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  <description><![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]></description>
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    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
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  <read_at>Mon Mar 02 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Mar 31 20:46:34 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Mar 31 20:47:26 -0700 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[          This is a great collection of stories which really hits on the core meaning of family and its special operation. These regular families show us a little bit about our lives at home and the different relationships between generation. she touches on the ups and downs of being happy and being...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/51106116">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
  <id>52503729</id>
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    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[Finished the first story. She is a masterful short story writer. I read one, then put it down to think on it. Yummy. Dark. Reminds me of Chesil Beach and all the ways married people disappoint and surprise each other unknowingly/knowingly.]]></body>
    
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      <review>
  <id>76956616</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Dawn]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
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    <rating>3</rating>
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  <read_at>Tue Nov 10 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Nov 06 16:10:05 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Nov 10 18:29:39 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This collection proves once again why JCO is a master of the short story genre.  I didn't find this collection to be overly depressing, as others on Goodreads have proclaimed it.  For example, in the first story, Panic, a husband seeks consolation from his wife after she abandons him to protect thei...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76956616">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76956616]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>56921247</id>
    <user>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
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  <read_at>Wed May 27 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[God damn. Joyce Carol Oates is a great writer, but she's just comically overwrought. These stories involve suicides, violent deaths or else murders, children who hate their parents, vehemently, or else parents who hate their children. The collection's title story concerns a woman drowning her childr...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/56921247">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/56921247]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>57321361</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Dollie]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
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    <rating>2</rating>
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  <read_at>Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon May 25 20:01:45 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon May 25 20:01:45 -0700 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[Wow.  This is not a book to read if you are feeling even slightly glum.  And if you are feeling good, it is a major buzz kill.  Well written but so cynical and sad you need anti-depressants to make it through.  It made &quot;Catcher on the Rye&quot; feel like a light-hearted romp.  If you're into dy...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/57321361">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/57321361]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/57321361]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
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    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
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  <read_at>Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Dec 11 13:31:36 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Dec 11 13:34:44 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I picture Joyce Carol Oates laughing to herself with a sinister grin, and thinking “Wait till they get a load of these.” Fourteen stories, some are dark, some darker. Three stories rate five stars, some of the rest rate two. If you have just started this collection, and aren’t yet interested, ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/80686481">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/80686481]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
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  <isbn>0061704318</isbn>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">51</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.24</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>143</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2009</published>
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    <rating>5</rating>
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  <read_at>Fri May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Jul 07 18:02:14 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Jul 07 18:06:28 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[The most powerful collection of stories I've read in ages. You could go to school on Oates's writing in this book. Each of the stories is unique -- characteristically for Oates dark, but oddly not depressing. Her strength is twofold in my opinion: (1) the voice in each story is clear and unique; you...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/62550552">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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</review>
      <review>
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  <isbn>0061704318</isbn>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">51</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1234215557m/5125384.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.24</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>143</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2009</published>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <read_at>Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Jul 22 20:46:57 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Jul 22 21:07:33 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Savage, poetic and ruthless. Oates deals with characters and themes she has often covered before -- violent men, desperate women, lives scarred by alcohol and poverty -- but her touch has never been surer, her insights never more piercing. At least one of these stories (&quot;Landfill&quot;) can bre...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/64607066">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
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  <average_rating>3.24</average_rating>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
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  <read_at>Thu Apr 30 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Apr 28 07:04:18 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Apr 30 08:56:52 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Short story collections are like a box of chocolates (sorry Forrest!).  You bite into one and discover it's one of your favorites, the next one is only o.k., and some are downright yucky.  This collection by Joyce Carol Oates is just like that.  Some of the stories I thought were fantastic (Mistrial...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/54225901">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/54225901]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>58697500</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Kate]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
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  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1234215557m/5125384.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.24</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>143</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2009</published>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <date_added>Sat Jun 06 18:37:59 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Jun 06 18:42:10 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I learned don't be a drunk a**hole guy at a party with other drunk a**hole guys who don't like you. don't ruin your kids life, embarrass your teenage son. The mistrial is funny, so is death by fitness club, a couple others to lighten the usual nightmarish fare that the great lady serves up from our ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/58697500">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/58697500]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/58697500]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>66877106</id>
    <user>
    <id>855612</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Meredith]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Norfolk, VA]]></location>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.24</average_rating>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <read_at>Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Aug 10 14:23:11 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Aug 10 14:28:40 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[These stories are beautifully crafted - as close to 'perfect' as a short story can get. The tone throughout the collection is definitely grosteque, but yet her themes ring so true. This is my first time reading JCO, and I found her strikingly similiar to Flannery O'Connor. Instead of the South, JCO'...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66877106">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66877106]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66877106]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>77187149</id>
    <user>
    <id>294281</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Amy]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.24</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>143</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2009</published>
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  <read_at>Wed Nov 11 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Nov 09 04:41:52 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Nov 13 13:22:26 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Read selected stories, not the whole book.  Most difficult and intriguing for me was the story about a young family with a disabled child.  Told from the point of view of the sibling, I at once empathized and sympathized with the burden.  I am so glad we have so many more options to help our kids th...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77187149">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77187149]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>46615663</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Erin]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
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  <ratings_count>143</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2009</published>
</book>

