Traveler

By: Ron McLarty

Narrated by: Ron McLarty

Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

Jono Riley is an aging bartender and part-time actor in Manhattan who specializes in one-character plays, usually performed in front of an audience sized in the low one digit. He still lives by himself in an Upper East Side walk-up, and though he's got a great girlfriend, a firefighter named Renee, his life is stuck and his acting career is going nowhere fast. News of the sudden death of his childhood friend Marie D'Agostino, his first true love, compels Jono to return for a few days to the place he grew up, the working-class neighborhoods of East Providence, Rhode Island. McLarty weaves the story of Jono's return with that of his coming-of-age in the early 1960s, including the story of a series of mysterious shootings, one of which lodged a bullet in Marie's back when she was 12.

When Renee joins Jono in East Providence, they find themselves drawn into an attempt to find the person responsible for the shootings so long ago. As the truth emerges, Jono is forced to come to terms with a past that is not quite what he remembers.

What both readers and critics alike celebrated in McLarty's first novel - the main character you come to root for, the funny, pitch-perfect dialogue, the writing that is so full of warmth and drama and authenticity - is here again in this fine-tuned and riveting new novel.

©2007 Zaluma LLC (P)2007 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., and Recorded Books LLC. All rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Unforgettable.... This novel has a great voice, a great plot, great suspense, a great evocation of time and place." (The Boston Globe)

"McLarty excels at creating a sense of place, but he is positively brilliant at creating characters. We care about these people." (The Providence Journal)

A true and engaging voice

The rich beauty of this book is in the characters and the place McLarty offers, and the 'natural' story of their lives. The mystery and its resolution is a bit of a contrivance that doesn't quite hold with the bulk of the story (and specifically I did not get how Kenny Snowden apparently pieced it together and what he must have said in his call to Jono).
I was entranced with the characters, 1960s East Providence, and McLarty's narration. Perhaps it falls short of the extraordinary Memory of Running, but not by much.

Another great hometown tale

Mclarty does it again. Using the tale of the present with moments of the past. He spins a great tale with a surprise ending. It is easy to associate with his tales of growing up and having best friends. He does a great job of weaving a store , that shows how what has happened in the past effects what is happening today.

Mclarty also is one of the best readers today in the audiobook business.

Traveler is as good as memory of running. I really enjoyed it

Interesting Characters

What did you love best about Traveler?

The plot was unique, with views of current and past.

What did you like best about this story?

It was a very good story line, but having heard a prior interview with the author/narrator, I enjoyed the times in which he referenced the characters he actually played on Law and Order and Cop Rock. Very fun.

Which character – as performed by Ron McLarty – was your favorite?

I loved the ensemble - but had a soft spot for the caring policeman.

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

many

Any additional comments?

I love the writing and narrating style of Ron McLarty. I want MORE! Also enjoyed The Memory of Running.

Can't help but compare

I loved Mr. McLarty's Memory of Running so much I was afraid to read this one. My fear eased after about 10 minutes into the story. This book (like the previous one) has the ability to make the characters feel like old acquaintances whose lives are suddenly brought into focus. I am always amazed when a writer can make the everyday person's life fascinating. While this novel is slightly less unique than his previous work (how could it NOT be?), it does work at many different levels. I can hardly wait for novel number three.

Loved It

Best audio of 2007 (so far!) I really likd MofR, but I liked this one better. McClarty has a way with with character that really pulls you in. Admittedly the ending was a little "cliche" but I so loved the telling of the story and the people, that the weak ending didn't really bother me. McClarty proves himself a worthy storyteller (and reader) in this audio. An excellent second novel. Most writers should be so lucky.

another amazing win!

with the memory of running as my all time favorite book, traveler comes in right behind. I've never read a book where the author can so easily touch the complexities of life. whether real day, grown up or the trials of teen years, Ron is amazing in his ability to weave a complete story!

Small Short Stories Weaved Together

I found this audio book dissapointing. To me it sounded like alot of little short stories about Jono's past weaved into a "mystery" novel. There are ethnic slurs and strong language that some readers might find offensive. I did not feel that the strong language added to the story or to understanding or sympathizing with the main character...the language just made the story harsh. By the time the Jono starts to figure out the "mystery" he has added so much impertinent information (and not much information about the injured party) that I lost interest. I did enjoy the narration, it was well executed with different voices for each character.