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    Durable Goods: A Novel
    Durable Goods: A Novel
    Durable Goods: A Novel
    Audiobook4 hours

    Durable Goods: A Novel

    Written by Elizabeth Berg

    Narrated by Natalie Ross

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    “Radiant...startling and delicate.” —The Boston Globe

    On the hot Texas army base she calls home, Katie spends the lazy days of her summer waiting: waiting to grow up; waiting for Dickie Mack to fall in love with her; waiting for her breasts to blossom; waiting for the beatings to stop. Since their mother died, Katie and her older sister, Diane, have struggled to understand their increasingly distant, often violent father. While Diane escapes into the arms of her boyfriend, Katie hides in her room or escapes to her best friend’s house—until Katie’s admiration for her strong-willed sister leads her on an adventure that transforms her life.

    Written with an unerring ability to capture the sadness of growth, the pain of change, the nearly visible vibrations that connect people, this beautiful novel by the bestselling author of Open House reminds us how wonderful—and wounding—a deeper understanding of life can be.

    “Elizabeth Berg writes with humor and a big heart about resilience, loneliness, love, and hope. And the transcendence that redeems." —Andre Dubus

    “This quietly told tale will find a place in your soul, and will stay there." —Christopher Tilghman

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateJan 7, 2014
    ISBN9781480501560
    Durable Goods: A Novel
    Author

    Elizabeth Berg

    Elizabeth Berg is the award-winning author of more than twenty-five books, including the New York Times bestsellers True to Form, Never Change, Open House, The Story of Arthur Truluv, Night of Miracles, and The Confession Club. She lives outside of Chicago. Find out more at Elizabeth-Berg.net.

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    Reviews for Durable Goods

    3.5/5

    275 ratings14 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Beautifully written and beautifully, narrated. A sad story of a young adolescent, Katie who is navigating life after the loss of her mother. She lives with her sister, a willful teenager who suffers at the hands of her angry, bitter father. Katie manages to get through life by being curious, and looking at the bright side.
    • 3/5
      3.5 stars, short story, good story line, needs developed.
    • 4/5
      What a brilliant little book! I identified with the protagonist, having been brought up in an abusive home, with a mentally sick parent, and wanting to grow up way too much.
      It wasn't long enough to really love the characters as much as you could with a longer novel, but that's ok with me.. the pain was still there, and it brought back a lot of the same feelings, and the desire for freedom that permeates a child's life in this situation.
      I didn't like the girl's "best friend", she was a spoiled rotten little brat, and she deserved to be taught a lesson in real hardship.
      But what this novel lacks in size and length, it more than makes up for in heart. IF it's part of a series, because of the #1 in GR's title, then I may just pick up the next installment. I'd like to know if the father has learned his lesson, as well.. and if there was any more about the older sister.
    • 5/5
      One of the best books I've read in a long time. Berg's tone is precise and she handles a difficult topic with grace and compassion, never veering toward the maudlin. If someone asked me for an example of fine, clear, deft writing that is never self-conscious, I would hold up this book and wave it around madly. Off to read more Elizabeth Berg.
    • 2/5
      While I've enjoyed other Berg books, this didn't do it for me. I confess that a book about a 12-year-old girl (Katie Nash) really isn't my cup of tea. I prefer books about adults. Second, not much happens in this book. It's the first in a series so maybe things pick up later on, but I don't think I'll stick around to find out.
    • 3/5
      Katie, who is nearly 13, behaves as wisely as she is able to keep things smooth between her sometimes abusive military father and herself, whereas her older sister, Diane, simply argues with him regardless of consequences. Katies best friend is Cherylanne, who lives next door and is a year older than her, and is growing up a bit faster. Katie is a survivor, but struggles as Cherylanne seems to be leaving her behind and Diane plots to run away with her boyfriend once she turns 18. The final clincher is when her dad announces that they'll be moving again, and the only thing she knows to do when she hears the news is to not show her dad how much she hates this.

      I liked this book well enough to read the whole thing, but not enough to read the sequel.
    • 4/5
      Twelve-year-old Katie lives in a small house next to a Texas Army base parade field. Her mother has died. Her 18-year-old sister Diane doesn’t want to be bothered. Her Army colonel father is increasingly distant and demanding. She frequently takes refuge at her best friend Cherylanne’s home next door. Katie watches and compares her family and Cherylanne’s, and she waits – for breasts, for a boyfriend, for an end to math homework, for her father to stop beating her.

      This was Berg’s debut novel and was named the 1993 American Library Association Best Book of the Year. The family has several serious issues and each member is left alone to process the grief over the loss of their mother / wife; Katie crawls under her bed to have conversations with her mother. Secretly she hopes this has all been a misunderstanding and that someday her mother will walk back into their lives. All is not grim, however; there is still joy and love in Katie’s life. Her relationship with 14-year-old Cherylanne rings true and reminded me of myself at that age – marveling at the intricate rituals that “ladies” followed when getting ready to go out, eager to try on the mantle of womanhood, nervous that I wouldn’t ever be as pretty or confident as my friend, secretly practicing how I’d talk to that boy who was so cute. I was Katie’s age during the 1960s timeframe of the novel (and growing up in a Texas city with a major Army base), and I’m sure that contributed to my connecting with her, but her coming-of-age story should still resonate with most readers. I fell in love with Katie; she is a keen observer of life, appropriately introspective for her age, sensitive, resilient and courageous. Through her Berg explores the pain of grief, the struggle of growing up, and the power of forgiveness.

