The Chronology of Water

A Memoir

By: Lidia Yuknavitch

Narrated by: Christina Delaine

Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

This is not your mother's memoir. In The Chronology of Water, Lidia Yuknavitch expertly moves the listener through issues of gender, sexuality, violence, and the family from the point of view of a lifelong swimmer turned artist. In writing that explores the nature of memoir itself, her story traces the effect of extreme grief on a young woman's developing sexuality that some define as untraditional because of her attraction to both men and women. Her emergence as a writer evolves at the same time and takes the narrator on a journey of addiction, self-destruction, and ultimately survival that finally comes in the shape of love and motherhood.

©2010 Lidia Yuknavitch (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

"This isn't a memoir 'about' addiction, abuse, or love: it's a triumphantly unrelenting look at a life buoyed by the power of the written word." ( Publishers Weekly)

Will never forget this book.

“I believe in art.”

This book is phenomenal and I’ll never be able to shake it from my brain and heart.

However. The narrator is beyond annoying. Screaming and sudden loud words jolted me from the story.

If I could do it again I would read the traditional
book.

when a narrator ruins a story

This is a poignant, powerful and beautifully written memoir by an author of enormous talent. The narrative is spectacular, but sadly, the narrator is so out of synch with tone and tenor that it really detracted from the story. It's hard to imagine that the narrator, Christine Delaine, didn't realize how ridiculously theatrical and (at times) LOUD her delivery was. Why wasn't a producer on hand to intervene and have her dial it down? I don't want to run the bus over her, but her narration also ruined a memoir by another author I would have otherwise enjoyed. Clearly she has talent and is pleasant enough to listen to when her narration is even keeled, but too often, she goes off the rails and gets so shrill that it is maddening. Hopefully Audible will pay attention to this, and to the other reviewers that echoed similar opinions.

an invitation to experiential life

I love how Lidia writes about her past unapologetically, and highlights the ways that we "story over" things in our past.

Horrible narrator

Story was good, interesting. I quit the audible and got the e read because the narrator was HORRIBLE.

Lidia is genius. I might have to stop audio.

I am loving Lidia's writing and story. But the narrator is hard to listen to. Too dramatic. The soft voice that goes to loud is startling.

Don’t listen to the others. This reading is great.

The story is riveting, the writing fresh and masterful and the narration compelling. Lidia is bluntly honest about her life without bashing you over the head. Her insights are powerful. Christina puts listening to the book on a higher plane of emotion and experience than merely reading it yourself. Thank you ladies for sharing your story and talents with the world.

This story was ruined by the narrator.

I think this might be a good story. But the narrator was so distracting I could barely hear the words. She screeched and yelled and over acted like I’ve never heard before. She added her own emotion and didn’t let the story talk for itself. I forced myself to finish. Literally cringing the whole time. Read. Don’t listen.

I hope to never hear a book narrated by this author again.

Seriously ruined the book. Reads it like she’s reading to an 8th grade English class. Overwrought and inappropriately dramatic. Don’t do it! Read the printed copy.

The narrator is beyond annoying to listen to

The narrator is beyond annoying to listen to and doesn't seem to fit the tone of the book well

deeply personal

the narrator's voice sounds like the author reading the book to you. she provides emphasis, emotion and drama to the reading unlike The polish ed consistent delivery of your typical good narrator.

The author's story is thorough and gives us messages to guide our lives.

a passionate book written by a passionate author and delivered by a passionate narrator