Elizabeth Berg Books

"Elizabeth Berg's father was an Army veteran who was a tough man in every way but one: He showed a great deal of love and tenderness to his wife. Berg describes her parents' marriage as a romance that lasted for nearly seventy years; she grew up watching her father kiss her mother upon leaving home, and kiss her again the instant he came back. His idea of when he should spend time away from her was never. But when Berg's father developed Alzheimer's disease, her parents were forced to leave the home they loved and move into a facility that could offer them help. Their children realized it was time to, in effect, parent the people who had for so long parented them--a hard transition, mitigated at least by flashes of humor and joy. The mix of emotions could make every day feel like walking through a minefield. Then came redemption. I'll Be Seeing You charts the passage from the anguish of loss to the understanding that even in the most fractious times, love can heal, transform, and lead to graceful--and grateful--acceptance."--Back cover

Making daily visits to the grave of his beloved late wife, Arthur forges unexpected relationships with a nosy neighbor and a troubled teen who dubs him "Truluv" before the trio discovers healing and family together.

From the author of "We Are All Welcome Here" comes her most ambitious work to date--a moving novel where unearthed truths force one seemingly ordinary family to reexamine their disparate lives and to ask themselves: Is it too late to mend the hurts of the past?

This beautiful novel by the beloved author of Open House and Talk Before Sleep tells the story of two young people growing up in Mason, Missouri, and how Arthur Moses, a shy young man, becomes the wise and compassionate person readers loved in The Story of Arthur Truluv. “A poignant tale of love, grief, and the resiliency of the human spirit.”—Kirkus Reviews A CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR Nola McCollum is the most desirable girl in Arthur Moses’s class, and he is thrilled when they become friends. But Arthur wants far more than friendship. Unfortunately, Nola has a crush on the wrong Moses—Arthur’s older brother, Frank, who is busy pursuing his own love interest and avoiding the boys’ father, a war veteran with a drinking problem and a penchant for starting fights. When a sudden tragedy rocks the family’s world, Arthur struggles to come to terms with his grief. In the end, it is nature that helps him to understand how to go beyond loss and create a life of forgiveness and empathy. But what can he do about Nola, who seems confused about what she wants in life and only half aware of the one who loves her most? Full of unforgettable characters and written with Elizabeth Berg’s characteristic warmth, humor, and insight into people, Earth’s the Right Place for Love is about the power of kindness, character, and family, and how love can grow when you least expect it.

A baking class instructor, her haunted assistant, and a youth reeling from a family tragedy discover the power of community while navigating complicated choices and uncertain futures

This extraordinary short story collection captivates with its compelling narratives and rich character development. Each story delves into the complexities of human experience, offering insights that resonate deeply with readers. Praised for its emotional depth and unique perspectives, the collection has garnered significant acclaim, marking it as a must-read for those who appreciate powerful storytelling.

When her husband slips into a coma after a serious accident, Lainey tries to maintain a normal life and her faith that he will recover by fantasizing about the woman who lived in the house before her

Do you ever really know your mother, your daughter, the people in your family? In this rich and rewarding new novel by the beloved bestselling author of Talk Before Sleep and The Pull of the Moon, a reunion between two sisters and their mother reveals how the secrets and complexities of the past have shaped the lives of the women in a family. Ginny Young is on a plane, en route to see her mother, whom she hasn't seen or spoken to for thirty-five years. She thinks back to the summer of 1958, when she and her sister, Sharla, were young girls. At that time,a series of dramatic events--beginning with the arrival of a mysterious and sensual next-door neighbor--divided the family, separating the sisters from their mother. Moving back and forth in time between the girl she once was and the woman she's become, Ginny at last confronts painful choices that occur in almost any woman's life, and learns surprising truths about the people she thought she knew best. Emotional honesty and a true understanding of people and relationships are combined in this moving and deeply satisfying new book by the novelist who "writes with humor and a big heart about resilience, love and hope. And the transcendence that redeems" (Andre Dubus).

In the sweltering heat of a Southwestern summer, on a small army base in rural Texas, Katie waits impatiently for her life to change. Though battered by the recent death of her mother, her spirit remains miraculously stong. She is filled with longings: for a boy to fall in love with her the way Dickie Mac has fallen for her sister; for her father to stop hitting her; for her life to become less uncertain. And she knows that day is coming soon.

Elizabeth Berg has penned an unforgettable tale about second chances that tugs hard at the heart strings even as it soothes the soul. Never Change tells the bittersweet story of Myra Lipinsky, a 51-year-old home care nurse and self-acclaimed spinster who finds herself assigned to care for the golden boy she secretly worshipped back in high school. Only Chip Reardon isn't quite so golden these days -- he's dying from a highly virulent type of brain tumor.For Myra, the chance to care for Chip fills her with both pleasure and anxiety, particularly when she realizes that she still has strong feelings for him. At first their reunion is marked by fun, joy, and memories. But then reality kicks in when Chip's old girlfriend, Diann, shows up, and Myra once again finds herself feeling like the fifth wheel she was back in high school. Yet despite slipping into their old roles, the three quickly discover that they have all changed. For Myra, this leads to a bittersweet irony as she finds herself in a loving relationship for the first time in her life -- only to have it be with a man whose days are drastically numbered.

A moving and beautifully written "New York Times" bestseller, "Talk Before Sleep" explores life, death, and how the friendship of women impacts upon both. "As wickedly funny as it is sob-making sad".--"Minneapolis Star-Tribune".

