The Beginner's Goodbye

By: Anne Tyler

Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne

Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Anne Tyler gives us a wise, haunting, and deeply moving new novel in which she explores how a middle-aged man, torn apart by the death of his wife, is gradually restored by her frequent appearances: in their house, on the roadway, in the market.

Crippled in his right arm and leg, Aaron spent his childhood fending off a sister who wants to manage him. So when he meets Dorothy, a plain, outspoken, self-dependent young woman, she is like a breath of fresh air. Unhesitatingly he marries her, and they have a relatively happy, unremarkable marriage. But when a tree crashes into their house and Dorothy is killed, Aaron feels as though he has been erased forever. Only Dorothy's unexpected appearances from the dead help him to live in the moment and to find some peace.

Gradually he discovers, as he works in the family's vanity-publishing business, turning out titles that presume to guide beginners through the trials of life, that maybe for this beginner there is a way of saying goodbye.

A beautiful, subtle exploration of loss and recovery, pierced throughout with Anne Tyler's humor, wisdom, and always-penetrating look at human foibles.

©2012 Random House Audio (P)2012 Anne Tyler

An Engaging Listen

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This story was interesting and easy to follow while driving.

Which character – as performed by Kirby Heyborne – was your favorite?

I liked the lead character. He was quirky and vulnerable without being wimpy.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I enjoyed listening to the book, but it did not evoke an extreme reaction in me.

Enjoyed this Anne Tyler story!

Where does The Beginner's Goodbye rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Since I have been a fan of Anne Tyler's beautiful writing since I was a young adult and discovered that I loved quirky, heart-warming stories about difficulty lives. Each of us can relate to moments throughout each of her stories. This beautiful story, well- performed will be something that you will look forward to listening to till the very end. So glad I own it.

Anne Tyler at her Best

Where does The Beginner's Goodbye rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This latest book by Anne Tyler ranks equal highest (with Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca") amongst the audiobooks I've listened to so far.

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favourite charater was the main protagonist, Aaron. He showed his vulnerabilites, his weaknesses and strengths. He travelled his journey of grief and rediscovered the love he had for his wife, as well as discovering and finally accepting that their marriage was not a happy one.

What about Kirby Heyborne’s performance did you like?

The narrator was excellent. His voice complemented the character of Aaron well, and expressed the shifting moods of the story.

If you could rename The Beginner's Goodbye, what would you call it?

I wouldn't rename the book, as the title is intrinsically linked to the life of the main character Aaron, and his family business. The title forms another story strand within the book, where the family business publishes a wide selection of "The Beginner's ...." titles. Aaron as the main character, is unconsciously following the contents of such a book as he confronts the untimely death of his wife and his new life as a widower.

Any additional comments?

I first met Anne Tyler in "Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant" when this was a high school text for my daughter way back when, and it was followed closely by the very moving "The Accidental Tourist". Since then I have devoured Tyler's work, and more lately have had to do this via Audible because of some vision problems. Recently I have caught up with two of Tyler's early works prior to reading "The Beginner's Goodbye". I believe Tyler's maturity as a writer has peaked in this latest book, with her sensitive, but still quirky, approach to grief and relationships. And Kirby Heyborne as the narrator enhances this work as an audio book.

Least Favorite Tyler

I didn't like this novel as much as all the other books Tyler has written. I didn't feel like Tyler, nor myself, connected as deeply with this character nor was able to make him fully dimensional.

Disappointing story and narration

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The story had very little plot and moved extremely slowly. Given the quality of the work, even the best-quality narration wouldn't have improved the experience. However, and unfortunately, the narrator made the story even more ponderous.

What was most disappointing about Anne Tyler’s story?

The description was poetic, but the plot was thin and the pace slow.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

His voice was annoying and his pace made a slow story even slower.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Frustration that I couldn't move the story along, and disappointment that Anne Tyler's work this time around couldn't hold a candle to past work.

Awful

I remember howling out loud years ago when I read Accidental Tourist. And for some reason I never went back to any other of her books after that one. But this book does not have that same draw. It is a dull story of a dull man who married a dull woman and had a dull sister. I gave up. Narration was fine but it didn't help this boring, awful book.

Hated, HATED this book

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I honestly don't think anyone could like this book. The main character is so whiny and bratty. The guy reading the book I think did a really excellent job of being annoying, and whiny, and bratty, that's why I gave him 5 stars.

What could Anne Tyler have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

She would have to completely re-write the book for me to have enjoyed this more.

What about Kirby Heyborne’s performance did you like?

I hated his performance, because it was spot on. He was exactly who the main character was meant to be. Too bad for me that I hated the main character.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Beginner's Goodbye?

The entire thing.

Any additional comments?

In the beginning, he talks about how his wife came back from the dead and he says that other people can see her too. Then the next several chapters are backstory, and when he finally gets to the part where she "comes back from the dead", absolutely nothing is mentioned about others being able to see her. In the beginning of the book he also makes it out to see like him seeing her is a regular occurrence, when in reality it only happens maybe 4 times.