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Audiobooks > Thrillers >  Suspense > A Painted House

Download A Painted House Audiobook

Extended Audio Sample A Painted House Audiobook, by John Grisham Click for printable size audiobook cover
3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 3.00 (38,772 ratings) (rate this audio book) Author: John Grisham Narrator: David Lansbury Publisher: Penguin Random House Format: Abridged Audiobook Delivery: Instant Download Audio Length: Release Date: February 2001 ISBN: 9780553753578
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The hill people and the Mexicans arrived on the same day. It was a Wednesday, early in September 1952. The Cardinals were five games behind the Dodgers with three weeks to go, and the season looked hopeless. The cotton, however, was waist-high to my father, over my head, and he and my grandfather could be heard before supper whispering words that were seldom heard. It could be a "good crop."

Thus begins the new novel from John Grisham, a story inspired by his own childhood in rural Arkansas. The narrator is a farm boy named Luke Chandler, age seven, who lives in the cotton fields with his parents and grandparents in a little house that's never been painted. The Chandlers farm eighty acres that they rent, not own, and when the cotton is ready they hire a truckload of Mexicans and a family from the Ozarks to help harvest it.

For six weeks they pick cotton, battling the heat, the rain, the fatigue, and, sometimes, each other. As the weeks pass Luke sees and hears things no seven-year-old could possibly be prepared for, and finds himself keeping secrets that not only threaten the crop but will change the lives of the Chandlers forever.

A Painted House is a moving story of one boy's journey from innocence to experience.


From the Hardcover edition. Download and start listening now!

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Quotes & Awards

  • John Grisham is about as good a storyteller as we’ve got. The New York Times Book Review
  • The kind of book you read slowly because you don’t want it to end ... John Grisham takes command of this literary category just as forcefully as he did legal thrillers with The Firm.... Never let it be said this man doesn’t know how to spin a good yarn. Entertainment Weekly
  • Characters that no reader will forget. .. prose as clean and strong as any Grisham has yet laid down ... and a drop-dead evocation of a time and place that mark this novel as a classic slice of Americana. Publishers Weekly
  • Some of the finest dialogue of his career ... Every detail rings clear and true, and nothing is wasted. Seattle Times

  • Read all of John Grisham’s #1 New York Times bestsellers:
  • The Brethren
    The Testament
    The Street Lawyer
    The Partner
    The Runaway Jury
    The Rainmaker
    The Chamber
    The Client
    The Pelican Brief
    The Firm
    A Time to Kill

    Available from Dell

  • Coming soon!
  • The Summons

    The new novel by John Grisham
  • Available from Doubleday

Listener Opinions

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Al Fernandez | 2/18/2014

    " Totally not the usual Grisham. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Joseph | 2/12/2014

    " A book completely different from other John Grisham novels. A moving story about the troubles and trials of a rural family who are cotton farmers from the eyes of a young boy. Based slightly on Grisham's own childhood experiences is what I've heard. "

  • 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5 Christian | 2/1/2014

    " Knowing John's style I hoped for something different all the way to the end. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Charlene | 1/28/2014

    " I really liked this book. "

  • 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Bj | 1/22/2014

    " Did not like this one.........rare for him because he's one of my favorite authors. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Bill Adams | 1/14/2014

    " Different than anything else I have read from him. Solid story "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Rawan Khatib | 1/1/2014

    " This book truly is a master piece and one of Grisham's best novels! Full of suspense and mystery amazing "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Sharon Porter-Moxley | 1/1/2014

    " A painted house reads like it is possibly a memior about Grisham's childhood. A good read. It has a Tom Sawyer quality. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Katherine Hebert | 12/31/2013

    " Although seven years old is a bit young to be this astute a narrator, Luke tells a good story in this wonderful book. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Elizabeth | 12/10/2013

    " I was surprised at how good this book was. I thought Grisham could only write pulp fiction with stereotypical characters, but this was really well-written. "

  • 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Driekie | 12/9/2013

    " It was an OK story. Not the best, luckily not the worst either "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Smiley | 11/25/2013

    " never read books from John Grisham. i decide to try it. what's your comment about this book? "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Ronald Vasicek | 9/16/2013

