A Month in the Country

De: J. L. Carr, Michael Holroyd - introduction

Narrado por: Christopher Tester

A short, spellbinding novel about a WWI veteran finding a way to re-enter—and fully embrace—normal life while spending the summer in an idyllic English village.

In J. L. Carr's deeply charged poetic novel, Tom Birkin, a veteran of the Great War and a broken marriage, arrives in the remote Yorkshire village of Oxgodby where he is to restore a recently discovered medieval mural in the local church. Living in the bell tower, surrounded by the resplendent countryside of high summer, and laboring each day to uncover an anonymous painter's depiction of the apocalypse, Birkin finds that he himself has been restored to a new, and hopeful, attachment to life. But summer ends, and with the work done, Birkin must leave. Now, long after, as he reflects on the passage of time and the power of art, he finds in his memories some consolation for all that has been lost.

This audiobook is expertly read by Christopher Tester, with audio engineering by Mike Thal. It was produced and published by Echo Point Books & Media, an independent bookseller in Brattleboro, Vermont.

©1980 J. L. Carr and Michael Holroyd (P)2024 Echo Point Books & Media, LLC

Anthropology in a Gorgeous Frame

This story is as good as described and reviewed. I've listened over and over absorbing the calm recovery possible from the traumas of life. May all people find peace and ease ~

Honesty and love

A literary gem! A tremendous story with humor, wit, honesty, and love. I was meant to read this!

Gorgeous, sad, and deeply funny

I had never heard of this little book until someone whose opinion I trust mentioned it. It has turned out to be one of those kinds of works where you shudder to think that you came close to never discovering it. Having finished the flawlessly narrated audio version just a minute ago, I now stand here in a kind of awe at the author’s sheer range of feeling. This book is as good as any I have yet read at presenting (never answering, gratefully) the painful joy of participating in life across the spans of our days, years, hopes, and memories.

Beautiful with a note of sadness

Very much as nostalgic story threaded with melancholy and beauty. Loved the lush imagery and how poignant the story was for such a short length.

Bittersweet Brilliance

Best story I listened to in 2024. I only wish it could have been longer. A story I truly appreciated.

This little book contains a beautiful story

I picked this book up on a strong recommendation. They were not wrong. This is a small book but don’t be fooled. It’s beautifully crafted about the resilience of the human spirit to heal, and the value of seeing and respecting each other.

Don’t know why this is considered a classic!

It was really slow and boring! The narration was pretty good . I only finished it because it was a book club pick!