Bright Lines: A Life in Search of the Beautiful Ordinary
Audible Logo Your audiobook is waiting!
Enjoy a free trial on us
$0.00
  • Click above for unlimited listening to select audiobooks, Audible Originals, and podcasts.
  • One credit a month to pick any title from our entire premium selection — yours to keep (you'll use your first credit now).
  • You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
  • $14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel online anytime.
Learn more about membership
Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company
List Price: $24.95
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible’s Conditions Of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice.
Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company

Bright Lines: A Life in Search of the Beautiful Ordinary Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Jane Devin (Author, Publisher), Commodore James (Narrator)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 167 ratings
See all formats and editions

Bright Lines is the four-part life story of an unusually hopeful man, and his search for love, family and connection.

After a rootless childhood, the desire for love and stability becomes both a propelling force and a tender, vacant space in former foster child Easton McNeil's life. Yet the man who keeps moving forward in search of "the beautiful ordinary," is confronted by unexpected curves. He's a virgin who becomes a father. A humanistic dreamer who becomes a business journalist. A practical man who ends up leaving his stable career for a humiliating gig as a sidekick to the notorious shock jock, Cooper Ross.

Encouraged by Ross's oddball fans, Easton plans a cross-country road trip to interview them. Now an empty-nester, the man who's always loved the idea of home sells his and embarks on a wholehearted mission to say yes-to broader horizons, new experiences, and wherever the road might lead him-or at least that's what he believes.

The mission becomes more complicated when he meets the enigmatic Eleanor Conley, and the vacant space that he's spent years trying to mitigate becomes an all-out hunger. But are he and Eleanor meant to be together, or are they meant to be each other's catalysts on the way to somewhere else?

When it comes to human connection, Easton learns that some lines will fade, and others will be penciled in with question marks, but the brightest lines of all inspire love, forgiveness, and redemption.

Previous page
  1. Listening Length
    11 hours and 43 minutes
  2. Author
    Jane Devin
  3. Narrator
    Commodore James
  4. Audible release date
    July 10, 2014
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Jane Devin
  7. ASIN
    B00LOS5RA0
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
Next page

Read & Listen

Switch back and forth between reading the Kindle book and listening to Audible audiobook.
Add the audiobook for a reduced price of $7.49 after you get the Kindle book as part of your Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Product details

Listening Length 11 hours and 43 minutes
Author Jane Devin
Narrator Commodore James
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date July 10, 2014
Publisher Jane Devin
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B00LOS5RA0
Best Sellers Rank #664,863 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#5,826 in Coming of Age Fiction (Audible Books & Originals)
#11,039 in Family Life Fiction (Audible Books & Originals)
#55,862 in Coming of Age Fiction (Books)

