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Waiting for Columbus Audiobook
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(3.02) - 693 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Found in the treacherous Strait of Gibraltar, a man who answers only to the name of Christopher Columbus is delivered to a mental institution in Sevilla. Nurse Consuela, a lonely young woman searching for love, who listens to his fantastical tales of adventure and romance day after day, tries desperately to make some sense of why this man has been locked up, and to discover his true identity.
Simultaneously, Emile Germain, an Interpol officer based in France, receives a memo about an enigmatic figure, possibly a dangerous assailant, who is missing from the scene of a crime. All paths lead to Spain, where Germain finds himself on a journey that seems like a wild goose chase. Unbeknownst to him as well as to the doctors at the Sevilla Institute, Emile is unraveling more than just one mystery.
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"A man who thinks he is Chritopher Columbus, a psychiatric nurse with a poor history with men, and an Interpol agent with a broken past. These are the main characters of this modern day mystery. Who is this man claiming to be Columbus? What happened to him? The mystery unfurls in stories and flashbacks. I was kept guessing but slowly started to make connections. The story moves along at a steady pace; I did not find myself bored. Overall, a very good novel."
— Sharleen (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Waiting for Columbus is a riveting meditation on identity, loss, and the fagility of our own life stories. Thomas Trofimuk shows that when it comes to love, we are all Columbus, setting sail on unknown waters, hoping we won’t come to an edge.”
— Carolyn Parkhurst, bestselling author of The Dogs of Babel and Lost and Found -
“The hero of Thomas Trofimuk’s Waiting for Columbus is, like all storytellers, a seducer—and so is the author himself. His compassion, intelligence, shrewd humor, and taste in wine make for an irresistible read.”
— Steven Heighton, author of Afterlands -
“Trofimuk is a master of feeling.”
— Globe and Mail -
“One of the buzzy books of the Canadian fiction year…Part romance, part mystery, the novel has been drawing early comparisons to Michael Ondaatje’s The English Patient…Waiting for Columbus is a mind-blower in its own right, a story unmoored in time by virtue of its mysterious protagonist.”
— Edmonton Journal -
“Grover Gardner’s sensitive and well-paced reading gives cohesion to a rambling story. This is not an audiobook to multitask to—as reality and illusion are in danger of becoming merged for the listener as well as for the patient.”
— AudioFile
Awards
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Selected for the September 2009 Indie Next List
Waiting for Columbus Listener Reviews
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" This is one of those books that comes together towards the end. It's engaging from the beginning, but when you finish it, you realize all the complexities and how they all amazingly worked together. This book wouldn't be one that I would read again, but I feel like it deserves a 4-4 1/2 star rating! "
— Danielle, 2/20/2014 -
" I got to about page 100 today and decided I didn't have time for this. The plot maybe was slightly intriguing, but I felt like I was reading a Harlequin romance, with this underlying cheap sexual tension that I really couldn't take, especially when the book was supposed to be about Christopher Columbus ... There are so many books I want to read, and even if I kind of want to know how the story ends, I guess I will find out through some review with spoilers. "
— Elena, 2/3/2014 -
" This is not an easy book to get started since the book jumps around with ideas so it took a while to get into it. Definitely not a book that you could put down and pick up. I think it would be easier to do large chunks of reading all at once! The ending was definitely a twist but I liked it! "
— Athornton, 1/17/2014 -
" I will never get the week I spent with this book back! A dreadfully dull book of not-particularly-likable characters cloaked in lovely writing. "
— Angela, 12/20/2013 -
" intriguing and ultimately a satisfying read "
