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Yard Work
This wasn’t the plan. Judge Herman Calvert, eighty-eight, never thought he’d outlive his beloved wife, Marie.
Yet now he finds himself alone, a grieving widower, desperate for escape from the home they built together, where every turn brings a painful reminder of his late wife.
So the judge retreats to his lake cabin in rural Wisconsin, a place where an old man can find peace and solitude. A place where nature can take its course.
But something new has moved in.
The judge’s property is crawling with Persicaria perfoliata, an invasive vine that has no earthly business in Wisconsin lake country. And this plant has teeth. Its barbs and tendrils have snaked deep into the ground, choking the life out of everything they touch, including the old oak tree he and Marie planted on their honeymoon.
If the judge doesn’t do something, fast, the vine will take everything he has left. And it won’t stop there. He believes it’s after him.
Yard Work is a new original story by acclaimed screenwriter, director, and novelist David Koepp. Koepp has written or co-written the screenplays for more than thirty films, including Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, Spider-man, Panic Room, War of the Worlds, Ghost Town, and Angels and Demons. His latest film, the Universal Pictures/Blumhouse thriller You Should Have Left starring Kevin Bacon and Amanda Seyfried, is streaming now. His debut novel, Cold Storage, which The New York Times hailed as "pure, unadulterated entertainment" was published by Ecco in 2019 and is out in paperback this month.
Length: 1 hours 24 minutes.
Yet now he finds himself alone, a grieving widower, desperate for escape from the home they built together, where every turn brings a painful reminder of his late wife.
So the judge retreats to his lake cabin in rural Wisconsin, a place where an old man can find peace and solitude. A place where nature can take its course.
But something new has moved in.
The judge’s property is crawling with Persicaria perfoliata, an invasive vine that has no earthly business in Wisconsin lake country. And this plant has teeth. Its barbs and tendrils have snaked deep into the ground, choking the life out of everything they touch, including the old oak tree he and Marie planted on their honeymoon.
If the judge doesn’t do something, fast, the vine will take everything he has left. And it won’t stop there. He believes it’s after him.
Yard Work is a new original story by acclaimed screenwriter, director, and novelist David Koepp. Koepp has written or co-written the screenplays for more than thirty films, including Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, Spider-man, Panic Room, War of the Worlds, Ghost Town, and Angels and Demons. His latest film, the Universal Pictures/Blumhouse thriller You Should Have Left starring Kevin Bacon and Amanda Seyfried, is streaming now. His debut novel, Cold Storage, which The New York Times hailed as "pure, unadulterated entertainment" was published by Ecco in 2019 and is out in paperback this month.
Length: 1 hours 24 minutes.
2 pages, Audible Audio
First published August 31, 2020
8 people are currently reading
368 people want to read
About the author
David Koepp
19 books651 followersDavid Koepp is a celebrated American screenwriter and director best known for his work on Jurassic Park, Spider-Man, Panic Room, War of the Worlds and Mission: Impossible. His work on screen has grossed over $6 billion worldwide.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 232 reviews
August 19, 2021
I don’t eat bacon, but I love Bacon. Kevin Bacon, that is.
So after reading stellar reviews by my Goodreads friends Tamar and Nancy, I knew I needed to listen to this David Koepp novella narrated by him.
What you get here is a semi-creepy, thought-provoking story about an 88-year-old man who is shocked when he outlives his beloved wife and has to define a future he never anticipated without her. He sells their primary family home and moves to their lake house, where he goes all man-versus-nature on a mysterious, invasive vine system that’s threatening his treasured trees.
I’ll press the easy button and say Yard Work reminded me of a novella Stephen King might have written, and since I haven’t read Koepp’s sci-fi/horror debut, Cold Storage, I can’t compare it to the actual author’s full-length work. I am intrigued enough to read that novel now though.
But back to the Bacon bits. It doesn’t look like K.B. has narrated any other audiobooks, which is a real shame since he absolutely nails the voices and overall vibes. If you have Audible, you can check out his performance of this twisted tale via the Audible Plus collection.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
So after reading stellar reviews by my Goodreads friends Tamar and Nancy, I knew I needed to listen to this David Koepp novella narrated by him.
What you get here is a semi-creepy, thought-provoking story about an 88-year-old man who is shocked when he outlives his beloved wife and has to define a future he never anticipated without her. He sells their primary family home and moves to their lake house, where he goes all man-versus-nature on a mysterious, invasive vine system that’s threatening his treasured trees.
I’ll press the easy button and say Yard Work reminded me of a novella Stephen King might have written, and since I haven’t read Koepp’s sci-fi/horror debut, Cold Storage, I can’t compare it to the actual author’s full-length work. I am intrigued enough to read that novel now though.
But back to the Bacon bits. It doesn’t look like K.B. has narrated any other audiobooks, which is a real shame since he absolutely nails the voices and overall vibes. If you have Audible, you can check out his performance of this twisted tale via the Audible Plus collection.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
November 17, 2022
Need more Bacon!
