Now in November

By: Josephine Johnson

Narrated by: Carlotta Brentan

A lost gem of 20th-century literature, Josephine Johnson’s 1934 Pulitzer Prize-winning “exquisite...heartbreakingly real” (The New York Times Book Review) novel follows a year in the life of a family struggling to survive the Dust Bowl.

Published when Josephine Johnson was only 24 years old, Now in November made Johnson the youngest ever winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1935. It is a beautifully told account of one farming family’s challenges to scrape by and earn a living from mortgaged land over the course of a single year, narrated by one of three sisters—the introspective and thoughtful Margaret. As the household is ravaged by Depression-era hardship and the environmental blights of the Dust Bowl, the family’s unique vulnerabilities are pushed to a breaking point.

In a style typical of Johnson’s body of work, Now in November is strikingly ahead of its time, grappling with questions of mental health, worker’s rights, as well as gender, race, and class and is ready to be rediscovered by a new generation.

©1934 Josephine Johnson. (P)2022 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Review on narrator.

This is a great narrator! Don't think twice about picking this one up. It's very clear, the worst are emphasized properly, not over the top.

Poignant

Now in November is an emotional telling of a desperate and hard time. Great narration.

heartbreakingly real

I listened to this short book over a number of months. I had to take breaks from it. I kept hoping for a happy ending or some relief for this poor family. the narrator was pitch-perfect. I heard the desperation in her voice. I think this is a good listen and a tragic slice of Americana. Highly recommend.

A wonderful book

Josephine Johnson was a masterful storyteller. It must not have been easy to weave lyrical words into such a tragic. plaintive story.

Sadly Beautiful

This is a very touching and sensitively told story about poverty and loss. It should be better known.

Pulitzer Prize Now In November

The story evolved a sense of loss but respect for the family. Told from a feminine perspective, the feeling of futility rings true.

Yawn. Skip the first chapter!

I’m going through the list of Pulitzer Prize winning novels. (Not in chronological order). This book makes me wonder how in the world it was nominated let alone won. Listening to it felt like a job.
First of all, skip the first chapter. It does nothing but give spoilers and tell you what the book is going to be about, ruining any anticipation you might have for the story.
Secondly, perhaps another reader who is not monotone could bring something to enliven in the story. That’s a big ask, but it can be done. There are readers on audible that I follow who could read almost anything and hold my interest. There are also wonderful books who can survive less than talented reader. This is not either of those.