The Secret Life of Sunflowers
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The Secret Life of Sunflowers
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Narrated by:
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Kendra Murray
About this listen
"This book draws all the emotions out of you. I went from tears to snorting with laughter. It was both lighthearted and heart breaking, yet it inspires me to live my best life! " (Michelle Cox)
When Hollywood auctioneer Emsley Wilson finds her famous grandmother's diary while cleaning out her New York brownstone, the pages are full of surprises. The first surprise is, the diary isn't her grandmother's. It belongs to Johanna Bonger, Vincent van Gogh's sister-in-law.
Johanna inherited Vincent van Gogh's paintings. They were all she had, and they weren't worth anything. She was a 28-year-old widow with a baby in the 1800s, without any means of supporting herself, living in Paris where she barely spoke the language. Yet she managed to introduce Vincent's legacy to the world.
The inspiration couldn't come at a better time for Emsley. With her business failing, an unexpected love turning up in her life, and family secrets unraveling, can she find answers in the past?
©2022 Marta E. Dana (P)2023 Marta E. DanaListeners also enjoyed...
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 46
Her friends included Van Gogh, Degas, and Renoir. Paris celebrated her as a sought-after model, until she picked up the brush herself, at a time when art schools refused to accept female students. By the time Suzanne Valadon was 15 years old, shed been a horse walker, a milliner, a funeral wreath maker, and a circus acrobat, but that was just the beginning of her adventures. Here is her story, along with Ellie's, a modern woman a century later at a crossroads of her life, who pulls Suzanne from the shadows of the past into the light.
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5 out of 5 stars
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An insightful glimpse into the past
- By Blondierizzo on 05-11-25
By: Marta Molnar, and others
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Sunflowers
- A Novel of Vincent Van Gogh
- By: Sheramy Bundrick
- Narrated by: Mary Sarah
- Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 20
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 17
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 17
In July 1888, in a public garden in Arles, France, Vincent van Gogh meets a young woman who will change his life forever. He came to Arles to escape the strains of Paris and find a different light for his painting. Meeting Rachel was the spark he needed to rededicate himself. Feeding off the energy of this fascinating woman, fighting the hopelessness deep inside him, Vincent throws himself into his work.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Understanding the Artist
- By William on 03-28-23
By: Sheramy Bundrick
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The Memory of an Elephant
- By: Alex Lasker
- Narrated by: Scott Fleming
- Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 288
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 257
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Story5 out of 5 stars 256
The Memory of an Elephant is an epic saga told by an aging African elephant as he makes a last, perilous journey to find the humans who rescued him as an orphan some fifty years ago. Interwoven with his narrative are the tumultuous lives of the family who raised and then lost him.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Compelling and moving!
- By TRENT on 11-03-22
By: Alex Lasker
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When the Jessamine Grows
- By: Donna Everhart
- Narrated by: Tiffany Morgan
- Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 105
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Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 97
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Story4 out of 5 stars 97
Talk of impending war is a steady drumbeat throughout North Carolina, though Joetta McBride pays it little heed. She and her husband, Ennis, have built a modest but happy life for themselves, raising two sons, fifteen-year-old Henry, and eleven-year-old Robert, on their small subsistence farm. They do not support the Confederacy's position on slavery, but Joetta considers her family to be neutral, believing this is simply not their fight. Her opinion is not favored by many in their community, including Joetta's own father-in-law, Rudean.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Fabulous Civil War era story
- By George P. on 01-28-24
By: Donna Everhart
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An American Beauty
- By: Shana Abe
- Narrated by: Gail Shalan
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 607
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 555
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 555
1867, Richmond, Virginia: Though she wears the same low-cut purple gown that is the uniform of all the girls who work at Worsham's gambling parlor, Arabella stands apart. It's not merely her statuesque beauty and practiced charm. Even at seventeen, Arabella possesses an unyielding grit, and a resolve to escape her background of struggle and poverty. Collis Huntington, railroad baron and self-made multimillionaire, is drawn to Arabella from their first meeting. Collis is married and 30 years her senior, yet they are well-matched in temperament, and flirtation rapidly escalates into an affair.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Loved everything about it
- By Leigh H. on 07-10-23
By: Shana Abe
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House of Trelawney
- By: Hannah Rothschild
- Narrated by: Corrie James
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 126
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 112
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 112
The seat of the Trelawney family for over 700 years, Trelawney Castle was once the jewel of the Cornish coast. Each successive Earl spent with abandon, turning the house and grounds into a sprawling, extravagant palimpsest of wings, turrets, and follies. But as the centuries passed the Earls of Trelawney, their ambition dulled by generations of pampered living, failed to develop other skills.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Really fun read
- By Ruthi on 04-12-20
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A Piece of the World
- A Novel
- By: Christina Baker Kline
- Narrated by: Polly Stone
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,549
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,392
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Story4 out of 5 stars 1,387
To Christina Olson, the entire world was her family's remote farm in the small coastal town of Cushing, Maine. Born in the home her family had lived in for generations, and increasingly incapacitated by illness, Christina seemed destined for a small life. Instead, for more than 20 years, she was host to and inspiration for the artist Andrew Wyeth and became the subject of one of the best known American paintings of the 20th century.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Wyeth's Vision Comes to Life
- By Poppy on 03-04-17
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The Keeper of Happy Endings
- By: Barbara Davis
- Narrated by: Robin Siegerman, Hope Newhouse
- Length: 15 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,849
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,475
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,456
Soline Roussel is well schooled in the business of happy endings. For generations her family has kept an exclusive bridal salon in Paris, where magic is worked with needle and thread. It’s said that the bride who wears a Roussel gown is guaranteed a lifetime of joy. But devastating losses during World War II leave Soline’s world and heart in ruins and her faith in love shaken. She boxes up her memories, stowing them away, along with her broken dreams, determined to forget.
