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Title details for The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner - Wait list

The Next Best Thing

A Novel

by Jennifer Weiner
Olivia Thirlby
Audiobook
0 of 1 copy available
Wait time: About 2 weeks
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0 of 1 copy available
Wait time: About 2 weeks
Blockbuster #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner returns with an irresistible story about a young woman trying to make it in Hollywood...
At three years old, Ruth Saunders miraculously survives the car crash that takes her parents' lives on the icy Massachusetts Turnpike. Her eccentric grandmother, who comes out of Florida retirement to care for young Ruth, nurtures her through years of surgeries, feeding her home-cooked meals, dispensing irreverent wisdom, and telling Ruth she's beautiful, even though her scars will stay with her forever.

After college, Ruth pursues her dream of writing to Hollywood, heading west with her grandmother in tow, hoping to make it big in the world of TV. After years of failure and a badly broken heart, Ruth gets The Call—her show has been green-lit.

But Ruth's happy ending is only the beginning, as she struggles with how television gets made: terrified (and terrifying) executives and actresses with their eyes on bigger prizes than Ruthie's show. Add in an unrequited crush on the man who has been her mentor. Add to that her grandmother's impending nuptials, and Ruth's big break might just break her.

A rollicking ride on the Hollywood roller coaster, The Next Best Thing is a heartfelt story about a young woman searching for her own happily-ever-after in the land where dreams come true.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    July 3, 2012

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781442348912
      • File size: 348146 KB
      • Duration: 12:05:18

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Narrator Olivia Thirlby captures the youthful cynicism and insecurity of young Ruth Saunders, who is disfigured in a car accident that claims the lives of both her parents. Ruth's grandmother steps in to raise her and also relocates to Los Angeles when Ruth follows her dream to become a screenwriter. Though Ruth's script receives a thumbs-up, she struggles against the superficiality of the industry and, in particular, a diva actress, whom Thirlby amusingly portrays with a whiny huffiness. Thirlby uses a facetious tone to reflect Ruth's increasingly spunky comebacks and a quieter, fearful voice to reveal Ruth's private pain about her appearance. Though the plot dwindles at times, Thirlby's consistently clear characterization keeps the listener engaged with the story. M.F. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      August 27, 2012
      Weiner's novel follows the journey of Ruth Saunders, who sets off for Hollywood to become a television writerâwith her 70-year-old grandmother along for the ride. Although ambitious and talented, Ruth is still disfigured from a car accident that killed her parents. In California, Ruth finds work for the networks, but her new life is far from perfect, especially when her grandmother announces her plans to get married and Ruth's pet project is edited beyond recognition. Narrator Olivia Thirlby's reading captures the heart and soul of Weiner's novel. The narrator's portrayal of the young, naïve Ruth is convincing and nuanced. In turns, Thirlby embodies Ruth's varied emotions, sounding excited, exasperated, embarrassed, sensuous, petulant, funny, and sad. A Washington Square paperback.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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