Unique, palpable, and quirky. Truly fun. The narrator was great. Solid audio book. Highly recommend!

Such a good story. Totally fell in love with George. Grab a cozy blanket and get ready for a great listen.

I loved this book and was enthralled with the writing. I loved the character study. Would read more from the author!

An interesting and thought provoking read, even if I’m not sure I fully agreed with the message.

First, this is a much more dynamic and well-paced book than I expected, and despite it being a fictional monograph of sorts, it is strangely enthralling. Greathead’s writing is lovely and the characters are both substantive and compelling.

The initial impression you get of George is that you like him. He is, in his heart of hearts, a capital G Good Guy. And as you sit wondering what all the angst is about (both his and that of those around him on his behalf), the other shoe drops.

George is nice enough, smart enough, caring enough, but he’s also consistently apathetic and not especially ambitious. It’s enough to drive a driven gal batty, and while I agree with that sentiment, it’s also where the book lost me a bit.

There isn’t enough space in the world for a planet 100% populated by deeply ambitious, incredibly engaged people. And while if that’s important to you, a George is not going to be your person, I’m not sure it’s the cultural poison pill that it’s presented to be here. It didn’t help that Jenny is exactly the Pollyanna she fears she is, which makes George, flaws and all, a more likable character.

To that end, the author isn’t disputing that George is a nice guy or that he’s likable. She’s arguing that his apathy and unrealized potential is a problem, and one that frequently shows up in men.

I’m not disagreeing with that, though again I would counter that there is a place in the world for a Joe Average, or a George Average if you will, and just because many women (myself included) would ultimately declare his not enoughness to be simply not enough, it’s not necessarily appropriate as a universal condemnation, and it’s hard to make the argument when his female partner is the one who would actually make me run screaming.

The Book of George
by Kate Greathead
narrated by Blair Baker

thank you so much macmillan audio for the gifted audiobook #macaudio2024

About the book 👇🏽

We all know a George. He's the kind of guy who's brimming with potential but incapable of following through; he doesn't know if he's in love with his girlfriend, but he certainly likes having her around; he's distant from - but still reliant on - his mother; he swears he'll finish his novel one day.
Sure, you might find him disappointing. But no one is more disappointed in George than George himself.
As funny as it is astute and as singular as it is universal, The Book of George is a deft, unexpectedly moving never-coming-of-age tale and a portrait of one man, but also countless others.

✨ My thoughts:

I will keep this short because… it wasn’t my favorite. I almost DNFd because I did not like the main character, I found myself getting annoyed. I really wanted to love this book but I just didn’t. The narration was fine and I’d listen to more audiobooks by this narrator. I am sure there is an audience for this story but sadly it was a miss for me.

happy reading

The Book of George by Kate Greathead is a poignant and witty novel that delves into the complexities of family dynamics and personal identity. The story revolves around George, a charming and quirky character whose life takes unexpected turns, leading him to confront the challenges of adulthood and the relationships that shape him. Blair Baker's narration brings the characters to life with a warm and engaging voice, enhancing the emotional depth of the story. Greathead's writing is both humorous and heartfelt, making it easy to connect with George's journey. This novel is a delightful exploration of love, loss, and the search for one's place in the world, making it a compelling listen for anyone seeking a thoughtful and entertaining story!

Every millennial girl knows a George. Unfortunately, some of us know several Georges. This was a hilarious take on men who can’t ever seem to get it together, even with every advantage and privilege in life at their disposal. The ones who still are bailed out by their parents at every stumble, manage to mooch off their girlfriends, have no consideration of others, and never take accountability.
Ugh, I hated him. This book is great for some cathartic humor and the age of the characters is mine, so I can relate to many of the current events that happen as well as the stage in life you are in at that moment.

Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt publishing for my advanced listener copy in exchange for an honest review.

oved this novel exploring a man who expected more from life who never quite matured. I appreciated the perspective reminiscent of Alderton’s Good Material. It also had some laugh out loud moments. It definitely requires being OK with exploring the psyche and the stunted emotional growth of a mediocre white man, but I definitely is what made it unique. I really liked Blair Baker's narration of this one, the tone they had for this was perfect. The story was also easy to follow on audio.

This is a unique character driven story. I love a good character study and this one is well done. We meet George as a child and follow him through middle age. We’ve all known a George and I’m pretty sure I raised a George. George is a generally decent guy who just can’t quite get his life together. I found his impulsiveness when angry and his treatment of Jenny so frustrating. However, as a mom of a George, there were times I wanted to hug him and help him fix a mess he’d gotten himself into. The story is well written and there is humor to balance out the more serious aspects. Blair Baker narrates the audiobook beautifully.

I was an early reader of The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P back in 2013 so I jumped at the chance to read The Book of George when I saw the blurb comparing the too. While interconnected stories are not usually my thing, I thought the Book of George was a good fit for the style choices. George is a clueless, listless young man who can't quite commit and relies on his mom a bit much. Through a series of stories, Greathead paints George's life, forcing the reader to grudgingly sympathize with George, in spite of his many failings.

This book is definitely not for everyone. George is an entitled, unlikeable man with a lot of privilege and a lack of self-awareness. I think Greathead was successful and if the book finds the right reader it will be a solid read.

The audio version was probably not the best way for me to connect to the character in these vignettes but I think the production quality was good and I enjoyed the narrator.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This is the story of George. It follows his life from about 12-40. He is witty and handsome and knows it. This was such a fun story.

