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A Handbook to Luck Audiobook
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(3.10) - 253 listener ratings
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From the acclaimed author of Monkey Hunting (“A miracle of poetic compression . . . An epic of anecdotes, a vista of brief and beautiful glimpses”–Los Angeles Times Book Review), a lyrical, haunting, deeply moving new novel. Late 1960s. We meet three children: Enrique Florit, from Cuba, living in southern California with his flamboyant magician father . . . Marta Claros, getting by in the slums of San Salvador, forced to leave school to help support her family, her beloved older brother having already left home . . . Leila Rezvani, a well-to-do surgeon’s daughter in Tehran, her mother concerned only with appearances, her father an often foolishly vocal opponent of the Shah. As we follow them across the next twenty years we see chance draw Leila and Marta into Enrique’s life–Leila and Enrique loving and losing each other, Marta the means to renewed hope for Enrique–and, throughout, “good luck or bad tilting life one way or another” for all of them. With its cast of vividly drawn characters, its graceful movement through time, and its subtle revelation of the essential hopes and doubts of ordinary people whose lives are made extraordinary by circumstance, A HANDBOOK TO LUCK is Cristina García’s most beautiful, elegiac, and deeply emotional novel yet.
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"The story of three immigrants in the United States whose lives eventually intertwine. "Everyone talked about living the American dream, but what about its ravages?"The joys and challenges of trying to make a life in a country that is not your own. Great novel. "
— Sherri (4 out of 5 stars)
A Handbook to Luck Listener Reviews
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" You've got to enjoy this book. There are some problems with the plot, which never came together as I expected it to, but the dialog is sharp and funny and the individual scenes work well. "
— Marian, 2/14/2014 -
" This was a book I kept wanting to read, which is pretty high praise from me. Christina Garcia is a good writer and managed to draw up 3 different characters and, as seems to be so popular now, tell a "story" alternating their POVs. Like the movie "Crash," the three immigrants from different countries fall together eventually and by accident, which ends up being why their three stories are being told together. Sort of. The title, I think, must be providing us a hint to another reason. They all have pretty crappy luck, one more crappy than the others, however. I don't know, I enjoyed reading this book, and felt satisfied by the end, but can't really say why. Read it; see what you think. I would definitely read something by Garcia again. "
— Suzy, 1/22/2014 -
" Story is of three young people growing up in different parts of the world, living very different lives. The story alternates between each of their existences as they grow up through the years dealing parents, children, love and work. As usual, I love the international-ness of it. While some of it takes place in the USA, none of the characters are Eurasian white, nor second generation American. From the book cover, I knew the characters would intersect, so I was really curious to see how that would happen. It is done in a very small world way, but also helps you realize that each person you run into has a very unique experience. Even before reading this book, I would imagine that history about the people I meet. We each have our own stories to tell. That reminder was the major lesson of this book for me. "
— Jody, 1/21/2014 -
" This novel really intrigued me, particularly in the ways that it draws characters from different national origins and ethnicities into some of the same spaces and storylines. "
— Ashley, 1/17/2014 -
" I read this because Michelle did. I was frustrated with all the different characters and storylines. I was more interested in some than others. "
— Marsha, 1/16/2014 -
" The way Cristina Garcia weaves the stories of several, very unique characters together in "A Handbook to Luck" reminds me of a beautiful Mayan tapestry. Each color and line stands out individually, but also works in concert with the others to create a wonderful work of art. "
— Carol, 1/13/2014 -
" Interesting characters & story. I'm still intrigued by the title. "
— Sarah, 1/12/2014 -
" Garcia always weaves wonderful stories full of amazing characters. "
— Alison, 1/4/2014 -
" One of her best. I enjoyed all of the characters in the book and found it so amazing the ways their lives intertwined. The book had lots of insight into the lives of people in Los Angeles. "
— Sandy, 1/2/2014 -
" Oddly familiar - kind of like a pastel version of the movie Crash - or Volver. skip the book, watch the movies. "
— Helen, 12/11/2013 -
" cuban father(magician) and son (math and poker whiz. life in vegas for them after death of mother....guilt/blame around the accidental death. "
— Magi, 10/2/2013