Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • The Dutch House

  • By: Ann Patchett
  • Narrated by: Tom Hanks
  • Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (3,820 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
The Dutch House cover art

The Dutch House

By: Ann Patchett
Narrated by: Tom Hanks
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £16.00

Buy Now for £16.00

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

Bel Canto cover art
Three Girls from Bronzeville cover art
Beyond That, the Sea cover art
The Things We Cannot Say cover art
Beneath a Scarlet Sky cover art
Don't Forget to Write cover art
When We Believed in Mermaids cover art
This Tender Land cover art
The Murmur of Bees cover art
The Keeper of Happy Endings cover art
Forrest Gump cover art
Winter Garden cover art
Dumped, Actually cover art

Summary

Longlisted for the Women’s Prize 2020

Bloomsbury presents the audiobook edition of The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, read by Tom Hanks.

A masterpiece from the Orange Prize-winning, New York Times number one best-selling author of Commonwealth and Bel Canto: a story of love, family, sacrifice and the power of place.

Lose yourself in the story of a lifetime – the unforgettable Sunday Times best seller.

A story of two siblings, their childhood home and a past that they can’t let go.

Like swallows, like salmon, we were the helpless captives of our migratory patterns. We pretended that what we had lost was the house, not our mother, not our father. We pretended that what we had lost had been taken from us by the person who still lived inside.

©2019 Ann Patchett (P)2019 HarperCollins USA

Critic reviews

"The book of the autumn. The American author of Commonwealth (brilliant) and Bel Canto (even better) releases perhaps her finest novel yet." (Sunday Times)

"The buzz around The Dutch House is totally justified. Her best yet, which is saying something." (John Boyne)

"Patchett leads us to a truth that feels like life rather than literature." (Guardian)

What listeners say about The Dutch House

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,767
  • 4 Stars
    774
  • 3 Stars
    213
  • 2 Stars
    42
  • 1 Stars
    24
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,973
  • 4 Stars
    336
  • 3 Stars
    84
  • 2 Stars
    30
  • 1 Stars
    12
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,316
  • 4 Stars
    780
  • 3 Stars
    256
  • 2 Stars
    47
  • 1 Stars
    27

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Dysfunctional family


This was a recommendation from a friend and I was a little apprehensive after reading the summary.

It did not disappoint and was. Beautifully written book about a brother end sisters love for each other through what life had thrown at them.

The book spend many years but durs not get boring. The writing was quite poetic in parts but equally not superfluous on real detail.

Tom Hanks as the narrator was an added bonus.

Would recommend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

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

Superlative!

It does help that the narration is excellent- Tom Hanks’ voice has the perfect timbre and tone, reflecting the pace and emotion of this brilliant book. Notwithstanding, the book is incredible. Engaging, moving and it’s characters so real and sympathetic that you love them as your own family. A true family epic story. Unmissable!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

My book of the year: doubt anything will better it

The fact that Tom Hanks was the narrator was a recommendation in itself as I presume he can be very choosy about the projects with which he is involved. The Dutch House is about a dysfunctional family that spans 30/40 years and includes an absent mother, a less than perceptive father and the non-melding of two families when a step mother arrives plus an extraordinary house. But saying that doesn't really tell you what lies at the heart of the story - forgiveness, and how to learn how to forgive. The story is told from the point of view of the younger brother but it is the women characters that are the most important. They are the ones who make decisions, make mistakes, do things which seem unforgivable and are also the ones who are the first learn how to forgive and let go. There's no big drama: When people die it is from natural causes. When they are cruel is because of selfishness or the simple inability to see...our own everyday sins. I loved it - my book of the year so far and I doubt if anything will knock it off its perch.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

Quite perfect story of loss

Relatable characters, beautifully voiced through Danny via one superb Tom Hanks. Simple story of family relationships and loss and the energy we can give to a thing - or house. Miss them all now I’ve finished the book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Read this book!

Tom Hanks is the perfect narrator for this story. It's well written, with interesting sympathetic characters. There was plenty to discuss for our book group. Loved it, and will look for other Anne Patchett books

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Life will eventually tell it's own story

The narrator Tom Hanks I thought might spoil this reading because he is so well known for his roles but I was so wrong. This is a beautifully written story that you could believe is his.. there are no huge ups and downs in this, you follow the brother and sister resolving ,in their lives, their feelings regarding the titles Dutch House I loved this gentle sensitive book and would recommend it to anyone

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Tom Hanks!

One of those books were the story is good and made even better by the narrator!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Emotional Journey

I think I could listen to Tom Hanks recite a chemistry text book...

The story was engaging, funny, without being comedic, heartbreaking, unjust, full of love...

We listened on our 13hr journey home from Hamburg, we cried, we discussed, we enjoyed.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Ann Patchett's best

Great storytelling, characters and writing (took a while to get going...).
Ann Patchett's best work. Faultless narration too.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Tom hanks' voice is ❤️

Beautifully written and read. Thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story flows beautifully and you can visualize the scenes.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!