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The Art of Hearing Heartbeats #2
Hjärtats innersta röst
Det har gått nästan tio år sedan Julia Win kom tillbaka från sin resa till Burma, landet där hennes far föddes och där hon fann en bror. Hon är framgångsrik advokat på Manhattan, men känner sig vilsen och utbränd. När hon inne i sitt huvud börjar höra en enträgen röst som ställer de frågor hon alltid försökt undvika - Varför lever du ensam? Vad söker du i livet? - känns sammanbrottet nära. I ett försök att hitta tillbaka till sig själv och meningen med livet återvänder hon till Burma. Där får hon höra historien om en kvinna som heter Nu Nu, en historia som är full av passion och tragik och som kommer att vända upp och ner på Julias liv. Precis som Konsten att höra hjärtslag är det här en känsloladdad roman som utforskar människans innersta. En inspirerande och oförglömlig berättelse om kärlek, sorg, identitet och livets mening.
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First published January 1, 2012
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About the author
Jan-Philipp Sendker
18 books1,007 followersJan-Philipp Sendker, born in Hamburg in 1960, and, longing to travel the world, became the American correspondent for Stern from 1990 to 1995, and its Asian correspondent from 1995 to 1999. In 2000 he published Cracks in the Great Wall, a nonfiction book about China. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats is his first novel, and since then, he has written 3 further novels, including a sequel to "The Art of Hearing Heartbeats", "A Well-Tempered Heart". In 2013, he received The indies Choice Honor Award in the category Adult Fiction for "The Art of Hearing Heartbeats. He lives in Potsdam with his family and is currently working on the third installment in his China-trilogy.
http://artofhearingheartbeats.com
http://artofhearingheartbeats.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,067 reviews
July 1, 2013
I must admit I was a little apprehensive at the beginning of this. A follow up of a loved novel creates high expectations! But just this morning, on my second session of reading, I became hooked. I may have physically been floating in a swimming pool in a mini heat wave in Seattle, but today I feel like I visited Burma and my old friends from The Art of Hearing Heartbeats. And the best part of all involved a completely new set of characters and events.
Meeting the author was a highlight of Booktopia Bellingham last month. He knows Burma firsthand from many visits and these books are a lot about place. But most importantly they are about people: family, love, forgiveness.
Not a spoiler, but an interesting part of the book is a certain food. Google images of the 'betel nut' while you wait to read this. I had never heard of this apparently common, but very unusual food.
Meeting the author was a highlight of Booktopia Bellingham last month. He knows Burma firsthand from many visits and these books are a lot about place. But most importantly they are about people: family, love, forgiveness.
Not a spoiler, but an interesting part of the book is a certain food. Google images of the 'betel nut' while you wait to read this. I had never heard of this apparently common, but very unusual food.
January 31, 2014
A worthy sequel to The Art of Hearing Heartbeats. Explores love in all its forms - child/parent, parent/child, self, romantic and friend. Through a tale that mixes Western and Eastern cultures, Sendker asks the reader to examine questions that are at the very heart of living a meaningful, full life. Sit back, relax and enjoy this deceptively simple story that will get you thinking and leave you changed.
December 17, 2018
A wonderful sequel to The Art of Hearing Heartbeats.
I enjoyed the mysticism and spiritual aspects of Life that are added to the everyday lives of the Burmese characters. There's a definite difference in the Eastern and Western ways of seeing Life. The Eastern ways are more serene in their daily ways.
This story of Love in its many variations is a wonderful look at learning to accept life & its circumstances; learning to understand, accept and forgive; and finding one's true path.
I enjoyed the mysticism and spiritual aspects of Life that are added to the everyday lives of the Burmese characters. There's a definite difference in the Eastern and Western ways of seeing Life. The Eastern ways are more serene in their daily ways.
This story of Love in its many variations is a wonderful look at learning to accept life & its circumstances; learning to understand, accept and forgive; and finding one's true path.
April 9, 2025
A good sequel to The Art of Hearing Heartbeats. I read this in 24 hours.
Makes me want to visit Myanmar more now.
U Ba is an awesome character.
Good storyline that kept me interested.
Would recommend.
Four stars.
Makes me want to visit Myanmar more now.
