11-22-63

A Novel

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: Craig Wasson

Length: 30 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed. What if you could change it back?

In this brilliantly conceived tour de force, Stephen King - who has absorbed the social, political, and popular culture of his generation more imaginatively and thoroughly than any other writer - takes listeners on an incredible journey into the past and the possibility of altering it.

It begins with Jake Epping, a 35-year-old English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching GED classes. He asks his students to write about an event that changed their lives, and one essay blows him away: a gruesome, harrowing story about the night more than 50 years ago when Harry Dunning’s father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a sledgehammer. Reading the essay is a watershed moment for Jake, his life - like Harry’s, like America’s in 1963 - turning on a dime.

Not much later his friend Al, who owns the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to the past, a particular day in 1958. And Al enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession - to prevent the Kennedy assassination.

So begins Jake’s new life as George Amberson, in a different world - of Ike and JFK and Elvis, of big American cars and sock hops and cigarette smoke everywhere. From the dank little city of Derry, Maine (where there’s Dunning business to conduct), to the warmhearted small town of Jodie, Texas, where Jake falls dangerously in love, every turn is leading, eventually of course, to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and to Dallas, where the past becomes heart-stoppingly suspenseful - and where history might not be history anymore. Time-travel has never been so believable. Or so terrifying.

©2011 Stephen King. All Rights Reserved. (P)2011 Simon & Schuster, Inc

Awesome Listen - Three Times!

Any additional comments?

I'm a Stephen King fan, so maybe I was predisposed to like this book. BUT....this was such an unusual story -- and so laced with history and time period "accents" -- that I found myself listening to this book three times. PLUS...Craig Wasson's characterizations were so rich and his read so on the nose, that I got FAR deeper into the story than I do most audiobooks. How many times have YOU wondered what the world might have been like if the JFK assassination was thwarted...? Do you like time travel? Are you intrigued by the idea of "What If...?" Trust me, if you're even remotely curious about those three things, you'll love this book. The characters are fully-realized and the voices well acted (with a few character surprises thrown in). The plot line is woven together with a story rhythm that gave me great pleasure every time I listened. The story is a long one, but for me...well, just that much more to savor. 11-22-63 was (is) a phenomenal audiobook. I urge you to listen. No, wait! Settle into your favorite chair or, like me, listen to this book during a long drive. I promise you won't be disappointed. Thanks, Stephen King and Craig Wasson (my new favorite voice). This was a listening partnership made in heaven. BIG time!

Thrilling

It sometimes it may feel as though the details and not worth listening to however, they bear on the store it is gripping and I would listen to it again.

Master Storyteller!

The narrator is perfect. I loved this story. I was so afraid I would hate the ending. I should have known Stephen King wouldn’t let me down.

Stephen King gold

King provides a detailed and layered world which, narrator Craig Wasson presents with a beautiful and varied performance. I am impressed by both!

Just amazing!

I was moved to tears of sorrow, then of joy at the end. This book is a beautiful romance wrapped in a suspenseful, exciting science fiction drama. It centers around accurate historical information carefully researched by the author. The narrator is skilled at creating realistic characters with different voices. It is the best book I have ever read or listened to. Don't wait. Download it now!

Excellent

Compelling story with great narration. It was hard to stop listening. I highly recommend it

Highest praise

I listened to this because my 10th grader had it on her summer reading list. It was fantastic! We both loved it and it was fun to talk about it together from our 2 perspectives in time/age. Stephen King is really good a tying everything together in the most unpredictable ways. I sometimes forget how talented he is and I intend to consider more of his work for my "listens". You won't regret listening to this one.

Loved, Loved, Loved

Where does 11-22-63 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Probably the best so far!

Any additional comments?

I don't remember the assasination of President Kennedy. The book introduces the cast of charactors leading up to the scene of the crime

Another compelling story by a great story teller!

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

I had to keep telling myself this was fiction. It felt so real! As always, King sucks you in from the first page. Great characters and wonderful reader!

Who was your favorite character and why?

George. He's just a regular guy swept up in an amazing adventure and he remains humble and keeps his moral compass pointed at 'trying to do what's right'.

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

No, but will watch for his readings.

The best in a long time.

This was without a doubt one of the, if not, the best book I have ever listened to. The reader was great, the story was even better. King's attention to detail, and his character developement were fantastic. I actually applauded at the end. (Although I was sad to see it end.) Fantastic!!