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Good Kids Audiobook
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(2.08) - 165 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
The critically acclaimed author of American Nerd makes his fiction debut with this romantic tragicomedy about a teenage boy and girl who discover his dad is having an affair with her mom.
At fifteen, Josh Paquette and Khadijah Silverglate-Dunn catch Josh's father and Khadijah's mother kissing in a natural foods store. They make a pact never to cheat on anyone, ever. They have no problem keeping the vow—until they meet again at twenty-eight, both struggling with career and identity, and both engaged to other people.
Part interethnic romance, part intergenerational conflict, Good Kids is a hilarious, sad, handsomely plotted story of love and class in the era of the redefined household. Stylistically adventurous but always accessible, Nugent trains a keen ear on the vernaculars of generation Y and the baby boomers, as young and middle-aged alike try to decide what parenting, background, and loyalty mean in late twentieth- and early twenty-first-century America.
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"I won this book in a giveaway. It is so easy to write a book following the lives of two characters that fall in love and make it horrible. The author did not do this, however. The way he wrote the characters in such a complex and intriguing way made you want to continue the journey with them. It was a very great book."
— Rebecca (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“This dazzling first novel is many things at once: an incisive examination of class and politics, a richly comic portrayal of humiliation and self-loathing, and a guided tour of love in its varied forms. Benjamin Nugent’s writing is alive with intelligence, authenticity, and angst. Fans of Jonathan Franzen, you just may have found your new favorite writer.”
— Curtis Sittenfeld, New York Times bestselling author of American Wife and Prep -
“Fans of character-driven literary fiction will find much to enjoy in Nugent’s novel.”
— Booklist
Good Kids Listener Reviews
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" Funny at the beginning, sad at the end. A good quick read. "
— Michael, 2/16/2014 -
" So disappointed by this book! The beginning was promising: funny, and clever, and sad, but midway through the book I just stopped caring about the characters. Josh became sort of unbearable: a smug, navel-gazing Wes Anderson movie times 3. I wish the end had matched the start. "
— Lauren, 2/1/2014 -
" I think I liked this book? The ending was truly a disappointment, and while much of the book made me cringe (as in, do people really behave this way on a regular basis?!), I couldn't let myself put it down (I did finish it in a day... thanks, Spring Break). It was challenging to know who to root for, but I think that speaks strongly about his characters. Lots of wit and descriptions, but occasionally too much. It will definitely hook you, but most likely disappoint you at the end! "
— Amy, 1/17/2014 -
" This was a book club pick and I was surprised at how long this "short" 200 page book felt. It was probably because the mood/tone of the book and characters is utterly depressing. Not the ending I was hoping for, although it did make sense in the context of rest of the miserable story. I love a good "coming of age" story but this one just fell flat for me. "
— Jenk1013, 1/10/2014 -
" I read this for a book club at work. Honestly though, I didn't really like it. The first half was witty and fun and interesting, but the second half was just painful. Do people really act like that? Speak like that? Think like that? It was trying to be too "edgy" or "hipster" or something, and it just didn't do it for me. But maybe I just don't identify with that lifestyle? Also- warning on the language if you are a sensitive reader. "
— Kristin, 1/4/2014 -
" Nothing earth shattering in this book, and by the end I had had enough of the characters. I did enjoy this author's style, which included some wonderful flashes of humor and humanity. "
— Elisa, 12/27/2013 -
" Too self-consciously written. "
— Lauren, 12/22/2013 -
" This book started off great but then I lost interest. Characters annoying and unattractive. Sorry to say because I really wanted to like this book more! "
— Lesley, 11/23/2013 -
" This was a quick read, but still a waste of time. Very tiresome main character. "
— Kasia, 11/4/2013 -
" Good premise with a promising beginning but unfortunately went way downhill. "
— Lisa, 9/9/2013 -
" I won this book in a giveaway. The characters were not very enjoyable, but the story is excellent and the author has a great way of creating an atmosphere! "
— Terri, 8/10/2013 -
" liked, not loved. i might not be cool enough for this. like the dude more than the girl which is typical. liked the ending. hmmm yep, liked this more than i orignally thought :) "
— Heather, 7/12/2013 -
" Not my cup of tea. Didn't get the humor. Thought I would enjoy this book since I hail from the western mass area but that didn't help. I could not have cared less about these characters. "
— Darlene, 6/24/2013 -
" I could see how others might like this book but I just wasn't into it. The story on the cover was much more interesting than the actual book turned out to be. "
— Kayla, 5/26/2013 -
" Really really wanted to love this book . Loved the characters. Just couldn't get into the second half of the story. "
— Janet, 5/7/2013 -
" Seemed all to real and not real at all; a super enjoyable ride. "
— Jamzaf, 4/7/2013 -
" I wanted to like this book more but the main character was so annoying. "
— Kikidee, 3/7/2013
About Benjamin Nugent
Benjamin Nugent’s essays and reviews have appeared in the New York Times Op-Ed page, New York Times Magazine, the Washington Post, Time, and n+1, and his fiction has appeared in Tin House. He holds an MFA in fiction from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where he was an Iowa Arts Fellow. Director of creative writing at Southern New Hampshire University, he teaches fiction and nonfiction in its MFA and undergraduate programs. He grew up in Amherst, Massachusetts, and lives in Boston.
About Charlie Thurston
Andi Arndt is a professional voice actor, the winner of a 2017 Audie Award for Best Romance, and winner of two Earphones Awards.