The Silver Linings Playbook

A Novel

By: Matthew Quick

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

A New York Times bestseller, The Silver Linings Playbook was adapted into the Oscar-winning movie starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence.

The Silver Linings Playbook is the riotous and poignant story of how one man regains his memory and comes to terms with the magnitude of his wife’s betrayal, an enchanting first novel about love, madness, and Kenny G.

During the years he spends in a neural health facility, Pat Peoples formulates a theory about silver linings: he believes his life is a movie produced by God, his mission is to become physically fit and emotionally supportive, and his happy ending will be the return of his estranged wife, Nikki. The problem is that Pat is now home, living with his parents, and everything seems off; no one will talk to him about Nikki; his old friends are saddled with families; the Philadelphia Eagles keep losing, making his father moody; and his new therapist seems to be recommending adultery as a form of therapy.

When Pat meets the tragically widowed, physically fit, and clinically depressed Tiffany, she offers to act as a liaison between him and his wife, but only if he will give up watching football, agree to perform in this year’s Dance Away Depression competition, and promise not to tell anyone about their “contract.” All the while, Pat keeps searching for his silver lining.

In this brilliantly written debut novel, Matthew Quick takes us inside Pat’s mind, deftly showing us the world from his distorted yet endearing perspective. The result is a touching and funny story that helps us look at both depression and love in a wonderfully refreshing way.

©2008 Matthew Quick (P)2008 Blackstone Audio

Critic reviews

"This offbeat story has all the markings of a crowd-pleaser." ( Publishers Weekly)

Fly, Eagles, fly. On the road to victory...

The mental health of the city of Philadelphia, along with most of South Jersey, is inextricably tied to the Eagle's wins and losses. Having lived in Philadelphia for a number of years, I know what the fans are like and Matthew Quick has captured that unique fanaticism perfectly. However, this is not a book about football. Football serves as the back-drop for a story that explores mental illness from the inside. Pat Peoples may be the one who spent time in a neural-health facility and who copes with his demons in peculiar ways but is he so different from everyone else? As far as coping mechanisms go: Weight lifting, running and avoiding Kenny G. are all quite reasonable things to do in my opinion. Without making light of the pain and suffering involved, Silver Linings Playbook, succeeds in giving the listener a lighter and perhaps a more realistic view of what it is like to live with mental illness.

Judysoutlet

I enjoyed this book but most surprisingly so did my husband. He listened with me and was easily caught up with Pat Peoples' plight to win back his wife while healing from a tragic incident that left Pat in a "bad place."

Love this narrator!!

I couldn’t stop listening to this book. Though, to be fair, I would listen to Ray Porter read a phone book...

Excellent book!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Silver Linings Playbook to be better than the print version?

Yes. I don't read much due to my schedule and this was a great way to hear the story. I have not had time to see the movie, but am looking forward to seeing it when it is out on video.

What other book might you compare The Silver Linings Playbook to and why?

I'm not sure, but it itself is a great story about mental disorders and those who live with people suffering from a mental disorder.

Which scene was your favorite?

The dance - when all of the friends joined together to congratulate Pat.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No - but it made my rush drives easier to deal with and more relaxing.

Any additional comments?

A great read or listen!

Couldn't Put it Down

Warning: this book swears A LOT. It's a fascinating story because it is all about mental illness. The characters are quirky but that makes it easier to sympathize with them. I think people who know and love people with mental illness will connect with this book. Did I mention it swears a lot? Well, it does.

Captivating

Would you listen to The Silver Linings Playbook again? Why?

I will likely listen to this again. The narrator is absolutely wonderful in his performance and interpretation of the book.

What did you like best about this story?

The author does an amazing job of developing tension and conveying the perspective of the primary character. The narrator is so great as well.

What does Ray Porter bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The voice he gave Pat in particular. He did an excellent job with each character in my opinion, but he made Pat very likeable and believable.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me smile a number of times. I absolutely loved the characters and Ray Porter's ability to give each of them a unique voice was superb.

Any additional comments?

The audiobook is FAR superior to the movie.

Excellent Story

I really liked this book. I have had it for awhile now, and for some reason, never got to it. When I realized it was my oldest audible book, I decided to delve into it and I am so glad that I did. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but this wasn't it. I thought it was well written and the story was told well from the point of someone who was experiencing mental issues. I laughed at parts and felt horribly sorry for Pat at others; but you can't help rooting for Pat and his silver lining. The part where he talks about T.O's alleged suicide attempt and how he felt about T.O. as a person who may be going through difficult times made me rethink some of my perceptions about how I view those with a mental issue as well.

I have to say, that I even got past the issue of Pat being an Eagles fan. I absolutely cannot root for a team that hired Michael Vick after his animal abuse conviction. I rationalized this part away by telling myself that at least this occurred during the Donovan McNabb years.

I had listened to one other book narrated by Ray Porter and really liked it. I probably would have moved this up in my "to read" list if I had realized he narrated it. Again, I enjoyed the narration as much as the story.

Warm and fuzzy

This book was warm and fuzzy without really meaning to be. It expanded my consciousness about how mental illness can manifest within each of us. We're all a little crazy!

Anyone who has ever struggled to fight their own demons, or who has found themselves wrongly marginalized based on faulty assumptions, will be able to relate to this lovely story and the strong characters in it.

Ray Porter's narration is pitch perfect, and the writing isn't bad either - great character studies. Recommended!

The film does not do this book justice.

Watched the movie, then read the book...WORTH IT

I was a little concerned when I purchased Silver Linings Playbook that it would track the movie directly, such that there would be very little point to reading it. My suspicions seemed confirmed for the first hour or so of the book. After that, it became clear that these characters are NOT the same as in the film, and the nuances of Pat's mental illness are much better described than they are in the film. You feel connected to him and his "silver lining" in a way the movie was never able to get across.

The first-person style of Silver Linings reminds me of a grown-up version of Perks of Being a Wallflower. The protagonist's voice is full of childlike emotion. Pat's matter-of-fact way of describing the chaotic events in his life is jarring and disorienting at times, but it makes the entire experience real. Each time Pat says, "I felt," "I thought," "I said," you become more and more invested in his quest.

The narrator of this audiobook is one of the best I've ever heard. It's the little things that count - emphasizing the words "Stomach-Master 6000" every time, the way he recites the "montage" scene, the way he gives each character depth and his or her own voice. I especially like the portrayal of Tiffany. It's hard for a male narrator to accurately portray a female character, especially one so atypical.

Long story shot: if you've seen the movie, don't expect a book about dancing, or even a book about football (although Eagles football comes up on almost every page). Dancing is a small plot device that brings Pat and Tiffany together in a visceral, emotional way. The vast majority of the book is not about success, and not about failure, but about family and love and making oneself whole. The result is noting short of poignant.

Just a great read to lift your spirits.

Any additional comments?

I read this book before seeing the movie, and I am so glad that I did because the two are really nothing like each other. The book delves deeper into the clinical relationship between Patrick and his psychiatrist, as well as his relationships with his family and friends. Really, all relationships in the book had more layers, which became a more two dimensional in the movie. If you already saw the movie, you won't be bored by the book, which even has a different ending.