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    The Last Days of Dogtown: A Novel
    The Last Days of Dogtown: A Novel
    The Last Days of Dogtown: A Novel
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Last Days of Dogtown: A Novel

    Written by Anita Diamant

    Narrated by Kate Nelligan

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    “An excellent novel. A lovely and moving portrait of society’s outcasts…affirms the essential humanity of its poor and stubborn residents, for whom each day of survival is a victory” (The New York Times Book Review).

    Set on the high ground at the heart of Cape Ann, the village of Dogtown is peopled by widows, orphans, spinsters, scoundrels, whores, free Africans, and “witches.” Among the inhabitants of this hamlet are Black Ruth, who dresses as a man and works as a stonemason; Mrs. Stanley, an imperious madam whose grandson, Sammy, comes of age in her brothel; Oliver Younger, who survives a miserable childhood at the hands of his aunt; and Cornelius Finson, a freed slave. At the center of it all is Judy Rhines, a fiercely independent soul, deeply lonely, who nonetheless builds a life for herself against all imaginable odds.

    Rendered in stunning, haunting detail, with Anita Diamant’s keen ear for language and profound compassion for her characters, The Last Days of Dogtown is an extraordinary retelling of a long-forgotten chapter of early American life.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateSep 13, 2005
    ISBN9780743553698
    Author

    Anita Diamant

    Anita Diamant is an award-winning journalist and the bestselling author of six books about contemporary Jewish life, including The New Jewish Wedding, The New Jewish Baby Book, and How to Be a Jewish Parent, as well as the novels The Red Tent, The Boston Girl, Good Harbor, The Last Days of Dogtown, and Day After Night. She lives in Massachusetts.

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    Reviews for The Last Days of Dogtown

    4/5

    44 ratings26 reviews

    What our readers think

    Readers find this title to be a beautifully written and dramatic story with great characters. The author, Anita Diamant, is highly regarded and this book was highly anticipated. While some readers found it interesting to read about the lives of societal misfits and enjoyed the multiple points of view, others couldn't get into it. Overall, it is a wonderful book that many readers enjoyed, especially those who like stories from different perspectives.

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      Set on Cape Ann in the early 1800s. The Last Days of Dogtown is peopled by widows, orphans, spinsteres, scoundrels, whores , free Africans. and "witches". Among the inhabitants of Dogtown are Black Ruth, an African woman who dresses as a man and works as a stone mason. Mrs. Stanley, an imperious madam whose grandson, Sammy, comes of age in her rural brothel; Oliver Younger, who survives a miserable childhood at the hands of a very strange aunt, and Cornelius Finson, a freed slave whose race denies him everything. At the center of it all is Judy Rhines, a fiercely independent soul, who nonetheless builds a life for herself and inspires those around her to become more generous and tolerant themselves.
    • 5/5
      If you like stories from several points of view you will LOVE this book.
    • 4/5
      I found this book at a yard sale and quickly scooped it up. I loved Diamant's "The Red Tent" (which I highly reccommend!), so I was excited when I found another one of her books. This was a fast read- it took me about a week to get through it- which is amazing with how slow I read! I enjoyed the book (although not as much as "The Red Tent") and how the town itself is the main character. I liked how the book "jumped" from inhabitant to inhabitant and how each person's story was intertwined with everyone elses- even if they didn't know it! I found each character was fully developed and well rounded- something I liked. Diamant's women characters are strong and independant (a theme also found in "The Red Tent")- but they're not mean or unloveable like they tend to be in some other novels. Overall, I enjoyed the book. If you're looking for a short, fast and fun book then pick this one up!
    • 4/5
      Lives wax and wane, building and diminishing like the moon and the tides. But eventually, unlike the ceaseless rhythms of the tide, life ends, and sometimes there is not a cycle but a period. The story of the last days of Dogtown got me thinking about the ghost towns I've visited, and the abandoned homesteads I've vacated. Where are their stories kept, I wonder. Do they represent stopping points along a long path, or end points? The Last Days of Dogtown is filled with characters that I am glad to have known, for a bit. Some painted surly, others compassionate or witty; all of them familar.
    • 2/5
      Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant
      (An audiobook read on Scribd)

      One of my favorite books is the Red Tent which was also written by this author so I was looking forward to this book… but unfortunately I didn’t .

      It is a very descriptive account of a community of societal misfits. It was interesting to read about their lives and how they interacted with each other. This author is an awesome writer and I’m sad I couldn’t get into this book. But that’s all I really have to say.

