9780062891785
Play Sample

The Eulogist audiobook

  • By: Terry Gamble
  • Narrator: Cassandra Campbell
  • Category: Cultural Heritage, Fiction
  • Length: 9 hours 29 minutes
  • Publisher: HarperAudio
  • Publish date: January 22, 2019
  • Language: English
  • (267 ratings)
(267 ratings)
33% Cheaper than Audible
Get for $0.00
  • $9.99 per book vs $14.95 at Audible
    Good for any title to download and keep
  • Listen at up to 4.5x speed
    Good for any title to download and keep
  • Fall asleep to your favorite books
    Set a sleep timer while you listen
  • Unlimited listening to our Classics.
    Listen to thousands of classics for no extra cost. Ever
Loading ...
Regular Price: 23.99 USD

The Eulogist Audiobook Summary

From the author of The Water Dancers and Good Family, an exquisitely crafted novel, set in Ohio in the decades leading to the Civil War, that illuminates the immigrant experience, the injustice of slavery, and the debts human beings owe to one another, witnessed through the endeavors of one Irish-American family.

Cheated out of their family estate in Northern Ireland after the Napoleonic Wars, the Givens family arrives in America in 1819. But in coming to this new land, they have lost nearly everything. Making their way west they settle in Cincinnati, a burgeoning town on the banks of the mighty Ohio River whose rise, like the Givenses’ own, will be fashioned by the colliding forces of Jacksonian populism, religious evangelism, industrial capitalism, and the struggle for emancipation.

After losing their mother in childbirth and their father to a riverboat headed for New Orleans, James, Olivia, and Erasmus Givens must fend for themselves. Ambitious James eventually marries into a prosperous family, builds a successful business, and rises in Cincinnati society. Taken by the spirit and wanderlust, Erasmus becomes an itinerant preacher, finding passion and heartbreak as he seeks God. Independent-minded Olivia, seemingly destined for spinsterhood, enters into a surprising partnership and marriage with Silas Orpheus, a local doctor who spurns social mores.

When her husband suddenly dies from an infection, Olivia travels to his family home in Kentucky, where she meets his estranged brother and encounters the horrors of slavery firsthand. After abetting the escape of one slave, Olivia is forced to confront the status of a young woman named Tilly, another slave owned by Olivia’s brother-in-law. When her attempt to help Tilly ends in disaster, Olivia tracks down Erasmus, who has begun smuggling runaways across the river–the borderline between freedom and slavery.

As the years pass, this family of immigrants initially indifferent to slavery will actively work for its end–performing courageous, often dangerous, occasionally foolhardy acts of moral rectitude that will reverberate through their lives for generations to come.

Other Top Audiobooks

The Eulogist Audiobook Narrator

Cassandra Campbell is the narrator of The Eulogist audiobook that was written by Terry Gamble

Terry Gamble is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Michigan. She lives in Sonoma and San Francisco, California.

About the Author(s) of The Eulogist

Terry Gamble is the author of The Eulogist

More From the Same

The Eulogist Full Details

Narrator Cassandra Campbell
Length 9 hours 29 minutes
Author Terry Gamble
Category
Publisher HarperAudio
Release date January 22, 2019
ISBN 9780062891785

Subjects

The publisher of the The Eulogist is HarperAudio. includes the following subjects: The BISAC Subject Code is Cultural Heritage, Fiction

Additional info

The publisher of the The Eulogist is HarperAudio. The imprint is HarperAudio. It is supplied by HarperAudio. The ISBN-13 is 9780062891785.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

Tammy

October 16, 2018

Taking place in booming pre-Civil War Cincinnati, this novel charts the lives of Irish immigrant siblings. Capitalistic James rises from abject poverty to prominence. Erasmus becomes an evangelical preacher living hand to mouth. Independent thinker, Olivia, stumbles into a marriage with a like minded doctor. Olivia wryly recounts the oppression of women and social conventions during this time period. An event leads Olivia to Kentucky where she comes face to face with the barbarity of slavery. Distinctly depicted is the clash of slaveholders, abolitionists and abettors as one side pursues runaway slaves and the other works towards freedom. These incidents echo throughout future generations.

Asheley T.

