So Big

A Novel

By: Edna Ferber

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and widely considered to be Edna Ferber’s greatest achievement, So Big is a classic novel of turn-of-the-century Chicago.

Hailed as a novel “to read and remember” (New York Times), So Big is the unforgettable story of the indomitable Selina Peake DeJong and her struggles to stay afloat and maintain her dignity in the face of a challenging marriage, widowhood, and single parenthood. First published in 1924, So Big is a brilliant literary masterwork from one of the 20th century's most accomplished and admired writers and still resonates today with its unflinching views of poverty, sexism, and the drive for success.

©1924 Edna Ferber (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers

History of Chicago via One Family

Are you from Chicago? Do you love Chicago? Then, yes, you should listen to this book. Beautifully written with detailed language and references you’ll connect with, the story of this mother and son acts as the catalyst for listeners’ journey through an emerging great city. Poignant truths about is meaningful in line and what ultimately draws us together in relationships, Ferber’s novel had me from the opening line, throughout the saga, and pleased with its resolution.

surprisingly shallow

of course to remove a novel from the Zeitgeist in which it was written is a mistake. nevertheless the author's treatment of race comes across as ham handed. her description of black neighborhoods "spreading ominously" and her description of a " correct Jap servant," come across as equally quaint and small-minded. more damning, is that her portrayal of men is ludicrously superficial. from her description of Dirk and Rolf as young boys who are little more than pet animals to her portrayal of Dirk as an adult who is little more than a marionette in the hands of his female controllers and the economy at Large.

finally, the main character Selena gets to have it both ways: she is successful in business while still pursuing romantic notions of art and beauty. she never makes a wrong decision – not one time - in the entire novel. the entire book comes across as a heroine tale written for young girls.

overall, however, the writing is more than satisfactory and the narrator lends distinctive accents to Dutch farmers and other recent immigrants to the US in the 1890s.

Excellent

I first read So Big by Edna Ferber in 1947. The book won the 1925 Pulitzer Prize. I was surprised at how much about the book I remembered. But it seems that in this reading I was more interested in the aspects about farming. Ferber is an excellent storyteller. From the pages, her unique characters jumped.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is ten hours and fourteen minutes. Cassandra Campbell does an excellent job narrating the book.

It warmed my heart!

Listening to So Big was a real treat. I read Edna Ferber’s books decades ago and loved them. I still do.

Compelling American classic

This is a wonderful, lyrical novel about beauty and life, the success we gain through our scars, and how different progress can be viewed. The literary devices used to tell this passionate story are used effortlessly and a rich, tangible picture. If you love literature, a must listen/read.

Average average average….annoying often…

Average average average in every category…and often annoying… Repetition of words meaning the same thing in lists employed by the author to make a point, becomes — to be repetitive — ANNOYING…but to be fair, I did finish reading it.

So big

How many times have we done the same thing to our children and hope for the same?