A fantastic performance! It's rather bittersweet that I finally listened to this book narrated by Kevin Bacon, and guess what? That's it, no more. 😭
Judge Herman Calvert, 88 makes arrangements in advance for when he passes away, his wife Marie could live comfortably in their home. The finances are squared away, the house is renovated as she wanted. Then, of course, she drops dead first. After all the planning, the judge didn't expect to outlive his wife. He's a wreck and decided to sell the house and then move to their lake cabin in upstate Wisconsin.
The horror, invasive creeping vines are overtaking his trees. The trees he planted with his beloved wife. He's determined to tackle the task of eradicating it alone. It gets quite interesting!
The story is good and explores how some people deal with grief. Man vs nature.
1Hr 54M
A fantastic performance! It's rather bittersweet that I finally listened to this book narrated by Kevin Bacon, and guess what? That's it, no more. 😭
Judge Herman Calvert, 88 makes arrangements in advance for when he passes away, his wife Marie could live comfortably in their home. The finances are squared away, the house is renovated as she wanted. Then, of course, she drops dead first. After all the planning, the judge didn't expect to outlive his wife. He's a wreck and decided to sell the house and then move to their lake cabin in upstate Wisconsin.
The horror, invasive creeping vines are overtaking his trees. The trees he planted with his beloved wife. He's determined to tackle the task of eradicating it alone. It gets quite interesting!
The story is good and explores how some people deal with grief. Man vs nature.
1Hr 54M
September 24, 2021
Another beauty produced by audible originals! Thank you GR friend Elyse for your brilliant review. I do enjoy these short, 2-hour stories that resonate with the listener in such a short time.
David Koepp wrote the story which Kevin Bacon narrates. Koepp’s idea germinated while he was battling invasive vines that were blown in by Hurricane Sandy. Any gardener can relate to the frustrations of invasive weeds, especially those with long tenacles that seem to reproduce and grow at an alarming rate. I recall cleaning my garden in the spring, pulling out all the “rooty” weeds, looking for the root ball. I was convinced there was a mother plant somewhere deep in my beautiful garden that was sprouting all these pesky viny weeds that were choking my beautiful perennials. I stayed out in the rain, digging for that elusive mother plant. So, I more than chuckled while listening to this story. This story is so relatable…in many ways.
The story opens with an 88-year-old retired judge who has just buried his wife. Their plan was for her to die first, as the actuary tables promise. Given she will live longest, she made all the life decisions regarding the house, appliances, furniture etc. because he wanted her to be comfortable once he died. Of course, she dies first. He’s angry because, well, she’s dead. But also, because the house just reminds him that she’s dead. So, he decides to move to their lake home in Wisconsin. Fine, accept that once he arrives he discovers that there are invasive vines that are smothering all his trees, especially the ones he planted with his wife and daughter. He determines to fight those vines.
Hence is the story of “Yard Work”. It gets silly, but it’s so relatable. It’s the story of man versus nature, and I think most of us have gone into that battle in one way or another. Author David Koepp has written screen plays and a novel. This is a beautiful work of literature with astounding voice work by Kevin Bacon. I loved the judge and rooted (no pun intended) for him and his vine-battle. This is a fun audible original.
David Koepp wrote the story which Kevin Bacon narrates. Koepp’s idea germinated while he was battling invasive vines that were blown in by Hurricane Sandy. Any gardener can relate to the frustrations of invasive weeds, especially those with long tenacles that seem to reproduce and grow at an alarming rate. I recall cleaning my garden in the spring, pulling out all the “rooty” weeds, looking for the root ball. I was convinced there was a mother plant somewhere deep in my beautiful garden that was sprouting all these pesky viny weeds that were choking my beautiful perennials. I stayed out in the rain, digging for that elusive mother plant. So, I more than chuckled while listening to this story. This story is so relatable…in many ways.
The story opens with an 88-year-old retired judge who has just buried his wife. Their plan was for her to die first, as the actuary tables promise. Given she will live longest, she made all the life decisions regarding the house, appliances, furniture etc. because he wanted her to be comfortable once he died. Of course, she dies first. He’s angry because, well, she’s dead. But also, because the house just reminds him that she’s dead. So, he decides to move to their lake home in Wisconsin. Fine, accept that once he arrives he discovers that there are invasive vines that are smothering all his trees, especially the ones he planted with his wife and daughter. He determines to fight those vines.
Hence is the story of “Yard Work”. It gets silly, but it’s so relatable. It’s the story of man versus nature, and I think most of us have gone into that battle in one way or another. Author David Koepp has written screen plays and a novel. This is a beautiful work of literature with astounding voice work by Kevin Bacon. I loved the judge and rooted (no pun intended) for him and his vine-battle. This is a fun audible original.
September 26, 2021
Rtc but I'd listen to Kevin Bacon read anything!
June 27, 2021
Yard Work by David Koepp was a complete surprise.
Octogenarians Judge Herman and his wife Maria have been married for over 40 years. They always expected Herman to die first, as we all know, the statistics reveal the wife is more likely to be widowed (massively unfair BTW) than the other way round.
Well, Marie drops off the perch first and this leaves Herman unexpectantly in a position where he must cope. He decides to move to the family lake house somewhere in rural Wisconsin. This is where the fun starts.
