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Trumpet cover art

Trumpet

By: Jackie Kay
Narrated by: Cathleen McCarron
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Summary

When the love of your life dies, the problem is not that some part of you dies too, which it does, but that some part of you is still alive.   

The death of legendary jazz trumpeter Joss Moody exposes an extraordinary secret. Unbeknown to all but his wife Millie, Joss was a woman living as a man. The discovery is most devastating for their adopted son, Colman, whose bewildered fury brings the press to the doorstep and sends his grieving mother to the sanctuary of a remote Scottish village.

Winner of the Guardian Fiction Prize, Trumpet by Jackie Kay is a starkly beautiful modern classic about the lengths to which people will go for love. It is a moving story of a shared life founded on an intricate lie, of loving deception and lasting devotion, and of the intimate workings of the human heart.  

©1998 Jackie Kay (P)2012 W F Howes Ltd

What listeners say about Trumpet

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

So thought provoking

A wonderful reflection on love, gender, identity and loyalty. Very poignant and touching.
The characters were portrayed with such realism, at times I had to skip ahead, especially Sophie's chapters.
There is so much more I could say, but I don't want to spoil the book for those who have not read it!
The narration was easy to listen to I felt. Overall an excellent listen.

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

tender, sweet and soothing

one of my favourite books with an amazing narration. thank you Jackie Kay for writing something so beautiful.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Riveting read

Thoroughly enjoyed the whole book with its depth and honesty. Very well narrated. Thank you

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

Touching, Cathartic, Thought-Provoking

Deep, emotional exploration of identity, love, and the interconnectedness of humanity. Each character has their own story to tell, affected by the event at the start of the novel in a different way. Ultimately however, they are brought together for their connection to a single special person, their understanding of what Joss truly is: not male or female, or black or white, but human. Fantastic read

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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

Love, loss and some laughs.

Would you consider the audio edition of Trumpet to be better than the print version?

Yes. I have the print edition but am currently hooked on all things audio.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Definitely Millie. I liked her honesty, the fact that what she and Joss had was no less real than any other couple

Which character – as performed by Cathleen McCarron – was your favourite?

Again it was Millie. Some heartbreakingly tender descriptions of her love for Joss.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

If music be the food of love, play Jazz.

Any additional comments?

Thoroughly enjoyed the book.

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3 people found this helpful

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

Ver meaningful story

Loved it. beautifully written and thought provoking story about the things that really matter in life and death.

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

Beautiful & Heartbreaking

Jackie Kay is fabulous. What a story! I really enjoyed the book and the narrator is amazing too!

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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

Enjoyable story, well narrated

I enjoyed this story and the book had a distinctive style. In the main that style was engaging but on occasion there was time spent on areas that didn’t hold my interest. The narration was excellent.

Overall, this was a good listen and I’d recommend it.

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

Mesmerising

I don't know how to describe this book, I thought to write a beautiful tale, but that is not really it. The story is deeply sad and deeply uplifting all at the same time.
The words do not feel like just words, they feel like something so much more.
This is one of those books that left me feeling empty when it ended, like a person left my life.

The narration is wonderful

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2 people found this helpful

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

Tedious story

Really couldn't see the point of this book. Repetitive and too long for the weak storyline.

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