Becoming Duchess Goldblatt

By: uncredited, Duchess Goldblatt

Narrated by: Gabra Zackman, J. Smith-Cameron, Lyle Lovett

Finalist for an Audie Award in Memoir
One of the New York Times' 20 Books to Read in 2020

"Unforgettable...Behind her brilliantly witty and uplifting message is a remarkable vulnerability and candor that reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles—and that we can, against all odds, get through them." —Lori Gottlieb, New York Times-bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

Part memoir and part joyful romp through the fields of imagination, the story behind a beloved pseudonymous Twitter account reveals how a writer deep in grief rebuilt a life worth living.

Becoming Duchess Goldblatt is two stories: that of the reclusive real-life writer who created a fictional character out of loneliness and thin air, and that of the magical Duchess Goldblatt herself, a bright light in the darkness of social media. Fans around the world are drawn to Her Grace’s voice, her wit, her life-affirming love for all humanity, and the fun and friendship of the community that’s sprung up around her.

@DuchessGoldblat (81 year-old literary icon, author of An Axe to Grind) brought people together in her name: in bookstores, museums, concerts, and coffee shops, and along the way, brought real friends home—foremost among them, Lyle Lovett.

“The only way to be reliably sure that the hero gets the girl at the end of the story is to be both the hero and the girl yourself.” — Duchess Goldblatt

Narrated by Gabra Zackman, with J. Smith Cameron, and Lyle Lovett

The Audible version is a joy and delight

Don’t miss this journey out of darkness and pain into warmth and delight! We should all try and work to find our own voices but who among us remembers to bring others along too? Duchess Goldblatt, that’s who. She is a respite and a joy that will make you grateful.

Fun read

Loved the storyline and how it brings hope to a dark situation. It was fun to see how the Duchess progressed.

Lovely

I loved it, you must read this. I can’t do it justice with a review.

Oh Dear Duchess!

I loved the book. I wanted to curl up and just enjoy all day and not let it end. I read along with the Audible to get the effect of the Twitter feeds but it's not really necessary. This book just leaves a soft happy place in my heart. Perfect for quarantine times.

Perfect

Having followed Duchess Goldblatt on Twitter for many years, I expected to find laughs and warmth and even wisdom in her memoir. But I never anticipated that all of those things would be layered within a wrenching and deeply human story of loss, identity, and hope.

Gabra Zackman is perfectly cast as the primary narrator, the voice of Anonymous. Her voice has an earthy reality that grounds the proceedings, making us truly feel the devastation and heartache that haunt Anonymous' life. Peppered throughout are actual tweets from Duchess Goldblatt, read with charming Goldblattian verve by J. Smith-Cameron. And the inclusion of Lyle Lovett voicing the tweets of Lyle Lovett is simply [chef's kiss].

Becoming Duchess Goldbatt is a triumph--beautifully written and performed, moving, insightful, laugh-out-loud funny, and even inspiring. I should have expected nothing less.

Simply splendid

I enjoyed this so much that I may commit to relistening to this annually. "Becoming Duchess Goldblatt" is enjoyable and heartfelt, with unexpected nuggets of wisdom and life lessons that rear their heads not infrequently. I loved both female narrators (is DG available as a surrogate grandmother?!) and very much enjoyed Lyle Lovett's friendly and sincere contribution.

Makes you smile!

So creative! I loved having Lyle Lovett narrate. Having the Dutch painting as a visual was fantastic.

loved the journey of self discovery!

Great characters with clever writing...always a little surprising. Fresh story telling especially how Lyle shows up. Fiction, but totally convincing.

silly stuff with a meaningful story

most impactful element of the story was examining mental illness in a family in the seventies.

Nuggets of Wisdom

What a terrific read. I think I’m going to have to get the book to re read and underline in. But wow! This audio is amazing.