All the Pretty Things

By: Edie Wadsworth

Narrated by: Lisa Larson

Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's Summary

"I don't know how old I was the night the trailer burned down or if the rumor was true that Daddy was the one who set it on fire."

For a long time, Edie thought she had escaped. It started in an Appalachian trailer park, where a young girl dreamed of becoming a doctor. But every day Edie woke up to her reality: a poverty-stricken world full of alcohol and violence, where getting out seemed impossible. She taught herself to drive a stick shift truck at 12 years old so she could get her drunk daddy home from the bar. She spent Saturdays at Brushy Mountain prison visiting her incarcerated cousin. She watched adults eat while her stomach gnawed, and then there was the torching of the family trailer, where she dug through the ashes to try to salvage her most prized possession: her Tammy Wynette album. And at the center of it all was her charismatic daddy. She never knew when he would show up, but when he did he was usually drunk; she learned the hard way that she couldn't count on him to protect her. So she told herself it didn't matter. All she wanted was to make him proud.

Against all odds Edie "made doctor", achieving everything that had once seemed beyond her reach. Only it was too late, because her daddy died a year before she graduated medical school. She split the cost of his funeral with her sister. When her past finally caught up with her, it was all too much, so she did what her daddy would have done: She set it all on fire. It would take her whole life burning down once again for Edie to be finally able to face the truth about herself, her family, and her relationship with God.

Listeners of The Glass Castle will treasure this refreshing and raw redemption story, a memoir for anyone who has ever hungered for home, forgiveness, and the safe embrace of a father's love.

©2016 eChristian (P)2016 eChristian

book dragged in the middle

Would you try another book from Edie Wadsworth and/or Lisa Larson?

probably not

If you’ve listened to books by Edie Wadsworth before, how does this one compare?

n/a

Any additional comments?

The book started and ended well however, the middle seemed to drag on and on. Had I been reading this book and not listening to it, I would have stopped halfway through. The author went into great detail about minor stories (that truly didn't matter) and completely ignored the big events in her life (ie. 1st marriage, affair, etc.). I felt like I had missed the big parts of her life and parts of what should have been in her book. I barely even knew her first husbands name and didn't recognized it when she said it the first time I had to go back and try to figure it out. The ending was decent but didn't captivate me like I had hoped.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

narrator trying too hard

Is there anything you would change about this book?

narration

Would you be willing to try another book from Edie Wadsworth? Why or why not?

possibly. lots felt very dramatic

Would you be willing to try another one of Lisa Larson’s performances?

no

Do you think All the Pretty Things needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

no

Any additional comments?

i love her blog, but this writing seemed overly dramatic - with phrases like " i had never felt this hopeless...." or " i felt like i was sinking to the bottom of the sea".
her describing how the sun came through the trees at the age of 5 or 6?
her story is definitely one of redemption and hope, just didn't enjoy the writing style - OR THE NARRATOR!

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Amazing story of an incredible journey.

This story resonates with me, is helping me heal, and reminds me that we're all broken. It came along just in time. I've laughed, cried, and mourned with Edie Wadsworth through her story. And then, realized I too will come through mine with God's grace.

My favorite book recently

This book gave me such a lump in my throat and I binge listened to it over the course of about 5 days. It’s the best book I’ve heard in a year. Edie’s story is gripping and heart breaking and so full of hope! I’d HIGHLY recommend this!!! You’ll never forget it!

Wonderful story

Loved the depth of this story and the description provided throughout. Loved the way she recognized the love of her father although he let her down so many times. Then the way she acknowledged the truth of God's redemption in so many ways.