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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One of my all time favorites.
Elizabeth Strout slowly describes the main protagonist until she is actually
someone you can see and feel. What an interesting personality she is.
I highly recommend reading this book. You will truly enjoy meeting Olive!
It’s been awhile since I read this book and didn’t particularly like it so it’s hard to think of which of the above adjectives I could check. I had a hard time getting into this book and was glad to finish it. I mostly kept going since I’ve been reading a lot of easy books and felt that I should be reading something more worthwhile. I did get …
Great book club book. We had lively discussions about Olive and the haunting New England setting.
The characters were rich and intriguing. Not your ordinary read about one community but an in-depth curiosity.
One of my favorite books. I found it hard to put down. Interesting, if not always likable, characters
not a favorite but entertaining
Each story in Olive Kitteridge further develops the character we come to love. The writing is glorious. I loved this book.
I did not really enjoy this book.
I adored this book. It is not fast-moving or exciting, but it is real. I loved all of the characters, even the persnickety ones. Highly recommended for a nice low-key reading experience.
A great character study and a haunting story.
I am hoping for a sequel.
I own the paperback version. The main character is cogruently developed and realistic. I can’t identified with her because she is negative and demanding but in her own way she made her contribution as a teacher. She is critical and harsh to self and others. The people I met in this book were interesting and complex. I guess it is a good …
Loved this! Hated to finish it!
Realistic characters with real-life problems. How people in a small town sometimes affect the lives of others without planning for it or knowing about it. A pebble in the pond – some of the ripples are large.
This is a collection of short stories in which the title character always appears–sometimes in the background, sometimes filling the whole narrative. In small-town coastal Maine is a world familiar to all; the characters, the events, the themes are universal. The writing is sharp, clear, evocative; not a wasted word. A true literary classic.
I was not in love with this book. It had a crazy amount of good reviews but the main character, Olive, was not likable. Not even a little bit. I hated her even minute in this book. And then I watched the miniseries on HBO and she was equally awful on there. She wasn’t nice to her husband (she cheated on him), she was terrible to her son, she …
This was one of the most depressing books I’ve ever read. Depressing characters, depressing story. Nothing positive about it at all.
This charming book was so good that even the movie was good too. If you’ve only seen the movie or haven’t read the book, get it now because there will soon be a sequel.
Didn’t think it was as good as all the praise it got.