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336th out of 1,133 books
—
14,715 voters
Waiting to Exhale (Waiting To Exhale)
From the critically acclaimed author ofA Day Late anda Dollar Shortand The Interruption of Everything, a wise, earthy story of a friendship between four African American women who lean on each other while "waiting to exhale": waiting for that man who will take their breath away....more
Paperback, 448 pages
Published
January 3rd 2006
by NAL Trade
(first published May 28th 1992)
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That’s What Friends Are For
I originally read WAITING TO EXHALE in the 90s when I was a teenager. A group of us decided to reread the story to see if it would have the same impact on as mature women. I have never reread a book before. I was under the impression that doing so the story wouldn’t be as interesting and predictable. As key parts of the story, the line up from the movie played out, I could actually hear Whitney Houston, Lela Rochon, Loretta Devine and Angela Bassett’s voices.
Savannah...more
I originally read WAITING TO EXHALE in the 90s when I was a teenager. A group of us decided to reread the story to see if it would have the same impact on as mature women. I have never reread a book before. I was under the impression that doing so the story wouldn’t be as interesting and predictable. As key parts of the story, the line up from the movie played out, I could actually hear Whitney Houston, Lela Rochon, Loretta Devine and Angela Bassett’s voices.
Savannah...more
This is a case where I actually thought the movie was better than the book. The scene where Angela Bassett's character torches her philandering husband's vehicle with all his worldly goods inside was worth the price of admission.
11 likes · like · see review
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Nov 24, 2007
Linda
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
those in between relationships
Shelves:
chick-lit
I started and finished this book on Thanksgiving day 2007. (My parents work Holidays so festivities were bleak) I think I'm going through a breakup? Dude completely stopped calling. Great book to read if you want to speed up the recovery. Reminds you some men are just pansies and you're lucky if you have good friends to take the edge off the stings.
Twas a therapeutic experience.
Funny because I watched the movie for the first time 2 years ago after a more substantial breakup and it was one of m...more
Twas a therapeutic experience.
Funny because I watched the movie for the first time 2 years ago after a more substantial breakup and it was one of m...more
Aug 19, 2011
Lisa (Harmonybites)
rated it
1 of 5 stars
Recommended to Lisa (Harmonybites) by:
The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Ultimate Reading List
This is the tale of four black women who are friends in early 1990s Phoenix, Arizona. I can't say I found any of the woman all that likable; they're so whiny and man-hungry. We first meet Savannah, never married and without children at thirty-six. She's affluent, doing well in her career in public relations, but tired of being single and of the faults of "buppie" (young black urban professional) males. She tells us, "I worry about if and when I'll ever find the right man, if I'll ever be able to...more
Before the pap that was How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Terry McMillan wrote the brilliant Waiting to Exhale, a story of four female friends and their triumphs and failures in their relationships with men.
::: The New Musketeers :::
As the novel opens, Savannah has just quit her job to move to a new job in Phoenix, where her friend Bernadine lives, in hopes of furthering her career and moving from public relations to television producing. Bernadine herself has just found out that her husband has n...more
::: The New Musketeers :::
As the novel opens, Savannah has just quit her job to move to a new job in Phoenix, where her friend Bernadine lives, in hopes of furthering her career and moving from public relations to television producing. Bernadine herself has just found out that her husband has n...more
Feb 27, 2009
Amber
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
ews-100-list,
read-in-2009
Would really like to give this 3.5 stars, but it's not quite 4-star material for me.
I didn't really know what to expect from this book as my copy didn't have a description on the back cover and I couldn't remember anything about the story from when the movie came out years ago. However, I liked it. The book follows the lives of four African-American women in their mid-30s struggling with the men in their lives, work, family and how to keep in all in balance. The book was interesting, but did st...more
I didn't really know what to expect from this book as my copy didn't have a description on the back cover and I couldn't remember anything about the story from when the movie came out years ago. However, I liked it. The book follows the lives of four African-American women in their mid-30s struggling with the men in their lives, work, family and how to keep in all in balance. The book was interesting, but did st...more
This book has so many early 90s moments that I was often laughing as the characters listen to Paula Abdul in their Nissans while committing various fashion and hair crimes. No suede dress or fuschia lipstick is left undescribed.
The detailed episodes of lousy sex that the main characters endure with every possible kind of loser are funny and icky. Also the constant swearing and foul-mouthedness is great. This book has a light-heartedness that is endearing. Things are bought and used for pleasure;...more
The detailed episodes of lousy sex that the main characters endure with every possible kind of loser are funny and icky. Also the constant swearing and foul-mouthedness is great. This book has a light-heartedness that is endearing. Things are bought and used for pleasure;...more
Listened to Waiting To Exhale by Terry McMillan. This book is about 4 ladys. ROBIN STOKES is a successful insurance professional recovering from a dead-end love affair. "They say love is a two-way street. But I don't believe it because the one I've been on for the last two years was a dirt road." After months of depression, shopping and dating all the wrong men, she's getting by with a little help from her friends -- and still determined to find the Real Thing ...
