Thalia Book Club: Richard Ford's 'The Sportswriter', 'Independence Day', and 'The Lay of the Land'
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Thalia Book Club: Richard Ford's 'The Sportswriter', 'Independence Day', and 'The Lay of the Land'
Buy for $3.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Isaiah Sheffer
-
David Strathairn
-
By:
-
Richard Ford
About this listen
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Ford talks candidly about his celebrated trilogy of novels and his approach to writing the character of Frank Bascombe over 20-plus years, overthrowing some of his readers' assumptions in the course of the conversation.
Symphony Space Artistic Director Isaiah Sheffer interviews Mr. Ford, whose "pitch-perfect voice takes us as close as we can get to experiencing another person's inner life" (Newsweek). Actor David Strathairn performs the opening chapter of The Lay of the Land at the beginning of the program.
This special event was recorded live as part of the Thalia Book Club series at Peter Norton Symphony Space in New York City.
If you haven't heard it already, download Richard Ford's Independence Day and The Lay of the Land (Unabridged).And don't miss any of the Thalia Book Club author events.
©2008 The Symphony Space, Inc. (P)2008 The Symphony Space, Inc.Editorial reviews
Richard Ford, author of the critically acclaimed trilogy composed of The Sportswriter, the Pulitzer Prize- and Pen Faulkner-winning Independence Day, and The Lay of the Land, stars in this episode of Symphony Space’s Thalia Book Club series, with the venue’s esteemed artistic director, Isaiah Sheffer, interviewing and overseeing proceedings.
Following the reading of an excerpt of Ford’s work by acclaimed actor David Straithairn, Sheffer and Ford engage in a humorous, conversational, and thoroughly thoughtful dialogue about the nature of writing and novels. Ford is a sharp and satisfying guest, offering keen literary insights, and engaging good-naturedly with audience questions and comments.
Related to this topic
-
How to Survive Menopause
- By: Samantha Bee
- Narrated by: Samantha Bee
- Length: 1 hr and 9 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 25
Samantha Bee wants to talk about menopause. Okay, she actually doesn’t want to, but she must. Half of the world’s population will spend one third of their lives in it, yet it’s been completely shrouded in secrecy—until now. The Emmy Award-winning host of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee shares everything she has learned in her new one-woman show, How to Survive Menopause. Because everyone needs that one best friend who will keep it real for them—like, really real.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I'm not crazy! or am I??
- By CBear17 on 03-13-25
By: Samantha Bee
-
The Unusual Suspects with Kenya Barris and Malcolm Gladwell
- By: Kenya Barris, Malcolm Gladwell
- Narrated by: Kenya Barris, Malcolm Gladwell
- Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 315
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 309
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 309
Join Kenya Barris and Malcolm Gladwell as they bypass pleasantries and promotional banter to deliver raw, unfiltered conversations with some of today’s most influential figures. Featuring titans across a spectrum of professions (from Olympic gold medalists to trailblazing Fortune 500 CEOs and everything in between), The Unusual Suspects with Kenya Barris and Malcolm Gladwell pulls back the curtain to offer listeners unprecedented access to the minds of the world’s most extraordinary individuals and their distinct paths to success.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
UNusually Great!
- By Angela C. on 01-30-25
By: Kenya Barris, and others
-
The Story of Grunge
- By: Michael Stewart Foley, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Michael Stewart Foley
- Length: 3 hrs
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 19
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 17
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 17
You can’t truly understand the last decade of the 20th century without a look at the muddy, electrifying rock music that would come to define it: grunge. For such a short-lived genre—at least in the mainstream—grunge had a lasting impact on American music and culture. It also provides a unique lens through which to examine the post-Reagan, pre-internet America of the 1990s. In the six lectures of The Story of Grunge, you’ll explore the rise and evolution of the genre, tracing it from Seattle subculture to MTV and the Billboard charts, all the way to its decline and evolution into new forms.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Scholarly Study of Grunge
- By Mark on 03-07-25
By: Michael Stewart Foley, and others
-
The Wonder of Stevie
- By: Wesley Morris
- Narrated by: Wesley Morris, Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 996
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 923
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 923
The year 1972 saw the beginning of a five-year span in which Stevie Wonder released five groundbreaking, critically acclaimed albums, garnering him more than half a dozen Grammys and more than 10 million albums sold, securing his place as one of the most important American musicians and songwriters in history. For the first time, uncover the untold story of an extraordinary artistic journey that shaped the greatest creative era in popular music history.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Good but not great
- By Anonymous User on 09-14-24
By: Wesley Morris
-
I'm Almost There
- By: Todd Almond
- Narrated by: Todd Almond
- Length: 59 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 44
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 43
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 43
All he wants to do is let the perfect man in, but can he overcome his unhinged neighbor, a seductive cult, a self-obsessed vampire, and a cat intent on dragging him to hell?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
So Talented, Artistic and Refreshing
- By KAC Reviews on 02-19-25
By: Todd Almond
-
Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon
- Laurel Canyon, Covert Ops, and the Dark Heart of the Hippie Dream
- By: David McGowan
- Narrated by: Bill Fike
- Length: 14 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 870
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 730
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 734
The very strange but nevertheless true story of the dark underbelly of a 1960s hippie utopia. Laurel Canyon in the 1960s and early 1970s was a magical place where a dizzying array of musical artists congregated to create much of the music that provided the soundtrack to those turbulent times. But there was a dark side to that scene as well. Many didn't make it out alive, and many of those deaths remain shrouded in mystery to this day.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
My first review. This book changed me.
