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Tom Lake: A Novel Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Ann Patchett (Author), Meryl Streep (Narrator), HarperAudio (Publisher)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 38,298 ratings
Editors' pick Best Books of the Year 2023
See all formats and editions

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK READ BY MERYL STREEP

In this beautiful and moving novel about family, love, and growing up, Ann Patchett once again proves herself one of America’s finest writers.

“Patchett leads us to a truth that feels like life rather than literature.” —The Guardian

In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew.

Tom Lake is a meditation on youthful love, married love, and the lives parents have led before their children were born. Both hopeful and elegiac, it explores what it means to be happy even when the world is falling apart. As in all of her novels, Ann Patchett combines compelling narrative artistry with piercing insights into family dynamics. The result is a rich and luminous story, told with profound intelligence and emotional subtlety, that demonstrates once again why she is one of the most revered and acclaimed literary talents working today.

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  1. Listening Length
    11 hours and 22 minutes
  2. Author
    Ann Patchett
  3. Narrator
    Meryl Streep
  4. Audible release date
    August 1, 2023
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    HarperAudio
  7. ASIN
    B0BPZYH97W
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 11 hours and 22 minutes
Author Ann Patchett
Narrator Meryl Streep
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date August 01, 2023
Publisher HarperAudio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B0BPZYH97W
Best Sellers Rank #97 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#3 in Coming of Age Fiction (Audible Books & Originals)
#5 in Literary Fiction (Audible Books & Originals)
#5 in Family Life Fiction (Audible Books & Originals)

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
38,298 global ratings

Customers say

Customers say the book has real emotion and humanity. They find the style enchanting, lovely, and well written. They also describe the characters as rich and vivid. Readers praise the writing quality as thoughtful, deft, and life-affirming. However, some find the entertainment value overly long and not that interesting. Opinions are mixed on the plot, with some finding it engaging and full of family and farms, while others say it's slow and plodding. Reader opinions are mixed also on the pace, with others finding it fast and entertaining while others find it slow for the first half.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
ReadabilityCharactersWriting qualityEmotional contentBook stylePlotPaceEntertainment value
156 customers mention "Readability"114 positive42 negative

Customers find the book well-written, tender, and sweet. They also say it's a light read but still interesting, with flawless description of the scenery and daily life.

"...I love the way the author writes and describes things with a bit of humor around the edges...." Read more

"...She describes the farm in such detail, it stands as another character in the book. So well written...." Read more

"...feel, so many Emilys, and the otherworldly ending— that it’s a tedious journey to the end of the book...." Read more

"...Read this for:🍒 a multidimensional story within a story🌸 lovely prose, family dynamics, a love letter to a simple life, to small..." Read more

104 customers mention "Characters"84 positive20 negative

Customers find the characters captivating, masterful, and exquisite.

"I liked the characters. They were vivid and beautiful. I thought it was hard to catch my interest and keep me reading." Read more

"...Ann Patchett nails it every time, her characters are complex and her graceful pace is measured even when events are brutal...." Read more

"...The characters were so rich I could see them in my head and the story was like I was there watching it unfold...." Read more

"Just enough complex multigenerational characters to knit together a story of a love affair. Life times of sharing and bonding." Read more

67 customers mention "Writing quality"67 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing quality thoughtful, deft, and life-affirming. They also say the time spent at Tom Lake is beautifully described, rich in many ways, and intriguing. Readers also describe the book as a topical subject and great story, with a gentle and hopeful truth.

"I liked the characters. They were vivid and beautiful. I thought it was hard to catch my interest and keep me reading." Read more

"...The author has captured the beauty and feel of that place so well, I can almost taste the cherries!..." Read more

"...Tom Lake is thoughtful, deft, and life-affirming. (It isn’t a pandemic novel, even though it takes place during that time)...." Read more

"...This is a subtle novel, with many layers to explore, but it requires the reader to be willing to sit and savor the experience of the storytelling..." Read more

41 customers mention "Emotional content"38 positive3 negative

Customers find the emotional content of the book heartwarming, heartbreaking, and tender. They also say the book feels like a wise friend, tender, and personal.

"...There’s comedy, tragedy, drama—a look-back-at-your- own-life kind of book. It’s classic Ann Patchett...." Read more

"...Meryl Streep is the perfect narrator for this novel. Her tone is the right balance of emotion and wry commentary, and her own life experience..." Read more

"...The humanity of the tale is searing and sad and beautiful all at once. I couldn’t wait to get back to the story and finished the book too quickly...." Read more

"I loved every moment of this book. It so clearly captures the emotion of youth and the wisdom of age." Read more

27 customers mention "Book style"27 positive0 negative

Customers find the book style engaging, lovely, and extraordinary. They also say the characters are unique.