BERNADINE HARRIS has the kids, t...more
BERNADINE HARRIS has the kids, t...more
We are introduced to four black women in the early '90's in Phoenix. They are in various stages of their life: Bernie just found out her wealthy husband is divorcing her to be with a white woman; Savannah is moving from Denver to Phoenix to further her career and change her scenery; Gloria is a single mom who comforts herself with food instead of lust; and Robin is a single girl who will sleep with any fine man she finds in hopes of finding Mr. Right.
And then the book meanders through their liv...more
And then the book meanders through their liv...more
The four main characters are Robin Stolces, a successful business woman recovering from a bad love affair, Bernadine Harris, whose husband is having a love affair, Gloria Mattews, the owner of a hair salon and Savannah Jackson, an educated woman who's been moving around for half her life. These four woman have different lives and yet they are all looking for the same thing; love and happiness. This book reflects the lives of four african american female friends and shows the connection in their...more
I decided to reread this book since the sequel was due out in October 2010. I picked up a copy of the CD at the library and gave it a listen. I couldn't really remember the book but knew that I did enjoy Terry MicMillan, since she's actually one of my favorite authors. I was a bit surprised at the content. Though I am not a prude, I felt a bit like I was listening to "lady porn" as I drove down the road. I made sure my windows were shut at stop lights not really wanting to get looks as some whit...more
420 pages
I enjoyed this story of four black woman that struggle and prevail over life, careers, men and love.
Wonderfully written and you will fall in love with the protagonists.
I enjoyed this story of four black woman that struggle and prevail over life, careers, men and love.
Wonderfully written and you will fall in love with the protagonists.
Wonderful reading - sweet and easy, but leaving a taste of solitude on the tip of your tongue. I found bits of myself here and there in every female character, as I'm sure every woman who reads it does. After all, as different as we are, most of the time it's about the same things: solitude, first moment excitement when you seem to have found The One, disappointment, passion, fireworks, bitterness.... etc.
Huge thanks to the author for leaving it without all those cheesy happily ever after ending...more
Huge thanks to the author for leaving it without all those cheesy happily ever after ending...more
I love this movie, but I had never read the book. Well I finished it in 2 days because it was just as great as the movie. There were of course parts in the book that never made it to the movie, but overall I loved it. There were parts that really pissed me off, but of course, I'm sure most women could relate to one of these characters at one stage of their lives. I read the sequel "Getting to Happy" last summer, so there was times that I felt like I was spoiling this book by having read the sequ...more
I couldn't finish this book. In defense of the author, I did enjoy the movie (which is rare if I disliked the book), but the book was just too much me to torture myself with. I read the first chapter as a sample through my kindle, but once I received this book in a swap I immediately wanted the shipping i paid for this book back. I only made it through 3/4 of the 2nd chapter; the rambling nature of the book and the continuous repetition made me give it up, along with the continuous deluge of bac...more
i didnt rlly like it the fat one which is mostly all the book had 2 say abt her "shes the fat one" again n again well she got drunk couldnt remember what happened in the morning n then had a kid so she was raped but she doesnt identify it as rape n neither does the author i h8ed that all the characters body shaming made me dislike them n they werent v interesting i kinda liked the birthday party scene in that it made me want to watch the movie i was relieved n glad 2 b finished reading the book...more
“Waiting to Exhale” is an interesting novel about the strong bond between four friends who support and comfort each other in crisis. McMillan creates characters that are lovable and relatable. These characters are portrayed as humanistic and their issues and struggles aren’t uncommon to people of all races. But she does give great insight into the relationships between African-American men and women and how they relate to each other. Although some the issues faced by Bernadette is racial because...more
A absolutely hilarious, down-to-earth and passionate novel. I first read this book in High School, when I began to get interested in urban and African-American fiction. Love Forest Whitaker's 1995 adaptation of the novel starring the incredible Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, Dennis Haysbert and the beautiful and dearly missed Whitney Houston. This is a story of friendship, love, relationships, revenge, the struggles that make up everyday life and who we are as people. One of my favorite parts o...more
Feb 24, 2008
Tracey L.H.
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone who wants to feel a Black woman's pain
I read this book in high school and I was disgusted! Then in African American Lit class for my junior year, we watched the movie, and I still hated it!
But it wasn't until I went to college that the book and its' leading ladies reverberated with my soul and outlook on men, life, and love!
One of my friends, who is Hispanic, said the book was stupid! And I and every other black woman looked at her and said she was crazy as hell! And I vehemently told her she'll NEVER experience what Black women fee...more
But it wasn't until I went to college that the book and its' leading ladies reverberated with my soul and outlook on men, life, and love!
