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A Long Time Gone  By  cover art

A Long Time Gone

By: Karen White
Narrated by: Pilar Witherspoon,Jennifer Ikeda,Susan Bennett
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Publisher's summary

"We Walker women were born screaming into this world, the beginning of a lifelong quest to find what would quiet us. But whatever drove us away was never stronger than the pull of what brought us back...."

When Vivien Walker left her home in the Mississippi Delta, she swore never to go back, as generations of the women in her family had. But in the spring, nine years to the day since she' d left, that' s exactly what happens - Vivien returns, fleeing from a broken marriage and her lost dreams for children. What she hopes to find is solace with "Bootsie", her dear grandmother who raised her, a Walker woman with a knack for making everything all right. But instead she finds that her grandmother has died and that her estranged mother is drifting further away from her memories. Now Vivien is forced into the unexpected role of caretaker, challenging her personal quest to find the girl she herself once was. But for Vivien things change in ways she cannot imagine when a violent storm reveals the remains of a long-dead woman buried near the Walker home, not far from the cypress swamp that is soon to give up its ghosts. Vivien knows there is now only one way to rediscover herself - by uncovering the secrets of her family and breaking the cycle of loss that has haunted her them for generations.

©2014 Harley House Books, LLC (P)2014 Recorded Books

What listeners say about A Long Time Gone

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Worst Accent Ever!

I tried to listen to this book, but being from Mississippi, I finally gave up. the performer had the worst accent EVER. Mississippians don't roll their r's like Charleston, NC folks do. Also if the performer is going to pronounce common MS cities , say them correctly!! Biloxi is not pronounced Bee-LOCKS-ee. In MS, we say Buh-LUX-ee. I mean are you even trying?????!!!!!

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84 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The Sisterhood of Figuring Out Life

This is a hidden gem. Another story of a woman seeking to know her mother and being able to forgive her shortcomings, this one is told from multiple generations and perspectives - all so relevant to the plot and main characters developments. The range of characters are endearing, enraging, and so memorable. I found this book to be a perfect summer read. The author created such a vivid place and mood that I slipped into the Mississippi delta and did not want to return home. I will be thinking about this book for some time to come, returning to it at times, and most definitely passing it on to all of my friends.

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58 people found this helpful

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fantastic book

I'll be honest, it started out a little slow and confusing....But stick with it, and you will be taken on a wonderful, masterfully told story. it weaves together 3 generations of women, their stories and struggles. By the end you love all the characters and is very sad it see it end. I loved the book.

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41 people found this helpful

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Through the eyes of others

I liked this book. It was a fun, easy read. It flashed back a few generations and told the lives of the women and how each affected the next. I found it hard to stop listening to. I recommend it.

Francine Rivers wrote a series, Her Mother's Hope and Her Daughter's Dream that is similar but so much more detailed. I highly recommend that also.

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36 people found this helpful

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The genetics of past, present and future.

This is a bit of a hauntingly sad story that guides the reader in and out of generations and gives the reader/listener a peak at circumstances and events of days gone by while weaving answers to some of the questions that still linger in present day.It wasn't a block buster hang on to your seat kind of read, but it was entertaining.

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25 people found this helpful

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Generational Story of Mothers

A sweet story of the love and endurance of motherhood across generations. A twist of mystery adds to the lush backdrop of the Mississippi Delta. Good narration with true accents and multiple character narration! Makes for a smooth summer read.

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22 people found this helpful

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Great story

I loved the history about this book, but did not care for the narrators. Normally, I like Karen White narration, but this one, I almost did not listen to the entire book. The story line kept me wanting more, so I finished it. On another note, can't wait for more of the Tradd Street series Karen!!!

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18 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Sweet as sweet potato pie!

If you could sum up A Long Time Gone in three words, what would they be?

fun, engaging, historical

Who was your favorite character and why?

All three main characters were so well described and represented that I felt I knew them.

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

not that I remember

If you could take any character from A Long Time Gone out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Bootsie, she was just a side liner, only represented as a baby and then as she related to the main characters. I would love to hear her experience.

Any additional comments?

This was a really enjoyable listen. It had a predictable romantic theme but even how that developed was good. I loved having the opportunity to feel like I was living in three different eras with the women.

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17 people found this helpful

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Good listen

I really did enjoy this book. I liked the story, although it was pretty predictable. Sometimes it is nice to have a happy ending. The audible performance was very good I thought. I did detect one edit well into the story where definitely a different voice was used for Vivian. It just made me chuckle to think that I was just listening to someone else read a book, and sometimes the wrong words come out, So they have to be fixed.

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16 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Finally! A book I can't put down.

Would you listen to A Long Time Gone again? Why?

I don't usually do that.

What did you like best about this story?

The generational family issues, the best narrators, and a good mystery as well.

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15 people found this helpful