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

Great Book!

The story was way different than what I thought it was going to be. Took me a little bit to totally get into book, but it was smooth sailing once I did! Really makes you think about how things would have turn out it history took at different course.

Engrossing

I have always loved Stephen King's books. I think his character development is top notch and this book is no exception.

Narrating the book is no small feat, especially by a single individual. There are several different accents that need to be done, men and women's voices to do and a few impressions too. Along with that are some exceedingly emotional scenes that can't be delivered deadpan but suffer when over emoted.

While I have to give the narrator credit for range, there were times when I found his delivery distracting. James T Kirk came to mind a few times and, honestly, I almost always find men doing women's voices a little comical. It's hard to imagine a beautiful women when the character sounds like a scene from Kids in the Hall.

I feel bad taking aim at the narrator, though, having to do everything from an austrian accent to an impression of Jackie Kennedy is asking a lot. Occasionally, I was taken out of the moment by the narration but never was it so much so as to ruin the story. I really enjoyed the book, on the whole.

Excellent couldn't stop listening!

Got lost in it, and didn't want the story to end. Will listen again and again.

Refreshing and a one of the best "What if"

What made the experience of listening to 11-22-63 the most enjoyable?

The way Mr King paints the scenery of the time, the details of how people acted and lived back in 1963 and how a person from our time has to adapt to it.

What was one of the most memorable moments of 11-22-63?

His first walk through the time portal and when he goes to the boxing match that he knew the outcome and his girlfriends reaction when she believes he from the future.

Which character – as performed by Craig Wasson – was your favorite?

That is tough, but the people from the Texas town he teach's in comes to mind.

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

No but it was a daily "snack" for the ear's.

Any additional comments?

So worth the time to listen to and the narrator was great. It was summer when I listened to it so I turned it on at dusk and it set the mood. I sometime find Mr King tough to read but he surprise's me from time to time and this was a great surprise. Download it and you will take your own trip to the past.

Amazing!

Would you listen to 11-22-63 again? Why?

Absolutely! The narrator is incredible and the story line drew me in.

What did you like best about this story?

The plausibility of time travel. I didn't think a serious story could be told using time travel, but I was wrong.

What about Craig Wasson’s performance did you like?

His accents are great and the tempo of his narration is superb

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

Too long for one sitting, but would be tempted to try.

Best voice actor!

Great book and this voice actor was the best I've heard. Added emotion to voices and did a great job with it!

Not the usual King fare, but enjoyable nonetheless

I have been a longtime reader of King and enjoy about 98% of all his work. That being said, I have a large spectrum, from books I love (Dark Tower, Cell, the Shining, Talisman, to name a few), to ones that are good (Dreamcatcher), to those that are OK (Lisey's Story). This one hovers between good and OK. I am willing to put up with a lot from King--I did read From A Buick 8 and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, after all--and so I joined him on this foray into the past to address one of the more common time machine plots. It was an alright journey, with hints of a broader machine beyond the immediate question of saving JFK, but just hints. I enjoyed it, but not nearly as much as some of his others.

King's Best Overall Book IMO

It was a fantastic read and the ending was... Actually GREAT! Surprisingly great I should say. I highly suggest this book.

Entertaining!

One of the best books I have read in a long long time! Stephen king is still a masterful storyteller!

Story stayed with me for months after finishing

Unlike most SK stories but with so much heart. The stand, the dark tower and 11-22 are his best works in my opinion.

The narration was beautiful on its own - the enactment of mice and men literally brought tears. That's how remarkably dulcet the voice actor performed. The ending was so bittersweet yet real. Days later I found myself mourning and applauding the ending.

If you've watched the Hulu series do not believe you've experienced this story.