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3 out of 5 stars
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French accent
- By Lilya on 10-22-21
By: Barbara Davis
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Trust (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
- By: Hernan Diaz
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini, Jonathan Davis, Mozhan Marnò, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 4,118
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,630
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Story4 out of 5 stars 3,630
Even through the roar and effervescence of the 1920s, everyone in New York has heard of Benjamin and Helen Rask. He is a legendary Wall Street tycoon; she is the daughter of eccentric aristocrats. Together, they have risen to the very top of a world of seemingly endless wealth—all as a decade of excess and speculation draws to an end. But at what cost have they acquired their immense fortune? This is the mystery at the center of Bonds, a successful 1937 novel that all of New York seems to have read. Yet there are other versions of this tale of privilege and deceit.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Before Purchasing
- By JLDLOfficial on 08-13-22
By: Hernan Diaz
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The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride
- By: Joe Siple
- Narrated by: Martin Landry
- Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 950
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 857
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 857
With all his family and friends gone except an estranged grandson, retired Major League ballplayer Murray McBride is looking for a reason to live. He finds it in Jason Cashman, a spirited 10-year-old boy with a terminal heart defect and a list of five things he wants to do before he dies. Murray is determined to help Jason fulfill his dreams. Together, they race against the limited time each has left, ticking off Jason's wishes one by one.
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2 out of 5 stars
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GREAT STORY - poorly read
- By Margery R. Deemer on 02-09-21
By: Joe Siple
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The Only Woman in the Room
- By: Marie Benedict
- Narrated by: Suzanne Toren
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 10,234
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 9,153
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 9,116
Her beauty almost certainly saved her from the rising Nazi party and led to marriage with an Austrian arms dealer. Underestimated in everything else, she overheard the Third Reich's plans while at her husband's side, understanding more than anyone would guess. She devised a plan to flee in disguise from their castle, and the whirlwind escape landed her in Hollywood. She became Hedy Lamarr, screen star.
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5 out of 5 stars
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incredible true story about heddy Lamar
- By S. Loew on 01-26-19
By: Marie Benedict
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The Book of Lost Friends
- A Novel
- By: Lisa Wingate
- Narrated by: Sophie Amoss, Sullivan Jones, Robin Miles, and others
- Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 11,062
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 9,564
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 9,501
From the best-selling author of Before We Were Yours comes a dramatic historical novel of three young women searching for family amid the destruction of the post-Civil War South, and of a modern-day teacher who learns of their story and its vital connection to her students’ lives.
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5 out of 5 stars
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I want more!!!
- By Mrstlg on 04-11-20
By: Lisa Wingate
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The Last Tiara
- By: M.J. Rose
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 79
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 66
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 65
Sophia Moon had always been reticent about her life in Russia, and when she dies, suspiciously, on a wintry New York evening, Isobelle despairs that her mother's secrets have died with her. But while renovating the apartment they shared, Isobelle discovers something among her mother's effects - a stunning silver tiara, stripped of its jewels.
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5 out of 5 stars
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absolutely beautiful!
- By Nita on 12-20-22
By: M.J. Rose
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Van Gogh and the Artists He Loved
- By: Steven Naifeh
- Narrated by: Fajer Al-Kaisi
- Length: 4 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 11
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 7
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Story4 out of 5 stars 7
Vincent van Gogh’s paintings look utterly unique - his vivid palette and boldly interpretive portraits are unmistakably his. Yet however revolutionary his style may have been, it was actually built on a strong foundation of paintings by other artists, both his contemporaries and those who came before him. Now, drawing on Van Gogh’s own thoughtful and often profound comments about the painters he venerated, Steven Naifeh gives a gripping account of the artist’s deep engagement with their work.
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1 out of 5 stars
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Very boring
- By freebird on 01-13-22
By: Steven Naifeh
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The Wolves at the Door
- The True Story of America's Greatest Female Spy
- By: Judith Pearson
- Narrated by: Patrice O’Neill
- Length: 12 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 287
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 259
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 256
Virginia Hall left her comfortable Baltimore roots in 1931 to follow a dream of becoming a Foreign Service Officer. After watching Hitler roll over Poland and France, she enlisted to work for the British Special Operations Executive (SOE), a secret espionage and sabotage organization. She was soon deployed to occupied France where, if captured, imprisonment and torture at the hands of the Gestapo was all but assured.
