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Editorial Reviews

Richard Yates’s 1969 novel A Special Providence gets a contemporary update in this version, part of Audible’s Modern Vanguard Series, with narration by Suzanne Toren and Jeff Woodman. Yates, who may be best known for his first novel, Revolutionary Road, and the Leo-and-Kate film version it spawned, looks at a very different kind of male-female relationship in Providence: here, he highlights the connection between a mother and son before, during, and after WWII.

The mother is Alice Prentice, a single parent and aspiring artist who believes the world holds more for her than financial struggles and unreliable men; her son, Robert, is a solider struggling to survive the fighting in Europe. As the story shifts back and forth between the characters and to and from different times in their lives, Woodman anchors the story with an understated narration that’s rich and emotional. From Robert’s facing the front lines of battle to his navigating a conflict with the other enlisted men, Woodman brings a realistic mix of ambition, fear, and youth to the character. Toren chimes in on the women’s voices — primarily Alice, but also her friends and her sister — and brings the right mix of real confidence and false bravado to luckless Alice, whether she’s trying to start her own art school or convince herself that Robert will come home.

Much of A Special Providence is reportedly based on Yates’ own life — Robert’s war time mimics Yates’ service, and Alice Prentice is said to be a thinly-disguised take on Yates’ own mother, Ruth — and the sincere narration combined with Yates’ honest prose makes this an essential listen for fans of the author. —Blythe Copeland

Publisher's Summary

Robert Prentice has spent all his life attempting to escape his mother's stifling presence. His mother, Alice, for her part, struggles with her own demons as she attempts to realize her dreams of prosperity and success as a sculptor.

As Robert goes off to fight in Europe, hoping to become his own man, Richard Yates portrays a soldier in the depths of war striving to live up to his heroic ideals. With haunting clarity, Yates crafts an unforgettable portrait of two people who cannot help but hope for more, even as life challenges them both.

As an added bonus, when you purchase our Audible Modern Vanguard production of Richard Yates' book, you'll also receive an exclusive Jim Atlas interview. This interview – where James Atlas interviews Blake Bailey about the life and work of Richard Yates – begins as soon as the audiobook ends.

This production is part of our Audible Modern Vanguard line, a collection of important works from groundbreaking authors.
©1969 Richard Yates (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"Soft-spoken in his prose and terrifyingly accurate in his dialogue, Yates renders his characters with such authenticity that you hardly realize what he's done." (The Boston Globe)
"One of America's best-kept secrets.... Keenly insightful, brutally honest...delivering a swift kick to the heart." (The Denver Post)
"Yates writes powerfully and enters completely and effortlessly into the lives of his characters." (The New York Times Book Review)

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • harperlee
  • 02-13-16

A Special Providence

Fantastic ! Another masterpiece by Richard Yates, He's a genius.I love his characters all so real.Beautiful storyteller.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • JETC
  • 02-28-18

A masterpiece

What did you like most about A Special Providence?

The prose of some writers just seems to work when read out loud. All of the Richard Yates audio books I have listened to from Audible have been a pleasure to listen to: I wish there were more. In 'A Special Providence', the performances were particularly superb and the use of a male and female actor to play the two protagonists worked really well. The novel itself is a masterpiece. Overall, this is one of the best audio books I have ever listened to.