The Golden Gate
by Vikram Seth
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Read in March, 2008
recommended to Molly by:
Phil Zeyliger
I was expecting to enjoy this book, but even so it really knocked my socks off.
Total times I missed my bus stop as a result of this book and had to walk home from Bosworth and Mission: 2.
Total times I have ever missed that bus stop: 3.
That will tell you how involved I got reading this book. Seth is a charming writer. The characters were fully-fleshed-out and interesting to read about, the places were very real (as a Bay Area resident, it was very exciting to see places like the Cafe ...more
Total times I missed my bus stop as a result of this book and had to walk home from Bosworth and Mission: 2.
Total times I have ever missed that bus stop: 3.
That will tell you how involved I got reading this book. Seth is a charming writer. The characters were fully-fleshed-out and interesting to read about, the places were very real (as a Bay Area resident, it was very exciting to see places like the Cafe ...more
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bookshelves:
poetry
recommends it for: poetry-phobes, those who live in the Bay Area or dream of it
Read in November, 2000
recommended to Sari Lynn by:
a gift from Tomrecommends it for: poetry-phobes, those who live in the Bay Area or dream of it
Years ago, when my friend Tom, who lived on the opposite side of the Golden Gate Bridge from me, gave me a copy of this book for my birthday, I was a bit daunted by the fact that it was written in verse - sonnet, to be precise. You see, I never found poetry to be particularly easy to read or accessible - unless the author was reading it aloud. (Okay, that was before I discovered the work of Billy Collins, but I digress...)
But, because it was a gift from someone dear to me, and because I ha...more
But, because it was a gift from someone dear to me, and because I ha...more
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bookclub-illiterati
You know, I never thought that I'd enjoy this as much as I did, but I am a huge poetry buff. Witness my love of 'Possession' by A.S. Byatt and the over fifty pages of poetry I read just to enhance my enjoyment of that book. I'm sure it would have been 500 pages if I'd tried to study it. Anyway, although the theme of this was something I didn't think I'd enjoy, I found myself lulled by the, at worst, adequate poetry, which is implying a high degree of skill given how many rhyming couplets need to...more
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To write a contemporary love story, intertwining the lives of 6 people that you and me can completely relate to, and delving deep into their everyday lives, struggles, loves and lamentations...and to be able to do this entirely using sonnets and poetry....simply UNBELIEVABLE! This poem/story/work of fiction is a must read for anyone that thought poerty is hard to read or too hard to understand. The simple language, yet strong prose makes this book a delightful, magical read. You'll fall in love ...more
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fiction,
poetry,
queerlit
I got this book as a gift and was honestly a bit wary at first because the concept—a novel told entirely in sonnets!—seemed a bit hokey and pretentious to me. But in general it's really quite lovely and clever, even if the plot is a bit thin (with the exception of one incredibly shocking moment toward the end). Plus, Seth captures the feel of the Bay Area really well. You were right, dear gift-giver!
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Read in January, 1999
Quite possibly, this book is why I'm married to the person I married.
The novel presents a daunting challenge to readers, because it consists of sonnets - 14 lines per, babe. I recall that Seth doesn't adhere closely to iambic pentameter, which is fine - there's a good tradition of poets being flexible with verse. (See Shakespeare, William.)
This is a book of love and loss, friendship and loss, and San Francisco.
The novel presents a daunting challenge to readers, because it consists of sonnets - 14 lines per, babe. I recall that Seth doesn't adhere closely to iambic pentameter, which is fine - there's a good tradition of poets being flexible with verse. (See Shakespeare, William.)
This is a book of love and loss, friendship and loss, and San Francisco.
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Read in January, 1989
Note: this is actually one sustained story, not a collection of poems. This is my #1 favorite book for both "literary" and personal reasons. It's beautifully written. The characters became a part of my life. I can't say enough good things about this book.
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6 comments
Read in May, 2008
Great language, so-so story. I suppose it's not an objectively bad story, as it's competently told, but I couldn't relate to any of the characters at all. Nonetheless, the language is beautiful and witty, and the book is consistently entertaining.
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Read in January, 2002
A rather formidable attempt, you can't ever get around the Seth's bold use of verse, but it reads naturally and the story alone would be enjoyable enough that the sonnet form of the book is just an extra bonus. Impressive and pretty fun.
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Any novel that's written in iambic pentameter has got to be halfway decent. I honestly don't remember this book very much, but I do remember being impressed with the whole iambic pentameter thing.
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loved
Read in January, 2006
This novel may be proof that I don't hate verse. (Yes, it's a novel in verse. Sonnets, to be precise.) And Seth himself is the darlingest little man ever.
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This is a brilliant book. It's a trivial story about some Californians, but it is written in sonnet form. That may sound tedious, but it isn't. It's amazing.
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in July, 2007
A beautiful novel in verse that is a surprisingly fun and fluid read. Short, quick read - highly recommended!
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two-box-belgian-library-addenda
Read in August, 2002
Date is a guess until I take time to verify -- interesting reading a book in verse -- but I enjoyed it.
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Read in January, 1997
The first time I've read a novel in verse. An amazing achievement. How can one person be so talented???
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Read in January, 2005
It is written in rhyme which made it a very enjoyable read. However, I would rate the story as fair.
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Read in January, 2003
i read this in college and enjoyed it. i am going to re-read this one.
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Read in January, 1993
A novel about a newcomer to San Francisco, written in sonnet form.
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Read in April, 1992
recommends it for:
People who love San Francisco and great feats of Poetry
WARNING: May cause reader to start thinking in sonnets.
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Read in January, 1995
now im actually cool i dont need it
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book data (includes all editions)
avg rating (all editions): 3.96 (228 ratings) avg rating (this edition): 3.96 (228 ratings) number of reviews: 22popular shelves
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