U Ba is an awesome character.
Good storyline that kept me interested.
Would recommend.
Four stars.
July 11, 2022
Some authors have the ability to transfer you to another space or time, and Sendker is one of them. I loved the writing, the questions it stirred up inside. What is most important in life? Do we listen to ourselves and what we truly want? Every now and then it’s empowering to read about different ways of thinking about life and it’s meaning. Our westernized society where everything has to happen yesterday, might not be the same as being happy or content.
April 25, 2014
Didn't love this. Seemed a bit forced, expected, and syrupy sometimes. Not sure why it's even connected with Heartbeats, there was no reason to have the characters carry over, they didn't have anything to do in this book. This is another perfect example of trying to follow-up an amazing first novel that probably took a decade to write, with a novel that was put out in just a year or two. It showed. It never felt substantial or like there was a real point to the story.
February 9, 2014
I was really blown away by Jan-Philipp Sender's first novel entitled The Art Of Hearing Heartbeats and consequently, began the sequel with high expectations. Unfortunately, as often happens when you expect too much, you're in for a letdown. The Well Tempered Heart did shine inn many aspects. It turned into a surprisingly poignant love story and, like the the first novel, it wonderfully depicted the main characters search for inner peace. Where I felt it didn't measure up to the first novel was the way in which Julie went to Burma in the first place. This time it was not the disappearance of her Burmese born father. No, instead this time she was hearing voices in her head. Now, obviously Sender needed to get Julie back to Burma to continue the story, but I just felt that having the character hear voices in her head was too cliché. Surely, the author could have come up with something more clever than that old trick.
June 23, 2025
I loved The Art of Hearing Heartbeats. I was hoping to love this one too, but I didn't. The voice was too convenient a literary contraption, and I didn't think it was very effective, given the ending. It also was very unsuccessful in its goals.
Really hated the ending. There's no closure for me. Neither is there any incentive for me to move onto the third and final book in the series.
It wasn't awful, which is why I give it a 2.5, but it fell so short of the first one. The story of the two boys was pretty good, but when the mystery was finally unraveled, it made me wonder what the point was. Then there was Thar Thar's story about Moe Moe came out of nowhere and also went nowhere. And then Julia's decision at the end and U Ba's all-knowingness, well, it felt forced. So by the time we got there, I was kind of mad for having spent time on this one.
Really hated the ending. There's no closure for me. Neither is there any incentive for me to move onto the third and final book in the series.
It wasn't awful, which is why I give it a 2.5, but it fell so short of the first one. The story of the two boys was pretty good, but when the mystery was finally unraveled, it made me wonder what the point was. Then there was Thar Thar's story about Moe Moe came out of nowhere and also went nowhere. And then Julia's decision at the end and U Ba's all-knowingness, well, it felt forced. So by the time we got there, I was kind of mad for having spent time on this one.
May 28, 2014
Oh Jan-Philipp. Your writing is exquisite, beautiful, and inspiring. This sequel to Art of Hearing Heartbeats is so very different than its predecessor, yet just as moving. If love and kindness are the virtues you hold in highest regard, than these two books belong in your heart.
November 16, 2025
Do you remember the book the Art of Hearing Heartbeats? It was kind of a runaway hit for a year. This is its sequel, noteworthy for being number 100 on my TBR, which is a prompt on my Play Harder List. I barely remember the first book, it could have been a decade ago... And this second one is not very memorable. I was not taken with it in the least. If it hadn't met a prompt, it would have met a swift end. But.. at least now we know, and perhaps this review will help someone else clear it from their TBR. I took one for the team. I cannot think of a person I know who would really take to this. At one point or perhaps more, I was really like, are you kidding? I may have even tossed it to the floor in fact.... But onwards and upwards...
February 25, 2020
"Гласовете на сърцето" на Ян-Филип Зендкер е втората част на "Да чауш ритъма на сърцето". И тази книга много ми хареса. Приказна история за загуба и любов. История за пречистващата сила на любовта, написана като песен или поне така я усетих. Унасяше ме, потъвах в нея... Действието се развива в Бирма (днес Мианмар), където хората са извън времето. Живеят скромно и не се затрупват с вещи. Не познават нашия забързан живот, свикнали са на спокойствие и съзерцание. Но наред с това царува и суеверието, което понякога проваля живота им. Това е друга култура и душевност, трудно разбираема за нас. Не мога да преразкажа сюжета, книгата се чете със сърцето и предизвиква различни усещания и чувства. Това е книга, която докосва сърцето и душата. Препоръчвам и двете книги!
