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Audiobooks > Fiction >  Women > The Post-Birthday World
The Post-Birthday World Audiobook, by Lionel Shriver Play Audiobook Sample

The Post-Birthday World Audiobook

By: Lionel Shriver
The Post-Birthday World Audiobook, by Lionel Shriver Play Audiobook Sample
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This audiobook is no longer available through the publisher and we don't know if or when it will become available again. Please check out similar audiobooks below, and click the "Vote this up!" button to let us know you're interested in this title. This audiobook has 1 votes
Read By: Tanya Eby Publisher: Brilliance Audio Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 14.00 hours at 1.5x Speed 10.50 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: June 2009 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9781423360964
2.99956812563618 out of 52.99956812563618 out of 52.99956812563618 out of 52.99956812563618 out of 52.99956812563618 out of 5 (3.00) - 6,877 listener ratings
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Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

21

Longest Chapter Length:

108:35 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

19:25 minutes

Average Chapter Length:

59:53 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

11

Other Audiobooks Written by Lionel Shriver: > View All...

So Much for That Audiobook, by Lionel Shriver
We Need to Talk About Kevin movie tie-in: A Novel Audiobook, by Lionel Shriver
The New Republic: A Novel Audiobook, by Lionel Shriver
Big Brother: A Novel Audiobook, by Lionel Shriver
Ordinary Decent Criminals: A Novel Audiobook, by Lionel Shriver
The Mandibles: A Family, 2029-2047 Audiobook, by Lionel Shriver
Property: Stories Between Two Novellas Audiobook, by Lionel Shriver
The Motion of the Body Through Space: A Novel Audiobook, by Lionel Shriver
Should We Stay or Should We Go: A Novel Audiobook, by Lionel Shriver
Abominations: Selected Essays from a Career of Courting Self-Destruction Audiobook, by Lionel Shriver
Mania: A Novel Audiobook, by Lionel Shriver

Publisher Description

“The Post-Birthday World is a brilliant ‘what if?’ novel. But that barely scrapes the surface in describing Shriver’s imaginative feat. . . .It’s mad genius. . . . A tour de force.” – USA Today American children’s book illustrator Irina McGovern enjoys a secure, settled life in London with her smart, loyal, disciplined partner, Lawrence – until the night she finds herself inexplicably drawn to kissing another man, a passionate, extravagant, top-ranked snooker player. Two competing alternate futures hinge on this single kiss, as Irina’s decision – to surrender to temptation or to preserve her seemingly safe partnership with Lawrence – will have momentous consequences for her career, her friendships and familial relationships, and the texture of her daily life. “A playful, psychologically acute, and luxuriously textured meditation on the nature of love.” – The New Yorker “Outstanding. . . . Shriver, a brilliant and versatile writer, allows these competing stories to unfold organically, each a fully rounded drama, rich with irony, ambiguity, and unforeseeable human complications.” – Entertainment Weekly “[A] wonderful new novel. . . . The rewards for sticking with these five-hundred-plus pages are as delicious as one of Irina’s feasts.” – Washington Post Book World “Book clubs across the USA should be buying up stacks of Lionel Shriver’s dazzling Rubik’s Cube of a novel. . . . Even if you’re a solitary reader, file this one under Books That Will Have You Talking – to yourself.” – USA Today

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"This was probably one of the best books I've read in a long time. It was amazing how the author managed to intertwine the two realities, so that the characters were always true to themselves in both circumstances and the situations were consistent throughout. It was beautifully written."

— Brenda (5 out of 5 stars)

Quotes

  • “Provocative…The Post-Birthday World is…as unflinching as they come.”

    — New York Times

  • “Shriver has a gift for creating real and complicated characters...[A] highly engrossing novel.”

    — San Francisco Chronicle

  • “Provocative...stunningly intense.”

    — New York Daily News

  • “Ingenious...delightful...[Shriver] has produced a novel that’s equal parts entertainment and psychological massage.”

    — Philadelphia Inquirer

  • “This is a compulsive, clever, wise, and witty novel.” 

    — Times (London)

  • “Ingenious...there is an impressive freshness in her treatment. The writing is intelligent, the characterization thoughtful, the insights into love, sex, and snooker sharp. After her acclaimed 2003 novel, We Need To Talk About Kevin, Shriver confirms her reputation as an original talent.”

    — Mail on Sunday (London)

  • “Compelling...ingenious...inspired.”

    — Evening Standard (London)

  • “Shriver writes with much intelligence and wryness...The twofold nature of the plot...makes for enlightening reading.”

    — Irish Times

  • “The Post-Birthday World is a...radical book.” 

    — The Scotsman

  • “Extraordinary...Before it was co-opted and trivialized by chick lit, romantic love was a subject that writers from Flaubert to Tolstoy deemed worthy of artistic and moral scrutiny. This is the tradition into which Shriver’s novel fits.”

    — Entertainment Weekly

  • “Hugely entertaining…tackles the dueling human needs for passion and security with fierce, witty honesty.”

    — Vogue

  • “With Jamesian patience, Shriver explores snooker tournaments and terrorism conferences, passionate lovemaking and passionless sex, and teases out her themes of ambition, self-recrimination, and longing. The result is an impressive...novel.”

    — Publishers Weekly

  • “Original and involving...convincing and beautifully told. Highly recommended.”

