Second Spring

A Love Story

By: Andrew Greeley

Narrated by: Paul Michael

Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Father Andrew M. Greeley, one of America's best-loved and most widely read novelists, has delighted readers with his ongoing chronicles of the crazy O'Malleys, a rambunctious but resourceful Irish-American family caught up in the sweep of modern American history. The previous novels in the saga have taken the O'Malleys of Chicago from the aftermath of World War II through the tumultuous upheavals of the sixties. Now, in Second Spring, Charles "Chucky" O'Malley and his growing clan face the promise and pitfalls of the late seventies.

It's 1978 and the whole country, exhausted from the twin traumas of Vietnam and Watergate, is suffering from a massive hangover. Chucky O'Malley knows how the country feels; approaching fifty, he finds himself in the grip of a debilitating midlife crisis. Although he has much to be thankful for, including a loving wife and a thriving career as a professional photographer, he does not feel like a success. He hasn't lost his faith, exactly, but he does feel disillusioned and depressed. As he travels the world, from the Vatican, where a new pope is to be selected, to Jimmy Carter's White House, where an overwhelmed president struggles to find a cure for his nation's malaise, Chucky searches for a way to renew his weary spirit.

Fortunately, he doesn't have to face this challenge alone. With the loving support of his family, and especially his irrepressible and adoring wife, Rosemarie, he just might rediscover his lost hope and optimism in time for a Second Spring.

©2003 Andrew M. Greeley Enterprises, Inc. (P)2003 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC

Critic reviews

"A truly well-crafted read. The O'Malleys are a wonderful Irish family, full of good humor and love, against the backdrop of a very trying era in American history." (Romantic Times)
"A master storyteller." (author Nelson DeMille)

Second Spring

A well written story, that though was a little tough to understand in the beginning the way the author moved around in time, turned out to be a great 2 fold love story. The unconditional love of a husband and wife and the love for the Catholic church, both of which has growing pains and frustrations.

horrible book...repetitive, unrealistic and boring

What would have made Second Spring better?

Needs a better editor...very repetitive and unrealistic as the central couple seems to be having sex continually with breaks to meet the pope and have art shows. Recycled the same characters from his earlier books but the have been diluted to whining, self centered cartoon-like characters

What do you think your next listen will be?

All done with Greeley

How could the performance have been better?

Cut the musical interludes...very distracting

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment, embarrassed for the author

Any additional comments?

As a priest, Greeley assumes happy marriage requires wealth, fame, talent and daily sex.