Thanksgiving Breakfast

You Can Go Home Again Volume 1

By: John Fitzgerald

Narrated by: Randy Hames

Length: 17 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

No matter where one currently lives, "home" is the place where one was brought up. Our roots are mingled with those of friends who anchor lives and contribute to character.

Thanksgiving Breakfast celebrates the lasting bonds of high school friendships in our changing world. It is a reverting story of hometown authenticity written in rich humor, and heartfelt emotion. It is filled with laughter and tears. This is a story that will resonate with Baby Boomers across the country. It's a must for anyone who relishes a well-crafted story for the ages.

The story begins in 1963 in picturesque Clarks Summit. This is the group's first reunion after graduation. Some have dispersed far and wide after high school. Uniting again they share worldly experiences of the real world of jobs, college and the country's escalating involvement in Vietnam.

Over the span of 50 years, one close knit group of friends from the small town in Pennsylvania, remains true to their vow to stay connected whether near or far. No matter where the road has taken them, they unite on certain Thanksgiving weekends.

This is a poignant saga that mines the deep bonds of friendships, life choices, emotional revelations of the closest of friends through the best of times and the worst of times. This tender, absorbing story is certain to appeal to anyone who relishes an intimate portrait of Baby Boomers as they parse the past and forge a new future.

©2013 John Fitzgerald (P)2015 John Fitzgerald

I almost returned this one. Glad I kept it.

If you are a regular audiobooks listener you know that the quality of the narration can greatly affect your listening experience. When I began listening to this book I struggled to settle into this narrator’s voice and style. His voice has a rugged quality that I think would be better suited to a western epic or military story. But it just seemed out of sync with the sensitive storylines and tender and emotional experiences of the characters. However, once I decided to push through, I was introduced fo a charming story about friendships and coming of age focused on a group of friends through the decades. The production is also surprisingly rough. There are several times throughout the recording that you can actually hear the readers break character to say that they want to start over. And you hear them re-read the passage. If you can get through these challenges you will be rewarded with the payoff of a good and meaningful story with a recurring Thanksgiving theme.

Took me back home.

I had read the book but was hesitant to buy the audio version because of bad reviews. I decided to take a chance on the revised version with a new narrator, what a difference, it really brings the novel to life.

No matter where you live now it is where you grow that has an influence on your life. Our early friends and experiences help shape who we become. This enchanting story about friendships could be anybody's hometown with characters like those baby boomers grew up with. The changes in life and community, the Vietnam war, career choices, relationships and families. All are shared in a diary and through conversations laced with Irish wit. Laughter co-exists with tragedy, the town and people change over time but the friendships endure for life.

This is a story that will resonate with baby boomers across the country.

Don’t waste your time

Horrible reader. Story line drags. Stopped at chapter 6. Don’t waste your time and money on this one.

Ralph W.

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

I have read the book and enjoyed the audio version even more, to me it seemed warmer. When I read the book, I was interested in the story line, listening I am relaxing enjoying the story so much more,

Who was your favorite character and why?

Alex Flynn was my favorite, he was the main character and expressed his feelings the best.

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?

Johnny Thompson was the funniest of the characters, and also the most honest.

Who was the most memorable character of Thanksgiving Breakfast and why?

Tommy's discrimination of his Vietnam experience was the most memorable for me. It was quite emotional. He hit the nail on the head.

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed this book so much, II grew up in a different part of the country, as a Baby Boomer myself i experienced many of the feelings, and had some friends like the ones in the book. But most of all I enjoyed recalling some of the good times of my youth.