The Silver Linings Playbook: A Novel di…

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The Silver Linings Playbook: A Novel (originale 2008; edizione 2012)

di Matthew Quick (Autore)

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2,663	134	5,529	(3.87)	121

Recensione di Michelle_PPDB

Pat comes home after months (or years?) in a mental health facility and is determined to better himself in an effort to reunite with his estranged wife Nikki. He knows that if he achieves a level of physical and mental fitness that God will give him the happy ending to the movie of his life. He tirelessly works out and runs while also reading classic literature and making an effort to be nicer and help people. But no one is willing to tell Pat much about Nikki, what led to his being committed, or really anything that has transpired in the months (or years?) that he was gone. Enter Tiffany. Tiffany has her own issues. She's depressed over the death of her husband, but she takes a liking to Pat. She starts running with him (well not so much with him as following behind him uninvited), and eventually convinces him to enter a competitive dance competition with her in exchange for her being a go-between with Nikki. This might be his last chance to end "apart time".
A book about mental illness, love, family, and football.

My Thoughts:
Ok I'm thinking it might have been a mistake to watch the movie version of this and then read the book. I loved the movie, which is what led me to want to read the book. The movie actually was a lot different from the book... and for the better. Everything that was changed for the movie I can tell was changed to make the story flow better. I just wasn't feeling the same magic that I was feeling when I was watching the movie.... like at all.

Pat clearly has mental issues, and it was sort refreshing to read this book written in that voice. He came off very child-like and had a blunt matter-of-factness to him (sort of like Charlie of Perks of Being a Wallflower and Holden Caulfield of The Catcher in the Rye), which I liked and got annoyed with all at the same time. Pat was 34, but came off like he was 12... which led me to question how he was able to be married and have a job and all that in his previous life. I don't *think* when you are mentally ill that you just wake up one day, have a life changing incident, and your entire personality is completely changed. I'm pretty sure if you have emotional issues, like Pat clearly does, you've been like that for a while. I could be wrong though?? I'm no expert, but if he was so emotionally immature as he seemed to be, I truly question his past ability to have relationships.

What I really didn't like was the lack of information given throughout the book. We followed Pat as he went through his daily routine of fitness and Eagles football stuff, but we weren't given details into his past, especially his mental diagnosis. The movie stated that he was Bipolar... unless I missed it, the book just left it up to the reader to figure out what was up with him. And I had NO idea that Bipolarism could cause years of memory loss. Not too sure about that? Also it was mentioned that he was a crappy husband, but all that was said was that he was an asshole to his wife, it wasn't mentioned how his illness played a role in that.

I know I'm super biased... but it was pretty hard for this Pittsburgh-er to read about Philadelphia Eagles fans. No offense to my peeps out in Philly, but it is common knowledge throughout the football world that Eagles fans are the WORST! I went to college in a sort of central Pennsylvania location, so we had a TON of Philly people there... and I lived through the Eagles Superbowl run of 2005. Ughhh it was rough going! Eagles fans are so loud and *sorry** annoying!! And they hate on their own team half the time!! So yeah it was a little hard for me to get down with all the Eagles fandom going on in the book. At least in the movie Pat tried to avoid Eagles stuff! But that being said, I'm a super NFL football fan, so I did enjoy parts of it (especially when the Eagles were losing *mwahhahahaha).

I found the dance competition not being the ending of the book to be anti-climatic. Same with the end result of the Tiffany/Pat relationship. I wanted more of a connection between them, and I just wasn't feeling it.

OVERALL: An interesting look at a man dealing with mental illness and the loss of his previous life. I loved the movie, but felt like the book didn't hold the same type of magic that I got from Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. It's a book that sucks you in, but doesn't go to places like you'd expect it to.

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Michelle_PPDB | Mar 18, 2023 |

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A quirky story that becomes enduring. A total departure from my normal choices. (

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jemisonreads | Jan 22, 2024 |

I felt like I was back in Philly while reading this. Very enjoyable. (

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devilhoo | Jan 3, 2024 |

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Michelle_PPDB | Mar 18, 2023 |

I loved this story for a variety of reasons, the most of which were the characters. Engaging in many respects, it takes the reader on a journey into the world of a family in the suburbs of Philadelphia with forgiveness and true love driving the story. Funny, heart warming and evocative, Pat's OCD tendencies flare while he builds a loving friendship with a mouthy, young widower who brings light into his dark world. Counseled to believe there's a silver lining in all of life, Pat slowly comes to grips with reality. The film adaptation was equal to the story which is rare. (

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Jonathan5 | Feb 20, 2023 |

Durante los años que pasa en un centro de salud mental, Pat Peoples formula una teoría sobre los rayos de esperanza: él cree que su vida es una película producida por Dios, su misión es ponerse en forma físicamente y convertirse en una persona emocionalmente estable. El final feliz que le espera es el regreso de su mujer, de la cual está separado. Cuando Pat se va a vivir con sus padres, todo parece haber cambiado. Nadie le habla de Nikki, su esposa; sus amigos han formado sus propias familias; y, además, su nuevo terapeuta parece estar recomendándole que cometa adulterio como parte de la terapia.
Cuando Pat conoce a Tiffany, una mujer viuda, depresiva y atractiva, ésta se ofrece a actuar de intermediaria entre él y su mujer. La vida parece mostrarle un nuevo camino para alcanzar su final feliz, aunque se afane en no reconocerlo.

