Between Them

Remembering My Parents

By: Richard Ford

Narrated by: Christian Baskous

From American master Richard Ford, a memoir: his first work of nonfiction, a stirring narrative of memory and parental love

How is it that we come to consider our parents as people with rich and intense lives that include but also exclude us? Richard Ford’s parents—Edna, a feisty, pretty Catholic-school girl with a difficult past; and Parker, a sweet-natured, soft-spoken traveling salesman—were rural Arkansans born at the turn of the twentieth century. Married in 1928, they lived “alone together” on the road, traveling throughout the South. Eventually they had one child, born late, in 1944.

For Ford, the questions of what his parents dreamed of, how they loved each other and loved him become a striking portrait of American life in the mid-century. Between Them is his vivid image of where his life began and where his parents’ lives found their greatest satisfaction.

Bringing his celebrated candor, wit, and intelligence to this most intimate and mysterious of landscapes—our parents’ lives—the award-winning storyteller and creator of the iconic Frank Bascombe delivers an unforgettable exploration of memory, intimacy, and love.

I wish Ford had read it himself

I'm sure the book is terrific. Ford is one of my all time favorite writers, but I can't continue listening after the first minute. The performer's whispery voice is too annoying and hard to listen to. I speak Dixie, so it's not his accent, which is pleasant. Too bad.

Beautiful story, beautifully told

Rixhap Ford is a wonderful writer--if you have any depth, you won't be disappointed!

Perfection!

Lovely homage to a man’s parents and their ordinary love story. This is great to listen to, and it moved along quickly.

Absorbing!

Richard Ford's prose is as always remarkable. In this narration, Christian Baskous inhabits Richard Ford's mind and soul. This is an extraordinary, intimate and absorbing performance.