Author:
David Gerrold
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Sign up todayThe Martian Child
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Learn moreGerrold, a science fiction writer from California, adopts a son who has been classified as "unadoptable" due to his violent emotional outbursts resulting from abuse. Another side-effect of his turbulent early years is that he believes himself to be a Martian. Gerrold begins the long, involving work of trying to earn the acceptance of Dennis, a hyperactive eight-year-old who desperately wants a father's love, but is so insecure he feels he must be an alien. Gerrold's recounting of the first two years with Dennis ends with the climax of Dennis running away and waiting in a city park at night for the flying saucers to come and reclaim him. Funny, endearing, and at times, heartbreaking, this is a beautifully written testament to fatherhood.
This book is semiautobiographical. Gerrold did adopt a son, but he heard about a boy who thought he was a Martian from another adoptive father.
David Gerrold has been writing professionally for half a century. He created the tribbles for Star Trek and the Sleestaks for Land of the Lost. His most famous novel is The Man Who Folded Himself. His semi-autobiographical tale of his son's adoption, The Martian Child, won both the Hugo and the Nebula awards, and was the basis for the 2007 movie starring John Cusack and Amanda Peet.
Scott Brick first began narrating audiobooks in 2000, and after recording almost 400 titles in five years, AudioFile magazine named Brick a Golden Voice and โone of the fastest-rising stars in the audiobook galaxy.โ He has read a number of titles in Frank Herbertโs bestselling Dune series, and he won the 2003 Science Fiction Audie Award for Dune: The Butlerian Jihad. Brick has narrated for many popular authors, including Michael Pollan, Joseph Finder, Tom Clancy, and Ayn Rand. He has also won over 40 AudioFile Earphones Awards and the AudioFile award for Best Voice in Mystery and Suspense 2011. In 2007, Brick was named Publishers Weeklyโs Narrator of the Year.
ย Brick has performed on film, television and radio. He appeared on stage throughout the United States in productions of Cyrano, Hamlet, Macbeth and other plays. In addition to his acting work, Brick choreographs fight sequences, and was a combatant in films including Romeo and Juliet, The Fantasticks and Robin Hood: Men in Tights. He has also been hired by Morgan Freeman to write the screenplay adaptation of Arthur C. Clarkeโs Rendezvous with Rama.
Audiobook details
Narrator:
Scott Brick
ISBN:
9781481549950
Length:
4 hours 51 minutes
Language:
English
Publisher:
Blackstone Publishing
Publication date:
January 1, 2006
Edition:
Unabridged
Reviews
“[Gerrold] relates a personal story with poetic license, humor, imagination, and love. Experienced reader Brick does a wonderful job portraying the author who finds himself as he finds his son.”
โNeurotically charming and funny.โ
“Brick is surprisingly effective as Dennis, the young boy, speaking with a convincing nonchalance that gives way to rage. Brick brings listeners along even as Gerrold begins to believe his son actually could be an alien.”
“The heart-searing moments are many but never overwritten, thanks to Gerrold’s bright, efficient exposition.”
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