October 19, 2019

This is the story of an Irish immigrant family that comes to America in the early 1800's. It isn't long after their arrival that the children lose their parents, so the story is actually told as their lives unfold from 1818-1890. I tend to be most excited about historical fiction when I'm reading books that are set in the time period around the Civil War simply because there was so much going on and there is still so much to learn about this time period, so when I started this book I really dug into the story and felt in there. I had no idea how genuinely GOOD it was going to be though. Gosh, what a treat. Of the three children: brother James ends up starting a business in candle-making and has a tough time getting started but eventually finds great success and name recognition; brother Erasmus, always sort of a wild-card, converts and becomes a preacher, traveling along the river trying to save the souls of everyone he meets; and sister Olivia ends up marrying someone with interests similar to hers-a doctor with strange curiosities-and bases her life on not only the choices that she makes but the opinions that she carries. It is Olivia that tells us the story. And it is Olivia that I felt most deeply connected to throughout the tale. She does not waver in her convictions. She understands that this will cost her, and yet she does everything that she does anyway. Throughout the story, there are a couple of characters that carry the whole thing, whether they're on the page or not. They are enslaved by Olivia's in-laws and make such a huge impression on Olivia that the reverberations of these relationships are felt outward like ripples for generations.The synopsis for this story captured my attention, but it really doesn't tell how big this story is. By about 10-15 pages, I was hooked. And the more the story progressed, I just couldn't put it down. To me, The Eulogist goes beyond just another 1800's historical fiction in so many ways. For one: This family has to settle into being immigrants and all that comes with that status while also navigating their views on slavery or not and I was fascinated by this. This story also tackles abolition from the point of view of three siblings and their spouses, where not everyone agrees perfectly on how to tackle the "problem" with slavery. Ultimately one hopes that ignoring the subject will make it go away, one immerses him/herself fully into abolition regardless of the potential cost, and the other works hard behind-the-scenes, being sneaky and propping up those that did the more visible work. I loved the way the news stories telling the fates of those that escaped and those that were caught assisting were woven into the narrative like small details because I think this added to the tension that this family felt over the decades as their business endeavors and their families grew. And they certainly added depth to the story because they helped to create a more full picture of what was happening right here in the United States at the time.I also loved that there was a little bit of humor written into the story. Not too much as to take away from anything, but Olivia's sense of humor made me smile multiple times while was reading. She was such a cool character-she is certainly more progressive than most anyone around her, and sometimes her mouth and her views got her into a little bit of trouble. I love that the author went in this direction with this character. I also love that the author took the opportunity to have Olivia tell the history of her own family as well as the history of her husband's family. By the time the story ended after barely over 300 pages, I felt so much for this family, for how far their reach extended, and for how they had blended themselves with other families to help America become the melting pot that we are. Honestly, the last chapter choked me up. It was hard not to be emotional at some of the revelations right there, at the very end. The way that I felt after I finally closed the book-that feeling-is why I love to read and why I bumped my rating up from 4.5 to 5. I expected to like this one, but I had no idea how much I would love it. It's a little bit more quiet than some novels because there are no huge action or dramatic scenes anywhere. I think the wondrous thing about this one is in the characterization and the way the author was able to spread this family out so, and then connect so many people by way of these three siblings. At the end, I felt like the story had come full circle. This is a top-shelf, definitely-reread story for me and I would love to hear Cassandra Campbell's narration of this entire book on the audiobook. I'd LOVE that. So, so good. I recommend this one to readers that enjoy those stories that really sneak up on you and leave big impressions. That's what happened to me here. I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, William Morrow Books!Find this review and more like it on my blog, Into the Hall of Books!

SuperWendy

March 08, 2019

This book was a bit odd, but I did like it. Odd how? Well...there's not much of a plot. I mean, it's really just a story of three Irish-immigrant siblings and what their lives become once they hit America. They settle in Cincinnati, and being on top of the Kentucky border means that slavery, the Underground Railroad, and abolitionists come into greater focus during the second half.What I liked? The writing is very good. The setting is very evocative. This particular era isn't mined all that often in historical fiction, and putting most of the action in southern Ohio was inspired. I became invested in Olivia's character although, to be blunt, her "revelation" at the end of the book came out of left field for me. I also liked that the abolitionists weren't portrayed as one-dimensional saints. It's a hard book to describe but maybe a family saga in less than 350 pages? I mean, there aren't a lot of those around. Added note: the audiobook version is very, very good if audio is your thing.

Gwyneth

January 16, 2020

I listened to this audio book on a recent road trip, and enjoyed the story very much. The novel tells the story of a family of Scots-Irish immigrants who settle in Cincinnati in the early 1800's. It follows their successes and troubles through the decades from then until the Civil War, portraying the tensions of living on the border between the North and South, and the clash of abolitionists and pro-slavery forces.

