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Wish You Well (Abridged) Audiobook
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(3.01) - 8,588 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Following a family tragedy, siblings Lou and Oz must leave New York and adjust to life in the Virginia mountains--but just as the farm begins to feel like home, they'll have to defend it from a dark threat in this New York Times bestselling coming-of-age story.
Precocious twelve-year-old Louisa Mae Cardinal lives in the hectic New York City of 1940 with her family. Then tragedy strikes--and Lou and her younger brother, Oz, must go with their invalid mother to live on their great-grandmother's farm in the Virginia mountains.
Suddenly Lou finds herself growing up in a new landscape, making her first true friend, and experiencing adventures tragic, comic, and audacious. When a dark, destructive force encroaches on her new home, her struggle will play out in a crowded Virginia courtroom...and determine the future of two children, an entire town, and the mountains they love.
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"Read this in a day and a half. Quick easy read. Coud be a very good novel choice for high school students in the States since it is set in the US mountains. A young girl grows up quickly when she moves from New York City after the death of her father to live with her grandmother. Loss and love."
— Susan (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Wish You Well, set in [Baldacci’s] native Virginia, is a tale of hope and wonder...This shift from contentious urbanites to homespun hill families may come as a surprise to some of Baldacci’s fans—but they can rest assured: the author’s sense of pacing and exuberant prose have made the leap as well...Baldacci switches deftly between lovingly detailed character description and patient development of the novel’s central plot.”
— Amazon.com editorial review -
“Baldacci slows things down a bit [in] Wish You Well, a story he culled from his own family’s history and experiences. It’s a coming-of-age tale reminiscent of that timeless classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, where the setting—Virginia mountain coal country in the post-Depression 40s—is as much a character as any of the people who walk the pages.”
— Barnes & Noble editorial review -
“An excellent portrait of race and class distinction of the time and place, and of a young woman growing up.”
— Kliatt -
“Clearly inspired by his subject...Baldacci triumphs with his best novel yet, an utterly captivating drama...What the novel offers above all is bone-deep emotional truth, as its myriad characters—each, except for one cartoonish villain, as real as readers’ own kin—grapple not just with issues of life and death but with the sufferings and joys of daily existence...This novel has a huge heart—and millions of readers are going to love it.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“[An] affecting novel whose richly textured setting of southwestern Virginia in the 1940s draws on the reminiscences of his mother and grandmother...Readers of historical fiction will welcome his debut in the genre.”
— Library Journal -
What the novel offers above all is bone-deep emotional truth...Its myriad characters--each as real as readers' own kin--grapple not just with issues of life and death but with the sufferings and joys of daily existence in a setting detailed with finely attuned attention and a warm sense of wonder. This novel has a huge heart.
— Publisher's Weekly (starred review) -
Baldacci intertwines heartbreak and wry humor to take readers on a roller-coaster ride that's nearly impossible to abandon for even a moment.
— Oaklend Press -
A moving story...the focus is on young people, and the message about love is heartening.
— Booklist -
There is wisdom aplenty in this homespun tale with its gritty action and authentic slices of rustic life.
— Virginian-Pilot -
A beautifully written tale.
— Wichita Falls Times Record News (TX)
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
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A USA Today bestseller
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Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award
Wish You Well Listener Reviews
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" A recommendation from my husband...enjoyed the book and it was a quick read, so I will give him another shot! :) "
— Janelle, 2/14/2014 -
" Very different than other books. Heart warming story set in Appalachian coal country of SW Virginia in 1940. 2 children are being raised by their great-grandmother. "
— Leonard, 2/9/2014 -
" Read this one for January book club. I liked it, a coming of age story set in 1940s Virginia. Interesting language and rooting factor. "
— De, 2/9/2014 -
" I loved this book! The book was based in Virginia and growing up here made it especially interesting. I very quick read. I highly recommend this book! "
— Ann, 2/9/2014 -
" It took a while for me to pick this book up because it is so different from his usual genre, but I am certainly glad I did. It is a fantastic, interesting, and emotional story. If it is the topic/genre that is detering you...don't let it. Read it! "
— Tracy, 2/7/2014 -
" The Waltons meet To Kill a Mockingbird. Very wholesome and sweet. "
— Emery, 1/6/2014 -
" One of my all time favorite books. I think this is a book that should be on the reading list at high schools. The story gripped me from the start and kept me interested throughout the whole book. "
— Dawn, 1/5/2014 -
" Nice story with compelling characters, but ultimately the execution is lacking. Cheese a-plenty. "
— Emanuel, 1/5/2014 -
" departure from his usual work. It started very slow, and I almost stopped reading the book. But it finished up well. "
— Tiffany, 1/4/2014 -
" Hmmm, I'm not much of a David Baldacci fan. But this book was sweet and authentic. The Virginia mountain people were a bit too cliched, but still a good read. I would recommend it. "
— Just, 12/27/2013 -
" I read the first 9 chapters and stopped. Just stopped. I don't know what it was - whether it was the writing or the characters - I just didn't care. ??? "
— Kendra, 11/13/2013 -
" This is the first time since high school that I stayed up all night to finish a book. "
— Jean, 11/13/2013 -
" One of the best books I ever read, could not put it down. "
— Mike, 11/11/2013 -
" Slow but not bad. I prefer the author's thrillers. "
— Ayushi, 10/25/2013 -
" LOVE this story. A complete departure for Baldacci and it totally absorbed me. "
— Jan, 9/28/2013 -
" I really liked this book. It had a great story line and an excellent ending. Baldacci continues to show how well he can tell a story. "
— John, 8/22/2013 -
" A good story well-told but the characters were formulaic e.g. the little brother was too cute, the illiterate orphan too noble, the great-grandmother too wise, the urban-turned-country lawyer too sensitive, the just-turning-teen protagonist too volatile. "
— Garry, 8/21/2013 -
" My favorite of his books. "
— Nathaniel, 5/7/2013 -
" Stick with this book! It was a bit slow at parts but a very good ending makes this a worthwhile book to stick with. "
— Mark, 2/26/2013 -
" Read this book for Jill. It was the story of living in Virginia. There were a few swear words but a good story. "
— Swhe641200, 11/14/2012 -
" I really loved this book and was sad when it was over. It is a story of family love and love of the land, of meeting challenges with dignity and integrity. I highly recommend it "
— Jan, 8/9/2012 -
" I love reading books like this, dreaming of living in the olden days! "
— Brenda, 8/2/2012 -
" A heartwarming read that deals with reconciling generational differences. I took this to Hawaii with me in November, and finished the entire thing in a day. "
— Colleen, 5/24/2012 -
" This was one of those books that was alright while I was reading it, and liked it more when I had read it all and thought about it as a whole. All the thinks the characters have to go through and deal with aren't always happy, but it does end well, thank goodness! "
— Jami, 11/17/2011 -
" 12 yr Lou(girl) and her brother Oz due to the death of their father, go to live w/great grandma I the mountains of VA. Great "
— Vicki, 11/5/2011 -
" Loved the history telling in the story! Very good book. "
— Angie, 10/8/2011 -
" A delightful book. I couldn't put it down. The characters are strong and refreshing and the descriptions are delightful. "
— Sandra, 7/28/2011 -
" It was a good story about growing up in rural environments. Had all the elements of a great story: great characters, struggles against overpowering odds, and flow! "
— Mum, 6/27/2011 -
" Awesome, wonderful, surprising. I loved this book, and this was entirely unexpected. Highly recommended. "
— Angela, 6/10/2011 -
" A departure from his usual lawyer story. This book was a good read. "
— Joseph, 6/10/2011 -
" I loved this book. The author didn't thrill me on other titles, but this one is clean and a wonderful story. "
— Sara, 6/9/2011 -
" This was a departure from Baldacci thriller style, but a very enjoyable, poignant read. "
— Katherine, 5/28/2011 -
" This is a sweet story about family, faith and love. Lou is another smart young female lead who comes of age in this book. I love stories like that. "
— Kammy, 5/23/2011 -
" This is a really nice, good pleasant read that will make you smile. :) "
— Monika, 5/12/2011 -
" I really enjoyed this coming of age story. It ALMOST made me want to move to a farm so that my kids could learn to work. I couldn't help but love Lou and her brother, Oz. I belive I learned a few lessons on life right along with them. "
— Alyson, 5/11/2011 -
" One of my all time favorite books. I think this is a book that should be on the reading list at high schools. The story gripped me from the start and kept me interested throughout the whole book. "
— Dawn, 5/6/2011 -
" A very touching story. Captivating. Kept me wanting more. <br/> <br/>I wish Mr. Baldacci would write more books like this. "
— Donna, 5/3/2011 -
" I really liked this book. It had a great story line and an excellent ending. Baldacci continues to show how well he can tell a story. "
— John, 5/3/2011 -
" This was quite the departure from what Baldacci is more recently known for, but still a delightful tale of family and faith. However, I would say that he has honed the craft in the last eleven years since Wish You Well was published. "
— Paul, 5/1/2011
About David Baldacci
David Baldacci is one of the world’s favorite storytellers and a global bestselling author, with twenty-one of his novels making the #1 spot on the New York Times bestsellers list. In 2011 he was inducted into the International Crime Writing Hall of Fame. His books are published in over forty-five languages and in more than eighty countries, with 150 million copies sold worldwide. His works have been adapted for both feature film and television. He is also the cofounder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across America.
About Kate Burton
Kate Burton, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, is best known for her work on Broadway in Hedda Gabler, The Elephant Man, The Constant Wife, and Spring Awakening, as well as on television in Grey’s Anatomy and Empire Falls. Her films include Big Trouble in Little China, The Ice Storm, Unfaithful, and Remember Me. She played the title role in Alice in Wonderland with her father, Richard Burton, on PBS.