Returning to Earth

By: Jim Harrison

Narrated by: Traci Svendsgaard, Tom Weiner, Ray Porter, Richard Powers

In this sequel to Harrison's True North, Donald Burkett, a middle-aged Chippewa-Finnish man, is dying of Lou Gehrig's disease. While his wife, Cynthia, transcribes, Donald begins dictating his family history for the benefit of their children - stories that he has never before shared.

As old crimes, dreams, wounds, and sacred moments are revived for the members of Donald's family, each is affected in different and profound ways. Each will describe in his or her own voice the inner journey catalyzed by Donald's death and legacy.

This is a deeply moving book about origins and endings, about honoring life, honoring the dead, and finding redemption in unlikely places.

©2007 Jim Harrison (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"Harrison's characters speak with a gripping frankness and intimacy about their own shortcomings and delve into their grief with keen sympathy." (Publishers Weekly)

"Harrison sounds the themes he has been working out over the course of his long and prolific career, including the healing power of nature and the deep connection between the sensual and the spiritual....Harrison displays a seemingly effortless ability to present abstract issues in earthy, muscular prose." (Booklist)

Phoning it home, but good company

Not his best but he’s better than Netflix even at his worst, I do believe.

Great writing, narrators are ok

After "True North" this is one of Jim Harrison's best books. I would suggest reading True North first to become familiar with the characters. His writing style is a thick "stream of consciousness" woven into the lives of both eclectic and everyday people. similar to the narration of true north.
As a Michiganian and big Jim Harrison fan,I was a little irritated that the readers don't sound like they're from Michigan, and they mispronounce some of the place names. Maybe it's too much to expect that the narrators are thoroughly familiar with the story and characters, but it was especially irritating when a girl from Chicago was given a Hispanic accent just because the scene took place in Mexico.
Despite these few criticisms, I wish more Harrison books were narrated, as it's a great way to "reread" my favorites.

A Bit of a Disappointment

Not as good as book one (True North). To be fair, I had to rush through this one because I only had hours to complete before being locked out of Audible Plus. Another very good ending, however, just as in the first book. The narration was iffy, and I was quite irritated by the female narrator for Cynthia, who did not at all fit the character of who I understood Cynthia to be. Huh! 🤔

Great Writer

Good Narration except the narrators have some of the pronunciation wrong for proper nouns. Check with the author for correct pronunciation.

Powerful Genuine Realistic

Jim Harrison's novels are great American stories filled with richly drawn characters. His writing is deeply literate and honest. He writes about fundamental truths. "Returning to Earth" is a beautiful story set at the end of one man's life. It focus's with Harrison's usual poetic brilliance on how he and his extended family choose to deal with that ending. It has profound life lessons for all. Highly recommended.