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Wobegon Boy  By  cover art

Wobegon Boy

By: Garrison Keillor
Narrated by: Garrison Keillor
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Publisher's summary

From the millions of listeners who follow the tales of Lake Wobegon and A Prairie Home Companion every Saturday night on public radio, and for fans of Garrison Keillor's literary take on life in our times, this audiobook will be most welcome.

Wobegon Boy is the story of John Tollefson, last seen in Lake Wobegon Days leaving home, now a 40-something Norwegian bachelor public-radio manager living in upstate New York.

Amidst his tribulations, his gloomily neurotic staff, his controlling boss, his bumpy relationship with his querulous father, his love affair with a Columbia University historian, John returns to Minnesota for a visit. There, sitting at the Sidetrack Tap and the Chatterbox Cafe, talking and listening to the people he has known his whole life, he discovers what is truly important to him.

©1997 Garrison Keillor (P)1997 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"Keillor, who has been honing his Lake Wobegon tales for a decade or two on public radio's 'Prairie Home Companion,' has his delivery, as well as his prose, down cold. After hearing him reading his own opus, one wonders how the bare words on the printed page could possibly possess anywhere near as much lyricism and nuance." (AudioFile)

What listeners say about Wobegon Boy

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

This Book Makes you Think

I enjoyed every moment of this book for its ability to make me examine my own life and savor and appreciate what I have. Garrison Keillor is a master artist with words and this rich pallete of color was a total delight!

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

If you are a fan of Garrison's, you will like it.

If you like listening to Garrison's voice, you know that it almost doesn't matter what he is saying. There won't be a Pulitzer for this, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless.

Good story. I could tell it was abridged, but that was ok.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Garrison Keillor at his best

I've always loved Keillor's slow voice and grounded sense of humor. This story reads like the poetry he loves and blends his humor and weathered wisdom so well. I recommend to anyone who has appreciated the Writer's Almanac and a well told tale that looks deeply into both the glories and mundanities of love. Wonderful dialogues. Charming, rich and precise descriptions of midwestern and New York life too.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Truly a book that made me smile and I could not put down.

Garrison Keillor wrote and narrated this audio book, truly a new personal favorite. I would read or listen to this book again.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

I WAS BORN IN THE WRONG WORLD

lake Wobegon is the most refreshingly family able listen even the hot spots are warm enough not to give you the willy's when sitting with your children, It's funny and pulls you in like hometown front porch. just listen to the sample.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Wobegon Boy

This was a very good starter on where and how Mr Keillor came to be.His narration was really good.

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  • 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 story!

Enjoyed listening while knitting in Baja. It’s we’ll balanced ear fodder; soothing, wholesome, and hilarious. Highly recommend a listen.

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

Another enjoyable piece by Garrison Keillor

Great story, told as only G. K. can. I enjoyed every minute. I can highly recommend this and now I’m on to his next story.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Garrison Keillor never disappoints

Garrison Keillor never disappoints.
That’s my review, but I must use at least 15 words, so I’ll add…”lovely poem.”

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

Pure gold

I'm a huge fan of Garrison Keillor. I wasn't going to listen to this because it seemed like the performance was too fast and didn't seem like the right energy for this story. So I listened to it at 0.8X and that did the trick. Pure gold.

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