The Interruption of Everything

By: Terry McMillan

Narrated by: Lynn Whitfield

Length: 5 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Since Terry McMillan's breakout novel Waiting to Exhale surged onto the best seller lists, critics and readers alike have been captivated by her irreverent, hilarious, pitch-perfect tales of women's lives and contemporary issues. With The Interruption of Everything, her sixth novel, McMillan takes on the fault lines of mid-life and family life, reminds us once again of the redeeming power of friendship, and turns her eye toward the dilemma of how a woman starts to put her own needs higher on the to-do list while not shortchanging everyone else.

Marilyn Grimes, wife and mother of three, has made a career of deferring her dreams to build a suburban California home and lifestyle with her husband, Leon. She troubleshoots for her grown kids, cares for her live-in mother-in-law, Arthurine (and elderly poodle, Snuffy), keeps tabs on her girlfriends, Paulette and Bunny, and her own aging mother and foster sister...all the while holding down a part-time job. But at 44, Marilyn's got too much on her plate and nothing to feed her passion. She feels like she's about ready to jump. She's just not sure where.

Highly entertaining, deeply human, a page-turner full of heart and soul, The Interruption of Everything is vintage Terry McMillan, and a triumphant testament to the fact that the detour is the path, and living life "by the numbers" never quite adds up.

©2005 Terry McMillan (P)2005 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Terry McMillan keeps it real.…easily her most accomplished tale...by turns laugh-out-loud funny and gut-punch painful. McMillan has painted a convincing portrait of the kind of woman who can say yes to everyone but herself.” (Boston Herald)

“Funny, sad, and…feisty. [A] frank, no-holds-barred, humorous look at African American midlife.” (The Seattle Times)

"[Mcmillan] has…a cutting wit, a knack for capturing the way real people think and speak, a fearless willingness to engage complex, painful issues, and an unerring instinct for fashioning characters that enchant readers’ imaginations.” (The Washington Post)

Great Story

This was a very good story and I will be listening again. Lynn Whitfield did a marvelous job.

Great book

Interesting story good narration. I recommend the book. She is a great author. I enjoy her books.

Great job by lynn whitfield

Good book and great narration by lynn whitfield. The story is soooo true for any married woman and mother who has felt like they were underappreciated. It rang soooo true to my life. Thank God I am not alone, fiction only mirrors real life. Great listen...highly recommend it.

Awesome book and I really needed it at this time,

Very nice book and right on time for this stage in my life. I really appreciated the story and reality check.

It's Ok

First Audiobook I've ever purchased - but, I can't get through it. For some reason it's not holding my attention and I have to keep starting over. I'm on the fence with this one - Sorry Terri, you're still my girl - I just can't get through this one.

Absolutely loved it!

Oh my gosh this book was so awesome. For anyone whose been married for a number of years it is truly understandable that sometimes people get lost within marriage. Through one woman's journey this book expresses the work which goes into marriage, motherhood, daughterhood, sisterhood, and much more. Marilyn is strong, vulnerable, uncertain, and still determined to find herself. Her experiences are happy, sad, infuriating, encouraging, daunting, and exhilarating. Yes she live the dubious life many others can relate to but her story of undying spirit lends hope to those who read it. Not to mention TM writes her ass of as usual...she is witty, comical, piercing, and profound. Cudos Ms. T. Mcmillan once again you hit the nail on the head!

Not So Great...

Terry McMillan is a pretty good writer. Typically, her characters are so real that you sometimes forget it's only a fictional book and you can't call the characters on the phone. They are that real. It wasn't that the characters weren't real in this book, they were just boring. The only real character that was developed was the main character, who narrated the book. The book was boring to me and that's not characteristic of Terry. I guess you can't like them all. I'm still a fan, so I hope McMillan gets back to her old self.

Awesome Read

This is one book/audiobook/story in general that I absolutely loved listening to. Lynn Whitfield is awesome and keeps you all in. I listen to audiobooks as I travel on the highway and this one was so good. I've listened to it over and over even though I have other audiobooks waiting to rip open, I find myself popping this one back into the cd tray. Thats how good it is. Enjoy Enjoy Enjoy!!!

Excellent

I Listened, and imagined myself there. It's so true to my life, I enjoyed every moment.

Surprised by how I loved it

This audio came at the right time in my life. I am in my early forties and feeling somewhat lost lately like the main character. I was inspired by how the main character took everything in stride that was thrown her way. I enjoyed looking forward to my morning walks with the dog and listening for what would happen next.