- By Robert on 06-30-19
By: David McGowan
-
How to Survive Menopause
- By: Samantha Bee
- Narrated by: Samantha Bee
- Length: 1 hr and 9 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 25
Samantha Bee wants to talk about menopause. Okay, she actually doesn’t want to, but she must. Half of the world’s population will spend one third of their lives in it, yet it’s been completely shrouded in secrecy—until now. The Emmy Award-winning host of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee shares everything she has learned in her new one-woman show, How to Survive Menopause. Because everyone needs that one best friend who will keep it real for them—like, really real.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I'm not crazy! or am I??
- By CBear17 on 03-13-25
By: Samantha Bee
-
The Unusual Suspects with Kenya Barris and Malcolm Gladwell
- By: Kenya Barris, Malcolm Gladwell
- Narrated by: Kenya Barris, Malcolm Gladwell
- Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 315
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 309
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 309
Join Kenya Barris and Malcolm Gladwell as they bypass pleasantries and promotional banter to deliver raw, unfiltered conversations with some of today’s most influential figures. Featuring titans across a spectrum of professions (from Olympic gold medalists to trailblazing Fortune 500 CEOs and everything in between), The Unusual Suspects with Kenya Barris and Malcolm Gladwell pulls back the curtain to offer listeners unprecedented access to the minds of the world’s most extraordinary individuals and their distinct paths to success.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
UNusually Great!
- By Angela C. on 01-30-25
By: Kenya Barris, and others
-
The Story of Grunge
- By: Michael Stewart Foley, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Michael Stewart Foley
- Length: 3 hrs
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 19
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 17
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 17
You can’t truly understand the last decade of the 20th century without a look at the muddy, electrifying rock music that would come to define it: grunge. For such a short-lived genre—at least in the mainstream—grunge had a lasting impact on American music and culture. It also provides a unique lens through which to examine the post-Reagan, pre-internet America of the 1990s. In the six lectures of The Story of Grunge, you’ll explore the rise and evolution of the genre, tracing it from Seattle subculture to MTV and the Billboard charts, all the way to its decline and evolution into new forms.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Scholarly Study of Grunge
- By Mark on 03-07-25
By: Michael Stewart Foley, and others
-
The Wonder of Stevie
- By: Wesley Morris
- Narrated by: Wesley Morris, Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 996
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 923
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 923
The year 1972 saw the beginning of a five-year span in which Stevie Wonder released five groundbreaking, critically acclaimed albums, garnering him more than half a dozen Grammys and more than 10 million albums sold, securing his place as one of the most important American musicians and songwriters in history. For the first time, uncover the untold story of an extraordinary artistic journey that shaped the greatest creative era in popular music history.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Good but not great
- By Anonymous User on 09-14-24
By: Wesley Morris
-
I'm Almost There
- By: Todd Almond
- Narrated by: Todd Almond
- Length: 59 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 44
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 43
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 43
All he wants to do is let the perfect man in, but can he overcome his unhinged neighbor, a seductive cult, a self-obsessed vampire, and a cat intent on dragging him to hell?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
So Talented, Artistic and Refreshing
- By KAC Reviews on 02-19-25
By: Todd Almond
-
Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon
- Laurel Canyon, Covert Ops, and the Dark Heart of the Hippie Dream
- By: David McGowan
- Narrated by: Bill Fike
- Length: 14 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 870
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 730
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 734
The very strange but nevertheless true story of the dark underbelly of a 1960s hippie utopia. Laurel Canyon in the 1960s and early 1970s was a magical place where a dizzying array of musical artists congregated to create much of the music that provided the soundtrack to those turbulent times. But there was a dark side to that scene as well. Many didn't make it out alive, and many of those deaths remain shrouded in mystery to this day.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
My first review. This book changed me.
