If I Knew You Were Going to Be This Beautiful, I Never Would Have Let You Go

Name: If I Knew You Were Going to Be This Beautiful, I Never Would Have Let You Go
Brand: Blackstone Audiobooks
Availability: InStock
Author: Judy Chicurel
ISBN: 9781483024929

Author: Judy Chicurel

Narrator: Emily Woo Zeller

Unabridged: 9 hr 10 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

Published: 10/30/2014

Categories: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Short Stories

Synopsis

For fans of Pam Houston's Cowboys Are My Weakness—a novel in stories about a young woman and her town in the early 1970sIt is the summer of 1972, and Katie has just turned eighteen. Katie and her town, Elephant Beach, are both on the verge: Katie of adulthood, Elephant Beach of gentrification—but not yet. Elephant Beach is still gritty, working-class, close-knit. And Katie spends her time smoking and drinking with her friends, dreaming about a boy just back from Vietnam who's still fighting a battle Katie can't understand.Impeccably crafted and hugely affectionate, this novel in stories is a vivid portrait of a place whose conflicts—between mothers and daughters, men and women, haves and have-nots—reverberate to our own time.

About Judy Chicurel

Judy Chicurel’s work has appeared in national, regional, and international publications, including the New York Times, Newsday, and Granta. Her plays have been produced and performed in New York City. A native of Long Beach on Long Island, Chicurel currently lives in Brooklyn.

About Emily Woo Zeller

Emily Woo Zeller is an Audie and Earphones Award–winning narrator, voice-over artist, actor, dancer, and choreographer. AudioFile magazine named her one of the Best Voices of 2013. Her voice-over career includes work in animated film and television in Southeast Asia.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Nancy

If I Knew You Were Going to be This Beautiful, I Never Would Have Let You Go by Judy Chicurel is a first reads win and I am giving my honest opinion. This story takes place in 1972, about a girl named Katie who lives in Elephant Beach. A New Jersey resort close to New York City. It never reached it'......more

Goodreads review by Margaret

I received a copy of this novel, from the publishers, in return for an honest review... 1972. A fictional island near Manhattan. A summer of sex, drugs and not so much rock and roll. A summer of unwanted pregnancies, tripping on a variety of pills and hanging out on street corners. Not a glamorous l......more

Goodreads review by Robin

A coming-of-age tale told in the 70’s. There was a likable hodgepodge of folks, and I did feel part of the crew. Something did seem lacking, but overall a good read.......more

Quotes

“A startling book of linked stories. This is not just another ‘coming of age’ tale but a wise, clear look at what it was to be a young woman at a singular time in our country. Chicurel’s portrait of a small town in the ’70s speaks volumes about who we are as a culture…A beautiful, accomplished book.” Katie Crouch, New York Times bestselling author of Girls in Trucks and Abroad

“A beautiful and honest coming-of-age story…A stunningly evocative portrait of a down-on-its-luck town and its people, who, like Katie, are trapped between the past as they’ve known it and the promise of the future.” Booklist (starred review)