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Private Life Audiobook
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(2.99) - 1,630 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
A riveting new novel from the Pulitzer Prize–winner that traverses the intimate landscape of one woman’s life, from the 1880s to World War II. Margaret Mayfield is nearly an old maid at twenty-seven in post–Civil War Missouri when she marries Captain Andrew Jackson Jefferson Early. He’s the most famous man their small town has ever produced: a naval officer and a brilliant astronomer—a genius who, according to the local paper, has changed the universe. Margaret’s mother calls the match “a piece of luck.” Margaret is a good girl who has been raised to marry, yet Andrew confounds her expectations from the moment their train leaves for his naval base in faraway California. Soon she comes to understand that his devotion to science leaves precious little room for anything, or anyone, else. When personal tragedies strike and when national crises envelop the country, Margaret stands by her husband. But as World War II approaches, Andrew’s obsessions take a different, darker turn, and Margaret is forced to reconsider the life she has so carefully constructed. Private Life is a beautiful evocation of a woman’s inner world: of the little girl within the hopeful bride, of the young woman filled with yearning, and of the faithful wife who comes to harbor a dangerous secret. But it is also a heartbreaking portrait of marriage and the mysteries that endure even in lives lived side by side; a wondrously evocative historical panorama; and, above all, a masterly, unforgettable novel from one of our finest storytellers.
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"Not necessarily the most engaging novel I've read of hers, but you might slowly warm to this. Fully rounded characters set in an interesting and unique time and place (San Francisco area during the first half of the 1900s). A somewhat dark view of marriage and a life unfulfilled."
— Daven (4 out of 5 stars)
Awards
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A 2010 Washington Post Best Book for Fiction
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A New York Times bestseller
Private Life Listener Reviews
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" I love Jane Smiley, but this wasn't written in her usual style (from many perspectives surrounding a central theme). Smiley is a beautiful writer, but I think in this case, it was a little too subtle for me, especially at the end. I didn't get it. "
— Tara, 2/14/2014 -
" Unlike her previous books, the characters and story line did not keep my interest. It seemed disjointed. "
— Rene, 2/7/2014 -
" I loved this book. It is about an 'ordinary' woman who lived through the first and second world wars. The characters are so beautifully drawn and real. It's hard to understand why the book is so fascinating, but it is. "
— Jenn, 2/2/2014 -
" Amazing book that held my attention. The characters are well thought out and have depth. Very much enjoyed this one. "
— Amy, 1/29/2014 -
" I just don't care for women who suffer fools, and the main character of this book, Margaret, wastes her life with a foolish man. Smiley can get so many things right in her books, but making me want to care about her characters is not one of them. This is the fourth Smiley book I've read; two were terrific ("Moo" and "Thousand Acres"). I was hoping to add this book to that list, but not to be. "
— Belinda, 1/17/2014 -
" This book is the story of a marriage, and a very sad one at that. Margaret is married to Andrew, who is, well, nuts. Set in the years around the turn of the century and up to WW2, the novel shows how the national events affect them, their friends and their San Francisco area community. The early part of the book is set in St. Louis, and it was fascinating to learn more about the city's history. "
— Debbie, 1/3/2014 -
" I debated if I would rate this book at a 2 star or 3 star--rather depressing prospective of life and marriage, but a nicely developed characters. This is a book that will be interesting to see how I view it in 3 months and 6 months. It may age very well--so I gave it 3 stars. "
— Julie, 1/3/2014 -
" I read this because Greg wanted someone to talk to about it. I felt the same way when I finished it. It's kind of a quiet, gentle story -- engaging, lots of detail -- but also somewhat dark. "
— Gayle, 1/1/2014 -
" Readable, absorbing, but sometimes too much detail. "
— Johanna, 12/24/2013 -
" Listened to this on CD. It is about a woman's depressing life who is immersed in the world of her husband. She learns more and more about him and finds his world is not realistic maybe even crazy. You are wondering why I listened to this whole book. I have no idea. "
— Eileen, 12/16/2013 -
" A great disappointment. In the past I have enjoyed Smiley's writing but this one is very dark and very boring. "
— Tinytextiles, 12/8/2013 -
" Not as enjoyable as her others, but still more than worth reading. "
— Carson, 11/23/2013 -
" I love Jane Smiley. This one just wasn't interesting to me. "
— Beverly, 7/9/2013 -
" I abandoned this book mid-way through. Decided I didn't care about the characters. "
— Stevebri, 6/29/2012 -
" This grew on me as I read it. "
— Mckinley, 5/15/2012 -
" a good story, a bit of a slow start but beautiful in several passages. "
— Sherry, 4/13/2012 -
" boring...put it down... "
— Heather, 4/1/2012 -
" I loved her other books. I was dissapointed. By this book. "
— Barbara, 8/16/2011 -
" Turn of the century woman marries a crazy man. "
— Barb, 6/2/2011 -
" It is not my favorite Jane Smiley book...It was hard for me to get into "
— Barbara, 5/30/2011 -
" Very detailed and slow moving story. The author's style made it difficult to follow. Her style involved long run-on sentences and dialogue without quotes. I very badly wanted to like the characters and the story but I just couldn't. "
— Tricia, 5/20/2011 -
" I abandoned this book mid-way through. Decided I didn't care about the characters. "
— Stevebri, 4/15/2011 -
" I liked the understated tone and the historical references, and the characters seemed pretty realistic, but this was ultimately a downer. "
— Jean, 4/10/2011 -
" I really liked this book. It's painful to read, about a loveless marriage that was more or less an arrangement for companionship...The man devoting his life to steadfastly defending his antiquated scientific work... and how his wife copes (and doesn't cope) with it all. "
— Allie, 3/24/2011 -
" Extremely boring. Libel to put me off reading.. "
— Karen, 3/21/2011 -
" Absorbing tale of a woman married to an eccentric man, had me wondering whether or not he was truly crazy. Smiley did a very good job of conveying Margaret's emotions and tenseness. "
— Janet, 3/9/2011 -
" Elegant writing, sad story, but I never quite cared enough about the characters to love the book. "
— Elizabeth, 3/1/2011 -
" I chose this because it was on the Pulitzer Prize list and got a bunch out of the library but I don't think I would recommend it. It was just OK. "
— Mindy, 2/26/2011 -
" did not like it at all did not finish could not get into this book (had really good reviews from others) "
— Bobbi, 2/14/2011
About Jane Smiley
Jane Smiley is the author of numerous novels, including A Thousand Acres, which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, as well of works of nonfiction and books for young adults. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, she has also received the PEN Center USA Lifetime Achievement Award for Literature. In 2001 she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
About Kate Reading
Michael Kramer is an AudioFile Earphones Award winner, a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration, and recipient of a Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award. He is also an actor and director in the Washington, DC, area, where he is active in the area’s theater scene and has appeared in productions at the Shakespeare Theatre, the Kennedy Center, and Theater J.