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A Long Way from Home (Abridged): Growing Up in the American Heartland Audiobook
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(3.06) - 356 listener ratings
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Reflections on America and the American experience as he has lived and observed it by the bestselling author of The Greatest Generation, whose iconic career in journalism has spanned more than fifty years From his parents’ life in the Thirties, on to his boyhood along the Missouri River and on the prairies of South Dakota in the Forties, into his early journalism career in the Fifties and the tumultuous Sixties, up to the present, this personal story is a reflection on America in our time. Tom Brokaw writes about growing up and coming of age in the heartland, and of the family, the people, the culture and the values that shaped him then and still do today. His father, Red Brokaw, a genius with machines, followed the instincts of Tom’s mother Jean, and took the risk of moving his small family from an Army base to Pickstown, South Dakota, where Red got a job as a heavy equipment operator in the Army Corps of Engineers’ project building the Ft. Randall dam along the Missouri River. Tom Brokaw describes how this move became the pivotal decision in their lives, as the Brokaw family, along with others after World War II, began to live out the American Dream: community, relative prosperity, middle class pleasures and good educations for their children. “Along the river and in the surrounding hills, I had a Tom Sawyer boyhood,” Brokaw writes; and as he describes his own pilgrimage as it unfolded—from childhood to love, marriage, the early days in broadcast journalism, and beyond—he also reflects on what brought him and so many Americans of his generation to lead lives a long way from home, yet forever affected by it. Praise for A Long Way from Home “[A] love letter to the . . . people and places that enriched a ‘Tom Sawyer boyhood.’ Brokaw . . . has a knack for delivering quirky observations on small-town life. . . . Bottom line: Tom’s terrific.”—People “Breezy and straightforward . . . much like the assertive TV newsman himself.”—Los Angeles Times “Brokaw writes with disarming honesty.”—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution “Brokaw evokes a sense of community, a pride of citizenship, and a confidence in American ideals that will impress his readers.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch
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"This is a really good read about Tom Brokaw's literal and mental trip back to South Dakota home ground where he was born and raised. He gives a historical and descriptive analysis of what made South Dakota what it is today, and the people who settled it, and it's present day population. He makes the point well that he doesn't want to go back and live there, because his life has taken him to much broader horizons, and he's lived in New York a very long time. That is home to him, and yet,his South Dakota heritage is what shaped him into the person he is today. I have enjoyed this raad very much."
— Lois (5 out of 5 stars)
A Long Way from Home Listener Reviews
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" Good book! Definitely held my attention! Makes me feel like I know Tom Brokaw, always a favorite. "
— Carmen, 2/20/2014 -
" I'm not a big fan of Tom Brokaw, but I did enjoy reading his autobiography. Growing up in a small South Dakota town, Brokaw never dreamed that his life would become as successful as it has. He gives the reader an intimate look at the people and places that shaped his life. He truly has come a long way from home. Interesting read! "
— Cheryl, 2/12/2014 -
" This was a very engaging read. It almost felt like a good book of fiction because you sit down and just get lost in the story. "
— Cindy, 2/11/2014 -
" My Dad gave me this to read. I forget why. But memoirs are my guilty pleasure, so I devoured it in about two days. Brokaw's book traces the first twenty-odd years of his life (in the 1940's and 50's) in South Dakota. Even though he can be a pompous ass at times (which he acknowledges) it was a pretty engaging book. The strong parts are when he describes the purely desolate environment of his boyhood. Although, continually juxtoposing those deprivations to his now cushy lifestyle is gratuitous and makes it lose some of its power. "
— Steph, 2/2/2014 -
" I liked this book. It was quite interesting to see where he came from (especially as it's pretty much where I came from, too). "
— Sarah, 1/29/2014 -
" Tom Brokaw's autobiography --- extremely well written and interesting story of growing up in South Dakota and his success as an news anchor. "
— Jen, 1/29/2014 -
" A very interesting and entertaining memoir- thoroughly enjoyable. Tom Brokaw embraces who he is and where he has come from with charm and affection. I listened to this on audiobook and it was perfect to hear it read in the author's own distinctive voice. "
— Jan, 1/20/2014 -
