Olive Kitteridge
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- Create Date：2022-09-27 09:53:55
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Elizabeth Strout
- ISBN：1849831556
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Summary
Olive Kitteridge: indomitable， compassionate and often unpredictable。 A retired schoolteacher in a small coastal town in Maine， as she grows older she struggles to make sense of the changes in her life。 She is a woman who sees into the hearts of those around her， their triumphs and tragedies。
We meet her stoic husband， bound to her in a marriage both broken and strong， and a young man who aches for the mother he lost - and whom Olive comforts by her mere presence， while her own son feels overwhelmed by her complex sensitivities。
A penetrating， vibrant exploration of the human soul， the story of Olive Kitteridge will make you laugh， nod in recognition， wince in pain， and shed a tear or two。
We meet her stoic husband， bound to her in a marriage both broken and strong， and a young man who aches for the mother he lost - and whom Olive comforts by her mere presence， while her own son feels overwhelmed by her complex sensitivities。
A penetrating， vibrant exploration of the human soul， the story of Olive Kitteridge will make you laugh， nod in recognition， wince in pain， and shed a tear or two。
Reviews
Andrea
，
This book was difficult for me， one because it’s a collection of short stories written around a central character in a town in Main。 While Olive the central character returns to the story other stories just end and I don’t love that because i always want to know more。That being said some of the stories are sad and lovely and some of the stories are just sad。 Olive herself is like 2 different characters， one who sees beyond the mundane and helps the people in the town， the other who is a bit of a This book was difficult for me， one because it’s a collection of short stories written around a central character in a town in Main。 While Olive the central character returns to the story other stories just end and I don’t love that because i always want to know more。That being said some of the stories are sad and lovely and some of the stories are just sad。 Olive herself is like 2 different characters， one who sees beyond the mundane and helps the people in the town， the other who is a bit of a narcissist。 This book did give me a different perspective which I enjoyed and it was easy to read， but it was also sad and at times frustrating。 。。。more
Pam
，
This is a set of stories involving the residents of a town in Maine。 Olive Kitteridge is one of those residents and features in all the stories。 This is about the realities of life， not the happily ever after。 Life is hard and people are not perfect。 This is a very real picture of life。 But also depressing。
Michele
，
Nearly did not finish this book。 Half of the stories were absorbing， and the other half presumes that you remember who that character was who's mentioned a few chapters earlier。 Nearly did not finish this book。 Half of the stories were absorbing， and the other half presumes that you remember who that character was who's mentioned a few chapters earlier。 。。。more
Jim Lavery
，
Didn’t get it。 Evidently there’s a lot of smart people that did get it - it won the Pulitzer after all。 None of the many characters， and I mean none， seemed at all real to me。 Weird and bizarre across the board。 But was that the author’s intention？ If so， why？ What was the point？ What was she trying to tell us？ Hopelessly baffled by this thing。 Don’t believe I’m going to make another trip to Cosby， Maine。
Karla
，
I see a lot of unimpressed reviews from peoples whose opinion I generally agree with， but this worked for me。 I loved the interlocking stories， the town and that not every short story featured Olive。 We have all known an Olive， she is curmudgeonly， overly critical and opinionated but complex。 Not someone I would have thought I'd enjoy reading about， but even in her unpleasantness I always felt sympathy for her。 Olive is a great vehicle to explore what life and growing old is about。 I was stunned I see a lot of unimpressed reviews from peoples whose opinion I generally agree with， but this worked for me。 I loved the interlocking stories， the town and that not every short story featured Olive。 We have all known an Olive， she is curmudgeonly， overly critical and opinionated but complex。 Not someone I would have thought I'd enjoy reading about， but even in her unpleasantness I always felt sympathy for her。 Olive is a great vehicle to explore what life and growing old is about。 I was stunned by a couple of stories -- when Olive goes to visit her son and the scene in the emergency room。 They were so vivid and poignant。 。。。more
