The Joys of Love [Audiobook, CD, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Madeleine L'Engle (Author), Maggi-Meg Reed (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 29, 2008

This moving and romantic coming-of-age story was written during the 1940s. As revealed in an introduction by the author’s granddaughter Léna Roy, the protagonist Elizabeth is close to an autobiographical portrait of
L’Engle herself as a young woman—“vibrant, vulnerable, and yearning for love and all that life has to offer.”

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Written by the late L'Engle (A Wrinkle in Time) in the 1940s and never before published, this romantic coming-of-age story will immediately draw in listeners. Twenty-year-old Liz Gerard has wanted to be an actress for as long as she can remember, and has finally been allowed to test her talents by apprenticing at a summer stock company. There Liz falls for the slightly older, charming director, Kurt. During a pivotal weekend, however, Liz learns that Kurt's intentions are not so honorable and she comes to appreciate Ben, who has been patiently waiting in the wings. Listening to Reed's narration of this dialogue-rich work is akin to attending a play. Her expert use of pauses, shifts in voices and quiet passion bring this story to life. Teens may need explanations of items like dirndl skirts and telephones with no dialing mechanisms, but the basic story of first love and deception transcends the period setting. The author's granddaughter Léna Roy supplies an introduction and an interview. Ages 12–up.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up—During her apprenticeship at a summer theater company, 20-year-old Elizabeth begins to discover what acting and actors are all about and she falls in love for the first time in this story (Farrar, 2008) written in the 1940's and based on Madeleine L'Engle's experiences working for a theater company in Nantucket for two summers. Weekly guest stars, regular cast members, and fellow students help Elizabeth realize what achieving her dream will entail. The introduction and a bonus interview are by the author's granddaughter, Lena Roy, who recalls how this story was written for her and her sisters. Narrator Maggi-Meg Reed provides subtle voice changes for the different characters, making it difficult at the beginning to determine who is speaking. This semi-autobiographical, gentle, compelling coming-of-age story will enthrall most teenage girls.—Anita Lawson, Otsego High School, MI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Audio CD
• Publisher: Macmillan Young Listeners; Unabridged edition (April 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1427204640
• ISBN-13: 978-1427204646
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,883,983 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #13 in Books > Books on CD > Authors, A-Z > ( L ) > L'Engle, Madeleine

More About the Author

Madeleine L'Engle, the popular author of many books for children and adults, has interspersed her writing and teaching career with raising three children, maintaining an apartment in New York and a farmhouse of charming confusion which is called "Crosswicks."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ..., May 22, 2008

By 

SirTheory - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Joys of Love (Hardcover)

Somehow and without much fuss a new Madeleine L'Engle novel has been published. I was most ecstatic when I found out about it several days ago and quickly read it. Apparently, according to the preface, it is an older book she wrote but publishers didn't have any interest in. So she gave it to her grandkids to be something for them. Well, a couple of years ago one of them re-discovers the book and was of the opinion that interest in L'Engle has reached a point where there might now be interest.

As a result The Joys of Love reads more like L'Engle's earlier material than not, which is definitely a good thing. It is more straightforward than (for example) A Small Rain, with the steady setting more reminiscent of Camilla.

The best thing about this book, though, is the fact that it is a real, live rediscovered novel. Too often when an author dies a publisher slaps together some of their unfinished writings (look at Douglas Adams, for example) and while it is nice to have those, they leave you aching for something more substantial... something which the author themselves would have wanted us to read. And with The Joys of Love we get that.

Definitely recommended for those who love L'Engle beyond her Time Quartet.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A sweet story, May 12, 2008

By 

E. RiceScherpelz - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Joys of Love (Hardcover)

This book is a sweet, well written story. It is the perfect sort of book for a rainy day or a sick day when you want something entertaining and pleasant, but you do not want to tax your brain. I enjoyed it greatly.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, June 13, 2008

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Joys of Love (Hardcover)

Elizabeth has big dreams of becoming an actress. She loves everything about the theater and feels born to be a part of it. Her aunt, who has raised her, wants a more conventional life and disapproves of Elizabeth's ambitions to become an actress.

Taking place over a mere four days, Elizabeth is forced to learn a lot about herself, about her career ambitions, and about growing up. Her aunt disapproves of the lifestyle Elizabeth has adopted while working for a theater company, and has withdrawn the money she was paying for Elizabeth's room and board. This leaves Elizabeth to confront just what compromises she will make in her life to realize her dream.

The melodramatic title aside, this is a lovely book. It's set in 1946, with mentions of Automats, and with characters speaking a diction reminiscent of an earlier time. It's a detailed look into the lives of young men and women trying to find themselves by playing other characters. Elizabeth doesn't just have to stand up to her aunt, she also has to learn about the kind of love that comes along with growing up.

The characters are well drawn, and L'Engle deftly draws the reader in to the stories of the minor characters as well as the major ones. It is an example in character study, with a satisfying ending that does not feel trite or contrived.

Reviewed by: Marie Robinson