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The Emperor of Ocean Park Audiobook
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(3.00) - 3,458 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
In his triumphant fictional debut, Stephen Carter combines a large-scale, riveting novel of suspense with the saga of a unique family. The Emperor of Ocean Park is set in two privileged worlds: the upper crust African American society of the Eastern seabord—families who summer at Martha’s Vineyard—and the inner circle of an Ivy League law school. Talcott Garland is a successful law professor, devoted father, and husband of a beautiful and ambitious woman, whose future desires may threaten the family he holds so dear. When Talcott’s father, Judge Oliver Garland, a disgraced former Supreme Court nominee, is found dead under suspicioius circumstances, Talcott wonders if he may have been murdered. Guided by the elements of a mysterious puzzle that his father left, Talcott must risk his marriage, his career and even his life in his quest for justice. Superbly written and filled with memorable characters, The Emperor of Ocean Park is both a stunning literary achievement and a grand literary entertainment.
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"So far I like this book because it combines several genres that I like: contemporary fiction, academic fiction, and murder mystery. I've only read about 30 pages but it has already drawn me in. Now I've finished it. I liked it a lot, though it slowed down in the middle but picked up in the end. Reminds me of my days teaching law in New Haven and vacationing on the Vineyard..."
— Janice (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“The Emperor of Ocean Park is a delightful, sprawling, gracefully written, imaginative work, with sharply delineated characters who dwell in a fully realized narrative world…Carter deserves comparison with such successful practitioners of the crime novel as Scott Turow.”
— New York Review of Books -
“Among the most remarkable fiction debuts in recent years…[The Emperor of Ocean Park] is full of musing about God, family, chess, the politics of Supreme Court appointments, loyalty, unhappy marriage, the media, depression, race, and academic infighting…[Carter] is a scholar and a lawyerly commentator who has penned a rip-roaring entertainment.”
— Boston Globe -
“The Emperor of Ocean Park is an intricately plotted work…A novel that is both thriller and commentary on American racial relations.”
— Newsday -
“[A] fiercely intelligent and original work…Carter explores an astounding variety of subjects with the depth and delicacy.”
— Miami Herald -
“Yes, this combination mystery/social commentary/thoughtful introspection is long. But the characters are masterfully developed, and its gripping story, elegant writing, and skillful illumination of a segment of society that has been notably absent from popular fiction more than justify its [length]. The Emperor of Ocean Park is an outstanding work of fiction worth every penny.”
— Sunday Star-Ledger -
“Stephen L. Carter’s debut novel, The Emperor of Ocean Park, is a marvel: a deeply satisfying thriller that is as careful with character as it is with conspiracy.”
— Contra Costa Times -
“More le Carré than Grisham…A vivid, twisty puzzle of deceit and social commentary.”
— People -
“[The Emperor of Ocean Park] is…one of the most discussed books of the year. It provides insight into the world of the African-American haute bourgeoisie…and does so with a sophistication and elegance of language.”
— Globe and Mail (Toronto) -
“Carter does for members of the contemporary black upper-class what Henry James did for Washington Square society, taking us into their drawing rooms and laying their motives bare.”
— Time Out New York -
“The Emperor of Ocean Park is, in a word, a humdinger.”
— Fortune -
“Like Scott Turow’s Presumed Innocent it transports [you] into a different world and creates characters that resonate long after you finish it.”
— USA Today -
“This first-rate legal thriller, which touches electrically on our sexual, racial, and religious anxieties, will be the talk of the political in-crowd.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“A melodrama with brains and heart to match its killer plot.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review) -
“Fascinating…[A] suspenseful tale of ambition, revenge, and the power of familial obligations…An elegantly nuanced novel, with finely drawn characters, a challenging plot, and perfect pacing.”
— Booklist -
“[A] complex literary thriller. Carter deftly weaves together several strands, from the relationships of father and sons and husbands and wives to the politics of the Nixon and Reagan eras.”
