Joe

By: Larry Brown

Narrated by: Tom Stechschulte

Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

An ALA Notable Book, Joe has earned critical acclaim nationwide, and Larry Brown has been compared to great Southern writers such as William Faulkner and Eudora Welty. Like them, Larry Brown has an unerring feel for the truest details of regional life.

The Mississippi countryside is Joe Ransom's world. There, whiskey, fast trucks, and a hard right fist are the badges of manhood. But middle age is approaching, and Joe tries to not think too much about the future. At 15, Gary Jones' life is painful and unpredictable. His days are spent avoiding his brutish father and caring for a damaged mother and sister. When Joe's and Gary's paths cross, the resulting friendship is a bizarre rite of passage for both of them.

Throughout the story, Brown deftly maintains a balance between action and destruction, compassion and compulsion. His characters are riveting; the conclusion is shocking. This novel will leave you astonished and grateful for Larry Brown, a major talent.

©1991 Larry Brown (P)1996 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Powerful...Brown comes into his own." (Publishers Weekly)
"Brown delivers....This raw and gritty novel ranks with the best hard-knocks, down-and-out work of Jim Thompson and Harry Crews. It's lean, mean, and original." (Kirkus Reviews)

Great story…

I didn’t know what to expect from Joe. It was a suggestion from my brother. Wonderful characters (even the low life’s). Story moved quickly and I was sad when it ended.

Amazing

What a pity the author died so soon. Stechschulte has the perfect voice for this story.

This book blew my mind

It has everything. It's tragic, hilarious, suspenseful and poetic. The end will shake you.

mesmerzing

Would you consider the audio edition of Joe to be better than the print version?

yes - this superb reader builds a character with his voice - the story comes alive in a whole new way. His voicing of old man Wade is especially memorable.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Joe?

one of the funnier parts of the story was when Gary has his first encounter with a hooker and she tells him to go brush his teeth

Joe's relationship with the law is also memorable

What about Tom Stechschulte’s performance did you like?

so much to like. He handles the different voices so well without sounding contrived or affected - and his handling of the southern accent is remarkable. He gives each character such close attention. Wade sounds evil and Gary sounds pure and lost - its all Tom's doing

Powerful narrative

Strong characters, compelling story, what more could you ask? Though set in Mississippi, this is not a story of the Southern condition - it's a story of the Human condition.

Hidden Gem

My last couple of listens were Bukowski titles in the plus catalog. This book appeared in my recommendations. The characters are well developed and the story is captivating. Performance is great too, accents sound genuine to me even though I am not overly familiar with the area of the country being presented. Has a good mixture of funny, sad and frustrating moments where I am angry at the actions of characters and wish I could help out! Haven't quite finished, I have an hour left, but overall a great listen and I will be looking for other titles by the author and narrator.

Joe

as usual, Larry Brown writes a beauty.

Larry Brown the best

Larry Brown may be the best writer of the American south ever. He uses a style all his own.

I miss having him out there.

Ugly and beautiful. Larry Brown was a genius. I wish we had more words from him.

Larry Brown

I cannot be objective about anything Larry Brown ever wrote. His humanity grabs me every time...with such a powerful grip that I would follow him page after page wherever he chose to take me. I shall miss him terribly. We have lost a giant.