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American Wife: A Novel Audiobook
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(3.00) - 24,567 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
On what might become one of the most significant days in her husband’s presidency, Alice Blackwell considers the strange and unlikely path that has led her to the White House–and the repercussions of a life lived, as she puts it, “almost in opposition to itself.” A kind, bookish only child born in the 1940s, Alice learned the virtues of politeness early on from her stolid parents and small Wisconsin hometown. But a tragic accident when she was seventeen shattered her identity and made her understand the fragility of life and the tenuousness of luck. So more than a decade later, when she met boisterous, charismatic Charlie Blackwell, she hardly gave him a second look: She was serious and thoughtful, and he would rather crack a joke than offer a real insight; he was the wealthy son of a bastion family of the Republican party, and she was a school librarian and registered Democrat. Comfortable in her quiet and unassuming life, she felt inured to his charms. And then, much to her surprise, Alice fell for Charlie. As Alice learns to make her way amid the clannish energy and smug confidence of the Blackwell family, navigating the strange rituals of their country club and summer estate, she remains uneasy with her newfound good fortune. And when Charlie eventually becomes President, Alice is thrust into a position she did not seek–one of power and influence, privilege and responsibility. As Charlie’s tumultuous and controversial second term in the White House wears on, Alice must face contradictions years in the making: How can she both love and fundamentally disagree with her husband? How complicit has she been in the trajectory of her own life? What should she do when her private beliefs run against her public persona? In Alice Blackwell, New York Times bestselling author Curtis Sittenfeld has created her most dynamic and complex heroine yet. American Wife is a gorgeously written novel that weaves class, wealth, race, and the exigencies of fate into a brilliant tapestry–a novel in which the unexpected becomes inevitable, and the pleasures and pain of intimacy and love are laid bare. Praise for American Wife “Curtis Sittenfeld is an amazing writer, and American Wife is a brave and moving novel about the intersection of private and public life in America. Ambitious and humble at the same time, Sittenfeld refuses to trivialize or simplify people, whether real or imagined.” –Richard Russo “What a remarkable (and brave) thing: a compassionate, illuminating, and beautifully rendered portrait of a fictional Republican first lady with a life and husband very much like our actual Republican first lady’s. Curtis Sittenfeld has written a novel as impressive as it is improbable.” –Kurt Andersen
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"I considered giving this book 5 stars. While it was a very good story (never did I look ahead to see how many chapters were left), I had one main problem with it. I had trouble maintaining the separation of fact and fiction. Going in, I knew it was essentially the story of a real first lady. I didn't know enough about the book to know which one. Because of that, I was able to imagine a fictionalized Alice. Even when it was clearly revealed to be about Laura Bush, I continued my best to hold onto my fictionalized Alice and later, Charlie. For a lot of the book, that worked, but my mind keep producing images of Laura and George Bush. This was especially awkward during their annoyingly predictable bedroom scenes. I do not want to know the graphic details of their intimacies! I'd also get sidetracked looking for for other fictionalized substitutions for reality. Was Halcyon really Kennebunkport? Did Laura really love the teenager who died in the car accident? Did George have false residences in Texas? I'm sure other readers didn't have these distractions; I did, though. That said, I felt the characters were artfully developed. I really liked some of them, namely Alice and Jessica, and I really disliked most of the Blackwells, especially Maj. I will look for Prep; I think I'll enjoy it."
— Laura (4 out of 5 stars)
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
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A 2008 Time Magazine Top 10 Book for Fiction
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One of the 2008 New York Times Book Review 100 Notable Books for Fiction
American Wife Listener Reviews
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" It jumps around a lot but what an interesting book based loosely on the life of Laura Bush. It really gives you a lot to mull over. "
— Amy, 2/16/2014 -
" There was something about the writing style that I just loved. I've recommended this several times. "
— Katy, 2/3/2014 -
" tricked- this book is loosely based on barbara bush... "
— Catherine, 1/31/2014 -
" I'm conflicted about this book. I really enjoyed the first 2/3 of it and I was captivated by the complex and interesting character than Sittenfeld developed. However, I was never able to understand that attraction to Charlie and found the end of the book almost tedious. Did Sittenfeld mean for readers to get so impatient and frustrated with Alice? "
— Kathleen, 1/27/2014 -
" Ummm not what I expected..... "
— Jane, 1/20/2014 -
" Read this for the second time. Love the first three sections, but was let down by the ending. Still definitely worth reading. Makes you think about your reaction to the bush administration, but also about marriage, relationships, and how people end up together. "
— Jennifer, 1/19/2014 -
" Fascinating. Charming. Based on the life of Laura Bush, who is far more interesting anyway. She even makes ole Dubya a romantic dolt. You can see how she was drawn in, and how she had the dignity & grace to thrive. "
— Erica, 1/15/2014 -
" i liked it, but it got to be a bit long at the end. "
— Samantha, 12/27/2013 -
" Very slow, in the middle of the book I started feeling I was reading a school-time Mills & Boons. Just I was about 6to enter into the actual story (I think so), I decided to get over it and will read it at later point of time. "
— Mridu, 12/13/2013 -
" The beginning of the book was better than the last third. But still, really good. A "
— Mara, 11/24/2013 -
" I really enjoyed this book. It is well-written. Author is a great story teller. While it is fiction, it is loosely based on Laura Bush's life. And a fascinating fictional portrayal. "
— Andrea, 11/12/2013
About Curtis Sittenfeld
Curtis Sittenfeld is the author of New York Times bestselling books and short story collections that have been translated into thirty languages and twice selected as Reese’s Book Club picks. Her stories have also appeared in the New Yorker, The Atlantic, and The Best American Short Stories.
About Kimberly Farr
Kimberly Farr is an actress and winner of numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards for narration. She has appeared on Broadway and at the New York Shakespeare Festival, the Roundabout Theatre, Playwright’s Horizons, and the American Place. She created the role of “Eve” in Arthur Miller’s first and only musical, Up from Paradise, which was directed by the author. She appeared with Vanessa Redgrave in the Broadway production of The Lady from the Sea and has acted in regional theaters across the country, including a performance in the original production of The 1940’s Radio Hour at Washington, DC’s Arena Stage.