Herman becomes obsessed about eradicating a noxious weed-like vine that is gobbling up the beautiful trees around this old house. Some of the trees were planted with his wife, and kids and meant a lot to him. But there is a dark rumble, a nefarious ever-presence in the background of this story. Sure, there is this pesky vine, overtaking his garden and surrounds. But there are heavy themes running through this story concerning, grief, ageing, suicidal ideation, the will to live and the will to die.
Heavy stuff, right? Too right – this author serves up something heavier than the book spiel depicts. If you read the marketing blurb, this story looks a bit mad. It can be read as that – but to me, there is something heavier at play here, some very heavy themes. This author has written something very clever, a book that can be read on a couple of levels.
I choked with emotion at the end. This one is a profound piece and is wonderfully, and I mean wonderfully, narrated by actor Kevin Bacon.
5 Stars
Octogenarians Judge Herman and his wife Maria have been married for over 40 years. They always expected Herman to die first, as we all know, the statistics reveal the wife is more likely to be widowed (massively unfair BTW) than the other way round.
Well, Marie drops off the perch first and this leaves Herman unexpectantly in a position where he must cope. He decides to move to the family lake house somewhere in rural Wisconsin. This is where the fun starts.
Herman becomes obsessed about eradicating a noxious weed-like vine that is gobbling up the beautiful trees around this old house. Some of the trees were planted with his wife, and kids and meant a lot to him. But there is a dark rumble, a nefarious ever-presence in the background of this story. Sure, there is this pesky vine, overtaking his garden and surrounds. But there are heavy themes running through this story concerning, grief, ageing, suicidal ideation, the will to live and the will to die.
Heavy stuff, right? Too right – this author serves up something heavier than the book spiel depicts. If you read the marketing blurb, this story looks a bit mad. It can be read as that – but to me, there is something heavier at play here, some very heavy themes. This author has written something very clever, a book that can be read on a couple of levels.
I choked with emotion at the end. This one is a profound piece and is wonderfully, and I mean wonderfully, narrated by actor Kevin Bacon.
5 Stars
May 5, 2022
If you have just a few hours to listen to a great little novella, I’d recommend this one!!
From the blurb you know this: “This wasn’t the plan. Judge Herman Calvert, eighty-eight, never thought he’d outlive his beloved wife, Marie.
Yet now he finds himself alone, a grieving widower, desperate for escape from the home they built together, where every turn brings a painful reminder of his late wife.
So the judge retreats to his lake cabin in rural Wisconsin, a place where an old man can find peace and solitude. A place where nature can take its course.
But something new has moved in.”
I related to this story so much, most definitely because I live in Wisconsin and have explored the North Woods many, many times throughout my life.
I’m happy to report that there are still small towns such as the one mentioned in this novella, where the main “supply” store is a combination hardware/grocery store. There are still many acres of untouched woodlands to explore and many cabins such as the one owned by Herman on beautiful small lakes.
In spite of concerns from his children, Herman has decided to spend the rest of his life in solitude here in the cabin he has always loved.
Herman is a stubborn man who always likes to do things for himself, although there are people willing to help. No, no he always says, I’ll do it myself.
So when he finds an invasive, almost alien-like vine encompassing a tree that he and his wife planted many years ago, he is adamant that he will destroy it.
SOUND EASY??? It definitely is not. Part of the problem may be that Herman is drinking too much, not sleeping, exhausted and probably somewhat delirious. Or maybe this really is an alien vine????
I laughed and then I felt my heart burn for this man – who reminded me so much of my father, who loved these woods as well.
I loved this short novella and can highly recommend this Audible Original narrated by Kevin Bacon – who knew that Mr. Bacon was also an accomplished narrator?
From the blurb you know this: “This wasn’t the plan. Judge Herman Calvert, eighty-eight, never thought he’d outlive his beloved wife, Marie.
Yet now he finds himself alone, a grieving widower, desperate for escape from the home they built together, where every turn brings a painful reminder of his late wife.
So the judge retreats to his lake cabin in rural Wisconsin, a place where an old man can find peace and solitude. A place where nature can take its course.
But something new has moved in.”
I related to this story so much, most definitely because I live in Wisconsin and have explored the North Woods many, many times throughout my life.
I’m happy to report that there are still small towns such as the one mentioned in this novella, where the main “supply” store is a combination hardware/grocery store. There are still many acres of untouched woodlands to explore and many cabins such as the one owned by Herman on beautiful small lakes.
In spite of concerns from his children, Herman has decided to spend the rest of his life in solitude here in the cabin he has always loved.
Herman is a stubborn man who always likes to do things for himself, although there are people willing to help. No, no he always says, I’ll do it myself.
So when he finds an invasive, almost alien-like vine encompassing a tree that he and his wife planted many years ago, he is adamant that he will destroy it.
SOUND EASY??? It definitely is not. Part of the problem may be that Herman is drinking too much, not sleeping, exhausted and probably somewhat delirious. Or maybe this really is an alien vine????
I laughed and then I felt my heart burn for this man – who reminded me so much of my father, who loved these woods as well.
