Mildred Pierce

By: James M. Cain

Narrated by: Christine Williams

Mildred Pierce had gorgeous legs, a way with a skillet, and a bone-deep core of toughness and determination. She used those attributes to survive a divorce in 1940s America with two children and to claw her way out of poverty, becoming a successful businesswoman. But Mildred also had two weaknesses: a yen for shiftless men and an unreasoning devotion to her monstrous daughter.

Out of these elements, Cain created a novel (later made into a film noir classic) of acute social observation and devastating emotional violence - and a heroine whose ambitions and sufferings are never less than recognizable.

©1941 James M. Cain (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"[James M. Cain is] the poet of the hard-boiled school of the American novel." (Washington Post)
"A novel that, once begun, will almost surely be read to the end....it reflects no codes, no restrictions, and none but the primordial necessities. It is a bath in sensation." (New York Times Book Review)

Great Book

Really enjoyed this book and the narration. Glad I read the book before watching to the miniseries.

Better Than The Movie

Loved this story! Ms. Williams does an amazing job in her reading! I recommend it without reservation.

Very enjoyable

What a ride for our Mildred! The depression era setting makes the story interesting, and the reader cheer for and sympathize with the main character.

Prefer the film, but the book was okay.

My problem with the book was that I saw the film first and loved it. I was hoping the film was true to the book, but it was not. The basics are the same, but the major differences make the book experience somewhat different and a little lacking for me. I did enjoy some of the characters, although Mildred seemed to come across as more naive than ruthless. Normally I don't listen to female narrators, but this one was okay. She played a better Veda than Mildred, breathing more life and evil into that soulless child. Overall, the book did not emotionally grab me as the film did.

Excellent writing, storyline and narration

Had seen the old Joan Crawford movie in which she won an Oscar for playing Mildred Pierce. Then came across the remake of it. I should’ve just gone straight to the book because it was remarkable. The way the author articulates, uses words and phrases that I had to look up to understand, and defines his character so very well. Haven’t listened to a book like this on audible mostly current non-fiction and I must say this was one of my favorite books so far.