• A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom

  • A Novel
  • By: John Boyne
  • Narrated by: Tim McInnerny
  • Length: 15 hrs and 7 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (84 ratings)

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A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom

By: John Boyne
Narrated by: Tim McInnerny
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Publisher's Summary

From the best-selling author of A Ladder to the Sky - “a darkly funny novel that races like a beating heart” (People) - comes a new novel that plays out across all of human history: a story as precise as it is unlimited.

This story starts with a family. For now, it is a father and a mother with two sons, one with his father’s violence in his blood, one with his mother’s artistry. One leaves. One stays. They will be joined by others whose deeds will determine their fate. It is a beginning. 

Their stories will intertwine and evolve over the course of 2,000 years. They will meet again and again at different times and in different places. From Palestine at the dawn of the first millennium and journeying across 50 countries to a life among the stars in the third, the world will change around them, but their destinies remain the same. It must play out as foretold. 

From the award-winning author of The Heart’s Invisible Furies comes A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom, an epic tale of humanity. The story of all of us, stretching across two millennia. Imaginative, unique, heartbreaking, this is John Boyne at his most creative and compelling. 

©2020 John Boyne (P)2020 Random House Audio

What listeners say about A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom

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    4 out of 5 stars
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AD 2016

I was disappointed with the progression of the story when it traced 2016 AD. Up to this point, the story and characters were intriguing— full of exciting encounters and historical figures. In 2016 AD, I completely lost interest in the story. While some aspects of the story were amusing, it would have been more interesting had it followed a different narrative.

7 people found this helpful

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Good story but disappointed with ending

Enjoyed the story but disappointed with the 2016 chapter turning book into a political discussion. The rest of the book was good and that chapter just didn’t fit.

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So Clever and Fascinating

John Boyne is so incredibly clever. I wish I had written this book! Such an interesting way to view history. Took me a few chapters to figure out what he was doing... Open minded and spiritual minded people will appreciate this very much!