Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple Summary
Overview of Where'd You Go, Bernadette
When an agoraphobic genius architect vanishes before a family Antarctic trip, her 15-year-old daughter hunts for clues through emails and documents. This Women's Prize finalist brilliantly satirizes Seattle tech culture while asking: how well do we know those we love most?
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Key takeaways
A Brilliant Mind Adrift in Seattle
Bernadette Fox is drowning in Seattle. Once a celebrated architect who won a MacArthur "genius" grant, she now lives as a recluse in a crumbling former Catholic girls' reform school, avoiding other parents at her daughter's private school with the determination of someone evading arrest. Her husband Elgie is a Microsoft superstar whose TED Talk has millions of views. Their daughter Bee is a precocious fifteen-year-old who survived multiple heart surgeries as a child. When Bee brings home a perfect report card and claims her promised reward-a family trip to Antarctica-Bernadette's carefully constructed walls begin to crumble. How does someone with crippling agoraphobia prepare for a journey to the end of the earth? By hiring a virtual assistant from India for 75 cents an hour, of course. But this seemingly practical solution sets in motion a chain of events that will ultimately lead to Bernadette's disappearance two days before Christmas. The question isn't just where Bernadette went-it's who she really is beneath the neurotic, brilliant exterior she shows the world.
The House That Madness Built
The Architect Who Stopped Creating
The Gnats of Galer Street
The Intervention That Backfired
The Heart of Bee Branch
Finding Yourself at the End of the Earth
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
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"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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