Women's Book Discussion NP

Olive Kitteridge, by Elizabeth Strout, is the featured selection for discussion in New Palestine. Participants are encouraged to read the selection in advance. Ask for a copy at the information desk.

Book jacket description:

In a voice more powerful and compassionate than ever before, New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Strout binds together thirteen rich, luminous narratives through the presence of one larger-than-life, unforgettable character: Olive Kitteridge.

At the edge of the continent, Crosby, Maine, may seem like nowhere, but seen through this brilliant writer’s eyes, it’s in essence the whole world, and the lives that are lived there are filled with grand human drama: desire, despair, jealousy, hope, and love.

Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town 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 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.