Natt90 | Jan 13, 2023 |

I'm a little annoyed that not a single novel has been worth five stars for me this year (yet), but here we have another four star read. Meaning that I very much enjoyed it, but I didn't absolutely love it.

The writing style took me a bit to get used to, because Pat's voice reads very young, almost childish. However, there's a reason for it, and it's even addressed, to a point.

At first I was annoyed by Pat as a character, because of the shit he thinks, but the further I read, the more it grew on me. Most of the things he thought that annoyed me were just honest thoughts. No, they aren't politically correct or anywhere near nice, but that's pretty universally true for anyone. pPeople consciously decide to be nice, often. Even if the shit going on in one's head is anything but, most people have filters. And if everyone practiced being kind in stead of right, the world would be a lot nicer place, even if the kindness isn't always the natural impulse.

I also very much enjoyed the other characters in the book, and especially Pat's dad felt very real to me.

All in all, I'm glad I read this. (

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tuusannuuska | Dec 1, 2022 |

Pat Peoples has recently been released from a mental institution and is living with his parents. His friends set him up with Tiffany, a woman dealing with mental issues of her own. The plot follows Pat’s efforts to get back together with Nikki, his former love. He expects a happy ending and is doing everything he can to ensure it. In the meantime, Pat and Tiffany form a platonic friendship, he attends therapy sessions, and interacts with fellow Philadelphia Eagles fans.

This is a drama interspersed with comedic moments. The momentum is maintained by dropping hints for the reader to follow in figuring out what happened to cause Pat to lose his memory of events that occurred just before he was admitted to the mental facility. I have to admit I found it engrossing, but the Eagles business gets old after a while. I felt it an odd mixture of serious topics, off-the-wall incidents, and comedy that I did not find particularly funny.

I listened to the audio book, read by Ray Porter. The audio is outstanding. Porter articulates clearly and reads with enthusiasm. The voices of the characters are particularly well done, and it is easy to distinguish among them. It feels like the main character is talking directly to the reader.
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Castlelass | Oct 30, 2022 |

Today was a strange day. I started this book in the afternoon, and stayed up till half eleven to finish it. I sat in the sun to read a book on my kindle for the first time this year - enough sunshine to do it at last thank god - and also, wow, reading a kindle in the sun really IS everything I'd hoped for. I read a friend on Facebook being generally cross about rape jokes and defriending a boy who basically said some women do dress inappropriately, and then discussed my own experiences on her comment thread with a whole bunch of strangers who I'd never even mentioned being a 'victim' to before - and insisted that the whole victim / blame / secrecy thing is so very much part of the problem. and with all of that in my head, I read this, and loved it.

Its about mental illness, yes. it's about secrets, and the things we hide from people , to protect them or to protect ourselves. its about trust, and living, and how easy it can be to get it wrong, when you think you're getting it right. and what is important in life, whether its football or dancing or just knowing the truth. I enjoyed it an awful lot more than I thought I was going to. (

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clairefun | Oct 27, 2022 |

i didn't see the movie but the book was amazing (

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Sunandsand | Apr 30, 2022 |

Pat Peoples is a man with a problem. He's spent the last four years of his life in a neural institution, lost the memory of just why he was put in the "bad place" and suffers from depression. He desperately wants to get back with his wife Nikki and can't figure out why everyone in his life is reluctant to talk about her with him, so he spends his days working out, running and watching the Eagles with his brother and emotionally repressed father.

I could complain about the amount of time the characters spent talking about American Football, but come on, this is a book written by a guy about a guy who obviously likes the game. And it plays a pivotal role in a number of ways in the text: Jake, Pat's brother, buys him season tickets as a gift for returning to the real world; it is a way for Pat to reconnect with his brother, father and best friend, Ronnie; it gives him a connection with his therapist outside of therapy, as well as giving him a chance to make new friends. By the same token, it gives us an interesting view into how the game dominates the actions of Pat's father Pat, Sr. and how it dictates the way he in turn treats his family and more importantly his wife.