"...Like the cherries, some parts are sweet, some tart, and all of it is juicy...." Read more

"...☀️ quiet, sweet, soft, slow homage to Our Town..." Read more

"This is a really lovely and subtle novel. Patchett brilliantly references the Covid pandemic without making the book about that...." Read more

"...Appealing characters. Short and sweet." Read more

94 customers mention "Plot"60 positive34 negative

Customers are mixed about the plot. Some find the storyline engaging, compelling, and full of surprises. They also adore the juxtaposition of thwarted young love and enduring mature love. Readers also mention the book is full of family and farms and easy to follow. However, some customers feel the plot is slow and lacking a compelling story line.

"...There’s comedy, tragedy, drama—a look-back-at-your- own-life kind of book. It’s classic Ann Patchett...." Read more

"...So many seemed to find the book “boring” and lacking in a plot. I very much enjoyed it...." Read more

"...🌸 lovely prose, family dynamics, a love letter to a simple life, to small moments☀️ quiet, sweet, soft, slow homage to Our Town..." Read more

"...Even many years after the fact. The truth revealed to the reader is surprising...." Read more

39 customers mention "Pace"13 positive26 negative

Customers are mixed about the pace of the book. Some mention it's fast and entertaining, while others say it'd be slow for the first half.

"It seemed to get off to a slow start. Although it took awhile for me to get into it, it was a good story." Read more

"...nails it every time, her characters are complex and her graceful pace is measured even when events are brutal...." Read more

"I found the pace slow. Although I liked the characters, the plot didn’t seem to go anywhere. The big reveals were disappointing." Read more

"...The books starts off very slow and becomes boring at times. I pushed through and I will say it gets better about half way through...." Read more

59 customers mention "Entertainment value"7 positive52 negative

Customers find the book not interesting, lacking plot and emotion, and disrupts the narrative.

"...They were vivid and beautiful. I thought it was hard to catch my interest and keep me reading." Read more

"...It’s a tolerable story, but not terribly engaging...." Read more

"...There is no big action in the book and sometimes the dialogue is almost too Romantic/not realistic, but it works beautifully." Read more

"...relate to it as a lot of people would but just not a particularly exciting or engaging book...." Read more

All the more beautiful thanks to Meryl Streep’s narration!
4 Stars
All the more beautiful thanks to Meryl Streep’s narration!
“𝑾𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒑 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘. 𝑰𝒏 𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒘𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇𝒇 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔.”
This was a beautiful little story, and it was all the more beautiful thanks to Meryl Streep’s narration!Read this for:🍒 a multidimensional story within a story🌸 lovely prose, family dynamics, a love letter to a simple life, to small moments☀️ quiet, sweet, soft, slow homage to Our TownLara’s three adult daughters are back home on the cherry orchard (thanks to the pandemic), and this book follows Lara as she recounts the time when she was (briefly) pursuing an acting career, and the summer when she dated someone who would become a known movie star.Through time jumps, this novel takes on an expertly woven tale of Lara’s life, and how she tells her story to her three daughters. It’s full of joy, beauty, and cherries.If you like to listen to books- give this one a listen 🍒
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Top reviews from the United States

MichiganGal
5.0 out of 5 stars Thought Provoking
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2024
Verified Purchase
I read the reviews on this book before I bought it and found them quite mixed. I guess our unique differences is what makes the world go around. So many seemed to find the book “boring” and lacking in a plot. I very much enjoyed it. My love of genealogy found it so wonderful that a mother would put her young life into words for her daughters to carry with them and pass along through the years. It helps, also, that I live in the Traverse City, Michigan area and am very aware of the beauty of this area. I love the way the author writes and describes things with a bit of humor around the edges. I believe the plot is - remember the trials and tribulations of your youth for they are what makes you the person you are today. The decisions Lara made in her youth were not always the best but, ultimately, she realized what was really important to her and went on to live a happy, fulfilling life.
5 people found this helpful
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Jennie Riney
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Story
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2024
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I liked the characters. They were vivid and beautiful. I thought it was hard to catch my interest and keep me reading.
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switterbug/Betsey Van Horn
5.0 out of 5 stars A Buddhist blend of Grovers Corners and northern Michigan
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2023
Verified Purchase
Appreciating the little things in life, the joy of day-to-day existence, and the love for your family and your work is what Tom Lake meant to me. Tom Lake refers to a (fictional) summer stock theater in northern Michigan in the 1980s, close to the locale of the current 2020 timeline--- a cherry farm (and pears, and apples). The late eighties marked a luminous period for protagonist/narrator Lara, a time that she walked the fine line between adulting and adulthood, coming of age amid a torrent of drama that swept her up in its fury. And then there was Our Town, the play within the novel that portrayed Lara’s life on the stage (and backstage).

