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A Prayer for Owen Meany
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 27 hrs and 19 mins
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A Prayer for Owen Meany
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Publisher's Summary
Earphones Award Winner (AudioFile Magazine)
Of all of John Irving's books, this is the one that lends itself best to audio. In print, Owen Meany's dialogue is set in capital letters; for this production, Irving himself selected Joe Barrett to deliver Meany's difficult voice as intended.
In the summer of 1953, two 11-year-old boys – best friends – are playing in a Little League baseball game in Gravesend, New Hampshire. One of the boys hits a foul ball that kills the other boy's mother. The boy who hits the ball doesn't believe in accidents; Owen Meany believes he is God's instrument. What happens to Owen after that 1953 foul ball is extraordinary and terrifying.
As an added bonus, when you purchase our Audible Modern Vanguard production of John Irving's book, you'll also get an exclusive Jim Atlas interview that begins when the audiobook ends.
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What the critics say
What listeners say about A Prayer for Owen Meany
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- camallis
- 2022-05-24
Highly Recommend
The audible version read by this narrator is more than exceptional. The characters came to life and the story line is captivating. I cannot imagine being able to convey Owen’s voice, which is integral to the storyline, so perfectly by reading the book. The book was meant to be read aloud! On so many levels this book is a treasure. It’s realistic but magical. It’s symbolic but historical. I hated to finish it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kim
- 2020-05-20
Great long book
I enjoyed this book most because it took a long time to finish it. Having savoured the characters over a longer period of time was very enjoyable. I often find myself missing the characters I am fond of after a book is finished, knowing I still had hours left of Owen Meany was comforting. Of course now I am finished it, but I am inclined to check out other books by John Irving. Thumbs up!!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2020-04-09
Great performance, interesting story.
The prayer for Owen Meany has a lot going for it.
Despite being a little slow at times, the story is interesting and the language of the writer is intelligent and engaging, not to mention, truly funny at certain points.
What I find lacking in this story is its account of religion which, for the most part, lacks the vitality or dynamism that would come from a believer. With that said, his account of protestant religion is not totally off, and very interesting to say the least.
I enjoyed reading it!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- cj
- 2023-02-03
A classic
Had always meant to read this story though investing 30+ hours of time seemed formidable. It was but worth it. Brilliantly written, unfortunately Owens voice was painful and I found myself skipping over his longer diatribes, also too much religion for me. But no regrets. The interview at the end was insightful and also worthwhile.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- John108
- 2022-10-17
Excellent
Brilliant. A thought provoking and entertaining novel with an outstanding performance by the narrator.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Francesco Soldo
- 2024-06-05
Amazing story, amazing performance.
This beautiful coming of age story is only made better by audio. He so perfectly captures the characters, especially Owen, that it’s almost like watching a movie with just yours ears.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- jolene
- 2018-09-13
repeat listen
I read this book and loved it. listening to it was again a treat. The narrator is super skilled and only heightens this pleasurable expierence. Im usually mighty critical but I just don't have the ability to be on this story. #Audible1
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2018-07-30
incredible reading of a wonderful book
I loved listening to this story. the performance was hands down the best I've heard of any aidio book. the story is easy to follow even with long gaps between listening, but still gives lots to think about and deep meanings.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Julie
- 2023-03-01
I Loved This Book!
I read the book quite a few years ago and absolutely loved it. I cried at the end, and it really affected me. Now, to hear it and hear how relevant the conversation is today, this book is timeless in many ways and still breaks my heart when that last sentence is spoken.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Vivi Montalban
- 2019-03-01
Simply amazing!
This story is full of life and very exciting! The voices of the characters were so carefully selected and it added to the story. Irving did a great job at ensuring the voices did not take away from story line or crowd it. It simply brought the characters to life. I could not stop listening and enjoyed it very much.
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2 people found this helpful