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Romany and Tom
- Narrated by: Ben Watt
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
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Romany and Tom
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Summary
Ben Watt’s father was a working-class Glaswegian jazz musician - a politicized left-wing bandleader and composer - whose heyday in the late 1950s took him into the glittering heart of London’s West End. His mother, Romany, the daughter of a Methodist parson, was a Shakespearean actress who had triplets in her first marriage before becoming a leading showbiz feature writer and columnist in the ’60s and ’70s. They were both divorced and from very different backgrounds, and they came together at a fateful New Year’s Day party in 1957 like colliding trains.
Romany and Tom is Ben Watt’s honest, sometimes painful, and often funny portrait of his parents’ exceptional lives and marriage, depicted in a personal journey from his own wide-eyed London childhood, through years as an adult with children and a career of his own, to that inevitable point when we must assume responsibility for our own parents in their old age. Spanning several decades - and drawing on a rich seam of family letters, souvenirs, photographs, public archives, and personal memories - it is a vivid story of the postwar years, ambition and stardom, family roots and secrets, big band jazz, depression and drink, life in clubs and nursing homes. It is also about who we are, where we come from, and how we love and live with each other for the long term.
What listeners say about Romany and Tom
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- MAH
- 13-09-15
honest and heartfelt about being part of a family
A open and touching account of what it's like to understand who your family are
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- PAUL S MARSHALL
- 29-12-21
A fascinating family story
Beautifully written and told by the author. A product of two talented and flawed parents, he truly is a gifted individual.
Well done Ben.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Jenny
- 13-07-15
A loving portrait of family frustrations
What did you like most about Romany and Tom?
The humanity of the story. Ben paints an honest picture of two flawed people who happen to be his parents. The love and affection shines through.
Which scene did you most enjoy?
In the first part of the book, Ben's parents are increasingly frail and have deferred their life choices to him. Through his telling we can see how hard it is to make the decisions, how much he wants to make them happy and how easily a careless word can hurt and deflate. Romany and Tom come to life very quickly and I became fascinated with their story.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Clementine Beresford
- 13-08-16
How Beautiful
I loved it, it made me laugh, it made me cry, it was beautiful, a real story about a complicated family, all with such interesting characters! Wished I could see some photographs of the people! Would love to watch it as a film & I want to play Romany please. Hehe! Thank You Ben Watt, your Pa Tommy was spot on you are a lovely kind man, without out judgement a credit to you parents! xxx
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MR STEWART G LEES
- 09-05-21
Stunning
A beautiful book. Tender, poignant, sensitive. Full of wonderful characters and locations, each lovingly portrayed and brought vividly to life. Experty narrated by Ben. I was so reluctant to reach the end that I rationed my final listening sessions to prolong the pleasure. There will now be a short intermission before I press play and listen to the whole thing again.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- bnbeat
- 23-01-15
Fascinating
A fascinating, touching and thought-provoking story told very well. Definitely worth listening to.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mostlypeckish
- 11-02-15
My favourite audible book yet!
Listening to this , a few chapters at a time , was like sharing one of those really nourishing conversations you have with a great friend from time to time. Thanks Ben.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Mad Jeff
- 19-09-14
Very Moving
What did you like most about Romany and Tom?
A really moving account of the lives of Ben Watt's mother and father. Recommended even if you are not a fan of Ben's music as it focuses very little on this , but on the complex relationship of his parents, their struggles, talents, addictions and their ageing..
Who was your favorite character and why?
Tom & Romany
What does Ben Watt bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
Beautifully read by Ben..Only he could recount such a personal story.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes
Any additional comments?
Highly recommended.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- HeyDon't.
- 18-03-20
Brilliant
Ben Watt - can both write and narrate. I found this both engaging and moving.
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