Sarah Hearn
，
This was not at all the book I expected when I read the blurb on the jacket flap。 I was envisaging more humour， more quirky characters in Crosby， Maine， more a “Our Miss Brookes” type of story。 Instead， there is an embittered， querulous woman called Olive Kitteridge， who once taught middle school math， has a nice husband， and a son battling depression and increasing antagonism towards his mother。 Olive is prone to fits of rage， to unreasonable expectations of people that no one could possibly ac This was not at all the book I expected when I read the blurb on the jacket flap。 I was envisaging more humour， more quirky characters in Crosby， Maine， more a “Our Miss Brookes” type of story。 Instead， there is an embittered， querulous woman called Olive Kitteridge， who once taught middle school math， has a nice husband， and a son battling depression and increasing antagonism towards his mother。 Olive is prone to fits of rage， to unreasonable expectations of people that no one could possibly achieve， even if they wanted or cared to， so her internal dialogues just increase the anger。 The book is more a series of short stories about the inhabitants of Crosby， some of whom interact directly with Olive while others just mention her in passing。 I found it engrossing but not necessarily engaging。 Few of the characters reappear in the other stories so it’s as though everyone in Crosby is living very discrete lives， they interact with no one else and they don’t miss that。 I suppose that might have been the author’s point， echoing John Donne， “no man is an island”， but then showing that in many ways， even in small towns， everyone sort of is an island。 Anyway， I enjoyed the book enough to borrow “Olive Again” from the library， so we’ll see。 。。。more
Anke
，
Olive is maybe not the nicest person， but she's honest and goes her own way。 I thought I wasn't going to like all the little stories， which I usually don't read， but this was a great book@ Olive is maybe not the nicest person， but she's honest and goes her own way。 I thought I wasn't going to like all the little stories， which I usually don't read， but this was a great book@ 。。。more
Maggie
，
3。5 starsLoved it but took me an age - mostly because the chapters from different perspectives （although beautifully done） are more labour intensive to get through。 In all， a fantastic read
Stephanie Lindorff
，
I've been binge reading my way through Strout's books for several weeks， grateful for the random choice that left Olive for the last like some rich dessert full of complex flavors。 And oh the complexity of Olive！ I've tamed feral， traumatized cats before and kept wanting to creep up on Olive and apply those same calm， patient skills to gentle her defenses down so that the real woman showed。 However I also grew up in an abusive home and frequently felt the urge to tuck and cover when Hurricane Ol I've been binge reading my way through Strout's books for several weeks， grateful for the random choice that left Olive for the last like some rich dessert full of complex flavors。 And oh the complexity of Olive！ I've tamed feral， traumatized cats before and kept wanting to creep up on Olive and apply those same calm， patient skills to gentle her defenses down so that the real woman showed。 However I also grew up in an abusive home and frequently felt the urge to tuck and cover when Hurricane Olive roared through， damaging everyone in sight （including herself） Strout joins Tana French and Sally Rooney on my list of authors whose books pull me into their landscape and introduce me to brave， damaged characters who may or may not find an apotheosis but are still written with such a keen eye for the foibles， weaknesses， strengths of the human heart 。 I love these authors and their books so hard。 And now I have to find another book to read and it's going to be so hard to find something even close to the quality of a Strout book。 。。。more
Joanna Fountain
，
4。5
Patricia
，
I'm giving it four stars because the stories were well-crafted， but this was a disheartening book to read。 The inevitable sadness of life， the choices and mistakes people make， the pain of love - real stuff but this collection kind of overwhelms one。 I'm giving it four stars because the stories were well-crafted， but this was a disheartening book to read。 The inevitable sadness of life， the choices and mistakes people make， the pain of love - real stuff but this collection kind of overwhelms one。 。。。more