I loved this short novella and can highly recommend this Audible Original narrated by Kevin Bacon – who knew that Mr. Bacon was also an accomplished narrator?
September 8, 2021
Yard Work is an Audible Original about Herman, an older man who is a retired judge. After the death of his wife, who he always assumed would outlive him, he decides to relocate to their rural cabin.
When he arrives, Herman notices a vicious vine taking over nearly everything on the property. He’s determined to put an end to this, loading up on equipment at the small hardware store and taking on the project himself, which others view as beyond his capacity, given Herman’s age and mobility.
A touch graphic at times, this short story is narrated by Kevin Bacon, who does a fantastic job. Yard Work was entertaining and I stayed interested to see how things played out, ultimately enjoying the ending.
When he arrives, Herman notices a vicious vine taking over nearly everything on the property. He’s determined to put an end to this, loading up on equipment at the small hardware store and taking on the project himself, which others view as beyond his capacity, given Herman’s age and mobility.
A touch graphic at times, this short story is narrated by Kevin Bacon, who does a fantastic job. Yard Work was entertaining and I stayed interested to see how things played out, ultimately enjoying the ending.
May 24, 2021
Judge Herman Calvert fully intended that his beloved wife, Marie, would outlive him. He was four years older than his wife and statistics dictated that he should die first. He had spent the years since his retirement from the Bench, arranging for Marie’s comfortable widowhood.
As fate would have it, at the age of 88, he woke up early one morning to find the still, lifeless body of Marie, in bed beside him – and she but a mere 84 years-old.
So begins this excellent gem of a story, beautifully narrated by Kevin Bacon, describing the unraveling of Herman. He leaves the family home and moves to their Wisconsin cabin on the lake, where he plans to die. To his despair, he finds that a Caribbean vine has somehow blown north, all the way to his lakefront cabin, taking over his property, strangling his trees (the trees he had planted with his wife and daughter) and everything else in its path – a tsunami of a vine, growing inches by the minute, multiplying itself by taking root and sending tendrils in all directions (a little like the broom toting water buckets in Disney’s Fantasia or Seymor's carnivorous plant in Little Shop of Horrors). The vine had long, nasty thorns and, aside from the twisting chokehold over the trees on his property, it also housed dangerous, unknown animal creatures that added to Herman’s terror. The battles that ensue between Herman and the strangling vine are thrilling and suspenseful… the vine serves as a metaphor mirroring Herman’s inner turmoil as he battles for control over his life, his body, and his sanity. I see that other reviewers have categorized the genre as horror. I did not read this as horror (although parts are truly horrific), but rather an examination of Herman's descent into madness, or at the very least his teetering dalliance with madness.
With just a few strokes of the brush on his canvas, David Koepp also manages to create several interesting and likable supporting characters in his daughter, Sadie, and Jeff, the Hardware Store owner. Kevin Bacon's narration was superb. Did I say that already? Well, it is worthy of noting a second time and more!
This two-hour story/novella is included free (no credits) in the Audible Plus catalog. It is probably one of the best of my reads this year.
As fate would have it, at the age of 88, he woke up early one morning to find the still, lifeless body of Marie, in bed beside him – and she but a mere 84 years-old.
So begins this excellent gem of a story, beautifully narrated by Kevin Bacon, describing the unraveling of Herman. He leaves the family home and moves to their Wisconsin cabin on the lake, where he plans to die. To his despair, he finds that a Caribbean vine has somehow blown north, all the way to his lakefront cabin, taking over his property, strangling his trees (the trees he had planted with his wife and daughter) and everything else in its path – a tsunami of a vine, growing inches by the minute, multiplying itself by taking root and sending tendrils in all directions (a little like the broom toting water buckets in Disney’s Fantasia or Seymor's carnivorous plant in Little Shop of Horrors). The vine had long, nasty thorns and, aside from the twisting chokehold over the trees on his property, it also housed dangerous, unknown animal creatures that added to Herman’s terror. The battles that ensue between Herman and the strangling vine are thrilling and suspenseful… the vine serves as a metaphor mirroring Herman’s inner turmoil as he battles for control over his life, his body, and his sanity. I see that other reviewers have categorized the genre as horror. I did not read this as horror (although parts are truly horrific), but rather an examination of Herman's descent into madness, or at the very least his teetering dalliance with madness.
With just a few strokes of the brush on his canvas, David Koepp also manages to create several interesting and likable supporting characters in his daughter, Sadie, and Jeff, the Hardware Store owner. Kevin Bacon's narration was superb. Did I say that already? Well, it is worthy of noting a second time and more!
This two-hour story/novella is included free (no credits) in the Audible Plus catalog. It is probably one of the best of my reads this year.
June 6, 2021
I love when a GR friend’s review leads me to a book that I wouldn’t normally read and then I end up reading and enjoying it. Thank you, Tamar, for this recommendation.
Yard Work is a novella about a recently widowed, retired judge who moves to his rural cabin after the death of his wife and ends up battling Mother Nature. Sounds a bit odd, right? But it’s so much more than that. Naturally, Kevin Bacon’s narration is perfection! The story itself was original and it was very easy to feel for Herman and to understand his emotional state. The story had a dark tone, but the ending was extremely satisfying and the overall message was positive. Be warned there is a particularly graphic scene that made me cringe. 4 stars.
