Back-of-the-book blurb: At times stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town of Crosby, Maine, and in the world at large, but she doesn’t always recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past romance; a former student who has lost the will to live; Olive’s own adult child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities; and her husband, Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse.
As the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life–sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty. Olive Kitteridge offers profound insights into the human condition–its conflicts, its tragedies and joys, and the endurance it requires.
She is Too Fond of Books’ Review: Olive Kitteridge was on my MUST READ SOON list for three months before I picked it up; I’m hoping I can convince you to put it at the top of yours. I first learned of the book when I attended an Author’s Breakfast as part of the Concord Festival of Authors this fall. Elizabeth Strout was one of the authors who read from her novel and took questions from the audience that morning. Click here to listen to Strout read an excerpt; you’ll appreciate the chuckles and murmurs from those of us in attendance (and please ignore the clinks of flatware and juice glasses).
These thirteen short stories are linked by Olive Kitteridge, who has lived in the coastal town of Crosby, Maine her entire life. We first meet Olive in her mid-forties, married to her husband Henry (a pharmacist), mother of an only child, Christopher. Olive is a school teacher, and as the stories are told, we learn that she was feared by many, liked by some, and respected by all.
She’s a pragmatic “Mainer;” some might find her unnaturally cold, but she reads very real to me. She tells is like it is, and thinks sentimentality is foolish. In one scene a friend thinks Olive is suffering and asks “Doesn’t it make you angry?!?”. Olive replies, “no sense in getting angry, what’s done is done.”
I appreciated this exchange between Olive and a young girl who walked in on Olive while she was resting during a party at her son’s house, it shows Olive’s gruff exterior contrasted by her visceral reaction to her own aging and mortality:
“Hello,” Olive says to the little girl, but the child does not reply. After a moment, Olive says, “How old are you?” She is no longer familiar with young children, but she guesses this one is around four, maybe five …
Still the child says nothing. “Run along now,” Olive tells her, but the girl leans against the doorjamb and sways slightly, her eyes fixed on Olive. “Not polite to stare,” Olive says. “Didn’t anyone teach you that?”
The little girl, still swaying, says calmly, “You look dead.”
Olive lifts her head up. “Is that what they teach you to say these days?” But she feels a physical reaction as she leans back down, a soft ache beating on her breastbone for a moment, like a wing inside her. The child ought to have her mouth washed out with soap.
The stories are presented in chronological order, so we see Olive and Henry age (and all that comes with it), their son grow, marry and move away. We also see the intricacies of small town life, and how “small town” doesn’t mean “dull” or “simple”. Strout has the ability to make the townspeople of Crosby as fully-developed and detailed as any characters I’ve met in a long time.
Olive and her family are the main characters in perhaps half the narratives. She plays a role in each of the others, whether as a minor character or someone mentioned in passing. It is through this clever structure the reader gets close to Olive, as if seeing her through a magnifying glass. We then pull back and see her through the eyes of another character. She is so intense that this is a much-appreciated break. After reading several chapters I realized that Olive herself needs a break from this close scrutiny; she has the quirky habit of putting on her sunglasses when she feels uncomfortable or exposed; this is one of her traits that I found most endearing.
Each story is full enough to stand alone as a strong short story. Woven together, the narratives in Olive Kitteridge form a beautiful and complete portrait of a special woman.
The paperback version I read has the Random House Reader’s Circle “Readers Guide” which includes an interview with the author and “Olive Kitteridge” herself (!), as well as twenty discussion questions, also available online. Elizabeth Strout is the author of Amy and Isabelle (1998) and Abide with Me (2006); I’ve added both to my wish list. Author photo credit Jerry Bauer.
Wonderful review! And I’m so happy you liked the book.
I had forgotten about the sunglasses…I’m glad you pointed that out.
This is on my wish list – I’m really glad to see that it’s good.
This book is on my bedstand and I am really looking forward to it now!
I just placed a hold on this book at the library. Sounds wonderful. You can also order online through Powell’s.
softdrink – there were so many great passages in the stories, it was hard to pick just one to quote. I’m tempted to add one where Olive feels “cornered” and slips her sunglasses on.
Kathy – Each story is satisfying; you’ll enjoy it.
Michele – I hope you do pick it up soon. It was on my list for a while, then my book group selected it, which tipped my hand; so glad it did!
sherry – yes, all the online sources, and in stores too. Ironically, amazon is out of stock right now, and I went to two bookstores to find it. I’m glad Elizabeth Stout is enjoying such success with the collection.
This has been on my list, I’ve just bumped it closer to the top!
This sounds really good – thanks for the review!
[...] Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. Recommended at She Is Too Fond of Books. Also by Wendy at Caribousmom. I’ve been resisting this one because I don’t like short [...]
I wasn’t aware that this was a collection of short stories. I’m not sure how I missed that when I first heard about this book. Great review. I see what you mean by some people thinking Olive is a bit cold… I did from the snippets you provided but I also understood her comments to be sort of “matter of fact”. Very interesting.
pam – yay! I’m glad you’ve moved it up in the pile; let me know what you think after you’ve read it.
Swapna – *Olilve Kitteridge* is beautiful fiction.
Ti – the stories flow very well, and can read like a novel. yet, each one has all the detail it needs to stand on its own; you could read any individual story and know who each character is, and what their background story is, yet it doesn’t sound repetitive when taken as part of the whole (unlike my response here, which is very repetitive and running on!)
[...] At Home With Books (Graceling)173. At Home With Books (Little Giant of Aberdeen County)174. She is Too Fond of Books (Olive Kitteridge)175. She is Too Fond of Books (Be Strong and Curvaceous)176. She is Too Fond of Books [...]
I feel like I should have heard of this book, but I don’t believe I have. However, your review really makes me want to start reading it right now! I really like short stories that are connected in some way. Great review!
[...] Last month, my TriCon Book Group discussed Elizabeth Strout’s novel-in-stories Olive Kitteridge. I loved the character development in this book, and gave it a very favorable review. [...]
Great review, Dawn. I’d forgotten all about the sunglasses! I really liked Amy and Isabelle when I read it almost 10 years ago, and Abide with Me is on my tbr list.
[...] She Is Too Fond Of Books [...]
huh, I missed the sunglasses thing. How did I miss that? I also felt it jumped around in time. Another ‘huh’. Maybe because the first story was a longer time span of memories. And I totally missed the doughnuts connectiong, too. I wonder sometimes abt myself. Great review!! I loved Olive.
Anna – I hope you do get to read it; now that it’s a Pulitzer Prize winner, you can find it everywhere!
JoAnn – I haven’t read anything else by Elizabeth Strout (yet!)
Care – hmmm, you’ve got me stumped on the doughnuts! The first story was long, and seemed to be more about Henry. I felt like a had a good family portrait by the end of the book.
[...] Coop, by Michael Perry…about a spiritual journey, aka Farm-Daddy style. Then there’s Olive Kittredge who says “Don’t Be Afraid of your hunger” or you’ll end up like a nimwit. [...]
[...] http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/2009/01/09/book-review-olive-kitteridge-by-elizabeth-strout/ [...]
I enjoyed this book too and all its parts even though I found it a little disconnected at first but got with it and just loved it when Olive reappears in the next story. Funny how we all change into someone we used to be embarassed to know like when Olive drips ice cream on her blouse and feels she has turned into “old aunt Clara”. There is a lot of insight and the dark glasses are part of these too.