- By Robert on 06-30-19
By: David McGowan
-
Purlie Victorious
- A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
- By: Ossie Davis
- Narrated by: Leslie Odom Jr., Kara Young, Vanessa Bell Calloway, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 36 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 34
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 31
Dynamic traveling preacher Purlie Victorious Judson returns to his small Georgia town hoping to save Big Bethel, the community’s church, and emancipate the cotton pickers who work on oppressive Ol’ Cap’n Cotchipee’s plantation. With the assistance of Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins, in a Tony Award-winning performance by Kara Young, Purlie hopes to pry loose an inheritance due his long-lost cousin and use the money to restore his beloved church.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
What an Amazingly Powerful Portrayal of Black Southern Life - and Funny Too!
- By JStafford on 02-18-25
By: Ossie Davis
-
We Were All Rooting For You
- By: Franchesca Ramsey
- Narrated by: Franchesca Ramsey
- Length: 4 hrs and 21 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 165
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 161
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 161
The resurgence of viral clips from the long-running hit reality television show America’s Next Top Model left fans and foes alike wondering–how did a show so outrageous and at times offensive ever get on the air? For years, Americans dutifully watched as contestants faced uncomfortable situations regarding their race and gender, body-shaming, stereotyping, and problematic photoshoots. The show, which first premiered in 2003 and ran for 24 cycles, was helmed by supermodel Tyra Banks–the first Black female host of a smash network reality show.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
a trip down memory lane
- By Joni on 01-03-25
-
Farewell Yellow Brick Road
- Memories of My Life on Tour
- By: Elton John, David Furnish - foreword
- Narrated by: Richard Armitage, Vikas Adam, Daniel Henning, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 99
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 89
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 89
Farewell Yellow Brick Road is a celebration of Elton John's record-breaking, globe-spanning farewell tour—from Allentown to Auckland, from Sydney to San Francisco. Featured concerts include Elton’s dazzling performances at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium in November 2022, the finale of which streamed live on Disney+. Fans will be treated to a behind-the-scenes glimpse into every aspect of these spectacular shows, including Elton’s legendary touring wardrobe by Gucci, the set design, official photography, and more.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Could have been …
- By Tracy F. on 01-04-25
By: Elton John, and others
-
A Streetcar Named Desire
- By: Tennessee Williams
- Narrated by: Carla Gugino, Audra McDonald
- Length: 2 hrs and 52 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,255
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,105
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,097
With Emmy, Grammy, and six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald as Blanche DuBois alongside Carla Gugino as Stella, O’Hara takes a fresh and visceral look at the emotionally charged relationship between these two iconic sisters. Haunted by her past, Blanche seeks refuge with Stella and Stanley (Ariel Shafir) in New Orleans, where she wrestles with the nature of her sister’s husband, her sister’s denial, and her own unraveling mind.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Classic With Fresh Insight
- By Talia Shafir on 12-04-20
-
Alice in Chains
- The Untold Story
- By: David de Sola
- Narrated by: Sebastian York
- Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 914
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 798
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 799
Alice in Chains was the first of grunge's big four - ahead of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden - to get a gold record and achieve national recognition. With the charismatic Layne Staley behind the microphone, they became one of the most influential and successful bands to come out of the Seattle music scene. But as the band got bigger, so did its problems.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Disappointing!!!!
- By Rob on 12-23-16
By: David de Sola
-
Petty: The Biography
- By: Warren Zanes
- Narrated by: Warren Zanes
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,087
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,856
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,852
No one other than Warren Zanes, rocker and writer and friend, could author a book about Tom Petty that is as honest and evocative of Petty's music and the remarkable rock and roll history he and his band helped to write. Born in Gainesville, Florida, with more than a little hillbilly in his blood, Tom Petty was a Southern shit kicker, a kid without a whole lot of promise. Rock and roll made it otherwise.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Tom Petty gets some bio love
- By tru britty on 12-15-15
By: Warren Zanes
What listeners say about Thalia Book Club: Richard Ford's 'The Sportswriter', 'Independence Day', and 'The Lay of the Land'
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Louis
- 06-07-12
Missings
What did you like best about Thalia Book Club? What did you like least?
I need more time to read through this one.
How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?
Add about 10 characters, enough with the I, I, I's
How could the performance have been better?
You know after much thought I decided this could have been better if read off the pages where there is no voice to distract me. Some books are like that I guess, sorry the story needs concentration off the stage.
Did Thalia Book Club inspire you to do anything?
Made me realize that we all read in silence, of a closet if necessary, we want to be alone, that, incidently is why I read, me and my book, the travel alone is exciting. Theater is different, I would go to hear Richard Burton's voice in Macbeth, hearing characters on a stage in London is really thrilling.
Any additional comments?
Thanks for the thoughts of why I read, never did before, it's because I love to travel alone, you can take on as another character. Between chapters you also can dream, some, oh to dream!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful