The Extraordinary Life Of Sam Hell - Audiobook

Help English Español US Dollar Mexican Peso Sign in Audiobooks Podcasts Audible Originals Latino and Hispanic voices All categories Plans & Pricing Bestsellers Coming Soon New Releases Best of the Year Plus Catalog Gifts Help centre About Audible Blog Sales & Deals Accessibility No results Suggested Searches The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell

A Novel

Preview

Failed to add items

Sorry, we are unable to add the item because your shopping cart is already at capacity.

Add to Cart failed.

Please try again later

Add to Wish List failed.

Please try again later

Remove from wishlist failed.

Please try again later

Adding to library failed

Please try again

Follow podcast failed

Please try again

Unfollow podcast failed

Please try again $0.00 for first 30 days LIMITED TIME OFFER Get 3 months for $0.99/mo Get this deal Try for $0.00 Offer ends January 21, 2026 11:59pm PT Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial. Just $0.99/mo for your first 3 months of Audible Premium Plus. 1 audiobook per month of your choice from our unparalleled catalog. Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals. Auto-renews at $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime. Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection. Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts. Access exclusive sales and deals. Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime. The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell By: Robert Dugoni Narrated by: Robert Dugoni Get this deal Try for $0.00

$14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime. Offer ends January 21, 2026 11:59pm PT.

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $20.96

Buy for $20.96

Copy Link Copy Link

Narrated by:

Robert Dugoni

By:

Robert Dugoni

• Narrated by:
• Robert Dugoni

Close

• By:
• Robert Dugoni

Close

LIMITED TIME OFFER | Get 3 months for $0.99 a month

$14.95/mo thereafter-terms apply.

Wall Street Journal and New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni’s coming-of-age story is, according to Booklist, “a novel that, if it doesn’t cross entirely over into John Irving territory, certainly nestles in close to the border.”

Sam Hill always saw the world through different eyes. Born with red pupils, he was called “Devil Boy” or Sam “Hell” by his classmates; “God’s will” is what his mother called his ocular albinism. Her words were of little comfort, but Sam persevered, buoyed by his mother’s devout faith, his father’s practical wisdom, and his two other misfit friends.

Sam believed it was God who sent Ernie Cantwell, the only African American kid in his class, to be the friend he so desperately needed. And that it was God’s idea for Mickie Kennedy to storm into Our Lady of Mercy like a tornado, uprooting every rule Sam had been taught about boys and girls.

Forty years later, Sam, a small-town eye doctor, is no longer certain anything was by design—especially not the tragedy that caused him to turn his back on his friends, his hometown, and the life he’d always known. Running from the pain, eyes closed, served little purpose. Now, as he looks back on his life, Sam embarks on a journey that will take him halfway around the world. This time, his eyes are wide open—bringing into clear view what changed him, defined him, and made him so afraid, until he can finally see what truly matters.

Winner of Suspense Magazine’s Crimson Scribe Award.

©2018 by LaMesa Fiction LLC. (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Coming of Age Family Life Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Heartfelt Tearjerking Feel-Good Inspiring Scary Suspenseful

Listeners also enjoyed...

The World Played Chess By: Robert Dugoni Tom Lake By: Ann Patchett The Covenant of Water By: Abraham Verghese West with Giraffes By: Lynda Rutledge Demon Copperhead By: Barbara Kingsolver Remarkably Bright Creatures By: Shelby Van Pelt When We Believed in Mermaids By: Barbara O'Neal My Sister's Grave By: Robert Dugoni The Great Alone By: Kristin Hannah The Eighth Sister By: Robert Dugoni Her Deadly Game By: Robert Dugoni A Prayer for Owen Meany By: John Irving The Glass Castle By: Jeannette Walls Ordinary Grace By: William Kent Krueger The Kite Runner By: Khaled Hosseini Born a Crime By: Trevor Noah Where the Crawdads Sing: Reese's Book Club By: Delia Owens The 7th Canon By: Robert Dugoni Heft By: Liz Moore This Tender Land By: William Kent Krueger

Critic reviews

“This beautiful coming-of-age story is an emotional read. Its episodic nature really lets you grow with Sam, weaving in anecdotes that hit home the importance of family, friends, values and, for some, faith. The audiobook, narrated by the author, adds a personal touch, as his brother helped inspire Sam. This story really makes you think about life and people’s resilience. It had me crying both happy and sad tears.”—Newsweek

“Dugoni has produced a novel that, if it doesn’t cross entirely over into John Irving territory, certainly nestles in close to the border…Told in two separate time lines (Sam as a boy, and Sam as a man) that eventually come together, and written in a gentle, introspective yet dramatic style that is very different from that of Dugoni’s crime fiction, this is an inspirational story of a man who spends a lifetime getting to know himself.”—Booklist

“Sam Hell is inspiring and aglow with the promise of redemption.”—Kirkus Reviews

People who viewed this also viewed...

