The author of the critically acclaimed The Book of Jonah explores questions of love and choice, disappointment and hope in the lives of two strangers who meet by chance in this mesmerizing tale that unfolds over one Thanksgiving Day.
Adam is a former musician and recovering alcoholic who is home for Thanksgiving for the first time in many years. Surrounded by his parents and siblings, nieces and nephews--all who have seen him at his worst--he can't shake the feeling that no matter how hard he tries, he'll always be the one who can't get it right.
Marissa is a flight attendant whose marriage is strained by simmering tensions over race, class, and ambition. Heading to her in-laws for their picture-perfect holiday family dinner, her anxiety is intensified by the knowledge she is pregnant from an impulsive one-night-stand.
In an airport restaurant on Thanksgiving morning, Adam and Marissa meet. Over the course of this day fraught with emotion and expectation, these two strangers will form an unlikely bond as they reckon with their family ties, their pasts, and the choices that will determine their way forward.
Joshua Max Feldman focuses his knowing eye on one of the last bastions of classical American idealism, the Thanksgiving family gathering, as he explores our struggles to know--and to be--our best selves. Hilarious and heartrending, Start Without Me is a thoughtful and entertaining listen that will leave its indelible mark on your heart.
About the Author :
Joshua Max Feldman is the author of The Book of Jonah. Born and raised in Amherst, Massachusetts, he has lived in England, Russia, and Switzerland, and currently resides in Brooklyn.
Charlie Thurston is an experienced audiobook narrator, actor, and playwright who has received numerous Earphones Awards for his work. He has appeared on Law and Order: SVU, and his voice can be heard in audiobooks such as The Oracle Year, Southernmost, The Terranauts, and The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone.
Review :
"Adam's and Marissa's tales interweave effortlessly as they search for meaning among many doubts and what-ifs."
-- "Booklist"
"Engaging and thought-provoking...Both heartbreaking and inspiring."
-- "RT Book Reviews (4 stars)"
"Feldman nicely demonstrates how well-meaning Adam gets in his own way and how Marissa's hang-ups with class and money lead her to make matters unnecessarily complicated."
-- "Publishers Weekly"
"Highly recommended for those interested in family dynamics, which means most of us."
-- "Library Journal"
