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The Color of Lightning Audiobook
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(3.04) - 519 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
“Meticulously researched and beautifully crafted.... This is glorious work.” — Washington Post
“A gripping, deeply relevant book.” — New York Times Book Review
From Paulette Jiles, author of the critically acclaimed New York Times bestsellers Enemy Women and Stormy Weather, comes a stirring work of fiction set on the untamed Texas frontier in the aftermath of the Civil War. One of only twelve books longlisted for the 2009 Scotiabank Giller Prize—one of Canada’s most prestigious literary awards—The Color of Lightning is a beautifully rendered and unforgettable re-examination of one of the darkest periods in U.S. history.
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"In this book, Paulette Jiles opened my eyes to what it was like for the Indians during the period following the Civil War and actually during the whole period when the government was trying to resettle them. I had,up to this time, heard more about what the Indians did to the settlers who came to their land. Jiles does share accounts of the atrocities visited on the white settlers by the Indians in this area of Texas. However we also see the Indian side and for me anyway this was enlightening. I don't know how the whole Indian situation could have been handled better but surely there must have been some way. This is a book worth reading and thinking about."
— Mary (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Jack Garrett’s performance is stellar. Three different races—men, women, and children—come vividly to life, their personalities distinct even though their stories are separated from ours by more than a century. It’s a sweeping tale, never dry or fact-bound, and Garrett’s sympathetic attention and unflagging skill are a perfect match for Jiles’s marvelous invention. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile -
“A gripping, deeply relevant book.”
— New York Times Book Review -
“[A] meticulously researched and beautifully crafted story…this is glorious work.”
— Washington Post -
“Jiles colors… historical facts in prose that captures the imagination, allowing her audience to understand the diverse cultures struggling to coexist in this seemingly harsh land.”
— Historical Novels Review -
“Jiles writes like she owns the frontier, and in this multifaceted, riveting and full of danger novel, she does.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Jiles never reduces her cast of characters to stock stereotypes, tackling a traumatic and tragic episode in American history with sensitivity and assurance.”
— Booklist -
“A potent, harrowing story about real people with that genuine heroism….Jiles writes with an unerring poet’s touch.”
— Dallas Morning News
Awards
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Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award, July 2009
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Scotiabank Giller Prize
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An Indie Next List Selection
The Color of Lightning Listener Reviews
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" Fascinating story of a newly-freed black family that moves to Texas in 1863. It's based on a real family. The wife and two children are kidnapped by Native Americans, and the husband rescues them 8 months later. The author does a fantastic job of exploring the moral ambiguities in the relationship between settlers (especially black settlers since their ancestors were brought to the U.S. against their will) and Native Americans. Now I am interested in her other books as well. "
— Jennifer, 2/16/2014 -
" If you like historical fiction this is a must read. It is based on a true story of the wild and wooly early frontier days in Texas. "
— Candace, 1/31/2014 -
" About the 'wild west'. Not my favorite type of fiction. But a few pages in, was completely hooked. "
— renukar, 1/30/2014 -
" An interesting story about strife among blacks, whites, and Indian tribes in post-Civil War Texas marred by uneven writing, sentence fragments, and abrupt transitions between scenes. "
— Valerie, 1/29/2014 -
" Jiles did a good job of bringing to life some lesser-known people and events from that part of American history. Read the full review. "
— Lynn, 1/20/2014 -
" Rich in texture, a vivid portrayal of the settling of Texas after the Civil War. Jiles seemlessly weaves together the sensibilities of three cultures, Comanche-Kiowa, Southern white and Southern black with insight from a Northern peace-keeping perspective provided by a Quaker Indian agent and a reporter. It's a beautiful telling and amazing in its ability to let us see so much. "
— Sharon, 1/6/2014 -
" Great fictional account of a true story. "
— Terry, 1/4/2014 -
" Couldn't get into this one. "
— Karin, 12/31/2013 -
" I really enjoyed the author's style of writing and the story line was compelling enough. For me, more insights into the plight of the Native-Americans and those who chose to live on their lands. "
— Irene, 12/24/2013 -
" Honest fictional account of an historical period mostly unknown to us, namely the African American experience in Texas following the Civil War and the struggle with Native Americans. Hard to read in places due to explicit violence. Very non-judgmental. "
— LisaB, 12/19/2013 -
" Was interested in the book, knowing that the main character, was someone who actually did some of the things descripted in the story. Know Paulette Jiles worked hard, to piece this story together, wanted to give it, the respect and time it deserved. "
— Sam, 12/11/2013
About Paulette Jiles
Paulette Jiles is an author whose books have been an Oprah Pick, a Washington Post Best Book of the Year, and nominated for the National Book Award.
About Jack Garrett
Jack Garrett’s voice is immediately recognizable from his work in commercials and as a personality on radio stations in the West and Southwest. In addition to guest appearances on television, he has performed in dozens of theater productions on regional and New York stages, including Guys and Dolls, Hallelujah Breakdown, Prelude to a Kiss, Cast a Spell, and Bongo Fever.