The Washington Square Ensemble cover art

The Washington Square Ensemble

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The Washington Square Ensemble

By: Madison Smartt Bell
Narrated by: John Concado
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About this listen

Madison Smartt Bell’s debut novel: a story of drifters, outcasts, junkies, and dealers surviving in the heart of 1980s New York City

Over one busy weekend, small-time heroin dealer Johnny B. Goode and his alliance of fellow pushers work their trade amidst students, businessmen, and assorted sewer rats while avoiding the law. Narrated from the separate perspectives of each member of the gang, The Washington Square Ensemble follows the twisted paths that have led the seven men through the gritty New York underworld and toward a fragile alliance at Washington Square.

With humor, compassion, and an uncanny ear for voices of the streets, Madison Smartt Bell delivers a stunning indictment and occasional celebration of a blighted New York landscape.

©1983 Madison Smartt Bell (P)2013 Audible, Inc.
Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Urban New York Witty

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Editor reviews

After spending just a few minutes with narrator John Concado listeners will see why such great efforts have been made to clean up New York City. With a smoky swagger, Concado brings listeners back to a time when chess wasn’t the only vocation at Washington Square Park. The Washington Square Ensemble follows a loose gang of small-time drug dealers, led by the cunning Johnny B. Goode, as they navigate a busy weekend of transactions with students, businessmen, and lowlifes. A strong debut from writer Madison Smartt Bell, this audiobook takes on an even greater depth as Concado introduces listeners to each character.

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