Same as It Ever Was
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Emily Rankin
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By:
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Claire Lombardo
About this listen
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NAMED A BEST BOOK BY PEOPLE AND PARADE • The New York Times bestselling author of The Most Fun We Ever Had (“wonderfully immersive…deliciously absorbing”—NPR) returns with another brilliantly observed family drama in which the enduring, hard-won affection of a long marriage faces imminent derailment from events both past and present.
“Infidelity, dysfunction, secrets – this family novel delivers."—The New York Times • "Lombardo has such a fine eye for the weft and warp of a family’s fabric." —The Washington Post • “Witty and insightful...a powerful exploration of marriage, motherhood, and self.”–Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry
Same As It Ever Was showcases the consummate style, signature wit, and profound emotional intelligence that made The Most Fun We Ever Had one of the most beloved novels of the past decade. Featuring a memorably messy family and the multifaceted marriage at its heart, Lombardo’s debut was dubbed “the literary love child of Jonathan Franzen and Anne Tyler” (The Guardian) and hailed as “ambitious and brilliantly written” (Washington Post). In this remarkable follow-up—another elegant and tumultuous story in the tradition of Elizabeth Strout, Ann Patchett, and Celeste Ng—Lombardo introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters, this time by way of her singularly complicated protagonist.
Julia Ames, after a youth marked by upheaval and emotional turbulence, has found herself on the placid plateau of mid-life. But Julia has never navigated the world with the equanimity of her current privileged class. Having nearly derailed herself several times, making desperate bids for the kind of connection that always felt inaccessible to her, she finally feels, at age fifty seven, that she has a firm handle on things.
She’s unprepared, though, for what comes next: a surprise announcement from her straight-arrow son, an impending separation from her spikey teenaged daughter, and a seductive resurgence of the past, all of which threaten to draw her back into the patterns that had previously kept her on a razor’s edge.
Same As It Ever Was traverses the rocky terrain of real life—exploring new avenues of maternal ambivalence, intergenerational friendship, and the happenstantial cause-and-effect that governs us all. Delving even deeper into the nature of relationships—how they grow, change, and sometimes end—Lombardo proves herself a true and definitive cartographer of the human heart and asserts herself among the finest novelists of her generation.
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Critic reviews
NAMED A BEST FICTION OF 2024 PICK BY PEOPLE
“Pitch-perfect. . . Lombardo is compulsively readable and consistently funny, and it’s impossible to look away as Julia continues to self-sabotage. This domestic drama hits all the right notes.”
–Publisher's Weekly (Starred Review)
“Infidelity, dysfunction, secrets – this family novel delivers. . . Poignant, punctilious. . . [Lombardo] refashions domestic drama into something rich and strange, with echoes of Lorrie Moore’s sardonic humor and Jonathan Franzen’s dissection of class. . . In less skillful hands, Same as It Ever Was would lose control over its transitions and veer toward soap opera; yet like Franzen’s Marion Hildebrandt, or Faye, the narrator of Rachel Cusk’s Outline trilogy, Lombardo gives us a woman whose inner life is knotted and revelatory. . . Same as It Ever Was is a brave, nuanced book, lulling us with its rhythms but taking risks when we glance away.”
–Hamilton Cain, The New York Times
“Lombardo’s witty, sympathetic take on motherhood exudes the sharp scent of fermented apple juice and a full diaper… Lombardo has such a fine eye for the weft and warp of a family’s fabric. She understands the chemistry of that special epoxy of irritation and affection that keeps a marriage glued together. One finishes Same As It Ever Was with the satisfaction of knowing this complicated woman well — and the poignant disappointment of having to say goodbye.”
–Ron Charles, The Washington Post
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Loved the book!
- By Amazon Customer on 11-15-24
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Holiday Hideaway
- A Short Story
- By: Mary Kay Andrews
- Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky
- Length: 1 hr and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Tilly Farriday isn’t feeling very jolly this season. Recently divorced and broke, she’s squatting in one of her rental agency’s properties until her new home is ready. The sprinkles on top of the burnt Christmas cookie that is her life? The new owner shows up early, forcing Tilly to hide in the attic to save her job…and what remains of her dignity.
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I ain’t afraid of no ghosts
- By 🔥 Phx17 🔥 on 10-31-24
By: Mary Kay Andrews
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A Christmas Carol
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Hugh Grant
- Length: 2 hrs and 44 mins
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First published in 1843, it tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a mean and unpleasant man who dislikes people generally and Christmas especially. One Christmas Eve he is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come and given a glimpse of the many homes and lives which Scrooge has touched in his wretched life to date. After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man.
