We Live in Water: Stories
By: Jess Walter / Narrated By: Edoardo Ballerini / Afterword By: Jess Walter
Length: 4 hrs and 52 mins
Truly exquisite and creative stories with Ballerini at his BEST!
I know, Beautiful Ruins was listened to and reviewed aaaaages ago, and I’m baaaarely getting around to this, We Live in Water, even tho’ I’d snatched it up right after Ruins cuz I’d loved Jess Walter’s writing and Ballerini’s narration.
Why am I finally getting around to it now? It’s like this, see. My husband handed me a recent Sunday New York Times magazine interview, asking: You ever heard of a dude called Edoardo Ballerini, or something?
HAVE I?!?
LOOOOVE the man!
So I scooched off to re-listen to this awesome collection of stories which are oh so creative, somewhat outlandish, and oddly touching. I’m not going to get into each of them, but lemme just give ya a smattering of the ones that really moved me.
We have the opening story, “Anything Helps” where a drunk is doing his best to panhandle his way into getting his son (Who’s in the foster care system) the newest Harry Potter book. He’s a sly and snarky s.o.b. but as his story goes along, Walter lets us know there’s tragedy and missteps and lost love in his life. When all is said and done, when best efforts come to their head, we’re kinda left with a lump in our throats because this is one sorry man, trying his hardest, but with a void, a definite lack of love in his life.
There’s “Eat Cat” which is a hiLARious commentary on Zombie stories (“I know, I know: We shouldn’t call them that” the story’s protagonist carps apologetically), and how politically correct we have to be about those who’ve chosen the Zombie path. In it is commentary on our failing health care system and the possible hierarchy we can fall in when seeking assistance for physical ailments and/or serious diagnoses. The protagonist is looking for his ex-girlfriend whom he lost two years before when she chose to shoot the drug that will cause her to become a zombie. There’s a truly touching denouement which is totally a surprise because there’s so much laughter and outrageous behavior prior to the closing line. ‘Nother lump in my throat, right there!
There is the AWEsome “We Live in Water,” with its look back in time, seeking the father who disappeared; the tragically twisted “Helpless Little Things,” with a malevolent mastermind seeking, taking, exploiting; there’s the bawdy “The New Frontier” where a failed law student heads to Vegas to save his friend’s sister from a life of prostitution. Soooo many!
And through it all, there’s Edoardo Ballerini. As the story in the Times states: He ain’t famous tho’ he’s much loved by audiobook fans, and nope, I wouldn’t be able to pick him outta a police lineup. But if I was at a lineup, I’d have each “suspect” say the words, “ I’m soooo hungry; God! I’m sooooo f***ing HUNGRY!” and you’d better beLIEVe I’d be able to pick out the man! He’s quite simply that superb, never taking away from the stories but always adding oh so much!
And now that I’m off for the summer, with time that won’t be taken up with Professional Development, I’m eyeing my new snag of Tolstoy’s War and Peace as narrated by Ballerini. May I say that I’m flipping thrilled?!?
The book ends with Walter’s Afterword Points, which he reads to us himself (Really quite well, in a very heartfelt yet subdued manner) about life in Spokane where there are grown men peddling around on tiny and very stolen BMX bikes, and where he lives close to a women’s shelter, thus exposing him to a parade of battered women as they limp with their children to safety, maybe even accompanied by their abuser (Who challenge Walter as he can’t stand by and just watch). He’s a keen observer, and a witness to life’s rights and wrongs.
This collection of stories are a true testament to our best efforts, our saddest moments, our most shame-filled secrets.
Get it! Get it NOW!!!
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