Disturbing the Peace

By: Richard Yates

Narrated by: Marc Vietor

Hailed as "America’s finest realistic novelist" by the Boston Globe, Richard Yates, author of Revolutionary Road, garnered rare critical acclaim for his bracing, unsentimental portraits of middle-class American life. Disturbing the Peace is no exception. Haunting, troubling, and mesmerizing, it shines a brilliant, unwavering light into the darkest recesses of a man’s psyche.

To all appearances, John Wilder has all the trappings of success, circa 1960: a promising career in advertising, a loving family, a beautiful apartment, even a country home. John’s evenings are spent with associates at quiet Manhattan lounges and his weekends with friends at glittering cocktail parties. But something deep within this seemingly perfect life has long since gone wrong. Something has disturbed John’s fragile peace, and he can no longer find solace in fleeting affairs or alcohol. The anger, the drinking, and the recklessness are building to a crescendo—and they’re about to take down John’s career and his family. What happens next will send John on a long, strange journey—at once tragic and inevitable.

As an added bonus, when you purchase our Audible Modern Vanguard production of Richard Yates' book, you'll also receive an exclusive Jim Atlas interview. This interview – where James Atlas interviews Blake Bailey about the life and work of Richard Yates – begins as soon as the audiobook ends.

This production is part of our Audible Modern Vanguard line, a collection of important works from groundbreaking authors.©1976 Richard Yates (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"One of the handful of American novelists... who can be said to have a 'vision of life'. " (New York Times Book Review)

"Richard Yates is among the very truest of American writers. Each of his novels and each story unfalteringly traces our destinies and rescues us from the lost. He sees eye-to-eye with every one of us." (Gina Berriault)

"Yates' strongest novel since Revolutionary Road." (Kirkus Reviews)

deeply affecting and very male-centric

Can't help but feel for the main character. He was a product of his time. Some of the best descriptions ever of descending into "madness." Not sure the women characters were as well-drawn. Will definitely pursue more Yates, though!