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Christmas Classic Given New Life
- By E-Hank3 on 12-26-20
By: Charles Dickens
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A Christmas Carol: A Signature Performance by Tim Curry
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Tim Curry
- Length: 3 hrs and 31 mins
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A Signature Performance: Tim Curry rescues Charles Dickens from the jaws of Disney with his one-of-a-kind performance of the treasured classic. Our listeners loved this version so much that it inspired our whole line of Signature Classics.
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Wonderful!!!
- By Alia on 12-11-09
By: Charles Dickens
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George Orwell’s 1984
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- By: George Orwell, Joe White - adaptation
- Narrated by: Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 27 mins
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It’s 1984, and life has changed beyond recognition. Airstrip One, formerly known as Great Britain, is a place where Big Brother is always watching, and nobody can hide. Except, perhaps, for Winston Smith. Whilst working at the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history, he secretly dreams of freedom. And in a world where love and sex are forbidden, where it’s hard to distinguish between friend and foe, he meets Julia and O’Brien and vows to rebel.
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A Revelation!
- By wotsallthisthen on 04-07-24
By: George Orwell, and others
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The Plight Before Christmas
- By: Kate Stewart
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Clark Griswold was onto something...at least with his annual holiday meltdown. And since the last three weeks of my life have been riddled with humbug—another breakup, a broken toe, an office promotion I deserved and didn’t get—I’m not at all in the mood to celebrate nor have the happ, happ, happiest Christmas EVER.
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Gaslighting and games
- By FMC on 12-22-22
By: Kate Stewart
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He's Gone
- By: Rebecca Collomosse
- Narrated by: Victoria Blunt, Cicely Whitehead, Joe Eyre
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My fiancé brought me tea and scrambled eggs in bed that morning, and we snuggled together, talking about buying our rings, and about our perfect wedding next year. Then we headed into town. He held my hand and gazed at the ring I liked best, a smile spreading slowly over his face. Then a glass of bubbly to celebrate. I felt flushed, excited and ready for the rest of my life with the man I loved. We race to get on the train home. It screams to a halt and I run towards its open doors. Made it. I think he’s right behind me — but when I turn around, he’s gone.
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Disappointing plot
- By TerriSweeta on 12-04-24
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The Answer Is No
- A Short Story
- By: Fredrik Backman, Elizabeth DeNoma - translator
- Narrated by: Stacy Gonzalez
- Length: 1 hr and 49 mins
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Lucas knows the perfect night entails just three things: video games, wine, and pad thai. Peanuts are a must! Other people? Not so much. Why complicate things when he’s happy alone? Then one day the apartment board, a vexing trio of authority, rings his doorbell. And Lucas’s solitude takes a startling hike. They demand to see his frying pan. Someone left one next to the recycling room overnight, and instead of removing the errant object, as Lucas suggests, they insist on finding the guilty party. But their plan backfires. Colossally.
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Narrator doesn’t get Backman’s satire or rhythm
- By joey1603 on 12-01-24
By: Fredrik Backman, and others
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Starship Troopers
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
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Johnnie Rico never really intended to join up—and definitely not the infantry. But now that he’s in the thick of it, trying to get through combat training harder than anything he could have imagined, he knows everyone in his unit is one bad move away from buying the farm in the interstellar war the Terran Federation is waging against the Arachnids. Because everyone in the Mobile Infantry fights. And if the training doesn’t kill you, the Bugs are more than ready to finish the job.
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The definitive version!
- By Kristopher G. Hesson on 10-03-24
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Dead Med
- By: Freida McFadden
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- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
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When Heather McKinley dreamed of becoming a doctor, she imagined curing sick kids and sporting pink stethoscopes. She never anticipated the sleepless nights, grueling exams, and endless labs. And she certainly never knew that her medical school earned the nickname Dead Med thanks to the tragic history of students overdosing on illegal drugs. But Heather would never consider doing anything like that. That is, until her longtime boyfriend dumps her, she finds herself failing anatomy, and her world starts to crumble.
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Hmm
- By Morgan Meaux on 08-22-24
By: Freida McFadden
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Three generations of Schmidts have run their family’s beachfront restaurant and Jack has been at the helm since the death of his father. Jack puts the demands of the restaurant above all else, with a string of failed relationships, no hobbies, and no days off as proof of his commitment to the place. He can’t remember the last time he sat on the beach, or even enjoyed a moment to himself. Meanwhile, the DelDine group has been gradually snapping up beloved eateries along this stretch of coast and are pursuing Jack with a very generous offer to take Schmidt’s off his hands.
