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Jun 15, 2008

Galen rated it:

This book follows thirty year-old divorced father, never graduated college, manual laborer Barnaby Gaitlin through a year of growing up. Barnaby works for a company that aids the elderly and others with heavy lifting and big chores, leading to many interesting minor characters in the novel. Barnaby realizes that he is not living up to his potential both in his parents' eyes and in his own, although for different reasons. He meets a slightly older woman, Sophia, on the train and begins a frien More...

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Jul 22, 2011

Bev rated it:

I read this book many years ago and liked it, so when I saw it on tape at the library for $1 I picked it up to listen to it again. I didn't care for it so much this time. It is basically the story of a man who has been a disappointment to himself and his family trying to redeem himself and find a way to a happier life. There were some inappropriate things in it, but mostly this time I found the main character a little annoying! I don't want to disuade anyone from reading it- maybe I just did More...

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Jan 31, 2011

Bobby rated it:

The critics say that Anne Tyler writes novels with quirky characters. I say that we are all quirky characters. Certainly, I grew up with and am a member of a family of quirky characters. I find the characters in Anne Tyler's novels real, they are people one meets everyday.

As I began to read this novel, I thought about days when I lived in the pages of Anne Tyler's novels. My trips to the library always took me to the same section, where I fingered the titles looking for favorite More...

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Nov 18, 2010

Mrsgaskell rated it:

This was a pleasant read but my least favourite Anne Tyler so far (having read Ladder of Years, Digging to America, Breathing Lessons, and Back When We Were Grownups). Barnaby Gaitlin is the black sheep of his wealthy and philanthropic Baltimore family. As he reaches his thirtieth birthday, he begins to assess his life. A former juvenile delinquent and a college drop-out, he has been employed for nine years as a low-paid general helper by Rent-a-Back, a company that provides household assistance More...

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Aug 22, 2009

Cindy rated it:

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Jul 15, 2009

Josh rated it:

Anne Tyler is a master of creating characters, and this book is no different. Barnaby is, actually, a good person. He has made some mistakes to be sure, but his heart is ultimately good. I found myself confused by the ending. Obviously, he wants Sophia to have the money, but he lies about it. I also found the note odd, 'You never DID realize...' It's in the past tense, which almost suggests they have reached an end (assuming Tyler chooses her words that carefully). Also, Barnaby had sort of a mo More...

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Jan 14, 2009

Thermalsatsuma rated it:

Barnaby Gaitlan is just a regular guy.

A former teenage delinquent and the black sheep of a wealthy (and socially ambitious) family, he has just turned thirty, with an ex-wife from an ill starred early marriage and a nine year old daughter who he sees once a month. He never completed college, owes his parents money, has a beaten up old Corvette that is always giving him trouble and scratches a living for a company called Rent-a-Back doing odd jobs for old folk. His life is drifting – More...

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Jul 26, 2010

Carolyn rated it:

I read the last page, sighed, and said "What a great story!", thus waking my husband and drawing his wrath (we were both extremely jet-lagged at the time). It was that good.

It's so easy to get jaded about books today - often the books touted on the bestseller lists are, well, less than impressive. Then comes along a book like A Patchwork Planet, reviving my delight in reading. Original characters, situations, problems - yet so relatable. Barnaby touched me with his impetuou More...

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Jan 16, 2008

Erin rated it:

This isn't my favorite Anne Tyler book, but even so, it is an enjoyable read because her characterizations are so good. She seems to see all the foibles and failings of her characters, and helps us like them anyway. Barnaby Gaitlin is stuck in a position most of us probably understand--that of feeling like he is not living up to his own or others' expectations of him. How he makes peace with himself and his demanding family is a funny and interesting journey.

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Feb 02, 2012

Stephanie rated it:

I love Goodreads. You can click on "I'm finished" which does not necessarily mean you have completed the book to the final page.

I CANNOT stand it when, 187 pages into a book, the main character takes a turn that you absolutely can't see them taking. You think you know a guy...

