The Crane Wife

A Memoir in Essays

By: CJ Hauser

Narrated by: CJ Hauser

A memoir in essays that expands on the viral sensation “The Crane Wife” with a frank and funny look at love, intimacy, and self in the twenty-first century. From friends and lovers to blood family and chosen family, this “elegant masterpiece” (Roxane Gay, New York Times bestselling author of Hunger) asks what more expansive definitions of love might offer ​us all.

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: TIME, THE GUARDIAN, GARDEN & GUN

"Hauser builds their life's inventory out of deconstructed personal narratives, resulting in a reading experience that's rich like a complicated dessert—not for wolfing down but for savoring in small bites." —The New York Times

“Clever, heartfelt, and wrenching.”
—Time

“Brilliant.”
—Oprah Daily

Ten days after calling off their wedding, CJ Hauser went on an expedition to Texas to study the whooping crane. After a week wading through the gulf, they realized they'd almost signed up to live someone else's life.

What if you released yourself from traditional narratives of happiness? What if you looked for ways to leave room for the unexpected? In Hauser’s case, this meant dissecting pop culture touchstone, from The Philadelphia Story to The X Files, to learn how not to lose yourself in a relationship. They attended a robot convention, contemplated grief at John Belushi’s gravesite, and officiated a wedding. Most importantly, they mapped the difference between the stories we’re asked to hold versus those we choose to carry.

Told with the late-night barstool directness of your wisest, most bighearted friend, The Crane Wife is a book for everyone whose path doesn't look the way they thought it would; for everyone learning to find joy in the not-knowing and to build a new sort of life story, a new sort of family, a new sort of home to live in.

Loved this book!

So glad I was finally able to listen to this! CJ has a very pleasant voice and I think hearing the author narrate each essay makes the book that much better. The essays are real, raw, and well-written. Really enjoyed this book.

Laugh, cry and be human

Very pleasant voice to listen to. Lots of courage to publish this, it’s the kind of journaling you do then hide or throw away because you don’t want anyone else to read. As CJ untangles her life she provides moments of insight we can all relate to.

Did not finish

The stories were not very interesting but the writing is good. I did not finish the entire book.

Unexpectedly Relatable

I was given this as a "blind date with a book" and downloaded it to listen at work. I did not expect for the author to touch on thoughts and feelings I had but had not given words to. Hearing her tell her stories felt like sitting with a friend over coffee because how could she know so much about what I needed to hear if we were not friends? Loved it!

Recommended!

This is a smart, engaging book. I wish the author was my friend. She is funny and lovely in witty. She made me want to reread Rebecca. I hope she writes more nonfiction about her life and how it goes in the future. She’s an excellent reader too. I loved hearing the story in her own voice.