    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Feb 10 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Feb 17 06:06:04 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Feb 17 06:11:16 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I've always wondered if I would be a J.C.O. fan, and after reading this short-story collection, I would unfortunately have to say no. It mostly bored/annoyed the living crap out of me. That said, however, I would give her another shot, so if anyone has any recommendations for a good Joyce Carol Oate...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/46615663">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/46615663]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/46615663]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>53166671</id>
    <user>
    <id>1294754</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Judy]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Casselberry, FL]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1294754-judy]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1248878533p3/1294754.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">5125384</id>
  <isbn>0061704318</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780061704314</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">51</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1234215557m/5125384.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1234215557s/5125384.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5125384.Dear_Husband_Stories</link>
  <average_rating>3.24</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>143</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2009</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sat Apr 18 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Apr 18 17:19:22 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Apr 18 17:30:36 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I found this collection of short stories dark, disturbing, unsettling and all the usual adjectives applied to JCO.  There's no denying she's a masterful storyteller and sometimes we need to read the masters and be reminded of the mystery, depth, beauty of language.  Not for the faint of heart nor th...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53166671">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53166671]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53166671]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>51769782</id>
    <user>
    <id>94066</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Rosebud]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Evanston, IL]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/94066-rosebud]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1188684747p3/94066.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">5125384</id>
  <isbn>0061704318</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780061704314</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">51</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1234215557m/5125384.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1234215557s/5125384.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5125384.Dear_Husband_Stories</link>
  <average_rating>3.24</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>143</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2009</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Mon Apr 06 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Apr 06 20:40:56 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Apr 06 20:45:07 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Mesmerizing collection of very dark short stories-sad and a few with a sense of macabre humor-all about people yearning for love and acceptance but there is always something not quite right...in those perfect addresses lurks a deadly secret. I couldn't decide between 4 and 5 stars, but it's not for ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/51769782">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/51769782]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/51769782]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>74644348</id>
    <user>
    <id>135327</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Tiffany]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Somerville, MA]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/135327-tiffany]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1182114544p3/135327.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">5125384</id>
  <isbn>0061704318</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780061704314</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">51</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1234215557m/5125384.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1234215557s/5125384.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5125384.Dear_Husband_Stories</link>
  <average_rating>3.24</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>143</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2009</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Oct 15 13:05:50 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Oct 15 13:10:07 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[stayed up late at night to read these, mostly disturbing short stories, with some hard-to-fathom or like, characters.  The title story, is especially sad; a fictional letter written by Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her 5 children.  pshew.  now I need something a little more uplifting.  ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/74644348">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/74644348]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/74644348]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>53385015</id>
    <user>
    <id>1135951</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Candy]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Circleville, OH]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1135951-candy]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1255920552p3/1135951.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">5125384</id>
  <isbn>0061704318</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780061704314</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">51</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1234215557m/5125384.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1234215557s/5125384.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5125384.Dear_Husband_Stories</link>
  <average_rating>3.24</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>143</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2009</published>
</book>

