The Great Alone: A Novel

by Kristin Hannah Narrated by Julia Whelan

Overview

The newest audiobook sensation from Kristin Hannah, bestselling author of The Nightingale

This program is read by acclaimed narrator Julia Whelan, whose enchanting voice brought Gone Girl and Fates and Furies to life

Alaska, 1974.
Unpredictable. Unforgiving. Untamed.
For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.

Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America's last true frontier.

Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents' passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if means following him into the unknown.

At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights' lack of preparation and dwindling resources.

But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt's fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.

In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska—a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.

Editorial Reviews

FEBRUARY 2018 - AudioFile

Listeners, beware: You won’t want to stop listening to narrator Julia Whelan’s performance of this complex story of survival and family set in a 1970s Alaskan homesteading community. Ernt, a Vietnam POW survivor; his wife, Cora; and their teenage daughter, Leni—all newly arrived and ill-prepared to make it through a northern winter—have darker demons to face than Mother Nature. With pitch-perfect timing and a touch of drama, Whelan exquisitely builds the tension, creating an enveloping atmosphere of foreboding that’s difficult to turn away from. Whelan’s believable portrayals of the local population; her heart-grabbing delivery of young Leni’s seen-too-much, grown-up-too fast perspective; and her performance of Ernt’s terrifying bouts with PTSD, all set against gorgeous descriptions of an unforgiving, untamed Alaska, create a don’t-miss audiobook experience. C.B.L. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2019 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

From the Publisher

Praise for The Great Alone:

An instant #1 New York Times bestseller (February 2018) | A 2018 Indie Next Pick

One of...
Southern Living's "Books Coming Out This Winter That We Can't Wait to Read"
Pop Sugar's "10 Most Anticipated Books of 2018"
Working Mother's "Most Anticipated Books of 2018"
Brit & Co's "Most Anticipated Books of 2018"
Seattle Times' "Books to Look Forward to in 2018"
The Everygirl's "10 New Novels to Read this Winter"
Refinery 29's "Best Books of February"
BuzzFeed's "Most Anticipated Women's Fiction Reads of 2018"

"Featuring a rich cast of characters and elevated by the riveting portrayal of homesteading in Alaska in the 1970s, this is a compassionate story of a family." —People, "Book of the Week"

"This epic atmospheric novel examines humans' will to endure the unthinkable." —Real Simple magazine

"There are many great things about this book...It will thrill her fans with its combination of Greek tragedy, Romeo and Juliet-like coming of age story and domestic potboiler. She recreates in magical detail the lives of Alaska's homesteaders...and is just as specific and authentic in her depiction of the spiritual wounds of post-Vietnam America. A tour de force." —Kirkus (starred review)

"Hannah vividly evokes the natural beauty and danger of Alaska and paints a compelling portrait of a family in crisis and a community on the brink of change." —Booklist

"Reliably alluring...The Great Alone is packed with rapturous descriptions of Alaskan scenery… Hannah remembers and summons an undeveloped wilderness, describing a gloriously pristine region in the days before cruise ships discovered it." —New York Times

"In this latest from Hannah, the landscape is hard and bleak but our young heroine learns to accept it and discover her true self...fans will appreciate the astuteness of the story and the unbreakable connection between mother and child." —Library Journal

"Hannah skillfully situates the emotional family saga in the events and culture of the late ’70s... But it’s her tautly drawn characters—Large Marge, Genny, Mad Earl, Tica, Tom—who contribute not only to Leni’s improbable survival but to her salvation amid her family’s tragedy." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Hannah turns the written word into wonderful prose...Times are difficult for so many in this novel and Hannah captures their suffering with sensitivity. The author expertly shows how love, death and birth run the full circle of life." —RT Book Reviews

Praise for The Nightingale:

"Haunting, action-packed, and compelling."—Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Absolutely riveting!...Read this book." —Dr. Miriam Klein Kassenoff, Director of the University of Miami Holocaust Teacher Institute

"Beautifully written and richly evocative." —Sara Gruen,#1 New York Times bestselling author

“A heart-pounding story.” —USA Today

"A respectful and absorbing page-turner." —Kirkus Reviews

"Tender, compelling...a satisfying slice of life in Nazi-occupied France." —Jewish Book Council

“Expect to devour The Nightingale in as few sittings as possible; the high-stakes plot and lovable characters won’t allow any rest until all of their fates are known.” —Shelf Awareness

"Powerful...an unforgettable portrait of love and war."—People

FEBRUARY 2018 - AudioFile

Listeners, beware: You won’t want to stop listening to narrator Julia Whelan’s performance of this complex story of survival and family set in a 1970s Alaskan homesteading community. Ernt, a Vietnam POW survivor; his wife, Cora; and their teenage daughter, Leni—all newly arrived and ill-prepared to make it through a northern winter—have darker demons to face than Mother Nature. With pitch-perfect timing and a touch of drama, Whelan exquisitely builds the tension, creating an enveloping atmosphere of foreboding that’s difficult to turn away from. Whelan’s believable portrayals of the local population; her heart-grabbing delivery of young Leni’s seen-too-much, grown-up-too fast perspective; and her performance of Ernt’s terrifying bouts with PTSD, all set against gorgeous descriptions of an unforgiving, untamed Alaska, create a don’t-miss audiobook experience. C.B.L. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2019 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171953812
Publisher:	Macmillan Audio
Publication date:	02/06/2018
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	200,416

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