Georgia Ntosti
，
A book that is more real than any other。 The heroine with flaws， where you can easily see yourself in。 I know I did。 Some stories and characters seemed unfinished， but Olive was the one that was built here。A great read。
Raghav Mehta
，
Maybe 3。75 stars。 I really liked the character of Olive Kitteridge。 She is someone who doesn’t care about what people think of her， but she still thinks about well being of people around her。 She is genuine about her feelings。 She doesn’t try to pretend to be someone else。 Through multiple short stories， this book gives you a perspective of different aspects of life。 What it means to live life on your own term， what it means to feel what you feel and still think about if those feelings right or Maybe 3。75 stars。 I really liked the character of Olive Kitteridge。 She is someone who doesn’t care about what people think of her， but she still thinks about well being of people around her。 She is genuine about her feelings。 She doesn’t try to pretend to be someone else。 Through multiple short stories， this book gives you a perspective of different aspects of life。 What it means to live life on your own term， what it means to feel what you feel and still think about if those feelings right or wrong， what it means to care about people etc。 Individual stars for each short stories:Pharmacy - 5Incoming tide - 4The piano player - 3A little burst - 4Starving - 5A different road - 4Winter concert - 5Tulips - 4Basket of Trips - 3 Ship in a bottle - 4Security - 3Criminal - 2River - 3Favourite lines - “She had a darkness that seemed to stand beside her like an acquaintance that would not go away。 “- “the freedom that accompanied caring for someone with whom you shared no blood。 “- “people are not as helpless as you think they are。 “- “ a lot of people don’t have families， but they still have homes “- “Traits don’t change， state of mind do” - “Everyone suffers through a bad love affair “ - “To love and be loved is the most important thing in life” - “You couldn’t make yourself stop feeling a certain way， no matter what exactly the other person did。 You just wait。 Eventually the feelings go away because others come along。 Or sometimes it didn’t go away but got squeezed into something tiny and hung like a piece of tinsel in the back of your mind。 “- “She figured something out too late。 And that must be the way of life。 To figure something out too late。 “- “Nobody knows everything- they shouldn’t think they do。 “- “You could be wrong thinking you knew what people would do。 “- “One of those things about getting older was knowing that so many moments weren’t just moments， they were gifts。 “- “People know exactly who loves them and how much” - “people mostly didn’t know enough when they were living life that they were living it” - “Missing someone doesn’t stop。 “- “Don’t be scared of your hunger。 If you’re scared of hunger， you’ll just be one more ninny like everyone else。” 。。。more
Trish
，
This book made me feel very sad。
Katherine Spencer
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 I loved this book， and my only regret was reading the sequel before reading the original book。 But， that was my fault！ The text is deeply engaging and really answers a lot of questions that I was left with in reading Olive， Again。 I think that it is a book I will come back to time and time again， and anyone that loves deep and complex characters will love Olive。
Berin Kinsman
，
This book won a Pulitzer for a reason。 Wow。
Celina da Piedade
，
Amid dark clouds and slivers of sunlight， I finished “Olive Kitteridge” by Elizabeth Strout… I wanted to stay there， on the coast of Maine， seeing the sea and the chiaroscuro of life… I found the writing very clear and fluid， leaving the density for the characters， so real that it even hurts。 A great reading experience， to be continued with the sequel book “The second life of Olive Kitteridge”。
Jenny Bagdanov
，
3。5 for the depression 4 for the characters
Jacinta
，
3。5
Claire
，
