Parkhurst

  • By: Karen Kondazian
  • Narrated by: Robin Weigert
  • Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (662 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Whip: Inspired by the story of Charley Parkhurst  By  cover art

The Whip: Inspired by the story of Charley Parkhurst

By: Karen Kondazian
Narrated by: Robin Weigert
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.99

Buy for $17.99

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

  • Best Western, 2013 International Book Awards
  • 2013 National Indie Excellence Awards winner, Western fiction category
  • Gold Prize in Historical Fiction & Best Western Fiction - 2013 Global Ebook Awards
  • Award-Winner in the 'Fiction: Historical' category of The 2012 USA Best Book Awards

The Whip is a multi-award winning novel inspired by the true story of Charlotte "Charley" Parkhurst (1812-1879) who lived most of her extraordinary life as a man in the Old West.

As a young woman in Rhode Island, she fell in love with a runaway slave and had his child. He was lynched, her baby killed. The destruction of her family drove her west to California, dressed as a man, to track the killer.

Charley became a renowned stagecoach driver for Wells Fargo. She killed a famous outlaw, had a secret love affair, and lived with a housekeeper who, unaware of her true sex, fell in love with her.

Charley was the first known woman to vote in America in 1868 (as a man). Her grave lies in Watsonville, California.

"I would have done that," Ms. Kondazian said in a telephone interview. "I would have probably put on men’s clothes, to be free like a man." (New York Times interview of Karen Kondazian - from “Overlooked No More: Charley Parkhurst, Gold Rush Legend With a Hidden Identity”, by Tim Arango, December 5, 2018)

©2012 Karen Kondazian (P)2012 Karen Kondazian

What listeners say about The Whip: Inspired by the story of Charley Parkhurst

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    401
  • 4 Stars
    160
  • 3 Stars
    59
  • 2 Stars
    26
  • 1 Stars
    16
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    403
  • 4 Stars
    111
  • 3 Stars
    47
  • 2 Stars
    14
  • 1 Stars
    14
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    369
  • 4 Stars
    127
  • 3 Stars
    49
  • 2 Stars
    29
  • 1 Stars
    11

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Listen! I want more from Robin Weigert!

Great story, great listen. The story is compelling and fun. Charley Parkhurst was a wonderful character with a life worthy of a book! I would love to see this come to the screen. I really enjoyed Robin Weigert's narration, and hope she does another book soon!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

Fantastic book!

The story and the performance were well done. The characters were well developed and the reading in different voices made the book very enjoyable. Good book for book clubs.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

a son short a true story

wonderful characters with an old West feel. a full life with every experience possible even as she hid your true self

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

Entertaining Historical Fiction

I love reading about this time period and found the story engaging. I also thought the narrator did a really great job.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • LS
  • 08-27-16

Both my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed listening

Would you listen to The Whip: Inspired by the story of Charley Parkhurst again? Why?

I never listen to the same book twice. Too many other books to read! However, I have recommended it to several friends!

Which character – as performed by Robin Weigert – was your favorite?

Charlie

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

There were several, but when Charlie's family was murdered by an old/dear friend it was heartbreaking.

Any additional comments?

I've never read a book about people in this time frame who were compelled to live a life like Charlie Parkhurst did. Raised on the east coast and then lived the life as a stagecoach whip in the west. We enjoyed the book completely!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

what a strong woman

I've read many beautiful books but this one story of Charlotte(charley)was truly amazing it was a very good story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

What a gal!!!

This story about Charley Parkhurst was wonderful . The woman had guts and nerves of steel to be handed such a rotten start and then figured her way out of it . I truly admired her stamina and the line about lemons to lemonade figured here well . I hope anyone who gets to read this enjoys it as much as I did !

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

Thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book

I had been having trouble getting started on an audiobook before this one. I've done plenty, but none of my recent choices had "grabbed me." This one did. The extras at the end were a nice surprise.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

A great narrator

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

It was like listening to a play ! The narrator did a fantastic job of creating characters with her voice.

Would you recommend The Whip to your friends? Why or why not?

I found some of the plot to be predicable, but the unique character made it an interesting story. Not sure if this would be of interest to everyone. It's not quite a Western, not quite a historical drama, not quite a romance, although there are elements of all of these genres.

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

I believe this her only audio performance. I would definitely listen to others.

Was The Whip worth the listening time?

Yes.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

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

Amazing book and performance

What did you love best about The Whip: Inspired by the story of Charley Parkhurst?

This book was amazing to listen to. I had never heard of Charley Parkhurst, but I loved how the writer and the narrator brought the story to life. I loved her complications with romance and real life problems she went through. I bought this book on a whim, and I am very glad I did!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful