The Middle Place

By: Kelly Corrigan

Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert

Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

In a coming-of-age memoir about a woman who loved being a girl and what made her finally grow up, Kelly Corrigan brilliantly explores the "middle place" between childhood and adulthood and how one woman made the leap to the other side.

"The thing you need to know about me," she begins, "is that I am George Corrigan's daughter, his only daughter." Intertwining her own story with that of her larger-than-life, Irish-American father, Corrigan illustrates an unbelievably powerful and healing father-daughter relationship that evolves as they both face a battle with cancer.

Uplifting yet realistic, her story examines what it means when the person who has been your source of strength is in need of some himself. It's that bittersweet "in between" moment when you're a devoted wife and mother, but you'll always be Daddy's girl.

Listen to a free interview with Kelly Corrigan.

©2008 Kelly Corrigan (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[A]n optimistic celebration of life, love, and family...Highly recommended." ( Library Journal)

Very special story about the joy of a good family

This is a lovely little true story about a real life --and the narrator becomes the author as she reads Kelly's story. It is written in the first person -- with a bit too much profanity for those who object to the use of it (all in context -- not excessive by any means)-- but it's a heartfelt telling of a young Mom who deals with fighting her own cancer while fearing her father's cancer diagnosis. It's not about illness -- it's about living and enjoying life. It is not a spoiler alert to say that her Dad is still alive and well -- though she wrote the book fearing a different outcome for him. Be sure to listen to the extra interview with the author -- you'll hear Kelly's own voice and appreciate her enthusiasm for having lived a pretty nice life. See her interviewed on YouTube as well.

Very Close To Home For Me - A Good Book!

This was so real for me. Last year my fiance was diagnosed with throat cancer. It's such shock to hear the words that someone you love so much is sick and has to go through surgery hoping to hear it's non-invasive but to hear it is invasive and then going through treatments and even now a year later still going to regular check-ups and holding your breath each time. I can't imagine having cancer and having a loved one with cancer. I also grew up in Malvern, PA in the 1970's so I knew exactly the areas she was referring to and got a real chuckle when she mentioned the King of Prussia Mall and Guess Jeans! This book has a lot of emotion I thought it was very well done and hope to hear more from Kelly Corrigan in the future!

Sounded like a friend telling you about their life

Just so good. As a mostly non fiction reader, this felt both fiction and non fiction because of its honesty, humor and sometimes hard to believe stories. It made me miss my dad though

good book, narration annoying

As a contemporary and a daddy's girl, I identified with the author a great deal and enjoyed the memoir very much. It has a nice tone and is neither self-congratulatory nor self-deprecating. However, I did not like the narrator's unnatural habit of enunciating and pronouncing each and every sound. For example, in each instance of "next to", both t's were pronounced! The stilted over-articulation was a constant reminder that the author was not the reader, and that the story was being read/recited and not told.

Great story! Well written

I had never heard of Kelly Corrigan and now I will read every book she writes! This story was so compelling and the writing was so good. I fell in love with Kelly's father and I enjoyed hearing about their lives...past and present. The transitions between past and present were very well done. Maybe because I am the same age as Kelly, I felt a lot of joy listening to her childhood memories as they reminded me of some of my own childhood memories. Excellent story. Very well read by the narrator.

Loved this!

Not sappy sad, nor stupid happy. Real, raw , yet kind and emphasis on full family dynamics

Better than fiction

Because I just picked this title out of the blue, I did not know that it was a true story. That info is in the description, I just didn't read it! Oh, if we could all be so lucky as to have a George Corrigan in our lives! This one is filled with some tough emotions, but it is served up with a huge helping of hope and love. Anyone that has cared for a parent and their own children at the same time can relate on a lot of levels.

excellent book

really enjoying this story which was written about the authors own experience with cancer and her relationship with her dad. i would love to read more books by her

Incredible book.

What an incredible book. I have loved all Kelly Corrigan books. I listened too all on Audible - which I think makes them even better than reading!

a sweet love story

This is a very sweet and heartwarming story from a first time author that needed to be narrated by the author herself. On first glance you assume it's a story about cancer and while it is in part it is more a love story between Kelly Corrigan and her father. I believe that this book was first intended as a gift from Ms Corrigan to her aging and sick father. I first became acquainted with this author when an essay both written and read by Ms Corrigan was circulated on the internet. There is something about her voice and her style that this book needs to achieve its full depth. Her vernacular and her syntax is very important to the experience of the story.
Given that, if you have no prior experience with Kelly Corrigan and no expectations then this book is well worth your time and money. The narrator is good enough just not who I'd hoped for and as I said before the book is a sweet love story. Can we ever have too many sweet love stories?