The Measure

A Novel

By: Nikki Erlick

Narrated by: Julia Whelan

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - The Read With Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick!

""A story of love and hope as interweaving characters display: how all moments, big and small, can measure a life. If you want joy, love, romance, and hope—read with us."" —Jenna Bush Hager

A luminous, spirit-lifting blockbuster that asks: would you choose to find out the length of your life?

Eight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice.

It seems like any other day. You wake up, drink a cup of coffee, and head out.

But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. The contents of this mysterious box tells you the exact number of years you will live.

From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean? Is there truth to what they promise?

As society comes together and pulls apart, everyone faces the same shocking choice: Do they wish to know how long they’ll live? And, if so, what will they do with that knowledge?

The Measure charts the dawn of this new world through an unforgettable cast of characters whose decisions and fates interweave with one another: best friends whose dreams are forever entwined, pen pals finding refuge in the unknown, a couple who thought they didn’t have to rush, a doctor who cannot save himself, and a politician whose box becomes the powder keg that ultimately changes everything.

Enchanting and deeply uplifting, The Measure is an ambitious, invigorating story about family, friendship, hope, and destiny that encourages us to live life to the fullest.

©2022 Nikki Erlick (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

An interesting story but feels like an allegory

It’s enjoyable and the performance is good. But all I can think of hearing the whole story is the strings are just an allegory for COVID-19. Arriving around the world in mid March of an election year and no one knows what to do. Makes people re-examine their lives and how they live. Maybe short strings being people at high risk for Covid and long ones people less likely to be really sick? Not sure there but really it feels like a Covid inspired tale. It’s interesting but very familiar with what everyone has been through the past few years.

Wow!! Great story!

Really enjoyed this story. Had a lot of meaning for today’s world. The narrator did a fabulous job. Thanks so much.

Skip!

I picked this book because of the reviews and it being a NY Times bestseller. Less than an hour of listening I wanted to return it but Audible did not allow it (not sure why since I haven’t returned a book in months) so I stuck with it until the end in hopes it would get better. It never did. The premise is completely simplistic and absurd. Everyone in the world gets a box containing a string measuring the length of their life. Some open it and some don’t. The strings are not personalized so when friends decide to switch due to a new military law prohibiting people with short strings to serve, everyone believes them. Really? This book seems amateurish and incomplete. It is not deep or thought provoking. Save your credit.

I will miss these characters

I thought this was going to be sci-fi but but it was really a character study in “what would you do”. It was a fun listen. Recommended

Measure of one's life..pause to think

Great book that forces you to pause to think about people whose lives are long versus those whose lives are cut short.

Interesting concept

I felt that this was a more modern take on Death with Interruptions, with a slightly weaker style. It was interesting and touched on many of today’s social issues.

What would you do?

Far fetched but very thought provoking. Reads fast and easily. Short chapters. Good read.

Wonderful

This by far is the best and more thought provoking book I have ever listened to.

Lovely surprise

This title was recommended to me by a friend. This kind of contemporary science fiction does not generally appeal to me. However this was such an interesting premise and I enjoyed the art of each of the characters in the book. I thought the reader was also outstanding. Very easy to listen to and very easy to catch each of the different characters. I thought the author did a very good job of rolling out the different characters slowly, letting The reader get to know each of them, and building them into the existing story.

Amazing

It’s was very thought provoking! Worth every minute to listen to. I am grateful I got to listen to this book.