THE LISTENER

by Taylor Caldwell ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 16, 1960

An unusual concept this, and one that those who look to Taylor Caldwell for spiritual strengthening will find significant and possibly helpful. The Listener of the title might be a priest, a doctor, a judge, a father, a son, a friend, a psychiatrist- each seeker who comes for help finds his own identification -- and finds too that what has been lacking before is someone who will listen, compassionately, understandingly, and with all the time there is, and without revealing his identity-unless-at the end- the seeker wants to know who the listener is. Fifteen seekers come to the exquisitely simple building where day and night they can be heard. The fifteen include a disdainful society woman who resents what she considers the inferiority of her husband; the ""under-privileged"" man who put failure on never having had a chance; the Negro who felt himself rejected despite his education; the business man ""betrayed"" by a friend he had trusted; a father who would not face the pending death of his son; a young woman who felt permanently condemned for a sin of youth; a minister afraid to talk of sin to his flock; an alcoholic who found that all of life had gone stale; a teacher afraid of truth; a doctor who wondered whether his choice of healing was a right one; a judge who had always obeyed the letter of the law- and finally, a scientist who could not live with himself as a destroyer. To each one -- the quiet, the sense of a listener who cared, a sudden realization of who that listener was and why He was always available -- brings the answer he seeks and a chance to face life with a newly comprehended inner strength.... The gift of narration and characterization which Taylor Caldwell brings to each of her books is here in strong measure -- and along with this, the deep inner conviction that in turning again to God, humanity will find its way out of the morass.

Pub Date: Sept. 16, 1960

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1960

Categories: FICTION