The Red Address Book

By: Sofia Lundberg, Alice Menzies - translator

Narrated by: Xe Sands

Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

The global fiction sensation - published in 32 countries around the world - that follows 96-year-old Doris, who writes down the memories of her eventful life as she pages through her decades-old address book. But the most profound moment of her life is still to come....

Meet Doris, a 96-year-old woman living alone in her Stockholm apartment. She has few visitors, but her weekly Skype calls with Jenny - her American grandniece, and her only relative - give her great joy and remind her of her own youth.

When Doris was a girl, she was given an address book by her father, and ever since she has carefully documented everyone she met and loved throughout the years. Looking through the little book now, Doris sees the many crossed-out names of people long gone and is struck by the urge to put pen to paper. In writing down the stories of her colorful past - working as a maid in Sweden, modelling in Paris during the '30s, fleeing to Manhattan at the dawn of the Second World War - can she help Jenny, haunted by a difficult childhood, unlock the secrets of their family and finally look to the future? And whatever became of Allan, the love of Doris’ life?

A charming novel that prompts reflection on the stories we all should carry to the next generation, and the surprises in life that can await even the oldest among us, The Red Address Book introduces Sofia Lundberg as a wise - and irresistible - storyteller.

©2017, 2019 Sofia Lundberg; Alice Menzies (English translation) (P)2019 Audible, Inc.

intimate and heart warming

I loved how it flows between present day and memories of her past. very enjoyable to listen

How sad

I was in love with the book in the very beginning, but Doris’ life was nothing but one heartbreak after another. It was as if her family was cursed with unhappiness and unfulfilled dreams. I know not all books are meant to be warm and uplifting, but after reading, it would leave me feeling kind of empty. If that is the author’s intent... Bravo ... you accomplished it. This is not one I will be recommending for others to read.

Entertaining

Implausible and overly dramatic at times but entertaining nonetheless. This was a book club selection but not sure I would recommend it.

Nice short love story

Good narration for a love story that is aittle kitch.
Not very engaging but still nice.

Beautiful love story

Another touching story of lost love due to the war. The reader did a great job

What a great listen!

This book was hard to put down. The performance was the best I have heard. The story pulls you in to Doris’ life. One of my favorite Audible books

Too much exaggerated pathos

This is a book I expected to enjoy much more than I did. The overall concept is interesting - an elderly Swedish woman relives her life through an address book she has kept for many years. After a while the events she recounts began to feel cobbled together. While I understand the necessity of telling the story in the voice of a woman far up in years, this particular narrator was simply exhausting to listen to by the final chapters. The chapters recounting her modeling years in Paris (“Paree” got old, too) were the most interesting- a view into a world one doesn’t often see explored.

What a clever premise and literary device for the passage of time

The story was beautifully written and the narrator was amazing. Sometimes I got a little confused when time was changing, but mostly not.
It was a little hard to keep reading about unrelenting trauma, loss and betrayal. I kept hoping for a little relief; a break for Doris; and me.

A really great story spanning decades

A wonderful story spanning decades with excellent character development, love story, history lesson and family love all rolled into a great novel.

A Swedish reader would have been better.

I love Xe Sands, having heard her in another book, but the performance was lessened by the lack of a person who spoke Swedish giving some authenticity to the Swedish bits.