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  • A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian

  • By: Marina Lewycka
  • Narrated by: Siân Thomas
  • Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (406 ratings)
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A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian cover art

A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian

By: Marina Lewycka
Narrated by: Siân Thomas
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Summary

Two years after my mother died, my father fell in love with a glamorous blonde Ukrainian divorcee. He was 84 and she was 36. She exploded into our lives like a fluffy pink grenade, churning up the murky water, bringing to the surface sludge of sloughed-off memories, giving the family ghosts a kick up the backside.

Sisters Vera and Nadezhda must put aside a lifetime of feuding to save their émigré engineer father from voluptuous gold-digger Valentina. With her proclivity for green satin underwear and boil-in-the-bag cuisine, she will stop at nothing in her pursuit of Western wealth. But the sisters' campaign to oust Valentina unearths family secrets, uncovers 50 years of Europe's darkest history and sends them back to roots they'd much rather forget....

©2005 Marina Lewycka (P)2014 Audible, Inc

Critic reviews

"A charming comedy of eros... A ride that, despite the bumps and curves in the road, never feels anything less than jaunty." (Los Angeles Times)
"Lewycka is a writer with a fundamentally optimistic vision of the future and a healthy curiosity about the past." (Chicago Tribune)
"Charming, poignantly funny." (The Washington Post Book World)

What listeners say about A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Not amused

I thought this would be humorous from the reviews. It just seems to be some quite awful characters endlessly bickering over an inheritance. Perhaps it improves but couldn’t bear listen long enough to find out. Sorry!

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent, charming and very engaging throughout

Another fantastic performance by Sian Thomass, her skill adds immeasurably to this story.
I love the way Lewycka writes. The writing is detailed, funny and warm.
The idiosyncrasies of her characters will make you laugh and reflect in equal measures. If you like Alan Bennett and Mike Leigh, then this is for you
I couldn't wait for this title to be added to audible.
This is audio book at its best. The way sian Thomass uses accent is amazing.
I can't praise her enough.
I spotted some rather negative reviews, about this book and I I wondered if they had read the same book???
I didn't want it to end; when is the next available!

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I have never read a book like it!

I really enjoyed this book. The story is told in first person, and sometimes third person, by the daughter of an old Ukrainian man who marries a Ukrainian woman, much younger than himself, so she can stay in the UK, much to the consternation of his two daughters, who do not get along.

The actions of the main characters in present time are hilarious as they seek to outwit one another; however, at a deeper level their pasts, which are sometimes horrific, inform how they act in the present.

The narration by Siân Thomas was very good. She caught the characters perfectly and made the whole thing come alive.

I rarely listen to, or read, a book twice, but this one will be revisited.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A very good read

I really enjoyed this book by Marina Lewycka. I much preferred it to "We are all made of glue" which I previously read. The story was more believable. The characters are all wonderful. I especially loved the old man who was so funny and typical of elderly eccenticism. I was hooked to this book and read it in 2 days. I never struggled to read it as I did with the glue book, This book is not about tractors but the old man's reference to them linked nicely to past history and the struggles of Ukrainian people in the 2nd world war. My most memorable moment was right at the end. Is he crazy or eccentric? We will never know but being naked whilst praying might suggest he is! There are funny moments as well as sad moments and this time the narration is spot on becsuse all the characters are English and Ukeanian which lends itself perfectly to the narrators skills.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Gave up on it

I'm ashamed to admit I didn't make it through to the end. I got to about halfway, and still wasn't enjoying it. I'm just not that interested in tractors...

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

great writing, excellently performed,

I specially enjoyed the narrating. It was a joy to listen to. So many different voices and accents!!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining

Entertaining book, superbly narrated. Easy to listen to with some very funny bits. Will definitely download others by author and narrator.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

gave up on it.

Any additional comments?

because the accent of the father irritated plus the attitudes of all the members of the family
.if I had listened to this story before I listened to we are all made of glue I would have missed a good story.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

What a great story

Brilliant characters beautifully brought to life with perfect emphasis and pitch ..one of the best ever

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent narration

A charming little story that is humorous and endearing. Narration was excellent. I could really visualise the characters and their relationships with each other. A wee joy to read.

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