Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Town & Country
    Town & Country
    Town & Country
    Audiobook50 minutes

    Town & Country

    Written by Jess Walter

    Narrated by Braden Wright

    4/5

    ()

    Switch to ebook

    About this audiobook

    From the bestselling author of the No. 1 New York Times bestseller Beautiful Ruins, a father-son story that underscores why Jess Walter is not only among the funniest writers working today but among the most bighearted and humane.

    Jay is nothing like his hard-drinking, skirt-chasing, blue-collar dad. He’s college-educated, works as a graphic designer, prefers white wine to whiskey, and is gay—a fact that’s been lost, with so much else, in the growing fog of his father’s dementia. When the woman with whom his dad has lived for decades throws him out (thanks to a little neighborly infidelity), Jay moves his dad in with him in Boise—at least temporarily—until he can find an eldercare facility for the old man. But the search turns out to be far more complicated than Jay realized—what place will not only care for his dad but let him be who he imperfectly is, bad habits and all? The answer to that question takes father and son to a 1950s-style motor inn, the Town & Country Senior Inn, where the only therapy on offer is nostalgia and happy hour starts at 3:30.

    In turns hilarious and heartbreaking, Town & Country describes a son’s greatest act of tolerance and acceptance in a world—a distinctly American one—that hasn’t always shown him the same. It’s a story, as only Jess Walter could write it, about all the ways we cannot help but love each other even when, owing to political, regional, and generational divisions, we do not, and maybe cannot, understand each other.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherEverand Originals
    Release dateMay 21, 2020
    ISBN9781094409412
    Author

    Jess Walter

    Jess Walter is the author of six novels, including the bestsellers Beautiful Ruins and The Financial Lives of the Poets, the National Book Award finalist The Zero, and Citizen Vince, the winner of the Edgar Award for best novel. His short fiction has appeared in Harper's, McSweeney's, and Playboy, as well as The Best American Short Stories and The Best American Nonrequired Reading. He lives in his hometown of Spokane, Washington.

    More audiobooks from Jess Walter

    Related to Town & Country

    Related audiobooks

    Literary Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Crimes of the Heart

      Nov 5, 2016

      Like many of his novels, Spanish author Javier Marías’ new book, Thus Bad Begins, isn’t exactly a mystery, though it is mysterious. Here, the 65-year-old perennial Nobel favorite tells the story of Juan de Vere, a young man working for a film directo

      1 min read

    • Article

      Readers Recommend

      Jan 1, 2020

      A house painter named Mr. Popper dreams of being an Antarctic explorer. When he gets a penguin, his dream comes true. Soon one penguin turns into two, and soon a dozen penguins are in the household. It’s too expensive to take care of ten babies, so M

      2 min read

    • Article

      Pops&Me

      Oct 1, 2021

      Pops&Me
      7 min read

    • Article

      New Wave

      Dec 3, 2021

      New Wave
      10 min read

    • Article

      Dad Made Me His Wife

      Mar 10, 2022

      Dad Made Me His Wife
      4 min read

    • Article

      My Life Was A LIE

      Jul 28, 2020

      My Life Was A LIE
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Language of LOVE

      Aug 11, 2020

      The Language of LOVE
      5 min read

    • Article

      I’ll Not Risk Myself

      Feb 10, 2024

      My phone reception is better outside the laundromat, so I spend most of my time waiting for laundry on the bench near the door. I don’t talk with my friends, but I surf the news. I like to know what’s going on. I don’t like people to know about me, t