I had my doubts reading this, really. Its horribly written. Time passed too fast and scenes were over in a few pages, nothing was drawn out and no agreeing with a character over their choices. More...

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Jan 11, 2012

Beth rated it:

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Jan 16, 2010

Suzanne rated it:

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Nov 03, 2009

Tyler rated it:

I can't remember why I started reading Anne Tyler books years ago, maybe it was our shared name. But I've read at least a half dozen of them now and never been disappointed. If there are other authors who do as good a job at making ordinary people so endearing, I haven't come across them.

A Patchwork Planet is the story of a sort of grown-up misfit who's trying to overcome his past. It's told in the first person, which I always enjoy. (Remember The Rainmaker by John Grisham? Great ope More...

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Apr 28, 2011

Chetecut rated it:

Казват, че тази книга води авторката си Ан Тайлър почти до съвършенство. Тя наистина е добра, с интересен сюжет, много приятно написана, но като че ли нещо й липсва. Определено не оставя онова завладяващо чувство след прочитането й, но и не те кара да съжаляваш, че въобще си се захванал с нея. И все пак мисля, че би се харесала на българските читатели и се чудя защо в България има издадена само една книга на Ан Тайлър, при условие, че в Америка например почти всичките й заглавия са бестселъри.
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Jan 29, 2011

Ginny rated it:

This is classic Anne Tyler—with a protagonist who is divorced and somewhat adrift and finds himself involved with a not especially pretty or glamorous, but very self-possessed woman. It brought to mind "The Accidental Tourist" and "Noah’s Compass," but still felt completely original.

Tyler's characterizations and dialog are always pitch-perfect. This, more than the stories themselves, is what makes her books so enjoyable. Somehow it feels like you've met all of th More...

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Dec 03, 2011

Chana rated it:

I find Anne Tyler books to be well written and depressing. In this story we have this kind of misfit guy, just turned 30 and lives in a little rented room, is always broke, has a fractious relationship with his family, dresses poorly, is divorced and just visits his daughter once a month. But he also works at this company called Rent a Back which basically does chores for old people or people who can't do their own chores. A lot of these people are lonely and craving company. So our guy Barnaby More...

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Nov 03, 2010

Alice rated it:

I enjoyed reading this book club choice which was chosen because it was much lighter than the past several books we've read. Barnaby Gaitlin (from Baltimore) is not your typical protagonist. He's the black sheep of the family, kind of quirky and not someone I would readily identify with. As he narrates the story I begin to empathise with him, finding him likable after all. Barnaby is in his mid-thirties, divorced, and the father of an 8-year old daughter he sees once a month where she lives More...

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Jan 15, 2010

Rita rated it:

What a wonderful book on so many levels. Anne Tyler is my favorite author, and I am very glad that she's a prolific writer. I have a ways to go to read all her books. (Are you still writing, Anne? I hope so!) This is a story of Barnaby, a man who made some poor choices as a teen, and is living out the consequences. He is a disappointment to his parents and brother, ex-wife and daughter, and they keep affirming that fact. Barnaby makes some discoveries about his true self by the end of the book. More...

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May 31, 2009

Cathie rated it:

Anne Tyler has a way of taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary. This book is extremely validating. You think Barnaby is a loser - mostly because that is how he sees himself, but he is in fact, a wonderfully caring(albeit quirky) guy.

There are passages that are so honest and real that they touched on feelings I thought I alone had.

And seeing these older people through Barnaby's eyes, and seeing what he saw he sees in them, makes me wonder...is Barnaby the true an More...

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May 28, 2011

Jeanne rated it:

I usually love Anne Tyler so this one was a little disappointing. The lead characters is a weird but "trustworthy" guy who has what society considers a menial position working for a small company that does odd-jobs primarily for the elderly. The premise and plot were ok but I just couldn't get to the point of caring about this strange man. Spoiler alert! The one character I did start to care about - his girlfriend - makes a mistake by doubting how "trustworthy" the man is More...