    — Library Journal (starred review)

  • “A layered and unflinching portrait of infidelity...a tremendous feat of characterization...Better still, the author is more interested in raising questions about love and fidelity than in pat moralizing.”

    — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Awards

  • A New York Times bestseller
  • A 2007 Time Magazine Top 10 Book for Fiction
  • A 2007 Entertainment Weekly Best Book for Fiction

The Post-Birthday World Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 2.80769230769231 out of 52.80769230769231 out of 52.80769230769231 out of 52.80769230769231 out of 52.80769230769231 out of 5 (2.81)
5 Stars: 3
4 Stars: 6
3 Stars: 6
2 Stars: 5
1 Stars: 6
Narration: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " Terrible book. Waste of time. "

    — Lina, 2/10/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Life is never perfect-- "

    — Gabrielle, 2/9/2014
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " Annoying from start to finish. "

    — cassie, 2/9/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " I started this book in June and had to take a break for books that could hold my interest. I had to make myself finish it over Christmas break. It wasn't a horrible read, I just thought it was drawn-out and a little predictable in the end. Perhaps I had too high of expectations because of the interesting premise. "

    — Tiffany, 2/2/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " The Sliding Doors-esque plot is definitely a great one to explore, and I enjoyed the characters in this book, but the dualing plots started to become way too predictable, as you could see if something didn't happen in one version of Irena's life, it would happen in the other. Lame. "

    — Zoe, 1/27/2014
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " I would have rated this one more if it wasn't sooooo darn long! The author needed to shave like 150-200 pages off this book. It was long! It's a "What if" book...like Sliding Doors. Good...but could have been great...if only the author had a better editor. "

    — Gio, 1/26/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I wish that the characters in this book had been more likable. Because the book was really interesting, but once I found out that I didn't like the characters, I didn't really like reading it anymore. Unfortunate, no? "

    — Liska, 1/18/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " This book is about truth. "

    — Kailin, 12/7/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Snooker playing! No, it bores be silly but this is such an insightful story. Choices are made and their impact skillfully contrasted. A sliding doors (film) scenario. "

    — Adrienne, 12/1/2013
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " Couldn't get through it; didn't finish. Not my favorite. "

    — Izzybeedesigns, 11/15/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " hard to get into... Try SO much for that from this same author!! MuCH BETTER! "

    — Tracey, 10/15/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " Only made it half way through. The whole thing was two perspectives of an affair and they used the "f" word A LOT! TO THE TRASH! "

    — Lady, 7/6/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I found this book to be very frustrating. Each chapter is repeated from 2 different perspectives. I found it annoying and time consuming but I did like the characters and the story "

    — Cheryl, 5/29/2013
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " I was so disappointed with this book - I finished it, but really didn't enjoy reading it at all. All three main characters were so unlikeable and I really didn't care much about any of them. The premise was interesting, but it just fell flat in this book. "

    — Erica, 1/5/2013
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " Wanted to like this... intriguing premise, but it just goes on and on and on... and the characters just become more unlikeable as the novel drags on to the end. "

    — Mia, 4/10/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Interesting structure, the symmetry between the two possible lives works, sometimes the sames words or same fragments of dialogue work to different effect. "

    — Isabel, 4/9/2012
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Fantastic "what if" premise and a very honest look at love and how complicated we humans can be. I dog-eared SO MANY pages! "

    — Irene, 8/7/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " A strange and enjoyable book - very unexpected. Actually bought it to loan out instead of just reading the library one. "

    — Naomi, 6/3/2011
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " I really enjoyed "We need to talk about Kevin", so I immediately started on this book. I have to say I don't feel the same chemistry with the author. I want to find out what happens to the characters... just not enough to finish it. Weird. "

    — Kristina, 4/30/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Very true in it's conceit and that the grass is green in neither place when it comes to choosing another's desires over your own. Irina is sad yet a true picture of an insecure woman. I liked this novel very much. "

    — Carol, 4/23/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Choose your ending. Fun. Post-feminist feminist. "

    — Lily, 4/8/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Having appreciated "Kevin" pounced on this one and not disappointed. Having familiarity with life in the US and UK, was of particular interest to me and felt submerged into the snooker world in a way I wouldn't have thought possible. "

    — Clare, 4/6/2011
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " Well - I didn't hate it, I just couldn't keep interested in it and ultimately ended up putting it down before finishing. "

    — Meredith, 4/4/2011
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " Wanted to like this... intriguing premise, but it just goes on and on and on... and the characters just become more unlikeable as the novel drags on to the end. "

    — Mia, 3/27/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I loved it. I liked the idea of following two different paths into the future. "

    — Polly, 3/19/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Fantastic "what if" premise and a very honest look at love and how complicated we humans can be. I dog-eared SO MANY pages! "

    — Irene, 3/10/2011

About Lionel Shriver

Lionel Shriver is a novelist whose books include Orange Prize winner We Need to Talk about Kevin, The Post-Birthday World, A Perfectly Good Family, Game Control, Double Fault, The Female of the Species, Checker and the Derailleurs, and Ordinary Decent Criminals. She is widely published as a journalist, writing features, columns, op-eds, and book reviews for the London Guardian, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Economist, Marie Claire, and many other publications. She is frequently interviewed on television, radio, and in print media.

About Tanya Eby

Tanya Eby is a novelist and an audiobook narrator who has earned several AudioFile Earphones Awards and been nominated for the Audie Award. She has a BA degree in English language and literature and an MFA in creative writing from the University of Southern Maine.