April 23, 2023
Maybe even a 4.5! It’s been a super long time since I read the first book in The Art of Hearing Heartbeats Trilogy. There were times when I wish it had been more recently as sometimes a reference wasn’t clear.
I found this story touching and interesting and thought provoking. The layers of self exploration and discovery through Thar Thar and Julia were beautifully revealed. Looking forward to The Heart Remembers.
I found this story touching and interesting and thought provoking. The layers of self exploration and discovery through Thar Thar and Julia were beautifully revealed. Looking forward to The Heart Remembers.
June 29, 2015
This landed on my reading pile, solely because it had a decent GR rating. As I started this book a woman was hearing voices and then there was talk about reincarnation. This had me a little worried. I thought this was going to be hokey. I was wrong. This was a beautifully written book. The author kept it all reigned in and that held the hokey feelings at bay.
This is a book about love and life and purpose. While we can't always control the things that come our way, we do have control over our choices and our feelings. We can always choose family, and love, and forgiveness. This book reminded me of that.
This is a book about love and life and purpose. While we can't always control the things that come our way, we do have control over our choices and our feelings. We can always choose family, and love, and forgiveness. This book reminded me of that.
March 11, 2017
Saksalaisen Jan Philipp Sendkerin esikoisteos Sydämenlyönneissä ikuisuus ponnahti maailmanmaineeseen ja siitä tuli todella suosittu kirja sen romanttisen rakkaustarinansa vuoksi rakastavaisista, jotka erotettiin toisistaan. Sydämen ääntä ei voi unohtaa on itsenäinen jatko-osa ensimmäiselle kirjalle. Päähenkilö on sama, Julia Win, joka ensimmäisessä kirjassa etsi isäänsä Burmasta, mutta löysikin isän sijasta veljen. Tässä kirjassa Julia matkusti Yhdysvalloista veljensä luokse eksoottiseen Burmaan, sillä hän oli stressaantunut ja kaipasi kipeästi selvennystä ikävään kokemukseensa.
Sendker on kirjoittanut jälleen tarinan, joka koskettaa lukijoita. Kuten esikoisteos, jatkokirja on myös rakkaustarina. Rakkaustarina vie lukijan trooppisen kuumaan Burmaan. Tarinoissa on paljon samaa, mutta myös uutta. Julia on tullut elämänsä risteyskohtaan ja muutokset odottavat elämässä. Onko hän tarpeeksi rohkea tarttuakseen trooppiseen unelmaan, vai palaako hän takaisin Yhdysvaltoihin. Uskon, että Julian tarina ei jää näihin kahteen kirjaan, vaan se jatkuu, toivottavasti yhtä kauniina tarinana kuin nämä kaksi ovat.
Sendker on kirjoittanut jälleen tarinan, joka koskettaa lukijoita. Kuten esikoisteos, jatkokirja on myös rakkaustarina. Rakkaustarina vie lukijan trooppisen kuumaan Burmaan. Tarinoissa on paljon samaa, mutta myös uutta. Julia on tullut elämänsä risteyskohtaan ja muutokset odottavat elämässä. Onko hän tarpeeksi rohkea tarttuakseen trooppiseen unelmaan, vai palaako hän takaisin Yhdysvaltoihin. Uskon, että Julian tarina ei jää näihin kahteen kirjaan, vaan se jatkuu, toivottavasti yhtä kauniina tarinana kuin nämä kaksi ovat.
July 18, 2020
Disappointed .... as a native Burmese
I am a native Burmese and I’m sorry to say this book has disappointed me. I admire the research the author has done, and also his writing. While a lot of situations narrated in this story might be true, it was disturbing and troubling to question the author’s research on the proper practices of a Burmese Buddhist monks. A typical real Burmese Buddhist monk does not touch women. So at first I was surprised to learn about the encounter of Julia with the monk at the meditation center in New York. I’m willing to overlook the fact that Julia and her best friend smuggled wine into Buddhist meditation center in New York. I might not and many other practitioners might not bring alcohol, but I can let that go as a character development.
