The Promise Audiobook By Damon Galgut cover art

The Promise

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The Promise

By: Damon Galgut
Narrated by: Peter Noble
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WINNER OF THE 2021 BOOKER PRIZE

A NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS’ CHOICE

A modern family saga written in gorgeous prose by three-time Booker Prize-shortlisted author Damon Galgut.

Haunted by an unmet promise, the Swart family loses touch after the death of their matriarch. Adrift, the lives of the three siblings move separately through the uncharted waters of South Africa; Anton, the golden boy who bitterly resents his life’s unfulfilled potential; Astrid, whose beauty is her power; and the youngest, Amor, whose life is shaped by a nebulous feeling of guilt.

Reunited by four funerals over three decades, the dwindling family reflects the atmosphere of its country - one of resentment, renewal, and, ultimately, hope. The Promise is an epic drama that unfurls against the unrelenting march of national history, sure to please current fans and attract many new ones.

“Simply: you must read it.” (Claire Messud, Harper’s Magazine)

©2021 Damon Galgut (P)2021 Penguin Audio Family Life Genre Fiction Sagas

Critic reviews

“Galgut extends his extraordinary corpus with a rich story of family, history, and grief.” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)

“This tour-de-force unleashes a searing portrait of a damaged family and a troubled country in need of healing.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

“Galgut’s compelling new novel blends characters and history and intricate themes to reveal the devastating impacts of white privilege and institutional racism.... The Promise is timely, relevant, and thematically significant.” (Booklist, starred review)

Beautiful Writing • Compelling Family Saga • Excellent Narration • Thought-provoking Themes • Authentic Accents
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Story was of a past that is long gone. And best remembered with melancholy of past sins with occasional blessings.

The narrator did not do justice to the story. A pity.

A story that I undrrstand

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Worthy of the Booker! Thank you Damon for a great story and fresh insight into apartheid.

Fantastic Story

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The telling and description of typical South African culture story, told in a congruent manner . But I found it a bit shallow and boring , with lack of deep emotion or climax

South Africa story

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So much about this story was unnervingly real and close to the bone. I felt some of the accents , like Marina, were rather exaggerated and everyone sounded like skollies. But an excellent piece

Very real

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Rich novel with one of the best narrations I’ve ever heard. Much more political context than just a family saga. So intriguing and insightful.

Extraordinary

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I was not seeking a family saga which was so sad when I chose this book. Creatively written, the story captures the apartheid driven destruction of lives both white and black. Whether by greed, patriotism or discriminatory exploitation, the young promising characters meet sad or reduced fates driven by their environment and upbringing.

Sad History

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well written story about people who are miserable due to their own poor choices
priveledged,but refusing redemption due to emotiinal idiocy

Bleek story

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Faultless writing, almost faultless performance (I hate it when men do a woman’s voice as falsetto). Highly recommended. One quibble: I think the ending is both too predictable and too unlikely. But I can see why it had to be that. It works in the structure of the story.

Excellent writing

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This descent into nothingness from a South African family around the apartheid is brilliantly portrayed.

Wonderful

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I wanted to love this book, but it was just ok. It got me through a long road-trip, but that is the only reason I finished. I would have put it down if I had been reading.
Amazing narration!

Just Fine

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