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What Makes a Marriage Last  By  cover art

What Makes a Marriage Last

By: Marlo Thomas, Phil Donahue
Narrated by: Marlo Thomas, Phil Donahue, Tom Zingarelli, Maggi-Meg Reed, Therese Plummer, Adam Verner, Ryan Vincent Anderson, Robin Miles, Eileen Stevens, Sean Patrick Hopkins
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Publisher's summary

Power couple Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue have created a compelling and intimate collection of intriguing conversations with famous couples about their enduring marriages and how they have made them last through the challenges we all share.

What makes a marriage last? Who doesn’t want to know the answer to that question? To unlock this mystery, iconic couple Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue crisscrossed the country and conducted intimate conversations with 40 celebrated couples whose long marriages they’ve admired - award-winning actors, athletes, and newsmakers to writers, comedians, musicians, and a former US president and first lady. Through these conversations, Marlo and Phil also revealed the rich journey of their own marriage.

What Makes a Marriage Last offers practical and heartfelt wisdom for couples of all ages and a rare glimpse into the lives of husbands and wives we have come to know and love. Marlo and Phil’s frequently funny, often touching, and always engaging conversations span the marital landscape - from that first rush of new love to keeping that precious spark alive, from navigating hard times to celebrating triumphs, from balancing work and play and family to growing better and stronger together. At once intimate, candid, revelatory, hilarious, instructive, and poignant, this audiobook is a beautiful gift for couples of every age and stage.

Featuring interviews with:

  • Alan and Arlene Alda
  • Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick
  • President Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter
  • James Carville and Mary Matalin
  • Deepak and Rita Chopra
  • Patricia Cornwell and Staci Gruber
  • Bryan Cranston and Robin Dearden
  • Billy and Janice Crystal
  • Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest
  • Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen
  • Viola Davis and Julius Tennon
  • Gloria and Emilio Estefan
  • Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan
  • Chip and Joanna Gaines
  • Sanjay and Rebecca Gupta
  • Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann
  • Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka
  • Ron and Cheryl Howard
  • Jesse and Jacqueline Jackson
  • Elton John and David Furnish
  • John and Justine Leguizamo
  • LL Cool J and Simone I. Smith
  • Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone
  • John McEnroe and Patty Smyth
  • Mehmet and Lisa Oz
  • Rodney and Holly Robinson Peete
  • Letty Cottin Pogrebin and Bert Pogrebin
  • Rob and Michele Reiner
  • Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos
  • Al Roker and Deborah Roberts
  • Ray and Anna Romano
  • Tony Shalhoub and Brooke Adams
  • Judges Judy and Jerry Sheindlin
  • George Stephanopoulos and Ali Wentworth
  • Sting and Trudie Styler
  • Capt. Chesley “Sully” and Lorrie Sullenberger
  • Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner
  • Judith and Milton Viorst
©2020 Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers

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What listeners say about What Makes a Marriage Last

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Great stories from great people!

I've been married 19yrs now and listening to these stories it was amazing how similar to mine some were. the last couple was an absolute joy! I loved them.
Great book!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Love story, hate the narrators

Really enjoying this book, but the voice of the women interviewed always sound whiny. It's really a terrible casting

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

What a wonderful compilation

This was wonderful! A great collection of loving couples sharing their own stories. Not a “you should” book but just sharing what they do in their relationships. It would make a great gift to young couples.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved this book!

It was great hearing all the stories so different yet all have the common bond of a loving commitment of forever.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Clever Idea

I enjoyed listening to the stories and how much our lives are much like those celebrities.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful Marriage Stories

I loved this book! It was nice to hear everybody’s personal stories! Things aren’t always as rosy as they may seem! I also learned my husband and I already do a lot of the things suggested for a long and happy marriage!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Insightful

I thought this book was very interesting and insightful! I really enjoyed listening to the stories from every couple. I just wish it was read by the actual people themselves.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

I really wanted Phil & Marlo

I enjoyed the knowledge that I received in the book. It was an enjoyable, intelligent, eye-opening, and I think it achieved what they set out to do. But... Narration was very upsetting. Disconcerting actually. I really needed Phil & Marlo to narrate all their own parts. I understand, because there were hours upon hours of recording which required editing, that it made it impossible for everyone to say their parts but certainly Phil & Marlo could have done theirs. I appreciated the diversity of couples. So, it was a good book but the narration just did not sit well with me.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

a great book to listen to!

really like the book would recommend it. enjoyed it very much. I don't have much more to say about it

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great book! Narration is disappointing!

I was so excited to read this book. Being married 12 years to my second husband I was looking forward to hear from a long list of famous couples on what they do to ensure success in their marriages. Some couples stories were told with humor, some stories were extremely tender and others made me admire these couples even more. One of my favorite was Jacqueline Jackson. When she spoke of the affair her husband Reverend Jesse Jackson had which resulted in a child, I was struck with complete awe of how this woman continued to love and support their marriage. I love how to this day she calls Jesse Reverend to remind him of what he is. Another couple explained how they can call a ten minute hug at anytime. If they are arguing if there’s tension and someone calls the 10 minute hug, their anger starts to melt away and they realize what’s at stake. It really helps them focus on what’s important I might try this!

I was extremely disappointed that other than Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue none of the interviewed couples did their own narration! What a missed opportunity! What was a very good book could have been launched into the stratosphere All the narrators sounded young and did a disservice to the more senior couples that were interviewed.

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