Wish You Well

By: David Baldacci

Narrated by: Norma Lana, David Baldacci

Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

It is 1940 and a tragedy sends Lou and her little brother, Oz, along with their invalid mother, from New York City to the rugged mountains of Southwest Virginia to live with their great-grandmother. The story is told with both heartbreaking elegance and large doses of touching humor as the lives of Lou and Oz are changed forever.

The portraits of the land and its people are described with an extraordinary eye for detail, and the story flows through swells of prejudice, innocence, faith, and the question of whether one can ever really wish another well. The climactic courtroom battle is as unpredictable as it is relentless and will not only decide the fates of Lou, Oz, and their mother, but also those they have touched.

©2000 Columbus Rose, Ltd (P)2000 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Richly textured." (Library Journal)
"Baldacci triumphs with his best novel yet, an utterly captivating drama." (Publishers Weekly)

HISTORIES REPEAT. Strong women endure.

David. Granddaughter of a W. PA coal miner on one side, and Irish that helped build the rail systems throughout the SW through into Mexico on my mother's side - one of whom was an author & silent film company owner, I relate to your mother's & family story. Thank you.

Wish You Well

Strong characters. Enlightening information of 1940s West Virginia. Great performance and Epilog read by author. Bravo!

Wisdom

This book and Mr Baldacci has much wisdom to empart. It was a joy reading this book. I wish I had, and could leave my children and grandchildren the past to them as he has. Thank you Mr. Baldacci

Read once, listened twice.

I read the book when it was published in 2000. Then listened to it in 2017. I just finished it again and realized why it is my favorite Baldacci novel. The characters are so believable right up to the end. I have all of his books and will continue to look forward to April and November for a new one. God speed, Mr. Baldacci.

Excellent

I have read many of this authors books- this is not his typical genre but one you can feel was from his heart! it is a moving story of family- love- loss and hope!! It’s going in my favorites for sure!!

Captures the heart

Fantastic storytelling. Character development is solid & intriguing. Realistic & sobering historical details about society mixed into a very interesting story.

Emotional with constant action

Picked the book based on the author, not my usual genre of books but this was a truly encompassing story, Great listen.

The personal story

The characters, the history, not long gone but poor people leave fewer trails as they journey. Ever as recent as 1940, much is lost today. Thank you for the memories.

Wish You Well made me cry!

David Baldacci is an amazingly talented and versatile writer who is known mostly for his thrillers, but he actually has written books in several genres. Wish You Well, set in 1940, is historical fiction. It starts with Lou and Oz living with their invalid mother and father in New York City. The father dies and Lou is forced to go with her brother and mother to the mountains of western Virginia to live with her great grandmother. The book is about the lives of Lou and Oz with their great grandmother. It is a wonderful and touching story, a great listen! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Great book Good family book

Am sending to my sister (who grew up during the depression) and and my daughter and granddaughter who will be the verbal historians. ONE SUGGESTION I grew up in the south with farm ancestors and in a farming community. .
When this very good reader says "brogans" it is like chalk on a board. The correct pronunciation is "bro(long "O") ANS (like the word and) emphasis on the ANS. My parents talked about them all the time.

An thinking when I go to visit my 9 year-old grand-twins for Thanksgiving, we will listen to this book together, They live in Virginia now.