
The Middlesteins
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Molly Ringwald
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By:
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Jami Attenberg
For more than 30 years, Edie and Richard Middlestein shared a solid family life together in the suburbs of Chicago. But now things are splintering apart, for one reason, it seems: Edie's enormous girth. She's obsessed with food - thinking about it, eating it - and if she doesn't stop, she won't have much longer to live.
When Richard abandons his wife, it is up to the next generation to take control. Robin, their schoolteacher daughter, is determined that her father pay for leaving Edie. Benny, an easy-going, pot-smoking family man, just wants to smooth things over. And Rachelle - a whippet thin perfectionist - is intent on saving her mother-in-law's life, but this task proves even bigger than planning her twin children's spectacular b'nai mitzvah party. Through it all, they wonder: do Edie's devastating choices rest on her shoulders alone? Or are others at fault, too?
With pitch-perfect prose, huge compassion, and sly humor, Jami Attenberg has given us an epic story of marriage, family, and obsession. The Middlesteins explores the hopes and heartbreaks of new and old love, the yearnings of Midwestern America, and our devastating, fascinating preoccupation with food.
©2012 Jami Attenberg (P)2012 Hachette AudioListeners also enjoyed...




















I only have one quibble and it's a small one. A lot of us found the attitudes towards Richard after the divorce to be anachronistic.
You may not love her characters but they are all fascinating.
Delightful book !
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But as I got to the end of the book, I can confirm that it was the story in its entirety that charmed me. To be sure, I was left wanting so much more. It felt like it ended too soon, I wanted to know so much more about the characters past and present. That is bad news for me, but a credit to the author. Speaking of credits, I usually download really long tomes to get my credit worth in Audible, so this was an usually short book for me.
Ringwald did a nice job narrating. She was a little bit stilted at times, but it did not interfere with my enjoyment of this book and the sound of her voice likely contributed to the overall nostalgia I experienced visiting Superdogs on Milwaukee, Wicker Park, and Polish nail salons in Skokie.
Ended too soon
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A Jewish Delight
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Simply fabulous
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Any additional comments?
Wonderful story but it was embarrassing to hear Molly Ringwald mispronounce the Jewish words (e.g. "meshugah, b'nai mitzvah, dayenu...") It took away from the book's authenticity. I am surprised the author, director and producer didn't consider those as necessary edits. Her tone was also very flat and I felt that it did a disservice to what was a great story.Great story - Narration leaves A LOT to be desired
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Sad, Sad Story
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Pleasantly Surprised
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A Read not listen
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Good writing
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What disappointed you about The Middlesteins?
Mispronunciation after mispronunciation of words that were repeated and repeated (and repeated) made me wonder if anyone had even listened to the reading prior to its release. The flattest Jewy accent plunked in seemingly at random made me shudder. Made me shudder and wonder, that is, when I might have been listening to the story but was, alas, too distracted. I think it's not Molly's fault. Nobody told her, I suppose, and she must have figured she knew what she was doing. But it reminds me of this time a Seattle friend told me we had to go get some of this most yummy cookie thing called (phonetically) rhe-GUE-leh. When we got to the bakery it was just, you know, rugelach - pronounced with the short u and the "luh" at the end that just kind of trails off. Anyway.What was one of the most memorable moments of The Middlesteins?
See above. But the story was nice and I loved some of the digressions. I loved the way food tore the family and wove in and out of the narrative. I loved the relationship between the protagonist's suitor and cooking. And I loved the opening chapter, where we learned how love and food were rendered indistinguishable.How could the performance have been better?
I think I've been clear.You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?
I would like to have read it rather than listened to it. I think I may have really appreciated it. I did listen all the way through despite the narration. Thing is, when a author leans so heavily on integrating Yiddish and Hebrew into the text, the listener experience is just so embarrassing, like a terrible talk show interview, you want to look away.Any additional comments?
Too bad.It's B'NAY Mitzvah, Molly. Right, Jami?
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