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Big Brother

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Big Brother

By: Lionel Shriver
Narrated by: Alice Rosengard
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About this listen

‘A gutsy, heartfelt novel’ Sunday Times

‘[Shriver’s] best novel yet’ Independent on Sunday

‘A surprising sledgehammer of a novel’ The Times

‘Shriver is brilliant on the novel shock that is hunger… glorious, fearless, almost fanatically hard-working prose’ Guardian

‘Lionel Shriver's Big Brother has the muscle to overpower its readers. It is a conversation piece of impressive heft’ New York Times

‘Shriver is wonderful at the things she is always wonderful at. Pace and plot. . . . Psychology’ Independent

‘The latest compelling, humane and bleakly comic novel from the author of We Need to Talk about Kevin’ Evening Standard

‘Her best work… presents characters so fully formed that they inhabit her ideas rather than trumpet them’ New Republic

When Pandora picks up her older brother Edison at her local Iowa airport, she literally doesn’t recognize him. The once slim, hip New York jazz pianist has gained hundreds of pounds. What happened?

Soon Edison’s slovenly habits, appalling diet, and know-it-all monologues are driving Pandora and her fitness-freak husband Fletcher insane. After the brother-in-law has more than overstayed his welcome, Fletcher delivers his wife an ultimatum: it’s him or me.

Rich with Shriver’s distinctive wit and ferocious energy, Big Brother is about fat: why we overeat and whether extreme diets ever really work. It asks just how much sacrifice we’ll make to save single members of our families, and whether it’s ever possible to save loved ones from themselves.

©2013 Lionel Shriver (P)2013 HarperCollins Publishers Limited Contemporary Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction Marriage

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Critic reviews

"Shriver proves she is not afraid of anything." ( Observer)
"If Jodi Picoult has her finger on the zeitgeist, Shriver has her hands around its throat." ( Washington Post)
"Shriver has the kind of cojones few English-language novelists possess, male or female." ( Globe & Mail)
"Her work is all the more valuable for its flagrant defiance of political correctness." ( The Times)
All stars
Most relevant  

Would you listen to Big Brother again? Why?

I don't know if I would listen to it again, but I found the subject matter, the addiction to food, interesting. The author makes a good fist of a fictional account of how an individual can use food in a similar way to using heroin or even smoking. The former heroin or tobacco addict can go without for life, but giving up food completely is not possible. The many psychological factors involved in becoming an addict is explored and I think the author nuances the different 'highs' people can get, both by eating enormous amounts but also by extreme dieting when lack of adequate nutrition affects the brain as well as the body.

An interesting examination of food addiction

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This turned out to be a very worthwhile and enjoyable listen that tackles the themes of obesity and its effects on those around you, and crash diets and whether they are the answer to losing weight in the long term. When Edison comes to stay with his sister Pandora, her husband and her stepchildren, after some time apart, she gets a real shock at how much weight he has gained. Now morbidly obese, Pandora and her family all react in different ways to Edison’s plight, ranging from revulsion to acceptance. Pandora really wants to help her brother, so much so, that she is prepared to put her marriage on the line for him, which in itself seemed to be a bit inconceivable but also selfless.

It would appear that Edison is not the only one who has a dysfunctional relationship with food. Pandora, herself has gained some weight over the years, and her husband, Fletcher is obsessed with healthy food choices and cycling for miles. This contrast leads to many clashes between Edison and Fletcher, which often leaves Pandora stuck in the middle.

For me, I found the first hour and a half difficult to follow, and was struggling to engage with the author and her “wordy” approach to prose. But once the main character of Edison made his entrance, it quickly got better and eventually had me fully absorbed and moved. Even though nearly all of the characters were unlikeable to some degree (with the exception of Cody), they were nonetheless very believable and real.

I did not see the twist at the end coming, and was not sure whether this was a satisfying finale. Nonetheless, I would still recommend this work, and the narration was spot on.

The Ripple Effect Of Obesity

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The author's motivation for writing this book was the premature death of her grossly obese brother. She has constructed a story of a sister's herculean efforts to slim down a brother who had grown massively obese. The book is a mixture of lots of details about crash diets and thoughts about what makes people eat to such excess that they gain a massive amount of weight and as a consequence lose mobility, suffer from all sorts of unpleasant ailments that endanger life. Although this sounds a grim listen the author does manage to create characters that capture the attention, even those whom I didn't like. I was infuriated by the self-centredness of the brother and found it hard to believe the degree of the sister's dedication to help her brother lose weight. I felt sympathy for her husband and step-children Lionel Shriver is adept at dissecting family interactions and human emotions that ring true, even though, in this story, they are exaggerated for dramatic effect.
I'm interested in the subject of obesity, but think that the ruminations about food and diets, that dominate the book, some may find this tedious.

A though-provoking book about people's relationship to food in an environment of plenty.
The reader is excellent.

The foundations of obesity dissected

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Lionel Shriver has addressed another social issue in Big Brother with style and humour. She reflects on a serious problem through interesting characters and sharp dialogue. Ultimately tragic but with some hilarious scenes and an unexpected but characteristic twist towards the end.

Witty and compassionate

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What made the experience of listening to Big Brother the most enjoyable?

This in an interesting record of thoughts and attitudes about weight and some reflections on family. In the end I wasn't sure that it had said anything new about any of the topics it discusses.

Who was your favorite character and why?

There are no appealing characters in this book at all, that is one of its major flaws.

What about Alice Rosengard’s performance did you like?

Alice Rosengard does her best with some very aggravating dialogue. The brother particularly has a maddening way of talking, but I think it would be totally insufferable to have to read it, more acceptable to listen.

Fundamentally an annoying book but a good listen

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Performance was tedious and slow which impacts the delivery of the story. Wasn't keen on the ending either, however some current relevant topics covered and handled in typical Shriver style. Leaving no stone uncovered, possibly because it hits close to home.

Performance was tedious and slow

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I've read a few books by this author, and this is the one I enjoyed the least. The narration gets annoying at times, mainly due to one of the characters' use of language. But still it all goes along pretty well until you reach the last few chapters- that's where I felt a little cheated. Is it a must-read like We need to talk about Kevin? No, but it's not unpleasant.

Quite bland, for a Shriver book

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Lionel Shriver's writing is always good, and this was definitely enjoyable. Listened almost continually. Just didn't leave me with that 'wow' feeling afterwards like some of her other novels.

Enjoyable, easy listen.

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I have never come across a novel on this theme before. The narrator's discovery that her elder brother has gained a huge amount of weight since she saw him last and is now morbidly obese makes for uncomfortable reading at the start of the story, when she invites him to stay with her and he begins to cause unexpected pressures on her marriage and her comfortable lifestyle. But Lionel Shriver never takes long to hook the reader, and as it goes on, the novel paints a fascinating picture of the relationship between two close adult siblings, and asks the question how much anyone really can or should help anyone else, or interfere in their life choices. The relationship between Pandora and Edison is genuinely touching, and - after initially sharing the other characters' exasperation with Edison - I came to love him - a unique creation. Beautifully read by Alice Rosengard.

Unique and touching

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What did you like most about Big Brother?

Had it not been for an article I read about the author, I would not have bought this book. Nevertheless, I thought it would make for a change in my weekly diet of biographies. Whilst the start is a bit slow and I was unsure where the book was going, I surprised myself being completely hooked one the first third of the book was completed. Well told and brilliantly written, this story is an excellent way to dive into the merits and perils of seeking to help a family member in need but immature. Many will be able to relate.

Any additional comments?

Whilst the patronizing aspect of the sister/brother relationship may get on your nerve at first, it is really worth pursuing the read.

A surprising read

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