Leider nicht motiviert das Buch vollständig zu lesen。 Habe nach der Hälfte abgebrochen und nur mehr das letzte Kapitel gelesen， als Abschluss für mich selbst。 Den dritten Stern gebe ich für das von mir Versäumte， in der Hoffnung， dass ich den Teil des Buches spannender gefunden hätte。 Bis dahin musste ich micht zwar nicht zwingen weiter zu lesen， aber außer Zeitvertreib war es für mich nichts。 Es löste keine Gefühle in mir aus， vielleicht auch weil ich mit Kurzgeschichten nicht allzu viel anfang Leider nicht motiviert das Buch vollständig zu lesen。 Habe nach der Hälfte abgebrochen und nur mehr das letzte Kapitel gelesen， als Abschluss für mich selbst。 Den dritten Stern gebe ich für das von mir Versäumte， in der Hoffnung， dass ich den Teil des Buches spannender gefunden hätte。 Bis dahin musste ich micht zwar nicht zwingen weiter zu lesen， aber außer Zeitvertreib war es für mich nichts。 Es löste keine Gefühle in mir aus， vielleicht auch weil ich mit Kurzgeschichten nicht allzu viel anfangen kann。 Mag allerdings， dass doch Verbinungen sind， wie die Protagonistin Olive。（Buch in deutscher Übersetzung gelesen） 。。。more
Kirstindel
，
I did not enjoy this book at all。 The characters were highly unlikable， though the writing is excellent。 I imagine a Strout book with likable characters would be a good read。
Edward Champion
，
Well， this was my first tango with Elizabeth Strout。 And I have to say that even a hardened， no-bullshit Brooklyn punk like me was won over by the great care and humanism that Strout has injected into the small town of Crosby， Maine。 This is a a masterpiece！ Very well deserving of the Pulitzer。 And I love the framework of a novel told in stories。 It's almost a mashup of Alice Munro， Stewart O'Nan's EMILY， ALONE， and Richard Russo。 This is an emotionally moving meditation on aging， loneliness， gr Well， this was my first tango with Elizabeth Strout。 And I have to say that even a hardened， no-bullshit Brooklyn punk like me was won over by the great care and humanism that Strout has injected into the small town of Crosby， Maine。 This is a a masterpiece！ Very well deserving of the Pulitzer。 And I love the framework of a novel told in stories。 It's almost a mashup of Alice Munro， Stewart O'Nan's EMILY， ALONE， and Richard Russo。 This is an emotionally moving meditation on aging， loneliness， grief， how we judge other people， and how we have to live with the ways in which people disappoint us。 Strout doesn't outright call for empathy， which we obviously all need more of。 But she does frame all her characters through the grumpy and dubious former math teacher known as Olive Kitteridge， who has her own secrets （as do we all）。 I love how Strout can be both big and sweeping with her story moves （two masked criminals in a hospital） and incredibly nuanced in her observations （Henry's slightly amorphous longing for Denise -- this when we later learn that he is too smitten with propriety） and pull off BOTH with great eclat！ I loved how the Kitteridges planned so assiduously for their son， only to be disappointed by him！ At times， this book reads almost as if Strout is angling to be Maine's answer to Muriel Spark。 But， hey， I'll take it。 I'm eagerly looking forward to reading Strout's other work and I'm sorry that it took me so fucking long to get to this one。 。。。more
Magda Beret
，
Lubię formę opowiadań， a te są wyjątkowo refleksyjne， nierzadko spuentowane， przedstawiające ciekawych bohaterów w kluczowym punkcie życia。 Bardziej podobały mi się te historie， w których Olive pojawiała się na dalszym planie， ponieważ Jej zachowania， na dłuższą metę， były dla mnie męczące。 Dużo w tej książce mądrości， melancholii， patrzenia na życie z perspektywy czasu。 Chwilami czułam się bardzo poruszona， jednak finalny wydźwięk powieści jest dość przygnębiający。 Pół gwiazdki odejmuję za niez Lubię formę opowiadań， a te są wyjątkowo refleksyjne， nierzadko spuentowane， przedstawiające ciekawych bohaterów w kluczowym punkcie życia。 Bardziej podobały mi się te historie， w których Olive pojawiała się na dalszym planie， ponieważ Jej zachowania， na dłuższą metę， były dla mnie męczące。 Dużo w tej książce mądrości， melancholii， patrzenia na życie z perspektywy czasu。 Chwilami czułam się bardzo poruszona， jednak finalny wydźwięk powieści jest dość przygnębiający。 Pół gwiazdki odejmuję za niezgrabności stylistyczne （być może to wina tłumaczenia）， które sprawiały， że czasami nie było wiadomo， o kim właśnie jest mowa。 。。。more
Kimber
，
some of the stories were lovely or thought provoking or sad but in the end， I just don't love Olive or even like her enough as a person to see what the next book is like。。。I get that she's complicated and an over-whelming personality but I honestly don't care for her （even when she is being kind） and most of me wants to call her out for being an asshole。 some of the stories were lovely or thought provoking or sad but in the end， I just don't love Olive or even like her enough as a person to see what the next book is like。。。I get that she's complicated and an over-whelming personality but I honestly don't care for her （even when she is being kind） and most of me wants to call her out for being an asshole。 。。。more