Yard Work is a novella about a recently widowed, retired judge who moves to his rural cabin after the death of his wife and ends up battling Mother Nature. Sounds a bit odd, right? But it’s so much more than that. Naturally, Kevin Bacon’s narration is perfection! The story itself was original and it was very easy to feel for Herman and to understand his emotional state. The story had a dark tone, but the ending was extremely satisfying and the overall message was positive. Be warned there is a particularly graphic scene that made me cringe. 4 stars.
July 26, 2023
Bacon and Koepp are brilliant! I cannot rave enough about Yard Work. Saw glowing reviews from friends on Goodreads so decided to give it a listen. So glad I did!
Bacon’s performance is absolutely on point and incredible. This is my first experience with Koepp’s writing, but it won’t be my last. Strong and entertaining characters. Wit and humor. Gritty and real life. With a touch of the fantastic and I am ALL IN!
I enjoy reading, transformative stories, where characters transform their physical environment in order to transform or heal the brokenness inside of them. I love reading crotchety and cantankerous characters. Yard Work delivers on both and the judge lives up to latter.
I loved the banter between the judge and his daughter, who is a lawyer. Perfect and on point. Very entertaining. The dude who owns and operates the hardware store in town steals the show and cracked me up.
Many readers/listeners will be able to relate to at least one or several characters. Yard Work reminded me of the book The Ruins by Scott Smith which I thought was an amazing summer read. Highly recommend both for a great escape.
Bacon’s performance is absolutely on point and incredible. This is my first experience with Koepp’s writing, but it won’t be my last. Strong and entertaining characters. Wit and humor. Gritty and real life. With a touch of the fantastic and I am ALL IN!
I enjoy reading, transformative stories, where characters transform their physical environment in order to transform or heal the brokenness inside of them. I love reading crotchety and cantankerous characters. Yard Work delivers on both and the judge lives up to latter.
I loved the banter between the judge and his daughter, who is a lawyer. Perfect and on point. Very entertaining. The dude who owns and operates the hardware store in town steals the show and cracked me up.
Many readers/listeners will be able to relate to at least one or several characters. Yard Work reminded me of the book The Ruins by Scott Smith which I thought was an amazing summer read. Highly recommend both for a great escape.
September 11, 2021
Audible Original…
“Yard Work” is read by Footloose cutie forever: Kevin Bacon
……1 hour and 54 minutes.
MUST say THANK YOU to
*Brandice* …
Thank you Brandice - I enjoy these Audible short stories too - great little fillers between our longer reads.
Having listened to a couple others recently - (one about our bodies by that adorable blond hair actress from the Hunger Games and a zillion other movies, but I forget her name)….and another Audible original—forgetting it too > good at the time - but forgot to review >
some are only a hour long ..
Anyway -right after reading Brandice’s review this morning - I downloaded this freebie to join me on a walk.
Kevin Bacon was perfect -
Love the guy! He read it straight - didn’t pull any tricks out of his hat - but there was nothing not to like in his reading.
The story itself is sad and moving - packs a lot in …
Themes of….
***Love - death & our spouses***…. is at the heart of the matter.
It doesn’t get more humanly personal than love/spouse/death themes: it’s Good!
And….
Ha…
this is one silly -lazy Saturday afternoon review….lounging in my moon-pod-chair …
Honoring the anniversary of 9-11 > chatting/texting with one of my favorite people - LisaVegan….(a Goodreads friend to many)….
It’s a blessing to share this site with our Bay Area friends….and Lisa and I are buddies!
Bay Area Goodreads friends -
are treasured buddies with one another
…. BLUE …. & true!! (small political pun- forgive me - but we are in dire need to win the recall election here)…
Silly- Saturday lazy shootin-the-breeze…..review …
BLESSINGS TO THE ENTIRE GOODREADS community… remembering Sept. 11, 2001…
I was only 49 twenty years ago.
How old were each of you?
Thanks again, Brandice… “Yard Work” is a heartfelt short story!
“Yard Work” is read by Footloose cutie forever: Kevin Bacon
……1 hour and 54 minutes.
MUST say THANK YOU to
*Brandice* …
Thank you Brandice - I enjoy these Audible short stories too - great little fillers between our longer reads.
Having listened to a couple others recently - (one about our bodies by that adorable blond hair actress from the Hunger Games and a zillion other movies, but I forget her name)….and another Audible original—forgetting it too > good at the time - but forgot to review >
some are only a hour long ..
Anyway -right after reading Brandice’s review this morning - I downloaded this freebie to join me on a walk.
Kevin Bacon was perfect -
Love the guy! He read it straight - didn’t pull any tricks out of his hat - but there was nothing not to like in his reading.
The story itself is sad and moving - packs a lot in …
Themes of….
***Love - death & our spouses***…. is at the heart of the matter.
It doesn’t get more humanly personal than love/spouse/death themes: it’s Good!
And….
