WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE The beloved first novel featuring Olive Kitteridge, from the number one New York Times best-selling author of the Oprah’s Book Club pick Olive, Again

“Fiction lovers, remember this name: Olive Kitteridge.... You’ll never forget her.” (USA Today)

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post Book World USA Today San Francisco Chronicle Chicago Tribune Seattle Post-Intelligencer People Entertainment Weekly The Christian Science Monitor The Plain Dealer The Atlantic Rocky Mountain News Library Journal

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 of Crosby, Maine, 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 her husband, 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.

The inspiration for the Emmy Award-winning HBO miniseries starring Frances McDormand, Richard Jenkins, and Bill Murray

Listening Length

12 hours and 2 minutes
Author

Elizabeth Strout
Narrator

Kimberly Farr
Audible release date

2 April 2019
Language

English
Publisher

Random House Audio
ASIN

B07PTT7W3H
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	12 hours and 2 minutes
Author	Elizabeth Strout
Narrator	Kimberly Farr
Audible.com.au Release Date	02 April 2019
Publisher	Random House Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B07PTT7W3H
Best Sellers Rank	2,543 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) 4 in Literature Anthologies 16 in Psychological Fiction (Audible Books & Originals) 27 in Fiction Anthologies (Books)

Customer reviews

5 star		42%
4 star		30%
3 star		19%
2 star		6%
1 star		3%

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Top reviews from Australia

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Anne Whight

Loved it! Fascinating glimpse into small town lives.

Reviewed in Australia on 1 November 2018

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My first book by Elizabeth Strout, and it won't be my last. It's full of fascinating glimpses into the small everyday lives of a small town's inhabitants, their hopes, dreams, secrets and disappointments. All so very real. In the same breath you snigger at Olive Ketteridge, then you pity her, then you realise how alike we all are. Ultimately I came to care for her. Although it at first seems like the characters are disconnected, Olive floats through reminding us that this is a small town, where people know all about each other, and try to hide their secrets. I loved it.

2 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Enjoyable book

Reviewed in Australia on 30 January 2021

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It was easy to get involved with the life’s of the many people in this book. It showed a realistic and truthful version of people’s trajectory in life with its many struggles and insecurities.
A good read.

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Sorry, I fail to see how this book was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.

Reviewed in Australia on 22 November 2017

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A disappointing read. There were just so many characters and it seemed to be a description of all the people she came in contact during her time in Maine. She was a character very stuck in the old ways and seemed unwilling to move on, although I am sure she was a very good Math teacher.

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Anne Leadbeatter

Good book with real characters

Reviewed in Australia on 25 November 2015

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I liked this book very much. It was recommended to me as being fantastic but didn't really reach those dizzy heights.
It was refreshing to read about people who were far from perfect and I felt the main character was quite unlikable at times.
The book is made up of events in Olive's life rather than a story with a beginning and end.

3 people found this helpful

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Josephine Rushby

An interesting novel

Reviewed in Australia on 12 January 2015

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This novel tells about a lady called Olive Ketteridge who seems to live an ordinary life with her husband Henry. They have a son called Christopher who seems to always be distant with them.
She talks about her neighbours and old friends she has over the years. Each chapter tells a story of people in her life. It is set on a small seaside town in America.
This is a thought provoking novel.
I would recommend this to anybody to read. The descriptions of people has you seeing this person and nodding when she describes people's mannerisms.
This is a good read.

3 people found this helpful

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Leanne K

Poignant

Reviewed in Australia on 30 January 2020

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Original method of weaving a character into many, separate lives. The author succinctly captured loneliness and all other emotions of life in the many and varied stories of the characters within this book. Highly recommend this book.

One person found this helpful

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David Blazko

Book finishes when it should not.

Reviewed in Australia on 16 November 2017

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Whilst the content of the book was reasonably readable being a kindle version it seemed to jump from scene to scene without any coherence.
To top it off the book finishes when it should not.
It leads into a sentence which just stops with the book ending.
My advice is to not bother with this book as it is such a poor version on the kindle.
Do not waste your time and money on this.

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Alessa Greyson

Not the book I expected from other reviews!

Reviewed in Australia on 15 October 2017

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Not sure what all the fuss is about this book! I didn't like it and only gave it a 2-star review because I seem to be in a very small minority - which makes me think I missed something important.
Don't NOT read it just because I didn't enjoy it - give it a try - you might find the star quality that I missed!