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2 out of 5 stars
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The narrator is ruining the book for me
- By Penni Khandi on 06-19-14
By: Judith Pearson
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The Frozen River
- A Novel
- By: Ariel Lawhon
- Narrated by: Jane Oppenheimer, Ariel Lawhon
- Length: 15 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 10,837
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 10,105
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 10,103
Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Oh dear
- By Barbara on 12-08-23
By: Ariel Lawhon
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Lady Tan's Circle of Women
- By: Lisa See
- Narrated by: Jennifer Lim, Justin Chien
- Length: 13 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,488
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 2,095
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,092
According to Confucius, “an educated woman is a worthless woman,” but Tan Yunxian—born into an elite family, yet haunted by death, separations, and loneliness—is being raised by her grandparents to be of use. Her grandmother is one of only a handful of female doctors in China, and she teaches Yunxian the pillars of Chinese medicine, the Four Examinations—looking, listening, touching, and asking—something a man can never do with a female patient.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Another Beautiful Novel from Lisa See!
- By TuxedoedCorgi95 on 06-06-23
By: Lisa See
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All the Forgivenesses
- By: Elizabeth Hardinger
- Narrated by: Stephanie Einstein
- Length: 12 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 814
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 728
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 726
Growing up on their hardscrabble farm in rural Kentucky, 15-year-old Albertina "Bertie" Winslow has learned a lot from her mama, Polly. She knows how to lance a boil, make a pie crust, butcher a pig, and tend to every chore that needs doing. What she doesn't know, but is forced to reckon with all too soon, is how to look after children as a mother should. When Polly succumbs to a long illness, Bertie takes on responsibility for her four younger siblings and their dissolute, unreliable daddy.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful life story
- By gayle boyce on 10-01-19
What listeners say about The Secret Life of Sunflowers
Highly rated for:
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Trish L. Anderson MBA BSN
- 05-29-23
A treasure!
Love love love this book! Keep writing and inspiring strong women. With deepest gratitude. Thank you
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- RD
- 03-16-23
Captivating tale!
I was compelled to stay up all night to finish this amazing stroll through history. Two women shatter the glass ceiling of their cultures which span over 120 years. Each exemplifies an "I CAN" spirit in the face of their contemporaries declaring "you can't". Character development is herb. The dual timeline flows seamlessly back-and-forth, but plot continuity is easy to follow. Surely we will see this story become a movie in the near future - it's too good! The audible narrator is excellent.
Great reading for a wide audience.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Bev’s opinions
- 06-11-23
Women’s strength through the ages
This book shows the different prejudices women have had to overcome in the past and now. It is a great story of women who just don’t quit and it has just enough romance and truth in it to keep you listening.
Fun book
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Georgia
- 08-12-23
Very interesting story and a great read
Since Vincent van Gogh is my favorite artist, I thought this book might provide some interesting details about his life.
Much more than that, it’s a story of the woman who brought his work from obscurity to fame. It brought to life, her struggle and determination.
There was also a fun addition of a young woman today, facing her own struggles, and being a success, it was a great read!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 07-14-23
Kept my interest
Enjoyed listening to this I actually wasn’t sure but I share the same last name as the Author so I was curious! I listened to it at work and while driving to and from work found it hard to not listen to it; I couldn’t wait to continue to find out what was next.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nancy P.
- 08-06-23
Sunflowers=Gratitude! Loved it!
I purchased tickets to go the Beyond Van Gogh Exhibition in Virginia Beach and wanted a bit of historical reference to the art and the man. I got much more as the story pivots from the past as told by Jo, his sister-in-law, and the present as told by another relative whom I will not name so as to not spoil the surprise.
I was inspired by Jo's tenacious belief in her brothers-in-law's talent and her desire to finish her husband's dream of sharing Vincent's art with the world.
You will laugh and cry in this heartfelt story.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 08-04-23
I loved the book. I had seen the traveling show of his paintings. I wanted to know more about him. Thank you for this book!
I loved the book. I had seen the traveling Van Gogh show in San Diego and I knew that I wanted to know more about him. Thank you for writing this book!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Patricia A. Franklin
- 08-19-23
Loved it!
Really great read. A bit slow in the beginning, but took off and truly entertained!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Edna Black-Walsh
- 09-05-23
Secret life of sunflowers
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and appreciated the skill with which the author took telling the story of two women heroines struggling to overcome impediments to their success. I highly recommend it to my family and friends.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- kml
- 08-31-23
Wonderful!
Thanks to my friend who highly recommended this book! From the beginning I couldn’t stop listening to this story! As with all great reads I’m sad that it has to end. Too many great books so little time!
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