Boy from the Valleys
My unexpected journey
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Narrated by:
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Luke Evans
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By:
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Luke Evans
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
From his humble beginnings in a quaint Welsh mining village to the dazzling lights of Hollywood, much-loved star, Luke Evans takes us on a poignant and inspiring journey that spans from the heart of Wales to behind the scenes of the global stage.
Growing up in a small village in the Rhymney Valley, south Wales, Luke Evans’ early life was shaped by his Jehovah's Witness upbringing. While most children of his age spent their Saturday mornings watching Going Live on television, young Luke would dress in a suit and tie and join his parents to knock on doors to spread the word of his religion. From an early age, he felt different. This feeling of displacement was not limited to his faith, as he came to terms with his own sexuality, he also faced a difficult and uncertain path. In his poignant, tender and often humorous account, Luke shares his bold decision to leave home – and the religion – at seventeen to move to London where vibrant Soho scene captured his heart, invigorated his creative journey as an actor and opened a whole new world of opportunity.
In finding himself, Luke also discovered his passions of singing, acting and performing. Starring first on the West End stages in iconic productions like Miss Saigon, Avenue Q and Rent, he quickly captivated the hearts of audiences and caught the eye of Hollywood's elite, going on to secure roles in blockbuster films such as The Hobbit, Beauty and the Beast, Fast and Furious and Dracula Untold.
In this intimate memoir, Luke takes us behind the scenes of his career on the stage and screen. He writes beautifully of the relationship he now has with his family and the respect they all have for one another on their different paths. Luke's story is a powerful tale of resilience, courage, and the pursuit of finding a sense of belonging and identity, but mostly (and hopefully) a story of inspiration.
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Thank You, Darren
- By Jessica G. on 12-29-24
By: Darren Hayes
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The Guy Next Door
- By: Devon McCormack
- Narrated by: Tim Paige
- Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Is it wrong that I watch him? Leif Anderson seems like a friendly, kind, normal, boy-next-door type. Unlike me. His stalker, a creep who moved into the place next to his parents’ house to keep an eye on him. I’m not the bad guy, though. I’m the one who will protect him. The cops don’t believe he’s in danger. Maybe they’re right, and this is all in my messed-up head. I’ve been wrong before. And no matter how I justify this to myself, my motives aren’t entirely pure.
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The development of the characters.
- By Brian Saint Louis on 12-23-24
By: Devon McCormack
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Shadow Men
- The Tangled Story of Murder, Media, and Privilege That Scandalized Jazz Age America
- By: James Polchin
- Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner
- Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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On May 16, 1922, a young man's body was found on a desolate road in Westchester County. The victim was penniless ex-sailor Clarence Peters. Walter Ward, the handsome scion of the family that owned the largest chain of bread factories in the country, confessed to the crime as an act of self-defense against a violent gang of "shadow men," blackmailers who extorted their victims' moral weaknesses. From the start, one question defined the investigation: What scandalous secret could lead Ward to murder?
By: James Polchin
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I Was Better Last Night
- A Memoir
- By: Harvey Fierstein
- Narrated by: Harvey Fierstein
- Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Harvey Fierstein’s legendary career has transported him from community theater in Brooklyn, to the lights of Broadway, to the absurd excesses of Hollywood and back. He’s received accolades and awards for acting in and/or writing an incredible string of hit plays, films, and TV shows.
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Loved it
- By Mary Ellen Guadagno on 03-09-22
By: Harvey Fierstein
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All Down Darkness Wide
- A Memoir
- By: Seán Hewitt
- Narrated by: Seán Hewitt
- Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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When Seán Hewitt meets Elias, the two fall headlong into a love story. But as Elias struggles with severe mental illness, they soon come face-to-face with crisis. All Down Darkness Wide is a perceptive and unflinching meditation on the burden of living in a world that too often sets happiness and queer life at odds, and a tender and honest portrayal of what it’s like to be caught in the undertow of a loved one’s deep depression. As lives are made and unmade, this memoir asks what love can endure and what it cannot.
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The very deepest end of the pool
- By Gary Francis Burnham on 05-27-23
By: Seán Hewitt
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(Un)Apologetically Me
- Tales from a Perfectly Imperfect Life
- By: Sophie Neville, Bree Tomasel
- Narrated by: Bree Tomasel
- Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Known and loved by her many New Zealand and Australian fans as a down-to-earth broadcaster, radio host and social media sensation, Bree Tomasel is an irrepressible force of nature. But behind the banter and success, is a young woman who has battled anxiety and survived a harrowing attack on her as a young child. Funny, candid, raw—this is Bree Tomasel as you've never seen her.
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The realness.
- By AK Stinnett on 11-25-24
By: Sophie Neville, and others
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Tweakerworld
- A Memoir
- By: Jason Yamas
- Narrated by: Jason Yamas
- Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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After Jason’s world falls apart in LA, he moves to Berkeley for a fresh start with his kid brother. Just one problem: his long-closeted Adderall addiction has exploded into an out-of-control crystal meth binge. Within weeks, Jason plunges into the sprawling ParTy n’ ’Play subculture of the Bay Area’s gay community. It is a wildly decadent scene of drugs, group sex, and criminals, and yet it is also filled with surprising characters, people who are continually subverting Jason’s own presumptions of the stereotypical tweaker.
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Exhausting
- By Thom Pierson on 03-09-23
By: Jason Yamas
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The Summer of Us
- By: Lily Morton
- Narrated by: Joel Leslie
- Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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John is an exceptionally good lawyer. He’s driven, arrogant, and hides a warm heart beneath a façade of cool politeness. He’s used to people disliking him, but for some reason, when meeting Matt in London, the other man’s open dislike bothers him. He’s therefore surprised to find himself offering Matt a place to stay in his villa in the South of France while he’s working nearby. He’d actually planned to spend the summer working on his book and plotting to get his ex-wife back.