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Peter - The Reading Desk

13 episodic stories that are breath-taking in their beauty and eloquence

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 September 2019

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Olive Kitteridge is a Pulitzer Prize Winner for fiction, which is breath-taking in its beauty and eloquence. The structure of the novel is 13 episodic stories, which provide a candid and searching insight into a small community in the coastal town of Crosby in Maine. It would be unfortunate to race through the pages without savouring the atmosphere, the wonderful sense of time, and the rich array of fascinating characters that enhance the human relationships on display. It takes the little breaks between stories to reflect on the mastery of prose and the observational expression of Elizabeth Strout.

Olive Kitteridge is the indomitable presence throughout the book. Some stories have the faintest mention of Olive while in others she impacts with the overbearing resolve of a woman that is determined to get what she wants. Olive is rarely the focal point, but she acts as a magnet drawing each story to exist in her presence.

Olive is an ex-school teacher, a tall and often clumsy woman, but as the years progress she becomes big,

“… her ankles puffed out, her shoulders rolled up behind her neck, and her wrists and hands seemed to become the size of a man’s. Olive minds – of course she does; sometimes, privately, she minds very much. But at this stage of the game, she is not about to abandon the comfort of food, and that means right now she probably looks like a fat dozing seal wrapped in some kind of gauze bandage.”

Olive has a formidable presence and a complexity that is intriguing and undefinable. While she offers very little filter in her comments and consideration of others and thinks it ludicrous to cry at weddings, she cries when she sees a young anorexic girl, Nina.

“Olive shook her head again, blew her nose. She looked at Nina and said quietly, ‘I don’t know who you are, but young lady, you’re breaking my heart.’
‘I’m not trying to,’ said Nina, defensively. ‘It’s not like I can help it.’
‘Oh, I know that. I know.’ Olive nodded.”

The first story is a touching story of her husband, Harry, who is a pharmacist, and his relationship with a young married assistant who tragically loses her husband. The relationship is subtly transformed from a platonic friendship to the delicate suggestion of deeper feelings as he allows himself to imagine what life would be like with this young woman. The emotional conflict burdens him until he finally asks Olive if she would ever leave him. “Oh, for God’s sake Henry. You could make a woman sick.” she responds.

Most of the following stories reverberate with a sense of betrayal. You can feel the connection with the characters, laugh through incidents, be astounded by some events, nod in recognition with many, and shed a tear or two at others. The writing is emotionally stimulating and reveals such vivid moments that give breath to sentiments you may not have been expecting.

This is a wonderful reading experience, infused with beautiful prose, images and feelings that we all encounter or witness throughout our lives. I would highly recommend this book. The reason why I jumped to read this book after it sitting on my bookshelf for so long, was that the sequel, Olive, Again, is due for release on 31st October this year.

81 people found this helpful

bopa

dont waste your money

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 January 2019

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Probably the least enjoyable book I've ever read. Had read My name is Lucy Barton for a book group and although I found it an odd story thought I would give the author another try as there have been so many wonderful reviews about her and she had won the Pulitzer prize.
Thought it a thoroughly miserable read. Olive is not a pleasant woman who values no one but herself. Very disjointed book Few connections between one chapter and the next. The most positive thing I can say is that the characters in some chapters were interesting.
My advice is don't bother with this book.

38 people found this helpful

BigBob

Not exactly a laugh a minute...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 31 May 2018

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Read by our small, friendly Book Group and found it split opinions down the middle - which is great for lively discussion!
Some did not like the format of 13 short stories about people in the community - 2 of which Olive was not even apparently relevant to.
Not a cheerful book - OK it is showing a community and how people's lives intertwine but surely some people could be happy too...

50 people found this helpful

Alison S

Confusion

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 April 2019

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I found this book very confusing. Right up to the last chapter I was waiting for the stories to link up. It was a total surprise when I reached the end of the book. The chapters in themselves were interesting snippets and as such were very true to life. However when I read a book I am looking for a satisfying story. Perhaps I missed the links, if I did they were not obvious.

29 people found this helpful

amazon customer

VERY DEPRESSING.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 July 2018

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I know this book is highly regarded, but I found it a bit depressing. It picked the scabs over the things we all fear, growing old, feeling stupid in front of our children, being alone, helplessness and death. While the book was easy to read I felt quite disturbed by the time I’d finished it, like a wrung-out dish cloth. Why oh, why did she start a short story about a new character and then not tell us the outcome? Half the narratives had no ending at all and left you up in the air. Chosen by our book club it was not something I would ordinarily choose to read and now I know why.

34 people found this helpful

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