One of my friends, who is Hispanic, said the book was stupid! And I and every other black woman looked at her and said she was crazy as hell! And I vehemently told her she'll NEVER experience what Black women fee...more
4 likes · like · see review
Feb 18, 2008
Maya
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
David M--it's a book full of strong black women
Recommended to Maya by:
Mom had it, although I don't know if that counts as a rec.
Shelves:
affairs-only-end-badly
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Love the movie....Love the movie...why coudln't the book be as good as the movie? In the movie, the relationship between these 4 women just flows, I wanted so badly to be a part of that kind of friendship, but the book couldn't hit the same note. Maybe because the movie is such a favorite of mine, I will never like the book as much. But, that doesn't make sense, the books are always better.
I think I'll wait a few years on this and try the book again. At lease I can enjoy the movie.
I think I'll wait a few years on this and try the book again. At lease I can enjoy the movie.
A read that, while simple on the surface, resonates with so much humanity and intelligence. The characters are all real and get good endings that feel true to life. There's just so much to love about this book. It's a child of the 90's for certain, but it's a good one. So much to know about black male/black female relations and just male/female relations in general. Not to mention the other problems of the time and how they were effecting everyone. So glad I took the time to read this one.
This is my third time reading this novel, but luckily so much time passed since the last time I picked this book up, it was like reading it for the first time.
The beginning started off sketchy. All of the characters had my side eye ready to explode, but as I delved deeper into the story, I grew closer to them, and better understood their pain and plight. I saw a lot of the old me in all of these women, which at some points made me sad, and at other points made me extremely happy that I'd learne...more
The beginning started off sketchy. All of the characters had my side eye ready to explode, but as I delved deeper into the story, I grew closer to them, and better understood their pain and plight. I saw a lot of the old me in all of these women, which at some points made me sad, and at other points made me extremely happy that I'd learne...more
I love this book because it paints a very powerful picture of men-female relationships in modern America. Although, the novel focuses on the african-american middle class, everyone can relate to the passion, love, betrayal, and loneliness that one must deal with when searching for internal company. I have read this book ten times and everytime I feel lonely, unwanted, used, I turn to the characters in the book for friendship and support.
Waiting to Exhale was the first McMillan book I read. I read it, though, after I saw the movie and I couldn't help but feel let down by the movie. Before I read the book , I liked the movie. In any case, the book and the movie left me feeling frustrated with the 4 characters. I felt like they made too many excuses for their behavior, and I didn't identify with any of them. But, it was still a decent read.
Silly,silly but funny too. An African American version of Sex in the City but nowhere near as good (but what could be as good as SATC??)An interesting point of view, enjoyed the 80's and 90's references to pop culture, and a fairly happy ending too. The book was just a celebration of female friendship and to that I can relate as I have been blessed with wonderful girlfriends who are like family to me :)A quick, entertaining read filled with lots of "oh no he didn't" and "damn girl" hahahaha
I'm reading this one again because Terry McMillian has written a sequel! I'm so excited, I loved this book the first time I read it and I love the movie. McMillian's books are so moving and real. It's like a real reality show, but even better!
I finished this book early this morning. I could see the scenes from the movie - but the book is different. I didn't remember as much as I had from the last time I read it. It is still an excellent book. I'm going to read the sequel soon.
I finished this book early this morning. I could see the scenes from the movie - but the book is different. I didn't remember as much as I had from the last time I read it. It is still an excellent book. I'm going to read the sequel soon.
These women are both likable and maddening. They all seemed to lack confidence and be far too man-focused for my taste. I really wanted to take them aside and just say - you are great! What are you thinking? So kudos to McMillan for creating characters one cares enough about for you to get anxious over them as they traveled through the book. Dated but still entertaining read.
I loved this book. Even though it wasn't exactly like the movie...it brought me back to it, which I loved. It gave a lot of good advice for "struggling" women when it comes down to their men, and I actually found it rather amusing. Of course, in my opinion, black women have more intense ways of handling certain situations...and this book touched upon it very well. LOVE IT.
Nov 12, 2008
Autumn
added it
Recommends it for:
Girls who love talking about boys
Recommended to Autumn by:
Mother
This book is definitely a girls read. For all the girls who love to talk about relationships with boys, it's for you! This book, is really a collection of anecdotes from a group of best friends who sit around and discuss the best and worse of the relationships with men. These groups of women are very different. They all have different life styles and have different profession which make their views on alot of issue very distinct, in the end though, the all know how to come together and have a go...more
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Terry McMillan is an African-American author. Her interest in books comes from working at a library when she was sixteen. She received her BA in journalism in 1986 from the University of California at Berkeley. Her work is characterized by strong female protagonists.
Her first book, Mama, was self-promoted. She achieved national attention in 1992 with her third novel, Waiting to Exhale, which remai...more
More about Terry McMillan...
Her first book, Mama, was self-promoted. She achieved national attention in 1992 with her third novel, Waiting to Exhale, which remai...more
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