Meet New Books
Book Cover

Three Women

Save:
Find on Amazon

Three Women by Lisa Taddeo is a nonfiction book that delves into the lives of three women, Maggie, Lina, and Sloane, exploring their experiences with desire, relationships, and trauma. Taddeo spent years immersing herself in the lives of these women, capturing their stories with empathy and detail. The book offers a deep and intimate look into the complexities of female desire and how it shapes the lives of these three women.

The writing style of Three Women has been described as engaging, intimate, and creative. Taddeo's storytelling reads like fiction, drawing readers into the personal thoughts and experiences of each woman. The book presents a raw and unromanticized portrayal of the role sex plays in the lives of these women, showcasing their struggles, desires, and the impact of male influence on their relationships.

Writing/Prose:

Lisa Taddeo's style blends intimate narratives with a vivid portrayal of emotions and experiences, resulting in a deeply engaging, yet sometimes graphic narrative.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative explores the intricate and often painful lives of three women, highlighting the challenges they face in their relationships which are marked by power imbalances and trauma.

Setting:

The setting is grounded in contemporary America, with each woman's life shaped by their particular environments and cultural circumstances.

Pacing:

Pacing is mixed, with some readers feeling it drags at times, while others find the intertwined narratives effectively maintain engagement.
You learned how to do hair and makeup, by yourself, in front of mirrors, with Linkin Park and Led Zeppelin in the background. You are one of those girls who innately understand contouring and accessor...

Notes:

Lisa Taddeo spent eight years interviewing three women for this book.
The book focuses on the sexual experiences and desires of three different women.
Each woman's story reflects her struggles with unhealthy relationships and personal trauma.
Maggie's story involves a relationship with a high school teacher and the subsequent fallout.
Lina's narrative includes her toxic marriage and an affair with a high school boyfriend.
Sloane navigates an open marriage, often fulfilling her husband's desires instead of her own.
The narratives reveal the impact of past trauma on women's sexuality and relationships.
Readers commented on the book's raw and unfiltered portrayal of female desire and trauma.
Critics noted that the book might perpetuate negative stereotypes about women's sexual experiences.
The writing style is described as lyrical and immersive, resembling a novel despite being nonfiction.
Several reviews highlight the book's emotional weight and the depth of the women's experiences.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include discussions of sexual abuse, trauma, infidelity, and mental health issues.

From The Publisher:

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER * #1 INDIE NEXT PICK

Named a Best Book of the Year: The Washington Post * NPR * The Atlantic * New York Public Library * Vanity Fair * PBS * Time * Economist * Entertainment Weekly * Financial Times * Shelf Awareness * Guardian * Sunday Times * BBC * Esquire * Good Housekeeping * Elle * Real Simple * And more than twenty additional outlets

"Staggeringly intimate...Taddeo spent eight years reporting this groundbreaking book." -Entertainment Weekly

"A breathtaking and important book…What a fine thing it is to be enthralled by another writer's sentences. To be stunned by her intellect and heart." -Cheryl Strayed

"Extraordinary...This is a nonfiction literary masterpiece...I can't remember the last time a book affected me as profoundly as Three Women." -Elizabeth Gilbert

"A revolutionary look at women's desire, this feat of journalism reveals three women who are carnal, brave, and beautifully flawed." -People (Book of the Week)

A riveting true story about the sex lives of three real American women, based on nearly a decade of reporting.

Lina, a young mother in suburban Indiana whose marriage has lost its passion, reconnects with an old flame through social media and embarks on an affair that quickly becomes all-consuming. Maggie, a seventeen-year-old high school student in North Dakota, allegedly engages in a relationship with her married English teacher; the ensuing criminal trial turns their quiet community upside down. Sloane, a successful restaurant owner in an exclusive enclave of the Northeast, is happily married to a man who likes to watch her have sex with other men and women.

Hailed as "a dazzling achievement" (Los Angeles Times) and "a riveting page-turner that explores desire, heartbreak, and infatuation in all its messy, complicated nuance" (The Washington Post), Lisa Taddeo's Three Women has captivated readers, booksellers, and critics-and topped bestseller lists-worldwide. Based on eight years of immersive research, it is "an astonishing work of literary reportage" (The Atlantic) that introduces us to three unforgettable women-and one remarkable writer-whose experiences remind us that we are not alone.

Ratings (11)

Loved It (4)
Liked It (5)
It Was OK (1)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (26):

Read It (12)
Want To Read (14)

1 comment(s)

3 months

I didn't love it. Mostly because it read like fiction.

 

About the Author:

Lisa Taddeo is the author of Three Women. She has contributed to The New York Times, New York magazine, Esquire, Elle, Glamour, and many other publications. Her nonfiction has been included in the anthologies Best American Political Writing and Best American Sports Writing, and her short stories have won two Pushcart Prizes. She lives with her husband and daughter in New England.

 
Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.