— BookPage
Awards
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Winner for the 2003 Anisfield-Wolf Book Prize
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New York Times Book Review 100 Notable Books, 2002
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A New York Times bestseller
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A 2002 Los Angeles Times Book Prize Nominee for Mystery/Thriller
The Emperor of Ocean Park Listener Reviews
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" A fun read but it dragged in places. Lots of characters that keep popping up and I needed to be reminded who they were. Fortunately the author did. It is an interesting look at the east coast black upper-middle class and at university politics. "
— itpdx, 2/19/2014 -
" A smart, engaging novel. While it's a mystery, this book's strengths lie in narration and character development. It was nice to read a book with an African-American as a normal protagonist (i.e. no condescension or pedestal). I was amused by the portrayal of legal academics grasping to get ahead at a thinly-disguised Yale Law School. I'm looking forward to Carter's next fictional work. "
— Celia, 1/27/2014 -
" I found all of Stephen L. Carter's books to be very good. The characters are richly drawn and Carter is a terrific writer. I wish he would write more! "
— Shoehn, 1/17/2014 -
" A truly excellent read, by my hands down African American writer and one of our best. "
— Gene, 1/16/2014 -
" a mystery wrapped with race, economics and politics...very nice "
— Olivia, 1/12/2014 -
" long and melancholy novel written from the point of view of the son of a Great Black Conservative. Are liberals little more than time/place reactionarie to human nature? "
— Thomas, 1/9/2014 -
" took forever to go nowhere. by the time anything happened, i didn't really care. I think i finished it out of spite. "
— Adam, 1/9/2014 -
" Good thriller/beach read. He has a new one out that Id like to read. "
— Mary, 1/3/2014 -
" This was a great book written by an ivy league professor (his first foray into fiction) and it's pageturner. It's based in Washington, D.C. and New England areas. About a man's father, a judge, who is murdered and leaves clues to a mystery that he knew only his son could solve, to find his killer. "
— Leticia, 12/31/2013 -
" Strong characterization, good language! Author used the fact that the lead character knew information that the reader didn't, so when the author something that meant something to him, the reader is not always aware of the fact till later. "
— Jim, 12/13/2013 -
" Audio book (abridged version). Good writing and a good little mystery. "
— Wendy, 12/7/2013 -
" This slowly unraveling, multi-layered mystery kept my attention, with an interesting dose of sociological commentary. 4 stars vs. 5 only because this 600+ page novel could have benefited from a healthier dose of editing. "
— Brooke, 12/1/2013 -
" Entertaining with subtle but intriguing characters! "
— Erica, 10/25/2013 -
" I liked this book, but at points I just wanted to get done with it. A little disappointed in the ending. "
— Cindi, 4/2/2013 -
" A good book, twists that surprised me and kept me interested! It was a race to finish it in a week for book club, but I made it (with 3 hours to spare!)! "
— Katie, 2/26/2013 -
" Aside from an amazing sub-plot that explored the families dynamics, this was truly one of the best contemporary books I have read. I recommend it to all of my literary loving friends and those who normally don't read with an accompanying thesaurus and dictionary. "
— Gina, 12/14/2012 -
" This book was a piece of crap!! The main character is such a wimp that I wanted someone actually to kill him. That would have been the best thing about the book. "
— Terrie, 10/13/2012 -
" I'm not usually one for suspense but this book kept my interest because of how well the characters were done. "
— Damon, 10/7/2012 -
" I could not finish this book. I read 250 pages but could not get into it. I have heard it is a good book but... boring to me. "
— Amerydbaker, 3/29/2012 -
" I thought the book was a bit wordy, then the author would mention something pertinent to draw me back in. "
— Teresa, 2/6/2012 -
" good for MV vacation reading "
— Karina, 10/29/2011 -
" It was a mystery novel. Was okay. "
— Sherry, 10/7/2011 -
" A good read. A little slow at the beginning but gets better from the half way point. Well written with a twist for the ending. Would recommend for yhose whose like Grissom but not as fast paced. "
— Terry, 8/3/2011 -
" I found myself reading this until 4am in order to finish it. "
— Erin, 5/8/2011 -
" A bit long-winded at over 800 pages, but an entertaining read nevertheless. "
— Karen, 5/8/2011 -
" A good book, twists that surprised me and kept me interested! It was a race to finish it in a week for book club, but I made it (with 3 hours to spare!)! "
— Katie, 3/12/2011 -
" An extremely well written thriller. Highly recommended. "
— Aj, 3/4/2011 -
" 57th: THE EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK by Stephen L. Carter<br/>Trivia Winner - Sally<br/><br/>~COVE OPINION: B, Great story "
— The, 2/11/2011 -
" While a bit too long on description, and the pessimism of the protagonist, the plot thickens and does keep your interest. An intricate story with lots of characters to keep track of, but worth the effort. "
— Christine, 2/3/2011 -
" Very interesting. I will check out for more by this author. "
— Martha, 1/30/2011 -
" This book was a piece of crap!! The main character is such a wimp that I wanted someone actually to kill him. That would have been the best thing about the book. "
— Terrie, 1/21/2011 -
" Good, but I felt it was too long. "
— Karen, 1/3/2011 -
" Carter has good instincts for language and suspense, but is way too verbose. This book would have been better had it been 200+ pages shorter. "
— Kellyann, 12/15/2010 -
" a simple thriller / whodunnit that takes an age to get anywhere. so damn slow. good once you've read it but the pace is almost painfull "
— Sandyboy, 12/10/2010 -
" Big book, took a while to get into it, but once I did it was hard to put down. "
— Charles, 12/1/2010 -
" A very cleaver Who Done it fiction...<br/>Very well written... "
— J., 11/28/2010
About Stephen L. Carter
Stephen L. Carter is the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Law at Yale, where he has taught for more than thirty years. He is also the author of seven acclaimed works of nonfiction and five bestselling novels. He has published dozens of articles in law reviews and many op-ed columns in the nation’s leading newspapers. He appears frequently on radio and television.
About Richard Allen
Richard Allen is an accomplished and respected theatrical actor whose work includes Ragtime and PBS’ Great Performances: Play On! His voice can be heard on numerous television and radio productions, as well as the animated series Jumanji. Allen is also the winner of seven AudioFile Earphones Awards.