Here If You Need Me: A Memoir [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Kate Braestrup (Author), Author (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2007

When the oldest of Kate Braestrup's four children was ten years old, her husband, a Maine state trooper, was killed in a car accident. Stunned and grieving, she decided to pursue her husband's dream of becoming a Unitarian minister, and eventually began working with the Maine Game Warden Service, which conducts the state's search and rescue operations when people go missing in the wilderness.


Whether she is with parents whose 6-year-old daughter has wandered into the woods, or wardens as they search for a snowmobile rider gone under ice, or a man whose sister left an infant seat and a suicide note in her car by the side of the road, Braestrup provides solace, comfort, and spiritual guidance when it's needed most. And she comes to discover that giving comfort is both a high calling and a precious gift.


In her account of her own life and the events of her unusual job, sometimes joyful, sometimes heartbreaking, Braestrup is warm, unsentimental ("No one is immune to the Plucky Widow story!" she acknowledges), and generous. HERE IF YOU NEED ME is a funny, frank, and deeply moving story of faith and hope. (2009)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Braestrup's narration about her work as a chaplain with Maine's fish and game wardens is filled with the same comfort she offers those she ministers to. Her friendly, easygoing northeastern-accented voice is instantly soothing whether she is talking about the happy outcome of a search-and-rescue mission or her husband's tragic death, which spurred her on the road to her new job. Her reading has an often prayerful cadence, though she goes easy on Bible quotation and her discussions of theological issues are so wise and well-thought-out that even the nonreligious won't be put off. Mixed with cute stories about raising her four kids, she offers keenly observed anecdotes about what she's seen on the job, accompanying wardens as they pick up fishermen without permits or search for kids lost in the woods. My job is so cool, Braestrup repeats often, and her enthusiasm comes through clearly in her lively narration. Whether listeners are in need of a reassuring voice, Braestrup's brief memoir embraces in a most welcome, heartwarming way.
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Review

Reading her story, Braestrup is a good narrator. Her voice is warm and clear, and it is a comfortable voice. One that the listerner can well imagine hearing in time of need. Braesrup's style is almost plain language, but to think of it as simple is a disservice. It is straight-forward, honest, and puts us there. When Braestrup is talkng in the here and now, about actual events and the people she serves, the book is sharp, clear, and focused. She made me laugh out loud on more  than one occasion. I was comforted by Braestrup's kind voice and gentle story-telling skills. Even the moments in the book that are sad are told in a way that makes you see what an important role she has in this world where things do not always end happily.

"....[Kate's] reading of her story has both a tenderness and an authority that make the audiobook an even more intimate experience than the print book...." (AudioFile )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Hachette Audio; Unabridged edition (August 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594839298
• ISBN-13: 978-1594839290
• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,088,409 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Like that warm mug she's cradling on the front cover...cozy and comforting, December 10, 2007

By 

i_read_therefore_i_am (British Columbia, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Here If You Need Me: A Memoir (Audio CD)

I thought this was just a delight. I've recently moved and I've got a much longer commute that I'm getting used to and I grew to look forward to the drive just so I could hear Kate's voice and more of her story. I have to say (Kate, I know you'll laugh if you read this) that sometimes her voice reminds me SO much of Linus' voice on Charlie Brown Christmas when Linus tells the story of Christmas and that's comforting too. I was raised Christian but I'm not normally comfortable with Christianity at all and I still get a little rigid when I hear the J and L words though I'm getting better with the G word (you'll figure it out) so picking this to listen to surprised me too. But the title really caught me and then her warm face in her warm sweater with her warm mug pulled me in. And it turned out she's so straight and real, the stories interesting, heart-breaking, funny and more that I just loved it. She talks about her husband's death and the depth of the grief it brought which would be very helpful to anyone whose had a big loss. It made me feel like I could handle the next big source of grief alot more gracefully...I loved her talking about crying while ordering pizza. It's not a holy roller type of book, she does talk about her religion but it's gentle. How can you not like a reverend who collects jokes "about religious stuff" and proceeds to tell you one?? Kate, thank you for sharing your life.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars moving and powerful, January 31, 2008

By 

Mary M. Heintzkill (Michigan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Here If You Need Me: A Memoir (Audio CD)

As a chaplain in a large hospital, I can thoroughly relate to the author's mesmerizing stories. I absolutely love this audio book. It was given to me as a gift and I am totally enthralled by the power of her stories. I cannot wait to get in my car and listen over and over again. Her stories touch me at a very deep place; she is able to articulate the many stories of life with humor as well as throught the use of vivid description. Powerfully, the author speaks about the things of life that touch all of us...love, loss, growth, surrender, pain and joy. The author is truly gifted.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I laughed, I cried, I loved it, January 30, 2008

By 

Heddlemaid (Maine) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Here If You Need Me: A Memoir (Audio CD)

This honest, touching, funny audiobook bears witness to the ordinary and extraordinary in our lives. Having Kate read it herself brings a great quality to it. Whether you are curious about life in Maine and the Warden Service, wondering about the meaning of life, working through your own personal losses, or just wanting a good book, I high recommend this audiobook as one that you will not want to hear come to an end.