The Offing cover art

The Offing

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Offing

By: Benjamin Myers
Narrated by: Ralph Ineson
Try Premium Plus free

Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $21.99

Buy Now for $21.99

About this listen

 Bloomsbury presents The Offing by Benjamin Myers, read by Ralph Ineson.

FROM THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF THE GALLOWS POLE COMES A POWERFUL NEW NOVEL
A TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR
_______________________

‘What a radical thing, these days, to have written a book so full of warmth and kindness ... Gorgeous’ – Max Porter, author of Lanny

‘Glorious ... Leaves an indelible impression ... A moving and subtle novel in many ways, infused with a love of the minute pleasures in life, and the lasting regrets’ – Scotland on Sunday
_______________________

One summer following the Second World War, Robert Appleyard sets out on foot from his Durham village. Sixteen and the son of a coal miner, he makes his way across the northern countryside until he reaches the former smuggling village of Robin Hood’s Bay. There he meets Dulcie, an eccentric, worldly, older woman who lives in a ramshackle cottage facing out to sea.

Staying with Dulcie, Robert’s life opens into one of rich food, sea-swimming, sunburn and poetry. The two come from different worlds, yet as the summer months pass, they form an unlikely friendship that will profoundly alter their futures.
_______________________

An i Book of the Year
A Reading Agency Book of the Year
A BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick
A BBC Radio 4 'Book at Bedtime'
An Observer Pick for 2019©2019 Benjamin Myers (P)2019 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Contemporary Fiction Genre Fiction Fiction Feel-Good Heartfelt
All stars
Most relevant
What a wonderful novel. So many layers. And a fabulous reading . I enjoyed every aspect of it.

Could not have been better!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I loved the poetry in every description of leaf and bird and youth and wisdom. It will stay with me as an aspiration to inspire those around me also. But first to open a poetry collection such as the D.H.Lawrence I once loved. Wonderful

The poetry of youth and meadow and generosity.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Loved this book. I was not sure about the narrator's voice at first but soon got very used to it. It was beautifully read and beautifully written. For the lovers of good writing, nature and poetry..I would highly recommend.

A beautiful, touching story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Maybe it’s the times. Maybe my age. Maybe just my mood. But what seemed at first a beautifully written book about nothing much reeled me in like a trout that doesn’t know it’s hooked until it’s too late. By the end I was in that cottage thinking about lost time. Wonderful.

A slow-burning poetic elegy

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Prepare to be transported in time, in possibility, in adventure and in life. I loved this story and would recommend it to cozy up with.

Immersed in storytelling

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Beautiful prose, fabulous characters and wonderfully performed. Highly recommend. The offing is soothing for the soul

Wonderful!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This beautiful novel unpacked a wonderful story that didn't involve "a body was found' in the first few chapters. It developed elegantly and organically, focusing on the everyday life of two very different but likable characters. Myers' writing is fresh and engaging, and Ineson's narration was excellent. It deserved 5 stars.

Trope-free Read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Loved this book on every level. Beautifully written. Engaging, insightful, poetic, entertaining and real.

Brilliant!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I absolutely loved this book. In itself it is beautifully written and poetic and the characters it brings to life are endearing and captivating. It addresses in a gentle and non confrontational way some very important social questions and causes the reader to examine the role and impact of generational achievements and expectations. Just fabulous.

An important and wonderful social commentary

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I look forward to reading everything written by Benjamin Myers and listening to anything read by Ralph Ineson.

Brilliant!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews
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.