Preview
  • Listening for the Crack of Dawn

  • By: Donald Davis
  • Narrated by: Donald Davis
  • Length: 1 hr and 57 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (86 ratings)

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Listening for the Crack of Dawn

By: Donald Davis
Narrated by: Donald Davis
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Publisher's summary

Donald Davis was born into a southern Appalachian mountain world rich in stories. He grew up listening to his father and his Uncle Frank tell stories of their boyhood, all the while taking in the details of his own childhood experience.

These stories of growing up in Appalachia in the 1950s are funny and true, nostalgic and bittersweet. The characters are memorable: Miss Martha Anne Butler, "the last surviving member of a failed Southern family", whose grocery deliveries always included two pints of gin; the Reverend N.N. Upchurch, old Preacher No-No, whose nickname "pretty well summed up his opinion on most subjects"; and Aunt Laura, who knew to listen for the crack of dawn.

Our narrator faces the trials of growing up with humor, hope, and (usually) good grace. He saves Blue Horse Notebook Paper coupons to buy the world's heaviest coaster bike, engages in games of "Daring Miss Butler", taunts the shadowy Terrell Tubbs with his buddies, and uses the resources of his electronics class to invent a keyless ignition for Red McElroy's Ford pickup. The sweet and painful memories are all here, told in a storyteller's voice.

©1991 Donald Davis (P)1991 Donald Davis
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Editorial reviews

Wise . . . touching . . . funny . . . sad . . .Donald Davis is all these, plus just plain captivating. For twenty years a Methodist minister, he found his true calling as a professional storyteller. In these four original stories he reminisces about his childhood in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina, in a small town that sounds very like Lake Wobegone. But there the resemblance stops. Although appearing to ramble as much as Garrison Keillor, Donald Davis gives each story a spin and a polish that leaves the listener wiser at the end.

Critic reviews

"As wholesome as milk." (Raleigh News and Observer)
"Davis has interconnected this set of stories in such a way as to create a place...as memorable as Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon." (Lexington Herald-Leader)

What listeners say about Listening for the Crack of Dawn

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Excellent Listen

We have enjoyed listening to Donald Davis’ books as we travel. This one is excellent.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding stories. Outstanding Narrator

My family and I listened to this in the car on a weekend trip. None of us were ready for it to end. My kids, ages 13 and 11, were particularly struck by the ending of the last story. You have to listen to this title!

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Great storytelling!

I LOVE Don Davis storytelling! always fascinating! His stories pull me in and keep me interested.

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A Wonderful Walk Down Memory Lane!

I was talking to my 17 year old son early this morning and said something about the crack of dawn. Out of a recess in my mind came a fracture of memory. One of my teachers from Berclair Elem. School used to play a record of folk stories to us sometimes. It's such a vague memory that I only know I was very young and I remember it being several stories, but the only one I remembered anything about was one where a very old woman would run out of the kitchen, across the back porch and into the porch rail and dish water flew into the yard and something about snuff. That was all I had to go on, but I really hoped I might find these stories I last heard on a record in the early 80's. Finding this as a possibility and then seeing it was available on Audible was like it was written in the stars. I use Kindle/Audible literally every single day. I had to listen to the sample to see if this was what I was looking for. I was thrilled to hear it was. $5.95 and after 3 decades, I once again listened to the Crack of Dawn with a smile on my face from start to finish! While I can't say I remembered the others, I remembered that first one PERFECTLY, even down to certain parts of the way it was read and the way words were said. I truly enjoyed this recording and will have to try out other stories by this author to see if I can find others I might remember.Thank you so very much for the joy these have brought me, both then and now! What a wonderful memory to rediscover!

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    5 out of 5 stars

Donald's Finest moment

We have listen to this audible over and over. I first had it as a tape and got it as an audible. Choices cost us something and this audible is an example of insight and lessons. Really good for 12 to 17 years old as some of the material is geared to that age.

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Family friendly

This is a very good family listen. it includes important life lessons, told in a relaxing way that holds your attention.

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sensational

how can you cry and laugh so hard all in one story? Mr Davis is the best of the best!!

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ABRIDGED!!!

This is not the whole book and several references in the abridged version are to pieces that have been removed. It’s missing so many good sections!!

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1 person found this helpful