• The Lost Get-Back Boogie

  • By: James Lee Burke
  • Narrated by: Will Patton
  • Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (401 ratings)

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The Lost Get-Back Boogie  By  cover art

The Lost Get-Back Boogie

By: James Lee Burke
Narrated by: Will Patton
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Publisher's summary

Called "America's best novelist" by the Denver Post, James Lee Burke is well known for his award-winning Dave Robicheaux series. In this enthralling departure, Burke weaves the tale of Iry Paret.

Released from prison after two years for manslaughter, Iry heads to Montana for a fresh start on a ranch owned by a prison buddy's father. He also hopes to nail down a song he's been working on, unable to get quite right. But soon new troubles bring tragic consequences, and it will take a lot more than a soulful tune to ease the pain.

©1986 James Lee Burke (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

What listeners say about The Lost Get-Back Boogie

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Bought all Burkes's Audiobooks- Wish Not this one

I always snap up his books as soon as available. This one drags and drones, wallows and weeps without any relief forever. I had to stop and switch to something else while on a long trip because my pocket knife was within reach and I was afraid I might cut my throat. We need Clete and Dave Robicheaux to partner again in his next release; to wash the taste of this one away.

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15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

A bit lost

Burke is my favorite author and Will Patton my favorite narrator so when they combine I buy immediately. This is a good story and Burke is a teller of tales so I did enjoy this book. I did not like the main character very much though and did not agree with his lifestyle although I myself drink a bit and used to smoke. I do not believe this to be Burke's best work so I gave it four stars and he usually gets five from me. It is still worth the credit and Burke's prose read by Will Patton makes it worthwhile.

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Missing an Ending

This was a confusing book for me. The writing was terriffic as with all of James Lee Burke books. The characters were interesting and I felt that they would eventually come together and tell the story. However, this never happened. This book reminded me of an abridged book. In this case however the part that was shortened or left out was the ending. There wasn't one. It was as if Burke was tired of writing and just decided to stop. It made no sense what so ever and spoiled the book for me. As usual the narration by Will Patton was excellent.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Drinkin' and Smokin' and Not Much More

If your craving is for more audio of James Lee Burke read by Will Patton you might be happy with this book. Don't be looking for Dave Robecheaux or Billy Bob Howland, though. This book is about people stuck at the lower levels of the socioeconomic scale because of irresponsible behavior and bad decisions usually made in a drunken stupor. I felt like I needed to take a shower to wash off the stale smoke, cheap whiskey, and jailhouse urine about every two chapters. You can certainly see the beginnings of the addiction themes in Burke's later novels but this one offers little else and takes the listener a little too deep into a virtual truck-stop restroom world for my taste. Descriptive yes, satisfying, no.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Spolller Alert!

What would have made The Lost Get-Back Boogie better?

A story.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Unknown.

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

Yes. Always love to hear his voice.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Lost Get-Back Boogie?

All of them.

Any additional comments?

Spoiler alert: Nothing really happens, then the book stops with no ending. I guess there wasn't really a need for an ending, since there was no plot in the book anyway. I've listened to all of the Burke/Patton books before this one and liked or loved them.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Let's get drunk and then fight!

Is this what it's like to "be a man" in James Lee Burke's experience? His books are better written than just about anyone's but, God I get tired of the constant boozing and then being sorry for it! Are drunks really this stupid?
Will Patton is the best! No one reads a story better—as well, maybe (and few can do that)—but not better. He is superb!
If you've read Burke before then you already know about the drunks who pepper all his stories. The characters of this story may be the worst of all of them. Still, it is a good story. Typical James Lee Burke.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Great language, great audio performance, weak story

First off, I love James Lee Burke. I’ve read over a dozen of his novels and love his command of the language, his ability to describe and express, his colorful characters, and all. I also love Mr. Patton. I could listen to him read the phone book and be enthralled. This story left me a little dissatisfied, though. Plots don’t always have to be a spiderweb of complex interaction and thread after thread woven together, winding in and around each other until the reader has to start diagramming the sub-plots to try to keep up. Tolstoy is not for everyone’s daily reading. But this story just left me feeling empty. I’m not a fan of “friend is a better fit for other friend’s wife” themes to start with, and how this story ended seemed a bit facile to me. That, and the fact that every page was soaked in Jim Beam, beer, and the occasional airplane glue made me largely disinterested in the characters which we just too “flawed” for my taste.
On the plus side, the descriptions of Western Montana (where I grew up) we’re worth the price. By the way, Will, “placer,” as in “placer mining,” is pronounced, “plass-ur,” rhyming with “glass” not “place,” like a place at the table. Other than that, he did pretty well.
JLB lovers will like the book, but maybe like me, not love it.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Terrific story teller

Where does The Lost Get-Back Boogie rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The story is terrific and believeable and the narration is superior.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Lost Get-Back Boogie?

It's been a while since I've listened, but I think the most memorable moment was when the main character did not get sent back to jail. Though he was guilty, you just couldn't help pull for the guy and wish that he would get on the right track!

Which character – as performed by Will Patton – was your favorite?

The main character, though I'm awful with names and it's been a while since I listened to this.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I try to spread my listening out for just when I'm in the car, to and forth from work. It helps to pass the time. But this book, I found myself listening to it on my walks with the dogs too. It was hard spacing it out.

Any additional comments?

In a way, this author reminds me of Louis L'amore who I've heard never wrote about a place unless he'd been there. It has to be true with this author as well.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

OK - But Not Burke's Best Work

This is kind of an odd book. As usual, Burke's eloquent descriptive prose is here, along with his frequent, thoughtful meditations on the human condition. But there really isn't much of a coherent plot here. A recently released ex-convict and gifted musician tries to navigate his way to a meaningful life, all while watching the lives of everybody around him crash and burn due to their various character defects and the inherent brutality and cruelty of the world. That really does capture the entire plot here. It seems like Burke is trying to write more of a character-driven novel here instead of his more usual, exciting dramas. Yet somehow the characters here just aren't drawn with as much vitality and fine detail as in Burke's other works. That said, Will Patten reading James Lee Burke is never exactly a bad time - just listening to him describe the mountains and the wilderness is something amazing. So if you go into it not expecting much - it will exceed your expectations. If you expect this to be another Neon Rain, you will be disappointed.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Rhapsodizing Male Dysfunction

A review of another book raved about this book and the reviewer even said he taught it in college. It was very descriptive, but the protagonist was a loser, his associates were losers and generally, these guys were not interesting in their dysfunction. Glorified drinking and brawling. Women only described for their qualities as servers of men or for their attractiveness. This book is dated and not in a way that gives insight into a time period.

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