From Dennis Lehane, New York Times bestselling author of Mystic River and Shutter Island, comes the paperback edition of The Given Day, an unflinching family epic that captures the political unrest of a nation caught between a well-patterned past and an unpredictable future. This beautifully written novel of American history tells the story of two families—one black, one white—swept up in a maelstrom of revolutionaries and anarchists, immigrants and ward bosses, Brahmins and ordinary citizens, all engaged in a battle for survival and power at the end of World War I.
Download and start listening now!
"I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was about the early 1900's in Boston; i.e., Babe Ruth's Boston days, the Plague, the Boston Police strike, the early start of the unions, prohibition, Italian North end, the Irish, etc. The characters were intriguing and very real. I recommend it. "
— Kate (4 out of 5 stars)
“[A] massive, enormously readable new novel…A huge leap forward for Lehane.”
— New York Times Book Review“Passionate and powerful.”
— Chicago Tribune“This may be Lehane’s finest work.”
— USA Today“In a splendid flowering of the talent previously demonstrated in his crime fiction…a vision of redemption and a triumph of the human spirit. In short, this nail-biter carries serious moral gravity.”
— Publishers Weekly“Dennis Lehane’s epic story of one family in post-WWI Boston is truly a massive achievement…Narrator Michael Boatman delivers a solid performance filled with the rich elements of the story itself—layered characters, moving dialogue, and a powerful message.”
— AudioFile" This was a fascinating read. Pretty historically accurate. I'd put it in the class with Ken Follett's "The Pillars of the Earth" and "World without End." "
— Charlie, 2/17/2014" Once again Dennis Lehane comes through. "
— Leslie, 2/16/2014" Not Lehane's usual gritty drama/mystery genre but a really gripping historical fiction with great characters. "
— Joanne, 2/5/2014" As always, Lehane's skill with dialogue lifts this tale of Boston's working class from melodrama to a high stakes story of good vs evil. Nora's undoing is worthy of Henry James. "
— Irene, 2/3/2014" This book provided compelling characters in a compelling time in history but the interactions with historical figures and events seemed forced. The actual writing was elegant at times, but I somehow felt the author was winking at me about the improbable coincidences and intersections a little too hard. And for all that violence, not to give anything away, but the end seemed like a tightly wound happy pill that was awfully tough to swallow. It was a not nearly as good attempt at Ragtime. "
— Leah, 1/19/2014" good time period read but not captivating enough to make a page turner. took time to get through "
— Dona, 1/18/2014" My first Lehane book. It was very good. I will look for more of his books. "
— Linda, 1/13/2014" A very good historical fiction novel based in Boston in 1919. Lehane's characters are always so well-thought out though his stories get a little overdrawn. "
— Ally, 12/19/2013" Great book - highly recommend! "
— Della, 12/17/2013" I enjoyed the characters and the history. The storyline got a little too political and slow. "
— Abby, 12/16/2013" I loved it. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time, and I hated to finish it. It's a long one--700 pages--but well-worth it. "
— Kelley, 12/11/2013" Absolutely awesome! Did not want it to end. "
— Jenene, 12/4/2013" Honestly, one of the greatest books I've ever read "
— Ben, 11/13/2013" Damn fine read. The babe Ruth stuff is priceless. And that game at the beginning against Luther and his team is some of the best baseball writing ever. Beyond that it's a tough story, and great history. "
— Tom, 10/27/2013" Pretty much a clinic on how to keep the reader engaged through multiple points of view and overlapping story lines. "
— Ed, 4/26/2013" Epic, thrilling, captivating and intelligent . "
— Red, 1/31/2013" Did not like it at all. Couldn't get past the first quarter. "
— Carol, 10/14/2012" Great if you're a fan of historical fiction! "
— Hayley, 9/27/2012" good but the last 100 pages or so were weak "
— David, 2/1/2012" By far Lehane's best work...I am a fan of historical fiction and this book is done in a manner that is commendable. "
— Tim, 12/9/2011" It was a bit slow at times and I didn't really care for the chapters that centered on Babe Ruth. But it had good character development and was an interesting story overall. Good pick Camy! "
— Desiree, 11/17/2011" Very good read - twists and turns - and touches on many things in Boston around 1920's. Keeps you reading away. Enjoyed it! "
— Marie, 10/6/2011" Good, but not as engaging as some of his other books. Lots of great historical references though. "
— Nicole, 7/3/2011" I just love the way this guy writes! "
— Betsy, 5/21/2011" Fiction and non fiction come together in this novel, hope Lehane will write more books like this. "
— Maarten, 5/17/2011" Too much going on in this book. The story is really about an irish police man and a black man who comes to Boston. Their stories are engaging. Why Babe Ruth is given so much ink is beyound me. It was easy to read this but I thought it was a poorly composed story. "
— Kristin, 5/7/2011" It's not the kind of book that makes me want to read it without stopping, but when reading it a chapter or two at a time it's pretty interesting. It made me reflect on a lot of issues, including racism, family, courage and real life where what is meant well doesn't always end well. "
— Kaylol, 4/30/2011" Completely different from his previous books and much broader in scope, this should win Lehane new legions of fans. So much history about Boston race and labor issues and yet it's so much more than that. Great characters and great situations. "
— Jeanne, 4/19/2011" "What a wonderful story. Everyone to whom I have recommended this book has enjoyed it. Really-read it!" "
— Deb, 4/18/2011" What a wonderful story. Everyone to whom I have recommended this book has enjoyed it. Really-read it! "
— Deb, 4/17/2011Dennis Lehane is the author of numerous novels, including several New York Times bestsellers, as well as a collection of short stories and a play. Mystic River was a finalist for the PEN/Winship Award, and it won the Anthony Award, the Barry Award for Best Novel, and the Massachusetts Book Award in Fiction, given by the Massachusetts Center for the Book.
Michael Boatman is an Earphones Award–winning narrator and twice winner of the prestigious Audie Award for narration. He is a versatile television, film, and stage actor whose work on the hit TV show Spin City garnered him a GLAAD Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and nominations for two NAACP Image Awards. For his work playing Stanley Babson on the long-running HBO series ARLI$$, he was nominated five times for the Image Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.