Paula cover art

Paula

A Memoir

 Preview

Audible Standard 1-month free trial

Auto-renews at $8.99/mo + applicable tax after 30-day trial. Cancel Anytime
Try for $0.00
Compare plans

Paula

Written by: Isabel Allende
Narrated by: Isabel Allende, Cynthia Farrell
Try for $0.00

$8.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $41.99

Buy Now for $41.99

“Beautiful and heartrending. . . . Memoir, autobiography, epicedium, perhaps even some fiction: they are all here, and they are all quite wonderful.”—Los Angeles Times

In this literary classic, New York Times bestselling author Isabel Allende recalls the story of her beloved daughter and her remarkable family’s past.

When her daughter, Paula, became gravely ill and fell into a coma, Isabel Allende began to write the story of her family for her unconscious child. Bizarre ancestors are introduced; delightful and bitter childhood memories are shared; amazing anecdotes of youthful years are relived, and the most intimate secrets are quietly passed along. Like Allende’s first novel, The House of the Spirits, this powerful memoir is infused with the real, the magical, and the spiritual, creating a haunting, sad, and beautiful tale.

Art & Literature Authors Medical Professionals & Academics Women Heartfelt
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
All stars
Most Relevant
The biographical intertwines with the autobiographical in a lively and insightful fashion. A lot of the feelings so ably described resonate at a personal level, since it is 10 years since my wife was diagnosed with Lewy Body disease. She is still with me at home, like Paula, with a G-tube, no longer speaking, walking, etc. Isabel’s love and persistence mirrors mine, but our journeys differ radical. She conceded to her brother that she was lost and did not know who she was. I daily sense exactly the opposite, in a more powerful way than ever before. It seems to me that the difference lies in our faith. In the epilogue she shares about sliding into the void of nothingness. In contrast, I am sensing the presence and directives of God’s Spirit, made possible through the death of Jesus, his Son.

I highly recommend reading of this book, even though it left me with a deep feeling of sympathy for Isabel. She was born in the same year as my wife (1942). My prayer is that in the meanwhile since the death of Paula she has chosen to have a relationship with a wonderful and loving and caring God. Personally I continue to be amazed that He is willing to give me the gift of His presence.

Powerful journal of life in the face of death

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The book is very emotional, a bit chaotic from a story to another and back, but it make the reader even more emotionally engaged in understanding in the writer’s emotional state.
This book has a deeply touch me and I would recommend the book, especially to the readers who have already read some other books of this author.
The only thing I didn’t like in this audio book were two very long chapters, it is very hard to scroll back and forth if you miss or want to replay a certain part.

Very emotional book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.