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Always Home, Always Homesick

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Always Home, Always Homesick

By: Hannah Kent
Narrated by: Hannah Kent
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About this listen

'In my brief breath of life, might I find a way to fit light to paper?'

In a land of ethereal beauty, within a culture soaked in myth, a young woman discovers the story that will change her life.

In 2003, seventeen-year-old Australian exchange student Hannah Kent arrives at Keflavík Airport in the middle of the Icelandic winter.

That night she sleeps off her jet lag and bewilderment in the National Archives of Iceland, unaware that, years later, she will return to the same building to write Burial Rites, the haunting story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, the last woman executed in Iceland. The novel will go on to launch the author's stellar literary career and capture the hearts of readers across the globe.

Always Home, Always Homesick is Hannah Kent's exquisite love letter to a land that has forged a nation of storytellers, her ode to the transcendent power of creativity, and her invitation to us all to join her in the realms of mystery, spirit and wonder.

©2025 Hannah Kent (P)2025 Macmillan Australia Audio Art & Literature Authors Heartfelt
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This memoir is rich with substance, personal recollection and the journey of the creative process. I have loved all Hannah Kent's books but this is, by far, my favourite. Narrated beautifully by the author, the mix of Icelandic and English is powerful. A perfect blend of personal memoir, history and insights into what it is to be a writer. The best book I've read/listened to in many years.

Contemporary literature at its finest

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Wiping away my tears of joy and also grief for Hanna and Agnes. And planning a trip to Iceland!

Another stunning offering from HK

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Wonderful narration enhanced by snippets of Icelandic.Hannahs references to her novel Burial Rites and in doing so has made me want to read Burial Rites again,do descriptive and emotive.

Heartfelt love of Iceland and the people that meant so much to Hannah

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Hannah is a born story teller. Iceland sounds mythic and wonderful . I didn’t realise how deep Hannah’s research went into agnes’ story.

It was like reading burial rites again

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I loved the reading! The accents and little pieces of Icelandic transported me to Iceland and brought Hannah’s story to life in a way that reading the physical book couldn’t have done. Fascinating detective work, wonderful real characters, passion and empathy. Thank you Hannah

Wonderful storytelling

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Reading Burial Rites in about 2014 it is a book that stayed with me. It also ignited a passion for learning about Iceland, being Australian it’s a country far across the seas. On learning of this memoir, I downloaded it instantly and have listened with great enthusiasm. So wonderful to hear of Hannah’s life in Iceland, in her own words and the story behind the book, Burial Rites. We head to Iceland in September and listening to the language and about culture has been wonderful.

Beautifully written and read.

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It’s difficult to explain quite what this book is or managed to do - I drank it up, it filtered into my dreams, it was/is one of those rare treats. Magic seems an appropriate descriptor, but not in a gushing, effusive way… I mean, literally somehow ‘magical’

Magic

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Loved burial rites and all that was conjured by the author around living in Iceland and the history, this feels like a natural extension of that and was a moving and interesting read

Moving and thought provoking

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Feeling much gratitude for the privilege of hearing this brilliant story of how Burial Rites came to be. This memoir made me appreciate the magnitude of what Hannah Kent goes through to produce such soulful writing. It’s obvious from her three novels she’s an extraordinary artist, but her memoir lets us glimpse the life blood she pours into her craft.

I am in awe of her willingness to let herself be taken to these depths.

Totally engaging listen and Hannah’s narrative is superb.

Love in Action

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Beautiful narration of the creative process that lead to the writing of Burial Rites and what has transpired since. A love letter to Iceland.

Stunning

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