The Next Best Thing, Jennifer Weiner
The Next Best Thing, Jennifer Weiner
19 Rating(s)
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The Next Best Thing

Author: Jennifer Weiner

Narrator: Olivia Thirlby

Abridged: 6 hr 51 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/03/2012


Synopsis

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.

About Jennifer Weiner

American author, Jennifer Weiner, was born in 1970 into a Jewish family in DeRidder, Louisiana. Her father was an army physician stationed there. In 1971, her family moved to Simsbury, Connecticut where Jennifer grew up, but at the age of 16, Jennifer's father abandoned his family. The divorce was very traumatic to Jennifer and her siblings. Her father died of a crack cocaine overdose in 2008. Then, her mother came out as a lesbian when she was 55 years of age.

After graduating high school, where Jennifer was one of only nine Jewish students in a class of 400, she attended Princeton University at the young age of 17. She graduated summa cum laude with an A.B. in English. She had written her thesis entitled, "Never Far From Mother- On the Uses of Essentialism in Novels and Films". Her thesis served her well in setting up her credentials for her current career. She studied under several notable, successful authors and playwrights. Her first published story appeared in Seventeen magazine, entitled, "Tour of Duty".

Jennifer Weiner's books have been on the NYT best sellers list for five years. She has sold 11 million copies in 36 countries. She has written op-eds for the Philadelphia Inquirer and the New York Times. Jennifer had two very popular op-eds for the Sunday Review.......Mean Girls in the Retirement Home and Another Thing to Hate About Ourselves. They have been reprinted in newspapers across the world. So used her platform to encourage women to improve their self-esteem and body images.

Jennifer's first novel, Good in Bed, was published in 2001, followed by, In Her Shoes, in 2002. The latter was made into a movie starring Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette, and Shirley MacLaine.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Tad on June 05, 2013

Ok, I totally get why this book has so many bad reviews. I really do. Yet, I can't deny that I personally really enjoyed it. It felt like I was getting an insider's view of Hollywood and the production of a new TV show. As one of those people who religiously keeps up with celebrity gossip and pop cu......more

Goodreads review by Heather on July 02, 2013

If you're desperate for a Jennifer Weiner fix, skip this one and reread Good in Bed. I'm giving this book an extra star out of respect for Weiner's past work. Her books mean summer to me... light but meaningful stories that make you feel like you've made a new friend. The Next Best Thing felt like r......more

Goodreads review by Kayla on September 25, 2012

I think I went in with pretty high expectations for this novel and it fell short. While some of the characters, like the Two Daves, were exceptionally well drawn (and they happened to remind me of a more-comedic Penn and Teller), they didn't help with what I found the major flaw: that the protagonis......more

Goodreads review by Neha on April 08, 2014

Definitely had potential with your atypical protagonist and love interest in a chick lit - we actually have characters who are disfigured and disabled (instead of your normal nonexistent flaws in lead characters). However, I never fell in love with Ruth, despite her background, and felt she was pret......more