The Art of Hearing Heartbeats: A Novel

Loved this fascinating story that includes cultural details withing a magical, creative, and well written story.

Edited bc html didn't translate!!Overall, a great book and a great read. There were a few issues, but overall I really enjoyed it. I typically do not read books that are touted as "poignant" and "inspirational" ... least of all "love story." Even less, a book where someone is discovering the hidden life of someone they love, which *apparently* (according to the back) involves infidelity, and which involves "the power of love to move mountains." brrp. sorry just threw up in my mouth a little.Yeah. so, not my kind of book. But it's a book group book, so I give it my full attention and an open mind. And it was GOOD. From the beginning. It drew me in and kept me there. It's a fast read and an engaging plot.Let me describe it a little:Meet privileged family, in big city in America, at sudden disappearance of the father (Tin Win) of the family. Understand that the family knows nothing of the father's first 20 years of his life and that it seems to be some kind of grand mystery. Know that the father is a very successful lawyer who hails from some faraway foreign land. And then travel with the early-20s daughter (Julia), a newly minted lawyer herself, to Burma to discovery "the truth" of her father.Enter strange old man (U Ba) who seems to know every thought, emotion, and intimate part of Tin Win's life and the life of the woman he apparently loved from his mid-teens until approximately 20. And discover Burma and the Burmese, blindness and discovery, and struggle and heartache with Julia as she begins to learn "the truth" about her father.Sendker made Burma come alive, made the Burmese insistence on belief in astrology interesting, and made the reader desire to learn the art of hearing heartbeats.It was so **interesting**! It was so well paced and the characters were so well drawn! I loved the varying perspectives we managed to get. I loved the scenery and the thoughts. I loved the peripheral characters. I even liked MiMi and Tin Win and wanted to believe in their love.So what didn't I like? HUGE SPOILERS HEREIN:SPOILERSPOILERSPOILER: I did not like that U Ba not only knew the intimate (and I mean _intimate_) details of Tin Win and MiMi's lives, but that the *shared* them with Tin Win's *daughter*?! That was probably my biggest beef. But since we're on spoiler-alert here anyway, I also didn't like (_really_ didn't like!) that somehow Julia was just hunky-dory with the fact that her father supposedly had this undying amazing love for Mi Mi, somehow also loved her mother and his family, and that that was all just ok. I didn't like that Tin Win was selfish enough to find a new family in America, and selfish enough to hold so ardently onto his feelings for Mi Mi. And I didn't like that he was selfish enough to "choose" to die and leave his son, his daughter, and even his wife without any note, explanation, or apology. His only "note" was the story he told his other son, and that was supposed to be sufficient. And then they were celebrated?! I get that Julia was trying to recognize cultural differences and allow for more than 1 kind of love... but what he did to both of his sons and his daughter, not even paying any attention to the two women, I don't think that's loving. It's self-focused. SPOILERSPOILERSPOILEREND SPOILERSBut aside from not liking the PERSON all that much, and/or his decisions, I liked the STORY, and I thought it was well told. Very well told.And I definitely recommend the book!FOUR of five stars.This and other reviews can be found at AllBookReviewer.blogspot.com

I loved how rhe author took us from NY to Burma in the quest to find her Dad and how the intricacies that U Ba provided were interwoven to produce this ultimate love story. Very good read

