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One and the Same: My Life as an Identical Twin and What I've Learned About Everyone's Struggle to Be Singular Audiobook
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(3.09) - 281 listener ratings
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Writer. Mother. Wife. New Yorker. Abigail Pogrebin is many things, but the one that has defined her most profoundly is "identical twin." Pogrebin's relationship with her sister—both as children, when they were inseparable, and today, when she longs for that uncomplicated intimacy—inspired her to examine the phenomenon of twinship, to learn how other identical pairs regard their doubleness and what experts are learning about how DNA impacts our sense of identity and shapes our lives.
In One and the Same, Pogrebin presents a tapestry of twinship, weaving science reporting and personal memoir with the revelatory stories of other twins, such as two sisters who stopped speaking for three years; football stars Tiki and Ronde Barber, who admit their twinship comes before their marriages; a pair of bawdy, self-proclaimed "twin ambassadors" who have created a media empire around their twinness; and brothers whose shared genetic anomaly wrought unspeakable tragedy. In this stirring account, Pogrebin shows how living identical is both a celebration of sameness and a struggle for singularity that defines us all.
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"I really enjoyed this book and found it very interesting. The author looks at "twinship" from so many different angles including love, loss, separation and estrangement. I appreciated her input as an identical twin as it lent an air of authenticity to her opinions. Some of the subject matter (death of a twin, twins lost in 9-11, the Holocaust, genetic diseases) were difficult to read, but I feel the book would not be complete without them. One of the things I appreciated most about this book was that the majority of the info was about identical twins. Most books I've looked at focus more on the majority of twins (fraternal). As an expectant mom of twins I appreciated this informative and thought provoking read."
— Tamara (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Eyre’s comfortable manner makes her seem like the author talking.”
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Eyre's comfortable manner makes her seem like the author talking.
— AudioFile
One and the Same Listener Reviews
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" It's probably because I'm so close to the subject matter (I'm an identical twin myself), but this is my favorite book of 2009. I can't think of another book - fiction or nonfiction - that has had the emotional resonance with me that this one does. In this book, Pogrebin talks about twinness in a way that I've been trying to to find the right words for my whole life. "
— Josh, 2/17/2014 -
" Interesting insight on what it means to be a twin. I don't know if I'd have read it if I weren't a twin. Makes you wonder if you are the needy twin or the secure twin. Well-written and lots of interesting twin stories, but a bit wandering. "
— Molly, 2/10/2014 -
" A whole lot of different aspects of twinship -- some things I could definitely sympathize with, and some things I don't think my sister and I ever ran into. Recommended for anyone who knows twins; I'm sure it's a relationship that can be confusing from the outside, but this books opens up a little window. "
— Allison, 2/5/2014 -
" Loved this book. Amazing "non-fiction "story" about the uniqueness and challenges of being a twin. Fascinating how Abby wove all the past and current research into the narrative illustrated by anecdotes from twins--herself included. Highly recommend. Twins and non-twins alike will enjoy. "
— Beth, 1/25/2014 -
" Interesting stories and and some thought-provoking questions. "
— Ashley, 1/18/2014 -
" I listened to this book over the weekend. Because I listened to it, I was able to get through it. Because I'm not a twin, the stories and memories were weird to listen to. "
— Mary, 1/9/2014 -
" Vicki suggested reading this. It was good. A must read for those with identical twins. I think it would be interesting for adult identicals to read it and review it. "
— Pamela, 1/3/2014 -
" Honestly, I might be more scared now, about raising my identical boys, than I was before I read this book! ;) Twin relationships are so complicated, but beautiful and Abby Pogrebin did a great job exploring the different aspects of twinship. I will take her advice to heart! "
— Sarah, 1/3/2014 -
" This book was recommended by a fellow twin mom. I loved it. The memoir parts made it easier to read the technical parts. It was the perfect combination for my enjoyment. I learned a lot, but it also reinforced many of my previously held beliefs about raising my daughters. "
— Pam, 12/28/2013 -