— Martin, 12/9/2013 -
" This is a novel about a man in an asylum in modern day Spain who believes he is Christopher Columbus. Is he, or isn't he...you'll have to read the book to find out.Recommended. "
— Bill, 11/23/2013 -
" A very odd book - almost considered giving up partway through. This is one of those books where it all comes together and the end, and I'm glad I perservered as the ending was well done. "
— Pamk, 11/7/2013 -
" Wow! I loved the delusional thinking, sensuality and intelligence of this story. Unfortunately, treatment facilities with such "freedom" are also a fantasy. A great read! "
— Judy, 9/29/2013 -
" A divine workof literature. An amazing, confusing,revealing novel that as you're reading it you're thinking: "i can't wait to read this again!!" the history mixed with psychology is in perfect balance. Highly recommended! "
— Miriam, 3/27/2013 -
" Possibly one of the worst books I have ever read - the things you do for book club! "
— Laura, 3/2/2013 -
" Wonderful, engaging, and heart wrenching. A must read. "
— Bethj, 9/18/2012 -
" Interesting, compelling story about a guy who is crazy and thinks he is Columbus. Overall, I liked it, but I had a few problems with it too. "
— Suey, 6/15/2012 -
" I didn't get to finish it because I had to bring it back to the library. It was ok- interesting but a slow read. "
— Michal, 6/7/2012 -
" The book is 324 pages long. At page 108 I closed and it put in the garage in the "donation" box. It was confusing to read and didn't take me anywhere. "
— Shirley, 3/11/2012 -
" Very sad with funny moments. We do amazing things to protect ourselves. "
— Katherine, 3/11/2012 -
" THIS BOOK FRUSTRATES ME BECAUSE IT HAS SOOOOO MUCH POTENTIAL BUT IT'S BEEN POORLY WRITTEN AND POORLY PLANNED OUT!!!!! "
— Sarah, 6/14/2011 -
" Very interesting. I really liked it because it was a bit quirky. Sad too. "
— Claire, 3/28/2011 -
" Saving my review for our dinner/meeting next weekend! "
— Kokeshi, 3/24/2011 -
" I know I'll have to read this one more than once or twice to fully appreciate it. Beautiful writing. Well drawn, engaging characters. A fine plot. Love. Loss. Questions of sanity. This is a wonderful read. "
— L, 2/16/2011 -
" I absolutely loved this book... amazing descriptions and a completely compelling story. Utterly intriguing and beautiful. Read it! "
— Emma, 2/7/2011 -
" this book was slow to start off with but got better as the storyline continued, felt however the emile character could be explored more, but on the whole enjoyed the read and the surreal storylines and felt the ending was very good "
— Stephen, 1/19/2011 -
" Enjoying this so far... not sure where it is going but I am hooked.<br/><br/>Thank G I finished this one. Boy did it drag and drag. Not a bad book just took a lot to push through it. "
— Sharida, 1/11/2011 -
" Any words I will use will do this book a great injustice. Find it and read it. "
— Dotan, 1/7/2011 -
" I really enjoyed this book but found the ending a bit disappointing. The buildup is fantastic, with bits of the "true" story coming through on every page. Worth reading for sure, but brace yourself for a letdown. "
— Carol, 12/27/2010 -
" What an interesting premise. A guy retreats into his area of expertise to stave off reality. I enjoyed this book. "
— Elizabeth, 12/20/2010 -
" Enjoyed this. Very unusual....bit of a weak ending though. "
— Erssie, 11/14/2010 -
" The last twenty pages of this totally made the book. "
— Rebecca, 10/27/2010
About Thomas Trofimuk
Thomas Trofimuk is a writer, editor, and journalism instructor. His first novel, The 52nd Poem, won the Georges Bugnet Award for Best First Novel and the City of Edmonton Book Prize. Doubting Yourself to the Bone, his critically acclaimed second novel was a number-one bestseller (Edmonton Journal) and one of the Globe and Mail’s Best Books of the Year. He lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, with his wife and daughter.
About Grover Gardner
Grover Gardner (a.k.a. Tom Parker) is an award-winning narrator with over a thousand titles to his credit. Named one of the “Best Voices of the Century” and a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine, he has won three prestigious Audie Awards, was chosen Narrator of the Year for 2005 by Publishers Weekly, and has earned more than thirty Earphones Awards.