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
167 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Samantha Thomas
5.0 out of 5 stars Bright Lines; Warm Heart
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2014
Verified Purchase
This is the second book I have read from this author. The first, 'Elephant Girl,' was an insightful memoir that evoked a variety of feelings. When 'Bright Lines' became available a few months ago, in a Kindle edition, I was one of the first to buy it. I knew the writing would be of excellent quality — it cannot be denied that Jane Devin is a talented writer — although I knew very little else about her new book. It was a great surprise, exceeding every expectation I had for it. 'Bright Lines' is a novel, with a very unlikely protagonist. All the characters are are fully developed, and I would say that my favorite feature of this book and this author is her character development. If the protagonist or any of the main characters showed up at my door at dinner time, I would recognize them, and with only a few exceptions, I would invite them in for dinner. They seem so real and three-dimensional. Ms. Devin has the ability to paint a portrait in words that is reminiscent of Truman Capote (without so much bloodshed). Buy this book. You will enjoy it and love the characters.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Metton
4.0 out of 5 stars beautifully written and inspiring
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2014
Verified Purchase
The first half, beautifully written and inspiring, with believable,well developed characters, was wonderful and poignant. The protagonist's childhood years were told with deep understanding and innocence all at once. But oh dear, the protagonist went on a road trip, and the book became self indulgent, rambling and annoying. The characters that he met were thin and seemingly irrelevant, except for the woman he pursued – and this part could have been dealt with in far less depth, or at least fewer chapters as depth was lacking here especially in comparison to the first half.
Towards the end there was an improvement and it brought some closure. I would still recommend it because of the excellent first half and overall story, although feel free to skim the middle…
Helpful
 Report
Margaret Sutton
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written, engaging, inspiring!
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2014
Verified Purchase
Jane Devin writes like an artist paints; in fact, she is a combination of both. Her words paint pictures that are vividly descriptive and yet allow the reader to create their own picture. Easton McNeil could be any man (or woman, for that matter). His desire to say "yes" to whatever comes next leads him to a life that is compassionate and deeply fulfilling. Although he suffers from loss and humiliation along the way, he never allows himself to become a victim of circumstance. Hunger Like Love could be a manual for all who seek love in their lives and find it in many unexpected ways. Whatever Jane Devin writes in the future will be eagerly awaited by all her readers and I urge you to join us on her journey, She has a true gift which she willingly shares despite her own uncertainties as to whether it (or she) is "good enough." Believe me, Jane -- it is and you are!
9 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Joanna Brown
5.0 out of 5 stars Very special book
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2014
Verified Purchase
This book was a little slow at first. But once you get over the rough parts it's a book that can't be put down. Meet Easton who is short in stature, has only one leg (the other was cut off below the knee regarding an accident that was said to be caused by his real mother). He meets a little girl named Liberty. Easton adopts Liberty as a teenager. She grows up and goes to college where she meets her boyfriend Nick. Easton travels around the world meeting all kinds of people. Some are good to him. Others don't give him the time of day. Easton finds Eleanor online and decide to meet each other. All Easton ever wanted was to find a loving girlfriend. Someone to share his life with. He thought Eleanor was the one! He couldn't have been more wrong. They both wanted different things out of the relationship. In the end Easton let her go. He continued his journey and when he went to New Mexico that is where he finally called home. Read this book to follow Easton on his trips all over the world and see what happens with the different people and places he goes. LOVED IT!
Helpful
 Report
Gavin's Gigi
4.0 out of 5 stars Bright lines
Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2014
Verified Purchase
This is an amazing book. Couldn't wait to get to it each night. The characters seemed so really, it was hard to believe that this was NOT a real person narrating. This book made you cheer for the main character, it made you sad and mad at the characters that he was involved with throughout his life. I wish there were more people like him in real life. I'm sure there are though. I gave it four stars only because it is fiction. Jane did a great job with elephant girl which I gave five stars because it was based on her real life experience. I have been blessed to meet her in person. She is as real in life and I am amazed at her strength that she came out so "Normal" after having a horrific childhood. Both of these books are a must read. Her description of thoughts, people and surroundings is amazing. I don't know how she does it. She truly has an amazing talent at writing.
Helpful
 Report
Susan
5.0 out of 5 stars Touching, Tender and Inspiring
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2014
Verified Purchase
Jane Devin knows how to make her characters come to life. The reader feels a connection with everyone, from Easton, the story's narrator, to his adopted daughter, to the cast of characters that Easton encounters on his cross-country trips.

One of my favorite scenes was when Easton returned for a visit to the home of a former foster family. Instead of the homecoming he expected, he covertly overhears their misgivings about his brief return.

Reading this made me question what would happen if I , like Easton, said "yes" to every opportunity. It made me wonder if I would be willing to handle the consequences and criticism.

The author does an excellent job of shedding light on complex social issues such as alcoholism, drug addiction, mental illness, child abuse and neglect, the foster care system and homelessness. She does get a little didactic, however, in Easton's long, preachy blog post about homelessness.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Cindy L. Samuel
5.0 out of 5 stars Heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time!
Reviewed in Canada on May 16, 2014
Verified Purchase
Bright Lines is another fabulous book by Jane Devin, and I certainly hope it won't be her last. I thoroughly enjoy this writer's style of story-telling. I become, very quickly, invested in the lives of the characters, and find I read much faster than normal, to try and find out where they go next. That being said, I really did not want to arrive at the end of this book, as I desperately want to see what's next for Easton. That, in my opinion, is the epitome of character development! This story will grip your heart, make you laugh, make you cry and most certainly make you think, especially about how we all "connect". Well done!
Report
Jackie Taylor
4.0 out of 5 stars compelling read
Reviewed in Canada on August 17, 2014
Verified Purchase
Once again Jane has written a fantastic book! I loved Elephant Girl, and reading Bright Lines (Hunger Like Love) was a fantastic sequel. I can't wait to read what she comes out with next.
Report