A Long Way from Chicago Audiobook By Richard Peck cover art

A Long Way from Chicago

A Novel in Stories

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A Long Way from Chicago

By: Richard Peck
Narrated by: Ron McLarty
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What happens when Joey and his sister, Mary Alice - two city slickers from Chicago - make their annual summer visits to Grandma Dowdel's seemingly sleepy Illinois town?

August 1929: They see their first corpse, and he isn't resting easy.
August 1930: The Cowgilll boys terrorize the town, and Grandma fights back with a dead mouse and a bottle of milk.
August 1931: Joey and Mary Alice help Grandma to trespass, pinch property, poach, catch the sheriff in his underwear, and feed the hungry - all in one day.

And there's more - much more - as Joey and Mary Alice make seven summer trips to Grandma's, each one funnier and more surprising than the year before. In the grand storytelling tradition of American humorists from Mark Twain to Flannery O'Connor, Richard Peck has created a memorable world filled with characters who, like Grandma herself, are larger than life and twice as entertaining. And year round, you are sure to enjoy your stay with them.

©2005 Richard Peck (P)2008 Random House, Inc. Action & Adventure Family Life Fiction Growing Up Growing Up & Facts of Life Historical Historical Fiction Literature & Fiction Multigenerational Family Comedy Funny Witty Heartfelt
Nostalgic Storytelling • Hilarious Humor • Excellent Narration • Family-friendly Entertainment • Historical Glimpses
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Fun story. I enjoyed this very much. I will recommend to my kids (ages 9-15) to read too. The narrator did a great job.

Enjoyed this very much!

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Richard Peck is wonderful he takes you to another time another way of life! Grandma is a truly amazing character and she teaches her grandchildren a lot each summer! I think she taught my son a few things also when his father read this book and the next book A Year down yonder to him! I know as an adult now it is one of his favorite memories he has of his father!

A truly awesome book!

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This is a great book, I loved it. One thing is it has many names and can be confusingat times. You have to have your full full attention to understand it. I would recommend you be around the age 12 to 15. Some of the words are too complex for young children. I personally loved this and would give it all five stars except for those small negative things.

Great book but...

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I read this book many years ago and even though The story wasn’t new to me this time around, I still laughed out loud several times throughout this reading. The journey back into some of the history of Illinois was also a pleasure. This book is an eye opener of how we have much to appreciate in these modern times of convenience.

What a great journey back in time

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Small town life with an idiosyncratic Grandma who bends the rules but truly cares and is kind of a “Robin Hood “

delightful

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i loved it so munch I hope you can read it to thank you audible!!

I loved it and you should read it to!!!

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It is a lot easier to read and much more relatable to us! The storyline is everything most reviewers have already noted, "cute, nostalgic, fun." It is heartwarming and worthy of a place in the family library.

Not Homer. Not Plato. Not Tolstoy. But...

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We listened to this book on a family road trip. It kept all three of my kids interested and engaged (ages 10, 7 and 5). We all fell in love with Grandma Dowdel and her scheming ways. It was a good way for me to teach some history to my kids too.

The reader gave an amazing performance. He had different voices for all the colorful characters.

We felt transported to the past.

A great story for the whole family

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I've read or listened to this book multiple times, and it still brings smiles and tears. A great listen, especially when driving through the Midwest.

Worth repeat listening

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i liked it okay, a few laugh out loud moments. but i dont think these kinds of cozy sentimental Americana books are for me. i never really see the point of them other than to point out through lying, cheating and backstabbing certain Americans have come out on top. The whole book is a a cute reminiscence on the “good old days” in the country with Grandma, catching catfish and going to the county fair. Living that depression era life. She’s proud of her little town but I don’t see any body different in the town. Where’s all the disabled folks, the minorities, etc? Hometown pride can shift easily into xenophobia in my opinion. this book is Not for me.

How good were the good old days?

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