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Oh William!

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Oh William!

By: Elizabeth Strout
Narrated by: Kimberly Farr
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

THE TOP TEN SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2022

The Pulitzer Prize-winning, Booker-longlisted, bestselling author returns to her beloved heroine Lucy Barton in a luminous novel about love, loss, and the family secrets that can erupt and bewilder us at any point in life


Lucy Barton is a successful writer living in New York, navigating the second half of her life as a recent widow and parent to two adult daughters. A surprise encounter leads her to reconnect with William, her first husband - and longtime, on-again-off-again friend and confidante. Recalling their college years, the birth of their
daughters, the painful dissolution of their marriage, and the lives they built with other people, Strout weaves a portrait, stunning in its subtlety, of a tender, complex, decades-long partnership.

Oh William! captures the joy and sorrow of watching children grow up and start families of their own; of discovering family secrets, late in life, that alter everything we think we know about those closest to us; and the way people live and love, against all odds. At the heart of this story is the unforgettable, indomitable voice of Lucy Barton, who once again offers a profound, lasting reflection on the mystery of existence. 'This is the way of life,' Lucy says. 'The many things we do not know until it is too late.'

'A superbly gifted storyteller and a craftswoman in a league of her own' Hilary Mantel

'A terrific writer' Zadie Smith

'She gets better with each book' Maggie O'Farrell

'One of America's finest writers' Sunday Times


© Elizabeth Strout 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

©2021 Elizabeth Strout (P)2021 Penguin Audio
Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Marriage Inspiring Thought-Provoking

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All stars
Most relevant
A confirmed Olive Kitteridge fan, was unsure about the third in a trilogy without previous knowledge of Lucy Barton. Loved it, however, and wonderful narration.

Entertaining and Elevating

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Another thoughtful and engaging story from Elizabeth Strout. Excellent narration too, I would thoroughly recommend.

Oh Elizabeth!

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I did enjoy listening to Kimberly Farr's reading of Oh William. She read it so well that I was convinced I was listening to the author reading her own novel. Great writing as always from ES . I found the characters credible and the plot moved along at just the right pace.

A portrait of love, loss and family secrets

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This story is very pertinent for those of us who are in our later years! It’s a non story in a way as it speaks of life’s developments and reflections. But I enjoyed it immensely and the narration was beautiful and completely in accord with the books content. So overall a great nook to listen to. I admit I found Lucy’s anxiety wearing, sloughs understandable, as the characters were all so human so deeply relatable.

A simple slice of life?

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Loved the book. The reader really added to the overall enjoyment - very accomplished bringing the different characters to life effortlessly. I am about to read it again so rich are the complex reflections of this Lucy Barton. The characterisation of the narrator, her ex husband, her adult kids and other people in the story is powerful. It's a commentary on marriage, on how our past influences us for much longer than we think. Highly recommended.

Evocative and perceptive

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