Open House

Written by:
Elizabeth Berg
Narrated by:
Becky Ann Baker

Unabridged Audiobook

Ratings
Book
172
Narrator
1
Release Date
November 2000
Duration
6 hours 20 minutes
Summary
An Oprah's Book Club selection Samantha Morrow's husband has left her, and after a spree of overcharging at Tiffany's, she settles down to reconstruct a life for herself and her 11-year-old son. Her eccentric mother tried to help by fixing her up with dates, but a more pressing problem is money. To meet her mortgage payments, Sam decides to take in boarders. The first is an older woman who offers sage advice and sorely needed comfort; the second, a maladjusted student, is not quite so helpful. A new friend, King, an untraditional man, suggests that Samantha get out, get going, get work. But her real work is this: In order to emerge from grief and the past, she has to learn how to make her own happiness. In order to really see people, she has to look within her heart. And in order to know who she is, she has to remember--and reclaim--the person she used to be, long before she became someone else in an effort to save her marriage.Deeply felt, beautifully observed, and written with perfect emotional pitch, Open House is the unforgettable story of how a woman re-creates her life after divorce by opening her house to strangers and her heart to the simple miracle of possibility.
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Reviews
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Uqlady

This was not worth the listen boring.....snooze fest.....

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Heather

I felt this was a very boring story. The narration was good but the story was blah. Maybe if I was going through a divorce I could have related to the story.

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Anonymous

This book was a great realistic fiction story that many women can relate to. The ending was somewhat obvious; however, the timing for the story from beginning to end was extremely unrealistic. I'd like to have seen more time lapse from the problem to the ending. However, all in all the book kept my attention and made me want to keep going to find out the ending.

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Peggy Stortz

Open House is boring and predictable. It may be the worst book Berg has written.

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marguax

This book is no good. I listened to the whole thing but nothing of any substance happened. So this lady gets left by her husband and has to cope. Well thats nothing to write a book about! I can't listen to hours of the woes of a divorcee whining!

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Jo

If you've ever been left heartbroken by being dumped you will enjoy this read. The main character tells her story with narration and of course, life works out in the end. Delightful summer reading. Jo

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Anonymous

This book was incredibly boring. I kept hoping something would happen and was terribly upset that I ended up listening to the whole thing and still nothing happened.

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Anonymous

Not a favorite, but was entertaining enough. Reader went at a good a pleasant pace.

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Annie Tobey

Open House kept me amused and entertained throughout, punctuated by moments of being saddened and moved for the heroine's situation - a situation that too many women find themselves in. Although there was some predictability in the plot, the ending was triumphant nonetheless. For entertainment value, with a touch of triumph and inspiration, Open House is worth listening to!

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Eileen Miller

This was awful. I kept hoping it would get better. Was relieved when it was over. Dull, boring.

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Kelly Jefferson

Anyone that has gone through the painfulness of a divorce will relate-to and enjoy this book. I laughed, and cried both while listening to this book; it hit many emotions along the way. The ending just happen all at once, but I understood the message the author was writing about, “there is life after a divorce”

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Anonymous

Just like the other reviewer, I also broke my own rule with this one. When I found myself actually falling asleep on the wheel while listening, I had to stop and return the whole mess without finishing it.

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Anonymous

The first few tracks of thie book didn't catch my interest, but then I got into it and looked forward to finding out what was going to happen to the characters. The book turned out to be so interesting that I felt like I was wronged by the ending.

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Anonymous

Sorry, I could not relate to this woman. Was a bit surprised her busband hadn't left her sooner. I applaud anyone who goes on after difficulty, but this woman really needed to buck up long before.

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Pamela Christensen

I usually listen to mystery and adventure stories, but thought I'd change the usual for this story. Well worth it! Very insightful, funny and charming. It felt very much like a true story. I'm sure that every single, intelligent, divorced mother can relate to the emotions in this story. Very good, really enjoyed it!

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Margo Marvel

Very predictable and average. Just another love story gone bad.

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Lee Ann Schaffhausen

This book was the first book to make me break my rule of not finishing every book I start to read. It was horrible. No wonder the main character's husband left her. She was miserable and she made me miserable.

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Pamela

I'd recommend you skip this dull, and predictable story. The main character's dialog was rote and boring. The dialog went like this: "...I'm going to the cupboard. I'm opening it. I'm taking out a cup to fill it with tea. I'm sipping the hot tea..." Blah blah blah. So lacking excitement and imagination. I don't recommend this one. Skip it.

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Anonymous

The characters were fun. but so predictable. It was good to see a woman grow within

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Anonymous

Author gives great descriptive details that bring you into the story. Reader makes it enjoyable to listen. The negative is the ending is predictable; a less traditional ending could have taken the book to a higher level.

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Phyllis Brown

Was totally not interested in this book. Tried to get into it but could not. No depth to it, at least I thought not.

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Nanny

Great book! The characters are wonderful. Despite the seriousness of the situation, some parts of the book were too funny. I stayed in my car to listen long after my commute was over.

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Allison Scobie-Lloyd

predictable- lifetime original movie material....maybe even worse.

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Leslie Grima

Great story. Light and down to earth story about life and love, could connect with the characters. Would recommend to family and friends.

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Anonymous

Cute story, predictable. I really liked the reader.

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Anonymous

This was a "nice" story. It didn't truly keep me spellbound, but as a 40-something woman, I could certainly relate to it. I thought the narrator was very good. However, I thought the story was somewhat predictable.

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Molly

Poignant while enjoyable. Good Story, believable.

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Barbara Krauter

I love the way this author writes. Sam's feelings about being a divorced wife will ring true with many women. And the reader is very talented. You feel like you're listening to a good friend tell her story.

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Anonymous

Great story. Light and down to earth story about life. The narrator really gets you into the story.

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Anonymous

It is a believable account of the pain of divorce and getting one's life back together.

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