" i love people's own life stories and he is a good storyteller. "
— Becki, 12/29/2013 -
" Meh. Tom met his wife when he was growing up, and she thought he was pompous. I have to agree. I didn't care about him or the life he was describing. "
— Jenny, 12/23/2013 -
" The Brokaw story, the way it was meant to be told...by the man himself! "
— Lauren, 12/18/2013 -
" I love him. Don't knock me. I'm a former slave to the FCC. Code lingo for american journalist. "
— Susan, 12/15/2013 -
" If I hadn't red the preface of this book, I would've put it down earlier. Pretty narcissistic, and the funny thing is, he's out of touch and doesn't even realize he's doing it. I read The Greatest Generation, much better "
— Adam, 12/8/2013 -
" I really liked reading and learning about Tom Brokaw. I could relate to alot of his early child hood experiences. "
— William, 12/6/2013 -
" non-fiction. I loved this book on tape, it was as if Tom was reading me his life story. I was very inspired by his mother Meredith. She was very liberal minded for a woman born in her time. "
— Wendy, 12/6/2013 -
" He had a very interesting life, from small town to bigger than life. "
— Shellie, 8/30/2013 -
" This guy is really down to earth, which surprised me. He always seems to debonair & big city. I enjoyed it. "
— Debbie, 2/6/2013 -
" Oh, Tom! Come to my high plains town and write a book! "
— Isa, 12/31/2012 -
" Good, but most of the book was hard to relate to. "
— Jennifer, 12/16/2012 -
" Leave me alone. I love him. "
— Michelle, 9/6/2012 -
" This was really interesting to me as my parents grew up in the midwest during the Great Depression as well. It's a fast read, interesting, and surprising in some ways. "
— Penny, 6/14/2012 -
" As a broadcast journalism major, I'm fascinated by the lives of famous journalists. "
— Cheryel, 8/8/2011 -
" I have an everlasting adoration for Tom Brokaw, so I found this book to be really interesting (more so than most 20somethings would, I expect). "
— Emily, 5/12/2011 -
" Forgetting that I'm minorly obsessed with Tom Brokaw, this book is a great read! I grew up in the Midwest like Mr. Brokaw, so his topics are fairly relatable (even though I grew up several generations after him). His life has been pretty incredible considering his humble beginnings. What a man:) "
— Mychal, 3/21/2011 -
" Loved this book (CD)! Tom Brokaw had my attention from the get go. I enjoyed hearing about his early days in South Dakota and was sad to hear of the racism for the American Indian. "
— Marisela, 2/18/2011 -
" This was really interesting to me as my parents grew up in the midwest during the Great Depression as well. It's a fast read, interesting, and surprising in some ways. "
— Penny, 12/26/2010 -
" non-fiction. I loved this book on tape, it was as if Tom was reading me his life story. I was very inspired by his mother Meredith. She was very liberal minded for a woman born in her time. "
— Wendy, 3/30/2010 -
" Good, but most of the book was hard to relate to. "
— Jennifer, 3/11/2010 -
" If I hadn't red the preface of this book, I would've put it down earlier. Pretty narcissistic, and the funny thing is, he's out of touch and doesn't even realize he's doing it. I read The Greatest Generation, much better "
— Adam, 11/5/2009 -
" A very interesting and entertaining memoir- thoroughly enjoyable. Tom Brokaw embraces who he is and where he has come from with charm and affection. I listened to this on audiobook and it was perfect to hear it read in the author's own distinctive voice. "
— Jan, 8/5/2009 -
" I really liked reading and learning about Tom Brokaw. I could relate to alot of his early child hood experiences. "
— William, 6/28/2009 -
" I listened to the abridged audio version of this book.<br/>Interesting, hearing Brokaw telling about his early experiences on his path to success. The reading seemed a bit rushed a times, but he had a lot to tell. What a great voice he has! "
— Joy, 6/6/2009 -
" I like Tom Brokaw as a broadcaster, but his speaking style does not translate to prose very well. "
— Stephanie, 6/2/2009 -
" He had a very interesting life, from small town to bigger than life. "
— Shellie, 3/16/2009 -
" I liked this book. It was quite interesting to see where he came from (especially as it's pretty much where I came from, too). "
— Sarah, 12/11/2008
About Tom Brokaw
Tom Brokaw is the author of several books, including the #1 New York Times bestseller The Greatest Generation. In 2014, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and he has won every major award in broadcast journalism, including two DuPont Awards, a Peabody Award, and several Emmy Awards. He is a regular contributor to the op-ed pages of the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal, as well as writing for Time, Newsweek, and Men’s Journal. A native of South Dakota, he graduated from the University of South Dakota with a degree in political science. He joined NBC News in 1966, serving as the White House correspondent during Watergate and anchoring Today on NBC from 1976 to 1981. He was the sole anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw from 1983 to 2005.