
The Twelve Tribes of Hattie
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Narrated by:
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Adenrele Ojo
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Bahni Turpin
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Adam Lazarre-White
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By:
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Ayana Mathis
About this listen
“The opening pages of Ayana's debut took my breath away. I can't remember when I read anything that moved me quite this way, besides the work of Toni Morrison.”Oprah Winfrey.
Fifteen years old and blazing with the hope of a better life, Hattie Shepherd fled the horror of the American South on a dawn train bound for Philadelphia. Hattie’s is a tale of strength, of resilience and heartbreak that spans six decades. Her American dream is shattered time and again: a husband who lies and cheats and nine children raised in a cramped little house that was only ever supposed to be temporary. She keeps the children alive with sheer will and not an ounce of the affection they crave. She knows they don’t think her a kind woman — but how could they understand that all the love she had was used up in feeding them and clothing them. How do you prepare your children for a world you know is cruel?
The lives of this unforgettable family form a searing portrait of 20th century America. From the revivalist tents of Alabama to Vietnam, to the black middle-class enclave in the heart of the city, to a filthy bar in the ghetto, The Twelve Tribes of Hattie is an extraordinary, distinctive novel about the guilt, sacrifice, responsibility and heartbreak that are an intrinsic part of ferocious love.
©2013 Ayana Mathis (P)2013 Random House AudioGoListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
What listeners say about The Twelve Tribes of Hattie
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Overall
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- Dorota Szkodny-Ciolek
- 11-02-23
Beautiful story about humanity.
Hattie and each of her children developed into an amazing human portrait. I am a bit shocked at some of the low ratings. The female narrator one od the best I’ve ever listened to at Audible. Pure joy to see how she acts out each person.
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