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A Painted House: A Novel Audiobook

A Painted House: A Novel Audiobook, by John Grisham Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: David Lansbury Publisher: Random House Audio Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 8.00 hours at 1.5x Speed 6.00 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: February 2001 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9780553753592

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

191

Longest Chapter Length:

06:21 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

01:43 minutes

Average Chapter Length:

03:47 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

56

Publisher Description

Until that September of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers — and two very dangerous men — came through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke’s world. A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. A beautiful young woman ignites forbidden passions. A fatherless baby is born ... and someone has begun furtively painting the bare clapboards of the Chandler farmhouse, slowly, painstakingly, bathing the run-down structure in gleaming white. And as young Luke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives — and change his family and his town forever....

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"This story is a deviation from Grisham's legal thrillers. It's a coming-of-age story told from the perspective of 7-year-old Luke Chandler in rural Arkansas in 1952. I feel sure Mr. Grisham drew from his experience in similar circumstances as a youth. Luke's family are cotton farmers. His mother is a city girl who never expected to be stuck on an Arkansas cotton farm and wants more for her son than what the hard rural life offers. Although this is a slower paced story than his thrillers, Grisham does a masterful job developing the characters and making the reader care about what happens to them. There is conflict between the locals and the hill people of the Ozarks and Mexican migrant workers who come to help harvest the cotton. Tension mounts when there's a murder, and a fatherless baby is born. And mysteriously, the bare clapboards of the Chandler house are gradually being painted a gleaming white...and no one knows who's doing the painting! Readers with a rural background will identify with the characters and events. I'll admit that I didn't put this story at the top of my “must listen” list, but once I started listening I was glad I did! "

— Kathey Shaw (5 out of 5 stars)

A Painted House Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.744186046511628 out of 53.744186046511628 out of 53.744186046511628 out of 53.744186046511628 out of 53.744186046511628 out of 5 (3.74)
5 Stars: 13
4 Stars: 16
3 Stars: 9
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 5
Narration: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 (5.00)
5 Stars: 2
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 (5.00)
5 Stars: 2
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Story Rating: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Wonderful story line about family, hardships, growing up and moving on. The audio version is fantastic. Easy to follow the changes in voice to match the characters. Thank you! "

    — Jpron, 6/1/2022
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " This book made me think of John Steinbeck's GRAPES OF WRATH. In places it became too heartbreaking to read. Very good writing! "

    — Jonita, 2/15/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " The struggles of a cotton farm in Arkansas told through the eyes of a seven year old. It is a poignant picture of the struggles of the rural poor. I thoroughly enjoyed the story. It is a departure from the legal stories that John Grisham tells, but it is well written and enjoyable. "

    — Richard, 2/11/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " ok so i found this book in my garage and gave it a go and I will say its one slow but interesting country book. I like the word "sod buster" any ways I have read several of John G books so I know the man can write and so the story had its way of growing on me and had it comical and suspenseful interludes. Its all from the point of view of a very intelligent 7 year old boy. You should find this book likable. "

    — Zarinah, 2/5/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " A great story about life in the rural south in the 1950s, all told through the eyes of a young boy, which made it a truly unique read. Having an interest in farming and everything rural, I really liked the rural setting. As with all of Grisham's books that I've read so far, this was one I didn't want to put down till the very end. My only criticism was the end, which seems to leave a lot of loose ends. No real closure. It seemed to me that it ended too soon, and perhaps a sequel is in order. Otherwise a great story and one I would recommend very highly. "

    — R.L., 1/29/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Not the usual Grisham fare. "

    — Biogeek, 1/26/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " This book was not my favorite mainly due to the lack of any really exciting moments, other than a few small bits here and there. My favorite thing about the book is the fact that it does give us a good look into the past decades of our country. It really puts a picture in your head of what it was like. So if you enjoty American History, I would definetly recomend this book. "

    — Kp2, 1/23/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I really enjoyed this one. It reminds me of the stories older members of the churches I've visited have told me. "

    — Churchill19, 1/22/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I somewhat enjoyed this story of a summer spent in 1952 Arkansas as seen through the eyes of a child. My disbelief that a 7-year-old would think, act and reason as Luke does distracted me throughout the novel. Grisham repeatedly reminds us that Luke is only 7; which is necessary because I inevitably thought of him as at least 10 years old if not a little older. As the mother of two boys Luke's actions often seemed very unrealistic to me. I wanted the story to feel authentic and would have enjoyed it much more if it had. Normally I don't mind if a story ends without all the plot points resolved but in this case I felt cheated because nothing seemed resolved. I wanted to know if Ricky comes back from the war, do the Latchers remain on the farm, what happens to Tally & Trot and how does the Chandler family's life change after they move to Michigan. I cared about the characters enough to want to know what happens to them so for that the novel gets 3 stars. "

    — Shea, 1/21/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I like John Grisham's legal thrillers for light reading. This is something very different. A Painted House is literary fiction of highest quality, among the best I've read. "

    — Robert, 1/18/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Since this book was so different from his others I put off reading it until a lady on the plane was reading it and said it was so good and she was RIGHT! "

    — Janiej78, 1/15/2014

About John Grisham

John Grisham is the author of more than thirty-five novels, one work of nonfiction, a collection of stories, and seven novels for young readers. Thirty-three of his crime thrillers have made the #1 spot on the New York Times bestsellers list