The Book of George chronicles the life of a man named George from his teen years until his adult years - high school and college, first jobs, first loves, family issues, grief, loss, all of it. This book had me cackling. George was quirky and eccentric and made some of the worst decisions ever. I loved the cast of characters coming in and out of his life, in many full circle moments. The banter oozed with dry wit and sarcasm. Weird thoughts popped in his head and were shared with reckless abandon. And I may never look at a squirrel again without wanting to barf. It was sort of a saga of George and I was here for it.

Everyone knows a George, but you probably don’t want to hang out with a George. He’s self-righteous without having the ability to actuate anything, he needs someone to take care of him but doesn’t have the ability to reciprocate in a meaningful way, and well, he’s just annoying. George is not a bad person, he’s just George.

I went against my better judgement and read/listened to this novel even though I didn’t like the books it’s compared to. I’m not mad about it, I’ve thought the book a bit since I finished it and the writing is very good (plus it has my alma mater in it so that was fun). My personal issue is that I can’t read about such an annoying self righteous character for an entire novel. I get that’s the point of this novel so I do not fault the author, I fault the reader and that is me. If you like this sort of pompous annoying guy and you can tolerate a novel about him - this is a very well written one. I thought the choice of a female narrator for the audio was clever and made the character a much more tolerable person and I did enjoy her reading of the novel.

3.5 stars

thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley

Oh George. I so wanted to like this novel, and I was fully into it in the beginning. But I am reader that sometimes can read unlikable characters and sometimes not, and unfortunately, George was not a guy I liked spending time with. I thought the narrator did a great job with this story. I felt for Jenny and her relationship. I just wanted something here to help me root for him, and for me, it just didn't work.

Thank you to NetGalley, Henry Holt Publishing, and MacMillan Audio for the arc.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I tried my best to get through it, but in the end, I found George to be an incredibly unlikable character.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "The Book of George" and all opinions expressed are my own. I listened to the audio book. I really didn't care for the story at all. I know a lot of readers thought it was good but it really wasn't my type of book.

Told in vignettes of George’s life from age 12 to nearly 40, The Book of George is a thoughtful examination of the ennui of millennial masculinity. George is, to put it simply, insufferable. He relies on his charm and privilege to skate through life, enabled by the women around him. He’s depressed and accomplishing little but also exerting the minimum amount of effort, seeming to expect that things will be handed to him. He’s selfish, self-centered, occasionally funny, and sometimes cruel. Despite George being nearly completely unlikable, the prose is compelling and Kate Greathead is a gifted storyteller.

Having a female narrator give voice to George’s life is a striking, meaningful choice. Blair Baker delivers the narrative in a wry, observational tone that perfectly complemented my impressions of George.

Many thanks to NetGalley , Henry Holt & Company, and Macmillan Audio for providing me advance copies of this book.

✨ Publication date: 10/8/2024

“You have this eyore effect going on. You act all pathetic and self loathing, but you’re actually extremely egotistical.”

✨ Genre: Contemporary fiction
✨ Steamy rating: Mild
✨ Profanity: Moderate

The quote above sums up this book. George was very unlikeable. George is a white privileged male with a huge ego and no regard for anyone else. This book follows George’s life from an early age to near 40. He can’t seem to figure out what he wants to do with his life or if he’s capable of truly loving anyone.

At times I liked this one, but at times I thought it was slow and irritating. Yes, George is irritating. It ended slightly weird too. I have mixed feelings.

Triggers: Infidelity, death of a parent, stroke, and depression

Thank you @macmillan.audio for early access to The Book of George.

#macaudio2024

DNF at 26%. A lot of reviews seem to stick up for George. Let him manifest into a character that everyone knows of a George at one point in their life. But so what...?! It doesn't mean that I want to read about those people and how, like George, they're unlikable and just simply...dry as dust. I don't mind a dull character honestly, but the storyline has to be interesting enough to where the book stayed engrossing.

I tried, really tried. I tried with the pacing, which was fine, but I didn't find myself captivated by anything. It was like watching a reality TV episode where someone just did mundane things and you wondered why the hell you were watching it. It wasn't like I was hoping George would somehow change his ways or had some sort of revelation, that wasn't going to happen, but I at least hoped there was a good shift in anything regarding his life. Perhaps I didn't stick long enough to get the magic from the story like others did, but I was fine bowing out.

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 3/5 Stars
Pub Date: 10/8
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The Book of Geroge follows a man through 3 decades of his life and how some people will never change. I feel like there are too many "Georges" in the area where I live. Oh, you know, the men that always think they are better than everyone else, while simultaneously not contributing to society in any meaningful way. "Georges" are usually charismatic, charming and handsome, they just expect the world to do their bidding.
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This is a great representation of how many men (and let's not be biased here, women also) are in this world. It was so frustrating to see people be used and manipulated by people like this. I struggled to find any compassion for George in this story even while he was sobbing the woe is me tune majority of the story. Nothing was ever his fault; he wouldn't commit to a wonderful woman, and he just worked dead end jobs barely being able to support himself. This story made me think very much about myself and about the "Georges" that I have dated and made me realize that I have so much to be proud of in my life.
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I listened to this one via audiobook and it was narrated by Blair Baker. I think it was an awesome narration and it definitely kept my attention. If youre thinking of checking this book out - be sure to listen to the audio!
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Overall, while this was not my most favorite book, but this one made me think, it made me chuckle at times, and it really made me appreciate all that I have done. I think people are going to love this one.