The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter

By: Carson McCullers

Narrated by: Cherry Jones

Carson McCullers was all of 23 when she published her first novel, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. She became an overnight literary sensation, and soon such authors as Tennessee Williams were calling her "the greatest prose writer that the South [has] produced." The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter tells an unforgettable tale of moral isolation in a small southern mill town in the 1930s.

Richard Wright was astonished by McCullers's ability "to rise above the pressures of her environment and embrace white and black humanity in one sweep of apprehension and tenderness." Hers is a humanity that touches all who come to her work, whether for the first time or, as so many do, time and time again. The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter is Carson McCullers at her most compassionate, most enduring best.

Check out more selections from Oprah's Book Club.©1940, 1967 Carson Smith McCullers (P)2004 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Finalist, Classics, 2005

"A remarkable book...[McCullers writes] with a sweep and certainty that are overwhelming." (The New York Times)

LIked This one

I've never read Carson McCullers but I'd heard of her from reading biographies of other writers from the South, like Capote, Faulkner, and Flannery O'Connor. After finishing this audio I understand why she's in their league. The characters in this book remain with the reader long after the book is finished. If you're expecting a page turner then forget this one. This is a literary novel. It has peaks and valleys. Finish this audio and you'll come away with a better understanding of how humans are connected to one another and why and how they interact. After each chapter I had to keep reminding myself Carson McCullers was just 24 when she wrote this. Incidently, I thought the Narrator did an excellent job. I've enjoyed lots of books since I joined Audio last year, and this narrator I'd place at the top. This was a pleasurable listen and another reason why I think the United State's best writers are from the South.

Everyone has their own private hell

McCullers does a wonderful thing in this book. She manages to convey the idea that all these plot threads and characters are interconnected, when in fact they are all isolated. John Singer is the point of connection and therein lies an endless source of contemplation about the loneliness of existence. This is a carefully observed book. There is a constant awareness of how each character see's him- or herself, and how they see each other or what they project onto each other. It's the kind of nuanced, uncomfortable scrutiny that you won't find in a lot of other authors.

Classic!

Classic story that is a staple in American literature. Very well narrated and the characters were all nicely fleshed out. Worth it!

This book should be required reading for all humanity.

Cherry Jones is the High Priestess of awesome, invoking the almighty goddess known as Carson McCullers.

How have I not read this till now?

A marvel

The book is wonderful and deeply affecting, but the really remarkable thing here is the performance. How Cherry Jones manages to vivify each character so perfectly is utterly beyond me. I’ll be thinking about this audiobook for a long time.

Narration adds so much

Cherry Jones brings a whole new dimension to this novel with her humane, distinct, but non-distracting narration. For my money, this novel dwarfs To Kill a Mockingbird in its thoughtful, realistic portrait of a pre-Civil Rights era southern community. Superb.

Cherry Jones is such a talent!

Cherry Jones is able to give a unique voice to the many rich characters in this book.

A Masterpiece to Revisit

Carson McCullers debut novel was a favorite of my childhood. To revisit it again with Cherry Jones’ unerring reading was a pleasure beyond words. The book has a structural complexity, philosophical depth and supple storytelling that speaks of a writer far more mature than McCullers’ (was it?) 23 years. A great American novel that should be on everyone’s “must listen” list.

This is a wonderful novel

If you could sum up The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter in three words, what would they be?

Poignant, hopeful, and memorable

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mick Kelly--she represents the resiliency and hope which is at the core of the novel. Through out the book you cannot help but root for her.

Which scene was your favorite?

The Doctor's speech at his Christmas Party.

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

It was too long for that.

Any additional comments?

I discovered this book on the ModernLibrary Guilds list of the top 100 best novels of the twentieth century. Based on the title I feared that it would be overly melodramatic. However it was anything but a soap opera. The characters are portrayed as complex human beings and not stereotypes of people. It is beautifully written and well performed. It grabbed my interest from the beginning. It became one of my favorite novels which I have heard or read.

High school revisited

I read this book in high school and while I remember the characters, I don't remember liking it as much as I do now. The narration was great and really added to the overall feeling of the story. i'm going to have my 17-year-old listen to it before school starts!