Of all the characters in this book, I liked Pat's mom best. She puts up with a lot of grief from her husband, yet manages, somehow to keep her integrity. She proves to be a strong person with a great deal of love for both her sons and she's the one who finally gets Pat out of the institute. At some point she actually adds a bit of steel to her backbone and tired of being her husband's stomping grounds every time his team (the Eagles) performs poorly or loses, she goes on strike and refuses to cook or clean house for him. (It eventually leads to a reconciliation, which Pat accidentally walks in on, much to his shock.)

Other than Nikki, who it turns out, cheated on Pat which led to his being put into an institution, I would love to reach through the ether and strangle Tiffany. She's a manipulative one (I think she's the reason Pat's mom went on strike), she convinces Pat to get into a dance competition with her and proceeds to lie to him about her contact with Nikki. I understand just what she did and why, but it does not make me like her.

On the whole, this is a good book. The characters are realistic. Pat's unique, slightly skewed take on the world is sweet. He admits that he was a bad husband to Nikki, which is why he's trying so hard to be good and kind. One of the things that's obvious in the text is that Pat's past actions echo those of his father, the role model in the Peoples' household, so it's no surprise that he didn't know any other or better way to interact with his wife. Though I don't condone her actions in anyway, Pat learned his lesson the hard way.
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fuzzipueo | Apr 24, 2022 |

I liked it alright. Since I was listening to the audiobook, I sure got tired of the Eagles chants. Otherwise, though, it was a nice story. (

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Wren73 | Mar 4, 2022 |

When Pat Peoples is released from a neural health facility, he has to rebuild his life... Only he does not remember the past 4 years! He only knows he wants to end "apart time" from his wife, Nikki, and find the happy ending to the life God has given him.

Pat reads through the canon of American literature and discovers to his disappointment that most of the novels are depressing, void of a happy ending. He does not understand why people read about sadness, end their lives, or surrender to hopelessness. After all, in spite of everything that goes on around him, Pat knows there is a silver lining.

I found Pat's voice refreshing! The novel was a cross between Flowers for Algernon (the semi-tragic innocence) and High Fidelity (only about football, not music).

Highly recommended for our jaded times. (

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AngelaLam | Feb 8, 2022 |

I chose to read this book after I had attempted to watch the film twice and fallen asleep both times. The book had to be better, plus the film got such good reviews ...

I didn't find the book to be any better. On the plus side, I didn't fall asleep while reading it. But I found it just as uninteresting. I found most of the characters a bit dull, and not one of them particularly likeable, and there was no real character development going on. In fact, there was no real change to anything. It was as flat as a pancake. The references to classic American literature not only spoilt the books for anyone who hasn't read them, but were entirely unnecessary. The only time the novel really came to life was during the NFL scenes, but these took up too much of the book, especially for someone like me who knows next to nothing about NFL.

Pat's character was a little peculiar. It seemed as though the book was narrated by an 8-year old, but his behaviour did not depict this. It might have made more sense if his condition was made a little clearer in the writing, but it wasn't. He knew very little about what was going on, and yet never really questioned anything. I found this frustrating in the end. Tiffany was slightly more interesting, but I didn't like her.

I am left wondering how somebody read through this book one day and thought "I know, that would make a great film." (

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Triduana | Jan 25, 2022 |

I loved the "The Silver Linings Playbook" movie, but the book is better. It more realistically describes those with mental illness*. Once I started listening, I kept on until the book ended.

I could see that Patrick [the father] was probably on the Autism Spectrum, what used to be called Asberger's Syndrome. Others may not have seen symptoms, but I lived with a spouse and have a daughter with it.

I appreciated how Tiffany communicates more confidently through writing.

The book does not give enough details as to how Pat was before his head injury. It seems as if he was a lot like his father.

When Tiffany told her story about her husband's last day, I was crying. I can see how she fell apart and how she wanted to recapture that day and to have never have said anything.

I have no kind words for Nikki.

Pat had reached his goal of becoming strong and kind.

*I highly recommend NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness for information on living with mental illness yourself or as a family member coping with a loved one's mental illness. www.nami.org (

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nab6215 | Jan 18, 2022 |

I bought the book meaning to read it before setting the movie, but ended up setting the movie first and only just finished the book.

Both are wonderful, even if they sent exactly the same. without any spoilers, there isn't much that I can say except that I thought the ending was wonderful, beautiful, and moving. I loved the movie, and now I love this book. (

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KaffinatedWitch | Oct 15, 2021 |

Pat Peoples, um ex-professor de história na casa dos 30 anos, acaba de sair de uma instituição psiquiátrica. Convencido de que passou apenas alguns meses naquele “lugar ruim”, Pat não se lembra do que o fez ir para lá. O que sabe é que Nikki, sua esposa, quis que ficassem um "tempo separados".

Tentando recompor o quebra-cabeças de sua memória, agora repleta de lapsos, ele ainda precisa enfrentar uma realidade que não parece muito promissora. Com seu pai se recusando a falar com ele, sua esposa negando-se a aceitar revê-lo e seus amigos evitando comentar o que aconteceu antes de sua internação, Pat, agora um viciado em exercícios físicos, está determinado a reorganizar as coisas e reconquistar sua mulher, porque acredita em finais felizes e no lado bom da vida.

BolideBooks | Jul 12, 2021 |

3.5 stars

30-year old (he thinks) Pat has just come home with his mom from the “bad place” – the mental institution – where he has been for a while. He doesn’t (initially) realize it’s been actually been years. Pat is convinced he and his wife Nikki will come together after their “apart time” because he is trying really hard to better himself, with exercise and choosing to be kind (instead of being right). He, his father, and his brother are all huge football fans of the Eagles. Pat and his brother bond fairly quickly, with the help of the Eagles games, but Pat’s father is having a harder time connecting with Pat. Pat’s best friend Ronnie introduces Pat to Ronnie’s sister-in-law, Tiffany, but Tiffany is just odd. And Pat still loves Nikki and plans to reconcile with her as soon as possible.

I liked this! There way maybe more football than I liked, but still, overall I liked it. I really liked Pat’s therapist. I did see the movie I-don’t-know-how-many-years-ago and remember liking it, too, but I remembered very little about it. I believe it is why I decided to read the book, though. It is a very quick read. (

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LibraryCin | Jun 27, 2021 |

I had watched the movie before reading the book and enjoyed it very much. As for the book, I think it's even better than the movie. This writer was successful in putting you right into the mind of a person who is struggling and surviving mental health issues. I absolutely loved his Mom, his therapist, and his brother. In the movie, Robert Deniro portrays his father and gives this character a fleshed out sometimes caring and warm personality. In the book, his father is more one dimensional and detached, with only a few moments where he acted with consideration. Most of the time his father is just a clueless emotionally shut down jerk. Eagles football is much more prominent in the book. I very much liked how it advanced the story and interjected levity. The dance "competition" is in the book, and it brought tears to my eyes, as did many parts of the story. As movies tend to do, the end is wrapped up nicely into a bow for you. Although I do like the ending of the book, it is somewhat differently handled. If you liked the movie, I highly recommend reading the book. If you never saw the movie, I still highly recommend reading the book. (

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AnnieMK | May 12, 2021 |

Read this book cover to cover in 5 hours. Loved every minute of it. (

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booksforbrunch | May 4, 2021 |

3.5*
The plot was enjoyable though repetitive in some of the details - I'm not sure if that was supposed to be a characteristic of the main character (since it is told in the 1st person) or if that is a writing style of Matthew Quick that I don't remember from the previous novel that I read. While I appreciate that there was an attempt to bring in characters with diversity (mental illnesses), it didn't feel entirely authentic - however, I've never suffered from the illnesses that several of the characters have so I'm not the best person to say whether this is a true representation of these kinds of mental illnesses.

I listened to this as an audiobook and I didn't love the narrator so that may have affected my overall enjoyment. (

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courty4189 | Mar 24, 2021 |

Absolutely loved this book! Such a sweet and heartwarming story, told with some of the most interesting and touching characters I've read in a while. One of my favourite books this year! (

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porte01 | Jan 25, 2021 |

Although there was a lot of repetition in Pat's narrative of his life, I felt it it fit the concept of a person coming from a mental institution and trying to figure out his part in the real world. His compulsion to exercise was a bit over done. Understood the infatuation with a football team, amazed at the part his therapist played into that part of the story with the Asian Invasion bus. Enjoyed the part of his performance of the dance and his interpretation of the novels he was reading. What happened to his former wife Nikki was not what I expected. Never understood Tiffany's part in the story until the end. (

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kshydog | Dec 13, 2020 |

It has been a month since I finished this novel, and Pat Peoples is still vivid in my memory. Regardless of anything else I might feel about a story, that means something. I just put the book on my wife's bookshelf. I only do that when I know she is going to like it. I don't want to ruin my reputation at home for being a source of great recommendations. That I was willing to do that means something as well. I rooted for Pat. In an odd way, Pat was someone I could relate to. The pro football aspect of the story was way too much for me, but putting that side this was an enjoyable read. (

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afkendrick | Oct 24, 2020 |

Excellent read. Though I loved mystery and thrillers but enjoyed this book. Now I want to watch the movie now to see whether book is better or movie :) (

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devendradave | Sep 1, 2020 |

Usually when I dislike a book, I'll donate it to one of those neighborhood "little libraries" or hand it off to a friend who might like it more than me. Never before have I tossed one straight into the trash can. But I guess there's a first time for everything. Happy garbage day! (

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gleipnir | Jun 20, 2020 |

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