Here I Am

A Novel

By: Jonathan Safran Foer

Narrated by: Ari Fliakos

Length: 16 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

A monumental new audiobook from the bestselling author of Everything Is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Jonathan Safran Foer's Here I Am

In the book of Genesis, when God calls out, “Abraham!” before ordering him to sacrifice his son, Isaac, Abraham responds, “Here I am.” Later, when Isaac calls out, “My father!” before asking him why there is no animal to slaughter, Abraham responds, “Here I am.”

How do we fulfill our conflicting duties as father, husband, and son; wife and mother; child and adult? Jew and American? How can we claim our own identities when our lives are linked so closely to others’? These are the questions at the heart of Jonathan Safran Foer’s first novel in eleven years—a work of extraordinary scope and heartbreaking intimacy.

Unfolding over four tumultuous weeks in present-day Washington, D.C., Here I Am is the story of a fracturing family in a moment of crisis. As Jacob and Julia Bloch and their three sons are forced to confront the distances between the lives they think they want and the lives they are living, a catastrophic earthquake sets in motion a quickly escalating conflict in the Middle East. At stake is the meaning of home—and the fundamental question of how much aliveness one can bear.

Showcasing the same high-energy inventiveness, hilarious irreverence, and emotional urgency that readers and critics loved in his earlier work, Here I Am is Foer’s most searching, hard-hitting, and grandly entertaining novel yet. It not only confirms Foer’s stature as a dazzling literary talent but reveals a novelist who has fully come into his own as one of the most important writers in America.

©2016 Jonathan Safran Foer (P)2016 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"[Ari] Fliakos masterfully weaves the multiple perspectives (and many accents, including Israeli and Iranian)...into a cohesive and powerful audiobook." AudioFile Magazine

"Foer’s novel requires a very talented narrator—and it got one. The prose is fast, forceful, funny, and friendly, and actor Fliakos handles it all superbly. He distinguishes children of different ages as well as fathers, grandparents, and even great-grandparents." Publishers Weekly

Bold, baggy, and beautiful

First, let me say that this is the first of his works I've read, so I didn't know what to expect. Dazzling is the first word that comes to mind--his writing is something to behold. Second, he's funny as hell, and I loved the quick-witted nature of the dialogue and the observations. Since I'm not Jewish, some of the angst associated with being an American Jew was a little much for me, but I appreciated Foer's desire to explore and teach. Lastly, the end is so touching. I absolutely loved it. Ari Fliakos is fabulous, too, and I attribute much of my enjoyment of the novel to his performance. Wonderful stuff.

Mainly for Jewish americans

Intelligently captures human gestures of intellect. Very existential passages are wisely explored with depth and sensitivity.

Gifted writer and well performed

Unfortunately for me too much unnecessary vulgar language, so I can not recommend to my friends and associates. Not his best work, but I appreciate Foer's insightful view into modern Judaism.

Wonderful book

Overall a very decent book. The last quarter of the book seemed very rush, the author was either tired or under a strict timeline.
The books does a fantastic job of describing and exploring martial and familiar relationships.
There some subplots which were a distraction and did not drive the plot line, but being merely filer.

Brilliant!

Beautifully written and read. I found myself stopping the audio and backtracking, just to hear the lines read again and again. This is a thoughtful and emotional work or art.

Frickin great

This book was Frickin Great. First of his novels I've read. will be reading more.

Incomplete- haven't finished

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I can't tell if it was the narrator's tone or the book itself that made listening seem like a chore. The content was very dark and self-obsessed, like so much contemporary literary fiction. I felt like a passive therapist who listens to a client drone on about himself. The story had so much potential but ended up mainly serving to understand the main character's psychology rather than having the story and dialogue front and center. The main character was insufferable, self-obsessed, and passive, that even if that was the point, it was annoying to hear. I probably wouldn't have gotten this far except that I'm interested in the content, as ancillary as it feels to the larger project of self-analysis.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator used a monotone, insistent, driving voice that detracted from the story. It was tiresome to listen to the accusatory tone with which he read every sentence's adult male character.

Any additional comments?

Hoping the ending will change my perspective.

Another Safran Foer Gem

Love how the story, themes and characters are woven together in Safran Foer novels. The narration is superb. Gotta say I enjoyed Safran Foer's previous novels a little better, but they're a high bar to overcome.

learned to say it "pamplemoo"

Moments of greatness, but overall... kinda like a super long Woody Allen movie with no plot & fewer women.

Great narration

If you could sum up Here I Am in three words, what would they be?

Kept my attention

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the narration the best. I noticed some reviews had a problem with the way the narrator pronounced a few Hebrew words. I find this to be completely nitpicking. This narrator did a phenomenal job with this work.

Which scene was your favorite?

There's not one particular scene that stands out. The novel has its ups and downs, but overall it was a good listen.

If you could rename Here I Am, what would you call it?

Life, in General

Any additional comments?

This book certainly isn't for everyone. It's about an American family with Jewish roots. The book is more about everyday life, and while that doesn't appear to be all that interesting, I like the novel.