The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,926
Jun 25, 2014 21:50:33 GMT
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Nov 21, 2016 3:11:54 GMT
So, it's post election but not post "new Mythology" class, so all I (re)read was The Odyssey and Oedipus this week.
I still have two (short) weeks left of the trimester, but I am done teaching new content. The students will be now testing and completing a project, so I have to get back reading for pleasure.
Next week I will have a new, to me, book.
Btw: I still like The Odyssey and Oedipus.
What did you read this week?
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finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
Jun 26, 2014 0:30:34 GMT
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Post by finaledition on Nov 21, 2016 4:33:30 GMT
I'm still up next for 2 books on Overdrive so I decided to pick a short one in case either became available. So I selected The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. I have seen the lecture and many interview with him 8+ years ago, but had not read the book. And let me tell you, after all the negativity surrounding the election, this was the book that I needed to put me in a better frame of mind. I think I've decided that I'll reread this book every few year. Simple message, but sometimes I need to have these points clarified.
The second book I read was the "beach read" selection for my book club back in July. I only finished about half, but seeing that I was falling way behind on my reading goals on Goodreads I decided to finish The Status of All Things by Liz Fenton (and someone else??). It was a fluffy predictable book, but not my cup of tea. But I'm 1 book closer to my goal :-p
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,751
Jun 25, 2014 20:56:09 GMT
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Post by gottapeanow on Nov 21, 2016 4:46:26 GMT
Thanks for starting the thread, Carey Ayn.
I read two books this week.
Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra. Here is the GR summary:
"In 2003, sixteen-year-old Rebecca Winter disappeared.
She'd been enjoying her teenage summer break: working at a fast-food restaurant, crushing on an older boy and shoplifting with her best friend. Mysteriously ominous things began to happen—blood in the bed, periods of blackouts, a feeling of being watched—though Bec remained oblivious of what was to come.
Eleven years later she is replaced.
A young woman, desperate after being arrested, claims to be the decade-missing Bec.
Soon the imposter is living Bec's life. Sleeping in her bed. Hugging her mother and father. Learning her best friends' names. Playing with her twin brothers.
But Bec's welcoming family and enthusiastic friends are not quite as they seem. As the imposter dodges the detective investigating her case, she begins to delve into the life of the real Bec Winter—and soon realizes that whoever took Bec is still at large, and that she is in imminent danger."
The premise works well and has potential. But for some reason, the execution falls a bit flat. The twists seemed far fetched yet predictable, and the ending felt really rushed. I gave this 3/5 stars, which was a bit generous.
Next up, I read My Name Is Lucy Barton. I'm still not sure if I liked the writing style of this book. I know it's intentional, but I struggled some with the narrator's - Lucy's - disjointed and scattered thoughts. Even so, I have to begrudgingly admit that Strout somehow makes it work. I caught my breath in suspense in a couple of spots.
This book is extremely character driven, and the plot seems to be filler material. Again, Strout handles this amazingly well. In spite of myself, I'm giving this one 4/5 stars.
I'm reading The Widow by Fiona Barton right now and really enjoying it.
Lisa
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marianne
Pearl Clutcher
Not my circus, not my monkeys. . . My monkeys fly!
Posts: 4,176
Location: right smack dab in the middle of SC
Site Supporter
Jun 25, 2014 21:08:26 GMT
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Post by marianne on Nov 21, 2016 5:15:33 GMT
We've had the sicklies at our house all week and I'm just not feeling like reading. I did finish Just Mercy, A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson though - excellent read!
I'm reading Redemption Road by John Hart but am not that far into it.
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Post by redhead32 on Nov 21, 2016 5:31:49 GMT
My book club read The Mapmakers Children. I enjoyed it - I liked the characters.
I found the Goodreads reviews interesting. One of the characters has fertility issues, and people react strongly to her. I personally liked her and empathized, but I'm familiar with fertility issues.
