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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A peek behind the curtain into the lives of others, this book pulls up the blinds and gives a sense that so much goes on behind the scenes, hidden from the world, within each of our lives. High recommend.
Unique writing style and story development
Olive is one of the most intricately developed characters I’ve encountered. Getting to know her was a delight. In the beginning I found her irritating but by the end I was genuinely interested in her thinking and her welfare. A great read.
Simply outstanding. Never have read anything arranged like this. Brilliant.
No story. Disjointed and weird and a little disturbing — just not enough to make me care about any of the characters.
What a wonderful “coming of age” book about growing old! Sometimes funny, sometimes melancholy, it will touch your heart.
If this was an award winner I found the wrong book. Very unimpressed and disappointed with the writing and flow of the story. It was awful
The very best of an wonderful writer
Even though the title is Olive Kitteridge, the book is about an assortment of characters somehow (often loosely) connected to her. I found myself wondering when the author was going to get to Olive. I am at a loss as to why this was a prize winning novel.
I found this book to be terribly depressing but I kept reading because I thought surely it would get better but it didn’t deliver.
I understand why it won the Pulitzer Prize. Olive will stay with me for a long time. I would recognize her anywhere and imagine what she would have to say about my life as it unfolds.
An unhappily-married aging pharmacist falls into forbidden love with his not beautiful, but cute, and very married young Catholic store-clerk. It starts with the slow and systematic mutual corruption of two worthy lives. I’m not sure what happens next… because I stopped reading it. I really, really hate it, not least because of its intensely …
Main character not very likable and somewhat pitiful.
Wonderful writer
Depressing…
Nothing redeeming about the sick characters in this book. Such a disappointment.
Flawed individuals like Olive can still be heroes and tyrants in their own little world. It takes a life time to grow up for most of us. Life is often messy.
Basically a collection of short stories but with a common thread-Olive Kitteridge- running through. Some sad, some enlightening, some just human, all entertainment.
I didn’t like it at first and had a little trouble understanding it. I stuck with it and felt connected to it. Maybe because Olive and I are going through some of the same things it hit home for me.
It was an in-depth study of a strongly self-centered, unhappy character and the tragic effect she has on others. It was captured and presented with style but not much fun to dwell on. Not my cup of tea.