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A Thread of Grace (Abridged): A Novel Audiobook
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(3.01) - 5,839 listener ratings
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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A powerfully imagined novel . . . [a] profoundly moving book that engages the heights and depths of human experience.”—Los Angeles Times It is September 8, 1943, and fourteen-year-old Claudette Blum and her father are among the thousands of Jewish refugees scrambling over the Alps toward Italy, where they hope to find safety now that the Italians have broken from Germany and made a separate peace with the Allies. The Blums will soon discover that Italy is anything but peaceful, as it quickly becomes an open battleground for the Nazis, the Allies, Resistance fighters, Jews in hiding, and ordinary Italian civilians trying to survive. Tracing the lives of a handful of fascinating characters—a charismatic Italian Resistance leader, a priest, an Italian rabbi’s family, a disillusioned German doctor—Mary Doria Russell tells the little-known story of the vast underground effort by Italian citizens who saved the lives of 43,000 Jews during the final phase of World War II. A Thread of Grace puts a human face on history. Praise for A Thread of Grace “An addictive page-turner . . . [Mary Doria] Russell has an astonishing story to tell—full of action, paced like a rapid-fire thriller, in tense, vivid scenes that move with cinematic verve.”—The Washington Post Book World “Hauntingly beautiful, utterly unforgettable.”—San Francisco Chronicle “Rich . . . Based on the heroism of ordinary people, [A Thread of Grace] packs an emotional punch.”—People “[A] deeply felt and compellingly written book . . . The progress of each character’s life is marked or measured by acts of grace. . . . Russell is a smart, passionate and imaginative writer.”—Cleveland Plain Dealer “A feat of storytelling . . . an important book [that] needs to be widely read.”—Portland Oregonian “Mary Doria Russell’s fans (and aren’t we all?) will rejoice to see her new novel on the shelves. A Thread of Grace is as ambitious, beautiful, tense, and transforming as any of us could have hoped.”—Karen Joy Fowler, author of The Jane Austen Book Club “A story of love and war, A Thread of Grace speaks to the resilience and beauty of the human spirit in the midst of unimaginable horror. It is, unquestionably, a literary triumph.”—David Morrell, author of The Brotherhood of the Rose and First Blood
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"I thought this was an excellent read. Ms. Russell brought the war home to me. I did not realize what the Italian people faced during the Second World War. I cried for the Jewish population. I cried for the Italian Jews. I cried for the partisans. I cried for all the people who tried to help. I wept for those who died innocently. Thank you Ms. Russell for helping me see a group of heroes I would never have imagined."
— Gail (5 out of 5 stars)
A Thread of Grace Listener Reviews
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" Excellent book - could not put it down and stayed up too late because of that. Interesting to read about how much the Italian peasants assisted and harbored Jews during World War II and the sacrifices that were made. Fictional but based on interviews the author did in Italy. "
— Erinbarbour, 2/20/2014 -
" sad topic but draws you in "
— Chandra, 2/7/2014 -
" It will take a while to get into because of all the separate characters and plotlines but it is well worth the effort! "
— Jen, 2/7/2014 -
" I really loved this book. The characters were well drawn and how the war in that part of the world played out an unknown. "
— Donna, 1/31/2014 -
" This book will both break your heart and make you fall in love with more than one character "
— Jane, 1/24/2014 -
" Extreme views of Nazi occupied Italy, those of the disturbed (nazi's), and those of the innocents (Jews and those harboring them). Worth the read, gives a different story. "
— Vicki, 1/24/2014 -
" I got about 30 pages into this book and then never really wanted to finish it. So, that's how I feel about it. Distinctly meh. "
— Christina, 1/13/2014 -
" Excellent WWII story set in Northern Itlay "
— Mom, 1/10/2014 -
" Loved this WWII book! Sometimes difficult to follow who is who because they change their names when they go underground but worth the struggle. "
— Connie, 1/9/2014 -