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Post by cadoodlebug on Nov 21, 2016 5:55:07 GMT
I've read Home by Harlan Coben. Really good with a twist DH and I never saw coming. This spoiler isn't about the twist and most people who plan to read the book probably already know this. It was wonderful having Myron and Win back together again. Several times I teared up. For fluff I read It's Not Okay by Andi Dorfman ~ a tell-all book about her season as the Bachelorette and subsequent engagement to Josh Murray. After seeing him on Bachelor in Paradise, I tend to believe most of what she wrote about him. The one thing I learned from the book that was good is that the Fantasy Suite dates are 10-days apart rather than back-to-back as we all assumed. Not quite as icky. She does have a potty mouth which is a turn off. Fun fact: She also went to LSU and lived in the sorority house next to where I lived for 3 years. I'm just getting into the 3rd book of the Linwood Barclay's Promise Falls triology: The Twenty-Three. It picks up right after the 2nd book ends and hits the ground running!
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,751
Jun 25, 2014 20:56:09 GMT
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Post by gottapeanow on Nov 21, 2016 6:03:29 GMT
cadoodlebug, Oh my word, I agree completely about Home! And didn't you just love this part??? At the very end of the book, when Win is dancing with his daughter! So very sweet. Lisa
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Mystie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,299
Jun 25, 2014 19:53:37 GMT
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Post by Mystie on Nov 21, 2016 11:56:05 GMT
I read a non-fiction book called The Civil Wars of Julia Ward Howe by Elaine Showalter. Howe is the poet who wrote "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." She and her husband were part of Boston intelligentsia during the Civil War era, and had a pretty unhappy marriage, mostly because she wanted to be a poet and make a name for herself, and he wanted her to run the house and have babies and not bother him. It was a really interesting topic, and the author had a lot of letters and journals to draw from, which is often unusual when writing about people from 150+ years ago. And yet I didn't love it. I'm not sure why. I think I would have liked a little more in-depth exploration of Mrs. Howe's character, but maybe that wasn't possible. I picked up the third volume of Blanche Wiesen Cook's biography of Eleanor Roosevelt. I have the previous two in paperback and this third volume just came out. I think I am going to have a hard time concentrating on it, but I am going to do my best. And I have a short little book here called Dinner with Edward by Isabel Vincent. It's about how she befriended the elderly father of one of her friends, and started having dinners with him. He was mourning his wife, she was mourning the end of her marriage, and they hit it off and became friends. Sounds like maybe a Tuesdays with Morrie type of book...I just started it.
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tuesdaysgone
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,832
Jun 26, 2014 18:26:03 GMT
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Post by tuesdaysgone on Nov 21, 2016 12:36:37 GMT
I'm on the third chaper of The Madibles: A family 2029-2047 and liking it so far. The plot is very different. It follows a once properous family that has been brought low by a national debt crisis. Money and even gold, have no value and life as they know it has changed. So far, it seems it's a kind of post-apocalyptic novel, but it's a financial crisis that has caused wide spread devastation. The writing is wonderful. I have a week off work and I'm going to have time to READ this week! A total luxury for me!
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janeliz
Drama Llama
I'm the Wiz and nobody beats me.
Posts: 5,633
Jun 26, 2014 14:35:07 GMT
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Post by janeliz on Nov 21, 2016 14:16:56 GMT
The Nix by Nathan Hill. I'm blown away that this is his debut novel. I thought it was brilliant. It was a big, sweeping story that was funny, moving, and amazingly relevant to what's going on around us today. I absolutely loved it.
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Post by belgravia on Nov 21, 2016 14:23:16 GMT
I'm on the third chaper of The Madibles: A family 2029-2047 and liking it so far. The plot is very different. It follows a once properous family that has been brought low by a national debt crisis. Money and even gold, have no value and life as they know it has changed. So far, it seems it's a kind of post-apocalyptic novel, but it's a financial crisis that has caused wide spread devastation. The writing is wonderful. I have a week off work and I'm going to have time to READ this week! A total luxury for me! I'm curious about this one. Please let us know what you think once you're done! I'm a big Lionel Shriver fan but for some reason I haven't been compelled to read this one yet.
