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Double Audiobook Review: The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle & Umbilical Cord

Just as I did last year, I’m finishing off Pride Month with reviews of two LGBTQ+ audiobooks – The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain, and a book of prose poems by Hasan Namir called Umbilical Cord. The first audiobook I downloaded from Scribd, the second is from NetGalley. 

About Scribd – I’ve been using it for the last six or seven months and so far I’m happy with it. I have the app on my phone and have mostly used it for audiobooks so far. The selection is a bit limited – you won’t find all the best sellers on Scribd – and the search is a bit frustrating. But looking back at my history I’ve averaged listening to about two books a month from Scribd since signing up. So, for $9.99 a month I think it’s been worth it. For the record, I am not affiliated with Scribd and no one is compensating me to tell you about it. 

Anyway, on to the book reviews.

At 64 years old, the quiet, consistent, keep-to-himself routine of Albert Entwistle’s life is suddenly confronted with big change. Albert, a postman in Northern England, has lived alone since his mother died some years before. She had been ailing for quite some time, and Albert had been her carer. He still lives in the home he grew up in, and over time has become shy and reclusive. He lives with a secret, and has no real friends.   

When his boss sits him down to congratulate him on his coming, mandatory retirement on his 65th birthday it’s enough of a jolt that Albert finally begins to grapple with his long held secret. Slowly, Albert begins to accept that he is gay, as he comes out to co-workers and lets himself begin to make friends. He’s driven by the desire to find his long lost love George, the boy he last saw almost 50 years ago. He befriends a young, single mother on his postal route who has her own struggles with love, and who helps him in his quest to locate George.

I enjoyed this story a lot despite the fact that it went on longer than I thought was  really necessary. That and the fact that it’s basically a Hallmark Movie in a book, which is not what I usually look for in my reading. I will admit that I teared up a bit at the end.

Rating: Three and a Half Stars

Borrow or Purchase The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle here:

  Borrow this book: Find out if your library has the ebook or audiobook available through OverDrive or Libby.

Support Indie Bookstores: Buy this book directly from Bookshop.org* or find it at an Independent Bookstore near you*. 

Visit my Bookshop.org shop to see all my reviewed books. 

Umbilical Cord is a book of free text verse by Iraqi Canadian author Hasan Namir. Namir writes about the joy that his newborn son has brought into his life, as well as his love for his husband and his strained relationship with his father, who disowned Namir when he first came out.

The poems are arranged in mostly chronological order to tell the story of his marriage, the agreement of his sister-in-law to become a surrogate for her brother and Hasan, the birth of their son Malek, and the joy that baby Malek has brought to the couple.

While an audiobook of free verse poetry may seem like it could be a struggle to listen to, Umbilical Cord is anything but.  I found narrator Amir Haidar’s reading captivating, as he brought just the right emotional touch to the poems. The poetry itself is deeply personal, heartfelt and compelling.

This is an excellent book for anyone interested in parenting, gay or otherwise. 

One content warning – a couple of poems near the beginning include frank sexual language.

Rating: Four Stars  

Borrow or Purchase Umbilical Cord here:

  Borrow this book: Find out if your library has the ebook or audiobook available through OverDrive or Libby.

Support Indie Bookstores: Buy this book directly from Bookshop.org* or find an Independent Bookstore near you*. 

Visit my Bookshop.org shop to see all my reviewed books. 

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