In this exquisite new novel by bestselling writer Elizabeth Berg, a young woman falls in love -- and learns how sorrow can lead to an understanding of joy. Katie, the narrator, has relocated to Missouri with her distant, occasionally abusive father, and she feels very much alone: her much-loved mother is dead; her new school is unaccepting of her; and her only friends fall far short of being ideal companions. When she accidentally falls through the ice while skating, she meets Jimmy. He is handsome, far older than she, and married, but she is entranced. As their relationship unfolds, so too does Katie's awareness of the pain and intensity first love can bring. Beautifully written in Berg's irresistible voice, Joy School portrays the soaring happiness of real love, the deep despair one can feel when it goes unrequited, and the stubbornness of hope that will not let us let go. Here also is recognition that love can come in many forms and offer many different things. Joy School illuminates, too, how the things that hurt the most can sometimes teach us the lessons that really matter. About Durable Goods, Elizabeth Berg's first novel, Andre Dubus said, "Elizabeth Berg writes with humor and a big heart about resilience, loneliness, love and hope. And the transcendence that redeems." The same will be said of Joy School, Elizabeth Berg's most luminous novel to date.

When a group of friends in Mason, Missouri, decide to start a monthly supper club, they get more than they bargained for. The plan for congenial evenings--talking, laughing, and sharing recipes, homemade food, and wine--abruptly changes course one night when one of the women reveals something startlingly intimate. The supper club then becomes Confession Club, and the women gather weekly to share not only dinners, but embarrassing misdeeds, deep insecurities, and long-held regrets. They invite Iris Winters and Maddy Harris to join, and their timing couldn't be better. Iris is conflicted about her feelings for a charming but troubled man, and Maddy has come back home from New York to escape a problem too big to handle alone. The club offers exactly the kind of support they need to help them make some difficult decisions. The Confession Club is charming, heartwarming, and inspiring. And as in the previous books that take place in Mason, readers will find friendship, community, and kindness on full display

When Bretta Nolan's husband dies, she honours a promise she made to him to move to a small town and start a new life. Without minimizing her great sorrow, she nevertheless attempts to find pleasure on a daily basis. THE YEAR OF PLEASURES is about deliberately acknowledging the solace found in ordinary things: a warm bath, good food, the beauty of nature, music and art. Above all it is about the various kindnesses people can, and do, offer one another.'Elizabeth Berg writes with humour and a big heartabout resilience, loneliness, love and hope. And the transcendence that redeems.' Andre Dubus II The stunning new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Open House and Never Change. Praise for Elizabeth Berg:'Berg oozes warmth, wisdom and generosity of spirit. Her writing is quite brilliant, as soft as a kiss, as sharp as a knife. An American Maeve Binchy, a modern-day Jane Austen, whatever praise you heap on Elizabeth Berg, she probably deserves it.' Anna Maxted'Berg knows her characters intimately-she gets under their skin and leaves the reader with an indelible impression of lives challenged and changed.' The Seattle Times'Heartwrenching-Hilarious-Berg sits somewhere between Anne Tyler and Alice Hoffman.' Chicago Sun-Times'Maybe Freud didn't know the answer to what women want, but Elizabeth Berg certainly does.' USA Today

'Maybe Freud didn't know the answer to what women want, but Elizabeth Berg does.'USA Today'You are bending over the dryer, pulling out the still-warm sheets, and the knowledge walks up your backbone. You stare at the man you love and you are staring at nothing; he is gone before he is gone.'When Samantha Morrow's husband leaves her and her eleven-year-old son she is faced with the terrifying prospect of having to recreate her whole life.After a few faltering steps she starts to put the pieces into place. She opens her house to a series of lodgers who each in their eccentric way help her to see herself.She fends off her mother, whose idea of getting over a failed marriage is to get a pedicure and get out there dating.And she makes a friend, King, an MIT graduate turned handyman, who shows her that she has the ability to make her own future and her own happiness.

An older woman's self discovery story. When Nan turns fifty, she hits the road, leaving behind her home and husband

Sharing nothing in common except their 16-year-old daughter, divorced parents John and Irene reconnect in the wake of a devastating tragedy and discover things about each other that they had not revealed during their marriage.

Het gelukkige leven van een Amerikaans gezin wordt verstoord wanneer de vrouw laat weten een minnaar te hebben en te willen scheiden.

Na de dood van haar echtgenoot verhuist Betta Nolan naar een dorp om haar leven een nieuwe impuls te geven. Terwijl ze over haar toekomst nadenkt, neemt ze zich voor de simpele dagelijkse dingen met plezier te doen. Ze wordt daarbij geholpen door de tienjarige buurjongen, drie uitbundige vriendinnen uit haar studententijd, een twintigjarige jongen die worstelt om zijn plaats in de wereld te vinden, en een knappe man die klaar is voor de liefde. In deze rijke en intens bevredigende roman onderneemt een energieke vrouw een onvergetelijke reis van avontuur, zelfontdekking en vernieuwing. Ze erkent dat er troost gevonden kan worden in gewone dingen als een warm bad, lekker eten, en de schoonheid van natuur, muziek en vriendschap. Zal ze opnieuw de liefde vinden?

Samantha, 42, Mutter und Hausfrau, wird von ihrem Mann verlassen und muss sich ein neues Leben aufbauen. Sie sucht Untermieter für ihr Haus und nimmt diverse Jobs an. Dabei lernt sie den sympathischen, übergewichtigen King kennen.

Een dertienjarig meisje krijgt in de zomer van 1961 twee vakantiebaantjes in de maag gesplitst.