The acclaimed word-of-mouth bestseller about the marriage of an American First Lady- A rich, utterly absorbing, powerful story of how an ordinary girl from an unremarkable town grows up to become First Lady of the United States.
On perhaps the most important day of her husband's presidency, Alice looks back on the strange and unlikely path that led her to the White House, and to a decision - both treacherous and long overdue - that could jeopardise everything.
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Summary
The acclaimed word-of-mouth bestseller about the marriage of an American First Lady- A rich, utterly absorbing, powerful story of how an ordinary girl from an unremarkable town grows up to become First Lady of the United States.
On perhaps the most important day of her husband's presidency, Alice looks back on the strange and unlikely path that led her to the White House, and to a decision - both treacherous and long overdue - that could jeopardise everything.
Description
The acclaimed word-of-mouth bestseller about the marriage of an American First Lady- A rich, utterly absorbing, powerful story of how an ordinary girl from an unremarkable town grows up to become First Lady of the United States.By the Sunday Times bestselling author of ROMANTIC COMEDY and PREP'Honest, wonderful and smart as hell' Guardian'Curtis Sittenfeld is in a league of her own' ObserverAll I did is marry him. You are the ones who gave him power.Quiet, bookish Alice Blackwell never dreamed of being First Lady. Much less to a President whose politics she doesn't believe in. On perhaps the most important day of her husband's presidency, Alice looks back on the strange and unlikely path that led her to the White House, and to a decision - both treacherous and long overdue - that could jeopardise everything.Taking inspiration from real life, AMERICAN WIFE is a remarkable portrait of a woman caught between her feelings for her husband, her country, and herself.'My favourite book of the century' HADLEY FREEMAN, GUARDIAN
Critic Reviews
“Utterly brilliant”
Such an accomplished work of fiction... a thoughtful and compelling examination of the mechanics of family and marriage... Knowing and knowledgeable, yet also inventive and original, American Wife is a thrilling combination of history and surprises Guardian
Superbly well-written - one of the most absorbing books of the year Evening Standard
Thoroughly enjoyable. The plot is beautifully paced, the writing quick, clear, absorbing... A sweeping saga The Times
A powerful, utterly compelling and strangely moving fictional account of a First Lady who bears more than a passing resemblance to Laura Bush Daily Mirror
I was utterly absorbed in this story of a political marriage and a wife who has her own reasons. Curtis Sittenfeld has thrown a powerful light on small town America and its misunderstood values
My favourite book of the year Kate Atkinson
A quietly riveting parable... thought-provoking, entertaining and full of subtle reflections on class and marriage Daily Mail
A classic story, with a langorous pace and a fierce literary integrity... Sittenfeld has provided a plausible secret history of an American embarrassment - and a grand entertainment
American Wife is easily one of the best books written so far this century. It is honest, wonderful and smart as hell, the kind of book that you try to eke out to make it last as long as possible Guardian
This is one of the finest American novels of 2008 New Statesman
About the Author
Curtis Sittenfeld is the author of the Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling Rodham. Other novels include American Wife and Prep, both bestsellers and longlisted for the Orange Prize, The Man of My Dreams, Sisterland, Eligible, and the acclaimed short story collections You Think It, I'll Say It and Help Yourself. Her stories have appeared in the New Yorker, Esquire, Oprah Magazine and the New York Times magazine. Sittenfeld was also the guest editor for the 2020 Best American Short Stories anthology. She lives with her family in the American Midwest. Follow her on Twitter @CSittenfeld
Back Cover
On one of the most important days of her husband's presidency, Alice Blackwell considers the strange and unlikely path that has led them to the White House, and faces contradictions years in the making. Weaving race, class, wealth and fate into a brilliant tapestry, this remarkable novel lays bare the pleasures and pain of intimacy and love.
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