Olive Kitteridge - The Library of the Uncommons

audio cassette

English language

Published March 25, 2008 by Brilliance Audio Unabridged Lib Ed.

ISBN:: 978-1-4233-5002-6
OCLC Number:: 218108004

(6 reviews)

Olive Kitteridge: indomitable, compassionate and often unpredictable. A retired schoolteacher in a small coastal town in Maine, as she grows older she struggles to make sense of the changes in her life. She is a woman who sees into the hearts of those around her, their triumphs and tragedies.

We meet her stoic husband, bound to her in a marriage both broken and strong, and a young man who aches for the mother he lost - and whom Olive comforts by her mere presence, while her own son feels overwhelmed by her complex sensitivities.

A penetrating, vibrant exploration of the human soul, the story of Olive Kitteridge will make you laugh, nod in recognition, wince in pain, and shed a tear or two.

10 editions

ahynes1 reviewed Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Review of 'Olive Kitteridge' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I took a break from reading novels from cultural settings different from my own, and chose this novel, or more accurately, collection of stories because it sounded like it was closer to my own family history. It was uncanny. Many of my ancestors came from Maine and New Hampshire. I could easily imagine Olive and Henry being not too distant relatives, the stories, the ways of speech, and all that went on sounded so familiar. They were the stories I imagine my mother and her sisters may have told about some of their relatives.

I strongly recommend reading books from cultural settings different from your own. If your ancestors did not paddle up the bay ages ago, then you should probably read this book to learn more about where I come from. If they did, then you should probably read this book to learn more about our shared ancestors.