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Dec 25, 2008

Summer rated it:

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Jan 19, 2011

Veronica rated it:

Anne Tyler is one of those authors that people often talk about and I feel I should have read. She just sounds like my kind of writer. So when I found this book, I was pleased to have a chance to try her.

It seemed very slight to start with, and while it definitely improved as it went along, and you got to know Barnaby better, there weren't any "wow" moments. But I loved the structure, which seems untidy and unplanned, but like a patchwork is suddenly all fitted together at More...

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Jun 23, 2009

Julia rated it:

Another Anne Tyler novel. Boy do I enjoy her books! This main character is a 30 yr. old divorced man with a 10 yr. old daughter that doesn't necessarily look forward to his visits. His job pays just enough to keep the bills paid. He works for Rent-a-back and we hear all about his various clients who are all seniors with often comical situations. It would be easy to write this guy off as a loser, but his wit and ability to see the humor in things is so endearing. His relationship and conver More...

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May 28, 2009

Lenore rated it:

If you read this book, you'll find yourself spending time at places like the Philly Train Station, and at the homes of elderly people (I love that Barnaby works for "Rent-A-Back," doing odd jobs for the elderly at all hours. Anne Tyler's characters are of the colorful and interesting kind, but the situations and personalities are very real and recognizable.

I found these two reviews/links of "A Patchwork Planet," that I kind of liked ...

http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/reviews/book... More...

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Aug 03, 2011

Scartowner rated it:

I really, really like this book. I'm going to re-read it soon. Tyler makes the world of a so-called loser worthwhile and valuable, without the narrator's realizing it. She did not overdo the overlapping incidents and didn't tie up loose ends too neatly. But the last paragraph was really the one of the most touching of book endings. I read her "Breathing Lessons" years ago and liked that very much. More recently I read "The Ladder of Years," but I did not enjoy my time with More...

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Dec 10, 2010

Kirsty rated it:

I could write exactly the same non-review as I did of the first of Anne Tyler's books that I read: The Accidental Tourist. Except that I hit it off with this one from the first page and knew I was going to like it.

I didn't want it to end, or at least I wanted one of those one page summaries of "this is what happened to everybody next" - except it would have spoiled the book to have trimmed its wings like that. Really liked it, must read more Tyler.

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Jul 31, 2010

Mike rated it:

An offbeat story of a feckless 30 year old man with a record of youth crimes, now leading an honest but apparently unsuccesful life. His mother is hyper critical of his lack of success compared to his brother. He meets an older woman with whom he establishes a conventional relationship. The book is strong on the inner lives of the older people with whom he comes into contact in his job. There is good characterisation, yet I didn't really warm to any of the characters. Not completely convinc More...

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Sep 14, 2011

Carolyn F. rated it:

Loved this audiobook! David Morse did such a fantastic job. I wish this were the unabridged version just because it was sad when the book ended. I'm going to try and listen to all of her books. I've listened to I think 3 all together and loved them all.

Everytime I read or listen to Anne Tyler's books it reminds me why she's one of my favorite authors. I love her quirky characters. I'm smiling and laughing throughout this audiobook. An elderly woman said her husband would alway More...

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Oct 27, 2011

Carmen rated it:

Barnaby is a man who doesn't fit in. He is from a rich family, but doesn't live up to the family's expectations. Instead he works at a place that hires people for jobs for people who can't do them themselves. This typically means older people. It's a great concept, but definitely not well-paying. His marriage didn't go well; he is divorced. His daughter is detached from him, doesn't even call him Dad. And then Barnaby meets Sophia. It is a strang encounter. A man goes up to people at the Bal More...

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Jan 14, 2012

Rachael rated it:

I kept reading and reading, waiting for this book to get good. But it always felt like nothing was happening. The romances felt forced, the family dynamic was uninteresting and I never really understood Barnaby, the main character. Why did he steal things? Why did he sleep with his co-worker when he had no attraction to her? Why did do the things that I felt that he had no reason to do? I kept reading mostly because I didn't absolutely hate it, but I can't say I really enjoyed the experience eit More...

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