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May We Be Forgiven

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May We Be Forgiven

By: A. M. Homes
Narrated by: Nathan Osgood
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About this listen

Winner: Women’s Prize for Fiction 2013

Harold Silver, a Richard Nixon Scholar, has spent a lifetime watching his younger, taller, and more successful brother, George. But Harry knows that George has a murderous temper, and when he finally loses control the result is an act of violence which hurls the two brothers into entirely new lives. A savage and dizzyingly inventive vision that penetrates the dark heart of contemporary America to tell a darkly comic tale of 21st-century domestic life and how one deeply fractured family might begin to put itself back together.

©2012 A. M. Homes (P)2012 W F Howes Ltd Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Funny Witty

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All stars
Most relevant  
This is an unpredictable story, full of unorthodox characters. Totally over the top in places, dark and funny... it's a great listen.

A more optimistic Franzen

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What made the experience of listening to May We Be Forgiven the most enjoyable?

A hero despite himself and his upbringing

Who was your favorite character and why?

Harrry, flaws and all and Nate

Have you listened to any of Nathan Osgood’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Never heard Osgood before but would choose again based in this. He is sympathetic and human in his delivery

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

If I could but time would not allow!

Any additional comments?

Harry is a bit of an antihero, and put me in mind of Willaim Boyd's A Good Man in Africa, but he redeems himself so much more. The book is touching, funny and life affirming but not at all twee. Not sure that I really got the Nixon issues! All men are flawed???

I love anti-heroes!

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I really enjoyed the depth of this story and the journey you go on throughout the book. There's no stagnant chapters, the narrator is pretty good the accents are....entertaining. I would recommend it

Warped family story

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Would you consider the audio edition of May We Be Forgiven to be better than the print version?

Absolutely

What did you like best about this story?

I loved the coming together of various people who had lost their way from the perceived traditional family.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

I'm enjoyed Madeline & Si fighting over the dolls.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The American Dream - The alternative!

Any additional comments?

This a brilliant book, but the narator is a genius!

I'd highly recommend buying this audio book, it's a wonderful journey.

The Ultimate Audio Book

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What made the experience of listening to May We Be Forgiven the most enjoyable?

Several funny moments mostly unrelated to to the farcical plot swists.

If you’ve listened to books by A. M. Homes before, how does this one compare?

NA

What about Nathan Osgood’s performance did you like?

Suited the book.

Any additional comments?

Plot became strained and ended in an orgy of motherhood and apple pie, you can almost hear the star spangled banner. On the other hand, I listened to the end and laughed out loud a few times. 3.5 is probably fair.

good in parts

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loved the story, a light hearted serious comment on many things. I found the reading very very disappointing to the point of offensive. There are many common Jewish rituals mentioned, that were pronounced terribly. Not for any difficulty but the reader had clearly not made any attempt to research at all before reading. It felt lazy and disrespectful.

Great novel, disappointed with the performance

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Highly entertaining - great characters and situations, and (terrible foreign accents notwithdsanding) a wonderful performance.

I thought the story line fell apart a bit towards the end, as though the author got tired, and wanted to wrap things up quickly and sweetly

Sort of like listening to that doctor on "House"

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Where does May We Be Forgiven rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Pretty near the top, I came to is with some degree of suspicion as sadly I tend to with all American literature ..but it had me hooked pretty quickly. I ended up taking lessons from the laid back world view of the central character finding himself after for years being labeled ' retard' by his family. He comes into his own and its all done very seductively and with great humour. Like the other reviewer I laughed out load frequently which is always a benchmark for me.

What other book might you compare May We Be Forgiven to, and why?

Jonathon Franzen but so much better. Less gloomy

Have you listened to any of Nathan Osgood’s other performances? How does this one compare?

I haven't listened to the narrator before but though he did a good job

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

?

Thought provoking AND funny

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The reader did racist accents. In addition, he had not read the text in advance, made mistakes in emphasis that were distracting, and didn't bother to learn pronunciations of words he didn't know.

Bad narrator

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I feel compelled to write a review since the others are so poor. I really enjoyed this book with its story about brothers at odds with each other, a shocking event that comes of their rivalry, and the eventual evolution of the central character into someone who cares and allows himself to change. It is not an exciting adventure but an unfolding examination of American lives and how a man can still grow and deepen as he gets older. It kept me absorbed and gave me food for thought. If you're looking for a romp, or an action story, this is not the one, but if you want something more thoughtful - give it a go.

Cain and Able in America

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