Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
Title details for Tobacco Road by Erskine Caldwell - Available

Tobacco Road

by Erskine Caldwell
John MacDonald
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
1 of 1 copy available

Set during the Depression in the depleted farmlands surrounding Augusta, Georgia, Tobacco Road is the story of the Lesters, a family of white sharecroppers so destitute that most of their creditors have given up on them. Debased by poverty to an elemental state of ignorance and selfishness, the Lesters are preoccupied by their hunger, sexual longings, and fear that they will one day descend to a lower rung on the social ladder than the black families who live near them.

Caldwell's skillful use of dialect and his plain style make the book one of the best examples of literary naturalism in contemporary American fiction. The novel was adapted as a successful play in 1933.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    November 5, 2009

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781481547109
      • File size: 154912 KB
      • Duration: 05:22:43

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Caldwell's fondness for bawdy humor has sometimes been compared to the writings of Rabelais. In this Depression-era novel the comic earthiness involves a family coping with the frustrations of it's poverty and sexual urges. In the many dialogue scenes of TOBACCO ROAD, John MacDonald confines his use of a broad backwoods accent to the patriarch, Jeeter Lester, a reading strategy that downplays some of the novel's exaggeration. On audio, such moderation offsets, rather than overplays, the wildness of the plot. Caldwell's book is, thus, well served by this classy performance, which manages to highlight the realism amid the rambunctiousness. G.H. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      Return to the deep South and the Depression with Erskine Caldwell. This 1932 tale of poverty is characterized by black humor, repetitive complaints and unusual family relations. Mark Hammer narrates in a clear voice. With their thin, whining Southern accents, all the characters sound the same, making it difficult to determine who's speaking. The narrative is presented in a flatter accent, which is separate from the dialogue. The tale is difficult to follow for listeners unfamiliar with the story. M.B.K. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Loading