    " A fun book to read. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Penny | 8/3/2013

    " What a wonderful book! The story has a sweet sadness about it that may stir some of your own memories of childhood. "

  • 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5 Doris | 6/23/2013

    " The story was slow in telling the story of a depression era family. No excitement to the story. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Danny Byrne | 2/23/2013

    " Love this book, one of Grisham's best!! "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Doug Preston | 2/20/2013

    " a huge departure from his usual fare, this sealed Griffin's place among the best story tellers of our time. "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Yu-Ching | 1/13/2013

    " Grisham should stick to law thrillers. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Deb | 5/20/2012

    " Listened to the book on audio while driving and it was a good distraction. Nicely drawn characters but their actions were largely predictable. We're I a baseball fan, I suspect I would have loved it. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Peggy Crawford | 5/1/2012

    " One of the best books I have ever read. "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Carol Simcheck | 4/25/2012

    " It's a good book but a little disappointing since it was written by John Grisham. A little tame compared to some of his I read. I did finish the book. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Traci Ombtello | 2/13/2012

    " This isn't my normal genre, however, I just really like this book. I read it years ago. Grisham steps out of his "legal" world and wrote a really nice book. "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Becky | 1/12/2012

    " The only John Grisham I was able to get through. It was a sweet story, and an enjoyable read "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Mary Ann | 5/23/2011

    " I found it interesting, how a child's life can be altered by a senseless act. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Jessica | 5/14/2011

    " I was sad when it ended, so what happens to them now? Sequel please. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Geoffrey | 5/13/2011

    " Surprisingly good for being outside the realm of his legal bailywick. I don't know what possessed him to write this, unless he was getting his childhood out of his system, but it's good. The story is sensitive without being sentimental and the writing is better than a lot of his other books. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Yuri | 5/9/2011

    " I am not a huge John Grisham book, but this book I think was amazing. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Richard | 5/7/2011

    " Enjoyable despite the fact it wasn't one of his thrillers. It had soul and showed a side of Grisham I admire even though it wasn't the best literary novel ever. I liked it better than the lesser of his thrillers. "

  • 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5 Dee | 5/5/2011

    " If I wasn't strong in the spirit, I would have hurled myself out a window after reading this-which by the way was one of the most difficult books ever for me to finish. Supremely boring and lacklustre. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Kathleen | 4/29/2011

    " Excellent read. I didn't want the book to end. Charming Little Luke Chandler kept me entertained throughout his challenging little boy fears and hopes and all the secrets. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Janice | 4/24/2011

    " It's been a while since I read this book but I remember liking it. "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Emily | 4/22/2011

    " It was an easy and entertaining read as with all Grisham books. A Painted House was a nice detour from his usual court house drama. I enjoyed it very much. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Churchill19 | 4/17/2011

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

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Andrea | 4/16/2011

    " Loved it! Totally recommend. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Laurie | 4/14/2011

    " Very different from his legal thrillers. Enjoyed it very much. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Karentokmakoff | 4/10/2011

    " Great story. Unlike anything that John Grisham has written before. "

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About the Author
Author John Grisham

John Grisham, whose name has become synonymous with the modern legal thriller, used to work sixty to seventy hours a week at a small Southaven, Mississippi, law practice, squeezing in time before going to the office and during courtroom recesses to work on his hobby—writing his first novel. When finally published, A Time to Kill met with little success, but when he sold the film rights to The Firm to Paramount Pictures, Grisham suddenly became a hot property among publishers. Spending forty-seven weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, The Firm became the bestselling novel of 1991. The successes of The Pelican Brief, which hit number one on the New York Times bestseller list, and The Client, which debuted at number one, confirmed Grisham’s reputation as the master of the legal thriller. His success even renewed interest in A Time to Kill, which was then republished. This time around, it was a bestseller. Since first publishing A Time to Kill in 1988, Grisham has written one novel a year, and all of them have become international bestsellers. There are currently over 275 million John Grisham books in print worldwide, which have been translated into forty languages. Nine of his novels have been turned into films, as was an original screenplay, The Gingerbread Man. He lives in Virginia and Mississippi.

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