Waiting to Exhale

By: Terry McMillan

Narrated by: Terry McMillan

Length: 2 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Waiting to Exhale is a masterful novel from a writer who has developed a special bond with her audience. Set in Phoenix, Arizona, it's a wise, funny, and resonant story about the friendship between four very different women who have one thing in common: they have not fared well with the men in their lives.

Savannah Jackson is 35, single, and weary of men who can't make the transition from boyfriend to husband. Bernadine Harris is suddenly single - her husband has left her for a 24-year-old white woman. Marilyn Stokes is on the rebound, regretting the years she wasted on a dead-end relationship and mourning her recent miscarriage. And Gloria Matthews, a single mother whose 16-year-old son has just discovered sex, has spent most of her adult life driving men away with her none-too-subtle hunger for marriage.

Told from each of these characters' diverse points of view, Waiting to Exhale is about their desire to find good men, exciting men; men who could help them lose the strange feeling that they've been holding their breath for as long as they can remember; men who could make them exhale. But it's also about a different kind of bonding between black women: a rich, supportive, abiding friendship that doesn't necessarily include men.

©1992 Terry McMillan (P)1992 Penguin HighBridge Audio

Critic reviews

“Terry McMillan has created a well-written, truthful, and funny story of four African-American women...and the sometimes volatile world of Black female-Black male relationships.” (Spike Lee)

“The characters are so real, that you’ll wonder if McMillan hasn’t somehow overheard a private conversation. In the end, you’ll cheer for Savannah, Bernadine, Gloria, and Robin. But the cheering starts for McMillan on the first page.” (The Boston Globe)

“Sharp, dynamic, and funny as hell.” (New York Daily News)

the memory for the first time

enjoying the book on audio first scene in the movie the movie was very enjoyable but the adaptation is from movies but the book itself is the real story.

Great story about sisterhood!

Always loved the movie, and never read the book! After reading, makes more sense to me as to why the characters are the way that they are! This book was a great display about sisterhood! Great read! I may read again with my meetup group!

Better than the movie

A must read, if you saw the movie but didn't read the book. I loved it.

Not a fan of Terry McMillan’s voice

I am a huge fan of her work, but her voice is DRYYYY honey! Everyone isn’t built for narration.

Finally Q forward to other books is of yours too appreciate youok

OMG this book came out in 1990 in the movie came out in 95 I believe this is so crazy because I was only nine years old at the time now that I am all grown up I must say this has been a treat for me what a great piece of literature I appreciate it every moment of it I’ve been there and now I am in a better place and I appreciate every finally I read the book I remember the movie came out in 1995 and I was only nine years old at the time I must say I definitely appreciate this piece of literature and I do understand why Terry McMillan will go down in history as one of the greatest black authors who ever lived as a grown woman I related to all of the women I feel like I saw myself and every last one of them true perfection five stars all day beautiful storyline very intellectual philosophical touch close to I believe every woman not just black women so thank you for this literature and I can’t wait to read the sequel I’m going to read this now LOL

Great

Loved it and the narrator was very good at story telling and I felt like I was part of the story.

Suttle differences (except end) between book/movie

There were things I liked about the book, like adding info on other parents. Showing that a BW can make one bad decision and recover from it. It didn't really show the closeness of the friendships like the movie did. Many Suttle things, but both were very good.

A True Coming of Age Story

As a kid of course I watched the movie (probably not appropriate lol). As a 34 year old reading this book I feel seen, heard and understood. Thank you for this amazing story that touches so many of us in ways we could not have imagined.

Waiting to Exhale

I enjoyed the audible of Waiting to Exhale. It was as exciting as the movie.

My First Audile, and I Loved It.........

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes it was. I have the book but could never finish it for one reason or another. So while sitting at my desk at work, I thought "Try Audible" It was like being in on a phone conversation, about someone else's life.. It may sound silly but I enjoyed it thoroughly. The way the girlfriends interact with each other is the same for my friends and I. It took a little over 2 1/2 hours to complete.. now on to the next book, "Getting to Happy"

Any additional comments?

This is exactly what I was looking for.