Nowhere is a Place

By: Bernice McFadden

Narrated by: Robin Miles

Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

Nothing can mend a broken heart quite like family. Sherry has struggled all her life to understand who she is, where she comes from, and, most important, why her mother slapped her cheek one summer afternoon. The incident has haunted Sherry, and it causes her to dig into her family's past. Like many family histories, it is fractured and stubbornly reluctant to reveal its secrets. But Sherry is determined to know the full story. In just a few days' time, her extended family will gather for a reunion, and Sherry sets off across the country with her mother, Dumpling, to join them. What Sherry and Dumpling find on their trip is far more important than scenic sites here and there - it is the assorted pieces of their family's past. Pulled together, they reveal a history of amazing survival and abundant joy.

Bernice L. McFadden is the author of eight critically acclaimed novels including the classic Sugar, Gathering of Waters (a New York Times Editors' Choice), and Glorious, which was featured in O: The Oprah Magazine and was a finalist for the NAACP Image Award. She is a two-time Hurston/Wright Legacy Award finalist, as well as the recipient of two fiction honor awards from the BCALA. McFadden lives in Brooklyn, New York.

©2013 Bernie McFadden (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Wow....absolutely loved this book!

So many people have generational traumas that they refuse to address. It leads to anger, resentment and broken families. This was a perfect story about how to try to understand your elders and why they passed down hurt through their offspring. The conversations in this book are not easy to have. Non stop page turner for me. Anyone that has experienced this in their families, can see themselves and their family members, in each character.

enjoyed the History

What made the experience of listening to Nowhere is a Place the most enjoyable?

Again, Ms McFadden did a great job of tailoring a story to our history. details were great.

What did you like best about this story?

When Dumpling was sitting on her Uncle's lap and was screaming at him to STOP.

What does Robin Miles bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

her tone added to the changes in the moods.

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

yes

another great book!

once again the author has captivated me with the story and characters. great book and looking forward to more!

Back and Forth

Loved how McFadden swung back and forth in time yet remained connected to the present.

A Mother and Daughter Tear. It. Up.

Bernice L. McFadden is a powerhouse of contemporary African American literature. She weaves together the personal and historical in a way that makes her stories matter deeply to the listener.

McFadden writes confident, lyrical fiction exploring family dynamics, and the past. History and family history--one and the same; slavery, escape, Native Americans, Africans and European slave owners-- their fates bound and futures woven together by DNA.

On a road trip from Las Vegas to Georgia, the tensions and skeletons in the closet of a mother and daughter bubble. Sherry presses her mother, Dumpling, for family stories. What unfolds is a family history rife with tragedy and courage. Sherry comes to understand the dynamics of her family, and finds the inspiration to reveal her own deep secrets.

Robin Miles gives a stunning narration, bringing sympathy to both mother and daughter in.

Loved this book! Awesome writer and narrator!

Where does Nowhere is a Place rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book is definitely in my top 10. I loved the imagery and the complexity of the characters. Even the antagonists had depth.

What other book might you compare Nowhere is a Place to and why?

I would compare this book to Cane River, another favorite, because of the use of imagery in both is so wonderful that the reader can imagine themselves there.

What does Robin Miles bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Robin Miles is an expert at reading. You can see the expressions on the character's face just by emphasis Robin puts on certain words through her expert use of inflections and tones.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Although I didn't cry, I was deeply moved.

Any additional comments?

This was a wonderful book that deals with the complexity of relationships, especially between mother and daughter. I highly recommend this book! Definitely worth the credit!

i love the back and forth

i thought i wasn't going to be able to get into it. but, i couldn't stop listening. i wanted to know more. i saw everything in my head. it was great.

Richly textured and captivating

If you could sum up Nowhere is a Place in three words, what would they be?

Moving, lyrical, and heartbreaking

What other book might you compare Nowhere is a Place to and why?

None

What does Robin Miles bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her compelling portrayals of a variety of African American characters across historical and geographical contexts. She outdid herself.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Many moments moved me. I'd rather not spoil them for a prospective listener.

Any additional comments?

Bernice McFadden's writing is brilliant and sensual. She makes it easy to imagine the scenarios she creates.

Loved it

Drew me in!! Mesmerized by the characters.. I felt I could see them and knew
them !!

Family secrets

I really enjoyed this one!!! Dumpling was my favorite character!! I love how the story take you back in the past of their family history till now!!