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4.5 STARS
- By LausBariatric on 01-05-25
By: Lily Morton
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Most Talkative
- Stories from the Front Lines of Pop Culture
- By: Andy Cohen
- Narrated by: Andy Cohen
- Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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From a young age, Andy Cohen knew two things: He was gay, and he loved television. Now presiding over Bravo's reality-TV empire, he started out as an overly talkative pop-culture obsessive, devoted to Charlie's Angels and All My Children—and to his mother, who received daily letters from him while he was at summer camp, usually reminding her to tape the soaps. In retrospect, it's hard to believe that everyone didn't know that Andy was gay; still, he remained in the closet until college. Finally out, he embarked on making a career out of his passion for television.
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If you're depressed, listen to this book!!!
- By Roberta on 07-02-12
By: Andy Cohen
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Just Different
- A Memoir
- By: Wayne Sleep
- Narrated by: Wayne Sleep
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Behind the glitz and glamour, Wayne has always felt like an outsider. Sleep reveals the difficulties for a working-class, gay man in handling the prejudices of his generation and living through the AIDS epidemic. Wayne was also the shortest principal dancer in the Royal Ballet - he had to spin twice as fast and jump twice as high to succeed. In this moving - but also laugh-out-loud and gossip filled - memoir, Wayne Sleep shows how he danced his way to success, fulfilment and love, and how he overcame obstacles and prejudice along the way.
By: Wayne Sleep
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The World of Normal Boys
- A Novel
- By: K.M. Soehnlein
- Narrated by: Blake Kevin Dwyer
- Length: 12 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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As his family falls apart day by day, Robin finds himself pulling away from the unquestioned, unexamined life that has been carefully laid out for him. Small acts of rebellion lead to larger questions of what it means to stand on his own. Falling into a fevered triangle with two other outcasts, Todd Spicer and Scott Schatz, Robin embarks on an explosive odyssey of sexual self-discovery that will take him beyond the spring-green lawns of suburbia, beyond the fraying fabric barely holding together his quickly unraveling family, and into a complex future, beyond the world of normal boys.
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Sweet but maybe a little too sexy
- By Richard Stewart on 04-27-23
By: K.M. Soehnlein
What listeners say about Boy from the Valleys
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Anonymous User
- 11-09-24
The reality of being a gay man and being brought up religious How it shapes and changes our lives. 10/10
I absolutely love this book. I have been so excited to hear a story so similar to mine. The difference was I was raised Christian and being closeted gay. The similarities in the story that I can relate to are uncanny. Brilliant book Luke. Thank you for sharing your deepest parts of your life with the world. Fantastic story telling, and a fantastic voice to listen to.
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- Anonymous User
- 12-29-24
Inspiring, Fun & Authentic
A inspiring, funny and incredibly moving memoir. Raw & authentic with fun and unexpected insights. Thank you Luke Evans for sharing your story and journey. Loved it!
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- Ceci135
- 01-03-25
Laugh, Cry, Repeat! Listen to This Now!
Luke Evans’ Boy from the Valleys is a beautiful and wonderful emotional rollercoaster that you won't want to end. From the very beginning it felt like Luke was right there sharing his story like a friend does over a cup of coffee.
I laughed, I cried, I cringed (in the best way), and I smiled until my cheeks hurt. By the end, I was rooting so hard for that boy from the valley and I know you will be too.
This isn’t just something to listen to, it’s an experience you’ll carry with you.
Trust me, you don’t want to miss this one!
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- J.A.J.
- 01-08-25
Endearing and engaging
Such an enjoyable and encouraging listen. Hope to see him write more in the coming years.
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- NYGiantsGal
- 11-25-24
There is always hope
What an amazing story! Everyone has a story and this story kept me spellbound. This is not an LGBT or celebrity story, it's a very human story about a very human experience. I felt this story speaking to my own life, though very different from the author, the experiences of shame, hope, loss, struggle, family bonds, life and love resonate with anyone listening. Great narration by Mr Evans as well.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Crispin Haskins
- 12-06-24
Wonderful Story
This book is funny, touching, and fascinating. I cannot recommend it enough. Luke has written a beautiful book that will reach many young people. His smooth Welsh tones wash over every syllable. Enjoy!
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- Violeta Stavrositu
- 12-01-24
Great book. I definitely recommend it!
I enjoyed the authenticity of the book and the amazing performance of the author-narrator. Congrats boy of the Valleys.
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- Diane Quigley
- 11-09-24
Inspirational Read
Hearing Luke narrating his memoir was an amazing experience. Through life's ups and downs. I enjoyed his openness to share his life with us. Luke is an inspiration for all.
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- Doodles21
- 11-20-24
Absolutely lovely
I’ve been a fan of Luke’s for a few years now! First if his acting, then thanks to beauty and the beast also his music. I wasn’t so sure what to expect of his book. I had a little part of me that was afraid of reading it or listening to it. What if after all these years of being invested in being this guy’s fan I read something… I don’t know, disappointing?!? But the idea of spending 8+ hours listening to his delicious voice inspired me to get the audio book and oh I am so glad I did. Luke’s story is lovely, and inspirational! His journey is so wonderful, with all its heartaches and happiness and wins and lessons make me admire him even more! Thank for sharing your story with us, Luke!
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- Anonymous User
- 12-02-24
Honestly Written, Beautifully Rendered
The author went into some uneasy places in his life and described them honestly but within rancor. This reflects, I assume, a naturally optimistic character. This is an autobiography with much to offer, both in content and narration (beautifully narrated by the author himself).
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