An American Marriage (Oprah's Book Club): A Novel

· Sold by Algonquin Books
4.3
85 reviews
Ebook
336
Pages
Eligible

About this ebook

A NEW YORK TIMES AND WASHINGTON POST NOTABLE BOOK

A 2018 BEST OF THE YEAR SELECTION OF NPR  * TIME  * BUSTLE  * O, THE OPRAH MAGAZINE  * THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS  * AMAZON.COM

OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB 2018 SELECTION

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2018 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION


“A moving portrayal of the effects of a wrongful conviction on a young African-American couple.” —Barack Obama

“Haunting . . . Beautifully written.” —The New York Times Book Review
 
“Brilliant and heartbreaking . . . Unforgettable.” —USA Today
 
“A tense and timely love story . . . Packed with brave questions about race and class.” —People
 
“Compelling.” —The Washington Post
 
“Epic . . . Transcendent . . . Triumphant.” —Elle


Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are the embodiment of both the American Dream and the New South. He is a young executive, and she is an artist on the brink of an exciting career. But as they settle into the routine of their life together, they are ripped apart by circumstances neither could have imagined. Roy is arrested and sentenced to twelve years for a crime Celestial knows he didn’t commit. Though fiercely independent, Celestial finds herself bereft and unmoored, taking comfort in Andre, her childhood friend, and best man at their wedding. As Roy’s time in prison passes, she is unable to hold on to the love that has been her center. After five years, Roy’s conviction is suddenly overturned, and he returns to Atlanta ready to resume their life together.
 
This stirring love story is a profoundly insightful look into the hearts and minds of three people who are at once bound and separated by forces beyond their control. An American Marriage is a masterpiece of storytelling, an intimate look deep into the souls of people who must reckon with the past while moving forward—with hope and pain—into the future.

Ratings and reviews

4.3
85 reviews
Brigs Ray
December 29, 2020
I'm speaking from the perspective of an early 20s male, don't waste your time with this book, it's for chicks, I guess? I don't feel like the author accurately portrayed Roy as the type of guy to end up incarcerated on false rape accusations. He's way too emotional for a dude, and the dynamic between him and the other characters just gets old. One example of this is the dinner at Roy's parents' house where Roy constantly self reflects throughout the conversation in response to the most mundane conversation topics. It's hard to read, you'll get bored very quickly.
6 people found this review helpful
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A Google user
April 7, 2018
A hard read. This was a love story, but no fairytale. Raw. Emotional. Realistic and utterly believable. I felt that it ended abruptly. I was rooting for Roy, I was invested in his story. I wanted him to win. I guess he did but it was an ambiguous win.
18 people found this review helpful
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Tia Malak
October 17, 2018
This book was wonderful from begining to end. I felt like a fly on the wall of a beautiful yet tragic love story. This is one of those hard to put down books that I devoured
3 people found this review helpful
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About the author

Tayari Jones is the author of four novels, including Silver Sparrow, The Untelling, and Leaving Atlanta. Jones holds degrees from Spelman College, Arizona State University, and the University of Iowa. A winner of numerous literary awards, she is a professor of creative writing at Emory University. Visit her website at www.tayarijones.com.

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