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Olive Kitteridge |  | Author: Elizabeth Strout
Publisher: Random House
Buy New: $25.44
as of 3/21/2010 01:48 CDT details
New (5) Used (6) from $25.44
Seller: CastAway Books & Media
Rating:  374 reviews
Sales Rank: 4060622
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 288
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 0 x 0 x 0
ASIN: B002HIWGM8
Publication Date: 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In 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: Olive Kitteridge.
At the edge of the continent, Crosby, Maine, may seem like nowhere, but seen through this brilliant writers eyes, its in essence the whole world, and the lives that are lived there are filled with all of the grand human dramadesire, 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 doesnt 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: Olives 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 lifesometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty. Olive Kitteridge offers profound insights into the human conditionits conflicts, its tragedies and joys, and the endurance it requires.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 374
 I feel stupid since I thought the author was going to tie it all together somehow. March 20, 2010
Janaree Nore (Lincoln, Nebraska, USA)
Today I was reading the reviews for Olive Kitteridge on Amazon.com and was startled by finding out that it was a series of short stories! What an idiot I am! I have been reading a chapter a night before bed. Twice I was unable to find the book. When it was found I renewed my chapter a night routine. It seemed to be going nowhere. The book was closer to being finished and I was still wanting the author to tie it all together.
Now I find out why it had been so hard to refocus the story line during my nightly readings. The joke is definitely on me. I, as it turns out, am as dumb as Olive Kitteridge. Knowledge of my ignorance is only revealed, not through the Pulitzer prize-winning words of the the novel...but when I read reviews on Amazon.com. That is characteristically perfect!
So Honest...I was Pleasantly Surprised March 20, 2010
S. Jensen (Michigan)
I have never read a book like this where it is a collection of short stories about small town people that help create the life of one main character. It was a really neat idea and very daring. It turned about to be a very interesting and heartfelt book. It was just an honest book that I think many people could relate to. I am excited to read other books by this author. I will definitley put a book by Elizabeth Strout on our local book club list! To the author: Thanks for trying this approach to story-telling! I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it, but I really did! You've found another fan....
 A tapestry of characters March 19, 2010
Gabrielle Ruvolo (Topanga, Ca)
A delightful collection of stories, characters interwoven with one compelling prickly Olive. Love the ease of connecting to each story from Olive's perspective. Beautiful writing.
Great read - not for everybody March 18, 2010
twistyhair (Arlington, VA)
I LOVED reading 'Olive Kitteridge' and I did not expect that I would. Elizabeth Strout has created characters and scenarios that I found compelling and creative and unique and ... there are not enough superlatives.
This is no straightforward 'beginning-middle-end' novel. Instead. it is a study of the extraordinary emotional highs and lows that occur in everyday, ordinary life. Like life, it can be messy, confusing and unresolved. Characters appear and we don't always know what happened to their thread of the story.
I particularly enjoyed that Strout made me feel the discomfort that Olive Kitteridge experiences. For me, this is what reading is about - being transported into a different place and being able to see the world from a perspective that is different from my own. Kudos Ms. Strout! I'm already looking for more of your work.
 Interesting characters but poor connections between the stories March 17, 2010
whj
This reads like a walmart of sufferings of ordinary people, so quietly and privately taking place all around us--estrangement of emotions and interests among family members, depression, misunderstanding, unspoken hopes and disappointments that play out through their lives, too set by the time they were realized. Characters are realistic and vivid without overt melodrama, even their life changing decisions are played out very quietly as most of real life events are. But I thought their stories didn't feel very well connected with the main character and felt choppy at times. I would give 3 and 1/2 stars actually.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 374
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