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SabrinaP
Pearl Clutcher
Busy Teacher Pea
Posts: 4,350
Location: Dallas Texas
Jun 26, 2014 12:16:22 GMT
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Post by SabrinaP on Nov 21, 2016 14:40:46 GMT
For my book club I read All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda. The story revolves around Nic a late 20's early 30's year old woman returning home to sell her childhood home because her dad has dementia. She has to deal with somethings she's been running from including the disappearance of her best friend which happened back in high school. I enjoyed the premise of the book, but the story is told backwards. It took my a bit to get used to the format of the story. Overall 3.5 stars. I also read If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo. I got this book selection from the Goodreads Choice Awards. I always like to go through their lists and add books that seem interesting. I didn't know the full premise of this book when I picked it up because it's not in the blurb. I really enjoyed it though. It's a book I'd like to see many teens read. This book is about an 18 year old girl that has gone through gender reassignment surgery. She goes to life with her dad where no one knows she was once a boy. The author is transgender and at the end talks about the creative liberties she took with the story. I also finished Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven. This is another YA book and a Goodreads Choice pick. It's about a girl that binge eats so much after her mothers death at 10 that she eventually weighs over 600 pounds and is known as the world's fattest teen. She loses about half of the weight and then starts high school, still overweight. The lead character is super strong. she leans that everyone has issues. The lead male character has prosopagnosia, face blindness, and no one in his life knows it. This was an interesting story told in alternating views. 4 stars.
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Post by kellybelly77 on Nov 21, 2016 15:12:26 GMT
Only one for me! I read Domestic Violets by Matthew Norman. This was his first book I believe. And I loved it! I picked up his second book on a Kindle First a few months ago and loved it so much that I looked him up to see if he had any other books.
Both were great. Funny, engaging, great writing. I loved the characters in them. I wish he had more books out.
Domestic Violets is a comedic family drama about a man's trials on love, loss and ambition; of attraction, impotence and infidelity; and of mid life malaise, poorly planned revenge, and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Only 5 more books to meet my goal for the year! I have 2 in progress now, so here's hoping!
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Post by kellybelly77 on Nov 21, 2016 15:13:57 GMT
I'm still up next for 2 books on Overdrive so I decided to pick a short one in case either became available. So I selected The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. I have seen the lecture and many interview with him 8+ years ago, but had not read the book. And let me tell you, after all the negativity surrounding the election, this was the book that I needed to put me in a better frame of mind. I think I've decided that I'll reread this book every few year. Simple message, but sometimes I need to have these points clarified. The second book I read was the "beach read" selection for my book club back in July. I only finished about half, but seeing that I was falling way behind on my reading goals on Goodreads I decided to finish The Status of All Things by Liz Fenton (and someone else??). It was a fluffy predictable book, but not my cup of tea. But I'm 1 book closer to my goal :-p What is your goodreads goal? I set mine at 40 and am so close! A friend of mine set hers at 50 and has read 87 books so far!
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finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
Jun 26, 2014 0:30:34 GMT
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Post by finaledition on Nov 21, 2016 15:24:58 GMT
I'm still up next for 2 books on Overdrive so I decided to pick a short one in case either became available. So I selected The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. I have seen the lecture and many interview with him 8+ years ago, but had not read the book. And let me tell you, after all the negativity surrounding the election, this was the book that I needed to put me in a better frame of mind. I think I've decided that I'll reread this book every few year. Simple message, but sometimes I need to have these points clarified. The second book I read was the "beach read" selection for my book club back in July. I only finished about half, but seeing that I was falling way behind on my reading goals on Goodreads I decided to finish The Status of All Things by Liz Fenton (and someone else??). It was a fluffy predictable book, but not my cup of tea. But I'm 1 book closer to my goal :-p What is your goodreads goal? I set mine at 40 and am so close! A friend of mine set hers at 50 and has read 87 books so far! I'm at 34/50. But I reread 4 books this year which is not reflected in that total and I've probably read 20 "brown bag" books that I don't want to publicly add to my list. :-p I will probably change my goal to 40 next year.
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Post by Linda on Nov 21, 2016 15:25:17 GMT
I picked up a half dozen books at Goodwill last weekend and have read 3 of them this week. I'm glad I didn't pay much for them because so far they are all going back in the donation bin. The Atonement Child - it wasn't a bad read, I don't think I realised that it was such a pro-life book when I picked it up but I liked how it addressed the fact that pro-life isn't always a black and white issue when it comes right down to the wire. www.goodreads.com/book/show/9943.The_Atonement_ChildThe Fever - I didn't really enjoy this one, I finished it but...meh www.goodreads.com/book/show/18656036-the-feverCorner Shop - I didn't like the main female character and I think that coloured my perception of the book - I think the book could have been better if it had focused more on the relationships between father-son-grandson instead.