Ha…
this is one silly -lazy Saturday afternoon review….lounging in my moon-pod-chair …
Honoring the anniversary of 9-11 > chatting/texting with one of my favorite people - LisaVegan….(a Goodreads friend to many)….
It’s a blessing to share this site with our Bay Area friends….and Lisa and I are buddies!
Bay Area Goodreads friends -
are treasured buddies with one another
…. BLUE …. & true!! (small political pun- forgive me - but we are in dire need to win the recall election here)…
Silly- Saturday lazy shootin-the-breeze…..review …
BLESSINGS TO THE ENTIRE GOODREADS community… remembering Sept. 11, 2001…
I was only 49 twenty years ago.
How old were each of you?
Thanks again, Brandice… “Yard Work” is a heartfelt short story!
November 5, 2023
Story 3.5 stars**
Audio 4.5 stars**
Narrator Kevin Bacon
Audio 4.5 stars**
Narrator Kevin Bacon
October 21, 2020
Not gonna lie, I downloaded this from Audible due to the fact that Kevin Bacon is the narrator.
This is a dark little tale of a retired, recently widowed judge. He goes to his lake house and to his surprise, finds that certain trees special to him and his family, are getting choked off by invasive vines. That's all I'm going to say.
I've never heard of this author before, but I loved the creativity and originality of the story and will look for more of his works in the future.
Kevin Bacon nailed this performance, and I mean NAILED it! He was funny, he was surprised, he was irritated...all of these feelings of the main character are perfectly delivered to the listener.
This was a fully fleshed out story, it was short and funny and just a pleasure all the way around.
Highly recommended!
*Source: Audible Plus, FREE with my membership.*
This is a dark little tale of a retired, recently widowed judge. He goes to his lake house and to his surprise, finds that certain trees special to him and his family, are getting choked off by invasive vines. That's all I'm going to say.
I've never heard of this author before, but I loved the creativity and originality of the story and will look for more of his works in the future.
Kevin Bacon nailed this performance, and I mean NAILED it! He was funny, he was surprised, he was irritated...all of these feelings of the main character are perfectly delivered to the listener.
This was a fully fleshed out story, it was short and funny and just a pleasure all the way around.
Highly recommended!
*Source: Audible Plus, FREE with my membership.*
June 29, 2021
Audio - 5 Stars!!
Story - 3.5 Stars
Story - 3.5 Stars
July 8, 2021
4.5 🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿
✅A freebie not to be missed if you have Audible access.
🎯 Kevin Bacon's narration is spot-on.
🙀The Persicaria perfoliata is the stuff of nightmares.
💚 Judge Herman Calvert will steal your heart.
🚫 My profile states I'll tackle most anything except horror and Koepp has made a liar out of me. Who knew it could be so humorous and original. I loved this.
✅A freebie not to be missed if you have Audible access.
🎯 Kevin Bacon's narration is spot-on.
🙀The Persicaria perfoliata is the stuff of nightmares.
💚 Judge Herman Calvert will steal your heart.
🚫 My profile states I'll tackle most anything except horror and Koepp has made a liar out of me. Who knew it could be so humorous and original. I loved this.
September 8, 2020
I gave 5 stars for so many reasons.
#1 This book made me laugh and it is not a comedy.
#2 Kevin Bacon did a great job with the narrative.
#3 The storyline is original.
#4 It's a quick read that keeps you entertained.
#5 A great ending.
Enjoy!
#1 This book made me laugh and it is not a comedy.
#2 Kevin Bacon did a great job with the narrative.
#3 The storyline is original.
#4 It's a quick read that keeps you entertained.
#5 A great ending.
Enjoy!
July 15, 2021
A quick little entertaining audio listen that made me feel guilty about the times I've trimmed my plants and hedges. I don't consume much horror, but somehow this man against nature book overcame my resistance. Thanks Cathrine, a fellow horror avoider, for talking me into it! Free on audible. I will never look at blackberry vines the same way again....
October 23, 2021
3.5 stars. I love these free audible originals, as it allows me to try genres outside of my comfort zone. I really enjoyed this, it had an magical realism feel to it, and the graphic descriptions had me wincing quite a few times. Kevin Bacon did a great job with the narration. A quick, entertaining listen.
The Story: In the tale, an elderly retired judge decides to retreat to his lake house after the death of his wife of 50 years. But soon after he arrives, the judge notices a strange new vine aggressively growing on a tree that he and his wife always loved.
The Story: In the tale, an elderly retired judge decides to retreat to his lake house after the death of his wife of 50 years. But soon after he arrives, the judge notices a strange new vine aggressively growing on a tree that he and his wife always loved.
January 10, 2021
Loved it! An original storyline for sure, and Kevin Bacon was brilliant as the narrator! Great story, fast paced, humorous.
Re-Read🧰🪚⛏🔦
Re-Read🧰🪚⛏🔦
September 13, 2020
David Koepp's "mortality tale" is as entertaining as it is engaging. In Yard Work, 88-year-old Judge Herman Calvert outlives Marie, his wife of forty-some years. He retires to his lake house where he muses on life and the vines. Like an invading army, the creeping and creepy runners threaten to overtake his acreage and links to Marie. The judge won't stand for the intrusion and sets about to set things right. That's when things get interesting. Are these vines alive or is the judge simply dehydrated?
