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This Tender Land cover art

This Tender Land

By: William Kent Krueger
Narrated by: Scott Brick
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Publisher's Summary

The acclaimed author of Ordinary Grace crafts a powerful novel about an orphan's life-changing adventure traveling down America's great rivers during the Great Depression, seeking both a place to call home and a sense of purpose in a world sinking into despair. 

"Ask me, God's right here. In the dirt, the rain, the sky, the trees, the apples, the stars in the cottonwoods. In you and me, too. It's all connected, and it's all God. Sure this is hard work, but it's good work because it's a part of what connects us to this land. This beautiful, tender land." 

1932: Located on the banks of the Gilead River in Minnesota, Lincoln School is home to hundreds of Native American boys and girls who have been separated from their families. The only two white boys in the school are orphan brothers Odie and Albert, who, under the watchful eyes of the cruel superintendent Mrs. Brickman, are often in trouble for misdeeds both real and imagined. The two boys' best friend is Mose, a mute Native American who is also the strongest kid in school. And they find another ally in Cora Frost, a widowed teacher who is raising her little girl, Emmy, by herself. 

When tragedy strikes down Mrs. Frost, it's the catalyst for a series of events that will send Odie, Albert, and Mose to rescue Emmy and flee down the river in a canoe, heading for the mighty Mississippi, leaving a dead body in their wake. Soon, they are wanted by the law, and they know that Mrs. Brickman will stop at nothing to track them down for dark reasons of her own. Over the course of this unforgettable summer, Odie, Albert, Mose, and Emmy carefully make their way through the small river towns and big cities filled with people who are by turns desperate and generous, cruel and kind. As they search for a place to belong, these four remarkable children will lose their innocence but gain the strength to survive in the face of terrible loss. 

With his signature "pitch-perfect, wonderfully evocative" (Dennis Lehane, New York Times best-selling author) prose, William Kent Krueger's This Tender Land shows how the magnificent American landscape connects us all, haunts our dreams, and makes us whole.

©2019 William Kent Krueger (P)2019 Recorded Books

What listeners say about This Tender Land

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  • 04-03-2024

The story telling

Great journey woven with stories that keep you reading until the last page. Excellent writing style that creates a vision of 4 child vagabonds on an impossible journey.

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Ver powerful

Ver moving and compelling. Thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. Definitely recommended reading

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Thrilling

Wow! An epic coming of age adventure set against the backdrop of the horrors and heroics of the Great Depression era bursting with intrigue, history, beauty, faith, devotion and purpose propelled by a deep desire to seek the truth to the questions ‘who am I and why am I here?’ Loved it so much and beautifully narrated.

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Such a compelling and fantastic read

Loved, loved, loved this audiobook! A beautiful mix of history, adventure, friendship, family, triumph and tribulations!
Each character was so unique and likeable, you felt so close to the story.
Highly recommended to all - one of the best books I have read!

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I cried

A beautiful and captivating story. Odi and Albert, Mose and Emmy evoked grief and fondness

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What a wonderful story

Like a Huckleberry finn on steroids. Fantastic story that you couldn't put down. Absolutely loved it..

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Exceptional.

From start to finish, this gripped my imagination. I enjoyed every minute of the adventures of the four Vagabonds and shed the occasional tear at the sadness that they encountered.
A thoroughly enjoyable audiobook.

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Hauntingly beautiful,

The simplicity, the structure and landscape of their journey makes sense of love between friends, who are our closest family of choice.
A generous and exceptional storyline filled with equal twists of joy, pain and love that continues to connect and build upon the emotive and compelling characters.
I loved this book!!
It will make an amazing movie.

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