Woe to Live On

A Novel

By: Daniel Woodrell, Ron Rash - foreword

Narrated by: Bernard Setaro Clark

Length: 6 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's Summary

Set in the border states of Kansas and Missouri, Woe to Live On explores the nature of lawlessness and violence, friendship and loyalty, through the eyes of young recruit Jake Roedel. Where he and his fellow First Kansas Irregulars go, no one is safe, no one can be neutral. Roedel grows up fast, experiencing a brutal parody of war without standards or mercy. But as friends fall and families flee, he questions his loyalties and becomes an outsider even to those who have become outlaws.

©2012 Daniel Woodrell (P)2012 Hachette Audio

Totally original and true voice of Southern MO

If you could sum up Woe to Live On in three words, what would they be?

Realistic, Gritty, Outstanding!

What other book might you compare Woe to Live On to and why?

Books by Edward Abbey, Jim Harrison and Cormac McCarthy. The characters and the language. Not so much the scenery or landscape discriptions.

Any additional comments?

Daniel Woodrell is the only writer I have ever read who accurately uses the language of southern Missouri. Having grown up and presently living in a very small town in southeast MO myself (Eminence, MO about 50 miles from where the author resides) I am thrilled to read books written in the language of my home. I highly recommend all of Daniel Woodrell's books to anyone who is interested in peering thru a window into the modernday or historic Ozark hillbilly world.

Woe To Live On

This is one of the best combinations of superb writing and excellent narration ever! It is a book to savor.

A Different View Of The Civil War

If you could sum up Woe to Live On in three words, what would they be?

Interesting, Suspenseful, Unique

What other book might you compare Woe to Live On to and why?

Maybe Cold Mountain...

Which character – as performed by Bernard Setaro Clark – was your favorite?

All of them. He was great.

Any additional comments?

This is not only a well-written tale, it's also action packed historical fiction. I loved it. I'd love to see a movie come out of it.

Excellent regionalism and local color

This book is a brilliant work of fiction about the Civil War in the West between bushwhackers and jayhawkers; secesh and unionists. The author wrote it in the dialects of the region and time. Utterly fascinating. I saw the movie that is based on this book first: “Ride with the Devil.” It’s fascinating to compare the two. They are very close with minor changes. I’ve you’ve never seen the movie, watch it too. It’s one of the best civil war films.

As good as the movie

The narration made the book .... of you like 1800 stories that aren’t Poe like this is better than most.

Very well written and read!

A great book made even more enjoyable to listen to by having the right narrator!

If I Had Shotgun, I'd Blow You Straight to Hell

I think it takes a fellow Missourah boy to capture the heart, spirit and anger that the bushwhackers from Missourah must have felt protecting their women, property and parents from the nasty redlegs coming out of Lawrence. I reckon it was the time those sissy jayhawkers pistol-whipped a young lady that the heroes from Missourah felt obliged to strike Lawrence properly leaving very few men standing and zero women hurt. The only thing good to come out of that god forsaken city since is world class social workers and some sports ball team that is just a distraction along with all the other sports ball tribes from the sad reality that the federalists continue to rape the earth, poison the planet and attack every country standing in her way of more oil or opium.