" I think this is one of the best books I've ever read. I loved the character development. I really felt like I knew each and every person in the novel. And the story was incredible. "
— Kristine, 1/5/2014 -
" This book is my go-to recommend for everyone looking for a wonderful story. Actually, I want to option it for a mini-series or movie. Any producers out there? "
— Beth, 12/24/2013 -
" The mind wandered. I probably would not have finished it if I weren't seeing Mary Doria Russell this week at the Mercantile Library. She's a beautiful writer and the characters were well drawn. "
— Tara, 12/20/2013 -
" A book set in Italy during World War II. Haunting and inspiring. "
— Jeana, 10/30/2013 -
" Riveting characterizations of European Jews, partisans, Nazi's, nihilists and spritualists, uplifting and brutal combined, good history of the complexities and tragedy of WWII in Italy. "
— Guy, 5/19/2013 -
" great history, enough of a story to keep me interested. typical russell style. "
— Wendy, 3/26/2013 -
" This was written by Mary Doria Russell, who wrote my favorite book of all time, but I really didn't like this one. Took me about 300 pages to care about any of the characters or be able to keep any of them straight, and by that time, it was too late to save the book for me. "
— Kara, 12/24/2012 -
" This book was confusing because it had too many characters and even with the glossary in the front it was hard to follow. I liked many of the storylines, characters and the subject matter. I just wish the story was more concise. "
— Tina, 11/30/2012 -
" Very sad story about WWII in Italy and how the people there saved many Jews who were fleeing Germany. It was hard to read because of all the suffering. "
— Sonja, 9/30/2012 -
" As far as historical fiction goes, this may be at the top of my list. I learned a lot about Italy during WWII and Russell proves again to be a great writer. "
— Todd, 9/18/2012 -
" A crammy wordhole of a heartfelt read. "
— Scott, 1/15/2012 -
" Excellent book on unknown latter part of WW II in northern Italy and how local farmers and townspeople dealt with German and later Allied occupation... how the locals and Jews survived the chaotic last years of the war. "
— Sandy, 8/3/2011 -
" Sci-Fi which I never read, but this was a book club pick and it was a GREAT book! "
— Mary, 5/18/2011 -
" This book made me want to visit Italy--and made me love the Italian people. "
— Shereekjohnson, 5/14/2011 -
" Russell is a very good writer. As the flyer says, it will rip your heart out, but it is a great read. I like her other books as well. "
— Scott, 4/27/2011 -
" So well written, suspenseful, interesting. Surprised to learn that the Italians ran an underground railroad system which saved over 43,000 Jews during WWII. "
— Therese, 4/17/2011 -
" Beautifully written, incredible characters, page-turner of a plot. Ought to be a movie. "
— Betty, 4/7/2011 -
" It is a very complex story line but even when I could not read the book every day I could pick up the story and keep going. I do hope this is made into a good film, though I know that often does not happen. "
— Gloria, 4/4/2011 -
" Loved this one too. It is fascinating about Italian resistance to the Nazi regime during WW2. Great characters, great story, great heroes and a little romance. "
— Tasha, 3/29/2011 -
" This book will both break your heart and make you fall in love with more than one character "
— Jane, 3/20/2011 -
" Excellent book - could not put it down and stayed up too late because of that. Interesting to read about how much the Italian peasants assisted and harbored Jews during World War II and the sacrifices that were made. Fictional but based on interviews the author did in Italy. "
— Erinbarbour, 2/24/2011
About Mary Doria Russell
Mary Doria Russell is the author of several books, including The Sparrow, Children of God, A Thread of Grace, and Dreamers of the Day. Her novels have won national and international literary awards, including the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the James Tiptree Award, and the American Library Association Readers Choice Award. The Sparrow was selected as one of Entertainment Weekly’s ten best books of the year, and A Thread of Grace was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.
About Jay Gregory
Jay Gregory is a veteran New York actor of stage, film, and television. He can be heard in a number of informational narrations on the Discovery Channel, TLC, and PBS and has a wide range of audiobooks to his credit.