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Manhattan Beach  By  cover art

Manhattan Beach

By: Jennifer Egan
Narrated by: Norbert Leo Butz, Heather Lind, Vincent Piazza
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Editorial reviews

Editors Select, October 2017

In contrast to her Pulitzer Prize-winning and very modern A Visit From the Goon Squad, Jennifer Egan's Manhattan Beach is traditional historical fiction in every way. Obviously impeccably researched, it's a sweeping novel steeped in the atmosphere of NYC, in particular the seaport neighborhoods of Brooklyn, from the Great Depression to WWII. Adding to Egan's brilliantly descriptive prose are the outstanding performances by narrators Norbert Leo Butz (two-time Tony Award winner), Heather Lind (TURN: Washington's Spies), and Vincent Piazza (Jersey Boys, Boardwalk Empire). This trio ups the ante, so to speak, making listening a truly immersive experience. —Tricia, Audible Editor

Publisher's summary

The long-awaited novel from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Visit from the Goon Squad, Manhattan Beach opens in Brooklyn during the Great Depression. Anna Kerrigan, nearly 12 years old, accompanies her father to the house of a man who, she gleans, is crucial to the survival of her father and her family. Anna observes the uniformed servants, the lavishing of toys on the children, and some secret pact between her father and Dexter Styles.

Years later her father has disappeared, and the country is at war. Anna works at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where women are allowed to hold jobs that had always belonged to men. She becomes the first female diver, the most dangerous and exclusive of occupations, repairing the ships that will help America win the war. She is the sole provider for her mother, a farm girl who had a brief and glamorous career as a Ziegfield folly, and her lovely, severely disabled sister. At a nightclub she chances to meet Styles, the man she visited with her father before he vanished, and she begins to understand the complexity of her father's life, the reasons he might have been murdered.

Mesmerizing, hauntingly beautiful, with the pace and atmosphere of a noir thriller and a wealth of detail about organized crime, the merchant marine, and the clash of classes in New York, Egan's first historical novel is a masterpiece, a deft, startling, intimate exploration of a transformative moment in the lives of women and men, America, and the world. Manhattan Beach is a magnificent novel by one of the greatest writers of our time.

©2017 Jennifer Egan (P)2017 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Editor's Pick

A WWII women diver in Brooklyn…multi-voiced.
"The novelist Jennifer Egan started out as a journalist, and at some point in the mid-90s—before she wrote and won the Pulitzer for A Visit from the Goon Squad in 2011—she became fascinated by the stories of women divers in WWII. Manhattan Beach is the fictional life of Anna Kerrigan—with all the historical detail and family drama a great novel can encompass. The three narrators who alternate chapters make the performance even richer."
Christina H., Audible Editor

What listeners say about Manhattan Beach

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Well written, but pointless.

I didn't hate my time listening to it, but looking back, I can't believe it was so long without really providing any substance. I felt like there was no climax. I was waiting for something spectacular to happen, and then it just ended without really giving any satisfaction.

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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!

What a great story! Well told; superb narration, strong characters, great plot!
It brought me back to the streets of Brooklyn of my youth.

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12 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

meh

The author jumps around from character to character sometimes different time periods and loosely connects them if at all. The story line as such was choppy and I felt lost at such transitions. The story altogether was just ok, not great. This is definitely more of a "fluff" read, but not one that you don't have to pay close attention to which is frustrating.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Loved the texture of the characters in this book

I really enjoyed this book. Nothing super memorable about.it but a pleasant read and love character driven books. The history about the war was interesting and I live near the Queen Mary so fun to hear about how amazing she was in her time.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I got lost in this book...

Loved it loved it loved it, highly recommended! There wasn't one thing I didn't like, except that the story had to end some time.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A story worth a read as well

Lovely story and the narration was engaging. Enjoyed listening to a really well written book.

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1 person found this helpful

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

sad story about people in war time

the story built around Anna, a unique modern woman growing up and becoming her own person, the people around her and how they intertwine in her life.....but so sad, slow, waited for some climax, every character disappeared, sad lonely people....best chapters: Eddie's telling about being at sea...

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1 person found this helpful

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

Just OK

Overall, the book was ok. At one point I thought about not finishing it, but I am glad I plowed through. This one seldom grabbed me to the point I felt compelled to see what was happening next, but it did happen in a few spots... enough to keep me going, but not enough to be riveted to the story.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Book was good, even though a little slow at times.

loved the story about this strong young female pursing her dreams and going against the grain. loved the ending!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Totally engaging!!

I didn’t want to stop listening. Eagan’s characters are richly developed, the storyline engaging. I love that a young girl, “ Anna” is the hero of her own story. Her imperfections make her more human and even more likable.

The readers did a wonderful job setting the tone for the characters.

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