Lara is telling her three twenty-something daughters about her short stint as an actress in her twenties, and the brief romantic affair with Peter Duke, a famous movie star before he was a famous movie star. The gorgeous cherry farm backdrop is like a staid but vivid character, with Lara, husband Joe, and the three girls all together for the first time in a while. Due to the pandemic, they don’t have the usual crew to help pick the fruit, so the storytelling unfolds as the family works the orchard during harvest time. Like the cherries, some parts are sweet, some tart, and all of it is juicy.

I felt the air, inhaled the scents, the cherries, the land and the whole layout of the farm while reading. And there is the kindness, too, of this family, whose flaws are also part of their strengths. The chaos of Lara’s life as a young woman is juxtaposed with the serenity of her life now, and the two timelines fluidly alternate, sometimes gently, at other times with piercing intensity. And every storyline has at least two. So, when you read about Lara in the past, or present, you just can’t help sniffing around to see the connections, of what surprise is crouched in the corner or hidden behind the door. I verily slipped into Lara’s character and imagined what decisions I would make as her, given so many pressing options and dilemmas.

Ann Patchett nails it every time, her characters are complex and her graceful pace is measured even when events are brutal. Lara is a radiant work-in-progress during her young years, many readers will see themselves in her. I was a local stage actor in Austin during my twenties, so I immersed myself in Tom Lake, pretending to be Lara acting as Emily Gibbs and then back to Lara again. The two timelines showed the difference between the fiery summer love of youth and the deep, tender, and mature love of family that you helped to create. The high points were explosive, even when they were pin-drop quiet. Lara’s low points stirred me almost to tears; I could feel her pulse against mine.

If you’ve never seen a production or haven’t read Our Town, you’re about to get a spoiler’s worth in the novel. But I think Ms. Patchett has surmised that most of her readers are already familiar with Thornton Wilder’s play. She coalesced Our Town and Tom Lake together in a way that reveals her refined skill of integration. Tom Lake and Our Town were separate but conjoined. I know that doesn’t make sense, but it will when you read the book. She also quotes Chekhov at pique (and even peak) intervals; she shares the Russian writer’s work with spare but specific devotion.

I recently learned that Patchett has never owned a smart phone, and doesn’t herself do social media (she talks to the camera and her staff completes the rest). She has never used Google, or researched on Wiki—she does it the old-fashioned way. And perhaps she’s that slightly eccentric but lovely gentlewoman you see carrying paper road maps!

Tom Lake is thoughtful, deft, and life-affirming. (It isn’t a pandemic novel, even though it takes place during that time). There’s comedy, tragedy, drama—a look-back-at-your- own-life kind of book. It’s classic Ann Patchett.

There’s this passage that really tickled me from the book. It’s toward the end but not a spoiler, it’s thematic with the rest of the narrative. Lara was so busy recounting the past for her daughters that she forgot to make lunch, which she said she should have been working on while talking. “The past need not be so all-encompassing that it renders us incapable of making egg salad.” Priorities!
310 people found this helpful
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Kayla Schmitt
3.0 out of 5 stars Good but not great
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2023
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I want to preface my review with my love for Ann Patchett. She wrote one of my all time favorite books Commonwealth and I have enjoyed other books she’s written. This unfortunately missed the mark for me. I pre ordered this book months ago in anticipation of it becoming another one of my favorite books by Patchett. I will still continue to read her books every time she releases a new one, but I was disappointed this book did not give me all the feels. The books starts off very slow and becomes boring at times. I pushed through and I will say it gets better about half way through. The beginning leaves you confused with the dual time line that does not give a good background of why/what Lara is trying to accomplish by telling her story of her life when she first becomes an actress. I didn’t like how it switched from her story to the present of her retelling her story to her daughters. It was strange how she incorporated the lockdown of 2020 into the storyline. I felt like it was forced instead of something that needed to be part of the story.

All in all, Patchett’s writing is superb as always. Her way with words and her development of character is in a style all her own. If you love her writing give this book a go, but if you e never read Patchett before maybe try one of her other books first.
46 people found this helpful
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Uma
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2024
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I don’t know what to say about this book. I didn’t realize until I was reading the section “about the author”, that she had written “The Dutch House”as well. Another great book.

