The stories in this book portray people where they are. Authentic, even when they are being dishonest with themselves and each other. Prose is very nice, characters rich and interesting, even if not always particularly likable. Complex dichotomy of how we see ourselves vs. how others see us. Some of the stories dragged a bit, hence the four stars. One can see oneself and one's neighbors in the these characters, and the stories elicit compassion for all of struggling with the human condition. Olive is a character who struggles with how to love and be loved, yet is a woman of strong feelings and deep wounds. ( )

I can't even rate this book - how did it ever win a Pulitzer? What am I missing that makes this novel so acclaimed!

Many, many years ago I had a wonderful office-friend, Judith Carson, with whom I rode to work everyday. One time she shared that, sitting at a stoplight or some place similar, she'd marvel that all the people around her had their own lives - their own troubles and joys - that she knew absolutely nothing about and yet were everything to them. I think Judith would love this book.

This is not a read-in-one-sitting book, it's better savored a chapter (a story) or so each day. Rather than a linear narrative, it's a portrait of a town by way of small stories threaded though and around the titular character.

Elizabeth Strout's gift for deep-diving into character is just that, a gift. And I am so glad she shares it with us.

Owned (Gottwals)
* a keeper *
Paperback ( )

Originally published in 2008 and set in small town Crosby, Maine. Frances McDormand, one of my most favorite actresses, plays Olive Kitteridge in the HBO miniseries, which I have not seen and may not ever get to see because we do not support HBO.
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I love Olive Kitteridge! She reminds me of me. But, Olive is not the most lovable person. She's just bold and out-spoken, which hits people the wrong way sometimes.

At 50 (I'm 55) she's in bed with her husband, Henry, who tries to make the move on her, much like my husband, and she just said, "Henry, I'm done with all that!" (YES! By God, women everywhere are just totally exhausted, including me.) Olive and Henry are just going through the motions of life. They feel like they got one foot in the grave. Their son is always annoyed by her, although Henry is not much of a problem, and he doesn't like being around her. They are old. They talk about things he doesn't give a crap about. Their son constantly gives them the proverbial eyerolls. Olive's feelings are easily hurt, so she fights back with a hard outter front.

Now, Henry has a stroke and is in the nursing home for a few years, then finally dies. She's very lonely but portrays it as anger. She's angry at her son for not calling her. She's angry at her new friend, Tom Kennison, a widow who she has befriended on daily 6 mile walks, which is the only thing she enjoys these days, who stopped calling her after she got pissed when she found out he was a Republican. It took her to make the phone call and "check on him" for their friendship to be rekindled. He was just as lonely. They actually needed each other at this point in life. At age 77, she was feeling even a little sexual with Tom, but very guilty because she had denied sex to Henry, who truly did love her faults and all, for the last 20 years of their marriage and until death. But, the last thing she wants to do is get married to Tom, who probably only wants someone to take care of him and clean his house. Yet, deep inside, it seems she kind of needs someone to take care of, and Tom seems to really need and cares about her too.

Now onto PART 2: "Olive, Again"...when it becomes available again through one of the two used bookstores I shop. I let it slip through my fingers, thinking I wasn't going to enjoy the first story enough to want to read Part 2. ( )

Terrific book, but I wonder why there were all the references to panty hose on an aging, very overweight protagonist - and why did she insist on wearing them even without shoes, while walking on concrete?! But, this is a wonderful treatment of (us) human beings. ( )