Finished audio 5-26-11, rating 3.5/5, fiction, pub. 2010
Unabridged audio 8+ hours. Read by the author.
Four classmates are about to attend their 40th high school reunion. One is going to land the jock who got away, one is going because he wants his soon-to-be ex-wife to see that they can recapture the good years, one is going because his secretary is making him, the invisible girl is returning for a chance at redemption, and the beautiful one is showing up to live before she dies. None of them gets exactly what they expected, but they all go home changed.
I liked high school. I was not the most popular, but I was involved in a lot of activities and I had a few friends I really loved (and still do). I am class secretary so it’s my job to find everyone when reunion time comes around and this past year Facebook made it a while lot easier. Last October, on the night of our 20th reunion, I checked into the hospital to have a baby. Seriously, when I think of it, I laugh. I never thought I’d be having my first baby 20 years later. I always thought I wanted five kids. Not only does this sound insane, but a little like overkill now that I have one 🙂
So, this book came at a good time for me. It is easy to take the time of your reunion (whether you attend or not) to reflect on your high school self and how, if at all, you’ve changed. And, when you walk into the reunion is everyone seeing you as the 18-year-old you were or the person you’ve become?
I liked the book, but wish it would have focused on less that five people. The book was too short to get really involved, but I did enjoy the time I spent with them and the people they represented in my own school days. I thought it was a fun way to take another look at the roles we all played in high school.
As always, I love listening to Elizabeth Berg read her own novels.
I checked this audio out of the library.
Stacy's Books 
I haven’t read anything by Berg yet.
I didn’t go to my 15 year reunion. I wish they had some kind of general reunion, since so many of my friends graduated in different years than I did.
I agree about the general reunion idea. It’s so hard to plan one that it would probably take some really dedicated people to get it to work!
I read this a few months ago and enjoyed it but I also agree that I thought Berg focused on too many characters. Or, at the very least, the book could have been 100 pages longer. Wasn’t it under 250 pages? Anyway, I’m a fan and have her latest on my ipod (thank you, library!).
Yes, by the end I did care about the characters, but by then the book was done. Could have easily been longer.
I’ve heard this wasn’t Berg’s best, but I still want to give it a try. I had no idea she reads her own work.
The few I’ve read she’s been the narrator. I’m not sure if she’s done that for all of them, but I love to listen to her tell her own story.
I read this one and enjoyed it. Not one of my favorite of hers, but okay.
We agree 🙂
Your line about “having five kids now seems insane” cracked me up! Nothing like having one to change your view, huh? : )
I’ve never been to a reunion yet and don’t really feel the need to. I guess I would if I somehow magically transformed into something amazing but, as a I am now, I don’t have anything impressive to show for myself and I haven’t talked to 98% of those people for 20+ years!
Well, you don’t have to transform into something amazing, but if you handed out cards for your blog they would get to see your talents! Seriously.
And, yes, five is insane 🙂
5 people does seem like an awful lot of main characters for a book that is only 8 hours long. So Berg is a good narrator of her own work? I’m always iffy with authors narrating, but I think I saw someone else mention her today, too…
She is a great narrator of her books. She has a distinctive voice that is easy to listen to. Some authors don’t have a talent for it, but she does.
I love Elizabeth Berg on audio. I know I’m hearing the words spoken exactly the way she wrote them. I’m going to see if my library has this one. My favorite of hers is The Day I Ate Everything I ‘Wanted – so funny.
I haven’t read that one yet, but I’ll get there eventually. Love her.
I won this book on goodreads. I’ve been wanting to read it for awhile now. Great review!
Hope you enjoy it. Even if you are many years away from your 40th reunion 🙂
My highschool class has a reunion every 5 years. This year is my 20th and I have decided to bag it. I’ve been to every one up till now and I just feel like whatever this year. I’m more into being a homebody.
Love the review and I have never read any Berg but I know you like her, so I’ll give her a try one day. And she read her own novel? That’s worth checking out for sure!
We had a 5 year and a 15 year and then the 20. I think it’s okay to skip one. Maybe you’ll feel like it next time. It seems a different crowd (a small one since our are never well attended) comes each time.
I have a couple of Elizabeth Berg’s books lying on my shelf, but haven’t tried any of them yet. Too many main characters don’t bother me too much unless it gets too confusing or the character development is lacking. Great review!
It’s not confusing, just a little thin.
I think I’ve only read one Elizabeth Berg book and enjoyed it. That was many years ago.