The World Played Chess By: Robert Dugoni Hold Strong By: Robert Dugoni, and others The Eighth Sister By: Robert Dugoni My Sister's Grave By: Robert Dugoni Her Deadly Game By: Robert Dugoni The 7th Canon By: Robert Dugoni West with Giraffes By: Lynda Rutledge A Killing on the Hill By: Robert Dugoni Ordinary Grace By: William Kent Krueger Under the Tulip Tree By: Michelle Shocklee This Tender Land By: William Kent Krueger Beneath a Scarlet Sky By: Mark Sullivan American Dirt By: Jeanine Cummins Where the Forest Meets the Stars By: Glendy Vanderah Demon Copperhead By: Barbara Kingsolver The River Is Waiting (Oprah's Book Club) By: Wally Lamb Theo of Golden By: Allen Levi When We Believed in Mermaids By: Barbara O'Neal Emotional Journey • Well-developed Characters • Relatable Protagonist • Compelling Timeline • Meaningful Relationships

Highly rated for:

All stars Most relevant I am a major fan of the works of fiction author Robert Dugoni; I have copies of all of his books. All except SAM HELL are of the mystery/thriller genre with some being legal thrillers and some being modern detective thrillers. With THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF SAM HELL Dugoni strays from mystery/thrillers into literary fiction with a novel so powerful that it will win awards and it needs to be a movie. Robert Dugoni narrates this audio novel himself; his narration is marvelous. Sam Hill was called "Sam Hell" or "Devil Boy" because he was born with ocular albinism which resulted in his eyes (the iris part) being red. The novel covers 40 years from the time he entered school at age 5. Other than the protagonist this novel has some wonderful main characters including Sam's parents, his best friend Ernie Cantwell, and his sort of girl friend and later business partner Mickie Kennedy. Sam Hill's profession is ophthalmologist. I listened to SAM HELL twice over several weeks before writing this review. I recommend it to everyone regardless of genre preferences. It is a very, very special novel!

A very, very special novel!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

This book moved me in ways I find difficult to explain. It touched me very deeply. the style of the book and the type of story are not one I typically read, I even hesitated before purchasing this book but I did so because it was part of a two-for-one sale and it seemed interesting enough. Oh my goodness, I am so grateful that I did purchase it. I will never forget this book.Without giving too much away, it tells the story of a young child who will face many challenges in his life because of the unique pigmentation in his eyes. his whole life is an uphill battle and what touched me the most was the loving relationships he had with his parents and his close friends. This book made me so angry at times, so sad at other times and there were even other times when the book swept me off my feet and I felt like I wanted to soar. This book is now on my favorites list and I have already bought a hard copy for several of my family members and friends so that I can share with them the beauty of what I experienced while listening to this work of art.

emotionally draining in the most beautiful way

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Ocular albinism. A condition most of us have likely never heard of, but around which Dugoni writes a good story. Rather heavily weighted in Catholic theology, but the family love at the core was always a delight. Not sure Dugoni was the best narrator for his story, but awarding 4 stars anyway.

Good story & an education

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The story of Samuel Hill was the most interesting book I have read in a long time. I also grew up in the 60's and saw a lot of discrimination. The story was easy to relate to, no matter what form of faith, what form of oddity or what kind of family you grew up with. A must read for anyone.

Well written Well narrated

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

A refreshing change of pace with an author who delivers not only a story but life lessons. I was reluctant to start this fearing it would be a book of turmoil and upset. Instead it was a realistic portrait of life’s difficult moments and how the characters moved through challenges. So glad I gave it a chance. A favorite.

Take the Time

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews

Please sign in to report this content

You'll still be able to report anonymously.

Not now Sign in