A lot of things just don’t seem to add up. What happened with Julia’s own internal wounds from her breakup? Did Nu Nu get closure after Julia sleeping with her son? (My initial reaction was “ew!!” ) Not only Thar Thar was Nu Nu’s son (the voice inside Julias head, he was said to be a monk running a monastery! SERIOUSLY?!
It was apparent that the author wanted to produce another sequel , which I am not sure I will read.
I am a native Burmese and I’m sorry to say this book has disappointed me. I admire the research the author has done, and also his writing. While a lot of situations narrated in this story might be true, it was disturbing and troubling to question the author’s research on the proper practices of a Burmese Buddhist monks. A typical real Burmese Buddhist monk does not touch women. So at first I was surprised to learn about the encounter of Julia with the monk at the meditation center in New York. I’m willing to overlook the fact that Julia and her best friend smuggled wine into Buddhist meditation center in New York. I might not and many other practitioners might not bring alcohol, but I can let that go as a character development.
A lot of things just don’t seem to add up. What happened with Julia’s own internal wounds from her breakup? Did Nu Nu get closure after Julia sleeping with her son? (My initial reaction was “ew!!” ) Not only Thar Thar was Nu Nu’s son (the voice inside Julias head, he was said to be a monk running a monastery! SERIOUSLY?!
It was apparent that the author wanted to produce another sequel , which I am not sure I will read.
January 23, 2015
This title is a worthy sequel to the book, the Art of Hearing Heartbeats. After 10 years a young woman returns to see her half brother in Byrma. Plagued with voices in her head asking evocative questions Julie Win wonders if a trip to Burma won't help her. Taking a leave of absence from her well paying job as a lawyer, Julie travels to Burma and is reunited with her brother U Ba. What ensues is a love story if a mother, a love story of a young man taken away and placed in a military unit and some peace for Julie.
This was a good book and one which I am glad I read. The only problem is that the last line was a bit confusing to me but set up a good storyline for a third book. If not for this I would have given this book 5,stars.
This was a good book and one which I am glad I read. The only problem is that the last line was a bit confusing to me but set up a good storyline for a third book. If not for this I would have given this book 5,stars.
May 6, 2014
If you enjoyed Hearing Heartbeats then you will like the book. It is very similar. . Julia Win, U Ba and a story of hardship in Burma.
While I liked the book, I didn't give it 4 stars because there wasn't anything new in it. It is Julia's story again. . just 10 years later. . . and Julia isn't very interesting. The book is best when Julia is listening to the story of someone else. Once you focus on her the story is cliche. . . and not very good cliche.
Another reason for 3 stars is the author dropped a few elements without a clear conclusion. .. maybe this is to set up a 3rd book?
While I liked the book, I didn't give it 4 stars because there wasn't anything new in it. It is Julia's story again. . just 10 years later. . . and Julia isn't very interesting. The book is best when Julia is listening to the story of someone else. Once you focus on her the story is cliche. . . and not very good cliche.
Another reason for 3 stars is the author dropped a few elements without a clear conclusion. .. maybe this is to set up a 3rd book?
November 11, 2016
The sequel to The Art of Hearing Heartbeats, this novel takes place ten years later, when Julia Win travels back to Burma for personal healing, and to solve a mystery that followed her back to the United States all those years ago. Like her father, Julia discovers an other-worldly gift: she hears the voice of a woman in anguish.
I liked this novel even more than the first. The unfolding of the spirit-woman's story is heartbreaking. And yet, as Julia discovers more about this woman's past, a parallel tale of love and survival becomes the catalyst for her own healing. This is a beautiful, well-written novel.
I liked this novel even more than the first. The unfolding of the spirit-woman's story is heartbreaking. And yet, as Julia discovers more about this woman's past, a parallel tale of love and survival becomes the catalyst for her own healing. This is a beautiful, well-written novel.
