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There But For The Audiobook
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(3.00) - 52 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
At a dinner party in the posh London suburb of Greenwich, Miles Garth suddenly leaves the table midway through the meal, locks himself in an upstairs room, and refuses to leave. An eclectic group of neighbors and friends slowly gathers around the house, and the story of Miles is one told from the points of view of four of them: a woman in her forties called Anna, a man in his sixties called Mark, a woman in her eighties called May, and a ten-year-old child called Brooke. The thing is . . . none of these people knows Miles anything more than glancingly. So how much is it possible to know about a stranger? And what are the consequences of even the most casual, most fleeting meetings we have every day with other human beings?
Brilliantly audacious, disarmingly playful, full of Smith’s trademark wit and puns, There But For The is a deft exploration of the human need for separation—from our pasts and from one another—and the redemptive possibilities for connections.
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"The writing had me mesmerized, and I enjoyed it a lot. However could have done without the final Brooke section! Augh!! I mean, I was already wary of whenever Brooke came on the scene and then to have the end just be endless Brooke was too much. But overall I liked it."
— Maya (4 out of 5 stars)
Awards
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A 2011 Publishers Weekly Top 10 Book for Fiction
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A 2011 Washington Post Notable Book for Fiction
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Longlisted for the 2012 Orange Prize for Fiction
There But For The Listener Reviews
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" I was very intrigued by the premise (man goes to a dinner party and in the middle of it locks himself in a room), but very disappointed that the man was barely a character in the book. I liked the first section, thinking that it would give clues as to why the man locked himself away, but it didn't lead anywhere. I found the rest of the book to be rambling and a bit boring. I just coldn't get into it. "
— Vicki, 2/8/2014 -
" I gave this one away as soon as I finished it. I would have enjoyed the book more if the author had tied all the story lines together at the end. "
— Casey, 2/5/2014 -
" I just could not get into this, which is a shame as I remember really enjoying 'the accidental' by Smith. As a previous reviewer pointed out this probably needs to be read in one sitting or the momentum is lost and it is in my view very difficult to pick up again. I didn't like the style of her writing in this, felt it was a bit clumsy and had a rushed feel to it...I'm a little perplexed as to why this book garnered so much attention when it came out. Oh well that's the joy of reading you discover what ya like and what you don't. Not for me. "
— Laura, 2/4/2014 -
" Gentle, warm, humourous tale. I was a wee bit thrown by the different perspectives and number of characters at times, but it all fell into place in the end. "
— Paul, 1/27/2014 -
" I liked the creative element of this novel, but I was disappointed to never find out why Milo stayed there. "
— Lindsay, 1/19/2014 -
" Really didn't enjoy it. Then realised it is the same author as Hotel World, which I really didn't enjoy either. A lot of not very funny/clever word-play, can't understand the hype on the back cover. "
— John, 1/19/2014 -
" It was strange. "
— Ann, 12/10/2013 -
" This was a struggle for me to get through. I even grew to dread reading it, and almost gave up. I think the theme (how one life impacts many) was just too weak to keep my interest. Of the 4 different narrators, the last one was my favorite, which enabled me to power through the end and finish it. "
— Liana, 12/9/2013 -
" I enjoyed it, but maybe it's better as a paper book, versus an audio book..... "
— Emma, 11/6/2013 -
" I love the way Smith uses words and loved the concept of the novel. I just didn't get into it as much as I thought I would. Definitely worth a read. "
— Lola425, 10/25/2013 -
" i had heard of ali smith and read about her, so i thought i would give this one a try. i had a really hard time; lots of long padded writing. i understand she's trying to be poetic in some ways, but did not work for me. I may try another one of her other novels. "
— Angela, 10/19/2013 -
" Absolutely magical book that's stayed with me, months after I finished it. "
— Yashoda, 5/31/2013 -
" After a dinner party, one of the guests goes upstairs, locks himself in the guest bedroom, and doesn't come out for weeks. Miles (the guest), Anna (an acquaintance of Miles), and Brooke (10-year-old neighbor) are delightful characters; the writing is brisk and lively. "
— Diana, 5/7/2013 -
" Very clever book with great humor. The characters were wonderful, especially Brooke. It was just, stylistically, sometimes hard as hell to get through. Don't read this on the train! "
— Terry, 10/16/2012 -
" Not my favorite Ali Smith, but she is always interesting. "
— Gayla, 9/2/2012 -
" must read again because i missed the characters as soon as i put it down and need to find out the magic behind the tricks. i never know why i love ali smith but she makes me full of glee and also sad. "
— Joey, 8/24/2012 -
" I don't care if Miles ever comes out, and if he does, I don't care why. "
— Lou, 5/25/2012 -
" I loved this in parts, but it never held together for me. I think The Accidental is a much better book. "
— Rebecca, 4/22/2012 -
" This was an excellent book! It was an enjoyable read with fun characters and a charming ending. "
— Julia, 12/4/2011 -
" This book does get you thinking about what impact you have on other people's lives without knowing it, but for me I just couldn't get into it. I had trouble following parts of it that were disjointed. The characters were amusing, but often off on tangents. Like the theme, but not the flow. "
— Karen, 10/26/2011 -
" I liked everything about this book. The structure, the use of language, character construction. So, so, good. Read it immediately! "
— Gaije, 10/22/2011 -
" Really wish I could give this one three and a half stars - loved half the book, thought one section was good and the other merely O.K. Interesting structure. "
— Courtney, 10/11/2011 -
" There is some really interesting stuff going on in this book, and I really cared about the characters - but at the end, I was left wanting a little more closure. "
— Ali, 10/10/2011 -
" Lots of literary praise going on for this book. I just couldn't get into it like others, though. Writing is well done, but characters fell flat for me. "
— Kathy, 10/10/2011 -
" almost a 4 star. my dislike of stream of consciousness writing edged in there. Smith is a very gifted writer and I will read more of her. "
— Cindy, 10/9/2011
About Ali Smith
Ali Smith is the author of many works of fiction, which won many awards, including the Women’s Prize for Fiction, the Goldsmiths Prize, and the Costa Novel of the Year Award. Her work has four times been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.
About Anne Flosnik
Anne Flosnik, a seasoned audiobook narrator, has over four hundred titles to her credit and several awards and distinctions, including AudioFile Earphones Awards, a USA Today Recommended Listening selection, an AudioFile “Best Narration of the Year” selection in 2009, and the American Library Association’s Special Services to Children Award. She has also been a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. She is an award-winning British actress with lead credits on stage, on television, and in commercials and voice-overs.