Jan-Philipp Sendker is a master storyteller, bringing us one incredible tale for the ages.This is a love story. A sort Burmese Romeo and Juliette love story. Only, in the beginning we know not where the story is going.We meet Julia Win when she is sitting in some run down teahouse in Kalaw, Burma. There she is approached by an older man, U Ba who asks Julia if she believes in love. And, it is not ordinary love, but: "No, I speak of a love that brings sight to the blind. Of a love stronger than fear. I speak of a love that breathes meaning into life, that defies the natural laws of deterioration, that causes us to flourish, that knows no bounds. I speak of the triumph of the human spirit over selfishness and death."And, thus begins a bewitching tale of Tin Win and Mi Mi. Tin Win was a successful lawyer, who one day, bids his newly minted lawyer daughter a farewell, indicating to all that he is flying to a meeting in Boston and will return in a few days. His family, in New York is a bit perplexed and does not begin to worry until there is no further word from Tin Win. Eventually, the trail of locating Tin Win leads Julia to Burma and the mountain town of Kalaw, where the unknown story of her father's humble beginnings unwinds to her like a fairy tale, similar to those her father told her during her childhood. Little had Julia known of her father's past.According to astrologers, Tin Win was born on a most unlucky day. His mother fearful of the prophecy withdraws from her son. When the horrors predicted begin to befall the young family, the mother eventually disappears and Tin Win is cared for by a kindly neighbor Su Kyi. Eventually, as time passes Tin Win loses his eyesight. Su Kyi tries to find a solution and eventully leads Tin Win to the monastery where U May undertakes to educate Tin Win and help unlock the riddles of life.As time passes Tin Win discovers that although he has been robbed of sight his ability to hear and hear to great depths and color is far superior to what he misses with his sight. One day, he hears a beating and discovers the sound so beautiful belongs to a girl, Mi Mi. Mi Mi has a less than perfect life, to which she has adapted. Mi Mi, a beautiful girl with a voice so pure and beautiful was cursed with a body less than perfect. Her feet, a birth, were deformed. And, thus Mi Mi has learned to move gracefully about by the use of her hands and knees. When she is not traveling in such a manner, she is carried.Slowly, Tin Win and Mi Mi develop a relationship where Mi Mi gives Tin Win sight and Tin Win provides Mi Mi with legs. Together they travel through life discovering its wonders in their small corner of the world, while deep affection grows. They are planning their future, when Tin Win is suddenly taken from his town, by agents for his uncle U Saw. Amid great saddness, Tin Win is hauled off to Rangoon to live with his uncle who is trying to avoid a prophecy given him by an astrologer. In order to avoid a possible terrible fate, U Saw must render aid to a relative. He remembers stories about Tin Win and brings the boy to him.U Saw is able to help Tin Win with his sight. He has him educated and as World War II is about to rip the world apart, sends Tin Win to America to further his education. In the meantime, U Saw learns of the love between Tin Win and Mi Mi and thwarts their efforts to communicate with each other. Yet, the two keep the love for each other in their hearts, throughout life.It is once, when Tin Win's family is finally established that he disappears. It is four years following that disappearance when Julia learns of her father's history and his return to the greatest love of his life, Mi Mi.The story is artfully woven with U Ba's telling of the story of Tin Win, while Julia becomes less skeptical and opens herself to the tale U Ba is spinning.This is one magical tale, lovely tale of a great love and devotion. Enjoy.

I was very excited about this book as I started to read it; however as I got into book two my expectations began to wane. When I realized it would really be a fantasy or perhaps a fairy tale, I let go of my early expectations of something more "mystic" and "went with the flow". I felt there were too many "dots not connected" but that could be due to the translation from German to English. I have to admit that I read this book as a selection of my book club and the consensus was "they loved it", despite some of its flaws. It is an easy read, a bit fantastical;depends what kind of mood you are in for your reading pleasure. This is not for one looking for deeper meanings, etc. but can give insight into the culture of a third world country, Burma, and that of child of a Burmese/American marriage brought up in the U.S. who returns to her disappearing fathers homeland to discover who he really was.

Gran novela de 💛, hermosamente escrita, me mantuvo pegada al libro de principio al fin

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats is an amazing book. It’s so easy to see why it is a bestseller!Julia naturally has many unanswered questions following the disappearance of her father. Her mother knows nothing of his whereabouts either. When Julia finds a love letter her father wrote to a woman in Burma many years before she’s left with yet more unanswered questions. It seems he might have had a whole other life before them, a life they know nothing about. She decides to visit the country in the hope of tracking the woman down.Nothing could prepare her for what she learns on her travels.I have never been to Burma, but I could truly imagine myself there as I joined Julia on her visit. It sounds like an amazing place full of inspiring people. I felt completely immersed in their culture and traditions. I could almost feel the oppressive heat and smell the traditional recipes cooking. There is such beautifully descriptive language throughout this story.This book is so beautifully written. I was totally captivated by the characters and their story. It is such a powerful love story which is both heart-warming and heart-wrenching. I thought of these characters a lot when I wasn’t reading the book and I think they will stay with me for a long time to come.I very much recommend this book. I can’t imagine anyone not loving it!I have already purchased the sequel, A Well-Tempered Heart, and I hope to read it very soon.

silly and implausible. I didn't completely dislike it but I wouldn't recommend it either. Way too long, perfect love story for 13 years old. I wish I could understand “the best seller” list....

Book arrived quickly and in excellent conditions.I love the book from beginning to end. It is a beautiful story that is beautifully written. One of my favourite novels to date.

Just a lovely and endearing book that I highly recommend reading once or even more in your life! Such nicely written that you won't be able to put it down!