Marjorie Morningstar

By: Herman Wouk

Narrated by: Gabra Zackman

Length: 28 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

Marjorie Morningstar is a love story. It presents one of the greatest characters in modern fiction: Marjorie, the pretty 17-year-old who left the respectability of New York's Central Park West to join the theater, live in the teeming streets of Greenwich Village, and seek love in the arms of a brilliant, enigmatic writer. In this memorable novel, Herman Wouk, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, has created a story as universal, as sensitive, and as unmistakably authentic as any ever told.

Check out two of the best reviewed titles and biggest customer favorites in our store, Wouk's The Winds of War and War and Remembrance.

©1955 Herman Wouk (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Herman Wouk's Marjorie Morningstar is timeless.... Gabra Zackman has a sweet, warm voice, which she mixes with a seriousness that complements Wouk's prose and dialogue. Zackman's ability to change tone, from high-pitched to deep and feminine to breathless, brings the book and its personalities to life.... With Zackman at the mike, every chapter brings a new reason to continue." (AudioFile)

An amazing, surprisingly complex story

I thought the book was going to be a relatively superficial coming of age story. However, the social, political, and philosophical ideas explored make the story rich and thought provoking. Even though the story takes place between 1934 - 1940, the issues explored in the novel are as contemporary now as then. A bonus is Wouk's wonderful sense of humor sprinkled throughout the book.

A tragedy or a fairytale? Or both.

Would you consider the audio edition of Marjorie Morningstar to be better than the print version?

Both were excellent.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Marjorie Morningstar?

There are several. Her horse ride in Central Park and the resulting date with her first love. Her tragic affair with the director. Her naiveté on the cruise. And finally, the ending.

Have you listened to any of Gabra Zackman’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

A naive American girl looking for someone else to give her life meaning, discovers herself along the way.

A marvellous depiction of a time and place.

From the perspective of 2017, so much of Marjorie's life may seem ridiculous. But this is a story of a woman in a certain time and place by a man who was also young in that time and place, and, as such, is a marvellous depiction that speaks with, in my opinion, a very authentic voice. Young women of today might learn a few things about what the past was like from reading this book. Plus it is very well written and beautifully performed.

52 years

When I read this book in my 20 pure joy first novel about a Jewish family in New York . I was a farm girl thoroughly enjoying reading I now had a library to visit and very well read librarians suggesting excellent novels. By the way I remembered many of the things that happened. Pure enjoyment

Another incredible story by extraordinary writer!

If you could sum up Marjorie Morningstar in three words, what would they be?

Bright, intelligent, determined.

What other book might you compare Marjorie Morningstar to and why?

Nothing comes to mind...

Have you listened to any of Gabra Zackman’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Great performance.

Who was the most memorable character of Marjorie Morningstar and why?

Mike Eden.

Any additional comments?

Wonderful book. Can't stop thinking about it...

Revisited an old favorite

What made the experience of listening to Marjorie Morningstar the most enjoyable?

The narration of Gabra Zachman was, with a couple of reservations, just amazing! She did a variety of characters -- male, female, young, elderly, middle aged, some with eastern European accents. I felt that her younger men (George, Sandy, Wally) were the weakest characterizations in that they sounded too much like young women in their breathlessness. Initially, I wasn't all that impressed with her Noel as I thought it was too harsh sounding, but as the recording went on, it grew on me. Marsha sounded more refined that I expected but it was a good overall performance. I think her best characterizations were the Morgensterns, and other older characters.

What did you like best about this story?

It is a saga and, therefore, a commitment of time. I had forgotten how long the book actually is as it has been several years since the last time I read it. It gives a wonderful picture of what life for an upper middle class Jewish family during the 1930's may have actually been..It covered six years in the life of the main character, Marjorie, from age 18 to 24 (and the years 1933-1939). I think the fact that we, the reader and/or listener, know what is coming over the course of the next 15 years makes it very moving, especially as events take the characters closer to World War II.

Have you listened to any of Gabra Zackman’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to any other Gabra Zackman performances, but I will be on the look-out for them.

If you could take any character from Marjorie Morningstar out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I would actually like to take Marjorie and her mother out to dinner. Much of their relationship reminds me of that of myself and my own mother, who passed away in 2001.

Any additional comments?

I was very impressed with the overall performance and the ability of the narrator to do a variety of voices. I felt that the author did stretch out some scenes past the time I found them interesting, something I did not notice with the book but which were more obvious in the recorded version.

The sexiest book I ever read…..

When I was 14 that is. Listening to it today I could not remember one word from that read so long ago. The naivety of the times and the story makes the book a delight

Dated and Tedious

Wow, what a chore. I'm nearly finished listening and wonder why I've stuck with it so long. This book takes place in the 30s and was probably dated even then. I know a few people who were Marjorie's age then and none of them remotely resemble the characters in this book. The conversations between friends and lovers alike pretend to be philosophical, but are simply sophomoric, rude, and demeaning. The characters are one-dimensional - no one grows, no one learns - and meanwhile pretty Marjorie endures it all, moving through her life like a Barbie Doll. Other characters in the book apparently find her to be quick, witty and bright, but those traits surely aren't evident in any of her conversations or decisions. I didn't mind the narration as much as other reviewers, even though I agree that all the Jewish men sounded like they just stepped off the boat.

Very Disappointing...Could have been great.

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

This could have great story that led somewhere. This was presented as much more than it turned out to be. It wasn't even a love story, but more of a story of a girl SORT-OF "coming of age", but badly. I kept waiting for a pay-off of some kind, some amazing turn of events, some reason I followed this girl through her discovery of what life and love and the theater are about, but got nothing. Even World War II was barely mentioned - and the main characters are all Jewish - and running around Europe in the 30's for goodness sake! I kept waiting for her to become a star, win over the bad boy - or ditch him - his endless dissection of her, him, the world - ack. He was an undiagnosed bi-polar and that is rarely entertaining to listen to. I kept waiting for SOMETHING to happen. It never did. And the story just ended with a lame diary entry for the final chapeter - wrapping up the final 15 years of the story - IN ONE LOUSY CHAPTER! Very sad work from one of the best.

What do you think your next listen will be?

I am already burning The Kitchen House.

Which scene was your favorite?

The barmitzvah where Marjorie realized her family had merit, as did her religion, and it showed the first glimmers of her maturity beginning.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Sure, the characters had great promise, but they never did anything. Because they were so clear, I kept picturing so many things that COULD happen to all of them, but none of them ever did anything.

Any additional comments?

I would love for a new writer to take the bones of this one and flesh it out. Use the romances to make her life interesting - add a couple marriages. Use WWII and their Jewish heritage to add to the story. Use the natural drama in those early days of the movies, have her bomb out in the theater, but take ANY of the characters connected to the theater and send them to Hollywood and let her follow them there. Oh, the missed opportunities are endless.

32 Hours of Tedium

The only thing that saved this book from 1-star is that I finished it. I can generally find something redeeming in most every book but not this one. If I have been too subtle, my recommendation is that you not buy this book.

Marjorie is, at best, one dimensional for 99.9% of the book and the 0.1% section where she isn't a piece of moving wallpaper isn't worth the wait. By the time I was halfway through the book, I just wanted her to give up and "marry the Butcher!" (Sorry, that was Fiddler on the Roof.)

Most of the male characters in the book are pretty interesting, except for their lifelong servitude to the alter of Marjorie. However, even the dynamic Noel becomes annoyingly whiny after the halfway point.

I could not wait for this book to end. If I wasn't such a cheap Scot, I would have shut if off and moved on.