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Mayflies cover art

Mayflies

By: Andrew O'Hagan
Narrated by: Andrew O'Hagan
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Publisher's Summary

From the widely renowned author Andrew O'Hagan, a heartbreaking novel of an extraordinary lifelong friendship.

Everyone has a Tully Dawson: the friend who defines your life.

In the summer of 1986, in a small Scottish town, James and Tully ignite a brilliant friendship based on music, films and the rebel spirit. With school over and the locked world of their fathers before them, they rush towards the climax of their youth: a magical weekend in Manchester, the epicentre of everything that inspires them in working-class Britain. There, against the greatest soundtrack ever recorded, a vow is made: to go at life differently.

Thirty years on, half a life away, the phone rings. Tully has news. Mayflies is a memorial to youth's euphorias and to everyday tragedy. A tender goodbye to an old union, it discovers the joy and the costs of love.

©2020 Andrew O'Hagan (P)2020 Faber & Faber

Critic Reviews

"An immensely engaging writer: wry and witty, and insightful." (Sunday Times)

"A vivid and meticulous writer." (Observer)

What listeners say about Mayflies

Average Customer Ratings
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Beautifully written and read

I loved this book, the characters, the places and the times...beautifully performed by the author.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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reality bites

a story read by the author and I don't think anyone could have told it with so much emotion.
the story itself is moving but not so profound to make you sit in a corner contemplating the mortality of life.

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  • Overall
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A fantastic story

I chose this book on the recommendation by Trent Dalton when he appeared on ABC and was asked to pick some favourite books. Very entertaining but also very poignant.

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  • Overall
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beautiful reflection on living and dying

A beautiful novel about what it means to live a meaningful life and what it means to die a meaningful death

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1 person found this helpful

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A Story Not to be Missed

A beautiful story which made me laugh out loud and weep in public. A great description of growing up through the 80s. An inspired description of life and friendship of struggle and determination. Carefully crafted, wonderfully told. Exceptional.

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1 person found this helpful

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You’re crying, no you’re crying.

A beautiful story. Tully was a great character and their friendship over the years was relatable and real.

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I'm crying and laughing!!

I will be listening to this book again! the story interweaving the bright lives of some mates on a weekend of crazy fun, and then catching them in their later years is wonderful. Then following Tully and Noodles till the end...i don't want to give anything away.

Do yourself a favour, listen to this story.

Andrew O'Hagans Scottish accent is a delight to listen to. I'm an Aussie who is a sucker for this accent!

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Rich and exquisite

This will stay with me a long time, I will miss Tully for a good while, the irreverent, sharp, intelligent, compassionate rebel. A very special insight into friendship, life and death. Beautifully written and read by Andrew OHagan , thank you.

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Loved it.

The kind of book you find yourself parked outside your house listening to because you can’t leave it. Beautifully read by the author and a beautiful story.

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    1 out of 5 stars
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Buy another

Very thin plot - nothing really happened. Narrator hard to understand at times. Was glad when it finished.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.