Description: NATIONAL BESTSELLER - A kaleidoscopic portrait of a modern American family--steadfast, complicated, begrudging, and loving--from the bestselling author of Isola"Wise, witty . . . a deliciously readable book [about] the delicate minutiae of family life, played beautifully, boldly, brightly in a major key."--The New York Times Book Review "Goodman's mature and deftly written book suggests that, in family as in art, there is no such thing as uncomplicated happiness."--The Wall Street Journal Was this just a brief skirmish, or the beginning of a thirty-year feud? In the Rubinstein family, it could go either way.When their beloved sister passes away, Sylvia and Helen Rubinstein are unmoored. A misunderstanding about apple cake turns into a decade of stubborn silence. Busy with their own lives--divorces, dating, career setbacks, college applications, bat mitzvahs and ballet recitals--their children do not want to get involved. As for their grandchildren? Impossible.With This Is Not About Us, master storyteller Allegra Goodman--whose prior collection was heralded as "one of the most astute and engaging books about American family life" (The Boston Globe)--returns to the form and subject that endeared her to legions of readers. Sharply observed and laced with humor, This Is Not About Us is a story of growing up and growing old, the weight of parental expectations, and the complex connection between sisters--a big-hearted book about the love that binds a family across generations.
Brief description:
Allegra Goodman is the author of six novels, including the national bestseller Sam, which was a Read with Jenna selection; two short story collections; and a novel for young readers. Her fiction has appeared in the New Yorker and elsewhere and has been anthologized in The O. Henry Awards and Best American Short Stories.
Review Quotes:
"In an understated narration, Kimberly Farr delivers the many individual stories inherent in being part of a family...Farr handles each memorable moment flawlessly...Farr's well-matched performance makes the complicated Rothstein family feel as real and frustrating and loving as our own. Winner of the Earphones Award."
-- "Kirkus Audiobook Reviews"