WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE • THE EMMY AWARD–WINNING HBO MINISERIES STARRING FRANCES MCDORMAND, RICHARD JENKINS, AND BILL MURRAYIn a voice more powerful and compassionate than ever before, New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Strout binds together thirteen rich, luminous narratives into a book with the heft of a novel, through the presence of one larger-than-life, unforgettable character: … unforgettable character: Olive Kitteridge.
At the edge of the continent, Crosby, Maine, may seem like nowhere, but seen through this brilliant writer’s eyes, it’s in essence the whole world, and the lives that are lived there are filled with all of the grand human drama–desire, despair, jealousy, hope, and love.
At times stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town and in the world at large, but she doesn’t always recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past romance: a former student who has lost the will to live: Olive’s own adult child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities; and Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse.
As the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life–sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty. Olive Kitteridge offers profound insights into the human condition–its conflicts, its tragedies and joys, and the endurance it requires.
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY
People • USA Today • The Atlantic • The Washington Post Book World • Seattle Post-Intelligencer • Entertainment Weekly • The Christian Science Monitor • San Francisco Chronicle • Salon • San Antonio Express-News • Chicago Tribune • The Wall Street Journal
“Perceptive, deeply empathetic . . . Olive is the axis around which these thirteen complex, relentlessly human narratives spin themselves into Elizabeth Strout’s unforgettable novel in stories.”—O: The Oprah Magazine
“Fiction lovers, remember this name: Olive Kitteridge. . . . You’ll never forget her. . . . [Elizabeth Strout] constructs her stories with rich irony and moments of genuine surprise and intense emotion. . . . Glorious, powerful stuff.”—USA Today
BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Elizabeth Strout’s The Burgess Boys.
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Wonderful!!!
I loved it. Started out with me detesting Olive; wondered why the book was named for her— more I read I started admiring her. The author is a genius — am amazed at how she kept up with the characters and tied everything together. It made me wonder if there was a movie out of it— discovered HBO had put out a short series of it. I went to …
Nearly died of boredom, can’t understand how some people can be so enthusiastic about her books.
A decently written book that had some nice insights into human nature. The main character wasn’t really likeable though and I didn’t care enough about what was going on in her interactions with others to make me want to rave about it or even recommend it to friends. Not sure why it received so many accolades. I’m a voracious reader and I’ve …
I liked how this book followed peoples lives through the years.
Olive Kitteridge is a treasure. The character development is superb. The mystery in the plot is very slow revealing. There is empathy and head-shaking for everyone.
I don’t read much contemporary fiction. This book certainly deserved the Pulitzer. I haven’t liked any book better in years. She is a master at characterization.
I simply loved this book.
Loved it and will read again. Movie’s on bucket list.
I enjoyed this book. It was different in the way the story was told, but intriguing.highly recommend.
Wonderfully descriptive. Thought provoking.
One of my top 10 favorite books. The characters were so real. We all go through our days never knowing all of the lives we have touched by the small things that we do. I will carry the last two paragraphs of this book with me for the rest of my life. A beautiful story.
Love all this author’s work …
A bit of a slog, reading through one womans life is a bit hard if you do not connect with her. Interesting read though, at times I really enjoyed it, otherwise a fairly boring book for me.