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Liberating Paris: One town. Six friends. And the year that changed them forever. Audiobook
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(3.06) - 427 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
The bestselling debut novel by the creator of TV's "Designing Women" now comes to audio. Bloodworth Thomason pens the story of six friends on the verge of middle age who must come to terms with the past in order to claim the future for themselves and their children. Woodrow McIlmore is leading the perfect life in Paris, Arkansas: married to his high school sweetheart, he has two wonderful children and a warm circle of family and friends. When Wood's daughter announces that she wants to marry a college classmate, Wood is stunned. But that's just the tip of the iceberg - her intended is the son of the woman who left Wood twenty years earlier, the free-spirited Duff. And so begins a tumultuous year in Paris, as Duff returns and familiar sparks fly with her old flame. Their rekindled passion affects not only Wood and Duff but also their good friends, as they must now all decide what in their lives is worth keeping and what needs to be thrown away.
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"This is one of those novels that I get sucked into and immediately feel a part of. This type of read always entertains me, but it drains me emotionally, too. These kinds of books all have essentially the same theme: relationships are the most important things in our lives and our lives are short."
— Laurie (5 out of 5 stars)
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“If you believe that all the sexy, interesting, and hip people live only in New York or LA, then you need to read this book. In Liberating Paris, Linda Bloodworth Thomason hilariously succeeds in debunking that misguided notion once and for all, while introducing us to a cast of characters you will not soon forget. Her writing is passionate, intelligent, and witty, a winning combination that not only touches your heart, but just might change your mind.”
— Fannie Flagg, author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café -
“Liberating Paris is a seamless work of fiction about the contemporary South deconstructing itself. It can stand with the very best of novels out of this strange country. Thomason’s people are, like this hybrid South itself, cantankerous, vulnerable, deeply affecting, wonderfully funny, and totally unforgettable. And her prose is so springwater clear and fine that it made me stop and take a deep breath many times over. Hurrah for Linda Bloodworth Thomason. Writing well is the best revenge.”
— Anne Rivers Siddons, New York Times bestselling author -
“Thomason’s novel is engaging and heartwarming, with down-to-earth humor and emotionally charged drama…[A] first-rate debut.”
— RT Book Reviews (4½ stars, Top Pick!) -
“Splendid, often hilarious…A thicket of sideplots—including the unwelcome arrival of a chain discount megastore, Mavis’ quest to find a sperm donor, and Brundidge’s long-distance romance with a New Yorker—give the novel a rich, layered feel. Poignant, welcoming, and warmly funny, this is an irresistible page-turner.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“[Thomason] brings her trademark talent for combining humor with humility, intelligence with insouciance, to a sparkling debut novel that chronicles one exceptional year for a circle of longtime friends…Thomason excels at creating larger-than-life yet down-to-earth characters, endowing them with endearing flaws, enriching wisdom, and ennobling courage.”
— Booklist
Liberating Paris Listener Reviews
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" I loved this book! Sure it's not incredibly deep, but it's both funny and heart warming. A really quick read that's difficult to put down. "
— Jenny, 2/16/2014 -
" a good read with several good chuckles. "
— Nan, 2/13/2014 -
" I really enjoyed this book - it was a little different than what I normally read... it was fun. "
— Annette, 1/28/2014 -
" Good book, but the ending is a bit strange/disappointing. "
— Lora, 1/19/2014 -
" This was a great book. Very readable. Didn't want to put it down. Compelling and complete - I appreciated how she tied up all the loose ends. I laughed, I cried. All in all, a wonderful book. "
— Kris, 1/17/2014 -
" A very fun, fast read. Made me rethink living in a city and consider what I may be missing in a small town. "
— Sarah, 1/16/2014 -
" Pretty good, great characters, interesting depiction of life in a small town. Loved the critique of "Fed-Mart" (Wal-Mart) culture, and the demise of small businesses. "
— Michele, 1/10/2014 -
" Boring, Boring, Boring. I only continued to read this for my book club. "
— Lorna, 1/6/2014 -
" Wonderful characters in this book. I loved it. "
— Lani, 12/20/2013 -
" As in Paris, Arkansas. Six friends living in the contemporary south . It was fun in a few places,but, hate to say, forgettable. "