Martha

February 16, 2019

This is a beautifully written novel set in antebellum America along the Ohio River, the natural division between North and South, told by a spunky, unconventional narrator: Olivia Givens.The Givens family had some wealth and prestige in Northern Ireland, where they'd lived for generations, but came

Paula

September 06, 2019

I enjoyed the story primarily for the setting of pre-Civil War Cincinnati. It is always interesting to imagine what home must have been like in an earlier time. Gamble is an excellent storyteller.

Kathleen

January 16, 2019

Olivia Givens left Ireland with her family at 15 and finds herself, in 1820s Cincinnati, living with her brothers in a boarding house. Her older brother James works hard at his candle business while the younger one, Eramus, finds God and become a river preacher. As the brothers find love, Olivia finds herself questioning- questioning the existence of God, slavery, her own life. Then she meets Silas, a doctor she later marries. Silas has Tilly, a slave owned by his brother, with him and it is, in some ways Tilly who changes everyones' lives. This is not only Olivia's story, it's also an interesting look at the abolitionist movement in Ohio and Kentucky. Gamble doesn't pull punches- characters suffer dreadful illness, rape, and there's a scene at a slave market that pulls at the mind. I liked Olivia, a tough woman in many ways ahead of her time. Gamble made me care about her, as well as about the other men and women (with the exception of the truly odious Eugene). Much is revealed at the end, things you'd probably both forgotten and thought about. Will you change your mind about anyone? Did Olivia? Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. This is well written historical fiction.

Susan

January 26, 2019

THE EULOGIST is an interesting book that hits on some compelling themes. It's atmospheric and filled with intriguing historical details and figures. Unfortunately, it's also pretty plotless, which makes it a slow, episodic story that I could have easily put down at any point. The characters interested me, though, so I kept reading. In the end, I liked THE EULOGIST enough to finish it, but I didn't love it. I'd give it somewhere between a C+ and a B-.

Kelly

September 18, 2019

Quite good! I was really drawn to the history of the Irish in Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky and it didn't disappoint. Great snapshot of the corridor and gate during the early days of the Freedom Trail alongside the immigrant experience.

Frequently asked questions

Listening to audiobooks not only easy, it is also very convenient. You can listen to audiobooks on almost every device. From your laptop to your smart phone or even a smart speaker like Apple HomePod or even Alexa. Here’s how you can get started listening to audiobooks.

  • 1. Download your favorite audiobook app such as Speechify.
  • 2. Sign up for an account.
  • 3. Browse the library for the best audiobooks and select the first one for free
  • 4. Download the audiobook file to your device
  • 5. Open the Speechify audiobook app and select the audiobook you want to listen to.
  • 6. Adjust the playback speed and other settings to your preference.
  • 7. Press play and enjoy!

While you can listen to the bestsellers on almost any device, and preferences may vary, generally smart phones are offer the most convenience factor. You could be working out, grocery shopping, or even watching your dog in the dog park on a Saturday morning.
However, most audiobook apps work across multiple devices so you can pick up that riveting new Stephen King book you started at the dog park, back on your laptop when you get back home.

Speechify is one of the best apps for audiobooks. The pricing structure is the most competitive in the market and the app is easy to use. It features the best sellers and award winning authors. Listen to your favorite books or discover new ones and listen to real voice actors read to you. Getting started is easy, the first book is free.

Research showcasing the brain health benefits of reading on a regular basis is wide-ranging and undeniable. However, research comparing the benefits of reading vs listening is much more sparse. According to professor of psychology and author Dr. Kristen Willeumier, though, there is good reason to believe that the reading experience provided by audiobooks offers many of the same brain benefits as reading a physical book.

Audiobooks are recordings of books that are read aloud by a professional voice actor. The recordings are typically available for purchase and download in digital formats such as MP3, WMA, or AAC. They can also be streamed from online services like Speechify, Audible, AppleBooks, or Spotify.
You simply download the app onto your smart phone, create your account, and in Speechify, you can choose your first book, from our vast library of best-sellers and classics, to read for free.

Audiobooks, like real books can add up over time. Here’s where you can listen to audiobooks for free. Speechify let’s you read your first best seller for free. Apart from that, we have a vast selection of free audiobooks that you can enjoy. Get the same rich experience no matter if the book was free or not.

It depends. Yes, there are free audiobooks and paid audiobooks. Speechify offers a blend of both!

It varies. The easiest way depends on a few things. The app and service you use, which device, and platform. Speechify is the easiest way to listen to audiobooks. Downloading the app is quick. It is not a large app and does not eat up space on your iPhone or Android device.
Listening to audiobooks on your smart phone, with Speechify, is the easiest way to listen to audiobooks.

footer-waves