February 1, 2014
This is a sequel to The art of hearing heartbeats. In the first book Julia goes to Burma in search of her father and ten years later in the second book Julia goes to Burma to find herself. It is a book about love, loss, forgiveness and what the heart needs to survive. Reading the book feels like meditation to me. You enter another world where the people come alive. While doing mundane chores, you think about their world, their lives, their choices and look forward to re-entering that world when those chores have been completed.The best of what a story has to offer a reader.
March 11, 2014
Astonishing. The perfect sequel to The Art of Hearing Heartbeats. Simply glorious writing.
June 7, 2018
5/5. Such a wonderful story, I hadn't expected it to be so good again. Even though I found the premise to be a little... unbelievable at first , the story more than makes up for it by being almost magical.
Buddyread with Kim!
Buddyread with Kim!
September 12, 2019
I loved the first of these books, but this one feels like something is missing. I like the writing, so maybe it is Cassandra Campbell's voice causing my boredom. Or the translation? One sentence began "Nu Nu knew...." LOL
Sort of inexcusable in a translation IMO.
Sort of inexcusable in a translation IMO.
February 8, 2014
A sequel to the much loved Art of Hearing Heartbeats this book explored one of the basic tenets of human life- love. Author Sendker has an uncanny knack of breaking down complex topics into their most basic forms. What results is a simple story that is at the same time very rich.
July 4, 2019
This follow-up sequel to “The Art of Hearing Heartbeats” is a good read, and I thoroughly enjoyed since I fell in love with the first book. It did not captivate me as much as the first although it is well written.
March 1, 2014
This is the sequel to The Art of Hearing Heartbeats, and it was just as beautifully crafted.
August 22, 2021
What a beautiful book. It is the follow up to The Art of Hearing Heartbeats, which was gorgeous, as well. This author has such a way with words, and seems to possess so much knowledge of the human heart and spirit. I love learning about the stories of peoples’ lives. We simply cannot understand another person without coming to know the sum of his or her experiences. But we can practice kindness and gratitude daily.
April 20, 2019
Ihana ja ajatuksia nostattava tarina.
May 14, 2025
Lovely sequel to The Art of Hearing Heartbeats. Julia and U Ba are wonderful characters, and the story pulls you in through the very end.
September 18, 2017
This is the follow up to The Art of Hearing Heartbeats which I absolutely loved. The expectation was high but it couldn't match those giddy heights. The first 20% I was just waiting for the inevitable to happen and I didn't connect with the story as much as I had with the first book. That said, it was an enjoyable, easy read.
April 22, 2018
I am so sad that I have reached the end of this book. There is more to the story and I want to hear it all! I was concerned about picking up a sequel to The Art of Hearing Heartbeats because I loved it so much. I read it in May of 2015 and was also concerned that maybe too much time had passed between that novel and this but I rediscovered what I loved about that story pretty quickly.
The book starts with Julia in this novel as it did in Heartbeats. She's a successful lawyer living in a New York highrise. She starts to have some strange thing happening, hearing the voice of a frightened woman. She is afraid she's losing her mind and she seeks help in all the usual places but its very unsatisfying. Her friend Amy is her best help.
The story really takes off when Julia realizes that she needs to go back to Burma. She wants to see her brother and try to track down who this woman is and find the story she won't reveal. As with Heartbeats, Julia introduces us to the story of Burma through the stories she hears. U Ba thinks he knows who the woman talking to Julia is and finds someone to tell that story. From that story, we hear another and they are both wonderful, sad, beautiful, violent, kind and sweet. I loved it and I hated having it end.
The book starts with Julia in this novel as it did in Heartbeats. She's a successful lawyer living in a New York highrise. She starts to have some strange thing happening, hearing the voice of a frightened woman. She is afraid she's losing her mind and she seeks help in all the usual places but its very unsatisfying. Her friend Amy is her best help.
The story really takes off when Julia realizes that she needs to go back to Burma. She wants to see her brother and try to track down who this woman is and find the story she won't reveal. As with Heartbeats, Julia introduces us to the story of Burma through the stories she hears. U Ba thinks he knows who the woman talking to Julia is and finds someone to tell that story. From that story, we hear another and they are both wonderful, sad, beautiful, violent, kind and sweet. I loved it and I hated having it end.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,067 reviews