Judith Viorst's most adored book is undoubtedly the children's classic Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. In this new book, fans will recognize and be drawn to the Alexander they know and love—only now he's all grown up, with three kids of his own.
When Judith's son Alexander announces that he, his wife, Marla, their daughter, Olivia (age five), and their two sons, Isaac (age two) and Toby (four months), would be staying with her and her husband for ninety days while their house was being renovated, Judy doesn't know quite how to repond. "I tried to think of it as a magnificent, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity not only to strengthen family ties and not only to really get to know the grandchildren, but also to further my personal growth while also achieving marital enrichment." She decides that she'll have to learn to let go of her excessive devotion to domestic neatness and adherence to carefully planned schedules.
As Judith's tightly run home turns into a high-octane madhouse of screaming grandkids, splattered floors, spilled milk, and tripped-over toys, she begins to understand that, despite the chaos, what she's been given truly is an amazing thing, an opportunity to know her children and grandchildren a little better than before, but also to reconnect with her husband as they hold hands, close their eyes, and wait patiently for move-out day.
When the "Alexander Five" make a final departure to their newly refurbished home, Judith realizes that Alexander's wonderful, marvelous, excellent, terrific ninety days might have been the greatest gift her son could have given her—the gift of discovering forgotten memories, making loving families, and a chance to live life a little more deeply.
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“Viorst intersperses familial anecdotes with musings on modern parenting and its problems, including various approaches to accommodating three generations in one house. Merlington’s tone matches Viorst’s text perfectly…This charming minimemoir doesn’t break any new ground, but it doesn’t have to.”
— Publishers Weekly
Viorst adds quick reflections on her personal growth, her life, and her marriage.... The stories are delightful enough to stand alone.
— Library Journal“Viorst adds quick reflections on her personal growth, her life, and her marriage…The stories are delightful enough to stand alone.”
— Library JournalBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Judith Viorst was born and brought up in New Jersey, graduated from Rutgers University, moved to Greenwich Village, and has lived in Washington, DC, since 1960, when she married Milton Viorst, a political writer. They have three sons and seven grandchildren. A 1981 graduate of the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute, Viorst writes in many different areas: science books; children’s picture books—including the beloved Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day; adult fiction and nonfiction; poetry for children and adults; and musicals.
Jeff Cummings, as an audiobook narrator, has won both an Earphones Award and the prestigious Audie Award in 2015 for Best Narration in Science and Technology. He is also a twenty-year veteran of the stage, having worked at many regional theaters across the country, from A Contemporary Theatre in Seattle and the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta to the Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City and the International Mystery Writers’ Festival in Owensboro, Kentucky. He also spent seven seasons with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.