Tom Lake Audiobook By Ann Patchett cover art

Tom Lake

A Novel

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Tom Lake

By: Ann Patchett
Narrated by: Meryl Streep
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About this listen

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK • READ BY MERYL STREEP

In this beautiful and moving novel about family, love, and growing up, Ann Patchett once again proves herself one of America’s finest writers.

“Patchett leads us to a truth that feels like life rather than literature.” —The Guardian

In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew.

Tom Lake is a meditation on youthful love, married love, and the lives parents have led before their children were born. Both hopeful and elegiac, it explores what it means to be happy even when the world is falling apart. As in all of her novels, Ann Patchett combines compelling narrative artistry with piercing insights into family dynamics. The result is a rich and luminous story, told with profound intelligence and emotional subtlety, that demonstrates once again why she is one of the most revered and acclaimed literary talents working today.

©2023 Ann Patchett (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers
Coming of Age Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Heartfelt Feel-Good Suspenseful Thought-Provoking

What listeners say about Tom Lake

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Heartwarming Tale Lyrical Writing Captivating Narration Vivid Descriptions Complex Family Dynamics
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Amazing narration by Meryl Streep makes this book

Although I’m a big fan of Anne Patchett, I might not have made it halfway through this book without Meryl Streep’s narration which transforms the story into something to which you can’t stop listening. The story itself I found weaker and less interesting than any other of Anne Patchett’s novels although her prose is delightful. There’s something about this novel that just doesn’t work for me and makes it feel less authentic and more ‘constructed’ than earlier novels. And I much prefer her non fiction. But the narration is amazing- I finished the book in less than 48 hours!!! I couldn't stop listening even when I didn't really care about the story. Highly recommended- Listening to Meryl Streep read just about anything makes it better.

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58 people found this helpful

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Patchett plus Streep. What could be better?

Patchett fans will love this book. What puts this over the top is Meryl Streep doing the reading. I loved this!

Narrators make such a difference. I couldn’t get through the last three books I got because the narration was difficult and so I ordered the print versions.

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46 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Slow, Slow

A lot of listeners gave rave reviews, it was a good story but it was slow.

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39 people found this helpful

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Delightful!

Refreshing subject. Beautiful writing. Outstanding narrator.
Overall, a very welcome experience. Would that we had more of this quality!

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25 people found this helpful

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So Good!

One of the best books I have ever listened to! Meryl Streep would be great as Lara!!!

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1 person found this helpful

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Maybe Ann’s best.

Most of Ann’s books I listen to twice, and then again in a year or so. What a gift it was to listen to this beautiful story from such a beautiful story teller. I may not be able to wait a year before I listen for a third time.
Thank you Ann for sharing your gift with the world.

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Almost returned

When I started listening to this I thought why has this gotten such a good rating and almost returned it, but I didn’t have anything else to listen to at the moment so I thought I would stick it out, and I’m so glad I did! I love MS and she was so believable in this role. Just when I thought I had things figured out it turned another corner. Just for the record IAM NOT a romance fan, but I loved this book and it just solidified how boring my life as been. A good lesson to pay on to our granddaughters, live your dreams, you never know what will come your way.

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Beautiful Summer Life Story!

I loved it! It took me a little to get over “Bridges of Madison County” vibe in the beginning as Meryl Steep is the voice of this book, but the storyline is something else at the end. Wonderful experience!

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Enchanting listen!

I’d love to listen to this book again for the first time. The story is lovely and warm and enticing, but Meryl Streeps reading of is absolutely mesmerizing. You will love the whole experience!

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  • Overall
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Sublime

The combination of Dame Meryl Streep and the masterful Mistress Ann Patchett is spectacular. I wish it was twice as long I loved it that much. Brava.

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