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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

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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Most relevant
Don't believe the other negative views. This book is fantastic, crazy, compelling, funny and touching. Buy it.

Brilliant

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This is the story about what happens to Harry after his brother's terrible act. The brothers cannot be more different. George is violent and dominant whereas Harry is reflective and scholarly. Despite that Harry is still capable of wrongdoing and this is really a tale about Harry's quest for forgiveness.

This book is filled with intriguing characters and fascinating little vignettes, some of which were incredibly tense, but mostly they were hilarious. There are parts of this tale that made me laugh out loud and the dry New York humour is a delight. I must admit I didn't completely understand the sub-text about Richard Nixon but that didn't really detract from my enjoyment. The only slight criticism I would make is that I thought the plot fizzled out towards the end. I also would have liked to have learned more about Harry's relationship with George. I thought their exchanges were the best parts of the book and I wish there were more.

The narrator is does a brilliant job and is perfect for the material. I would have given this 4.5 stars if I could.

All about Harry

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A story of brothers; of families; a mix of dark tragedy, suspense and high humour. This book is a treat: you never know where it's going next. I've never read a book quite like it. To describe it as 'life-affirming' makes it sound worthy. It was just a right good read: un-switch-off-able and occasionally laugh-out loud funny. The central character was endlessly surprising if just-a-little too good to be true? But I loved him anyway.

I was hooked from page one

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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 don't read long winding novels but I enjoyed this one tremendously! The first half had me in stitches constantly. The second half is comforting in how the protagonist, a bit of a nervous schmuck, turns into a benevolent family man. The Jewish undertone keeps a critical wry eye open even if the end is sappy.

Well worth living with this narrative for a week or so if only for the masterful narration: the narrator deserves an Oscar!

hillarious and all-inclusively empathic

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