The River Is Waiting

By: Wally Lamb

Narrated by: Jeremy Sisto

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK
A USA TODAY BESTSELLER

#1 New York Times bestselling author Wally Lamb, celebrated for two prior Oprah Book Club selections, returns with an exceptional third pick, a propulsive novel following a young father grappling with unbearable tragedy as he searches for hope, redemption, and the possibility of forgiveness.

Corby Ledbetter is struggling. New fatherhood, the loss of his job, and a growing secret addiction have thrown his marriage to his beloved Emily into a tailspin. And that’s before he causes the tragedy that tears the family apart. Sentenced to prison, Corby struggles to survive life on the inside, where he bears witness to frightful acts of brutality but also experiences small acts of kindness and elemental kinship with a prison librarian who sees his light and some of his fellow offenders, including a tender-hearted cellmate and a troubled teen desperate for a role model. Buoyed by them and by his mother’s enduring faith in him, Corby begins to transcend the boundaries of his confinement, sustained by his hope that mercy and reconciliation might still be possible. Can his crimes ever be forgiven by those he loves?

©2025 Wally Lamb (P)2025 Simon & Schuster Audio

Gutwrenching

I went in not knowing anything about the story so it really caught me off guard when the accident happened. I don’t know if I would have read it if I knew. It was a hard book for a mom of 4 to read. So many emotions. But I stick with it and gave it 4 starts.

When Oprah calls for a THIRD time ...

This is my first Wally Lamb book. I figured if Oprah recommended him for a third time in 20 years, it's time for me to see what the buzz is about. I'm now a bonafide Wally Lamb fan. This book held my attention from the beginning, and the conclusion was raw but honest. READ/LISTEN TO THIS BOOK!!

Engaging

This book had my interest in the first chapter. This book was hard to stop, I listened every chance I got. It definitely brought me to tears with it's unexpected ending.

Hope and Love

Beautiful writing and gentle but firm handling of social issues. One of the best books I have ever read..

Heart wrenching

This was an emotional rollercoaster. I love Wally Lamb, and this did not disappoint. The book wasn’t flawless, but any critique I had was easily wiped out by the heart wrenching story.

So tragic, but worth the listen

The narrator was exceptional. I could so relate to the stress factor of our main character that his angst was hard to live through. Wally Lamb pulled it off. This is fodder for book club. They will love it!

How long till Lamb’s next book?

I love his books so much! How long do we wait for his next book? I finished River is Waiting in one day.

captivating.

I loved it! like all of this author's works it was so emotional and I felt all of the characters' emotions in my soul. painted a picture with the entire novel. cried at the end. absolutely adored every word.

Never pass up a book that is written by Wally Lamb.

Couldn’t put this book down. I have been a fan of Wally Lamb for a long time.
She Has Come Undone is one of my top five books!

Great read

Made me laugh, cry and everything in between. Definitely recommend to all Wally Lamb readers
And those who haven’t discovered him yet