This Telling

Out of Line collection

By: Cheryl Strayed

Narrated by: Kristen Bell

A genealogy test sparks a woman’s reflection on the two accounts of her life—the real one and the one she’s always told the world—in this poignant short story by Cheryl Strayed, the bestselling author of Wild.

In 1964 teenage Geraldine Waters was sent away by her parents to an unwed mothers’ home, where she gave up her newborn for adoption. Ever since, she’s lived an alternative narrative. Decades later, it’s time for Geraldine to reconcile the telling of her life, to finally grieve, and to discover what happened to that part of her past that slipped away.

Cheryl Strayed’s This Telling is part of Out of Line, an incisive collection of funny, enraging, and hopeful stories of women’s empowerment and escape. Each piece can be read or listened to in a single thought-provoking sitting.

Audible narration by Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars)

©2020 Cheryl Strayed (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Exceptional telling of a very heartfelt story.

Such a different time than most young women will experience today. The reminder of women's lack of choices during this period and now is something we should all share.

Bite Size

I realize This Telling is a short short story and the author did a good job giving a fast forward to hit the high notes of a more complex story. I can't say that it's memorable or that it really packed much of a punch though.

captures the realities of unplanned pregnancy pre pill

My high school boyfriend and I, now my husband of 53 years, went through our fears of pregnancy back in the days before the pill was available to single women and when teens biting OTC contraceptives were looked at askance or outright refused sale. Very different times. We ultimately became the adoptive parents of 3 daughters thanks to the courage and generosity of their birth mothers, so we have lived that side too. Touching and accurate story

So simple so emotional

Cheryl, your ability to paint a scene through your words is incredible. You’ve told a lifetime of a story in such a short piece and it was as emotional as a full novel. Thank you for offering your writings to the world. We are grateful.

the magic of storytelling - thank you Cheryl

Once again Cheryl uses her superpower, to open our eyes, hearts and minds for the divine beauty and pain in the "secret" universe of every woman.
Never ever have I read (listen to - thank you Kristen) better pictures of feelings, experiences and emotions. Even though I can not entirely relate to every detail of the story, I feel as I can completely relate to the characters and I myself have lived through every moment.
It's not an easy story to tell or listen to, it's not a short one either because it transports you through a lifetime of emotions ... but i couldn't stop listening even for a second (thank you Kristen) and in fact this is technically a short story.
This is the power of one Cheryl Strayed - the women who created - "Tiny beautiful things" - my holly book.