The Astonishing Life of August March audiobook

A beginning that in itself seemed improbable, maybe even astonishing - that his mother could give birth in between scenes of a broadway play and go out immediately after the play to meet a Hollywood producer. Maybe not so astonishing that she would abandon him. That happens. Astonishing that he could evade the actors and crew as Miss Butler, the theater’s Laundress, could hide him in the theater and “raise” him there while she did her laundering duties and left him there when her work for the day was over. An astonishing beginning and it was astonishing that it seemed believable to me even if it seemed unbelievable at times. What was not astonishing was that I would love August, care about him, worry about him in the times that he was hungry and alone, homeless without any understanding of how to live out of the theater he lived in since birth. All he had was a pseudo mother and part time friend in Sir Reginald Percyfoot, a stage and film actor. Yet, August had gumption and ingenuity and intellect, and figures out a way to survive his lonely, homeless and often hungry existence. I loved the post war New York setting of this wonderful debut novel. An amazing story of resilience and hope. Actually, an astonishing story of resilience and hope and an unforgettable character. I received an advanced copy of this book from HarperCollins through Edelweiss.

The theater held no secrets to August March. “No corner went uncharted, no ladder unclimbed. He knew every inch of the place and could scale a rope or even a curtain with feline liquidity”. “The boy was born in the Scarsenguard Theater on West Forty-Third Street during the intermission of ‘These Dreams We Cherish’. His mother, Vivian Fair, had just flawlessly delivered a rousing speech that concluded act 1. As soon as the curtains touched the boards, thunderous applause still ringing in her ears, Vivian waddled backstage, closed the door to her dressing room, and delivered, not a stirringmonologue, but her son. She plopped the screeching, slimy creature into a basket of soil blouses, severed the umbilical cord with an eyelash curler, and was back in the wings just in time for places, a consummate professional”. People who were raised in the higgledgy-piggledy maze that is theater, found the rational absurd, disorienting, and often offensive. August March knew all of Shakespeare’s major soliloquies, and more than a few of his minor ones. The adventures of August March are endless...with oddball characters inside the theater and on the streets of New York City. I’d been wanting to read this book for some time.It has so much heart, humor, warmth & personally,... ...with similar charms of John Irving’s ‘Owen Meany”, and Charles Dicken’s ‘Oliver Twist’. A boy who loved theater, and reading above all other activities....August was accustomed to the night life. He was taught about the detestable, condescending, sanctimonious, self-satisfied-holier-than-thou *morning people*.....August learned that while attending a prestigious private school - for gifted boys — there were crotchety elders— friends in abundance — and new collected experiences. The transition from Scarsenguard orphan to street thief had hardly been a smooth passage, but nothing compared to the shift from street thief to proper school boy. The boys at the school were harder for August to relate to than Shakespeare’s King Lear ...a play steeped in violence, storms, and swords. August was getting older. He met a girl named Penny. Each one found the other distracting — they decided to mix business and pleasure together and managed a joint enterprise. When Penny wasn’t around, he was sad, missed her terribly. He loved her.... “Why had he let himself fall for her? The pain he felt when another man was in the picture, was unbearable—-but this story has a happy ending....August, a child of theater.....was a romantic...💕anddramatic. 🎭GREAT READ!! glad I didn’t miss it!

