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American Wife
- Narrated by: Kimberly Farr
- Length: 23 hrs and 25 mins
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American Wife
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Summary
Brought to you by Penguin
In the year 2000, in the closest election in American history, Alice Blackwell's husband becomes president of the United States. Their time in the White House proves to be heady, tumultuous, and controversial.
But it is Alice's own story - that of a kind, bookish, only child born in the 1940s Midwest who comes to inhabit a life of dizzying wealth and power - that is itself remarkable. Alice candidly describes her small-town upbringing, and the tragedy that shaped her identity; she recalls her early adulthood as a librarian, and her surprising courtship with the man who swept her off her feet; she tells of the crisis that almost ended their marriage; and she confides the privileges and difficulties of being first lady, a role that is uniquely cloistered and public, secretive and exposed.
In Alice Blackwell, Curtis Sittenfeld has created her most dynamic and complex heroine yet. American Wife is not a novel about politics. It is a gorgeously written novel that weaves race, class, fate and wealth into a brilliant tapestry. It is a novel in which the unexpected becomes inevitable, and the pleasures and pain of intimacy and love are laid bare.
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What listeners say about American Wife
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- MISS E WREN
- 02-08-22
Absorbing at so many points
Loved the young Alice very much. Fab exploration of relationships, loyalty and politics. Enjoy it!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Happy wife
- 04-02-23
Wonderful book
Absolutely loved this book. Fascinating story. It gave such insight into life as a First Lady.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- 007row
- 02-11-22
Wow!
Extraordinary!! My first Curtis Sittenfeld book. Beautifully written and read which made it extremely difficult to put down. Highly recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Kindle Customer
- 12-06-20
Un-putdownable.
So nuanced and richly layered. An absolute joy to listen to. You'll be sad to finish it.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- AndyT
- 15-11-20
My book of lockdown 2020
Funny, dramatic, moving. Curtis Sittenfeld's American Wife was recommended on BBC4 Woman's Hour and rightly so. Brilliantly written and narrated.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Annie Linfitt
- 19-10-22
unsettling
you will understand Alice until you put the book down then it gets confusing
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 15-06-23
Loved it
Thorough, considered and thoughtfully written. I was captivated from the start. The voice artist was wonderful.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Sam Edwards
- 30-10-20
Engrossing, insightful, compelling listening.
I downloaded this book on some sort of whim of a deal and had it sitting in my library for many months before getting around to listening. I just didn’t fancy the topic, the era, the controversy. But, I began listening and could not stop. Could not stop. I was completely invested from the beginning and bereft when it ended as I felt so very engaged with the characters, the topic and the controversy. As a teenager I wanted to have grown up a 1950s teenager and now as an adult I now after listening fantasise about being a 1980s/90s privileged American Wife. Talented author, the level of detail in crafting the characters and building the stories is awe striking.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Valerie
- 31-08-22
A wonderful book
I loved this book. It’s a fascinating and engaging story, with a beautifully drawn protagonist and cast of characters - all brought to life by the exceptional narrator. Highly recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- andrew ward
- 13-03-21
Wonderful novel
Curtis Sittenfeld has fully realised the character of Alice Blackwell as a wholly sympathetic yet complex character. Unlike Rodham which I also loved, it is not political in the same way until the latter sections. Although partly inspired by the life of Laura Bush, it is about the ironies, pains and consolations of life more than anything else. It is rare to find a long novel that consistently appeals. It is a huge skill to be able to make even relatively uneventful periods of life wholly compelling. I’m struggling to think of a better written modern novel. Increasingly Alice moves between the various time zones to create a satisfying, cohesive narrative. It’s quite rare to come across a novel I so looked forward to continuing and didn’t want to end.
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4 people found this helpful