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Hearts In Atlantis Audiobook
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(3.00) - 39,919 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Stephen King, whose first novel, Carrie, was published in 1974, the year before the last U.S. troops withdrew from Vietnam, is the first hugely popular writer of the TV generation. Images from that war -- and the protests against it -- had flooded America's living rooms for a decade. Hearts In Atlantis is composed of five interconnected, sequential narratives set in the years from 1960 to 1999. Each story is deeply rooted in the sixties, and each is haunted by the Vietnam War.
In "Low Men in Yellow Coats," eleven-year-old Bobby Garfield discovers a world of predatory malice in his own neighborhood and that adults are sometimes not rescuers but at the heart of the terror.
In the title story, a bunch of college kids get hooked on a card game, discover the possibility of protest...and confront their own collective heart of darkness, where laughter may be no more than the thinly disguised cry of the beast.
In "Blind Willie" and "Why We're in Vietnam," two men who grew up with Bobby in suburban Connecticut try to fill the emptiness of the post-Vietnam era in an America which sometimes seems as hollow and haunted as their own lives.
And in "Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling," Bobby returns to his hometown where one final secret, and his heart's desire may await him.
Full of danger, suspense, and full of heart, Hearts In Atlantis takes some listeners to a place they have never been...and others to a place they have never been able to completely leave.
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"At first it was hard to get into this one, because I generally expect something a little more "horror" when I read Stephen King, and this was not that type of book. There was a little bit of the King style at the end of "Low Men in Yellow Coats" (the first of the five stories that make up this book), but most of the stories were just Vietnam-era-related stories about regular people with no horror elements whatsoever. But once I got going I ended up liking it a lot more than I thought I would. I actually liked "Hearts in Atlantis" - the second story - the best (I've seen a number of comments that say only "Low Men" is really any good, but I disagree). "Blind Willie" didn't do anything for me, but the rest of the book was quite good. I was just expecting something different when I started, that's all."
— Kate (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Shows off King’s traditional strengths: his empathy with children’s crushes and fears, his insight into the telepathic-seeming emotional hothouse of a small, isolated family and his ability to summon dread out of plain and familiar things.”
— New York Times -
“Drenched in sadness, mortality, regret, and finally absolution. This is wonderful fiction.”
— Entertainment Weekly -
“These five stories weave perfectly into each other; reading them as a whole lets one find a completeness that cannot be found by reading them one by one. As the lives of the characters unfold, one begins to finally understand what it might have been like to get sucked into the black maelstrom that was Vietnam—and what it might have been like to escape back into the light again.”
— The Tech -
“Hearts in Atlantis is the Great American Baby Boomer novel…I’m pleased, and I have to admit, even a little surprised, that an author such as King with so many books already under his belt, can still surpass himself the way he has here.”
— Charles de Lint, author of The Onion Girl
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
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A 1999 Bram Stoker Award Nominee
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A USA Today bestseller
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Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award
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A 2000 World Fantasy Award Nominee
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A 2000 British Fantasy Award Nominee
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A 2000 Locus Award Nominee
Hearts In Atlantis Listener Reviews
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" I am a huge Stephen King fan. But, I am also the kind of person that re-reads the same book over and over again. I finally broke my habit and tried something "new to me" by Stephen King. I am so happy that I did! This is an amazing collection of short stories that are all intertwined in small ways to each other, and to the Dark Tower series. The first story, Low Men in Yellow Coats, was my favourite, likely because it was most connected with the Dark Tower series. I couldn't put it down! If you have not read this book yet, you should! "
— April, 11/23/2018 -
" This book, steeped in the culture of the '70s is a wonderful meditation on loss and growing up. The inter-connected stories spring from entirely different genres and may at first seem disjointed, but I found that at the end of the book I felt as though I had lived through something special. As an added bonus, this book has the most poignant and realistic description of an adolescent first kiss that I have ever read. "
— Jake, 2/17/2014 -
