A Single Thread

Beautifully narrated - I couldn't get enough of this story about a woman in her thirties desperate to forge her own path. At 38 Violet sees her future laid out before her - stuck in her childhood home in a quaint English village, taking care of her mother - it makes her shudder. Her mother is a miserable old wretch and does nothing but complain (seriously she's the worst) so Violet decides to put in a request for a work transfer. She moves out into a small apartment of her own and barely makes ends meet on her small salary, but at least she's free. She happens into an embroidery group which helps make her new friends, gain confidence, and learn a new skill. Since her fiancé died in the great war and the men in England are so scarce, she thought she would just have family - but that changes when she find Arthur. The bell ringer in the cathedral she embroiders at. Violet is coming into her own, slowly but surely forging her own path into the great unknown. Great story, excellent narrator. I love Tracy Chevalier. 

At the Edge of the Orchard

Chevalier, Tracy. At the Edge of the Orchard. 7 CDs. unabridged. 9 hrs. Books on Tape. ISBN 9781101924983.
Chevalier (Girl with a Pearl Earring) pulls no punches with this hard hit tale of a pioneer family that can't ever seem to get ahead. In 1838 the Goodenough family settles into the Black Swamp of northern Ohio and try to have a go at planting apple trees aided by the traveling salesman known as Johnny Appleseed. James cares for his apple trees better than he does his ten children (half of which have died), savoring the sweet apples they can make. His wife Sadie however, only likes the trees when the apples produced are bitter, making them ideal for alcohol and giving her an escape from the life she detests. Told from alternating viewpoints and letters, this tale of rough rugged living sucks listeners in with four distinct voice talents, all of whom embody and enliven the tale with their rough accents. Every drawl and whistle, and song bring the Black Swamp to life for listeners. Meticulously researched, heartbreakingly beautiful, deceptively simple, and superbly narrated. Another must read from the queen of historical fiction. - Erin Cataldi, Johnson Co. Public Library, Franklin, IN