Spencer’s Mountain

De: Earl Hamner

Narrado por: Milton Bagby

High up on a mountain, young Clay-Boy Spencer joins his father and eight uncles to hunt the mythical white deer. What he finds on the mountainside changes his life - and marks him for a special destiny. Years later, Clay-Boy is the first in his family to get the chance to go to college; but success as an adult is much more complicated and bittersweet than the legendary success of Clay-Boy’s childhood quest.

A heartwarming novel of love, family, and hope, Spencer’s Mountain inspired the popular television show The Waltons, which starred Richard Thomas, Ralph Waite, and Michael Learned, and ran for nine years between 1972 and 1981. More than 50 years after its publication, this novel still has the power to inspire and move listeners all over the world.

©1961 renewed 1989 by Earl Hamner (P)2022 Blackstone Publishing

Earl Hamner has a gift

a must if you're a Waltons fan. listened every night. loved his storytelling. Makes me happy

It’s not the Waltons but that’s ok. It’s not supposed to be.

If you’re expecting John Boy, Mary Ellen, Elizabeth et al, you might be disappointed. This is the original. You’ll probably enjoy it a lot more if you don’t have the images from the television show in your mind. Just let the story unfold the way the author intended. Some of the characters are similar to those in the television show but they’re not the same characters.
It’s the story of a family but it centers around Clay Boy (not John Boy) and his experiences from late childhood to early adulthood. It’s well worth the listen.

Some beautiful moments, some heartbreaking moments.

The opening chapter is one of the most captivating and wonderful vignettes I’ve ever heard. It’s absolutely magnificent writing. Every word, every emotion…It’s just exceptional. Milton Bagby’s narration is a joy. His voice is so soothing, so pleasurable to listen to. His voice was one of the reasons I bought this book.

Clay Spencer’s description of love and lovemaking is the most beautiful explanation I’ve ever heard, and I honestly believe everyone should be have it explained in Clay’s words.

While we expect some sad scenes in a book, and Hamner wrote the hardest scenes with such poignancy that I wept, even though it is Thanksgiving morning as I write this. I wept on Thanksgiving morning, but it was worth it to hear this beautiful story.

But, many of the descriptions of family life frustrated me, because they are simply too close to the truth, and I didn’t find the moments that were clearly supposed to be funny very funny at all. They made me feel irritated and frustrated, because I got so tired of Clay-Boy being embarrassed.

It was also heart-wrenching to hear some of the things that Clay went through.

But the love and loyalty that permeates this book is nonpareil to anything else I have ever read, except for the Bible. I honestly think every American should read this book, and listening to it as even is 100 times better.

Great Listen

it was a g ood listen. The narrative sounded like someone's dad telling a story. Comforting

Back to the roots

I have always been a fan of the Waltons and got curious about the book that started it all. I was not disappointed , except when it ended. I wanted much more.

For Fans of The Waltons and Little House

Fans of Little House on the Prairie, or of course the TV series, The Waltons, will love this novel of both simple life and the complexities of struggling financially during The Depression.

Truthful

I always wondered if the tv shows depicted Earl’s real life after hearing this book I know it does. Glad I was able to hear this book and about his real life.

Certainly one of the best books I have ever listened to or read.

I have long been a fan of the Walton's television show and the movie "The Homecoming" that was based on this book and it's sequel of the same name as the movie. My wife and I have, at some point over the 38 years of our time together, had started the Christmas time tradition of watching "The Homecoming" as a family. We still do this to this very day. I got the idea to listen to the book(s) that gave birth to the movie and have just finished listening to "Spencer's Mountain" on this very day, December 19th 2024. I wish I had had the idea to read it long ago. The narrator, Milton Bagby, must be about the most perfect person to have been chosen for the task of reading this story for us. His voice and pace were so perfectly suited for the telling of such a story that one could imagine it was the author himself relating his tale of the events that had unfolded as part of his own life. A hearty well done to Mr. Milton Bagby. As for Mr. Earl Hamner Jr., I have not yet, but fully intend to search to see if he has written any additional books beyond the two I have mentioned here. His writing was nothing short of Amazing. His storytelling leads the reader to believe they are a part of the story, experiencing the entire range of emotions one might feel within themselves,, if they were liiving the events related in the tale. I am a 58 year old man not given to excess emotion and certainly not the display of the same due to the reading of, or in this case, listening to a book. Despite this, I litterally laughed out loud as well as shed a few tears. In short, I became emotionally invested as both author, and narrator skillfully made me feel the emotions inherent in the experiencing of the events related. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone with the greatest sincerity.

Good Story

Nicely read. Great story,I loved The Waltons as a kid and this book is a nice memory!

SPENCER'S MOUNTAIN

This is an awesome story... a lot of good listening with an amazing narrator! This Is The Waltons. The same writer with different names given to them.