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    The Book of Ruth
    The Book of Ruth
    The Book of Ruth
    Audiobook (abridged)4 hours

    The Book of Ruth

    Written by Jane Hamilton

    Narrated by Mare Winningham

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    "I learned slowly, that if you don't look at the world with perfect vision, you 're bound to get yourself cooked "

    Having come within an inch of her life, Ruth Dahl is determined to take a good look at it -- to figure out whether, in fact, she's to blame for the mess.

    Pegged the loser in a small-town family that doesn't have much going for it in the first place, Ruth grows up in the shadow of her brilliant brother, trying to hold her own in a world of poverty and hard edges. Matt's brain is his ticket out of Honey Creek. Ruth, without options, cleaves instead to her tough, half-crazy mother, May, and eventually to Ruby, the sweet but slightly deranged young man she loves, marries, and supports. When the precarious household erupts in violence, Ruth is the only one who can piece their story together -- and she gets at the truth in a manner at once ferocious, hilarious, and heartbreaking.

    In this powerful, incandescent novel, Jane Hamilton has worked a miracle: she has given voice to a young woman you have passed on the street a thousand times. Perhaps you have never noticed her, hut the next time you see her, you will know who she is.

    Passionate in her commitment to life, Ruth is a stunning testament to the human capacity for mercy, compassion, and love. THE BOOK OF RUTH is a magnificent audio experience.

    Copyright 1997 by Jane Hamilton

    Performance copyright 1997 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateFeb 1, 1997
    ISBN9780743542135
    Author

    Jane Hamilton

    Jane Hamilton lives, works, and writes in an orchard farmhouse in Rochester, Wisconsin.

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    Reviews for The Book of Ruth

    4/5

    20 ratings14 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This book is SO good that it suckered me into reading her next three books, which were nowhere near as powerful. Oprah be damned!
    • 3/5
      while i enjoyed parts of this book i was a little distraught over how long it took for the "other shoe to drop." i was confused as to exatly what ruth's "problem" was and why we needed to know so much back story. i would have preffered to have had less back story and more information about what happened after the event. i also found ruth's voice to be very depressing and sad. i think i was just expecting a lot more.
    • 5/5
      Having read this book a long time ago it is hard for me to recall details. I remember that I fell in love with this book. The characters were well written and had depth. A great read that is on my reread list. Very well done! Grab your tissues and enjoy.
    • 2/5
      This book takes me to so many levels of emotion. From the beginning you can feel Ruth's utter lack of hope. This book puts it into a story that is played out day in and day out,things that happen in real life, but no one outside lives it. Watch the news? The book is wonderful if you can handle the emotions. I do admit that I wanted the book to end a little differently, but a great read all the same.
    • 2/5
      Ok..sort of a very weird, eerie story. Sad characters. Ending is violent. Sort of makes you sad. Like every day life. Oprah book choice.rating=42/19/98
    • 5/5
      "The Book of Ruth" is exquisitely written and disturbingly powerful. The story illustrates the painful life of dimwitted Ruth and how a single decision would change the landscape of her existence forever. This book is a page turner through to the end, and the climax is agonizing. I will not forget these characters for a long time. Beware that this book is NOT a warm & fuzzy read.
    • 2/5
      Hamilton often writes beautifully and evocatively. Unfortunately, I found neither her charactors nor the plot particularly compelling. The ending was gripping, but by that time that time I'd ceased to care what happened to Ruth or her family. Wished I liked the book more.
    • 3/5
      This is the story of Ruth Dahl, a somewhat dimwitted girl who lives with her mother in a small town. When Ruth marries and her husband Ruby moves in, the family relationships become strained.Jane Hamilton writes beautifully, with phrases and images that are very powerful. I loved the style of this book, and the voice of the narrator, Ruth.I found there was far too much foreshadowing. We are told over and over that something horrible is going to happen...that looking back, the author realizes certain things. This was done to excess. After a while, I thought "this better be worth it." Not sure it was.
    • 4/5
      I didn’t really like this book…but I didn’t not like this book. The writing style didn’t exactly appeal to me. I never really felt I had a complete grasp of the time frame of this novel. And it focused for a long time on Ruth’s younger life…yet you never got a good look at her younger life. I connected with the story more once she became the adult who had been narrating from the beginning. I had a firmer grasp of almost all aspects of the story then. But it’s so very depressing. I don’t really feel a chance for redemption…and so much of her life was wasted by the non-interference of others. While in real life that is often how it goes, in this story it just made me all the more upset. Overall final thoughts…It was alright, just not what I expected.
    • 4/5
      For the record, I read this WAY before it was an "Oprah's Book Club Selection." She actually came and did a reading at my high school. I think I was the only student who actually read the book after her visit.
    • 4/5
      I feel like I've read an entirely different novel from other reviewers. The great thing about Ruth is that she has an inner strength and that she enjoys life. She doesn't need to be saved, rescued or redeemed. As Ruth says to the Rev "Don't tell me anything about the resurrection. Go down to the stinky marsh in spring and listen, and you'll hear what's come to life, what's reborn."She has tragedy in her life, yes, but she understands it. The people who think they have a better plan for us all, don't.
    • 3/5
      While there were some cleverly written sentences, this story didn't grab me the I thought it would. I think I expected that the main character would escape her life (like her brother did) but I guess it was somewhat realistic that she didn't. Not everyone can in real life either. There was a lot of build up to the end of the story which was quite gruesome. I'm glad I only read the abridged version and not the full, although perhaps the full version would be a more satisfying read.
    • 4/5
      A beautiful and harrowing book. Ruth tells the tale of a family tragedy, building her story slowly and from all angles. Ruth grows up an awkward girl in a sleepy midwestern town, tiptoeing around her volatile and emotionally abusive mother. As she comes of age, they remain within their precarious living situation out of a mutual need for each other. When Ruth marries and her new husband moves in, the atmosphere in the house becomes darker. Hamilton takes the time to explore the history of each character and the ways that these histories shaped and defined each person's view of the world. A fascinating look at the limits we set for ourselves and for other people, and the conflict between loyalty to one's self and to others.
    • 4/5
      I liked this simple story. The main character really grabbed me, although her sheer dimwittedness in choices and narrative and then her miraculous academic achievements left a little to be desired.