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SabrinaP
Pearl Clutcher
Busy Teacher Pea
Posts: 4,350
Location: Dallas Texas
Jun 26, 2014 12:16:22 GMT
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Post by SabrinaP on Nov 21, 2016 15:44:32 GMT
I set my Goodreads goal at 100 books every year. I've set a goal since 2010 and always met it. This year I'm at 86/100. Not going to make it, but I'm okay with that. This start of school year has been so much more busy than usual, so I got behind. I will probably make my 2017 goal 75.
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Post by cadoodlebug on Nov 21, 2016 16:23:10 GMT
cadoodlebug, Oh my word, I agree completely about Home! And didn't you just love this part??? At the very end of the book, when Win is dancing with his daughter! So very sweet. Lisa YES! I loved that. It had never occurred to me while reading the book.
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Post by leannec on Nov 21, 2016 16:27:46 GMT
I gave up on my book from last week which I seem to do now that I've got an e-reader ... I refuse to waste my time on books that just don't hold my interest ... sometimes I do go back to them though Right now I'm reading Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris It's very good so far ... the sort of book that I like ... psychological thriller that makes you think
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Post by sugarmama on Nov 21, 2016 16:31:34 GMT
I've been re-reading Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I think I first read it over 20 years ago! After I finish this, I will probably read some sappy Christmas story.
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Mary Kay Lady
Pearl Clutcher
PeaNut 367,913 Refupea number 1,638
Posts: 3,073
Jun 27, 2014 4:11:36 GMT
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Post by Mary Kay Lady on Nov 21, 2016 17:12:19 GMT
I gave up on my book from last week which I seem to do now that I've got an e-reader ... I refuse to waste my time on books that just don't hold my interest ... sometimes I do go back to them though Right now I'm reading Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris It's very good so far ... the sort of book that I like ... psychological thriller that makes you think I've read that there are some disturbing things that happen in this book. That the sister is abused in horrific ways and some people are distressed by reading things of this nature. Have you noticed any of this? I was interested in reading this book until I read quite a number of reviews on Amazon that metioned this.
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Post by lynnek on Nov 21, 2016 17:13:57 GMT
I finished a few last week. First was To The Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey. I have not read Snow Child, her first novel, but when this came up on my hold I jumped in and I am so glad! It is a wonderful story of a man who goes off to explore Alaska in the 1800's and leaves his wife home to occupy herself. There is also a small current day story that is just so sweet. I would highly recommend this! It is my first 5 star book in quite sometime.
Then I listened to A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner on audio. Another good one! It is the story of a nurse who lost someone special in the Triangle Shirtwaist fire and how she moves forward by working on Ellis Island. Also the story of a woman who loses her husband on 9/11. The two woman are connected by a scarf with marigolds on it.
Finally, I read Afterward by Jennifer Mathieu. It is a YA novel about a boy who has been kidnapped and then comes home along with another boy who happens to be autistic. The sister of the autistic boy seeks out the other boy to try to understand what her brother went through. It is a good story that shows the difficulties without overdoing it. And my favorite character is the psychiatrist that they boy goes to. He has such a wonderful way of helping the boy!
Currently, I am just a few chapters from being done with The Couple Next Door. I have my guess about how it ends, we will see if I am right.