    <rating>1</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[those who like the dark side of people]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[random library pick]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Mon May 25 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Apr 20 14:48:40 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri May 29 06:42:13 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count>1</read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Short stories- so far I really liked The Blind Man's Sighted Daughters, because of the insight into the role of caretaker, and A Princeton Idyll because of the letter-writing format and the interesting takes 2 people had on an historical event.<br/><br/>Having finished the book, I would say overal...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53385015">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53385015]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53385015]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>55555141</id>
    <user>
    <id>91455</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Renee]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Orchard Park, NY]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/91455-renee]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1192560821p3/91455.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">5125384</id>
  <isbn>0061704318</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780061704314</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">51</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1234215557m/5125384.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1234215557s/5125384.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5125384.Dear_Husband_Stories</link>
  <average_rating>3.24</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>143</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2009</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Fri May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun May 10 04:46:30 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun May 10 06:20:40 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[A wonderful, fresh collection of short stories, that in my opinion, really showcase the author's witty sense of humor.It was hard to pick a favorite story, but if asked, I would choose &quot;Suicide at the Health Club&quot;. With JCO's there is always a mystery, depth, and beauty of language.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/55555141]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/55555141]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>61669882</id>
    <user>
    <id>122162</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Lori]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Norman, OK]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/122162-lori]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1227279410p3/122162.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">5125384</id>
  <isbn>0061704318</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780061704314</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">51</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1234215557m/5125384.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1234215557s/5125384.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5125384.Dear_Husband_Stories</link>
  <average_rating>3.24</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>143</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2009</published>
</book>

    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
            <shelf name="2009july" />
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Jun 30 14:47:04 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Jul 04 15:04:27 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This short story collection takes all the pain in a Joyce Carol Oates book and condenses it, allowing room for little more.<br/><br/>Sure, they're well written. But they're painful, depressing and just no damn fun to read.<br/><br/>(The second- and third-to-last stories are the only ones I'd eve...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/61669882">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/61669882]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/61669882]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>76490938</id>
    <user>
    <id>635887</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Angspendlove]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/635887-angspendlove]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1198786548p3/635887.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">5125384</id>
  <isbn>0061704318</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780061704314</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">51</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Dear Husband: Stories]]>
  </title>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5125384.Dear_Husband_Stories</link>
  <average_rating>3.24</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>143</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<blockquote> <p> A gripping and moving new collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which reimagines the meaning of family—by unexpected, often startling means </p> </blockquote> <p> With the unflinching candor and sym­pathy for which Joyce Carol Oates is celebrated, these fourteen stories examine the intimate lives of contemporary American families: the tangled ties between generations, the desperation—and the covert, radiant happiness—of loving more than one is loved in return. In &quot;Cutty Sark&quot; and &quot;Landfill,&quot; the bond between adolescent son and mother reverberates with the force of an unspoken passion, bringing unexpected consequences for the son. In &quot;A Princeton Idyll,&quot; a woman is forced to realize, decades later, her childhood role in the destruction of a famous, beloved grandfather's life. In &quot;Magda Maria,&quot; a man tries to break free of the enthralling and dangerous erotic obsession of his life. In the gripping title story, Oates boldly reimagines the true-crime story of Andrea Yates, the Texas mother who drowned her children in 2001. Several stories—&quot;Suicide by Fitness Center,&quot; &quot;The Glazers,&quot; and &quot;Dear Joyce Carol,&quot;—take a less tragic turn, exploring with mordant humor the shadowy interstices between self-awareness and delusion. </p> <p> Dramatic, intensely rendered, and always provocative, <em>Dear Husband</em>, provides an unsettling and fascinating look into the mysterious heart of America. </p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2009</published>
</book>

    <rating>1</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Nov 02 10:38:45 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Nov 02 10:48:11 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I thought I had an idea what kind of books Joyce Carol Oates wrote. I was WAY off. I felt sick after reading a few of these stories so I finally just gave it up. There are too many good books out there to waste time on depressing, morbid stories like these.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76490938]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76490938]]></link>
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