Nanaville: Adventures in Grandparenting
Written by Anna Quindlen
Narrated by Cynthia Farrell
4/5
()
About this audiobook
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The perfect gift for new parents and grandparents this Mother’s Day: a bighearted book of wisdom, wit, and insight, celebrating the love and joy of being a grandmother, from the Pulitzer Prize–winning columnist and #1 bestselling author
“This tender book should be required reading for grandparents everywhere.”—Booklist (starred review)
“I am changing his diaper, he is kicking and complaining, his exhausted father has gone to the kitchen for a glass of water, his exhausted mother is prone on the couch. He weighs little more than a large sack of flour and yet he has laid waste to the living room: swaddles on the chair, a nursing pillow on the sofa, a car seat, a stroller. No one cares about order, he is our order, we revolve around him. And as I try to get in the creases of his thighs with a wipe, I look at his, let’s be honest, largely formless face and unfocused eyes and fall in love with him. Look at him and think, well, that’s taken care of, I will do anything for you as long as we both shall live, world without end, amen.”
Before blogs even existed, Anna Quindlen became a go-to writer on the joys and challenges of family, motherhood, and modern life, in her nationally syndicated column. Now she’s taking the next step and going full nana in the pages of this lively, beautiful, and moving book about being a grandmother. Quindlen offers thoughtful and telling observations about her new role, no longer mother and decision-maker but secondary character and support to the parents of her grandson. She writes, “Where I once led, I have to learn to follow.” Eventually a close friend provides words to live by: “Did they ask you?”
Candid, funny, frank, and illuminating, Quindlen’s singular voice has never been sharper or warmer. With the same insights she brought to motherhood in Living Out Loud and to growing older in Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake, this new nana uses her own experiences to illuminate those of many others.
Praise for Nanaville
“Witty and thoughtful . . . Nanaville serves up enough vivid anecdotes and fresh insights—about childhood, about parenthood, about grandparenthood and about life—to make for a gratifying read.”—The New York Times
“Classic, bittersweet Quindlen . . . [Her] wonder at seeing her eldest child grow into his new role is lovely and moving. . . . The best parts of Nanaville are the charming vignettes of Quindlen's solo time with her grandson.”—NPR
Anna Quindlen
Anna Marie Quindlen is an author, journalist, and opinion columnist. Her New York Times column, Public and Private, won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1992.
More audiobooks from Anna Quindlen
Still Life with Bread Crumbs: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Miller's Valley: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Black and Blue Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Alternate Side: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Object Lessons Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rise and Shine Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One True Thing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Living Out Loud Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Good Dog. Stay. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Secret Society of Demolition Writers Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEvery Last One Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to Nanaville
Related audiobooks
Make Someone Happy: Favorite Postings Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I'll Be Seeing You: A Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Tapestry of Fortunes Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Family Pictures: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Range of Motion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Still Happy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Every Last One Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Living Out Loud Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rise and Shine Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One True Thing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Joy School Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Year of Pleasures Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ann Patchett, Commonwealth Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Sight Reading: a novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Pull of the Moon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Art of Mending Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Until the Real Thing Comes Along: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5True to Form Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Durable Goods: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Best of Us: A Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Talk Before Sleep: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Thalia Book Club: Ann Patchett's State of Wonder Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Never Change Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Good Harbor Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Mrs. Kimble Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Risk Worth Taking Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Earthly Possessions Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Confession Club Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book That Matters Most Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Relationships For You
Rich Dad Poor Dad: What The Rich Teach Their Kids About Money - That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hit and Run Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Everything is F*cked: A Book About Hope Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/58 Rules of Love: How to Find It, Keep It, and Let It Go Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I'm Glad My Mom Died Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Games People Play: The Basic Handbook of Transactional Analysis Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 5 Love Languages Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Highly Sensitive Person in Love: Understanding and Managing Relationships When the World Overwhelms You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5You Could Make This Place Beautiful: A Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Talk to Me Like I'm Someone You Love, Revised Edition: Relationship Repair in a Flash Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Good Girls Don't Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Trust Your Heart: Lead Your Journey to Self-Discovery From Within Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Grow Up: Becoming the Parent Your Kids Deserve Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Roxane Gay & Everand Originals: You Are a Teen Mom: Instructions Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5You’re Not the Only One F*cking Up: Breaking the Endless Cycle of Dating Mistakes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5In the Dream House: A Memoir Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Boundaries in Marriage: Understanding the Choices That Make or Break Loving Relationships Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5You're Cute When You're Mad: Simple Steps for Confronting Sexism Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Why Marriages Succeed or Fail: And How You Can Make Yours Last Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for Nanaville
67 ratings4 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It was cute. Easy read.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anna Quindlen describes the emotional reactions to becoming a grandparent so well and also describes the mistakes that one may make. If I had read this book two months earlier, I might have avoided making one of mine!! This book was recommended to me by a friend. I share one particular aspect of grandparenting with the author. I too have a grandson, who is half-Chinese and will be bilingual. However, my grandson lives in Beijing, so we have to work to stay connected. It was a blessing for us that the family came to visit for a month this summer and I had some good in person time.This book would be good for any new grandparent.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5As a grandparent of thirteen, I adored this book. Every grandparent will recognize or relate to something in this book. Told in such a natural voice that I felt she was next to me and we were discussing Parenthood and how being a grandparent is even more special. Their is humor, lessons learned, experiences related, and how wonderful and special is the bond between her and her grandson. In fact, many of my favorite episodes in this book is when she is alone taking care of her grandson, or just spending time with him. Her wonder at this amazing little person shines through out."At a certain point you realize there's a higher level of agreement about grandchildren than there is about the benefits of democracy, or chocolate.""A big part of our grandparent job is expressing ecstatic appreciation for everything from urination to reflexes. We must always silence the irritated voice of adult competency. Okay, I get it you drew a 3. But, honestly, a 3 isn't that hard.""Because that's one of the really important things about books, that they enable you to talk to your children about all sorts of things, sometimes without speaking at all."
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5First, I have to say that I love Anna Quindlen so if you’re not a fan, you should remove at least 1 star from my 5 star review! Also, if you’re too young to even imagine becoming a grandparent, you should save this book until later down the road. However, if you have a grandchild or are looking forward to a grandchild in the not too distant future, then you will love this book as much as I do! Anna Quindlen completely captures the feelings that overwhelm you when your child has a child. I can honestly say that the day my first grandson was born, it completely changed my life.But, Anna says it so much better: “All I know is: The hand. The little hand that takes yours, small and soft as feathers. I’m happy our grandson does not yet have sophisticated language or a working knowledge of personal finance, because if he took my hand and said, “Nana, can you sign your 401(K) over to me,” I can imagine myself thinking, well, I don’t really need a retirement fund, do I?”Whatever they charge for this book is more than worth it, it’s a book that you’ll love for a very long time!