Carry Me Home

By: Sandra Kring

Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne

The love of family. The heartbreak of war. The triumph of coming home.

1940. Rural Wisconsin. Sixteen-year-old Earl “Earwig” Gunderman is not like other boys his age. Fiercely protected by his older brother, Earwig sees his town and the world around him through the prism of his own unique understanding. He sees his mother’s sadness and his father’s growing solitude. He sees his brother, Jimmy, falling in love with the most beautiful girl in town. And while Earwig is unable to make change for customers at his family’s store, he is singularly well suited to understand what other people in his town cannot: that life as they know it is about to change; the coming war will touch them all.

For Jimmy will enlist in the military. And Earwig will watch his parents’ marriage buckle under the strain of a family secret. And when Jimmy returns - a fractured shadow of his former self - it is Earwig’s turn to care for him. His struggles to right the wrongs visited upon his revered older brother by war, women, and life are at once heartwarming and riotously funny. Their family and town irrevocably altered, Earwig and Jimmy fight to find their own places in a world changed forever.

©2005 Sandra Kring (P)2004 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Heartfelt....Strong characters, a clear community portrait, and a memorable protagonist whose poignant fumblings cloak an innocent wisdom demonstrate Kring's promise." (Publishers Weekly)

Good little quick story

Narrated by one brother who suffered brain injury during a childhood illness, this story begins a few years before WWII and through the early post-service years of the other brother. Typical small town characters with small town gossip, secrets and family love. This is a quick listen with some beautiful and sometimes funny insights looking back on those days as illustrated by someone who is referred to as "simple-minded".

Great characters!

She does a great job keeping the pace and telling it from a young man's perspective. If you like historical fiction, this is a winner. Made me and my husband laugh and cry a few times. Loved this book!

Fabulous story, excellent narration

I thoroughly enjoyed this listen from start to finish. Sandra Kring's writing is superb, and the narrator does a wonderful job of bringing it to life. I'm going to look for more by this author.

LOVE

I absolutely loved this book. The narrator did an awesome job as Earwig. It’s rare that I actually laugh out loud when reading or listening to a book. But I laughed throughout this book. Parts of it were sad but not too sad. A+++

Fine read

A fine book. Simply told. Great reader. Nicely balanced ending.

By coincidence, I read this after reading Army at Down. The historical background of Operation Torch gave me insight and personalized the turmoil that was the collective experience of WWII. Made this novel particularly moving. I recommend this book.

Memorable Story

If you could sum up Carry Me Home in three words, what would they be?

Memorable, Insightful, Straightforward

What was one of the most memorable moments of Carry Me Home?

When Earwig finally unloads on Mrs. Pritchett.

What about Kirby Heyborne’s performance did you like?

I think he got Earl (Earwig) Gunderman's voice just right. The inflections and cadence, was just right for dialogue, thoughts and observations.

Any additional comments?

A good story, harkening back to the 1930s and 40s, the good times and the difficult, as seen through Earwig's eyes--from the War and the struggles of the soldiers returning, to friendships through good and bad.

Wonderful story! Perfect narration!

I loved the story and the fabulous narration by Kirby Heyborne so much that I have listened to it multiple times! It is such a great combination of sad and funny! The characters are so realistic and the portrayal of the time around and during World War II are perfect and heart warming!

Not enjoyable

What disappointed you about Carry Me Home?

I was very disappointed with on going language. I do know the writter could have used better language. NOT everyone in that time spoke that way. The subject was good. But that is all.

Any additional comments?

I did finish the book and I do like the way it ended.