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Post by leannec on Nov 21, 2016 17:28:31 GMT
I gave up on my book from last week which I seem to do now that I've got an e-reader ... I refuse to waste my time on books that just don't hold my interest ... sometimes I do go back to them though Right now I'm reading Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris It's very good so far ... the sort of book that I like ... psychological thriller that makes you think I've read that there are some disturbing things that happen in this book. That the sister is abused in horrific ways and some people are distressed by reading things of this nature. Have you noticed any of this? I was interested in reading this book until I read quite a number of reviews on Amazon that metioned this. I haven't read far enough into the book to the point where the sister comes to live with them but I wouldn't be surprised ... the man is a monster
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Post by leannec on Nov 21, 2016 17:32:16 GMT
I finished a few last week. First was To The Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey. I have not read Snow Child, her first novel, but when this came up on my hold I jumped in and I am so glad! It is a wonderful story of a man who goes off to explore Alaska in the 1800's and leaves his wife home to occupy herself. There is also a small current day story that is just so sweet. I would highly recommend this! It is my first 5 star book in quite sometime. Then I listened to A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner on audio. Another good one! It is the story of a nurse who lost someone special in the Triangle Shirtwaist fire and how she moves forward by working on Ellis Island. Also the story of a woman who loses her husband on 9/11. The two woman are connected by a scarf with marigolds on it. Finally, I read Afterward by Jennifer Mathieu. It is a YA novel about a boy who has been kidnapped and then comes home along with another boy who happens to be autistic. The sister of the autistic boy seeks out the other boy to try to understand what her brother went through. It is a good story that shows the difficulties without overdoing it. And my favorite character is the psychiatrist that they boy goes to. He has such a wonderful way of helping the boy! Currently, I am just a few chapters from being done with The Couple Next Door. I have my guess about how it ends, we will see if I am right. My Book Club just had this as our pick ... we like stuff that isn't too deep Everyone enjoyed it but don't expect super big surprises at the end
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Post by shevy on Nov 21, 2016 17:41:21 GMT
My Dad just gave me a Fire5 as he bought a deal off QVC where it was a pair. I have been using the Kindle Unlimited borrowing and reading a book a day almost.
I really liked Yellow Crocus by Ibrahim, Laila. The story of a plantation child and her slave wet nurse. Based on a true story and the ins and outs of the relationships were hard but endearing.
Broken Grace by EC Diskin was a good novel about amnesia and finding out more than the character wanted to know.
Until I Met Herby Natalie Bereli was awesome! Turns and lies about an author and her book. The character development was great.
I'm currently Reading Without a Trace; The Disappearance of Amy Billing. A mother's search for justice. It's a true story about the disappearance of Amy and how her family tries to search for her in the early 70s with the tools they have then.
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Post by jackie on Nov 21, 2016 17:42:14 GMT
Definitely got some good ones to add to my reading list. Thanks again ladies. I finally finished my go-to fluff writer Mary Higgin Clark's book The Melody Lingers On. It was standard MHC fare. Now I'm reading Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen. It's his autobiography and I have to say, I am LOVING it so far. First, he is an amazing storyteller. I should have assumed based on his songs, but I never realized it would translate to books. I researched and found that he wrote this all on his own. He really is a beautiful writer. I'm still in the early part, his childhood, and can't wait to read the rest. I'm still listening to The Last Child by John Hart. It's good so far, but like with his last book, some of the lead characters that we're supposed to root for are often so infuriating I can't stand it. The mother especially--I want to choke the life out of her she makes me so angry. I'm still not far in but I'm definitely intrigued to see how it all works out.
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hanushka
Full Member
Posts: 142
Sept 27, 2016 20:54:24 GMT
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Post by hanushka on Nov 21, 2016 19:05:56 GMT
I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning reading The Mothers by Brit Bennett, recommended by a pea I believe. 4/5. I also finished Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape
by Jenna Miscavige Hill . I've read several "out of Scientology" books recently and they are simultaneously fascinating and horrifying. 3/5.
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Post by annabella on Nov 21, 2016 19:16:49 GMT
I just finished The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen which was the winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction but I hated it. It's a post Vietnam war story about Vietnamese refugees in LA.
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Post by kckckc on Nov 21, 2016 19:21:11 GMT
I finished a few last week. First was To The Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey. I have not read Snow Child, her first novel, but when this came up on my hold I jumped in and I am so glad! It is a wonderful story of a man who goes off to explore Alaska in the 1800's and leaves his wife home to occupy herself. There is also a small current day story that is just so sweet. I would highly recommend this! It is my first 5 star book in quite sometime. I really liked this one too - one of the best I read this year! Save
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Post by kckckc on Nov 21, 2016 19:24:14 GMT
I just finished The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen which was the winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction but I hated it. It's a post Vietnam war story about Vietnamese refugees in LA. I started this one twice and gave up on it both times. I felt like I ought to read it and I ought to like it. I made it about half way through the second time before I gave up. Save
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