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Backcast  By  cover art

Backcast

By: Ann McMan
Narrated by: Christine Williams
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Publisher's summary

When sculptor and author Barb Davis is given an NEA grant to pair original feminist sculptures with searing first-person essays on transitions in women's lives, she organizes a two-week writing retreat with 12 of the best, brightest, and most notorious lesbian authors in the business. But in between regularly scheduled happy hours and writing sessions, the women enter a tournament bass-fishing competition, receive life coaching from a wise-cracking fish named Phoebe, and uncover a subterranean world of secrets and desires that is as varied and elusive as the fish that swim in the waters of Lake Champlain.

Set on the beautiful shores of Vermont's Lake Champlain, Backcast is richly populated with an expansive cast of endearing and outrageous characters who battle writer's block, quirky locals, personal demons, unexpected attractions, and even each other during their two-week residency. For Barb and each of her 12 writers, the stakes in this fast-moving story are high, but its emotional and romantic payoffs are slow and sweet. Filled with equal parts laugh-out-loud humor and breathtaking pathos, Backcast serves up a sometimes irreverent, sometimes sobering look at the hidden lives of women, and how they laugh, love, lose, and blunder through their own search for meaning.

©2015 Ann McMan (P)2015 Audible, Inc.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: LGBTQ+

What listeners say about Backcast

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Reality Can Be One Tough Topic

If you could sum up Backcast in three words, what would they be?

Herstory is past.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mavis or Pheobe

Which scene was your favorite?

The last scene. Too bad it was just the snake that got shot. Maybe just a kneecap or something, but dude got off easy.

Who was the most memorable character of Backcast and why?

The character development was two sided. We knew something about their past, even though we can't now attribute the past to specific characters, which is one of my complaints about the use of the epilogue... Otherwise, GREAT character development. Good stitching of friendships together and how each woman balances the other.

Any additional comments?

I'll start with my most positive thoughts and leave my grumpiness for last...
One of the things that I admire about Ann McMan as an author is that she writes from a place that allows her to speak frankly and authoritatively regarding religion and LGBTQ issues. She does this respectfully, not pigeon-holing the whole lot of them, but not letting them get away with their ignorance either. It's a delicate road to walk. Based on her use of scripture across all of her books to which I have listened, I'd say she spent some time with the Bible. She very well may have been raised in one or more of the southern states. Here's the crux... If you're gay and a Christian, gays will give you a ration, because you're a Christian. Christian's will give you a ration, because you're gay. It sucks. Maybe, at least the LGBTQ folks could just not be so hard on us for a spiritual belief, regardless of their anger of own spiritual beliefs or lack thereof... Anyway, I respect Ms. McMan for her work and what I perceive she is trying to accomplish with it -- accomplish in addition to excellent story telling....

I have heard several books of late that dive into the ugliness that represents our not-just-American-but-particularly-American religious handling of LGBTQ young people. I know it extends to older people, but older people have at least developed some bit of defense against the crap that goes on in our world. Young people don't have those tools. Anyway, it's hard to read it. It's hard to take it in and allow it "to be" in a way that will allow us to actually learn from that crap and figure out how to do something better for kids. We can see how stupid that crap is. We can see how it affects kids. Some of us know exactly how it affected us. Listening to it, hearing it, it's hard. It engenders anger and frustration. It's reality, though. I feel like I have to listen to all of the stories like that, because I have to have the most accurate sense of those things and understand them. I haven't experienced *all* of it. I can only learn from other peoples' accounts.

I gave the Story rating only 4 stars, because A. Though I may have become accustomed to the jolting transitions after awhile, that was more of acquiescence. I stopped fighting the transitions, because it was distracting me from the rest of the really great content. Also, I think the transitions, as the story went on, were accomplished more gracefully. B. Since I was unable to figure out which herstories went with which person, and, because I really would have liked to have had the exhibit explained, if even based on the models that were created, I feel like the Epilogue was just a final chapter and not the traditional wind-up-the-story-with-a-neat-bow that most often are. The opportunity to clear up some of the mysteries and to provide that nice bow was wasted.

I shared the first two paragraphs of this on my website, handsacrossthepond. Cheers!

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9 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful medley

I have read and listened to this book more than once each. Every time it is a new experience. I love the way Ann McMan develops her characters with gentle ties to other her books. Christine Williams delivers a wonderful performance. I anxiously await more works or collaborations from McMan. Great story!!!

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Ann McMan writes brilliantly! She touches every part of your soul. I look forward to listening to this book again...I feel like I may have missed something that I was meant to hear, and look forward to the opportunity to hear it all over again. I feel like this book could be listed under comedy, drama, lesbian, and self help. Christine Williams is now one of my favorite narrators. Ms. McMan is the cake and Ms. Williams is the icing!

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great listen, great book

Of the duo - Alice B. Taklas and Gertrude Stein - the most intriguing, for me, was always Harriet Lane Levy. The one that was left behind who may be the less remembered or appreciated, but her story, and her stories, are just as interesting.

The world is full of Alices, Harriets, and Gertrudes and this book depicts the story of such a group, spotlighting all of them, even the ones in the shadows.
It may not take place in 920 O’Farrell Street or in 27 rue de Fleurus but the combination of written and plastic arts complimenting each other and creating this tapestry of women, lesbian, existence is remarkable.

Today's who-done-it tend to whirl around violence. This one is much more subtle and elegant. The suspense of not knowing which character wrote what assay, trying to figure that out as the book enfolds, is thrilling. Unlike most thrillers, when the mystery is revealed you just want to re-read, delve deeper.

So tilt your hat, put on some sunscreen and cast. Sit back, enjoy and let Phoebe guide you.

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6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating book.

I enjoyed this book and characters. Had to listen twice and took notes. Good read.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Very Entertaining

It took a out 5-6 chapters before i was fully invested in this story. There were so many characters it was confusing trying to keep them sll straight. I especially enjoyed the ‘fishing’ parts and i liked that there really wasnt the usual sexual details that are jn most lesbian based novels.
There is a fair amount of laughs to be had.

I enjoyed and i may listen to it again to get a better handle on all the characters.

If you want a fun story you will like this one.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Well written and told

This story had both comedy and tragedy.The author was able to spin this tale out and reel it back in so all of the pieces fell together and provided the story with a very heart felt and warm closure. Well done, I highly recommend its reading. I was thoroughly touched by this book. I have read it and listened to it. It is worth to experience both platforms.

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    1 out of 5 stars
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  • K
  • 12-24-20

Do not recommend

I did not like this book. I felt like when the characters said something, whoever they were talking to asked them the same thing. For example, “I noticed you the first time we met.” “You noticed me the first time we met?” Too much fishing references. Wouldn’t tell you which character was writing what essay, until the very end. Some you could guess, but it was hard liking characters without knowing their back stories. I like more romance scenes. Just my opinion.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

What a book!

I started this book thinking I would never keep remember all of the characters,but each one is unfurled like a rich tapestry. It is one of my all time favorites and I will be enjoying rereading it for years to come. I highly recommend it.

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  • JT
  • 11-21-19

Women on a mission and out for fun

This is the first book by Ann McMan I have read. I really enjoyed the diverse cast of characters and the relationships they have and how they grow and change through the course of the 2 weeks the book covers. It is almost a representation of all the possible directions relationships can take. The way the characters create their essays and the story they weave make this an even more incredible read as it adds history to the current happenings in the novel. The wonderful narration that Christine Williams provides makes this an great listen. It is no small feat to create voices for so many women in one novel. Christine did and outstanding job. I would suggest this book to anybody who enjoys WLW/Lesbian literature and romance.

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