A Piece of the World

A Novel

By: Christina Baker Kline

Narrated by: Polly Stone

Length: 8 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

From the New York Times best-selling author of the smash best seller Orphan Train, a stunning and atmospheric novel of friendship, passion, and art, inspired by Andrew Wyeth's mysterious and iconic painting Christina's World.

"Later he told me that he'd been afraid to show me the painting. He thought I wouldn't like the way he portrayed me: dragging myself across the field, fingers clutching dirt, my legs twisted behind. The arid moonscape of wheatgrass and timothy. That dilapidated house in the distance, looming up like a secret that won't stay hidden."

To Christina Olson, the entire world was her family's remote farm in the small coastal town of Cushing, Maine. Born in the home her family had lived in for generations, and increasingly incapacitated by illness, Christina seemed destined for a small life. Instead, for more than 20 years, she was host to and inspiration for the artist Andrew Wyeth and became the subject of one of the best known American paintings of the 20th century.

As she did in her beloved smash best seller Orphan Train, Christina Baker Kline interweaves fact and fiction in a powerful novel that illuminates a little-known part of America's history. Bringing into focus the flesh-and-blood woman behind the portrait, she vividly imagines the life of a woman with a complicated relationship to her family and her past and a special bond with one of our greatest modern artists.

Told in evocative and lucid prose, A Piece of the World is a story about the burdens and blessings of family history and how artist and muse can come together to forge a new and timeless legacy.

©2017 Christina Baker Kline (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Kline paints a Christina just as evocative and memorable as Wyeth's. Stone does the best possible thing in her performance; she becomes invisible, letting this remarkably imagined Christina live and shine." ( AudioFile)

Historical fiction of painting. Christina's World

This audiobook was awesomely narrated by Polly Stone! My heart ached for Christina and her brother, Al but they loved their home, family, and each other during a life that gave her happiness, physical pain with her arms and legs, and her friendship with Betsy and Andrew Wyeth. Andy was quirky, shy, quiet but driven to paint and paint he did---he literally takes over the upper rooms of Christina and Andy's home and prodigiously paints their farm, Christina and Andy in their normal routine. I loved this foursome, Andrew Wyeth and bubbly Betsy his friendly, outspoken, kind wife and Christina and Al who the reader sees grow up with a taciturn father and cold mother, assorted brothers, relatives, and the people of their shore town in Maine. With a view of history, a small farming community, and the life and personalities of Christina and her brother, Kline moved this reader with her words, characters, history of the times, and how the beauty of art rescues Christina and her world

Enjoyable read.

The story is aptly titled. It is about a piece of one family’s world and their acceptance of what life wrought for them. They do not harbor “what if’s”. Good read. Loved the Orphan Train by same author.

an insight into the mystery of Christina

I've always loved Christina's World, but also wondered about Christina. Andrew Wyeth is one of my favorite American artists and I have a lovely book of his works. I used that as a reference while listening to this book and the paintings became even more real. The author was able to paint Christina with words and I truly enjoyed her interpretation of the life of Christina Olson.

Not bad....not great

I kept listening to it. It was like listening to a friend tell me her day to day.

Compelling

The compelling story, the exquisite prose and the perfect narration combine to make Christina's World one of the best books I have ever read or listened to.
At 70 and a lifelong avid reader, I haven't been enthralled by a book for a long time. I have certainly, enjoyed a few, but wondered if I would ever love a book again. This book blew me away. I was so impressed by the author's skill in describing everything from the exact sound of a cat's purr to the intricacies of Christina's emotions. I rarely cry while reading, but I did many times. This book touched me in so many ways.
It so happens that I have a type of degenerative arthritis that wasn't diagnosed until I was 35. It is the first time I have ever heard such an accurate account of my feelings and struggles with my body.
I loved the story itself and what it was like living in the country. I felt moved by the beauty of nature and the fact that the story was inspired by Andrew Wyeth's painting made it all the better - like a mystery resolved.
I also feel thankful to be reminded about how wonderful it feels to read a wonderful book!

Brilliant

Loved it. I listened to it while on a road trip. it was awesome. my travel time was insignificant. The story was captivating.

W piece of the world by Christina Baker Kline

A very sweet srory,but sad,it left you wanting a happy ending,but it never happened. I enjoyed it very Much

insightful

I loved this reading! It gently but thoroughly explored the heart and soul of Christina, who has been handicapped since birth. so many truths are exposed about how other people feel and behave toward those with a handicap. Attitudes are thoroughly dissected, and there is so much truth in every word. I know this, because, I have lived with my orthopedic handicap my entire life and Christina is so much like me.

Simply enjoyable

The author Smoothly weaves historical people in with her fictional characters. Narration also well done.

Sad story about dull lives

This is a story about people trapped by circumstance and time. Fear of change prevents them from stepping beyond the known. Only the inclusion of Andrew Wyatt relying on their constancy adds a spark of intrigue. Even knowing he will produce one of the world’s most famous paintings doesn’t diminish that angle. The last chapter is worth slogging through the morass to get there.