My Dear I Wanted to Tell You

Author Louisa Young
Narrator Dan Stevens
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
Publish Date 17 March 2011
Run Time 10 hours and 48 minutes
Format x-book®
Genre Biographical fiction, Classic fiction, Family life fiction, First World War fiction, Historical romance, Modern and contemporary fiction, Narrative theme: Death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: Love and relationships.

Click Buy to Log in and see personalised pricing.

Send as a gift Get in the xigxag app

How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

A letter, two lovers, a terrible lie. In war, truth is only the first casualty.

‘Inspires the kind of devotion among its readers not seen since David Nicholls’ One Day’ The Times

While Riley Purefoy and Peter Locke fight for their country, their survival and their sanity in the trenches of Flanders, Nadine Waveney, Julia Locke and Rose Locke do what they can at home.

Beautiful, obsessive Julia and gentle, eccentric Peter are married: each day Julia goes through rituals to prepare for her beloved husband’s return. Nadine and Riley, only eighteen when the war starts, and with problems of their own already, want above all to make promises – but how can they when the future is not in their hands? And Rose? Well, what did happen to the traditionally brought-up women who lost all hope of marriage, because all the young men were dead?

Critics Review

‘This novel is a triumph’ Elizabeth Jane Howard, author of The Cazalet Chronicles

‘Every once in a while comes a novel that generates its own success, simply by being loved… inspires the kind of devotion among its readers not seen since David Nicholls’ One Day’’ The Times

‘Birdsong for the new millennium’ Tatler

‘Powerful, sometimes shocking, boldly conceived, it fixes on war’s lingering trauma to show how people adapt – or not – and is irradiated by anger and pity’ The Sunday Times

‘[A] tender, elegiac novel. Others have been here before, of course, from Sebastian Faulks to Pat Barker, but Young belongs in their company’ Mail on Sunday

‘Unmissable … in crisp, poignant prose Young explores what war really means in terms of mental anguish, while cleverly commenting on class and sex’ Marie Claire

‘Weaving heartbreakingly painful irony, heroic sacrifice, human weakness, vanity, tragedy and the purest of loves, you’ll be left sobbing and grasping onto any hope that all is not lost amid the poppies, the guns and the hospital beds’ Easy Living

‘A memorable and unusual novel which explores new ground in the literature of the Great War’ Linda Grant

‘Young has a historian’s eye for the private details of war, and a warmth to her prose that makes her small cast emotionally engaging … Through Riley, however, the novel achieves an appeal to compassion and courage that deserves to reach a wide audience … Hindsight tells us peace will not be final, but Young conveys, beautifully, the universal wish that it might be’ Independent

‘Beautifully realised’ Daily Express

‘Masterfully conveyed’ Woman & Home

‘Full of drama, betrayal and addictive real-life detail’ Red

‘This is a moving and powerful novel, one you’re not likely to forget’ Choice

‘A book that should be read by everyone’ New Books magazine

Author	Louisa Young
Narrator	Dan Stevens
Duration	10 hours and 48 minutes
Release Date	17 March 2011
ISBN	9780007421466
Format	x-book®
Publisher	HarperCollins Publishers
Genre	Biographical fiction, Classic fiction, Family life fiction, First World War fiction, Historical romance, Modern and contemporary fiction, Narrative theme: Death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: Love and relationships
Availability	AU, GB, IE

More from the same

Author

Narrator

About xigxag and the x-book®

Discover the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed to simplify finding, purchasing, and enjoying your favourite books in audio format. Our flexible pricing model makes bestselling audiobooks affordable, offering the best audiobook deals without the need for a subscription. You can also give the perfect gift with our convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

A core differentiator of xigxag is our groundbreaking listen-and-read x-book® technology, which delivers a truly immersive digital book experience. This unique innovation seamlessly combines the audiobook, text, and images into a brilliant, integrated format, complete with exclusive audiobook features and a next-generation digital reading experience. Our growing x-book selection is easily discoverable by looking for the distinctive purple x-book® ribbon, or by simply filtering your search by ‘x-book’.

Beyond our technology, xigxag is committed to sustainability and ethical practices, ensuring a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we stand as a leader in audiobook innovation and a compelling alternative to big tech. Our commitment extends to delivering extraordinary customer service, provided by our friendly UK support team.

Effortlessly search audiobooks, gain insights from honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. You can download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere, guaranteeing the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Experience the future of audiobooks today.

{{ toast.text }}