The Next Best Thing

August 27, 2012
Weiner's novel follows the journey of Ruth Saunders, who sets off for Hollywood to become a television writerâwith her 70-year-old grandmother along for the ride. Although ambitious and talented, Ruth is still disfigured from a car accident that killed her parents. In California, Ruth finds work for the networks, but her new life is far from perfect, especially when her grandmother announces her plans to get married and Ruth's pet project is edited beyond recognition. Narrator Olivia Thirlby's reading captures the heart and soul of Weiner's novel. The narrator's portrayal of the young, naïve Ruth is convincing and nuanced. In turns, Thirlby embodies Ruth's varied emotions, sounding excited, exasperated, embarrassed, sensuous, petulant, funny, and sad. A Washington Square paperback.

February 15, 2012

It's westward ho for Ruth Saunders, who settles in Los Angeles with her grandma and finally has a sitcom accepted for production. (It's called, not surprisingly, The Next Best Thing.) Alas, the actors are prima donnas, the executives all bottom-liners, and the boss oblivious to Ruth's big crush on him. Then there's grandma's upcoming wedding. Weiner is, of course, huge; there's a ten-city tour, a book-club push, and lots of promotion plans.

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