Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker audiobook

Paradise Alley: A Novel

By Kevin Baker
Read by Kevin Baker

HarperAudio

The City of Fire Trilogy: Book 1

22.44 Hours • 1
Format : Digital Download (In Stock)
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    ISBN: 9780060889326

At the height of the Civil War, word spreads through the poorest quarters of New York City that a military draft is about to be implemented -- a draft from which any rich man's son can buy an exemption. The outrage this inspires escalates into the worst urban conflagration in American history. Down in the waterfront slum of Paradise Alley, three women -- Deirdre Dolan O'Kane, Ruth Dove, and Maddy Boyle -- struggle with their private fears as they wait for the storm to descend upon them. Deirdre, devastated by the news that her husband, Tom, has been wounded in Gettysburg, must turn for comfort and aid to two women she has always judged as morally depraved -- Ruth, married to an ex-slave, and Maddy, a hard-living prostitute.

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Summary

Summary

One of the 2002 New York Times Book Review 100 Notable Books for Fiction

Winner of the 2003 James Fenimore Cooper Prize for Best Historical Novel

Winner of the American Book Award for Fiction

At the height of the Civil War, word spreads through the poorest quarters of New York City that a military draft is about to be implemented -- a draft from which any rich man's son can buy an exemption. The outrage this inspires escalates into the worst urban conflagration in American history.

Down in the waterfront slum of Paradise Alley, three women -- Deirdre Dolan O'Kane, Ruth Dove, and Maddy Boyle -- struggle with their private fears as they wait for the storm to descend upon them. Deirdre, devastated by the news that her husband, Tom, has been wounded in Gettysburg, must turn for comfort and aid to two women she has always judged as morally depraved -- Ruth, married to an ex-slave, and Maddy, a hard-living prostitute.

Editorial Reviews

Editorial Reviews

“A gripping saga of New York at war—with the Confederacy and with itself—climaxing in the torrential Draft Riots that roar through the city’s streets, sweeping the brilliantly realized characters to their respective destinies.” —Mike Wallace, Pulitzer Prize–winning coauthor of Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898
“Rich in color and drama...Extraordinary...A triumph.” —New York Times Book Review
“Brilliant.” —Hartford Courant
“Baker is a master...Paradise Alley probes the primal mystery of those opposite poles, love and war, with skill, drama, and deep humanity.” —Edmonton Journal
“The combination of momentous events, tellingly real aspects of lower-class 19th-century life, and raw emotions like fear and pride make this a viscerally affecting story.” —Publishers Weekly
“[A] richly detailed, impeccably researched drama.” —Booklist
“Deftly plotted, fabulously detailed, and never less than absorbing. An authoritative blend of documentary realism and driving narrative that’s just about irresistible.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“With Paradise Alley, Kevin Baker emerges as our finest historical novelist, illuminating a critical and unexplored moment of the Civil War with compassion and vitality...Baker’s novel of immigration, slavery, rage, and rebellion miraculously captures not just the essence of our nation’s past but of where we stand today. Paradise Alley is a powerful and unforgettable book.” —Peter Nichols, author of Evolution’s Captain
“Paradise Alley is a powerful book that eschews what’s trendy for the old-fashioned literary pleasures: rigorous storytelling, deeply felt observation, and a judicious use of the bombshell surprise. Do yourself a favor and read it.”  —Darin Strauss, author of Chang and Eng and The Real McCoy
“Extraordinary...Baker achieves a hallucinatory realism packed with sensory detail, demonstrating why historical fiction is able to trump conventional historiography.”  —Los Angeles Times Book Review
“An engrossing epic.” —Entertainment Weekly
“One of the best books of 2002.” —Boston Globe
“What makes Paradise Alley a most worthy read is the author’s inestimable talent for breathing life into the people who inhabit his world. It is in coming to know and care about these characters’ lives and their futures that makes this novel a rare and special work.”  —Denver Post
“A page-turning epic.” —New York Post
“Inspired...Vividly entertaining, and its themes are as timely as any drawn from this morning’s newspaper.” —Baltimore Sun
“[A] huge success...Fascinating, instructive, never pedantic.” —Houston Chronicle
“Phenomenal.” —San Diego Union-Tribune

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Author

Author Bio: Kevin Baker

Author Bio: Kevin Baker

Kevin Baker is the bestselling author of the novels Dreamland, Paradise Alley, and Sometimes You See It Coming. He is a columnist for American Heritage magazine and a regular contributor to the New York Times, Harper’s, and other periodicals. He lives in New York City with his wife, the writer Ellen Abrams, and their cat, Stella.

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Details

Details

Available Formats : Digital Download
Runtime: 22.44
Audience: Adult
Language: English

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