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What listeners say about Same as It Ever Was
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- Xavier
- 09-03-24
Incredibly detailed characters
Can’t remember ever reading such exquisitely portrayed characters. Just beautifully written and brilliant expose of life in the modern US. What a treat.
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- chris mazzola
- 10-29-24
Beautiful
Beautiful complex characters. Very realistic story about families and life and regret. This is not an action packed book but it’s deep and gives you all the feels. I think mothers of teenagers will have a unique appreciation for it.
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- Jamie_023
- 11-18-24
So good!
This author captures true, complex human emotions, the journey of life, and its relationships so beautifully.
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- Melini
- 07-12-24
A Gloomy 18 Hour Trudge
I can’t believe I made it to the end of this book. The writing and narration were good, and perhaps if it was edited to a quarter of its length I could better appreciate a well-written tale of a life of unrelenting disappointment and drudgery.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Maryanne T.
- 07-17-24
Complex but beautiful family story
5 stars for Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo. I really liked Lombardo's other book The Most Fun We Ever Had but it fell just shy of 5 stars when I read it- probably because I'm very critical of adoption themes and wasn't 100% on board with one aspect of that part of the story. (And I thought the amorous middle aged parents to be a bit over the top, too!) This book, however, landed perfectly on the 5 star runway as it ended up making me both laugh and (surprisingly) cry at multiple points and I have not been able to stop thinking about it since I read it. Additionally it's a book I feel is SO well written with such enduringly memorable characters who were flawed and messy but in the way that is just so relatable you can't help but care about them. Honestly, I loved the whole family - the "incremental vegan" 18 year old daughter who sometimes loves/sometimes hates her mom, the firstborn son who is ever so gently trying to disconnect from his mother's loving arms and I even loved Suzanne the worshipful dog!
Claire Lombardo is really at the top of her game creating complex family drama that doesn't pull punches but never feels heavy handed or melodramatic. I just despise syrup and superficiality in family drama. This author has proven she can write a really good story without either. The relationship between Julia and Anita, her long estranged mother, was so complicated and painfully touching. The push and pull between the two women - each trying to preemptively reject the other so as not to be the one rejected - was some of the most moving mother daughter literature I have read. And the gold star in this shining saga is the intergenerational friendship between Helen and Julia. Truly brilliant. I just have so much respect for Lombardo's observations and craft in creating this intricate spider web of connections within this family that appear delicate but like most families - are actually very strong bonds that can withstand an enormous amount of injury. Just like her previous book this is a character driven novel - but with a few plot lines to keep the most literary averse reader engaged! I think everyone would enjoy reading it and highly recommend!
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- Anonymous User
- 07-27-24
Struck a nerve
It’s been two days since I finished listening to this wonderful book. It definitely struck a nerve with me because I keep reflecting on my own life and my own relationships. Such a beautiful story.
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- Kindle Customer
- 08-10-24
Monotony is a hard read. The life the story evoked was grey and depressing
Great character building. Sad and depressing and a bit hopeless. I felt a weird connection with the main character. But also a pitying not connection, which in a weird way was hopeful? It was a confusing read.
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- Richelle
- 07-31-24
Enjoyable
I really did enjoy listening to this audiobook. The story was very interesting and drew me in!
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- Amazon Customer
- 09-23-24
Wasn’t expecting such complicated and emotional storylines. It made me feel the feels.
This book was really quite something.
The rating was good, the reviews staggered, so I gave it a go and I’m really really happy I did. I was in tears at the last 1/4 to end of the book. 💔
This book was not what I was expecting. As a mother, wife, daughter, friend, someone who used to work and also sort of stay-at-home-mom, before ultimately becoming a full-time stay at home mom, and so much more. This book really spoke to me. (With the exception of a few misguided moral choices…but I don’t want to spoil).💥
As a woman, Julia is certain, confident, broken and guarded. Her relationship with her mother is wildly complicated, and truly devastating. But she meets the kindest soul of a man, who adores her. Their relationship is complicated, but he’s so good and yet also you’ll be surprised by him at some points.
The book retells their life as they raise their family, and then flashes back to how Julia and her husband Mark met, the intricacies within and all the small things. Which as we all know, it’s the little things that count. ✨But what I really truly can’t get over is how my heart sank, and how I felt completely taken back by the turn of events at the end. It made my heart break a little, just to know that life is so precious. You can live it fighting ⚡️or loving 💕.
This book wrapped me up in gratitude and comfort in knowing that loving what we’ve got, everyday, is the ultimate success in living. Be in the moment. 🔆
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- Amazon Customer
- 08-19-24
Amazing
Loved every moment of this story. It touched my heart as a mother, daughter, and friend. I couldn’t recommend enough.
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