" "Hearts in Atlantis" was how honest it felt - not only the writing but also the story as well as the characters. I have loved the works of Stpehen King for a long time and am excited to see him start to move away from the horror genre into something that is altogether new and exciting. Stephen King has proved time and time again that he has mastered the world of the macabre and now demonstrates that he can also write literature. His skill in this new forum is definitely evolving, beginning with 'The Green Mile' series and progressing up to and including his most recent. Many people who have read this book have stated how wonderful it is and that it is a book you get lost in... feeling the same, I would definitely recommend this book to any person, whether they were a Stephen King fan or not. "
— Jan, 1/26/2014 -
" This was a good read.. but I remember being disappointed in the ending.. "
— Tracy, 1/19/2014 -
" At first, thought it was going to be the old Stephen King formula of books that really are intriguing, and then get too crazy with supernatural madness. But this one righted itself after the first story with the following 3 all tying nicely. The interconnectedness of the characters and the different time periods made for an interesting journey through the lives of the characters. Made you really reflect on your own life. I think those older to have lived through the 60's would appreciate more but even younger people can still enjoy this novel. "
— Marc, 1/8/2014 -
" This was a charming book until about half way through and then..........well, let's just say it becomes more truly a Kind novel. It's intersting that the movie version basically just stuck with the charming half. Clearly I wasn't the only one bothered by the book's second half. "
— Jackie, 1/1/2014 -
" Interesting the way the stories are intertwined. "
— Mari, 12/24/2013 -
" I think this is the only Stephen King book that made me cry. "
— Sarah, 11/26/2013 -
" It was a very good book i enjoyed it alot! "
— Aj, 11/9/2013 -
" My favorite of all the Stephen King books I've read (so far). I rad it in a single sitting - I simply could not put it down. "
— Darrel, 9/27/2013 -
" The book was way cooler than the movie. "
— Carfet, 8/1/2013 -
" Terrible language, excellent writing, interesting story "
— Kristen, 10/22/2012 -
" More great short stories!! Low Men in Yellow Coats was my favorite. "
— Scott, 8/30/2012 -
" Loved this book! By far my favourite from Stephen king! :) "
— Tayia, 2/26/2012 -
" I only found one of these stories interesting. "
— Robin, 9/22/2011 -
" King is always a good read. This one is interesting. He again takes something that one would not find spooky....adolescence in a small New England town...and manages to do so. "
— Nick, 9/18/2011 -
" this was one of my favorites of his newer books.. "
— Missy, 8/17/2011 -
" Even in seemingly ordinary situations you get the surreal. The low men in the yellow coats...who or what it that in your life? "
— Gina, 8/14/2011 -
" One of my favorite King novels. "
— Denise, 8/9/2011 -
" Even in seemingly ordinary situations you get the surreal. The low men in the yellow coats...who or what it that in your life? "
— Gina, 5/22/2011 -
" The first half of this book was AMAZING...the second half made you wonder a bit.... "
— Jamie, 5/18/2011 -
" I only have one word for this book... Fantastic "
— Jennifer, 5/15/2011 -
" I got hooked on the first story and read a lot. I was disappointed at how loosely the three stories were related. I wanted the last two stories to tie into the first. The first was by far the best. "
— Jake, 5/6/2011 -
" Hearts in Atlantis is comprises of five pieces - two novellas and three shorts - all interlinked. Ranging from the early sixties, through vietnam (from the home perspective and military), to the end of the millennium. Poignant and thought-provoking stuff, and not at all what I expected. "
— John, 4/26/2011 -
" Ok, i give this book three stars because about a third of the book is very good. Then i just lost interest in the stories that followed the first one. I have never really been a Stephen King fan, so no one should really take my word on this book. "
— Adam, 4/22/2011 -
" The first story was so interesting and I could not really get into the others. I dont think they tied together so meaningfully. Not my favorite King novel. "
— Mandi, 4/19/2011 -
" This book takes a much different pace than King's other books, but it is one of my favorites. Ever the king of suspense, somehow he mixes terror and a heartwarming tale together here. "
— Meredith, 3/28/2011 -
" A bit hard to follow at times, but good King! "
— Nancy, 3/25/2011 -
" This is by far the best Stephen King book I've read. I don't understand why they didn't make a better movie out of it but the book is exceptional and a must for fans. "
— Andy, 3/18/2011 -
" I absolutely loved this book. It is a must read! "
— Britni, 3/13/2011
About Stephen King
Stephen King has written more than sixty books, many hitting the #1 spot on the New York Times bestsellers list. He has won the World Fantasy Award, several Bram Stoker Awards, and the O. Henry Award for his story “The Man in the Black Suit.” He is the 2003 recipient of the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, and in 2007 he received the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America. His epic works The Dark Tower and It are the basis for major motion pictures.
About Stephen King
William Hurt (1950-2022) was an actor of stage and film and an Earphones Award-winning narrator. His many films include A History of Violence, The Village, Body Heat, The Big Chill, Sunshine, Smoke Eyewitness, Broadcast News, and Children of a Lesser God, as well as his Academy Award-winning role in Kiss of the Spiderwoman. His stage credits include Henry V, Hamlet, Richard II, HurlyBurly, and My Life.