I am sure a small part of my connection with this book is that I am from Michigan and have been to Traverse City many times. No matter how many times I go, I always want to go back. The author has captured the beauty and feel of that place so well, I can almost taste the cherries! She describes the farm in such detail, it stands as another character in the book. So well written. It has been a long time since I read a book I didn’t want to end.
3 people found this helpful
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Briana
4.0 out of 5 stars All the more beautiful thanks to Meryl Streep’s narration!
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2024
Verified Purchase
“𝑾𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒑 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘. 𝑰𝒏 𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒘𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇𝒇 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔.”

This was a beautiful little story, and it was all the more beautiful thanks to Meryl Streep’s narration!

Read this for:
🍒 a multidimensional story within a story
🌸 lovely prose, family dynamics, a love letter to a simple life, to small moments
☀️ quiet, sweet, soft, slow homage to Our Town

Lara’s three adult daughters are back home on the cherry orchard (thanks to the pandemic), and this book follows Lara as she recounts the time when she was (briefly) pursuing an acting career, and the summer when she dated someone who would become a known movie star.

Through time jumps, this novel takes on an expertly woven tale of Lara’s life, and how she tells her story to her three daughters. It’s full of joy, beauty, and cherries.

If you like to listen to books- give this one a listen 🍒
Customer image
Briana
4.0 out of 5 stars All the more beautiful thanks to Meryl Streep’s narration!
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2024
“𝑾𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒑 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘. 𝑰𝒏 𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒘𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇𝒇 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔.”

This was a beautiful little story, and it was all the more beautiful thanks to Meryl Streep’s narration!

Read this for:
🍒 a multidimensional story within a story
🌸 lovely prose, family dynamics, a love letter to a simple life, to small moments
☀️ quiet, sweet, soft, slow homage to Our Town

Lara’s three adult daughters are back home on the cherry orchard (thanks to the pandemic), and this book follows Lara as she recounts the time when she was (briefly) pursuing an acting career, and the summer when she dated someone who would become a known movie star.

Through time jumps, this novel takes on an expertly woven tale of Lara’s life, and how she tells her story to her three daughters. It’s full of joy, beauty, and cherries.

If you like to listen to books- give this one a listen 🍒
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5 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
Reviewed in Canada on March 24, 2024
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What beautiful writing! This is a very interesting tale that takes place within the confines of Covid. It's great to have a story line that takes that into account, yet focuses on the family and their story, rather than the pandemic itself. The pandemic is the necessary backdrop that brings this story out. The complicated relationships between sisters, between mothers and daughters. This book kept my interest all the way through and I was sad to see it end.
3 people found this helpful
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Regina Gutiérrez Durán
3.0 out of 5 stars Muy bonito pero llegó maltratado
Reviewed in Mexico on January 19, 2024
Verified Purchase
Está muy bonito. Llegó a tiempo pero algo golpeado y maltratado.
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Regina Gutiérrez Durán
3.0 out of 5 stars Muy bonito pero llegó maltratado
Reviewed in Mexico on January 19, 2024
Está muy bonito. Llegó a tiempo pero algo golpeado y maltratado.
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Nat C
5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 13, 2024
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Beautifully written, a compelling story and hard to put down. The best book I’ve read this year by far. Thoroughly recommended.
One person found this helpful
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françois gerbault
5.0 out of 5 stars C'est un cadeau que j'ai fait à un membre de ma famille
Reviewed in France on December 27, 2023
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Le membre de ma famille à beaucoup aimé. la livraison à était très rapide
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Nive Raitz von Frentz
5.0 out of 5 stars Sweeping Family Story
Reviewed in India on October 1, 2023
Verified Purchase
Lara's three grown up daughters have returned to the family farm to help with the cherry harvest during the pandemic lockdown. Over the years, they've heard bits and pieces of their mother's brief, but quite successful career as an actress, and now they persuade her to share more about her relationship with now famous Hollywood actor Peter Duke.

Switching between the 1980s and the present, this tale tenderly tells of Lara's youth in New Hampshire, leaving her university to travel to LA after being spotted by a talent scout in a college play. At summer stock theatre, she meets Duke and they immediately embark on a relationship - it is as if Lara has no choice, swept away as she is by her charismatic co-star. Events come to a head when Lara injures her Achilles tendon, the mess of intertwined relationships with Duke's brother Sebastian and another actress Pallace, captured beautifully.

What also slowly emerges is how Lara ended up marrying husband Joe and on a farm in Michigan as a result of that summer stock, sweetly connecting the threads. Some parts of the story, Lara leaves unspoken - those are her memories only and not for sharing, no matter how close the family dynamics are.

Clearly, the author has used her love of the play Our Town to weave this wonderful story of where we think we are going, and where life takes us.
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