Koepp is notable as the screenwriter for Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park. I am seeing reviews identifying Yard Work as a horror novella, but the pace, characters, and suspense captivated me and left me thinking more about mortality than the creepy vine. Kevin Bacon expertly narrates this two-hour vacation. And while the story comes to a definitive conclusion the reader is still left wondering about those mysterious vines and even more the mysteries beyond death.
Koepp is notable as the screenwriter for Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park. I am seeing reviews identifying Yard Work as a horror novella, but the pace, characters, and suspense captivated me and left me thinking more about mortality than the creepy vine. Kevin Bacon expertly narrates this two-hour vacation. And while the story comes to a definitive conclusion the reader is still left wondering about those mysterious vines and even more the mysteries beyond death.
October 31, 2020
A ridiculous but entertaining contemporary horror story from Audible. Well performed by Kevin Bacon.
December 29, 2022
Fun short story and Kevin Bacon did a great job narrating.
June 27, 2021
5 stars audio
2.5 strange stars story
2.5 strange stars story
September 26, 2020
Great little short story!
Life may get you down and may not go as planned....you can easily get pull down and tangled up in negative things surrounding you, suffocating you..... But once you are so close to losing it all, you will then realize that you are grateful for the breath you still breathe every day.
Life may get you down and may not go as planned....you can easily get pull down and tangled up in negative things surrounding you, suffocating you..... But once you are so close to losing it all, you will then realize that you are grateful for the breath you still breathe every day.
November 18, 2020
I'd never heard of David Koepp. Of course, now I know he's the ninth most successful screenwriter of all time in terms of U.S. box office receipts with a total gross of over $2.3 billion, and he wrote Jurassic Park, Spider-Man, and Mission: Impossible, all of which I've seen, but I had to look him up to find that out. That's how it is with screenwriters.
On the other hand, I've been a fan of Kevin Bacon since he outshone the rest of the cast in Diner in 1982, so when I was told he had narrated a short story on audible, I had to take a look.
My wife and I listened to the sample on audible here
By the end of the sample, I knew three things: I had to listen to the story that afternoon, Kevin Bacon is an even better narrator than I thought he would be and David Koepp was someone I wanted to read more of.
Here's the opening of the story:
The judge had a lake house, upstate, and it was to there he eventually retired when Marie died. His wife's passing after forty-odd years of marriage was an event that he viewed as an acute betrayal, by her, by the world and by the very natural order of things.
They'd been more or less the same age, she eighty-four when she died and the judge eighty-eight but actuarial tables being what they are, both of them had always assumed that the judge would be the first to go.
They knew his blood pressure would catch up with him. The knew the extra thirty around his midsection was a time bomb and they knew those thirty-five years of smoking Chesterfields weren't something the Grim Reaper was likely to let slide, even if it did take him a while to collect the bill. No, few things in life were certain except for this one; his Honour Judge Herman Calvert was going to die first.
The couple had actively planned for that scenario: financially, socially, medically and in terms of decor that big house on Oakton Road where they'd raised the kids and still lived. They planned in ways that they discussed openly and those conversations were, weirdly, some of the judges fondest memories of their last few years together because Marie was the only person he knew to whom he could speak of his own death without being asked to stop or having the subject hastily changed. Nobody else was cool with it but Herman and Marie were.
We laughed when we heard that the judge and his wife had had the 'who dies first' conversation and made their plans. We've had those conversations too and know how flimsy the plans are. We also recognised how uncomfortable people become when, at an age when most of our lives are behind us, we talk about our own deaths.
So we downloaded the novella, listened to it together and thought it two hours well spent. David Koepp really understands what getting old is like and what it would be like to be old, alone and with nothing to do.
I identified with the judge's belligerent unwillingness to accept his own limitations, his irritation at needing help with things, and his bloodyminded determination not let the forest reclaim the space where he and his wife spent their summers with their children.
The muscle of the story comes from the judges struggle to cut back and burn out an invasive, fast-growing species of creeper which is taking over the land and threatening to choke the life out of a tree he planted for his wife. The invasive species turns out to have some not entirely natural malice behind it that makes it a truly threatening and disquieting adversary. The judge's struggle is fierce, focused and bloody and causes his daughter serious concern about his physical and mental well-being.
'Yard Work' well-crafted story, populated with believable people and laced with just enough supernatural threat to keep the tension up. By the end, I thought I knew the judge quiet well. I could also feel the gap left in his life and in him by the death of his wife.
'Yard Work' was David Koepp's second venture into prose. In an interview he gave about 'Yard Work', David Koepp explained that he wrote it in the first COVID lockdown and was keen to have it as an audiobook because he had always loved radio plays.
I'm now looking forward to reading David Koepp's first prose work, a novel called 'Cold Storage'
On the other hand, I've been a fan of Kevin Bacon since he outshone the rest of the cast in Diner in 1982, so when I was told he had narrated a short story on audible, I had to take a look.
