Land of July: A Real Life Scandal of Sex & Social Media at a Connecticut High School

By: Robert M. Marchese

Narrated by: Doug Greene

Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's Summary

On an ordinary January afternoon, a disturbing revelation about his wife hurls one man into a maelstrom of public humiliation and heartbreak, and eventually on a spree of run-ins with lawyers, judges, therapists, and law enforcement. 

Land of July tells the true story of a teacher/student sex scandal that not only shocked an entire school and small suburban community, but made national news. It’s a story filled with countless anecdotes about marriage, trust, infidelity, grief, and the desperate search for hope and family in the face of ruin. 

Practically ripped from the daily headlines, Land of July is as salacious as it is sobering. At its best, it’s a cautionary tale that might just inspire an awakening of morality; at its worst, it’s one man’s tumultuous journey to hell...and possibly back.

©2018 Black Rose Writing (P)2018 Beacon Audiobooks

Thorough Recounting of a Marriage Dissolution Involving Scandal

I wanted to write this review partly because the two earlier ones I read were rather negative on the narrator’s voice. I was able to overlook his passionless tone however because some high school teachers I had (and college professors) were not necessarily warm, in fact some did speak with little emotion. The words expressed much inner pain on the part of the husband though so I did not need to hear added anguish in the performance artist’s voice as well. // Why I chose to listen to this story is because I am a public school teacher by profession so the true story of another teacher can often pique my interest. In this audiobook, one hears the tale unfold from the mid-class call for the husband to report immediately to the principal‘s office (husband and wife both teach in the same high school). I could imagine all the bewilderment he experienced waiting for the door to open for his sudden appointment and then finally realizing his wife had broken the law...and their marriage vows. The ensuing months include these parents living together with their two young children; a non-event which results in an arrest; unfair lies from one parent (according to the other), acquaintances taking sides...in fact, this is not unlike what occurs in many marital breakdowns although there is the added scandal of sex abuse towards two teen students here. The book was well-written from one person’s point of view and might be illuminating to others needing comfort if they are undergoing painful breakups too. It is not a book for everyone of course but it held my interest and eventually, I was able to discover what the court decided and how the writer fared after a few years.

The narrator’s voice destroys this story

The story is not that bad. In fact I would say it could be a decent story however the story cribbed by the narrators monotone voice. I even selected a faster speed (1.5) to give a bit more life to the deadpan voice telling the story. The one complaint on the actual story is that the main character seems to come off as a teenager with angst and a bit of a whiner. Other than that I would give it 2 1/2 stars out of 5.

I can't tell if I liked this book or not.

So, the story itself was interesting enough, even if so what indulgent at times from the author's point. The reason I can't decide on my overall feeling is due to the narrator. I get the feeling that he might be more comfortable narrating community events calendars or public television fundraisers. Not the right narrator for this book.