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The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter Audiobook
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(3.00) - 37,416 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
The beloved classic that turned Carson McCullers into an overnight literary sensation and one of the Modern Library's top 20 novels of the 20th century.
“A remarkable book…From the opening page, brilliant in its establishment of mood, character, and suspense, the book takes hold of the reader.”
In a Georgia Mill town during the 1930s, an enigmatic John Singer, draws out the haunted confessions of an itinerant worker, a doctor, a widowed café owner, and a young girl. Each yearns for escape from small town life, but the young girl, Mick Kelly, the book's heroine (loosely based on McCullers), finds solace in her music.
Wonderfully attuned to the spiritual isolation that underlies the human condition, and with a deft sense for racial tensions in the South, McCullers spins a haunting, unforgettable story that gives voice to the rejected, the forgotten, and the mistreated—and, through Mick, gives voice to the quiet, intensely personal search for beauty.
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"I read Ballad of the Sad Cafe for a class once and liked it. I've been meaning to read this book for ages and now that I have.. Well, it's a great book. Not because the author wrote it when she was twenty-three, although that is amazing. Atmospherically it reminds me a little of (the later-written) Kent Haruf's Plainsong/Eventide, which I loved. It's depressing and there are a few rants by the character where my eyes glazed over. Closer to 3.5 stars though, it's not a reread book for me and most of my four star+ are. Just.. It's a great book, has great characters and not so great characters (I loved the doctor and the girl) but it just doesn't quite fall into love category for me. Exactly what I was hoping to read regardless though (trying to read more literary stuff again)."
— Trish (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Sensitively conceived and expertly told…Its quality as writing and the intensity of its theme combine to make it one of the outstanding novels of recent years.”
— New Orleans Times-Picayune -
“The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter is a miracle of compassion, pity, and irony. Form and matter are perfectly blended in the novel.”
— Virginia Quarterly Review -
“One cannot help remarking that this is an extraordinary novel to have been written by a young woman of twenty-two; but the more important fact is that it is an extraordinary novel in its own right, considerations of authorship apart.”
— Saturday Review of Literature -
“When one puts [this book] down, it is with…a feeling of having been nourished by the truth.”
— May Sarton -
“To me the most impressive aspect of The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter is the astonishing humanity that enables a white writer, for the first time in Southern fiction, to handle Negro characters with as much ease and justice as those of her own race.”
— Richard Wright
Awards
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One ofModern Library‘s 100 Best English-Language Novels of the Twentieth Century
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AnOprah’s Book Club Selection in 2004
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ANew York Times bestseller
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One of Time Magazine's Best 100 English-Language Novels from 1923–2005
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A New York Public Library Staff Pick of Favorite Books of the Last 125 Years
The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter Listener Reviews
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" I can see why this has become a classic. Incredibly prescient and ruminative political tract (thinly veiled as a story about actual people). I couldn't help but wonder if Ayn Rand was one of her literary influences, despite their opposite political views. However -- and as with Ayn Rand -- CMC could've used an editor here and there... It was kind of all over the place and rambled. "
— Kama, 2/17/2014 -
" My new favorite. Such a beautifully written book. "
— Christine, 2/4/2014 -
" What did I think? After finishing the book, I looked at the book and thought WHAT? It was a strange book. Makes me wonder what the movie is like. "
— BC, 1/24/2014 -
" A story to touch your heart on many levels. "
— Rhod, 1/15/2014 -
" McCullers has a gift for character development and description. True to the genre of literary fiction, the plot is character-driven, although somewhat of a downer. For me, the value of this novel lies in superb writing and I recommend it to anyone who relishes beautifully penned work, especially writers who are looking to hone their own skills. Be aware: it is not a feel-good read. "
— Victoria, 12/15/2013 -
" A lovely, yet depressing book about several very different yet interconnected characters, all touched by one selfless, mute man. A must-read. "
— Seth, 12/5/2013 -
" I think this is one of my all-time favorite books ever. And that's saying something 'cause I read a lot of good books. I just find myself in these characters over and over again. It's worth re-reading every few years. It'll still be a story of you and the people you know. "
— Barb, 12/2/2013 -
" Written in 1940, it tells the story of a mute who lived in a small southern town and how he touched the lives of a diverse group of people. His quiet listening and acceptance of others made him well loved. The characters growth and introspection was also told with convincing beautiful writing. "
— MaryAnn, 11/20/2013 -
" All the characters in the book were so damaged. i found it depressing. "
— Rebekkila, 8/12/2013 -
" A bit depressing but very interesting characters. "
— Matt, 7/26/2013 -
" I can see why it's one I have heard of before. It does bring up a lot of questions on the different types of companionship and the effect/depth they have. "
— Janelle, 4/26/2013 -
" This has been a favorite of mine since high school. I've read it a few times since then. Simple, and beautifully written. "
— Tony, 4/9/2013 -
" Haunting, beautiful, painfully real. In my opinion the most underrated work of American fiction, by a large margin. "
— Hauke, 4/5/2013 -
" I don't understand the hype??? "
— AliceinWonderland, 3/24/2013 -
" Started out very interesting but after 60 pages Ihave no idea what the story is. I just can't get into it. decided to go on to better (hopefully!) books! "
— Kersten, 11/3/2012 -
" i have never read a book so poorly written with as much charecter jumping as this. the depressing charecters, tiring dialog, and forgettable moments put it near the top of my "Must Burn" list "
— Tylerhuff, 8/28/2012 -
" Beautiful and immensely sad at the same time. "
— Hanna, 6/6/2012 -
" Great demonstration of the different types of love. "
— Jennah, 5/21/2012 -
" So good. It broke my heart. "
— Erica, 4/26/2012 -
" A story about man's struggle against social isolation. I really enjoyed it. "
— Cwbest, 6/30/2011 -
" An amazing ending, I totally agree with it. The characters are superb, in an odd twisting way, everyone should be exposed to the truths within this book. "
— Esther, 6/21/2011 -
" Oh yeah, my type of novel - bleak, despairing, and ultimately hopeful. "
— Baxter, 6/18/2011 -
" the impossibility of knowing another person. "
— Jason, 6/14/2011 -
" CM was a certifiable genius if she wrote this at such a young age. I read this <br/>for an English class in college(I think). Date read is a guess. The movie's <br/>pretty good too. "
— Chris, 6/14/2011 -
" I got nothing our of this book. I feel like I must have missed soemthing after reading everyone else's rave reviews. I will try to re-read it in a few months "
— Sandie, 6/13/2011 -
" Restrained,astute, beautiful. Wise beyond her years and years ahead of her time. "
— Michelle, 6/9/2011
About Carson McCullers
Carson McCullers (1917–1967) was the author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction, including The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, The Member of the Wedding, Reflections in a Golden Eye, and Clock without Hands. Born in Columbus, Georgia, she became a promising pianist and enrolled in the Juilliard School of Music in New York when she was seventeen, but lacking money for tuition, she never attended classes. Instead she studied writing at Columbia University, which ultimately led to The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, the novel that made her an overnight literary sensation.
About Cherry Jones
Cherry Jones is an Earphones Award-winning audiobook narrator who has won an AudioFile Earphones Award and twice been a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for best narration, in 2001 and 2005. She is also well known as a premiere theater actress and winner of a Tony Award. She has acted in numerous television shows, and her film roles include Erin Brockovich, The Perfect Storm, and M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs.