
Foreign Affairs
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Narrated by:
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Jennifer Van Dyck
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By:
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Alison Lurie
About this listen
Virginia Miner, a 50-something, unmarried tenured professor, is in London to work on her new book about children's folk rhymes. Despite carrying a U.S. passport, Vinnie feels essentially English and rather looks down on her fellow Americans. But in spite of that, she is drawn into a mortifying and oddly satisfying affair with an Oklahoman tourist who dresses more Bronco Billy than Beau Brummel.
Also in London is Vinnie's colleague, Fred Turner, a handsome, flat broke, newly separated, and thoroughly miserable young man trying to focus on his own research. Instead, he is distracted by a beautiful and unpredictable English actress and the world she belongs to. Both American, both abroad, and both achingly lonely, Vinnie and Fred play out their confused alienation and dizzying romantic liaisons in Alison Lurie's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Smartly written, poignant, and witty, Foreign Affairs remains an enduring comic masterpiece.
©2006 Alison Lurie (P)2011 Audible, Inc.Critic reviews
- Pulitzer Prize, Fiction, 1984
Ignore the criticism of the narrator
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Unexpected ending
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A great comic novel with a sad heart
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The best campus/academia novel ever
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Enjoyable and gentle tale of a couple of special relationships
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Funny, nostalgic & very well written
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An old favourite
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Would you consider the audio edition of Foreign Affairs to be better than the print version?
Yes, I think this audio book is better than the print version. The delivery is excellent & it's laugh-out-loud funny. It's an incredibly perceptive tale of Anglo-American perceptions, relationships, misunderstanding, acutely observed & somewhat lovingly ridiculed. I can't recommend it highly enough. A wonderful discovery.Who was your favorite character and why?
Chuck Mumsen was my favourite character. Larger than life, big-hearted, sexy & very funny. The telling of him is funny & in the end .... (no, no spoiler!! ... ) He's just great, I liked him. Really shows up the condescension & pretensions of us (Little) Englanders ...Which character – as performed by Jennifer Van Dyck – was your favourite?
She performs all characters incredibly well. I think her performance of Vinnie is just brilliant. (Professor Miner.) The performances really come alive. I enjoyed them so much! Very well done & - thank God! NOT TOO FAST! So glad she took her time, & even allowed the proper pauses. She doesn't rush it like so many actors. Chuck's daughter was also brilliantly done. & the swearing schoolgirl!! ....If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
Love in a wet climate ?? ...Any additional comments?
I can't recommend this highly enough. Absolutely loved it! Great author, & this book won the Pulitzer Prize! ....LAUGH OUT LOUD FUNNY
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Interesting book, but poor narration
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What disappointed you about Foreign Affairs?
the way it was read -- very distracting. The intonation almost never matched the expression described in the text -- e.g. what was supposed to be said "in a flat voice" was read breathily; all the "Hmm", "Mmm", "Umm"s etc, sounded exactly the same; accents were questionable; etc. Every time I began to believe in the narrative I was distracted by the non-credibility of the delivery.What was one of the most memorable moments of Foreign Affairs?
When Chuck decided not to be disappointed about his ancestors.Would you be willing to try another one of Jennifer Van Dyck’s performances?
No.You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?
The stories about people learning and changing.Any additional comments?
It was uncomfortable and tiring to be in the presence of mean little Vinnie Miner for so long.redemption of a mean little person?
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