Sweeping Up Glass

A Novel

By: Carolyn Wall

Narrated by: Lorna Raver

Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

Destined to be a classic, Sweeping Up Glass is a tough and tender novel of love, race, and justice, and a ferocious, unflinching look at the power of family.

Olivia Harker Cross owns a strip of mountain in Pope County, Kentucky, a land where Whites and Blacks eke out a living in separate, tattered kingdoms and where silver-faced wolves howl in the night. But someone is killing the wolves of Big Foley Mountain - and Olivia is beginning to realize how much of her own bitter history she’s never understood: Her mother’s madness, building toward a fiery crescendo. Her daughter’s flight to California, leaving her to raise Will’m, her beloved grandson. And most of all, her town’s fear, for Olivia has real and dangerous enemies.

Now this proud, lonely woman will face her mother and daughter, her neighbors and the wolf hunters of Big Foley Mountain. And when she does, she’ll ignite a conflict that will embroil an entire community - and change her own life in the most astonishing of ways.

©2009 Carolyn Wall (P)2009 Random House

Critic reviews

"Haunting, lyrical, entirely absorbing, Sweeping Up Glass deserves a place on the shelf next to classics like True Grit and To Kill a Mockingbird." ( O, The Oprah Magazine)
"Her evocative prose recalls the regional style of such authors as Flannery O'Connor, Harper Lee, and Eudora Welty." ( Mystery Scene)
"This debut novel does so much more than traditional, tightly focused mysteries. It has a powerfully, sometimes uncomfortably, realized setting; characters who seem drawn from life; and a wide-ranging plot, bursting with complications....A gripping story and a truly original voice." ( Booklist)

It always held my attention.

I absolutely love narrator. She made me want to hear more.The author was the best.

Powerful

The narrator did such a fantastic job on this book. Was pleased with the ending.

Inspiring

Great read, you’ll feel the words, it took me back to when I was little in Kentucky

Couldn’t stop listening!

I loved this book. The brave, tenacious Olivia was a joy. The ending was a pleasant surprise.

Excellent

This book combines mystery, family saga, racial politics, and incredible character development. It's a great story made even better by perfect narration.

Lorna Raver never disappoints!

I find myself looking for books narrated by Lorna Raver, she has that distinguished voice that brings to life any character.
Very heavy subject reminding us what human beings are even able to do to one another and to other living beings.
Reminds me to keep praying for LOVE on this earth and mercy to us all.

Kept me guessing

Where does Sweeping Up Glass rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The narrator was amazing, was immersed in the story

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes absolutely

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

No

If you could take any character from Sweeping Up Glass out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Olivia she was so strong

Any additional comments?

Great book

Destined to be a classic

If you only listen to one book this year, listen to this one. One of the best books I've read/listened to. The story is captivating and the narrator, Lorna Raver, is perfect for this book.

How untimely it is!! Loving without color is needed!

Beautiful story so well told. Thank God we’ve come a ways since then but still have a ways to go!

Horrible, Uses Every Cliché They Can Think Of

If you didn't grow up in the South, this book might seem half-way descent. If you did, skip this one, not believable. I struggled to Chap 6 but couldn't take it anymore. In addition, the writing is terrible.