The Woman Who Wouldn't

By: Gene Wilder

Narrated by: Gene Wilder

Length: 2 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

The beloved actor and screenwriter’s second novel, set in 1903, stars a young concert violinist named Jeremy Webb, who one day goes from accomplished adagios with the Cleveland Orchestra to having a complete breakdown onstage. If he hadn’t poured a glass of water down the throat of a tuba, maybe he wouldn’t have been sent to a health resort in Badenweiler, Germany. But it’s in that serene place that Jeremy meets Clara Mulpas, whom he tries his hardest to seduce.

Clara is so beautiful that Jeremy finds it impossible to keep from trying to detect a chink in her extraordinary reserve and elegance. He realizes he is reflexively flirting to get a reaction - after all, a tease and a wink have always worked before, with women back home. But flirting probably isn’t the best way to appeal to a woman who was married to a dumb brute and doesn’t want to have anything more to do with men. Jeremy isn’t sure how to press his case - but he won’t give up.

Wilder’s prose is elegant, spare, and affecting. But it’s his romantic’s eye for the intense emotions that animate a real love story that makes The Woman Who Wouldn’t an unforgettable audiobook.

©2008 Gene Wilder (P)2008 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

"Wilder lovingly depicts the miraculous joy and inevitable loss that liberate true emotion in Jeremy and his music." (Publishers Weekly)

Another gem from Gene Wilder

I had listened to Gene Wilder's auto-biography Kiss Me Like a Stranger and had hoped to get My French Whore on audio book because of the excellent reading skills and pleasant voice Mr. Wilder possesses. My French Whore wasn't read by him so I bought a hard-copy of it and it was exactly what I expected; A pleasant and simple little story from Mr. Wilder. This second novelette is just as good. He isn't Dickens but he knows how to tell a story with enough description that you are able to paint a small picture in your head and care enough about the characters. There isn't much philosophy, just straight-ahead story telling and it works. I highly recommend all of his books.

Small story, Big Theme, A Great Success

The perfect mix of realistic and fantastical material, Mr. Wilder makes what some would call a small story. I don't. Intimacy and closeness to the characters is what a writer tries to do, the good ones anyway. Mr. Wilder succeeds wonderfully. -Lory Kaufman, Kingston, Canada

The woman who wouldn’t

I loved this story. I don’t know if he wrote it for his wife or if he wrote because of his wife. It almost seems that he wrote the story the way he wanted his life’s story to end or continue.

Lovely

If you love listening to Gene Wilder speak, you won't go wrong with this audiobook.

The greatest voice

Listening to this book is pure joy thanks to a Gene Wilder's wonderful voice. The story is endearing too.

I wanted to enjoy it more

I'm a huge fan of Gene Wilder, but this is my first experience with his written works. I am not one to buy romance novels, or even anything resembling something like one, and maybe that's where my disconnect here is. I mostly procure lectures or series on history, philosophy, theology, etc, or fantasy, anything pirate related, and sci-fi.
Anyway, I didn't find the story compelling. I wish I had, but I didn't.

great story

loved this book. it's beautifully written, and it's so wonderful to hear it performed by its author

Nice novel

Very nice read and also listen a lot of this is based on genes experiences and a great ending

Heartwarming

I'm not a big fan of fiction novels but this one kept me listening much of the time. Gene is a wonderful writer & narrator.

Wonderful

Excellent book from Mr. Gene Wilder, who also did fantastic narration. Great story. Loved it.