Anna and the Swallow Man

By: Gavriel Savit

Narrated by: Allan Corduner

Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

Winner of the 2017 Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production
A New York Times Bestseller
A Booklist Editors' Choice Audio
An AudioFile Best Audiobook of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year
A Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book
Winner of the Indies Choice Book Award
Winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award

"Exquisite." —The Wall Street Journal

"This is masterly storytelling." —The New York Times Book Review

A stunning, beautiful, and ambitious debut novel set in Poland during the Second World War perfect for readers of All the Light We Cannot See and The Book Thief.

Kraków, 1939. A million marching soldiers and a thousand barking dogs. This is no place to grow up. Anna Łania is just seven years old when the Germans take her father, a linguistics professor, during their purge of intellectuals in Poland. She's alone.

And then Anna meets the Swallow Man. He is a mystery, strange and tall, a skilled deceiver with more than a little magic up his sleeve. And when the soldiers in the streets look at him, they see what he wants them to see.

The Swallow Man is not Anna’s father—she knows that very well—but she also knows that, like her father, he's in danger of being taken, and like her father, he has a gift for languages: Polish, Russian, German, Yiddish, even Bird. When he summons a bright, beautiful swallow down to his hand to stop her from crying, Anna is entranced. She follows him into the wilderness.

Over the course of their travels together, Anna and the Swallow Man will dodge bombs, tame soldiers, and even, despite their better judgment, make a friend. But in a world gone mad, everything can prove dangerous. Even the Swallow Man.

Destined to become a classic, Gavriel Savit's stunning debut reveals life's hardest lessons while celebrating its miraculous possibilities.

©2016 Gavriel Savit (P)2016 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"Allan Corduner's deep voice pairs well with the graceful, intelligent prose in this mesmerizing account.... Corduner's elegant, discreet voicing and measured pacing keep listeners focused on the three main characters in a wrenching coming-of-age story that will appeal to adults as well as thoughtful mature teens." (AudioFile)

Absolutely Delightful!

A stunning and very moving story zet in wsr torn Poland and Russia. Thoroughly entertaining and wonderful.

Exceptional book!

I was hooked from the start and couldn't put it down. Beautifully written. Poetically descriptive. I can't wait to see what this talented new author will offer next!

Anna and the Swallow Man

I enjoyed the story and adventures of Papa and Sweetie. The end made me a bit sad. I wanted more about Anna's life.

Expected a better plot and climax

Great narration and writing style, loved the book but it seemed to drop off at the end without much of a conclusion... Almost as if the author lost inspiration... Perhaps I am missing something? I wish it had been longer!

Good but leaves a lot of questions unanswered

Where does Anna and the Swallow Man rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Pretty low because it was such a downer with no evidence of redemption

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Swallow Man. Very mysterious

Captivating story with no answers

This story was captivating; I couldn't put it down; beautiful told, but so disappointing in the end as nothing was revealed.
In retrospect there were many inconsistencies, nevertheless the story is so unique and beautifully written it is well worth the time to listen.

Quiet, lovely, and fiercely intelligent

When Anna’s father (a linguistics professor in Krakow) is taken by the Nazis, Anna is left to fend for herself. Forming a sort of partnership with a man who like her also speaks innumerable languages, Anna and "the Swallow Man" take to the woods, trying to stay under the radar while the world self-destructs. Comparisons have naturally been made to The Book Thief, and with Allan Corduner at the narrative helm it hits many of the same notes, but Gavriel Savit’s gorgeous debut is perhaps a more finely formed thing. Unlike Zusak’s Liesel, Anna is on the run. While most young girls are trying to find themselves, Anna has learned from the Swallow Man that "to be found is to be gone forever". While a stunningly profound meditation on language as both identity and disguise during wartime, Anna and the Swallow Man also perfectly captures the simple poignancy of a child’s vantage point. This is one of my favorite books.

Wonderful story!

Loved ithis book! It flows nicely, great narration, I really liked the open ending !

Loved this book

If you could sum up Anna and the Swallow Man in three words, what would they be?

Brave, kind, strong

What did you like best about this story?

I loved Anna and the Swallow Man and how their relationship developed.

What does Allan Corduner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Great performance. Could feel emotions, picture setting from his reading.

Any additional comments?

I would like to see a follow up . . .

loved the sad adventures

loved the adventures of this sad little family, wish it did not have to end..