At Home in the World

A Memoir

By: Joyce Maynard

Narrated by: Joyce Maynard

Length: 13 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's Summary

When it was first published in 1998, At Home in the World set off a furor in the literary world and beyond. Joyce Maynard's memoir broke a silence concerning her relationship - at age 18 - with J.D. Salinger, the famously reclusive author of The Catcher in the Rye, then age 53, who had read a story she wrote for The New York Times in her freshman year of college and sent her a letter that changed her life.

Reviewers called her book "shameless" and "powerful" and its author was simultaneously reviled and cheered. With what some have viewed as shocking honesty, Maynard explores her coming of age in an alcoholic family, her mother's dream to mold her into a writer, her self-imposed exile from the world of her peers when she left Yale to live with Salinger, and her struggle to reclaim her sense of self in the crushing aftermath of his dismissal of her not long after her 19th birthday. A quarter of a century later - having become a writer, survived the end of her marriage and the deaths of her parents, and with an eighteen-year-old daughter of her own - Maynard pays a visit to the man who broke her heart. The story she tells - of the girl she was and the woman she became - is at once devastating, inspiring, and triumphant.

Photograph by Richard Avedon © The Richard Avedon Foundation

©1998 Joyce Maynard (P)2013 Macmillan Audio

Narration Distracted From Beautiful Writing

The narrator (also the author) had this strange clicking noise that could be heard after certain words and sentences. At first I thought it was something wrong with my earphones, but no, it was coming from the narrator. It was so annoying that I found myself anxiously waiting for the next weird click, which greatly detracted from the experiences shared in the book and her beautiful writing. If this type of thing doesn't bother you, then please download this book. If this type of thing does bother you, please be ready to be uncomfortably annoyed for the duration.

Engaging history and good writing

What did you love best about At Home in the World?

Tales of J.D. Salinger. Also her writing ability seems to shine through, and best of all, she read the book she wrote.

Who was your favorite character and why?

J.D. Salinger features of course.

Have you listened to any of Joyce Maynard’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

They seem of a personal nature of hers. Her first night with Salinger, and when the paper rung Salinger's phone for her and he couldn't stop being angry with her, and when she returns to his house in the 90s. Also the revealing of the ex-husband behind Salinger's later partner.

Any additional comments?

I had never heard of Joyce Maynard before the recent Salinger documentary and book (audiobook in my case). Something never commented on by her but I couldn't help but notice, is the sense that Salinger was a mentor to her. He must have noticed something of himself in her writing that started his interest in her. His complete reason for being interested in her is something more debatable and might reveal itself in some way in this book. I couldn't help but notice something of Salinger's style in her writing.I had read somewhere that only one chapter in the book was about Salinger. Not so at all. Much of the book is about Salinger. There is a great deal about him for anyone interested in Salinger. Writing a book about Salinger is controversial in itself I suppose, but it was her story in this case as well. My feeling about Salinger from this story is that he was quite dense and should have expected a teenage girl to have a lot of change coming in her life.Here is something additional. The story of the wife who left her husband and child to live with Salinger reminded me of something similar. A woman did the same thing with T. Lobsang Rampa and her book is available somewhere from her point of view.

Talented Writer- Love Her Work

Any additional comments?

I discovered Joyce Maynard years ago when I read this book. It never left me and I was thrilled to find it on Audible.
She writes with great insight and sensitivity. I love her novels as well. I just wish she wrote more prolifically.

wish she'd had a better sound engineer.

I wish I'd heeded the advice of another reviewer about the distracting clicking "mouth" sound you can hear periodically throughout the recording, perhaps due to the author's dry mouth or sticky saliva? It is distracting and makes it hard to listen to.

In terms of subject matter, the story is almost too painful to bear. Maynard narrates events from the perspective of her younger self - fancying herself in love with Salinger and giving up so much for him - while we readers knash our teeth at the clear imbalance of power in the relationship. And no one in her life raises a red flag? That's just how it was back then? Wow.

Grateful

I am so grateful Joyce Maynard had the courage to write this book, the biting honestly with which she tells her story captivated me. For the most part, I read the words along with her as she narrated it, and I’m even more grateful she had the courage to read it in her own voice. I am inspired and will endeavor to read more of her books.

Thoughtful and engaging

I appreciated the candor and depth to Joyce Maynard's telling of her story. It takes courage to be honest in this way. Wonderful story telling and a compelling tale. I am about the same age as the author and related to her experience growing up in a changing world for women.

could not stop listening.

Loved it. Can't.wait to read more of her fascinating. books., a great author a. must read

Loved it!

I have never been hocked to a book the way I did with this one wright from the beginning. Beautifully written.
I listen to many audio books I rank Joyce number one in performance. She has a soft clear voice.
I would definitely like to read her other books.

Not great

Self indulgent and a little bit silly, I couldn't get past the idea that the whole point of the book was to both capitalize on her brief attachment to J.D. Salinger, and make herself out to be a greater talent than she was.

A personal, deep dive.

I’ve read a few of Joyce Maynard’s book, mostly as a young mother in my early 20’s. Clearly, Ms. Maynard has honed her craft; I couldn’t put this book down and was sorry it ended. It was a treat to have her read her memoir. I found her voice soothing and melodic. As other reviewer‘s have mentioned, there was a clicking sound in the background but it wasn’t distracting to me. I’ll be listening to this again.