My wife and I listened to the sample on audible here
By the end of the sample, I knew three things: I had to listen to the story that afternoon, Kevin Bacon is an even better narrator than I thought he would be and David Koepp was someone I wanted to read more of.
Here's the opening of the story:
The judge had a lake house, upstate, and it was to there he eventually retired when Marie died. His wife's passing after forty-odd years of marriage was an event that he viewed as an acute betrayal, by her, by the world and by the very natural order of things.
They'd been more or less the same age, she eighty-four when she died and the judge eighty-eight but actuarial tables being what they are, both of them had always assumed that the judge would be the first to go.
They knew his blood pressure would catch up with him. The knew the extra thirty around his midsection was a time bomb and they knew those thirty-five years of smoking Chesterfields weren't something the Grim Reaper was likely to let slide, even if it did take him a while to collect the bill. No, few things in life were certain except for this one; his Honour Judge Herman Calvert was going to die first.
The couple had actively planned for that scenario: financially, socially, medically and in terms of decor that big house on Oakton Road where they'd raised the kids and still lived. They planned in ways that they discussed openly and those conversations were, weirdly, some of the judges fondest memories of their last few years together because Marie was the only person he knew to whom he could speak of his own death without being asked to stop or having the subject hastily changed. Nobody else was cool with it but Herman and Marie were.
We laughed when we heard that the judge and his wife had had the 'who dies first' conversation and made their plans. We've had those conversations too and know how flimsy the plans are. We also recognised how uncomfortable people become when, at an age when most of our lives are behind us, we talk about our own deaths.
So we downloaded the novella, listened to it together and thought it two hours well spent. David Koepp really understands what getting old is like and what it would be like to be old, alone and with nothing to do.
I identified with the judge's belligerent unwillingness to accept his own limitations, his irritation at needing help with things, and his bloodyminded determination not let the forest reclaim the space where he and his wife spent their summers with their children.
The muscle of the story comes from the judges struggle to cut back and burn out an invasive, fast-growing species of creeper which is taking over the land and threatening to choke the life out of a tree he planted for his wife. The invasive species turns out to have some not entirely natural malice behind it that makes it a truly threatening and disquieting adversary. The judge's struggle is fierce, focused and bloody and causes his daughter serious concern about his physical and mental well-being.
'Yard Work' well-crafted story, populated with believable people and laced with just enough supernatural threat to keep the tension up. By the end, I thought I knew the judge quiet well. I could also feel the gap left in his life and in him by the death of his wife.
'Yard Work' was David Koepp's second venture into prose. In an interview he gave about 'Yard Work', David Koepp explained that he wrote it in the first COVID lockdown and was keen to have it as an audiobook because he had always loved radio plays.
I'm now looking forward to reading David Koepp's first prose work, a novel called 'Cold Storage'
October 10, 2020
Short and entertaining. Discovered via Audible’s promo conversation between the author and Kevin Bacon, who narrates the audiobook. The plot and style remind me of Stephen King: straightforward and humorous overlaid on a horrifying situation.
An 88-year-old judge moves into the lake house after his wife dies and discovers a fast growing vine is threatening the trees they planted together. The kid at the local store advises him to let it be, but he tackles it on his own with a chainsaw and a pair of shears. There's plenty of vivid creepy imagery, along with thoughts about nature (she wants it back) and grief and aging.
An 88-year-old judge moves into the lake house after his wife dies and discovers a fast growing vine is threatening the trees they planted together. The kid at the local store advises him to let it be, but he tackles it on his own with a chainsaw and a pair of shears. There's plenty of vivid creepy imagery, along with thoughts about nature (she wants it back) and grief and aging.
October 20, 2020
I greatly enjoyed this peculiar audiobook
Who doesn’t love Kevin Bacon? I found this short story intriguing, strange and quite compelling. Author David Koepp pens a captivating and perplexing tale of a retired judge whose stubbornness causes him to experience an odd exploit. Kevin Bacon’s narration is impressive and I look forward to hearing more. Never ever did I hear think I’d hear him use the words ”scrotum” and “balls.” Thanks to both Koepp and Bacon, as well as Audible, for making this available. Highly recommended.
👏⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👏
Who doesn’t love Kevin Bacon? I found this short story intriguing, strange and quite compelling. Author David Koepp pens a captivating and perplexing tale of a retired judge whose stubbornness causes him to experience an odd exploit. Kevin Bacon’s narration is impressive and I look forward to hearing more. Never ever did I hear think I’d hear him use the words ”scrotum” and “balls.” Thanks to both Koepp and Bacon, as well as Audible, for making this available. Highly recommended.
👏⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👏
September 6, 2020
Entertaining enough for such a quick listen. Kevin Bacon was great! He definitely swayed my reason for this quick pick. I am enjoying the new perk Audible has included in their membership. There are a lot of free listens now included. It’s a good opportunity to listen to stories you would otherwise never purchase. This was one of those such stories. I’d never purchase it, but it was still a pretty good listen.
October 20, 2020
Rounded up to a four because of Kevin Bacons narrative. He is a natural. Is there anything he can’t do well?
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