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  • A Little Life

  • A Novel
  • Written by: Hanya Yanagihara
  • Narrated by: Oliver Wyman
  • Length: 32 hrs and 51 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (114 ratings)

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A Little Life cover art

A Little Life

Written by: Hanya Yanagihara
Narrated by: Oliver Wyman
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Publisher's Summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A stunning “portrait of the enduring grace of friendship” (NPR) about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves. A masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century.

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • MAN BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST • WINNER OF THE KIRKUS PRIZE

A Little Life follows four college classmates—broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition—as they move to New York in search of fame and fortune. While their relationships, which are tinged by addiction, success, and pride, deepen over the decades, the men are held together by their devotion to the brilliant, enigmatic Jude, a man scarred by an unspeakable childhood trauma. A hymn to brotherly bonds and a masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century, Hanya Yanagihara’s stunning novel is about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves.

Look for Hanya Yanagihara’s latest bestselling novel, To Paradise.

©2022 Penguin Random House Audio (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Editorial Review

A Little Life will leave you speechless with a beautifully moving and heartbreaking look at the evolution of brotherly love and friendship.

It’s been touted by critics as “all-consuming” and “maddeningly thought-provoking” and described by listeners as “life-altering.” In A Little Life, Hanya Yanagihara crafted a masterpiece of literary fiction. Following the lives of four college friends struggling to make it in the concrete jungle that is New York City, this story is a testament to the limits of human endurance. The profound effects of the unspeakable childhood trauma suffered by Jude, the main character, will shape them all and challenge each one in ways only deep love can. Performed impeccably by narrator Oliver Wyman, this Audible audiobook original is best appreciated with as few spoilers as possible.

A Little Life has amassed a following for its transcendent look at the heart-rendering relationships forged and sustained among its quartet of characters across a lifetime. Yanagihara’s ability to delve deep into the abyss of human emotion is hauntingly moving. But what keeps people raving is how the writer captures the nuances and plight of the human experience. Listeners will find themselves and their singular struggles reflected in every single character in this book in one way or another. A Man Booker Prize finalist and a candidate for the National Book Award for Fiction, A Little Life is a stirring novel and essential addition to the listening library of everyone who appreciates superbly told stories of suffering, resilience, and the power of friendship.

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What listeners say about A Little Life

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Beautifully written

Narration was everything I want in audio books. While I loved the writing and the story moved at a good pace, it didn't live up to my expectations of what everyone who was recommending had said. I read this book because everyone said it was sad, and it was, but I often felt that it came off excessive in its depiction of torture to the point where it was no longer believable to me. Then at some point the book became 100% about Jude's pain and left no room for other characters to explore their own story outside of how it intertwined with Jude's horrific past. Maybe physically reading it may have impacted me differently, but I just don't see myself reading it again.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Main characters inconsistency

Almost 40 hours of constant whining and self pity and bunch of unnecessary wokeness as a bonus.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Devastatingly beautiful

The start of this story was a little confusing for me … but when the characters and story became more developed I was hooked and it was impossible to put the book down. The narrator was a huge part of the experience and added immensely to my enjoyment (if you can call it that)! Wow … this will tear your heart out and at the same time make you weep at the profound beauty of it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Everything

Although every single second of this book was pure emotional devastation, it's still made its way to one of the best books I've read this year. Also I don't usually annotate books but this one, I had to.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful writing

Outstanding narration, beautiful writing, sad sad story. A bit too long for my taste, otherwise I would have given it 5*

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

i have a void in me that i can never fill

this book truly rocked me omg. not only was the story so truly tragic i felt like i knew the people, the fact i will never get to read about willem and jude again actually makes me feel so horrible. there isn’t even words to describe how i feel about this book. despair doesn’t cut it. (i’m writing this months after i finished. i am never going to stop thinking about jude and willem)

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Devastating and delightful

This was a masterpiece! Trigger warnings abound!
The whole book was incredible. One of the best that I’ve read.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

I don’t recommend it

The writing was great but the plot was frankly terrible. I was captured and moved for 1/3 of the book, but past that I couldn’t wait for the book to end. It was depressing and I don’t mind difficult stories but I disliked the exaggerated unrealistic plot, the constant “sorry”s. I was unable to empathize with any of the characters and became irritated listening to this. I really wanted to like the book given the reviews and I may consider reading another book from the author because of her writing style but the plot fell flat quickly. I don’t recommend it.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Very slow and boring

I was really expecting a lot from this book after reading the reviews. Yes, it talks about hard topics and can be quite heavy if you find it triggering, however it was all very slow and mainly towards the end.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Exceptional

This is a life changer. If you have lived a long life as I have, and been and seen many things. Experienced the joy and wonder of friendships only to have your heart torn apart by those supposed friends that you gave yours too. This is a novel which has been written by someone who has experienced the same love and disappointment.
The discovery of some people who have been given a place of trust especially to a small child only to have betrayed the very person they are supposed to protect and support.
The love of a lifetime, which fortunately I have and the loss of that person, which I am yet to endure, will take your breath away.
Break out the tissues open your heart and go on this journey of Jude.
Hanya Yanagihara. You are a brilliant writer.
Oliver Wyman your tender and beautiful narration was beyond words.

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