Ladder of Years

By: Anne Tyler

Narrated by: Elisabeth Rodgers

"Baltimore Woman Disappears During Family Vacation."

The headlines are all the same: Beloved mother and wife Delia Grinstead was last seen strolling down the Delaware shore, wearing only a bathing suit and carrying a beach tote with $500 tucked inside. To the best of her family's knowledge, she has disappeared without a trace.

But Delia didn't disappear. She ran.

Exhausted with her routine and everyone else's plans for her, Delia needed an out, a chance to make a new life for herself and to become a different person. The new Delia can let go of all the hurt and resentment that left her stuck in her past. As she eagerly sheds the pieces of herself she no longer needs, Delia discovers feelings of passion and wonder she'd long since forgotten. The thrill of walking away from it all leads to a newfound sense of self and the feeling that she is, finally, the star of her own life story.

©1995 Anne Tyler (P)2020 Recorded Books

The chain of events that led back home!

I really liked this book and the storyline. Some times we find ourselves while trying to lose ourselves. I enjoyed the journey Dee made trying to be important and not taken for granted only to return home to see how much she was loved and needed. Such a good book!

My most read Anne Tyler book

I’ve read the print version of this book every summer, preferably outside in the blazing sun, sometimes with ocean sounds playing in the background. Now I will enjoy the audio presentation which is excellent. Every time I’ve read it I’ve found something new in it. Anne Tyler knows human behavior and makes the mundane interesting and entertaining. I laugh out loud at many of her characters and their situations. It is my favorite Anne Tyler book.

Can we just re-set our lives?

Tyler's brilliant and loving exploration of a woman, at mid-life, trying a fresh do-over of her life. Beautifully crafted to offer a range of views on life, marriage, children and aging. All with Tyler's signature style of storytelling.

Very Good

Another great book by Tyler--subtle in plot but strong in capturing the reality and essence of the characters involved. Her scenes are vivid, real and true. I enjoyed it.

Really Unsatisfying Ending…

I listened to this whole book only because I’ve gotten used to listening to a story before going to sleep. I never warmed up to the main character Delia and didn’t feel like the author gave any insight into her behavior. I kept listening hoping the narrative might shift into a more interesting or compelling point of view but it didn’t. I particularly hated the ending. This author has written many books so I guess people like her style but I don’t.