Preview
  • The Accidental Tourist

  • By: Anne Tyler
  • Narrated by: Jefferson Mays
  • Length: 12 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (182 ratings)

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The Accidental Tourist

By: Anne Tyler
Narrated by: Jefferson Mays
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Publisher's summary

In this irresistible novel, Anne Tyler explores the slippery alchemy of attracting opposites, and the struggle to rebuild one’s life after unspeakable tragedy.

Travel writer Macon Leary hates travel, adventure, surprises, and anything outside of his routine. Immobilized by grief, Macon is becoming increasingly prickly and alone, anchored by his solitude and an unwillingness to compromise his creature comforts. Then he meets Muriel, an eccentric dog trainer too optimistic to let Macon disappear into himself. Despite Macon’s best efforts to remain insulated, Muriel upends his solitary, systemized life, catapulting him into the center of a messy, beautiful love story he never imagined.

A fresh and timeless tale of unexpected bliss, The Accidental Tourist showcases Tyler’s talents for making characters - and their relationships - feel both real and magical.

©1985 Anne Tyler (P)2021 Recorded Books
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What listeners say about The Accidental Tourist

Average customer ratings
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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Time capsule

I remember 1985 as feeling very modern. This book has helped me realize just how old fashioned the mores of that day were. The story is quirky and the characters are fluky. The best use of this book is to teach a child what the outskirts of the 80’x felt like.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Jefferson Mays is elite

Mays could read a dishwasher manual seem timeless and wondrous.

This novel started a bit slowly for me but as the characters grew in unexpected ways, so did the plots.

A contemplative walk thru the meaning of love, marriage, family, work, and life.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

It builds like a beautiful rolling snowball...

...with an ending that floats out of the book into your soft tissue. Much better than the hype, definitely more subtle too.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

As Good or Better than the Film

This was a joy to listen to! I was afraid the film would have ruined it for me, but the book just added more texture.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Always Great!

I have read and re-read this book over the years and I love it every time. Funny, sad, romantic, what more could you want? I don’t love all her books but this one is a gem.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

One of Her Top Two Books

I have all Tyler's books in my library and only a few left to listen to. This one and Breathing Lessons are my favorites. The Accidental Tourist has a more definable plot line than most of Tyler's books which is probably why it was the one chosen to be made into a movie. I didn't care for the movie because I am not a fan of sulky Malkovich but I now see how he embodied the character. I didn't want to remember him in the role (virtually impossible) however because I would have preferred to let Anne paint him for me solo. The book wasn't gloomy like the movie with Malkovich.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Seems to lose narrative drive as it goes on.

The movie was actually better. The book is too long and loses focus toward the end.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not my favorite

Not my usual genre and did not really hit mark for me. Won’t be recommending but I do understand why some people would like it

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

decent story telling but weird

All the characters are very bizarre and flumbling through life in a really unrelatable way. I found most of them annoying and had a hard time listening. Had I had another option at the time I wouldn't have. I would have thought a man wrote it for as annoying as the female characters were.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Unexpected

This book was an unexpected delight. The story follows a well used pattern but somehow makes it feel new.

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