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The Museum of Ordinary People

Audiobook
3 of 5 copies available
3 of 5 copies available
In this "brilliantly original" and warmhearted novel, an old set of encyclopedias leads a young woman to a curious museum and one profoundly moving lesson: that every life is an extraordinary life (New York Times bestselling author Claire Mackintosh).
Still reeling from the sudden death of her mother, Jess is about to do the hardest thing she's ever done: empty her childhood home so that it can be sold. As she sorts through a lifetime of memories, everything comes to a halt when she comes across something she just can't part with: an old set of encyclopedias. To the world, the books are outdated and ready to be recycled. To Jess, they represent love and the future that her mother always wanted her to have.
In the process of finding the books a new home, Jess discovers an unusual archive of letters, photographs, and curious housed in a warehouse and known as the Museum of Ordinary People. Irresistibly drawn, she becomes the museum's unofficial custodian, along with the warehouse's mysterious owner. As they delve into the history of objects in their care, they not only unravel heart-stirring stories that span generations and continents, but also unearth long-buried secrets that lie closer to home.
Inspired by an abandoned box of mementos, The Museum of Ordinary People is a poignant novel about memory and loss, the things we leave behind, and the future we create for ourselves.

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    • Booklist

      April 15, 2023
      After losing the mother who raised her single-handedly, Jess must complete the dreaded task of emptying out her mom's house. As she sifts through her mother's belongings, she finds a set of encyclopedias and can't bear to throw them away. In searching for a place to donate them, Jess stumbles upon the Museum of Ordinary People, a place where people can take treasured and beloved mementos to be cared for. Though it has existed thus far as a storeroom in a warehouse, Jess sees the potential of this collection of belongings and convinces a reluctant Alex, the new owner of the warehouse, to give her six months to turn it into a real museum; but as Jess works to make the museum a reality, she must also reevaluate her own path in life. Moving and heartwarming, this is a story about love and loss and holding onto the memories that make us who we are. Fans of character-driven relationship fiction by Clare Pooley, Rachel Joyce, and Freya Sampson will want to pick this one up.

      COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Gayle's story alternates between "Then," when her mother's sudden death upended Jess's life, and "Now," as she tackles the emotional task of emptying her mother's home. Witney White gives Jess a British accent while voicing her grief as she struggles to find a home for possessions too precious to toss. Frustration comes through as Jess begins to re-evaluate her choices and dreams in life. White delivers tones of judgment and superiority as longtime companion Guy belittles Jess's dreams and ambition. Lifelong friend Luce bubbles with enthusiasm, telling Jess of a place where she can save some of those precious possessions. White's careful use of accents, varying tempos, and humor brings even minor characters to life in this engaging examination of grief, memory, and moving on. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      August 1, 2023

      Gayle's (All the Lonely People) latest follows Jess Baxter, who is at loose ends after her mother's death. Eschewing the help of friends and neighbors, Jess empties her mother's house, only to become undone when she comes across a set of old encyclopedias her mother gave her when she was young. Narrator Witney White ably transports listeners from the past, just after Jess's mother dies, to the present, as Jess disposes of her mother's estate. Jess's desperate attempts to find a home for the encyclopedias bring her to the Museum of Ordinary People, an unexpectedly magical place that takes in other people's treasures. There she meets Alex, the museum's new owner, and together they decide to transform the museum from a jumbled storeroom into a museum of note. White's characterizations shine, including Jess's uncompromising boyfriend, Guy; her warmly supportive best friend, Luce; and wounded but hopeful Alex. Her portrayal of Jess's aching grief, growing confidence, and tenderness for the lost and hurting people around her may have listeners wiping away a tear or two. VERDICT This unabashedly feel-good audio is a balm for the soul. An excellent recommendation for fans of Ruth Hogan's The Keeper of Lost Things.--Sarah Hashimoto

      Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Kirkus

      April 1, 2023
      A London woman finds secrets and more in an unusual British museum. Jess Baxter has been having a rough year. She's recently lost her beloved mother and has taken from her house a few bags of reminders: records, scarves, and a set of encyclopedias that her mother had given to her when she was 11 years old. There's no room for the books at the apartment where Jess lives with her boyfriend, Guy, so she tries to donate them but finds no takers--until her friend Luce tells her about an odd place called the Museum of Ordinary People, located in the warehouse of a house clearance company. When Jess takes her encyclopedias there, she meets Alex, who has just inherited the company--he's not sure why, as he never knew the late owner, and news of the museum, located in a locked section of the warehouse, comes as another surprise to him, with its "row upon row of rusting industrial shelving units, all of which are crammed, like some sort of crazy church jumble sale, with all manner of objects." Alex, a web designer, is planning to sell the company, but Jess convinces him to let her redesign and redevelop the museum for at least a little while. Over the next few weeks, Jess gets to know Alex, who's been living somewhat in isolation, self-conscious about the scars that cover half of his face, and the two spend time together working on the restoration, in the process uncovering a few secrets that hit close to home. This novel is pure, unadulterated feel-good, and Gayle is a master puller of heartstrings. It radiates an unforced kind of goodwill, which makes up for some of the overly expository dialogue and unabashed sentimentality. Cynics will find themselves rolling their eyes, but fans of uplifting-lit authors like Fredrik Backman will likely be suitably charmed. Unrelentingly sweet pop fiction.

      COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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