Patience and Sarah

By: Isabel Miller

Narrated by: Jean Smart, Janis Ian

Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Grammy Award Nominee, Best Spoken Word Album, 2016

Set in the 19th century, Isabel Miller's classic lesbian novel traces the relationship between Patience White, an educated painter, and Sarah Dowling, a farmer's daughter, whose romantic bond does not sit well with the puritanical New England community in which they live. They choose to live together and love each other freely, even though they know of no precedents for their relationship; they must trust their own instincts and see beyond the disdain of their neighbors.

Patience and Sarah is a meticulously researched historical novel, originally self-published by the author in 1969. This classic of GLBT literature garnered so much attention that the American Library Association created its first Stonewall Award specifically for it in 1971. Grammy Award-winning narrator Janis Ian and Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress Jean Smart each perform as one of the characters in this dual-point-of-view love story. Their narration marks the first time that this beautiful work is available in audio and brings new life into this inspiring novel that is just as relevant today as it was decades ago.

In addition to being an inspiring love story, the audiobook for Patience and Sarah is an ideal listen for young-adult audiences. It is a story that shows how irrelevant race, religion, and gender are to love and that loving and being loved are what keep us human and sane.

©1969 Isabel Miller under the title "A Place for Us" (P)2014 Janis Ian

Critic reviews

"The writing has the directness and whimsicality of primitive paintings - it is like spiked gingerbread or surprising samplers. The tone is sweetly bold. And the tale evokes many kinds of frontier at once." ( The Village Voice)

"The story of a painter and a farmer in 19th-century New England. One of the first lesbian novels with a happy ending and, in 1971, the first recipient of ALA's Stonewall Book Award." ( Library Journal)

"Janis Ian and Jean Smart bring exquisite joy, vulnerability, and honesty to their narration of Isabel Miller's 1969 historical fiction novel.... As the two women realize their feelings for each other, the narrators take on a tender tone and slow their pace, allowing their romantic epiphany to unfold. This makes for a touchingly intimate listening experience." ( AudioFile)

Unexpected

The description made this seem like a story I should know to be well-rounded. I expected it to be a chore, like most classic literature for me, but it was a wonderful story and the narration was perfect.

Patience and Sarah

Loved it!
the narration of the characters were spot on
It was like I was right there

Lesbian classic

Read this years ago, and loved it, so when I saw it was narrated by Jean Smart and Janis Ian, I just had to try the audio version. These two wonderful artists did an outstanding job with the narration. Their performances made the book special. There are so many good lesbian books out there now, that Patience and Sarah is not as unique as it was then. But it's still good and worth a read/listen. Well written alternative take on the American pioneering story, with two strong & interesting heroines. It has the lesbian feminist political sensibility prevalent in groundbreaking lesbian fiction of the time, which at times irritated me a little. But the point is that kind of activism was necessary then, or we wouldn't be where we are today. And it is at heart a beautiful historical love story. Glad I revisited it in this format.

WONDERFUL!

loved the story when I first read it some years back. this audible version brought so much depth of character, so much personality. I enjoyed it more than the book. so we'll done!

Just OK

Had I been reading the book I probably would have stopped about a third of the way though. I finished it only because my phone was not able to download the next book I had requested. I thought it was slow, rather uneventful, and irritating at times.

absolute perfection

Jean Smart captured Patience with breathtaking beauty. The little laugh she gave in amusement. The other voices as she told their stories. The warmth that is Patience shown with honesty.
Janis Ian, with her wonderful husky voice, was Sarah. Her downhome Yankee drawl made her tall and lanky and strong.
I have loved this book for decades. These two beautiful women brought it to life with love.

Beautifully written, beautifully read!

Two wonderful actors gave each woman grace, dignity and such deep and heartfelt emotions.
Love is love is love is love....
Thank you!

Sweet, honest, inspiring

This story reminds me to be boldly honest and unapologetic of love and truth. The pet names and delicate descriptions of intimacy seem entirely fitting for the story’s setting in time.

Jean Smart’s Patience is the work of undeniable craftsmanship and talent. In my opinion her recent acting roles and then this narration solidify my estimation that her talent and depth of skill have been flying under the radar for years — she is an actor of amazing depth, nuance,and ability.

Janis Ian as Sarah is a fabulous surprise — her voice and inflection and interpretation lend credence to the truth that good singer/songwriters are lyric storytellers.

A beautiful tale blooms with great narration.

I first read Patience and Sarah more than 40 years ago, and remembered it fondly as one of the first LGBT novels to contain three-dimensional characters, and to give those characters a happy ending. I was a bit apprehensive about listening to this audiobook -- I didn't want the tenderness and innocence of the plot and characters to be ruined by an insensitive interpretation by the narrators.

I needn't have worried: Jean Smart and Janis Ian are perfect as Patience and Sarah. Jean Smart delivers a lovely and delicate performance as an educated young single woman who, as was often the case in the early 19th Century, has no choice but to live with her married brother and his family. While she is better off than many other single women (her father did settle certain property and money on her, which is, of course, controlled by her brother), she is not a happy woman, and (based upon her sister-in-law's life) is not interested in obtaining a husband.

Janis Ian gives an excellent performance as Sarah, the daughter of a farmer whose farm is a few miles from Patience's brother's land. In the absence of a son in the family, Sarah's father has designated her as the "boy" who works alongside her father in the fields and generally lifts, hauls and performs manual labor. If you are familiar with Janis Ian's speaking voice, you will know that it serves very well as the voice of an unpolished girl who has grown up among men and boys, and speaks roughly.

From the time that Patience and Sarah first meet, each is intrigued by the other. As time goes by, their feelings deepen into emotions that they have no words for. The descriptions of small town life and farming in 1800's New England ring true, as do the objections of Sarah's father and Patience's brother to their relationship. And the apprehension of both women when they are finally able to break free and go together into an unknown world is very well handled by the author. The final joy is a wonderful ending.

This book is well worth a listen, no matter your orientation or your political views.

Interesting look at lgbt history

Story of another time . The development of the characters and their trials and tribulations is informative and extremely entertaining . I loved the narration. The characters were like friends by the end of the story. Highly recommend. Unlike anything else I’ve heard in this genre. Gratefull for research that went into the telling of the story of two women.