      Berg is a popular author of women’s contemporary fiction. Most of her works are stand-alone novels, but there are two other novels following Katie into the future: Joy School and True to Form. I read the former several years ago, not realizing it was part of a series until I read TtF a couple of months ago. They are enjoyable even if read out of order, but I do think it would be best to read them in order so as to see Katie’s progress more clearly. She’s a wonderful character, and I would follow her story in yet another novel.
    • 4/5
      As usual, a gem of a story from Elizabeth Berg. Katie is a 12-yo who has lost her mother and is left with a harsh military father, an older sister focused on escaping with her boyfriend, and a best friend next door. Katie is touching, spunky, loyal and loving despite the odds. I enjoyed the chance to get to know her.
    • 5/5
      I realized I had missed some of Berg's earlier books so I'm going back and reading them. She writes with such complete understanding of her characters. She gives depth to their feelings and in this case she is right there in the thoughts of a young person who becomes someone you know very well. I would love a book about Katie's future now that years have passed since this book was written. What happened to Katie?
    • 5/5
      Abusive military father and two daughters.
    • 2/5
      I'm not sure why I had this book in my TBR pile--it must have been a recommendation, but I'm not sure from whom, or why I took the recommendation.Maybe they recommended it because the main character is a 12-year-old army brat. I've got one of those in my house, actually, though he's not a girl. And this isn't the 60s (50s?).But that's also why I got turned off by the book very early on. Have I ranted here yet about every single military father in fiction being an abusive asshole? Don't worry--I won't. It doesn't even surprise me anymore. I just chalk it up to ignorance and a desire to keep that us vs. them separation alive so that perpetual war is okay. (So I lied--it's just a mini-rant, after all.) Oh, and I tend to not want to read the author's books anymore.Twelve-year-old Katie and her teenage sister Diane live with their abusive army officer father after the death of their mother. Katie mostly hangs out with her 14-year-old friend Cherylanne. There's lots about how Katie and Cherylanne spend their time, and how Katie tries to avoid her father's abuse.Then he announces they have to move, and Diane and Katie can't take it anymore.It's more of a snapshot of a short period in a girl's life than it is a story. Some of the reviews call it a coming-of-age story, but I think that's just because Katie is 12. She doesn't really grow up or change much. It's not a character study, either, because there's not much depth to the characters. The girls are pretty bland--we see them behaving like ordinary adolescents, and there's nothing particularly memorable or illuminating about any of it. The father, too, wasn't very believable, and not just because of the caricature of a military dad. For example, some of his reactions are completely at odds with his established abuse. There's not even an attempt to explain it.It is a very atmospheric and clear snapshot, but that's not enough to carry a book. I'm not tempted to check out the sequels.
    • 5/5
      Why I chose it...Enjoy the writings of Elizabeth Berg What I thought: This book was different than most of the others of hers that I have read. Very easy read, and enjoyable.
    • 1/5
      For a book almost entirely about sex, this one is squeaky-clean. That brands it as a marketing-inspired product of the monolithic young-reader publishing machine. Berg writes in a warm and comforting voice, assuring the girl reader that everything she is feeling is normal, and reaffirming the normalcy of a very limited number of traditional rites of passage. Feelings are normal. Primping is normal. Kissing is normal. Hating and loving your father is normal. Drinking is normal. But cigarettes, sex, and drugs are not. To me, it seemed like the only thing in the book that was not ultimately related to sex was abuse, of which there was much. So, yes, it’s also normal to shut down emotionally when your dad beats your big sister for her innocuous displays of independence. Although I admit it may be a good thing to offer that sort of emotional support, I expect more from a book addressed to girls at this crucial time in their lives. The author, in her effort to create a character her audience could instantly identify with, has failed to offer anything for her audience to aspire to. There is nothing in Katie’s life to give it any purpose beyond her girl friends and her desire for a boyfriend. Thus, she sets about disappearing—one way or another. She disappears from the family violence by hiding under the bed or by entering a fantasy world. She disappears from herself by bowing to fashion as understood by her friends. And throughout, the author’s reassuring voice tells the reader that this is normal, so don’t be ashamed of it or try to fight it. There are no hobbies in Berg’s world. There are no interests, no passions, no greater world out there, and no inspired vision of a future self. No one reads, plays sports, or takes music lessons. Everyone just hangs out at the pool when outside and plays spin-the-bottle when inside. As much loved as this novel is, it seems to me to be part of the problem, not part of the solution.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book. I read it in one sitting. The voice of Katie is so real. This is the first time that I almost felt for the abuser (her father). You can tell he's in there somewhere trying to feel for his daughters, but just doens't know how. You feel all of the characters.