Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit cover art

Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

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Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

By: Jeanette Winterson
Narrated by: Jeanette Winterson
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About this listen

Winner of the Whitbread Prize for best first fiction.

Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is a coming-out novel from Winterson, the acclaimed author of The Passion and Sexing the Cherry.

The narrator, Jeanette, cuts her teeth on the knowledge that she is one of God’s elect, but as this budding evangelical comes of age and comes to terms with her preference for her own sex, the peculiar balance of her God-fearing household crumbles.

'Like most people I lived for a long time with my mother and father. My father liked to watch the wrestling, my mother liked to wrestle; it didn't matter what'

This is the story of Jeanette, adopted and brought up by her mother as one of God's elect. Zealous and passionate, she seems destined for life as a missionary, but then she falls for one of her converts.

At sixteen, Jeanette decides to leave the church, her home and her family, for the young woman she loves. Innovative, punchy and tender, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is a few days ride into the bizarre outposts of religious excess and human obsession.

'Witty… extraordinary and exhilarating' The Times

'She is a master of her material, a writer in whom great talent abides' Vanity Fair

'Many consider her to be the best living writer in this language... In her hands, words are fluid, radiant, humming' Evening Standard

'A novel that deserves revisiting' Observer

'A wonderful rites-of-passage novel' Mariella Frostrup

©1985 Jeanette Winterson (P)2015 Audible, Ltd
Coming of Age Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction Funny Heartfelt Witty

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The Pride List of Queer Storytelling

To mark Pride 2023 Audible teamed up with non-profit organisation, Out on the Page, supporter and champion of LGBTQIA+ writers and writing, to release an extensive Pride List of Queer Storytelling. Featuring contributions from some of the UK’s most important and exciting voices from the LGBTQIA+ community, this audiobook is one of the many featured on the list that is available to listen to on Audible.
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I fell in love with Jeanette, whose retelling of her experience in fictional form helped me sort through some of my own feelings. The performance was poignant and engaging, the characterisation believable and inspiring.

Inspiring and empathetic

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Jeanette really brought the story to life through her narration.
Oranges definitely aren't the only fruit.

A dive into the world of English Christianity

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Jeanette recounts a story of herself as a girl growing up in a religious community. She’s bursting with goodness and curiosity and a rich imagination while her fanatical and sometimes abusive mother is extreme and tight lipped. As Jeanette grows through childhood adolescence, she is thankfully able to hold firmly on to what is pure and right about herself and her romantic love for other females despite her mother’s and the pastor’s best and sometimes cruel efforts to rid her of the evils they hate and fear. The girl remains strong and clear. This is a fabulous book and Jeanette’s narration is perfect.

Brilliant book brilliantly read by the author.

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Extremely well narrated. Glad I eventually got around to reading this.
But what happened to her mother always being referred to as Mrs Winterson?

As good as I expected

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A charming remembrance of a northern childhood, I loved it! Beautifully read by the author. It leaves you wanting more.

Oranges are not the only fruit

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