Blessings

By: Anna Quindlen

Narrated by: Joan Allen

Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Late one night, a teenage couple drives up to the big white clapboard home on the Blessing estate and leaves a box. In that instant, the lives of those who live and work there are changed forever. Skip Cuddy, the caretaker, finds a baby girl asleep in that box and decides he wants to keep the child . . . while Lydia Blessing, the matriarch of the estate, for her own reasons, agrees to help him. Blessings explores how the secrets of the past affect decisions and lives in the present; what makes a person or a life legitimate or illegitimate and who decides; and the unique resources people find in themselves and in a community. This is a powerful novel of love, redemption, and personal change by the Pulitzer Prize–winning writer about whom The Washington Post Book World said, “Quindlen knows that all the things we ever will be can be found in some forgotten fragment of family.”

©2002 Anna Quindlen (P)2002 Random House Inc., Random House Audio, a Division of Random House Inc.

Critic reviews

"Immensely appealing." (Publishers Weekly)
"Quindlen writes with power and grace." (The Boston Globe)
"Written with intelligence, clarity, and heartrending directness." (Newsday)

A terrific listen

Rich characters are exquisitely brought to life by actress Joan Allen; a very enjoyable listen. Neither too heavy nor too lite.

Luminous Descriptions and Wonderful Reading

I been reflecting for several days about Blessings. Was it the excellent reader I enjoyed so much, or the insight on a life lived in a particular time, a particular style? I've pondered the remaining scent of an old house occupied by a woman at the end of her life - a house and grounds filled with memories and natural beauty. The story of this place and the story of how people, without regard to age, can learn and discover inner truths will linger in my mind. I savored Blessings, and enjoy the lingering thoughts of it, like the dust motes disturbed in the Blessings attic, and like the echo of the wildlife at the Blessings pond.

Unique and touching

Maybe partly due to the fact that I am currently a full-time dad, I found this novel especially touching... But in any case I think it is a great story and a wonderful audiobook.

Just Okay

This was an interesting story but I found that it lacked depth and the ending left me unsatisfied. I thought that Joan Allen did a great job of narrating and I did like the characters. I would recommend this story to someone who is looking for an interesting story that you don't have think too hard about.

Nice Blessings

Although this book was a little slow, I did enjoy it. The story was interesting and the descriptions were beautiful. Enjoyed the narrator also. It was just a little slow with all of the memories of the past. I guess I was a little more interested in the present.

A Very Moving Story

I find myself thinking of this book often. You really get to know the characters, and want them to succeed. It is beautifully written and narrated.

Captivating

I exercised more this month just to keep listening!

Sheer Poetry for the Heart

I love Anna Quindlen! I notice that some reviewers were not as excited as I in discovering her amazingly haunting style but when I am in the "Poet" state of mind there is nothing better, nothing more emotionally revealing, nothing more real than her ambling trips through the hearts and souls of her characters. I'm grateful to be allowed to join. I become the angst, the grieving, the joy, the secrets kept and the secrets shared. I am grateful! Thanks also to Joan Allen who's voice allows me to imbibe the words without having to focus on the reader. What a gift.

Fantastic

I love "longitudional" novels where you get to know characters from the present time and flashbacks from the past. This novel gives a wonderful flavor for what life was like for a very strong woman of privilege who comes of age during World War II. In present time, she finds herself puzzled by single parenthood, casual language and the trappings of modern life...until a tiny baby teaches her again about love. The book is simply fascinating and the characters are rich and believable. I walked around with my iPod around my neck for days...a lovely boook, beautifully narrated.

A book club favorite

This was a bookclub choice and it was well received... often we choose more "complicated" reads than this story ~ however, upon discussing it, we discovered there were many layers to this story. We all felt we got to know the characters well but did disagree at times regarding their motivations and character perceptions. We had a great discussion which reflected that Quindlan managed to get us to care about the story and the characters in it.