A Summons to Memphis

By: Peter Taylor

Narrated by: Boyd Gaines

Born in 1917, Tennessee author Peter Taylor won the Pulitzer Prize for this exceptional work of literature. The well-to-do Carver family moves to Memphis from Nashville, where they become embroiled in a domestic dispute over the widower patriarch's decision to remarry.©1986 Peter Taylor (P)2008 Recorded Books,LLC

Critic reviews

"A beautiful, ironic novel..." ( New York Times Book Review)
"Every inch the classic." ( Kirkus Reviews )

Entertaining and enjoyable

Taylor's tale of a Tennessee family engaged me in ways that most novels about upper middle class to wealthy people typically don't, especially many of the earlier Pulitzers. Boyd Gaines possesses a warm baritone voice that's easy to listen to.

Enjoyed

An interesting read; sad for it to end but also happy for it to be over. Very thought-provoking. Mindful of many things. Well worth the read.

Wonderful book & Wonderful listen

I read this novel years ago, but got so much more from this audio book. The reader was first rate, easily guiding us to the themes and meaning of this story of father and son, brother and sisters, the Old and the crass South. Truly rich, and beautifully written, this book deserves more attention. It is an American classic, in my opinion.

ultimately not interesting

The plot never really gets going, you never get to really know the narrator, and it meanders.

Not at all interesting

The story in this book was not really bad, but it just never developed into somthing you care about. The main character was selfish and boring, he did not really care about anythign in life, and so I did not really care about him. There was such promise, but nothing ever developed beyond the surface. The main character hears that father and sisters interefered with the one love of his life, therefore ruining his ability to really love for the rest of his life and what does he do...nothing. Nothing is about what sums up the plot development of the book.