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  • The Four Winds

  • A Novel
  • Written by: Kristin Hannah
  • Narrated by: Julia Whelan
  • Length: 15 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (1,482 ratings)

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The Four Winds

Written by: Kristin Hannah
Narrated by: Julia Whelan
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Publisher's Summary

This program includes a bonus interview with the author.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

#1 USA TODAY BESTSELLER

#1 WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER

#1 INDIE BESTSELLER

"The Four Winds seems eerily prescient in 2021 . . . Its message is galvanizing and hopeful: We are a nation of scrappy survivors. We’ve been in dire straits before; we will be again. Hold your people close.”—The New York Times

"A spectacular tour de force that shines a spotlight on the indispensable but often overlooked role of Greatest Generation women."—People

"Through one woman’s survival during the harsh and haunting Dust Bowl, master storyteller, Kristin Hannah, reminds us that the human heart and our Earth are as tough, yet as fragile, as a change in the wind." Delia Owens, author of Where the Crawdads Sing

From the number-one bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone comes a powerful American epic about love and heroism and hope, set during the Great Depression, a time when the country was in crisis and at war with itself, when millions were out of work and even the land seemed to have turned against them.

My land tells its story if you listen. The story of our family.”

Texas, 1921. A time of abundance. The Great War is over, the bounty of the land is plentiful, and America is on the brink of a new and optimistic era. But for Elsa Wolcott, deemed too old to marry in a time when marriage is a woman’s only option, the future seems bleak. Until the night she meets Rafe Martinelli and decides to change the direction of her life. With her reputation in ruin, there is only one respectable choice: marriage to a man she barely knows.

By 1934, the world has changed; millions are out of work and drought has devastated the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as crops fail and water dries up and the earth cracks open. Dust storms roll relentlessly across the plains. Everything on the Martinelli farm is dying, including Elsa’s tenuous marriage; each day is a desperate battle against nature and a fight to keep her children alive.

In this uncertain and perilous time, Elsa—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or leave it behind and go west, to California, in search of a better life for her family.

The Four Winds is a rich, sweeping novel that stunningly brings to life the Great Depression and the people who lived through it—the harsh realities that divided us as a nation and the enduring battle between the haves and the have-nots. A testament to hope, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit to survive adversity, The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

©2021 Kristin Hannah (P)2021 Macmillan Audio
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What the critics say

2021 Amazon.com Best Books of the Year, Long-listed

2021 Hudson Booksellers Best of the Year, Long-listed

2021 Washington Post Best Books of the Year, Long-listed

2021 USA Today Best Books of the Year, Long-listed

2021 Read with Jenna, Long-listed

"With forceful narrative drive, Whelan delivers a compelling performance of Hannah's memorable new novel." —AudioFile Magazine

"Julia Whelan is herself a master storyteller because it’s absolute magic how she brings this novel to life for listeners. Her emotional rendering will bring tears and laughter and she portrays every character perfectly, men women and children...Have the tissues close when you put those earbuds in." —Reading Franzy

What listeners say about The Four Winds

Average Customer Ratings
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WOW

Amazing book, amazing performance!

You become one with the book. I could not stop listening.

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

Vivid and visceral, gritty, raw and emotional

The characters quickly come to life, beautifully narrated with charming and believable accents.
A tremendously moving story, although fiction, it feels very real.
There are many surprises, it is not a predictable story.
Brace yourself and be prepared to being swept away with the wind, I couldn't stop listening.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A must read!! Wow what a story!

Wow. Just wow. If you only read one book this year I am telling you right now to choose this book! You will remember it for a long time.

It is a vividly written story of a woman who’s courage and incredible strength in the face of overwhelmingly hard circumstances throughout.

Elsa’s determination, hard work and her tenacious love of her family endures in the face of the most tragic and heart wrenching circumstances you can imagine. I listened almost nonstop from beginning to end! And I cried..boy did I cry. The Great Alone was a great book but this one is even better IMO!

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

Audio vs physical

I am very glad I decided to "read" this book as an audiobook! I enjoyed the story, but the performance of the narrator elavated it! I don't believe I'd have enjoyed it as thoroughly if I had physically read it. I would definitely recommend this book and will probably listen to it again some day. I learned a lot and really liked the characters.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved it from page 1

this book had perfect narracion and it was hard to put down! it is a must read.

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Great story about the struggle of life

I really enjoyed this story. It reminded me of the Grapes of Wrath, taking place during the great depression and the human struggle. The characters were really well developed and I found myself wanting to hold and encourage Elssa during her lifetime. The only thing I didn't like was that the good guys portrayed were said to be communist. Thanks 💓

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Loved it.

I felt so much emotions with this book. It is so beautifully formed and constructed I felt as though I was right there with Elsa and her family.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent story, beautifully written with memorable characters

I found listening to this story very engaging as the characters became so real .I highly recommend it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Every second is gripping!

I absolutely loved this book!! It's one of the best written books I've ever read. Thank you for sharing it with us

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Breathtaking!!

The story kept me on the edge of my seat with tears in my eyes and taught me so many things about life and love. One the best books I've ever read, with the others among Kristen Hannah's accolades as well.

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