      Would i buy it? No
    • 2/5
      The Red Tent is one of my all-time favourite novels, and I was excited to read The Last Days of Dogtown. I was quite disappointed with it, unfortunately. I either didn't like or make a connection with any of the characters, and throughout the story, I kept asking myself "Why is this a book? What is the point of this story?" By the end, I still hadn't figured it out.
    • 5/5
      It was both beautifully written and dramatically read! A keeper!
    • 5/5
      Dogtown was a real place in early Massachusetts, reaching its peak population around the turn of the 19th century. Near the end, most of the inhabitants were misfits and loners: widows, freedmen, escaped slaves, prostitutes, and supposed witches. This story, detailing the last decade or so of the settlement, is not so much historical fiction as fiction inspired by history. Little is known about the residents of Dogtown, but this tale weaves a beautiful tapestry of birth and death, love and hate, kindness and cruelty. I think my favorite characters were Cornelius and Easter, and though I was disappointed in the tale of Sammy, it was a reaction to his decisions in life, not the writing style. All the characters felt real, like old friends. The time period fascinated me too, giving me a real sense for how ordinary people lived without weighing it down with famous historical events or people. This book was my introduction to the much-heralded Diamant, and I was not disappointed. Good Harbor is already on the TBR pile; I'll have to keep an eye out for The Red Tent.
    • 4/5
      I loved this book and it was a joy to read. It is based on a true story of a community living through a brief chapter of 19th century American history. A moving and wonderful story.Back Cover Blurb:In the tiny rural backwater of Dogtown, nestled on Cape Ann, the few remaining, utterly eccentric inhabitants show an enduring spirit that keeps life and love alive. Among the cast of unforgettable characters is Black Ruth, one of only two Africans still living in the area; she dresses as a man, speaks to no one and continues her craft as the local stonemason. Mrs Stanley is blowsy, blonde and the local madam; totally self-absorbed, she cares nothing for her young grandson, coming of age amid the sights and sounds of a rural brothel. Oliver Younger overcomes a cruel childhood to find happiness in marriage and fatherhood. At the heart of it all is Judy Rhimes, a fiercely independent woman, generous and wise, but also heartbroken and lonely, whose taboo love for Cornelius, a former slave, burns at the centre of her soul.
    • 3/5
      Good - stories of people in a small settlement in early 1800's. I really liked the people and it was heartbreaking to see them suffer. Anita paints a good picture.
    • 4/5
      Sort of depressing but very well written. The characters came to life with all of their quirks and short comings and secrets.
    • 4/5
      Having so completely enjoyed The Red Tent, I could not wait to read more works by Anita Diamant. In The Last Days of Dogtown, Diamant takes on a much more secular topic, the residents and history of a small settlement on the Massachusetts coast in the early 19th Century. There is historical evidence of such a settlement and many of the characters portrayed in this novel, but the detailed stories of the characters are products of Anita Diamant’s smoothly flowing words.Equal credit should be given to Kate Nelligan, the narrator of the audio book version, for bringing each person to life for your ears. Ms Nelligan reproduces a wide range of accents, both regional and ethnic, and matches them perfectly to each character, giving each a distinctive voice. The vocal performance does not detract from the story, but blends nicely into it.If you’ve ever visited a historic city, or seen a ruin in a deserted location, and wondered, “What was this really like in its day?”, Dogtown will appeal to you. With the mix of cast off people, freed slaves, working girls looking to get by, reputed witches, hidden family secrets and gossipy neighbors, there’s a little something for everyone’s tastes here. Diamant uses the gossip between neighbors, and not all friendly neighbors, to keep us apprised of all the behind the scenes activity. Each of the main characters comes into focus for some of the chapters and then, makes their exit.Overall, you are left with a pretty bleak picture of life in Dogtown. Given the town’s location and historical reputation, I’d have to say it is probably accurate and representative of the times. It is no wonder the settlement was finally abandoned. Don’t abandon this book, however, it is too wonderful a story. If you’ve never tried historical fiction, this is a good one to begin with as the history is just sketchy enough the author can be forgiven for taking any literary liberties with the setting. It is also interesting to reflect on how this old settlement and the characters could, with very little updating, be adapted to a modern setting. It really makes you wonder how far we’ve really come since the early 1800’s.
    • 3/5