The show must go on! During the intermission of a performance at the Scarsenguard Theater located on West Forty-Third Street, New York City, Vivian Fair birthed a baby boy she promptly placed in a basket of blouses. Ms. Fair was "back in the wings just in time for places...the play over...[while] removing her wig...the baby's cry...She'd nearly forgotten...A producer...in the audience tonight. From Hollywood!" The year, 1933.Eugenia Butler, the theater's ancient laundress, discovered the baby while gathering the starlet's untidy garments. "Using a discarded brassiere, Eugenia Butler fashioned a papoose for the child and carried him...crooning half-forgotten snippets of lullabies...". Later, she left the newborn in a crib in the prop closet and headed for home. She decided to keep him.How could she hide the child she named August March? For starters, she convinced the self-absorbed actors, stage managers and crew that August's cries were those of a "randy tomcat". At age three, August was becoming "insatiably curious". To keep things under wraps, Eugenia cooked up a plan. She dressed August in a period costume and covered him in flour. The Legend of the Scarsenguard Theater 'Spirit' was born. "...He's here...He comes at night...years ago a young boy died in this very theater."Being raised in the theater, August learned to talk from watching plays and adopting a way of speaking based upon the works of Wilde, Shakespeare, and Ibsen. His favorite play was King Lear with lead actor, Sir Reginald Percyfoot. Upon meeting August, Sir Reginald found the precocious six year old to be "A charming child with such a breadth of knowledge of the theater". He was determined to start August's schooling by providing him with "a miniature library of mostly classic books for new readers". Eugenia Butler, laundress and Sir Reginald Percyfoot, actor extraordinaire were August's "so called parents" but August's residence was the theater.In 1942, August's life would abruptly change when Mr. Barreth, owner of the Scarsenguard Theater, contributed to the war effort by allowing the theater's backstage to be converted into a soldier's recreation center. "The Backstage Bistro" provided August with new and exciting learning experiences, however, soon Mr. Barreth would make a decision that would be devastating to August's well being.In true Dickensian style, August March's journey was a daily struggle. He had to live by his wits, battling for food, shelter and a direction in life. He wore many different hats, some legal, some not so much. Would August land on his feet?"The Astonishing Life of August March" by Aaron Jackson is a fantastic debut novel. August was a very likable, but flawed character who was dealt a difficult hand in life. Eugenia and Sir Reginald loved him in their own way, however, did not provide August with what he needed most. This tome was an excellent read I highly recommend.Thank you HarperCollins Publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The Astonishing Life of August March".

⁣My goodness how I loved this little gem of a book. It’s witty and laugh out loud funny and a little absurd and a lot weird in the BEST possible way. ⁣⁣And oh is it full of lovable and quirky characters. As soon as I saw that the blurb compared it to Be Frank with Me I knew I would love it.⁣⁣I had no idea what to truly expect when I cracked this book open and I’m not sure I can even properly describe it. I just adored it. My sweet spot in reading is a lovable, zany story filled with quirky and endearing characters. This one fit the bill 💯. ⁣⁣🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟⁣Thanks to Harper for gifting me with a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Born in a theater, thrown into a clothes basket, and found by the laundress.August March grew up in the theater and was told to never leave the theater because someone would see him and send him to an orphanage.August made the best of his life in the theater, learned math and reading from one of the actors, and one day did venture out. He didn't like being in the world.One day, though, he had no choice. There was no one left for him, and his beloved theater was torn down. August had no where to go and had no idea who he really was.He slept outside, had little to eat, and connected with unsavory characters who were thieves and con artists. Surprisingly he always stayed positive. One day we find him as the class scholar at an elite boarding school and in charge of the school plays.Once he graduated, he was unemployed and back to wondering what he would do with his life. He didn't want to do office work or work in a shop so he decided to just wait a few months to decide.His life until he decided to work was to just relax. While relaxing he received sad news that his best friend and so-called father had passed and he was the sole heir.After his relaxing time, he still couldn't decide what to do so he decided to return to his previous life that helped him survive. That previous life was a life of crime, but crime on a classier scale this time around.Even though August was quite a scamp, you won't want to stop reading about his life and his adventures.THE ASTONISHING LIFE OF AUGUST MARCH is delightful as well as heartbreaking.It is amazing how August made his way in life.August will definitely make his way into your life too.A totally enjoyable, different read. 5/5This book was given to me by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

A fun romp of a novel! I fell in love with the author's voice before I finished the first marvelous tongue-in-cheek chapter. A starlet gives a breathtaking performance in a pregnancy-hiding hoop skirt, waddles off stage, gives birth alone in her dressing room, leaves the child in a basket of dirty laundry, and is back on stage for curtain call. She goes to an after-party with a clear conscience, thinking "someone will find the child and care for it." She's right. An elderly spinster laundress finds the baby and cares for him. Sort of. She loves him, but not enough to take him home and disrupt her own life. He grows up in the theater. His astonishing childhood is the best part of this novel, although his further adventures as a New York street kid in the 1950's, his teen years at an exclusive prep school, and his unconventional adult years held my attention through every page. As I said before, it's Aaron Jackson's voice that makes the life of August March so astonishingly entertaining. The same story told in a slightly different way would be a tragedy, but Jackson allows not one moment of self-righteous pity or melodrama. Instead, we smile and chuckle as August March triumphs against all odds. The ending is perfect.

