Noah's Compass

A Novel

By: Anne Tyler

Narrated by: Arthur Morey

From the incomparable Anne Tyler, a wise, gently humorous, and deeply compassionate novel about a schoolteacher, who has been forced to retire at sixty-one, coming to terms with the final phase of his life.

Liam Pennywell, who set out to be a philosopher and ended up teaching fifth grade, never much liked the job at that run-down private school, so early retirement doesn't bother him. But he is troubled by his inability to remember anything about the first night that he moved into his new, spare, and efficient condominium on the outskirts of Baltimore. All he knows when he wakes up the next day in the hospital is that his head is sore and bandaged.

His effort to recover the moments of his life that have been stolen from him leads him on an unexpected detour. What he needs is someone who can do the remembering for him. What he gets is well, something quite different.

We all know a Liam. In fact, there may be a little of Liam in each of us. Which is why Anne Tyler's lovely novel resonates so deeply.

©2010 Anne Tyler (P)2010 Random House

Read the Book

I love Anne Tyler books but this audio version is so dull I had to stop listening and read the book instead. The main character doesn't have much personality as it is, but when his voice carries the lines of the other characters in the book it goes beyond blah.
Once I started reading the book, I liked the story better. I was beginning to wish that the burglar had finished Liam off.

Great bedtime story

I actually have no idea what the story was about. It was a few happenings and family dynamics that could have been told in maybe one or two chapters. At first you think that something like "then Bob closed the cabinet door" is going to mean something later. Nope, just giving you a visual of every single movement that you don't need or want. The narrator was like none I have ever listened to before. I listen to books as I fall asleep and this certainly did the trick faster than most books I've listened to, so there's that.

Very slow and plodding narration

Usually love Anne Tyler but this one was a little hard to get to the end of. Not a bad story but ends very abruptly as far as I'm concerned.

Pointless

A bunch of uninteresting characters read by an uninspired narrator. A big yawn. What WAS the point?

Doesn't measure up

I bought this book the day it became available, because Anne Tyler is one of my favorite authors. I have read everything she's written. I am sad to say this book was disappointing. I found the main character annoying, and was unable to empathize with him, and the other characters were no better. I guess that is the trouble with being a great author...we hold our standards very high. This book doesn't measure up.

good listen

I enjoyed listening to this book despite what I had read in other listeners' reviews. It's not an action-packed story, but Anne Tyler always does a great job developing her characters and this book is no exception. Liam and all of his relatives are typical Tyler: quirky and, for the most part, lovable.

If you love Anne Tyler...

What did you love best about Noah's Compass?

Anne Tyler glimpses into little lives and exposes the complications, little joys, the beauty and the warts. Noah's Compass may not go where you want it to, but the journey of her prose is amazing.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Eunice. She was such a surprise in the end.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Arthur Morey?

I don't recall the narrator. Not because he was bad, I've just been listening to lots of Anne Tyler books. All narrators were very good to excellent, except one was awful, but it was a woman.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes.

different strokes

Would you listen to Noah's Compass again? Why?

Yes. I've listened to it twice, and plan to listen again in a couple years.

Any additional comments?

As the reviews show, liking this book is a matter of taste. It is reminiscent of The Accidental Tourist, but while Tourist was a brilliant ruby, Noah's Compass is a dusty opal. It is entertaining for those who like the inward musings and confusion of the older man who never quite got into the flow of life.

Contrary to other reviewers, I found the narration absolutely perfect. Arthur Morey translates the author's subtle humor and captures Noah's overwhelmed and underwhelmed personality beautifully.

Didn't do it for me

Any additional comments?

When the book ended I remember feeling relieved that the characters are not real people that I am related to or have as neighbors. I never have to think about them again. I have enjoyed other titles by Ann Tyler, but not this one.

Great book

This is a wonderful book. The sound quality was not that good on my Kindle, so I would download an enhanced version. The narrator is good though. Humorous and touching.