" interesting. springboard for some good conversations with my twins. "
— Susan, 12/7/2013 -
" What an informative and thought provoking book about identical twins! I learned a lot about twins and I AM ONE! Really well written! "
— Tina, 11/24/2013 -
" I should love this, but I can't seem to care enough to finish it. "
— Kathy, 9/29/2013 -
" fascinating...I'd recommend it to parents of twins, adult twins, spouses of twins, etc. "
— Sandy, 3/21/2013 -
" This book helped me understand and articulate the bond of identical twins, the challenges they face in life, and ways to embrace that bond or encourage autonomy. "
— Leslie, 3/17/2013 -
" This book led my twin sister and I to get genetic testing to find out if we were identical or fraternal twins. I am extremely glad to have read it and could relate to the author and her sister going through a bit of separation issues. "
— Mindy, 11/17/2012 -
" Interesting exploration of twin-ness. "
— Katie, 10/13/2012 -
" A fascinating book by an identical twin about her continuing fascination with twins. The writer brings together current scholarship, her own background as a journalist, but best of all, her experience and feelings. The fact that her twin wants less of the twinship now is thoughtfully explored. "
— Anne, 6/26/2012 -
" Very interesting! Learned all sorts of twin info that I never would have known otherwise. "
— Kirsten, 6/1/2012 -
" Fundamental book for parents of identical twins "
— Federica, 4/5/2012 -
" I read this book because I have identical twins, and I wish I hadn't. There are just things I don't want to know about that were included just because they happened to twins. "
— Karen, 3/22/2012 -
" Honestly, I might be more scared now, about raising my identical boys, than I was before I read this book! ;) Twin relationships are so complicated, but beautiful and Abby Pogrebin did a great job exploring the different aspects of twinship. I will take her advice to heart! "
— Sarah, 6/27/2011 -
" I read this book because I have identical twins, and I wish I hadn't. There are just things I don't want to know about that were included just because they happened to twins. "
— Karen, 4/22/2011 -
" This book helped me understand and articulate the bond of identical twins, the challenges they face in life, and ways to embrace that bond or encourage autonomy. "
— Leslie, 6/3/2010 -
" Really liked this book because of my obsession with twins and twin behavior. However, don't really think I learned anything new. "
— Bernadette, 4/28/2010 -
" fascinating...I'd recommend it to parents of twins, adult twins, spouses of twins, etc. "
— Sandy, 4/27/2010 -
" A fascinating book by an identical twin about her continuing fascination with twins. The writer brings together current scholarship, her own background as a journalist, but best of all, her experience and feelings. The fact that her twin wants less of the twinship now is thoughtfully explored. "
— Anne, 4/15/2010 -
" Interesting insight on what it means to be a twin. I don't know if I'd have read it if I weren't a twin. Makes you wonder if you are the needy twin or the secure twin. Well-written and lots of interesting twin stories, but a bit wandering. "
— Molly, 3/24/2010 -
" For anyone who is a twin or has twins in the family, this is a must-read. So many perspectives to consider through author's interviews of many sets of twins. Author, a twin herself, relates her personal struggles and provides insight. "
— Kathy, 3/7/2010 -
" Vicki suggested reading this. It was good. A must read for those with identical twins. I think it would be interesting for adult identicals to read it and review it. "
— Pamela, 2/22/2010 -
" Twins. Doesn't it sound like the perfect solution to human loneliness and the cold black heart of the world? Nice job of breaking down the issues and underlining key topics without getting all sciencey on me. "
— Kyla, 2/18/2010
About Abigail Pogrebin
Abigail Pogrebin is the author of Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish. She was a senior correspondent for Brill’s Content and a contributing writer for Talk magazine, and she is now a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in many magazines and newspapers. A Yale graduate, she has also served as producer for 60 Minutes, Charlie Rose, Bill Moyers, and Fred Friendly. She lives with her husband and two children in Manhattan—a mile from her identical twin sister, New York Times reporter Robin Pogrebin.
About Justine Eyre
Justine Eyre is a classically trained actress who has narrated many audiobooks, earning the prestigious Audie Award for best narration and numerous Earphones Awards. She is multilingual and known for her great facility with accents. She has appeared on stage, with leading roles in King Lear and The Crucible, and has had starring roles in four films on the indie circuit. Her television credits include Two and a Half Men and Mad Men.