— Christine, 11/27/2013 -
" Wonderful novel by the creator of "Designing Women"--story of six 40-year-old friends in Paris, Arkansas, and a year that changed all of their lives. "
— Marie, 11/19/2013 -
" Light, fun novel written by the creator of Designing Women. A typical southern novel, full of quirky characters. A great beach read. "
— Liz, 11/19/2013 -
" This was a great book about life in small town USA. Not a great plot but the characters were terrific. "
— Alta, 10/24/2013 -
" Read this over a weekend and I found that every time I put it down, I couldn't wait to pick it back up. I thought the characters and the plot were great. glad I wasn't discouraged by other reviews. "
— Leanna, 10/3/2013 -
" I love this book. In one word - "pathos." Such great characters. Words I savored. A great plot in the end which I didn't even care about. READ IT!!! You'll be glad you did. "
— Elizabeth, 7/14/2013 -
" This book is laugh out loud funny- I loved it. "
— Brooke, 6/16/2013 -
" I liked the characters in this book, but unfortunatly the author got preachy and ruined it for me in the end. "
— Deborah, 5/10/2013 -
" it's ok, saving judgement till I finish "
— Lara, 3/30/2013 -
" Excellent book about small town life. This is Paris, Arkansas after all! "
— Mrs., 3/9/2013 -
" Good book about a group of friends in the south. "
— Rachel, 1/4/2013 -
" Bloodworth Thomason spent years in television before writing a novel. I've liked that work, and she must be some kind of distant relation, although I don't know how. A warm, funny book about death-dealing big box stores and small towns. "
— Kaethe, 11/19/2011 -
" I had my doubts after chapter one but that quickly changed. I loved the characters and the all the love they had for each other. The characters were believable and situations realistic. "
— Shannon, 6/30/2011 -
" Typical story of a middle-aged man who reconnects with an old flame, realizes he still loves his wife, and she takes him back. Set in a small town with a core group of characters who have grown up together. Didn't keep my attention. "
— Vanessa, 6/24/2011 -
" The title refers to Paris, Arkansas, not Paris, France. The story reminded me of books by Fannie Flagg and other writers who bring small Southern towns to life. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is our book club's March selection. "
— Sandy, 5/23/2011 -
" I thought this book was witty,funny,clever,sad and really captured living in a small town. I laughed out loud so much that my husband wanted to read it. He enjoyed it also. When reading this book, you really felt like you got to know these characters. I would definitely read another book by LBT. "
— Sandy, 5/19/2011 -
" Contemporary southern fiction by creator of Designing Women and Evening Shade TV shows. Quirky characters that made me laugh. Listened in audio format. "
— Adrienne, 4/21/2011 -
" I really disliked this book to begin...really it took 150 pages to even care about the charaters. I finished the book simply for closure. If you like the designing women, cliche small southern town, charaters that are odd instead of interesting this book has it all. "
— Mary, 1/1/2011 -
" I felt there were some flaws to the plot of the story, but I loved the characters so much I didn't care about the weaknesses. "
— Dana, 11/25/2010 -
" Story about a group of 40 somethings who have grown up together in the small town of Paris, Arkansas. It was nice how they loved and have taken care of each other through the years. "
— Sue, 10/11/2010 -
" So far so good...an easy read, setting in Paris so that says it all! "
— Sharon, 9/27/2010 -
" If you liked Designing Women, you'll love this book. Set in a small town in the south, the book focuses on a group of friends that have always been friends. <br/>I laughed, I cried, I laughed some more. "
— Kelly, 4/26/2010 -
" <br/>Every Southern stereotype in the world is represented in this book. "
— Cheryl, 2/22/2010 -
" Love and hate; trust and betrayal; life and death; conventionality and unconventionality; conformity and defiance; friendship; family; walth and poverty; resiliance, values, morality. Good book. "
— Sharon, 1/28/2010 -
" Bloodworth Thomason spent years in television before writing a novel. I've liked that work, and she must be some kind of distant relation, although I don't know how. A warm, funny book about death-dealing big box stores and small towns. "
— Kaethe, 10/29/2009
About Cynthia Darlow
Cynthia Darlow’s unusual voice makes her devotion to the spoken arts a natural fit. As a narrator and veteran of Broadway, off-Broadway, regional theater, film, and television, her characterizations and facility with dialects are unforgettable. Her audiobook narrations have earned her seven AudioFile Earphones Awards. She is a member of The Actors Company Theatre (TACT), whose mission it is to present concert performances of long-neglected, language-driven plays.