Frederick Rockett
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 This is a sad book。 I read it for the second time， and was shocked by her visit to her son， and only then did I realize how damaged she is。 I enjoyed her honesty and humor， and frankly she reminds me of myself， but I hope I'm not as difficult a person to be close to。 She was very lucky to find love in her husband。Of course this book is beautifully written， like all Strout's books。 But it's not my favorite。 It did get me thinking about my relationship with my partner， and how I need to cherish ou This is a sad book。 I read it for the second time， and was shocked by her visit to her son， and only then did I realize how damaged she is。 I enjoyed her honesty and humor， and frankly she reminds me of myself， but I hope I'm not as difficult a person to be close to。 She was very lucky to find love in her husband。Of course this book is beautifully written， like all Strout's books。 But it's not my favorite。 It did get me thinking about my relationship with my partner， and how I need to cherish our good moments together， and remember to love him， not take him for granted。 。。。more
Ana Schein
，
Una maravilla de libro。 Admiro la capacidad de la autora para crear semejante obra。 A pesar de eso， debo confesar que me costó "enganchar" con algunas historias。 Olive Kitteridge y su núcleo más cercano fue lo que realmente me atrapó。 Tan es así que ya estoy leyendo， en paralelo con otros cientos de cosas， "Luz de febrero"， y lo estoy disfrutando muchísimo。 Vale la pena entrar en la intimidad de estos personajes， aprender de la sabiduría de la tercera edad; la sabiduría que viene por el mero hec Una maravilla de libro。 Admiro la capacidad de la autora para crear semejante obra。 A pesar de eso， debo confesar que me costó "enganchar" con algunas historias。 Olive Kitteridge y su núcleo más cercano fue lo que realmente me atrapó。 Tan es así que ya estoy leyendo， en paralelo con otros cientos de cosas， "Luz de febrero"， y lo estoy disfrutando muchísimo。 Vale la pena entrar en la intimidad de estos personajes， aprender de la sabiduría de la tercera edad; la sabiduría que viene por el mero hecho de haber vivido， y sobrevivido， a eso a lo que llaman "el día a día"。 。。。more
Miriam
，
i am not a fan of novels told as short stories。 there is too much extraneous information that has little connection to the threads attempting to hold the stories together。 additionally， olive is just not an empathetic character -- it is so easy to dislike her！ why this book won a pulitzer is way beyond my ken。
Nat Dell
，
Lovely。 A profound story told from many perspectives。
Andrea
，
If it take you 3 tries， spread out over several months to finally push through a book it probably means you didn’t really like it。 Olive Kitteridge was that book。 I’d start listening to it until a better book became available and then I’d completely quit this book and return it to the library only to repeat the process every time I was “between” good books， or really any book。 I must have missed what the Pulitzer people saw in this book。 The characters are all sad， dysfunctional， dissatisfied an If it take you 3 tries， spread out over several months to finally push through a book it probably means you didn’t really like it。 Olive Kitteridge was that book。 I’d start listening to it until a better book became available and then I’d completely quit this book and return it to the library only to repeat the process every time I was “between” good books， or really any book。 I must have missed what the Pulitzer people saw in this book。 The characters are all sad， dysfunctional， dissatisfied and down right unpleasant （Olive）。 Maybe the book’s message was “be happy because you don’t live in this town and aren’t one of these people。” Sadly I’m now going to have to find another filler book to get me through the lull in between books I actually want to read。 。。。more
Jennifer
，
So GOOD！
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Olive Kitteridge
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Olive Kitteridge&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Olive Kitteridge&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0