The Burgess Boys

A Novel

By: Elizabeth Strout

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Haunted by the freak accident that killed their father when they were children, Jim and Bob Burgess escaped from their Maine hometown of Shirley Falls for New York City as soon as they possibly could. Jim, a sleek, successful corporate lawyer, has belittled his bighearted brother their whole lives, and Bob, a Legal Aid attorney who idolizes Jim, has always taken it in stride. But their long-standing dynamic is upended when their sister, Susan - the Burgess sibling who stayed behind - urgently calls them home. Her lonely teenage son, Zach, has gotten himself into a world of trouble, and Susan desperately needs their help. And so the Burgess brothers return to the landscape of their childhood, where the long-buried tensions that have shaped and shadowed their relationship begin to surface in unexpected ways that will change them forever.

With a rare combination of brilliant storytelling, exquisite prose, and remarkable insight into character, Elizabeth Strout has brought to life two deeply human protagonists whose struggles and triumphs will resonate with listeners long after the ausiobook is over. Tender, tough-minded, loving, and deeply illuminating about the ties that bind us to family and home, The Burgess Boys is Elizabeth Strout’s newest and perhaps most astonishing work of literary art.

©2013 Elizabeth Strout (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Deeply human... Though loneliness and loss haunt these pages, Strout also supplies gentle humor and a nourishing dose of hope.” ( Booklist)

Burgess Boys is an odd story with unique characters.

It started out very slow. Did not like Helen, she was so self absorbed. Would not recommend.

The Burgess Family

Would you consider the audio edition of The Burgess Boys to be better than the print version?

Sorry, didn't review the print.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Bob. The most balanced (and sane).

What about Cassandra Campbell’s performance did you like?

She's a great reader.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Boston

Any additional comments?

Interesting book. Jim was a trip. I would have liked to see if Helen allowed him back.

Acceptance at best

I liked the characters most of the time and there was room for change. There was movement towards accepting the hand that was dealt and coming to terms with long held secrets and lies. Did I love listening to it? No, not really. I thought the characters were dreadfully slow in seeing what was real and the emphasis on a new culture diluting the character of the a staid little town just felt overblown to me.

Loved, loved, loved it!

I wish I could read about Olive again for the first time and I am not sure there will ever be a book like that one,but Elizabeth Strout is a great storyteller and the Burgess Boys is another great example of her artistry. She has an affectionate way of drawing her characters that gives you an understanding and appreciation for them that is slowly woven into the story line. Se is a master and I was sorry when this story ended but look forward to her expertise in whatever she sets out to do in the future.

Captivating Characters and Story

Once again, Elizabeth Strout’s ability to create believable characters won me over, though I almost abandoned it because Jim was such an unrelenting bully. One thing that was very distracting was why no one asked Susan’s son what motivated his hate crime. Really, nobody asked? Or did my listening device accidentally skipped over that part? Otherwise I enjoyed the authenticity of the characters, except for Jim. He was just too much.

Love Strout, this wounded family not so much

I hung on to the end but the payoff was not worth the pain of witnessing the cruelty contained in this story. Give me Sarah Barton and her mother any day.

Power of Story

Another Gem from this author! What a master of the woven story! I loved this!

Disappointed

Narrating wasn't up to snuff-
Story so dark, not my cup of tea. Prefer warmer stories

You Will Long for a Book Group to Discuss This

What made the experience of listening to The Burgess Boys the most enjoyable?

It is hard to limit my answer. There are questions about personality, ethical issues, legal problems, political perspectives, etc; lots of great stuff in this book! Perhaps what made it most enjoyable is that there were surprizing twists in the story could take as the focus went from one character to another. I would think I knew what the book was about and then it would swing to another angle.

What did you like best about this story?

It seemed very plausible to me. No one was completely admirable or dispicable. No one was fully predictable or fully understood. The characters are real in that we don't always know what someone else will do. Even though we learn more and more about these characters' lives, they can still surprise us.

What about Cassandra Campbell’s performance did you like?

I loved her Maine accents.

If you could rename The Burgess Boys, what would you call it?

The Burgess Family. It bothered me that the sister was not included in the title.

Had perfectly written moments close to Yates

What did you like best about The Burgess Boys? What did you like least?

I liked the moments when the author created magic with sentences and a plot turning from fiction to an almost suspense pain. I do not enjoy abridged books, but it was too much time and not even Yates could have made this sometimes painfully slow story into a five-star experience.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I`d turn the three divided books into one then made it 150 pages shorter. More magic!

Which character – as performed by Cassandra Campbell – was your favorite?

Pam.

Could you see The Burgess Boys being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

kirby Heyborne as Zack, Peter Krause as Bob, Matt Dillon as Bill and Lauren Graham as the sad Susan.

Any additional comments?

could be perfect.