Long Island Compromise

A Novel

De: Taffy Brodesser-Akner

Narrado por: Edoardo Ballerini, Taffy Brodesser-Akner

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • An exhilarating novel about one American family and the dark moment that shatters their suburban paradise, from the New York Times bestselling author of Fleishman Is in Trouble

New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice • New York Magazine’s Beach Read Book Club Pick • Belletrist Book Club Pick

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, Oprah Daily, The New Yorker, Time, The Washington Post, NPR, Vogue, Town & Country, New York Post, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Parade, Kirkus Reviews

“Joins the pantheon of great American novels.”—Los Angeles Times
“Exuberant and absorbing . . . a big old-fashioned social novel.”—The Atlantic

“Were we gangsters? No. But did we know how to start a fire?”

In 1980, a wealthy businessman named Carl Fletcher is kidnapped from his driveway, brutalized, and held for ransom. He is returned to his wife and kids less than a week later, only slightly the worse, and the family moves on with their lives, resuming their prized places in the saga of the American dream, comforted in the realization that though their money may have been what endangered them, it is also what assured them their safety.

But now, nearly forty years later, it’s clear that perhaps nobody ever got over anything, after all. Carl has spent the ensuing years secretly seeking closure to the matter of his kidnapping, while his wife, Ruth, has spent her potential protecting her husband’s emotional health. Their three grown children aren’t doing much better: Nathan’s chronic fear won’t allow him to advance at his law firm; Beamer, a Hollywood screenwriter, will consume anything—substance, foodstuff, women—in order to numb his own perpetual terror; and Jenny has spent her life so bent on proving that she’s not a product of her family’s pathology that she has come to define it. As they hover at the delicate precipice of a different kind of survival, they learn that the family fortune has dwindled to just about nothing, and they must face desperate questions about how much their wealth has played a part in both their lives’ successes and failures.

Long Island Compromise spans the entirety of one family’s history, winding through decades and generations, all the way to the outrageous present, and confronting the mainstays of American Jewish life: tradition, the pursuit of success, the terror of history, fear of the future, old wives’ tales, evil eyes, ambition, achievement, boredom, dybbuks, inheritance, pyramid schemes, right-wing capitalists, beta-blockers, psychics, and the mostly unspoken love and shared experience that unite a family forever.

©2024 Taffy Brodesser-Akner (P)2024 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Joins the pantheon of great American novels . . . Long Island Compromise is an exploration of intergenerational trauma and an unabashed critique of income inequality . . . Brodesser-Akner has written a humane, brazen, gorgeous novel whose words dance exuberantly on the page.”—Los Angeles Times

“Is this book as good [as Fleishman is in Trouble]? It’s better. Sprawling yet nimble, this is [Brodesser-Akner’s] Big American Reform Jewish Novel . . . Brodesser-Akner is empathetic to her characters’ pathological inability to know themselves, but she is also merciless when it comes to the idea that acknowledging confusion is not enough.”—The New York Times

“Comprising immersive, tragicomic deep dives into the Fletchers’ personal pathologies and inner demons . . . Long Island Compromise is ingeniously plotted, its various storylines building toward several extremely satisfying plot twists . . .The potentially corrosive nature of wealth has rarely been explored with such humanity.”—The Atlantic

Surprising

Long Island Compromise was surprisingly powerful. I was annoyed at times, most of the time, at the portrayal of stereotypical Jewish mothers as, disappointed, overbearing, emotionally distant, and controlling women. But, the characters were so well developed that by the end of the book I was a bit dazed. I will ponder my feelings and reaction before I start a new book.

Great writing, great story

Characters so fully developed! Loved the Long Island setting. Took me home. Loved that surprise at end!

Captivating Story, Superbly Narrated!

Well! Taffy Brodesser-Atkin is my new favorite novelist. I must also commend the narrator for a SUPERB job of bringing this story to life (I feel like I could SEE the words being lifted from the page and brought to life). Illuminating, darkly funny, sad. The characters are quite “awful” in a variety of ways, yet truthfully, sympathetically written. I will seek out Ms. Brodesser-Atkin’s other writing; she’s marvellous.

Thinking Person’s Beach Read

Best book I’ve read this summer. Relatable but heightened family drama. Hope this one gets made into a miniseries.

Started strong but then rambled

At first, I was thoroughly enjoying the story. And I was laughing out loud fairly often. On that note, the narrator was fabulous! Without him (if I were reading rather than listening), I probably would have abandoned this book about 2/3 through. But he had such a knack for humorous emphasis that he truly delighted me. Audible, he is a keeper! But back to the story. It became a generational one - something I normally enjoy. But I was getting confused here and there about which character’s story was being told. In that case, reading the book would have made sorting out the plot lines easier. Ultimately, I was disappointed in this best selling novel.

Flawed, Funny, and Profound

The characters in Long Island Compromise are deeply flawed, human, and hilarious at every wild and despicable turn. Loosely based on real events, the story explores inherited trauma and its impact on the Fletcher family, both personally and collectively. I didn’t want it to end. Brodesser-Akner masterfully weaves complex moral and philosophical questions, much like my favorite, Tolstoy—but with a heavy dose of humor, all while exploring Jewish-American identity. Superb.

Just did not love this narration

I was toggling between listening to you and reading the book, in this case I’m much preferred the written word. I know the idea here was to be authentic using the accents, but it became grating.

Brilliant sassy original writing!

Ratatat observations about the intersection of love, family and money. Keeping up with Akner’s voice is a mental work out but definitely worth the ride. Ballerini doesn’t miss a beat.

So clever!

Loved the story from start to finish! Best audio book I’ve listened to since Tom Lake. The characters were fully developed, human and satirical wrapped together marvelously. A family saga that reminds one of Long Island and era. The narrator was excellent too. I encourage listening all the way thru the authors notes at the end. Highly recommended!

Meh

The bottom line is that the characters were an unlikeable mess, making it difficult to care about them. And the compromise, regarding anal sex, is not uniquely Long Island. Sorry, I just didn’t get what all the fuss is about.