      13 min read

    • Article

      My Wild Life With PABLO ESCOBAR

      Oct 30, 2019

      My Wild Life With PABLO ESCOBAR
      7 min read

    • Article

      Joe Wicks

      May 23, 2022

      Joe Wicks
      5 min read

    • Article

      Older, wiser & IN LOVE

      Jan 7, 2021

      Older, wiser & IN LOVE
      6 min read

    • Article

      Nikki Sixx

      Oct 12, 2021

      Nikki Sixx
      14 min read

    • Article

      Kay Mellor

      Mar 1, 2021

      Kay Mellor
      5 min read

    • Article

      50 Years Of PRIDE

      Jun 14, 2022

      50 Years Of PRIDE
      4 min read

    • Article

      Metta For My Abuser

      Jun 7, 2022

      Metta For My Abuser
      10 min read

    • Article

      Shappi Khorsandi

      Oct 18, 2021

      Shappi Khorsandi
      5 min read

    • Article

      Finding my LONG-LOST SON

      Mar 1, 2024

      Finding my LONG-LOST SON
      4 min read

    • Article

      Alan Cumming

      Nov 1, 2021

      Alan Cumming
      5 min read

    • Article

      Beverley Knight

      Aug 28, 2023

      Beverley Knight
      5 min read

    • Article

      Dave Grohl

      Feb 1, 2021

      Dave Grohl
      8 min read

    • Article

      Billy Bragg

      Oct 11, 2021

      Billy Bragg
      5 min read

    • Article

      Excerpt

      Jun 18, 2019

      Rt. 66 By some concoction of sugar, prescription painkillers, rancor, and cocaine, my father, Gregory Pardlo, Sr., began killing himself after my parents separated in 2007. He measured his health and lifestyle against his will to live, and determined

      6 min read

    • Article

      Al Murray

      Oct 23, 2023

      Al Murray
      5 min read

    • Article

      This Is Our Secret

      Sep 1, 2022

      This Is Our Secret
      6 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Town & Country

    4/5

    307 ratings27 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Nice little story with some humor. I enjoyed it very much
    • 1/5
      Writer is just full of so much self-loving. criticize every character and their and highlights their negative aspects as the only characteristics. More creative writers shows well-rounded characters and make you sympathize and understand both sides of argument. Don't waste your time reading.
    • 5/5
      This story came at a time in my life that I really needed to understand my own father. Although not quite the character in the story, learning how to care for aging parents and yourself at the same time as well illustrated
    • 5/5
      It's a short story, which was a surprise, I thought I was embarking on a novel and it's so fun, I'm sorry it isn't a longer work. But it is a great short story and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
    • 2/5
      I didn’t really see any point or any real story in the book. The father was beyond crude. Are there really any old men like that out there? It wasn’t funny at all, or maybe it’s just not my kind of humour.
    • 4/5
      Funny!! I wish it was at least twice this length, and that’s saying something because I’m usually critical about stories being too long.
    • 5/5
      Very funny story. Wish it were longer. A plus plus.
    • 5/5
      Hilarious! I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the author's lecherous father.
    • 5/5
      Original yet old as time and spurt out coffee funny.
    • 5/5
      So utterly charming. The story reminds me of my mother.
    • 5/5
      Jess Walter’s short stories are some of my favorite—brilliantly gives a glimpse into a life that feels so real you forget it’s fiction

      3 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Excellent funny and well read I wish it continued ie was series

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Although it deals with a serious issue, it is somehow funny. Good to read.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Very enjoyable story. I really felt for the hero. Having a parent with dementia is a test of endurance.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      LOL observations -great mini- therapy for carers of old coot parents. Glad I dismissed the unnecessary American jingoism contained in the description and have it a go.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Funny. Love to laugh. Narrator makes all the difference Narrative isn’t monotone.

      3 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I am a happy heterosexual Mormon who voted for Trump and miss him in the White House. My first husband didn't get out of the closet before we had 3 kids. The marriage lasted 5 years, the friendship 45. I appreciate the giggles I got listening to this bit of fluff. Thank goodness we live in a land where it is ok to choose your own happiness .

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      A great father/son story! Sweet and endearing. An easy read.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 1/5
      Cringe shitlib garbage. Avoid. W
      The writer is pathetic. Toilet paper book.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      A moving take, told with sensitivity, insight and a gentle humour. I look forward to reading more work by this fine author.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 1/5
      Not even ten minutes in and the author decides to turn what is supposed to be an entertaining short story, into a piece of opinionated political bullshit. I'll be sure to avoid any "scribd originals" from now on.

      3 people found this helpful

    • 3/5
      Once again the book audio failed. I get a few chapters into a book and then there is a message saying there is a problem. Please advise or I will have to cancel the subscription
      Linda
    • 1/5
      Nope nada stopped in the 1st Chapter. When you HAVE to put today’s politics in your book, I’m done. No need to slam one party over another. I won’t support that so good luck with your writing- I won’t be reading any of your work.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      If you’ve had any experience with Alzheimer’s at all, you’ll enjoy this lighthearted and touching short story. If you have no experience with it at all, it’s a pretty real representation of the challenges and adventures of Alzheimer’s care.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 2/5
      It was okay but just a little strange. A lot of stress on author’s agenda rather than just a story

      1 person found this helpful

    • 1/5
      Yet another highly political book bashing Trump if you support Trump just move on past this one getting tired of political books.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I loved the characters. I loved the political viewpoint. It made me laugh out loud, while being deeply touching.

      1 person found this helpful