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June 25
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Lisa
marked as to-read:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Hardcover)
by
Mary Ann Shaffer
bookshelves:
to-read
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my rating:
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Lisa
gave  to:
Olive Kitteridge: A Novel in Stories (Hardcover)
by
Elizabeth Strout
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my rating:
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read in June, 2009
Lisa said:
"Being one to prefer the fluffy, pink, British books, I wasn't convinced I'd enjoy a novel whose description included phrases such as "...heart-wrenching portrait [including:] themes of suicide, depression, bad communication, aging and love..."...more
Being one to prefer the fluffy, pink, British books, I wasn't convinced I'd enjoy a novel whose description included phrases such as "...heart-wrenching portrait [including:] themes of suicide, depression, bad communication, aging and love..."
Surprisingly, though, I enjoyed it. Each chapter focuses on a new life - a new individual or family who each have their own dark secrets, heartbreaks, and sadness. Despite the way it's described, the book isn't depressing. It's just sort of misty and moody. The stories are honest and show how - despite the feeling of loneliness and seclusion we might all have at times - we're all connected, even if it's only by our shared grief.
I wouldn't have picked up Olive Kitteridge on my own, it was a book club selection, but I'm glad to have taken the time to read it.
(less)
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Lisa
is currently reading:
A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table (Hardcover)
by
Molly Wizenberg
bookshelves:
currently-reading
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my rating:
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June 04
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Lisa
gave  to:
Bitter is the New Black : Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass, Or, Why You Should Never Carry A Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office (Paperback)
by
Jen Lancaster
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my rating:
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read in May, 2009
Lisa said:
"Loved it! I started off hating the condescending, egomaniacal, self-centered, smartass Jen, but then she started growing on me and I started to root for her. I couldn't wait to see how the story ended, and at the same time I didn't want it to end -...more
Loved it! I started off hating the condescending, egomaniacal, self-centered, smartass Jen, but then she started growing on me and I started to root for her. I couldn't wait to see how the story ended, and at the same time I didn't want it to end - the perfect combination that tells you this is a great book.
It was hilarious - I couldn't put it down. Funny and honest and self-deprecating. Very similar to the style of another of my favorite authors - Jen Weiner.
The footnotes threw me at first and were annoying, but those grew on me, too, and I started to see them as the funny little jabs they were meant to be.
Read this book, you won't regret it. Now I can't wait to read all of her other books! (less)
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May 27
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Lisa
gave to:
The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific (Paperback)
by
J. Maarten Troost
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my rating:
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read in May, 2009
Lisa said:
"Love. Loved this book so much. If J. Maarten Troost offered personal tours of Tarawa I think I might just go with him. What a great, funny, too-ridiculous-to-be-true story. Go read it now.
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Lisa
marked as to-read:
Valeria's Last Stand (Hardcover)
by
Marc Fitten (Goodreads author)
bookshelves:
to-read
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my rating:
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Lisa
marked as to-read:
Breakfast with Buddha (Hardcover)
by
Roland Merullo
bookshelves:
to-read
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my rating:
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Lisa
marked as to-read:
Schuyler's Monster: A Father's Journey with His Wordless Daughter (Hardcover)
by
Robert Rummel-Hudson (Goodreads author)
bookshelves:
to-read
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my rating:
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Lisa
gave  to:
Serendipity: A Novel (Paperback)
by
Louise Shaffer
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my rating:
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read in May, 2009
Lisa said:
"Surprisingly enjoyable.
After the first couple of chapters I thought I had the story figured out and it was going to be another predictably twisting plot. Instead it was interesting, engaging, and the chapter-by-chapter switching betwee...more
Surprisingly enjoyable.
After the first couple of chapters I thought I had the story figured out and it was going to be another predictably twisting plot. Instead it was interesting, engaging, and the chapter-by-chapter switching between time periods was a fun way to get the feel of each generation and discover the stories of the great grandmother, grandmother, mother, and daughter.
If I could offer my one complaint it would be that the end tied up a little too quickly for my taste. The rest of the story was strung out for you to leisurely discover on your own, then the end was handed to you with a bow on it in the form of a brief epilogue. I would have just liked a bit more at the end. But still, a good book.
Give it a read.(less)
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March 06
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Lisa
gave to:
The Professors' Wives' Club (Paperback)
by
Joanne Rendell (Goodreads author)
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my rating:
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read in March, 2009
Lisa said:
"A fun, quick read with great characters, a scary villain and a literary mystery mixed with a bit of art. What more could you ask for?
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