Juliet’s Answer

One Man’s Search for Love and the Elusive Cure for Heartbreak

By: Glenn Dixon

Narrated by: Jim Meskimen

Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

When Glenn Dixon is spurned by love, he packs his bags for Verona, Italy. Once there, he volunteers to answer the thousands of letters that arrive addressed to Juliet - letters sent from lovelorn people all over the world to Juliet's hometown, people who long to understand the mysteries of the human heart.

Glenn's journey takes him deep into the charming community of Verona, where he becomes involved in unraveling the truth behind Romeo and Juliet. Did these star-crossed lovers actually exist? Why have they remained at the forefront of hearts and minds for centuries? And what can they teach us about love?

When Glenn returns home to Canada and resumes his duties as an English teacher, he undertakes a lively reading of Romeo and Juliet with his students, engaging them in passions past and present. But in an intriguing reversal of fate and fortune, his students - along with an old friend - instruct the teacher on the true meaning of love, loss, and moving on.

An enthralling tale of modern-day love steeped in the romantic traditions of eras past, this is a memoir that will warm your heart.

©2017 Glenn Dixon (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Delightful!

I found this memoir delightful and heartwarming. Glenn Dixon writes about his time in Verona as a volunteer answering letters sent to Juliet. I enjoyed listening to his time there in Verona and also about his time as a high school English teacher back in Canada. It was a very enjoyable book and has left me wanting to visit Verona, Italy.

Enjoyable but predictable

I really liked being thrown into the vibrant city of Verona - this book is full of nostalgia and wanderlust. The story was pleasant if not a bit slow moving at times but over all I felt like I was reading a warm chick flick. My one complaint would be with the narrator putting on those ridiculous accents that bordered on caricature.
I recommend putting it on 1.25 speed (the reader takes his time), opening a bottle of wine, and settling in somewhere cozy for a few hours :-)

Great Story!

I so enjoyed this book. Glenn Dixon is fantastic. Great, great story, with realistic writing and dialogue. Her answer becomes him.

To Thine Own Self Be True: listen to this book! :)

What made the experience of listening to Juliet’s Answer the most enjoyable?

I prefer autobiographies and memoirs to other genres, but so many published bios are harsh or depressing. Juliet's Answer combined literature, humor, romance, education, travel, mystery, and adventure in a truly engaging, uplifting memoir. I had never heard of this book, or the group in Verona that answers letters to Juliet, but I'm so glad I found this audiobook on Audible! Glenn Dixon spins his tale expertly. One of my best listens ever. Hope to hear more from both this author and this narrator!

What did you like best about this story?

It went beyond a great memoir to teach and surprise me. I just loved it! Romeo and Juliet may be a tale of woe, but this book was fun and uplifting.

Which scene was your favorite?

When I realized the real-life plot twist. :) No spoilers here; you'll have to listen!

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

Definitely!

Predictable

It's a very nice book, especially if you love Italy, particularly Verona. If you've traveled to Verona, you will recognize a lot of the terraine with romantic nostalgia.

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene...

This book came to me at an interesting time in my life. I was teaching English literature abroad and had just begun my Romeo and Juliet unit when this came out. Was it fate? Glenn Dixon brings Verona to life through this uplifting tale of significant change in his life. I found this to be both fascinating and entertaining, as well as (hilariously at times) relatable when it comes to teaching, as the author paints his teaching career as a partial backdrop to this story. In addition to enjoying the memoir in its own right, I also learned so many interesting tidbits that I was able to share with my students - always helpful when trying to make the Shakespeare units more exciting!

This is a casual sort of read that I found to be quite charming and enjoyable. His passion for literature is evident and contagious, leading me to daydream numerous times about going to Verona and following in his footsteps. By no means do you need to be a teacher, or lover of literature for that matter, to appreciate this book. To be human is to love, and this is in part one man's search for love and the elusive cure for heartbreak, and another part curiosity meets wanderlust. Roads most of us have traveled in our lives. While helping others understand love through the Club di Giulietta letter program, he himself sought to understand love amidst the backdrop of Verona.

I no longer teach, but the wonderful memories I have will stay with me for the rest of my life. I'm happy to say that this book plays a small role in that chapter of my life, and I am grateful for having listened to it on my commute and afternoon walks during my lunch break. I, too, was away in a foreign land and found a friend in these pages. Thanks Glenn for sharing your heartwarming story!