      A motley group of people live in a hardscrabble town in Cape Ann in the early 19th century. The nephew of a nasty old bat overcomes his childhood to make a happy marriage with a nice girl. An independent woman falls in love with a free African. A nasty alcoholic thinks he sees an angel and reforms himself, becoming obnoxiously pious until he falls off the wagon again. A nearly-mute African woman dresses like a man and seeks the truth about the murder of her mother.As you can see from the synopsis, this is more of a collection of vignettes than a traditional novel. It reads nothing like The Red Tent, which had a coherent and propulsive narrative despite its many characters. In fact, I disliked Dogtown until about 75% of the way through, when it suddenly began to coalesce for me and I started feeling something for the characters. I ended up liking the book and admiring the structure, although this kind of narrative will never be my favorite.
    • 4/5
      It is hard to compete with the depth of emotion of Anita Diamant's most popular novel, The Red Tent. But, this book was definitely an enjoyable story. Each sad Dogtown story was woven together and inter-mingled with the others. Listening to this book on audio, I actually had to listen to the first cd twice to keep the characters straight. I even caught myself a few times throughout the book catching myself in confusion over which character was which. Uncondidtional love and support contrasted with hatred and in many cases, forced tolerance were fascinating to uncover as we learned more about the backgrounds and histories of each Dogtown resident. Wonderful depiction of the hardship and struggles of the early colonial times.
    • 5/5
      Beautiful. Very simply written, but the characters are so richly developed that you fall in love with Dogtown and its residents. I think Anita Diamant is one of the most gifted writers of our times. I wish there were more novels from her to read! Though this story was at times quite depressing, I really treasured reading this. Highly recommended!
    • 5/5
      wonderful book really enjoyed i grew up where she is writing about on Cape Ann
    • 4/5
      I listened to the audio book and enjoyed it very much. Kate Nelligan was the narrator.
    • 5/5
      Great writing, characters and story! Anita won a place on “My favorite Writers list “ with the Red Tent and now she is on the top of my list!
    • 5/5
      A quick and lovely read. The characters feel like real people, and Diamant strikes just the right tone.
    • 4/5
      Got a gift certificate for the Friends of the Library bookstore as a gift for National Library Week (or something ... ), and this was one of my purchases. I'd really enjoyed Diamant's The Red Tent, so was ready to try something else by her. This was airport reading enroute to visit family in Portland; got through my airport books fast due to lengthy weather delays in Dallas: much much reading time. Set in early 1800s Massachusetts, and inspired by the settlement of Dogtown, Diamant reimagines the community of castoffs—widows, prostitutes, orphans, African-Americans and ne'er-do-wells—all eking out a harsh living in the barren terrain of Cape Ann. It's a fascinating story without a lot of drama, but nonetheless compelling for that. Great characterizations, wonderful period details., flowing language, so many individuals' stories interwoven.
    • 4/5
      I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it in one day. The characters are believable and likeable. I am looking forward to The Red Tent.
    • 4/5
      Audio component very well done and believable. Loved the characters and setting
    • 4/5
      Rather interesting, different and fun style of writing. There isnt really one main character, and each chapter is the life of a particular character with all characters lives tied to the other characters. There is not really a climax either. Reading this book was like watching the highlights of a persons life.
    • 3/5
      Toward the middle of this book, I was a little disappointed that I hadn't learned more about the person I was most interested in - the very first character introduced in the book. But as the book went on and the character's lives began to intertwine and to be explained, I began enjoying the book more.
    • 3/5
      I was disappointed. Having read The Red Tent, I expected this to be more interesting. It was okay, but I wasn't enraptured as I was with The Red Tent.
    • 4/5
      Anita Diamant, the author of the captivating novel, The Red Tent weaves together another remarkable tale with The Last Days of Dogtown. Diamant introduces the reader to the variety of characters that populate the dismal and scorned hamlet of Dogtown in the first chapter when people gather at Easter Carter's home to wait for the deceased Abraham Wharf's relations to pick up his body. At first I was a little overwhelmed at being introduced to so many characters in such a short span of time; however, in subsequent chapters Diamant focuses in on the characters and the reader is able to get to know them at a slower pace.The story begins in the Winter of 1814 and spans decades as the reader follows the characters' struggles and triumphs. Diamant's skillfully drawn cast of eccentrics and misfits take the reader on an emotional journey as we witness their perseverance and their salvation in one another.I was excited to read that Diamant is publishing another novel, Day After Night, in September 2009.