Another easy read, with another quirky character, called by Goodreads, “ an optimistic oddball orphan.” And I was immediately drawn in by the synopsis of this story with the unbelievable tale of the humble beginnings of August’s life. Geez, my second book in a row with the lead character spending his life wandering aimlessly trying to find happiness and a family. All is well that end’s well. A good read that can take you away from all the balls we are juggling these days.

This book! When I started reading this book, I thought, 'this is the most ridiculous thing I have ever read.' But I stuck to it. I mean, how does a woman give birth, cut the umbilical cord with eyelash curlers, and go back out on the stage to finish the show? She did not even miss her cue. At the end of the show, she had even forgotten she gave birth until the baby made some noise. Then she discovers there was a Hollywood producer in the audience, so she decides she is not ready to be a mother and just abandons the baby to the theatre. I mean, how ridiculous is that? But I kept going, as if my brain was saying, "Come on, Michelle, hear the author out." I'm telling you now, I was on the very last page of the book (which I read in a day, completely unheard of for me) when I realized that the author had me hooked on that first ridiculous page.Well done, Mr. Jackson! This book is for those who love the theatre, especially former and current thespians. I mean, in a way, I think all of us who acted and loved it, would have found being born in a theatre and spending your childhood in it to be a complete dream come true. This is only August March's beginnings. It is only the beginning of his story in his search for a true place to call home.

(Why named so similarly to Saul Bellow's Adventures of Augie March? It made me think this might be a retelling or an homage to that work, but no; the only similarity being the main character was male and the timeline spanned his childhood to adulthood).In NYC, a baby is abandoned in a theater and loosely raised by the theater's elderly laundress, (she goes home at night and he sleeps at the theater). As a boy, he never leaves the theater, and is mentored by a Shakespearean actor. In reality, he's an orphan, and his life becomes hardship after the real estate owner determines the fate of the theater building. August faces sadness and loneliness, but there's levity, and the narration zips along. This is a fun, oddball gem.The theater setting and the amusing romp element reminded me a little of City of Girls. The misadventures-of-a-boy element reminds me of Last Bus to Wisdom. One of my favorites of 2020.

This book was delightful, even when it got heavy as it often was. It was witty, wry, and wonderful and all the comparable alliterations of praise! This was a love letter to New York theater, which I am desperately missing in these crazy times. In fact, I found out about this book & author during an Instagram live early on in quarantine and he made me laugh so much during such a scary time that I just knew I had to read his book; and it never ceased to make me laugh either! Reminiscent of a modern day Great Expectations’ Pip meets the spirit of the writing & Harry Potter himself, this was a fun, quick romp that completely satisfied!

The blurb says this book is “Candide by way of John Irving, with a hint of Charles Dickens.” I'm not totally sure, but you can find out what I thought of this fun debut novel in my #bookreview on my blog here. https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2020/04/1...

ALL THE STARS THAT EVER SHONE GO TO THIS BOOK! This has earned a spot on my favorites shelf and is now my favorite read of the year! I cannot say enough good things about this story and the amazing narration. Stay tuned for my full review!

This book was super witty, fast-paced, a quick and delightful read. I was captivated by August a few pages in and was even more so with every new part of his life, from growing up inside of the theater to his numerous petty crimes, and everything in between.

What a brilliant story, entertaining and well written.It made me laugh and I loved August. The historical background is vivid and well researched, the plot flows and the cast of characters is interesting and well thought.I look forward to reading other stories by this author.Highly recommended.Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.