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Olive Kitteridge

By Elizabeth Strout
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Check link for latest rating. ( 260,274 ratings, 26,525 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout is a collection of interconnected short stories centred around the eponymous character, a retired schoolteacher in a small town in Maine. The narrative explores Olive's complex personality, her relationships with family and neighbours, and the impact she has on their lives. Through a beautifully woven tapestry of human emotions, the novel delves into themes of love, loss, and the intricacies of everyday life.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy exploring the intricacies of small-town life and the complexities of human emotion. Through interconnected stories, it offers a poignant look at personal growth, relationships, and the hidden depths of its characters, all centred around a compelling protagonist with a sharp wit and captivating presence.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Acclaimed author Elizabeth Strout gives us thirteen rich, luminous narratives centred on a singular and formidable heroine, Olive Kitteridge.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Olive Kitteridge – the beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning novel

This beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, turned into an Emmy Award-winning HBO miniseries, is an extraordinary story about an ordinary woman’s life, and a vibrant exploration of all that connects us. The story of Olive Kitteridge will make you laugh, nod in recognition, wince in pain, and shed a tear or two.

'As perfect a novel as you will ever read… So astonishingly good that I shall be reading it once a year for the foreseeable future and very probably for the rest of my life.' Evening Standard

Olive Kitteridge is a complex woman. Described by some as indomitable and by others as compassionate, she herself has always been certain that she is absolutely right about everything. 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.

Through different narratives, telling the triumphs and tragedies of those around her, and spanning years, Olive’s story emerges. We meet her stoic husband, bound to her in a marriage both broken and strong, and a young man pained by loss – whom Olive comforts by her mere presence, while her own son feels overwhelmed by her sensitivities.

Praise for Elizabeth Strout

‘Strout animates the ordinary with astonishing force.’ The New Yorker

'A terrific writer.' Zadie Smith

'So good it gave me goosebumps.’ Sunday Times

'A superbly gifted storyteller and a craftswoman in a league of her own.' Hilary Mantel

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout is lauded for its portrayal of ordinary life with extraordinary empathy and insight. The novel's prose is celebrated for its precision and emotional depth, capturing both the beauty and complexity of the human experience. Critics appreciate its ability to weave together stories that reveal the nuances of personal relationships and the universal journey of understanding and love.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781849831550

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 09 June 2011

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Simon & Schuster Ltd

Edition: Reissue

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 352

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About the Author

Elizabeth Strout's tenure as a lawyer (six months) was slightly longer than her career as a stand-up comedian (one night). She has also worked as a bartender, waitress and piano player at bars across the USA. She now teaches literature in New York, where she lives with her husband and daughter.

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